We all vow to hit the gym, lose weight and eat more greens when a new year rolls around. Thing is, these kinds of resolutions rarely stand the test of time. Why not mix it up in 2015 and make a few resolutions for your home instead…
Go green – If you haven’t already jumped on the recycling, energy-saving and water-wise bandwagon, what are you waiting for? From joining a plastic, paper and/or glass recycling programme, to installing solar geysers and lighting, cultivating a worm farm or even making your own compost from kitchen scraps, green is the way forward.
Create a makeover list – Go room by room and list all of the things you’d like to alter – even if it’s as simple as installing a new light fitting. Then start with the can-do-now improvements and begin saving for the bigger projects.
Get organised – This one is pretty obvious but where to start? Everything should have its place – from paperwork and shopping bags to keys and umbrellas. Assigning places for everything leads to a cleaner house, as clutter often piles up because we simply don’t have anywhere to put it.
Throw out the clutter – While getting organised means having everything in its place, de-cluttering involves chucking away what you no longer need. One way to do this is to grab a box and throw away 10 things you don’t need now. Put the box in your boot immediately to drop off at your local charity. Repeat as needed. Encourage your children to go through their toys and donate whatever they’ve outgrown.
Finish something you’ve already started – Whether it’s sorting out the DVD cabinet, updating those family albums or finally hanging up the kids’ art you had framed ages ago, try and complete one niggling task a month.
Learn something new – The upside of this resolution is that it ticks both the home-improvement and self-improvement boxes. Have you always wanted to mosaic a bistro table, sew your own scatter cushions or dabble in painting, pottery and decoupage? Consider a craft workshop, a course in interior decorating or even beginners’ landscaping. You’ll benefit by learning a new skill, while your home gets to show off the fruits of your labour.
So forget the spinning classes and the wheatgrass smoothies and rather make the most of your home in 2015. Happy New Year!
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