The New Year is quickly approaching, and if you need ideas for picking a New Year’s resolution, why not commit to making your home the best it can be for 2019? TRACE in San Marcos is rounding up a few ways you can make your home more comfortable for the New Year.
- Get Organized
Some people feel that a cluttered space equals a cluttered mind, while others thrive in a messy space. The important thing about organizing is that you know the system that works for you and where to find everything.
If you have deep shelves, you might consider adding sliding drawers. This lets you pull out the drawer and see everything with ease. No moving stuff around to see what’s in the back.
Do you need more drawers? Home stores sell a variety of drawers of different sizes and shapes. You might be able to add them to your closet, pantry, or under a sink. Another option is to get drawers with wheels then you can move them at will.
It also helps to insert organizers like utensil trays and other drawer organizers into the drawers so you can put all the little items in a smaller section and sort the longer items. Drawer organizers come in a variety of shapes and sizes.
Wicker or wire baskets and plastic or glass jars make great organizing tools. Jars can store snacks, cereals, pasta, buttons, and other small items. Baskets can hold bigger items and you can move them from room to room.
- Complete Routine Maintenance
Just like people get annual physicals and cars undergo inspections, homes need regular checkups. Being proactive with home maintenance even with new homes helps them last longer and prevent bigger problems.
Typically, the best time to do maintenance is right before summer and winter. Here are tips for getting your home ready for summer and to prepare your home for winter. You can do it yourself or hire the pros to do routine maintenance.
- Change Up Your Spaces
Whether you’re tired or bored with a room, you can revive it with a few simple changes. Just using a different color paint can make the room look new. One option to consider is the PANTONE Color of the Year, which is PANTONE 16-1546 Living Coral. This warm, earthy color will create a sense of intimacy, the perfect formula after a long day away from home.
Don’t want to spend money on changing things? Try rearranging the furniture in the room. Maybe move some furniture to a different room. Shop at garage sales and thrift stores for accents. A lamp could be just what the doctor ordered.
Bohemian style, or Boho chic, is trending. So it’s fashionable not to match everything.
- Streamline
Make it a goal to clear one room per week, per month, or some other regular basis. During this time, clear out things you don’t use or need. Struggling to let go of items with sentimental value? Consider taking a picture of it. A picture uses a lot less space than an object.
Make three piles: keep, revisit, and trash/donate. Items in the revisit bag will have a clock. Put a date on the bag. In one year, check the bag and see if you needed any of the items. Toss them if you don’t. If this is too much, then just make two piles: keep and toss. Move quickly so you don’t think about it much!
Don’t worry about getting all of these done before January ends. Make a timeline to help you manage one thing or one room at a time. Start small. The little victories will make it easier to keep going.
Searching for new homes in San Marcos? Come visit TRACE, a new master-planned community filled with fabulous amenities including parks, trails, and an Amenity Center and onsite elementary school that will both open this year!
