New year’s resolutions for your home

The start of a new year is the perfect time to work toward positive changes in your life through New Year’s resolutions. While saving money, getting in some exercise and reading more tops the list of priorities for people, many homeowners use this time of year to evaluate their house and find ways to improve it. For those living in older homes, this could include costly upgrades and renovation projects—but new-construction residents can put that time, effort and money to more exciting uses. 

Not sure where to start? Bishard Homes has a few suggestions to help you find a new appreciation for your house and start 2021 off on the right foot. 

Clear out the clutter

One way to feel better about your home is to clear out the clutter you no longer have a use for. Everyone has that place in their home where the extra stuff ends up, like a closet, guest bedroom or basement. While you should obviously tackle this space, we also encourage you to go room-by-room to clear out anything you don’t need or want. 

One best practice for clearing out clutter is to separate everything into three categories: 

Keep and store: These are often seasonal items, things you forgot you ever had because they were lost in the clutter, specialty items you use once or twice a year or keepsakes and sentimental items. Once you’ve gathered the items in this category, work on creating an organization system that will keep it all neat and orderly. Find organization ideas later in this blog. 

Donate or sell: This can be clothes you don’t enjoy wearing, a piece of furniture or clothing that you’ve grown to dislike or toys that your kids don’t play with anymore. Really, anything that can still be used by another person but your family no longer needs. Thrift stores and donation centers rely on items from community members, so gently used clothing, working games, clean toys, books, dishes and small electronics are perfect for the donation pile. While donating is a thoughtful option, platforms like Facebook Marketplace are a safe and easy way to sell pricier furniture pieces and electronics. It may take a bit longer to get these items out of your house as opposed to donating, so weigh both options and decide what’s best for you. 

Trash or recycle: Any clothes that are heavily worn or damaged, broken toys or electronics and miscellaneous bills or paperwork (that you no longer need or have digital copies of) can be trashed or recycled. Check out your city's recycling options to determine what should go where. 

Once the clutter is out of your home, you’ll be amazed at how much extra space you have—especially in a Bishard home, where we aim to create functional layouts that maximize every square foot of the house. 

Find an organizational solution that works for you

You can watch all of the popular shows about organizing your home and buy the systems they tell you to buy, but that won’t matter if the solution doesn’t fit the needs of your family. We suggest walking through your typical day and figuring out where you notice sources of stress—can a little more order help relieve it? 

Common areas that could benefit from an organization system include closets, pantries, refrigerators, home entrances and bathroom cabinets. The key to organizing spaces like this is to make sure everything is visible and within reach for those who need it. Labeling isn’t always necessary, but it can help keep kids on track and make it easier to find seasonal, stored items. Use drawers or a shelving system to ensure all of your belongings have a place to go. 

It’s important to remember that no organizational system will do its job if it’s not maintained. Part of your New Year’s resolutions can include a weekly chore list for household members, or simply dedicating at least five minutes a day to putting things away where they belong.  

Freshen up a room or two

Now that decluttering and organizing is out of the way, you can have a little more fun with your space. If a room (or two) in your home is a little drab, or just not quite your decorative style anymore, find unique ways to liven it up. 

Simple rearranging a room can give it a whole new feel without spending any money. Another way to create a new look for free is to swap decor and furniture from different rooms in your house. Willing to spend a few bucks? The simple addition of new accent pieces like throw pillows, blankets, coffee table decorations and picture frames can breathe life into your space. Or put your DIY skills to the test by painting or wallpapering an accent wall with one of 2021’s colors of the year. 

Find a home you love

If one of your New Year’s resolutions is to love the home you’re in, look no further than Bishard Homes. Sign up for the VIP list to receive updates for The Reserve at Grassfield, our first community in Chesapeake that will be selling soon. And stay tuned for more information on another new community of premium homes that will be launching in Virginia Beach in 2021.