Tips for Keeping Those Home Resolutions

ALEXANDRIA, VA, Jan 06, 2015—Build a deck, reorganize the laundry room, keep the kitchen clutter-free. Does that list sound familiar? Every January, thousands of people vow to keep their homes tidier or finally make those upgrades they’ve been talking about. In the following article, Todd Hetherington, CEO of Century 21 New Millennium shows us how to keep our home resolutions this year, and beyond.

1. Make a calendar. “Keeping up with home to-dos is easier when you have them scheduled,” says Hetherington. Be sure to set realistic goals that allow yourself enough time to finish projects. For instance, if you want to build a deck in March, mark your calendar to start interviewing contractors in late January.2. Create habits. Keeping a clutter-free home is all about creating clutter-free habits. Pick a day of the week where every family member tackles a different room of the house, or vow to spend 20 minutes after dinner putting things away. “These small habits, when done daily or weekly, will really re-shape your year,” says Hetherington.

   3. Don’t set overambitious goals. It’s unlikely that you’re going to totally revamp every room in the house this year. Try and really evaluate the time and financial commitments each goal will require so you don’t set yourself up for disappointment when your budget (be it time, or wallet) won’t allow for you to refinish your basement and turn that walk-in closet into a master bath.

   4. Build your housekeeping muscle. Similar to our body’s method of building muscle, keeping your home clean takes time, commitment, and perseverance, according to  Hetherington. This can be called housekeeping muscle, and it takes some love and attention to build. If you want your home to sparkle all year long, but you’re currently a long way from that, then do what you would when building a fitness routine: start small, and work at it often. Clean up right after dinner, vacuum one room of the house every day, make a habit of wiping down countertops and sweeping floors before you notice the dirt building up. As you establish this muscle, each task will become routine, and therefore, easier.

For more real estate information, please contact Century 21 New Millennium at move@c21nm.com, 800-382-1101, or Century 21 New Millennium.

About CENTURY 21® New Millennium CENTURY 21 New Millennium, www.c21nm.com, is a full service real estate brokerage company specializing in residential and luxury properties. In addition to the Capitol Hill location in Washington, D.C., the Virginia locations are in Alexandria, Centreville, Culpeper, Fredericksburg, Gainesville, Loudoun, McLean, Stafford, and Woodbridge. The Maryland offices are located in Annapolis, Columbia, La Plata, Lexington Park, Lusby, Prince Frederick and Waldorf. Its core services include: mortgage financing, investing, settlement, property management, property insurance, global relocation assistance, and commercial real estate.

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