It’s New Year’s Eve and that means you only have one more day to finalize those resolutions for the new year.

Just kidding.

But if you’re stuck for inspiration, consider this piece your muse. Countless people hope to achieve New Year’s resolutions each year but many don’t know where to begin.

According to some news outlets, home-inspired resolutions are among the most popular (after losing weight or getting fit, of course). Many people hope to get more organized, spend more time with family and friends, and live life to the fullest. Luckily, these resolutions can be achieved without leaving the comfort of your home.

Here are some of the top ways you can achieve these resolutions by making small changes in your home.

Get More Organized

The home organization craze came to a head between 2018 and 2019 with Marie Kondo’s Netflix special. Her “KonMari” method inspired viewers to organize their home by getting rid of items that don’t spark joy in the owner. She also showed her audience folding tips, organization secrets, and tips on how to start the process.

This type of organizing is essential since over 62% of Americans own more than 10 t-shirts in their closet. Marie Kondo recommends taking each item within a category and assessing each one to see if it sparks joy. Even if there’s an old, ratty t-shirt in the mix, this item might still be worth keeping if it sparks joy because of sentimental purposes. All the items that do not spark joy can be tossed, recycled, or donated.

Getting more organized might also mean rearranging your home or finding new ways to use each corner of your home. That old, unused office might make the perfect nursery, but you’ll have to buy plenty of baby products and paint the room a different color. Luckily, hiring someone to paint the bedrooms of your home only costs between $400 and $600 on average. Establishing a unique feeling to each room of your home using paint and decor can help some homeowners feel more organized.

If you find that certain areas of your home are prone to collecting clutter, you can also look for storage solutions, including mail organizers and hanging shelves. Any nick-nacks or unused items can also be donated to reduce the amount of clutter in your home from the start. Hello, Marie Kondo.

Spend More Time with Loved Ones

Finding time to spend with loved ones is a different type of organization. Between work, errands, and taking care of your family, it might seem impossible to squeeze in a fun night out with your friends or extended family. Worse yet, traveling to distant destinations might be time you simply don’t have.

That’s where your home comes in. Many people are hesitant to invite people to their home because it isn’t the “hottest” spot for entertainment. But inviting people to your humble abode will not only save you time, but it will also save you money. Grab some cheap snacks from the store and rely on these tips to craft the perfect entertaining space.

Rearrange your space: Many people choose to situate their furniture in a way that suits their home’s layout. This might look great, but it isn’t always the most conducive for conversation. Try to angle couches toward each other, instead of toward the television. That way, you can actually talk to your guests instead of zoning out on the television.

Don’t forget your backyard: When the weather is nice, your outdoor features can be your saving grace. All you need are a few chairs and some outdoor lighting to make this a cozy getaway for your friends and family. You don’t need to become a top-tier gardener to impress your in-laws, either. Simply buying a few potted plants and keeping a green lawn is enough to impress any guest you invite over. Most lawns only require about one inch of watering each week while your potted plants can be brought inside to resist colder nights. Hang up some string lights or invest in a fire pit and you’ve got the perfect hangout spot all summer long.

Stock your kitchen: Stocking your kitchen refers to both food and your kitchen utensils. For a single person, the last thing you think of buying is large bowls, ample plates, and serving dishes. Once you’ve got the right ingredients for the perfect dish, make sure you can serve them to appease your guests. Buying a cheeseboard will look a lot better than serving your appetizers on a cutting board.

Keep in mind that you don’t have to go crazy buying new items for your home. Americans are already $9 trillion in mortgage debt. After all, the whole point of crafting an entertaining home is to spend time with loved ones and save money and time in the process.

Live Life to the Fullest

Of course, this New Year’s resolution will look different for everyone. Some people might find increased levels of happiness from hitting the ski slopes while others will finally book a ticket across the pond. But as a whole, living life to the fullest means appreciating each day and doing the things you want to do with the people you care about.

For some people, that means trying new things, like getting a new hobby. With so many new gadgets, like drones, entering the market each day, there are ample opportunities to try something new. Others will simply be happy with becoming a more adventurous eater. If you’ve been eyeing that new restaurant that just opened, now is the perfect time to give it a try.

For others, that might even mean getting a new job or transforming the way that they do work. If you feel guilty leaving your pet at home each day, working from home might be the right answer. In fact, up to 50% of employees throughout the world will work outside of the office a few times per week. What once seemed like a pipe dream is becoming all the more common in office settings.

If you’re stuck thinking of ways to live your life to the fullest, you can always rely on other people for inspiration. There are plenty of inspiring books designed to encourage self-improvement: Eat, Pray, Love, Predictably Irrational, and Love Yourself Like Your Life Depends On It are three books to get you started.

What would help you live your life to the fullest? Consider these tips to help you craft the perfect New Year’s resolutions for 2020. Whether that means investing in Invisalign, hitting the gym, or improving your home, any goal is admirable as long as you’re bettering yourself in the process.

When it comes to saving money around your home, your plumbing system might be the last thing that comes to mind. But you can end up saving a lot of money in the long run by serving your plumbing system regularly and reducing your risk of needing major repairs.

Here are a few simple tips you can use to help save money around your home by keeping your plumbing system in good working order.

Schedule your annual plumbing maintenance

Plumbing systems need maintenance just like any other part of your home. It’s important that you have your system inspected and serviced at least once a year to avoid major problems like clogs, leaks, and rust.

Undetected leaks that continue throughout the year can end up costing you $164.50 in those 12 months. What’s more, those leaks can lead to water damage.

Water damage is expensive to repair and it can have a major impact on your home. For instance, wood can last for hundreds of years without wear or rot with proper care. But water damage can cause wood to rot, weaken, and fall apart.

Every day, approximately 14,000 people experience a water damage emergency at home or at work. By having your plumbing system serviced annually, you can avoid becoming one of them.

Be careful about what you pour down the drain

Many homeowners who have a garbage disposal believe they can send anything from their plates down the drain to save room in their garbage cans. But that’s not true.

Even with a hard-working garbage disposal, there are some foods that you should never pour down your drain. Pasta, which can be cooked in over 100 shapes, is one of those foods because it expands and sticks together when kept in water. Other foods you want to avoid pouring down the drain include:

• Coffee grounds
• Gravy
• Butter or margarine
• Mayonnaise
• Sauces
• Salad dressings
• Cooking oil
• Egg shells
• Asparagus
• Celery
• Fruit pits
• Flour
• Chia seeds
• Rice
• Bones (including chicken and fish)

By avoiding pouring these foods and cooking oils down the drain, you can reduce your risk of clogs forming in your plumbing system, which can be expensive to remove depending on the size.

Do a DIY audit on your plumbing system

Although it’s recommended to have your plumbing system serviced once a year, you can reduce your risk of plumbing problems by inspecting your plumbing throughout the year yourself. Walk around inside and outside your home checking for leaks, blocked drainage, or debris.

Listen for sounds coming from your drains or your plumbing that you’ve never heard before. You might be able to pick out small issues that can be taken care of much easier than larger problems. Determine whether you can fix the problem yourself before you call in a professional.

You can also save money by having a professional come to inspect your plumbing system when you’re already working on a renovation project. Minor kitchen remodels have an average ROI of 82.7%. But you can get an even higher ROI by making plumbing repairs at the same time as the remodel and hitting two birds with one stone.

It’s important to take proper care of your home’s plumbing system to avoid having to make costly repairs later on. By inspecting your system regularly, maintaining it, and fixing leaks, you can save money on water and reduce your risk of expensive issues later down the road.

Winter is just around the corner, and while the weather might soon be frightful, there’s plenty of time to make your yard delightful. Taking care of your backyard before winter hits is important to getting your yard set up to thrive in the spring, especially if you’re planning on starting a garden. Use these tips as a starting point to fix up your backyard in time for the start of winter weather.

Fix Up Your Shed

Many homes will have a garden shed or garage as part of their yard, and this space can be incredibly useful. However, just like any other fixture in your home, it’s going to require maintenance if you want it to last long. A wooden shed should last at least 15 to 20 years, but it could begin to show signs of age before then if you don’t care for it properly. Be especially careful about your shed’s roof, as this tends to wear down fairly quickly. A typical metal roof will last about three to seven times longer than a typical asphalt shingles roof, so it may be worth looking into for your yard’s shed.

Prepare Your Patio

If you have a porch or patio, you’ll need to get it ready for the oncoming winter weather. While most patios and decks are built to withstand harsh weather, a bit of extra weather-proofing never hurt anyone before a big winter storm. Make sure any stain or surface-treatment options you use for your patio are weatherproof and ready to withstand low temperatures and high humidity. The better you care for your patio or deck now, the longer it’ll last without major repairs.

Check On Overhanging Roofs

If you’ve got a patio or deck, it’s not just the floor material itself you have to worry about. Be sure to look up when you’re working on repairs for your deck or patio – any roof overhang should also be maintained and taken care of. Your roofing can make a surprisingly huge difference for your home, including on your home costs. Simply choosing the right roofing material could result in as much as a 30% decrease in your home’s energy needs. While you’re tackling deck and patio maintenance, take a look at your roof too to make sure it’s in good condition for when snowstorms hit.

Watch Water Usage

While you might not be too concerned about watering your plants in the winter, you should still pay attention to your backyard hoses and water systems. Without the right preparation, your hoses and pipes could freeze, damaging your home’s plumbing. Shorter hoses are generally more efficient for backyards and will reduce the risk of damage due to freezing plumbing. For green landscaping, it is often best to use a soaker hose no more than 100 feet long. Additionally, make sure you shut off any automatic sprinkler systems you have in your yard before the temperatures drop below freezing. Otherwise, you’ll likely have issues with freezing or even burst pipes.

There are only a few weeks left of fall, but that’s still plenty of time to protect your yard against winter weather issues and damage. Use these steps as a starting point for taking care of your yard in the coming weeks. What maintenance tips would you give to other homeowners? What do you still need to take care of before the first major winter storms hit?

In recent years, energy efficiency has become a booming home trend for a variety of reasons. While not everyone is ready to join the 1.3 million solar installations in the United States, many homeowners are now choosing to live more eco-conscious lifestyles, with others simply looking to cut down on regular utility bills. Whatever your motivation is, saving energy at home doesn’t have to be complicated. Here are a few ideas big and small to help you get started on saving energy around the house.

Make Easy Swaps For Savings

Not all energy savings will require a change in your daily routine or even any differences you’ll notice in your house. For example, try swapping out your traditional incandescent light bulbs to LED bulbs. Today’s LED bulbs can be six to seven times more energy efficient than conventional incandescent lights and cut energy use by more than 80%. While previously LED bulbs came with a hefty price tag, today’s bulbs are only a small bit more expensive than traditional bulbs. With how infrequently you’ll have to change your light bulbs and how much less electricity they use, you’re sure to see the savings rolling in shortly.

Watch Out For Drafty Windows

Have you noticed that your home is always a bit too cold or a bit too warm, depending on the season? Maybe there’s a particular room that you have to use a space heater for because it just always is a bit chilly. It’s possible that the problem isn’t in your heating system, but in your windows. If your windows are a bit older or slightly drafty, you could be wasting energy. Heated or cooled air can escape more easily through these areas, particularly when your windows are older. Newer, energy-efficient types of windows can save an average 15% on your energy bill, so you may want to get them replaced before the coldest months of the year hit. If you can’t afford new windows right now, at least try to invest in some new curtains to minimize heat loss.

Patch Up Leaky Plumbing

If you think that one minor leak in your bathroom sink isn’t a big deal, think again. While this might not always impact your electricity bill, you’re probably wasting gallons of water through that one small leak alone. In fact, according to Plumbing Manufacturers International, 13.7% of water use is the result of leaks. That’s an extra 13.7% that could be added onto your water bill each month. Instead, contact a plumber as soon as you notice a leak. This will help you save both money and water in the future, instead of wasting water in ways you aren’t even noticing.

Look For Landscaping Ideas

You’ve taken steps to go green inside of your home, but have you considered outdoor spaces? Just because your grass is looking greener doesn’t mean it’s actually doing anything to improve your home’s efficiency. Grass is typically the go-to choice for lawns in America; front and back lawns in the U.S. collectively contain almost 21 million acres of grass. However, there are actually plenty of other green ground-cover options for your lawn that will make better use of water and provide more resources to your local pollinators and ecosystem. People have begun to use everything from clover to wildflowers in their lawns – just make sure your neighborhood allows you to make the switch before you start planting.

There are plenty of ways you can go green at home to simultaneously save money and the environment. Use these as a few first steps to get you thinking about what more you can do at home to go and stay green.

Selling your house to buy a new one can be a very stressful time, for both yourself and your wallet. If you’re on a budget, moving to a new house can be detrimental if you’re not careful about the process. Luckily, there are many things that you have control of to ensure that you end up in a financial spot that is beneficial to you and your family. Here are three things to keep in mind when considering selling your house and buying a new one.

Find a Good Real Estate Agent

There are 28.8 million small businesses in the United States, making up 99.7% of all businesses in the United States. Quite a few of these small businesses are real estate agencies. Finding that diamond of an agent can be difficult, but well worth the effort, as a good real estate agent will make sure the process is as stress-free as possible for you and your family. On top of this, a good agent will work to get you the best deal and find the right area for you. Choosing an area can be trickier than you might think. If you choose the wrong area, you may end up spending your time looking at houses that are way outside of your budget. Take New York, for example. If you spend all of your time looking for houses in Suffolk county, you’d find that the median price for a home is $415,000, which may be out of your budget range. Be sure to interview multiple real estate agents to see how they respond, how professional they are, at what times they’re available to look at houses, and how they like to communicate.

Increase the Value of Your Current Home

When making the big move, it can be easy to go in with the mindset of constraining how much you spend. This is a great plan, but this might limit you from seeing other areas where you can actually make more money. Increasing the value of the house your selling is a great example. There are a few ways that you can increase the value of your current home on the market to get more money for selling it.

Increase the Attractiveness

One of the best things you can do to increase the value of your home is to make it more attractive to potential buyers. This includes both the exterior of the house and the interior. This can range from a new coat of paint to an entire addition to the house. In fact, the Census Bureau provides some data on the most common types of remodeling done to homes. 40 percent of remodeling activity was from minor alterations and additions, followed up by 30 percent being major versions of those activities, and another 30 percent towards maintenance and repair. Take a look at the areas of your house which may not be as attractive, and ask yourself what you can do to turn that around.

Increase the Efficiency

Many home buyers care about the efficiency of the home before buying it. This can include how well your house is insulated, how well your HVAC system works, and how much energy your home normally consumes. It’s important to have regular maintenance of your house’s energy systems to keep their efficiency in top shape. For instance, your HVAC recirculates dander, dust, and various chemicals five to seven times a day. Over time, this can build up can cause inefficiencies and even harm the health of those living there. Ensure that all of the working systems such as HVAC, plumbing, and general energy are at their best before showing the house to prospective buyers. You could even take this further and install more efficient systems into your house, such as solar panels. 39 percent of real estate agents said that installing solar panels in your house will increase its perceived property value.

Consider Downsizing

When looking for a new house, it can be tempting to want to take a step up and get a bigger house than you had previously. However, if you’re on a budget, it could be worth it to explore downsizing.

Downsizing is becoming an increasingly popular path, with the rise of minimalism and tiny homes. You get to save in quite a few areas from doing this, from selling off some of the things you don’t need, decreasing your moving expenses with less stuff to move, to decreasing the initial price of your new home and energy costs thereafter.

There are a few ways of going about this. One is through a regular “tiny home.” These can either be custom built on a piece of land, or you can buy a pre-built one (you can even buy it on Amazon). You could also invest in a shipping container house too. Designers turn these used shipping containers into beautiful, modern tiny homes for you to enjoy. These are also a great idea for those who are environmentally conscious, as repurposing a shipping container reuses around 3,500kg worth of steel, putting a good use to that and saving the building materials that otherwise would have been used. Finally, if you’re someone who likes to travel a lot, you could consider living out of a van or RV. This way, you don’t have to pay for a property and can travel to wherever you’d like.

Moving to a new house is always exciting, and saving your wallet during this time is always a good idea. Take these tips and see how you can apply them to your own situation, looking at what you really value in your new home, how you can get the best deal for your current one, and finding a real estate agent with your best interests in mind.

While plenty of people welcome the colder weather as a break from summer’s sweltering heat, few homeowners are as excited about the extra costs that winter brings. Not only do you see your heating bills spike when the snow starts to fall, but you often have to invest in repairing damage around your home that the icy weather causes.

Luckily, there are plenty of things you can do around the house to fortify it against winter weather. Try out these home maintenance tricks before the temperatures plummet and you just might make it to spring without facing exorbitant heating and repair bills.

Add Insulation

Insulation in your attic, basement, and crawl space is key to keeping warm air inside during the winter. Without adequate insulation, up to 20% of every dollar you spend on heating your home goes to waste. It also provides a helping hand during the summer, as it keeps cooled air inside during hotter temperatures and can lower your air conditioning costs.

While the initial cost of insulating your home isn’t the cheapest investment, you’ll see the savings back on your heating and electric bills. To have effective insulation that actually keeps your bills low and your home warm during the winter, hire a professional to install it. This may be pricier than doing it yourself, but it will be a better quality of work. You can try to reduce costs by asking the insulation installer if you can perform parts of the job.

Check Your Detectors

This tip is less for saving you money now and more for ensuring that you don’t face a disastrous (and expensive) home fire this winter. Fires in buildings happen more often in freezing weather than during summer’s warmth, largely because of malfunctioning heating equipment. By replacing the batteries in your home’s smoke detectors and checking that they work, you can get your family to safety and call for help more quickly in case of a fire.

You can also reduce the risk of fire by performing certain home maintenance tasks. Start with cleaning or replacing your dryer vent. The failure to clean this vent is the leading cause of home clothes dryer fires. Check other major appliances in your home as well, such as your oven and stove, to ensure that nothing poses a threat. Be sure to have a fire extinguisher in the house, just in case.

As you fireproof the house, you should take this time to make sure there are no other harmful gases in your home. Purchase a radon detection kit to ensure the invisible gas isn’t leaking into your home and putting your family’s health at risk. Short-term detectors will measure radon for two to 90 days, depending on the device. You should also remember to put new batteries in your carbon monoxide detectors. These detectors are especially useful in the winter, as carbon monoxide comes from fuel-burning appliances, such as furnaces and fireplaces.

Seal Drafty Windows

A surprising amount of warm air can escape out of your home’s windows. As this air leaks out, cold air can sneak in. This is an especially prevalent problem for homes with old windows. One way to keep the air where you want it is to tape clear plastic over the entire window. Try doing this for windows in every area of your home, including bedrooms, living rooms, and the kitchen. While this may not be the most appealing option for the 58% of home buyers who say that their kitchen’s style is very important to them, it can make a huge difference in the heating bills. Just be sure to tape the plastic very tightly, or else air will still seep through the cracks.

If you want a more aesthetically-pleasing alternative to sealing drafty windows, you can invest in tight-fitting curtains or blinds. They will likely cost more than simple plastic, but they can help seal out the cold air as well as absorb any that makes it inside. If you’re willing to make an investment that will pay back in time, you could install new windows with stronger glass. You could choose a material like laminated tempered glass, which is four to five times more difficult to fracture than normal glass. This stronger glass can also provide you better protection during winter storms that can break windows with strong winds and ice.

Inspect The Foundation

You probably don’t often think about your home’s foundation, but a leaky foundation can take as much of a toll on your energy bill as a drafty window. Even though concrete structures can last for over 100 years, cracks can still form in your home’s concrete foundation. Before winter comes, try to seal up any cracks in your foundation with caulk or putty.

While you’re taking care of the cracks, look for any spaces around pipes and wires that pass through your foundation. You can also seal these spaces with caulk or putty to stop air leaks both into and out of your home. Without these leaks, your heating system won’t need to work as hard to keep your home warm.

Between sealing up the many cracks in your home that allow warm air to escape and fortifying your home against the dangers of winter, you might feel that you have an intimidatingly long to-do list. Remember to take a deep breath and tackle each item on your list one at a time. By starting now, you’ll be well-prepared when winter rolls around and you can rest easy knowing that you’ve done everything you can to prepare your home.

Every year, up to 35.5 million Americans move to a new home. About 33% of them are renters. Looking at individual families, this comes out to each homeowner moving every five to seven years.

One of the benefits of renting an apartment is that you don’t need to worry about paying for repairs and maintenance. That’s your landlord’s job. But when you’re a new homeowner, it’s up to you to make those repairs yourself.

That said, you need to make an adjustment to your monthly budget for home maintenance now that’s a new homeowner.

Budgeting for disasters prevents a budget disaster

Just like how maintenance prevents small problems from becoming a major issue later down the road, so does preparing for a major home repair prevent that repair from taking an unexpected chunk out of your finances. But just how much should you budget for these potential disasters?

According to the one percent rule, it’s recommended to put aside at least 1% of your home’s value every year for regular home maintenance. For instance, if you have a home that’s valued at $360,000, you would need to save $3,600 per year or $300 a month.

Is it really necessary to budget for home maintenance?

You might feel like saving $300 a month for home maintenance is a little steep, especially if your home is relatively new. A new asphalt roof alone has an ROI of 62% and can last up to 20 years.

But most of the time you’re not making roof repairs because the roof itself is old. About 65% of homeowners repair roofs following weather damage.

So even though your home is in good shape now, there’s a chance that you could end up facing unexpected issues like roof leaks, burst water pipes, or water damage. It’s better to have money saved for those issues in case they happen. And, if they don’t happen, you still have a significant amount of money saved for maintenance and other projects.

Where should I put the money for my repairs?

It can be tempting to dip into your savings for a big purchase if your savings are kept in the same bank account as your regular spending money. It’s best to place money for emergency home repairs in a separate savings account that’s liquid.

You want to be able to access your money quickly and easily when something happens. Don’t try to put the money into long-term bonds in an attempt to earn more interest. This will only make it more difficult to get your money when you need it most.

When you have a new home that’s in good condition, the cost of home maintenance may be the furthest thing from your mind. But it’s a good idea to adjust your monthly budget to accommodate savings for home maintenance problems. The last thing you want to worry about is how you’re going to pay for new pipes or a new roof because of an unexpected disaster.

Many families are forced to live on tight budgets. While this isn’t always the easiest experience, it can be made exponentially more difficult if someone’s car breaks down and needs to be replaced; with new cars averaging around $33,350, most people are forced to turn to the more practical — yet riskier — used car option.

Last year, there were around 40 million sales of used vehicles in the U.S., so you’re certainly not alone! The key to getting your money’s worth comes from due diligence during the test driving process. Let’s take a look at some test driving tips that can ensure your used ride isn’t a lemon.

Look And Listen

Before you even get behind the wheel, you should give the vehicle a thorough walk-around. Turn the car on, switch on the headlights and emergency flashers, and take your time making sure that these vital components are actually working. Glance under the car: do you see anything hanging down, or any fluids dripping? Check the tires for signs of wear.

Listen for any odd noises and note any exceptionally strong exhaust smells. More than 200 billion fasteners are used each year in the U.S., around 3,500 of which are in each car; if any have come loose or have fallen into the engine bay or its cylinders, you’ll hear it. Since such an accident can lead to catastrophic problems down the road, it’s absolutely worth the attention. Before driving off the lot, give the interior features the same consideration: do the heating and air conditioning systems work, are you noticing any moldy or mildewy smells, does the radio work, etc.

Inspect

After you’ve given the car’s features a thorough examination, the test drive is fairly straightforward; if you like the way it drives and the way you feel behind the wheel, you should move onto the complete inspection. No matter how detail-oriented you are, there are a lot of things going on under that hood that you may not be aware of. By submitting the vehicle for an independent pre-purchase inspection, you can ensure that the fuel filter (designed to keep water, scale, rust, and dirt out of your fuel) is working, that there are no major computer issues, and that the overall health of the engine is up to snuff. If your seller will not submit to an independent pre-purchase inspection, you should walk away from the deal — regardless of how much you love the vehicle.

Whether you opt for one of the 50 different models of diesel engines or prefer standard gasoline models, the same steps need to be taken before you commit to the purchase of a used vehicle. By taking your time, truly examining the vehicle, and (most importantly) not rushing into a purchase, you can rest assured that your new used car is worth its price tag.

Related:

5 Tips to Buy a Car for Less