It’s almost time to welcome a new year, (what happened to 2021?) and with that comes a declaration of New Year’s Resolutions.  While most resolutions don’t make it past the end of January, deciding to focus on your living space and simple things you can do to make it more enjoyable could definitely be a resolution worth keeping.

After a busy day, whether your home is in Culpeper, Lake of the Woods, or Orange, you want to come home to a space that helps you feel relaxed and comfortable not one that reminds you of how much stuff you have left to do. By implementing a few small changes in your routine, you can create habits that will benefit you and your home.

  1. Start Small Deciding to declutter your entire home is overwhelming. Instead, start with the room that is most used. Whether it’s the living room, bedroom or even just the pantry or kitchen island, tackle just that space. Decide what you want to keep, donate, and throw away. Once you have accomplished that task, pick another.
  2. Put your things away as soon as you are done with them. Instead of throwing your jacket on the chair when you get home, spend one minute hanging it up in the closet. At the end of the day, put your clothes in the hamper or hang them up instead of piling them on a chair to be dealt with the next day. You won’t feel overwhelmed at the end of the week when you are facing a stack of laundry on a chair or an entryway strewn with jackets and shoes.
  3. Take Ten. Take ten minutes every day to straighten up your living spaces. Too tired to do it at night? Then try it in the morning. Pick up things that don’t belong in the room, make a bed, toss the dishes in the dishwasher, clear off the bathroom counter. All these small things make a difference; when it’s time to scrub the bathroom or kitchen you won’t have to spend time just picking stuff up. Get the whole family involved and assign each person a space.
  4. Get a basket. Have a two story home with kids? Things seem to mysteriously float from the upstairs to the main living level. Get a decorative basket and set it by the stairs. As you collect things that belong upstairs, toss it in the basket. Then, carry it up all at once to be put away.
  5. Use it up. If 2020 did nothing else, it made a lot of us hoarders. Take stock of what you have in your pantry, and use up what you’ve got before you bring more into your home.
  6. Get a new one, donate an old. If you have just upgraded a phone, got a new coffee table, or changed up the pictures on your wall, donate your unused ones. Instead of taking up space in a drawer or basement, help it find some new owners.
  7. Donation Box If you are tackling small projects one at a time, you probably aren’t interested in making a ton of trips to your local donation center. Instead set up a donation box in the garage, closet or, our favorite, your car. When it’s full, then donate it. Plus, if the box is already in your car, you can’t go with the “I forgot the box again!” excuse.

Thinking of getting your Locust Grove, VA home ready for sale in 2022? I can help you determine the projects that can get the most bang for your buck when selling your home. Call or text me at 540-360-5166 to discuss your goals and how I can help you reach them.