Ah, New Year’s…

Once we move past the holiday calendar confusion (what day is it anyways?), the thrill and agony of the college bowl games, and the dreaded taking down of the holiday decorations, we are faced with the looming presence of New Year’s resolutions.  The pressure of coming up with unique, semi-realistic goals that will impress everyone who asks over the next several weeks can be incredibly daunting. While we may not be qualified to advise on the personal side, as we are still struggling there ourselves (less wine, less chocolate, more exercise, and so on…), we can offer some suggestions for getting your home ship shape for the coming year.

Declutter

Whether you are planning to sell your home this year or not, now is a great time to commit to paring down (do you really need 16 casserole dishes?) and rehoming some of that excess. As daunting as this task seems, in small bites, it is not nearly as hard as you imagine. Give yourself small areas to address and a timeline (one junk drawer this afternoon, the pantry this weekend, etc). Remember the traditional three sorting boxes – “give away”, “donate”, and “trash”. Channel your inner Marie Kondo and keep “only what brings you joy” or what you use on a regular basis. You will love your January self throughout the rest of the year when you no longer face an avalanche every time you open the hall closet door!

Deferred Maintenance / Repairs

Again, small jobs in set timeframes are the key. Make a list of all the little jobs that you have been putting off – that squeaky hinge, that dangling curtain rod, that chipped out caulk. Tackle one at a time and enjoy the immediate thrill of checking things off your to do list and the lasting gift to yourself of fewer irritations throughout the year.

Deep Clean

Seriously, we all have areas in our homes that we are hoping no one will notice- icky shower tile, chandelier cobwebs, free range dust bunnies. No judgement here, but especially if you are thinking of selling, the time has come to deal with these areas. While we always recommend professional cleaning before showing a property, now is a great time to get started on an extra bit of deep cleaning. You may discover some maintenance issues that need to be addressed before listing and everyone loves to bask in a sparkling clean home. Choose one  room at a time, put on a great tune to whistle along to, and release your inner Snow White!

Finish What You Started

New year, new start, and maybe even newly completed. We get it. Life gets in the way. You had every intention of seeing the job through to the end, but… Don’t beat yourself up! The new year is the perfect time to revisit your old to do lists and finish up all of those final details. The sense of accomplishment and satisfaction of a completed project will be so worth the effort.

Replace

This one is especially important if you are planning to sell, but why not enjoy the fruits of your labor instead of only doing it for some unknown buyer? Are your light fixtures or faucets now vintage (and I don’t mean in the good way)? Windows or appliances not functioning properly? Replace them now to bring your home up to date and keep the home inspector happy. There are so many tiny improvements that can add up to significant returns when you hit the market. Don’t let complacency leave money on the table on closing day!

Not sure what replacement fixtures are appropriate? Staged By Design® offers redesign services, as well as, staging consultations. We will help you choose colors, fixtures and even make your to-do lists for you. Book your consult today and make your home new again!

And let us shine a spotlight on your home!