Easy-to-Keep New Year’s Resolutions for Your Home

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Hello 2016! It’s resolution time, and in the Curbly neighborhood that means getting much needed DIY projects started and, more importantly, completed. “This is the year I finally remove the popcorn ceilings!” Or, “This is the year I finally paint the kitchen cupboards!” Feeling stressed yet? Take a breath and put those big projects out of your mind, becaue this post is about EASY to keep resolutions. Namely, those little things

that you can do on a daily basis to keep your home neat and tidy. That way, it’ll be ready for company at any time and it’ll make cleaning day a breeze. Now that’s a great way to start a new year. We’re going to cover 5 areas of the house and their common, untidy issues, startings at the door. 

The Entryway:

• Mail—Deal with it. If it’s a bill, put it in the “to be paid” clip (We have one of those letter holder deals you hang on the wall. The top slot is designated for bills and the lower for receipts.) If it’s junk, put it in the recycle bin. If it’s a magazine or catalog, read it and then recycle it. (We have a magazine rack to keep those t0-be-read until recycling time)
• Shoes—Put them away. (Seriously, how many shoes do we need by your back door or on the mud room floor? We’ve agreed to one pair per person. If that’s still too many shoes, considering making one of these to corral them. Or maybe this.)
• Coats—Put them away. (This is for the sans-mudroom crowd, of course. And, no, hanging them on the back of a chair doesn’t count.)

The Bedroom(s):

• Fix the bed every morning. 
• Put dirty clothes in the hamper, and get a hamper if you don’t have one.
• Put away clean clothes. (They deserve better than getting piled up on a side table or a treadmill. Actually, the side table and treadmill deserve better too.) 

In the Kitchen:

• Don’t let the sink pile up with dishes. (This is just nasty, plus it might help solve a fruit fly problem, if you happen to have one.)
• Wipe down all surfaces after use. (Bread crumbs, chicken juice, whatever…yuck.)
• Periodically check expiration dates of things in the fridge and cupboard and toss them out. (It’s  amazing at how much storage room you can recoup.)

In the Bathroom(s): 

• Keep an old towel hidden in the cupboard or under the sink to wipe up around the sink as needed in between cleaning days. 
• Consider getting a cheap stick vacuum–like this one–to vacuum hair off the floor. (I shed like a Collie, so I do this every day after a blow out.) The same vacuum works great in the kitchen too for dry spills and such. 
• Put things back in their place after use. (Makeup, for instance, is notorious for becoming vanity “dandruff.” After using it, it needs to go back into a drawer, bin, bag, etc. where it really belongs. OR, you can make one of these things for it.)

In the Living Room:

• Corral the remotes. (Put them in a side table drawer, or buy a basket or pretty bin in which to toss them. Or make one of these things. Not only will it make the living room look more tidy, you’ll know where they are the next time you need them.)
• Put the pillows back in their place before leaving the room for the day/night.
• Fold the throw, aka blankie. (I live in a cold part of the country, so throws are a must for streaming-time. Folding them and neatly placing them over the arm of the sofa  when we’re done with them is also a must.)