A New Year means change, it means self-improvement and setting goals for the future. But why limit these changes to yourself?

It’s time to make sure that your home reaches its full potential in the coming twelve months.

Get organised, take charge and achieve a home that you can be proud of this year. Safety, security, comfort, fun and good times are within reach for you and your family.

1) Sort out a cleaning rota

Like joining a gym and cutting down on the takeaways, setting up a cleaning rota is the kind of thing that gets talked about in the run up to New Year and then put on the backburner when January rolls around.

This year is the year to make it happen.

Getting everyone on board with the household chores and making sure each family member is pulling his or her weight effectively not only makes your home a cleaner, healthier and happier place to be, it also is a remarkably efficient time-saving device. Just imagine what you and your family could do with all those extra hours.

2) Bring the outside inside

The benefits of introducing some plants to your home cannot be underestimated. Green plants can help to purify the air in your indoor spaces. Herbs and vegetables make a cheap but satisfying addition to home cooked meals. Finally, plants also add a touch of natural style to your place.

Plants are also great for bringing everyone together for a family project as well as teaching younger children valuable lessons about nature and biology. Make next year the year that your home goes green.

3) Instil order

A harmonious household needs rules to help keep the peace. And what better time to introduce some new ones than a New Year? Start by examining the everyday problems you face in your household.

From there, think about how you could go about resolving these issues.

Maybe you find it difficult to keep the house clean, in which case you could implement a “no shoes inside” rule, or a “clean your own plate after eating” rule. Perhaps your kids’ energy bills are too high; introducing rules regarding thermostat or air-conditioning use is a great way to combat this.

4) Put safety first

Feeling safe and secure in your home is a must, so take the time to ensure the safety of you and your family. Conduct regular checks on things like smoke alarms and carbon monoxide detectors.

Make sure not to leave any tools or ladders lying around in external areas that could be used to break into the property. If you have young children, also take the time to make sure that your home is fully childproof.

Get into the habit of doing this and you can achieve a household which is as safe as it is comfortable and homely.

5) Entertain

There comes a time when you need to show off your home and open your doors to family and friends.

At times like this, you need to make sure your home is ready to entertain.

Decide which room is going to be your main room for entertaining and equip it with everything it needs. Make sure there are enough chairs for guests and keep your kitchen stocked with treats, nibbles and drinks to provide when visitors come to call.

No one likes that feeling of panic when someone is due to come over in half in an hour and the house is still woefully underprepared. To prevent this type of problem, make sure you stay ready to host and entertain guests whenever the opportunity arises.

Have you tried any of these resolutions? How did they go? Maybe you have some of your own that you want to share. Don’t forget to let us know in the comments below!

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