Easy Resolutions You Can Actually Keep

Breaking into a new decade means we can expect a lot of change. Changes we make ourselves and changes that may be out of our control. Because of this, many Americans are taking the beginning of this year to look over their habits, schedules, friendships and lifestyles in order to prepare for a better tomorrow. However, now that we have entered not just another year, but a new decade, most people are taking their New Year’s—or new decade—resolutions a little more seriously. 

All over the Internet we are seeing people post about how 2020 will be the start of some form of change in their lives. These resolutions range anywhere from small things, like “getting organized” or much larger things, such as “quitting smoking” or "patching things up with family." Either way, resolutions help us set goals and expectations for ourselves in order to get where we want to be. 

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​What’s Your New Year’s Resolution? 

We are sure you all may have some sort of list, whether lengthy or compact, of goals you are setting for this year and the entire decade to come. We’ve seen examples of color coordinated planners posted on social media and even things as simple as a quick screenshot of a small bullet-point list made on a smart phone app. Wherever you fall, we applaud your dedication, but want to help out those who may feel a little stuck. Achieving some more practical resolutions for your home may help get you going.
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Resolutions are easy to make but can be challenging to keep. Creating simple and practical resolutions can help motivate you to stay on track with your long-term and more difficult goals. Therefore, we have gathered a few ideas you can steal from our New Year’s resolution list below. 

New Year’s Resolutions You Can Actually Keep 

New Year’s resolutions don’t always need to be grandiose goals that are nearly impossible to maintain. They can be simple and easy to achieve and/or maintain. Check out some of our ideas for keeping your home safe during 2020 and beyond. 

1. Start Unplugging Your Electronics
Want to save a little cash? Try unplugging your electronics when you are not using them. You may notice a slight or more noticeable change in your electric bill depending on how many gadgets you have plugged in. We suggest unplugging computers, cell phone chargers, printers, toasters, blenders and other items that you typically leave plugged in.
 
2. Pay Attention to Your Air Quality
Hiring a professional to perform an air quality test can quickly expose how healthy the environment you are living in is. Living in an environment with polluted air, along with prolonged exposure, has proven to have several negative impacts on your health. This includes respiratory issues, heart disease and lung cancer. A professional will also check to see the number of allergens in your air, which could be helpful for allergy sufferers.
 
3. Test Your Smoke Detectors
Most of us assume our smoke detectors will work in the case of an emergency, however, we should be regularly testing them to ensure the batteries are not dead. Make it a goal this year to test all your smoke detectors and maybe take it a step further and change out all of the batteries. This way you can rest assured knowing that in the event of a fire, your smoke detectors will warn you of the danger.
 
4. Make an Emergency Plan
If there was an emergency do you and your family know what to do, where to go and whom to call? Make this year the year you get organized. Plan a meeting spot, make sure all the kids have emergency numbers memorized, build a first aid and/or emergency kit, and go over what to do if phone lines go down. Being prepared can make a high-stress situation more manageable.
 
5. Get Your Dryer Vent Cleaned
Neglecting to have your dryer vents cleaned can result in a blockage and could cause a house fire. A few warning signs that your dryer vent is not functioning properly is clothes take longer to dry, clothes feel hot to the touch, you smell something burning and your vent hood does not open. You can easily find an affordable service on the web to get this taken care of. 
 
6. Check Your Home for Vulnerable Break-In Points
Make a point this year to walk around the exterior of your home. Check all your locks, make sure your garage door securely closes, look in the windows to see what a burglar would see. Knowing what your home looks like to potential thieves could help you make necessary adjustments that will protect you and your family in the future.

7. Make Your Address Visible
Some housing tracks have their addresses painted onto the sidewalk curb, however, when a vehicle is parked in front of the house it makes it difficult to find the house you are looking for. We highly recommend purchasing and installing new address numbers onto the eves of your home. This will make it significantly easier for emergency vehicles to find your house.
 
8. Keep Your Garage Door Closed
Most of us have a habit of leaving our garage doors open while doing yard work. However, we tend to go inside and get caught up with something and forget the garage door is still open. Getting in the habit of closing your garage door could prevent break-ins in the future. Burglars have easy access to your home if your garage is open and an open garage door allows them to take something without looking suspicious.  
 
9. Buy a Safe Deposit Box
Investing in a safe deposit box will prevent thieves from swiping anything of high value if they were to break into your home. You can keep jewelry, money, checks, electronics and much more securely hidden away. Burglars won’t take the time to attempt to break into a safe—they want an easy target with a quick getaway.
 
10. Look to See Who’s at The Door
Before opening the door, you and your family should get in the habit of peaking out the window or looking at your surveillance cameras to see who is there. Opening your door to a stranger could be dangerous. So, knowing who is at the door before you open it can help you and your family stay safe. With modern home alarms and security cameras, you can make sure no one opens your door without you knowing and you can even ask a visitor through an intercom who they are before deciding to open the door. 

How to Stay on Track 

​Instead of tackling every single one of these goals, maybe pick one or two you can begin to implement. Then when those become a part of your normal routine, or have been completed, you can revisit the list and choose a few more or add some of your own New Year’s resolutions.