Easy Ways to Maintain Your New Home
What are simple ways to make sure my new home is cared for?
-Focus on home decor that pulls double-duty
-Make sure your insurance protects your needs
-While you have a blank slate, create an organized foundation
-Learn climate-specific maintenance tips
-Add or update safety monitors
-Assess landscaping and head-off concerns
-Get to know your neighbors
-Put household check-ups on the schedule
Buying a new home is a big step in life and is both an exciting and nerve-wracking time. Many new homeowners feel very overwhelmed not with just the buying process but owning their own home and caring for it. In order to feel peace of mind, there are several things you can do to maintain your new home from the start.
1. Focus on home decor that pulls double-duty
When you start to move your belongings into your new house becomes your home. Remember to prioritize multi-functional products. For example, a nice ottoman can also act as a storage space. You want to limit the clutter from the beginning. Studies show that limiting excess items can boost your mental health. Not only can some things boost your mental health but your physical health as well. House plants are natural air purifiers. The snake plant takes indoor air and filters it by taking up to four toxins out of the air plus it changes carbon dioxide into oxygen.
2. Make sure your insurance protects your needs
When you are shopping around for home insurance, make sure that you choose a plan that fits your unique home’s needs. If you have an expensive piano, you will want to make sure this is covered. There are many insurance companies where you can get a quote and a new policy online. You can also save if you bundle things such as your car and home insurance.
3. While you have a blank slate, create an organized foundation
Remember to make a plan for each item when moving all your stuff into your new home. If you are moving from another home you will be tempted to put everything in the same room it went in in the new home. Add things such as closet organizers before moving all your items into the closet, and racks in the garage.
4. Learn climate-specific maintenance tips
If you are moving from New York to Miami, it might be a good idea to study the average tips and weather for each season. In New York, you have to winterize your home, whereas in Miami you do not. You will need to look into different pest maintenance in the South.
5. Add or update safety monitors
A fire can happen anytime day or night so having a smoke and carbon monoxide detector can save a homeowner’s life. These should be in every home. When installing, be sure to follow the installation guidelines. You want to make sure they are strategically placed throughout your house and always make sure to test them monthly. Another safety measure is to install a home-monitoring system or a burglar alarm.
6. Assess landscaping and head-off concerns
Tree branches hanging over your roof can be a hazard. A heavy tree branch can fall on a roof during bad weather or make a great extension for pests to enter a home. Look around your home and assess what would cause a threat to the exterior of the house or your property if a storm were to occur. The leading cause of homeowners’ insurance claims is weather-related incidents.
7. Get to know your neighbors
It is always nice to know your neighbors but it can also have an advantage when it comes to safety. When you are away it is nice to have your neighbors that will keep an eye out on your place. Neighbors can also help with taking out your trash or bringing in the mail when you are out of town.
8. Put household check-ups on the schedule
Just like we need an annual check-up with the doctor, your home needs one as well. Put a household check-up on your calendar. Go around and look at what needs to be done every season. Check the landscaping, test the smoke detectors, make sure your HVAC filters are good and even take a minute to declutter.
