We all love to indulge in New Year’s resolutions, often knowing in our hearts that we’re unlikely to change our ways despite the best intentions.
The key to forming new habits is motivation.
And if you’ve decided 2022 is the year you’re going to complete all those little jobs around the house or apartment, then you’ll reap the rewards of owning a more valuable home.
As property prices continue to climb, investing time and effort into your home is a great strategy to build personal wealth. Meticulously maintained homes have achieved amazing prices in the last 12 months.
So, stop promising yourself that you’ll lose weight, start going to the gym, read more books or whatever has inspired you on previous New Years. Instead, dedicate your attention to building value in your home.
Here’s some tips and ideas to help you make your resolution a reality.
Create a calendar
If you’ve got multiple projects on your mind about what needs doing before you sell, then schedule them across the year. Space out each task so you don’t feel you’ve suddenly become a slave to your home.
DIY vs Tradies
Identify which jobs you can accomplish and those that might need a licensed contractor, such as an electrician or plumber. By doing this, you’ll be able to budget each job and build it into your budget – and timeline – avoiding any nasty shocks to your cash flow.
Buy or hire
A plan allows you to identify the tools that you’ll need to buy or hire. Only rent equipment that you’ll use only once or twice. If possible, schedule closely together tasks that require a particular piece of equipment (e.g. a cement mixer to build a wall or lay a slab).
Painting
Break out the brushes and rollers and give your home a wonderful facelift. If you need to seek some inspiration for colour schemes, check out the brochures published by paint companies and sites such as Instagram and Pinterest.
Declutter
For a liberating experience, you can’t beat decluttering your home. Make three piles for the clutter – items that can be thrown out, given to family and friends, and donated to charity.
Gardening
Getting dirt under your fingernails is fun and really grounding if you spend your workdays always thinking. It’s a good idea to seek advice from your local garden centre on the types of plants that will thrive in our climate, or walking around the neighbourhood will also give you an idea of the kinds of plants that thrive. Don’t forget to check out the internet for ideas for design ideas. Pinterest has some wonderful inspiration.