The new year is well under way and hopefully you are making tons of progress with your goals. With your home being one of your most important assets, it's important that you take the time to consider what kinds of upgrades would be useful to make to it this year. Keeping up with your home is like keeping up with your health and if you manage it properly, you can keep things working properly well into the future. If you need a little motivation, here are 6 household items that you should probably upgrade in 2017.
Your Windows
Replacing windows can be expensive but if you can improve them one at a time over a couple of years, the costs won't seem so bad. It's especially important to replace windows around the 15-year mark as they start to break down during this time, and cause your home's heating and cooling systems to become inefficient. Plus, there are always new advancements in windows that are more energy efficient which will help you save on bills and add more value to your home.
Your Mattress
While replacing your mattress won't really bring extra value to your home, it can certainly add value to your wellbeing and life in general. Consider how old your mattress is and if you could benefit from some upgrades or memory foam additions. Your health is even more important than the value of your home so make sure to take care of those backaches that may be caused by an inefficient mattress.
An Unused Room
Do you have a basement, attic or spare room that you never really got around to utilizing? If so, there are a couple of good reasons to start making some upgrades. Turning one of these rooms into a livable space or room can add a lot of value to your home. While your home may only have two bedrooms now, a quick fix up to the attic may allow you to claim your home as having three bedrooms which would raise its value. Also, with platforms like Airbnb, which let you rent out rooms in your home to visitors, you could earn an actual profit from these extra rooms that you can use to pay off your mortgage or get out of debt.
Your Kitchen Appliances
Does your toaster oven smell like burnt toast every time you turn it on? It could be time to make some replacements. Burnt out appliances can be a fire hazard and not too pleasant to use. Also consider what appliances you could add to your kitchen in order to make cooking easier. Rice cookers and croc pots allow you to make meals with not much work and you can actually leave them while you get other things done around the house. This could save you a ton of time, allow you to eat healthier and make your day to day more productive.
The Paint
A great way to spruce up your home is by adding a new paint job. Sure, it could be a weekend project but you can actually do it yourself to save a bit of money. A new coat of paint in a couple of rooms shouldn't cost too much and will really make a difference in the way your home looks and feels.
Interior Design
You don't have to go crazy on the interior design of your home if you are happy with it or don't want to spend a lot of money, but a few simple upgrades could really bring the place together. Start with one room and have a little fun with the design. It will give you a fun project to work on and will increase your happiness while at home. If you are on a budget, try thrifting to find some quirky and inexpensive items to decorate with.