Bryan Nazor shares which habits to get into (and which to break) for 2020.
Whether you’re trying to spruce up your home to put on the market, just moved into your own dream home, or simply want to begin making a positive change in the way you take care of your house, Bryan Nazor is here to help us discover which habits to begin training yourself to get into over the course of this new year. There’s never a bad time to commit yourself to keeping a happier and healthier home!
First, Bryan Nazor recommends that the shoes come off when entering the home. No matter how clean you think they might be, according to lab tests, shoes usually carry more bacteria than a toilet seat after only a week of use after coming fresh out of the box. Beyond health concerns, keeping your shoes on inside the house is a great way to scuff up the floor and track dirt between rooms. Bryan Nazor suggests placing a shoe rack near the front door, or even relegating all shoes to the vestibule if you have one.
Another good habit to get into is being mindful of all the filters in your house. You should routinely check and replace filters in your air vents, water sources, and furnace. Staying up to date with your filters will increase the air quality of the house and prevent your air and heating systems from working overtime, thus increasing their longevity without the need for repairs. If you have pets, consider investing in special air filters that specifically help to filter out allergens caused by pet fur. As a footnote, don’t forget to clean the filter in your clothes dryer after every use. It may seem like an obvious tip, but it could easily slip your mind, and potentially start a fire.
On a related and perhaps more important note, Bryan Nazor wants to stress how crucial it is for every homeowner to routinely check the functionality of the alarms in their house. Carbon monoxide and smoke detectors could save your life and the lives of your family one day, but only if they’re on and working. Make sure you test them at least once a month and keep batteries on hand to replace them if they’ve run out.
Don’t forget to maintain your curb appeal, Bryan Nazor advises. With all the work that comes with maintaining a house, it may become easy for the front of the house to become neglected. Try to get in the habit of regular outdoor maintenance: keep the lawn at a decent length, wash the front of the house, et cetera. This is especially true if you’re planning on putting your house up for sale any time soon. Curb appeal is the first impression, and first impressions are important.
Even if you’re used to regularly maintaining the front of your house, there’s one aspect of this job that regularly gets overlooked: the dreaded gutters. This is especially important in the fall and winter, but still worth looking into year-round. Making sure your gutters are clear can help save you from future headaches. Blocked gutter and drainage can lead to broken pipes or even water damage.
Bryan Nazor hopes these tips can help you become a more responsible homeowner in 2020 and set you up for success!
