4 Home Improvement Projects for the New Year

The start of the year is the perfect time to carry out home improvement projects and enhance your living environment. What’s more, home projects don’t have to be overly expensive or time-consuming. There are simple ways to improve your home and create a better living space for you and your family. Here are four home improvement projects you should consider in the new year.

1. Do a major house clean

A clean, tidy living environment will boost your home’s visual appeal and make it easier to complete your daily tasks. Maintaining a clean, organized home can also have several benefits on your mental health. According to maids.com, housework can effectively reduce stress, anxiety, and depression. Creating a peaceful, clutter-free environment encourages a calm mind and good mental health. Now is an ideal time to do a major house clean and donate any items you received over the holidays but don’t need or want. This will help to prevent clutter from accumulating in your home. Make house cleaning fun and quick by getting the whole family involved in your cleaning efforts.

2. Upgrade your household appliances

Upgrading your household appliances is a great way to boost your home’s appeal and increase functionality. Modern appliances are far more energy-efficient than older models. This means that upgrading can also be an excellent way to lower carbon emissions. Some of the most cost-effective appliances to upgrade in your home include your boiler, radiators, and kitchen appliances like dishwashers and kitchens. When upgrading, make sure to look for models that are economical and will complement your existing decor. For instance, Warmrooms offer a wide selection of vertical radiators that are cleverly designed to provide more heat to a room when there is not enough space for a traditional horizontal radiator. They come in a wide range of stylish designs to create an eye-catching focal point in any room.

3. Freshen up your home interiors

There are so many ways to freshen up your home interiors. This includes repainting your walls, replacing old carpet with modern styles like laminate flooring, and adding new furnishings. While cleaning, it is the perfect time to switch up your decor and inject some personality into your home style. You should try experimenting with vibrant colors and patterned wallpapers, adding some wall art, or purchasing some trendy home accessories like rugs, cushions, and mirrors.

We're in the process of taking apart our loveseat. We want to use the parts (like the furniture tacks) to refurbish shelves. I'm playing with the idea of making a few ottomans or poufs with some of the old loveseat as well.

We bought two decorative chairs to replace the loveseat. I'll share updated pictures when the torn apart loveseat is out of our living room. 

4. Boost your curb appeal

Your home exterior is extremely important as it sets the tone for what the rest of your home is going to be like. Luckily, you can easily enhance your home’s curb appeal with simple improvements like repainting your home’s exterior, tidying up your yard, replacing your windows and doors, or installing outdoor lighting. Make sure that you also inspect your home exterior regularly to check for any signs of damage to areas like the driveway or roof. If you notice anything, then have it repaired as soon as possible to prevent any further damage to your property. You should consider hiring a professional landscaper if you want to give your curb appeal a serious boost and get your outdoor space looking in top condition.

New Year...Deep Clean

I'm not one for New Years Resolutions. I just think people make them, they follow them for a month or two, then break them. There's nothing wrong with that I suppose. I just make short term, and long term goals. They are typically connected to New Years at all.

As soon as the New Year was over I'm said, "Ok let's get cleaning!"

I happily took down the Christmas decor. Usually it's a, "Crap we have to take down all the pretty thing!" This time it was, "It's great to get the Christmas decor down. One more thing done!"

The first thing I deep cleaned was the kitchen floor.

Travis is so apprehensive with moving the fridge out to clean under it. He worries about the waterline, and the cords. Boy did it NEED it!

There was a layer of dust under there. Having allergies, and asthma I felt so satisfied with cleaning that dust out! I followed up with cleaning under the stove as well.

I kind of wish I had house cleaning services. The night after cleaning I was feeling really stuffed up!

What things in your house need to be deep cleaned?

Disclaimer: This post may include link(s) where I have gotten paid for.

WW: 2019 Holiday Card {Linky}

I'm blaming my lateness with my holiday letter/photo on the fact that I got put on Jury Duty this year. It's not like it was that many days, it was actually shorter than a work day, BUT it disrupted my thoughts and my routine big time.

I thought about going with a card that was uber generic and writing that said, "I was tired this year!" Everyone always expects a lot from me in regards to to my Halloween costume and holiday card. Sometimes I am just tired. Another idea: I thought about a standard family photo, but adding some random kid from the internet to join us. I wouldn't say anything to anyone. Just let family and friends talk. Maybe I'll still use one of those ideas. By next year, you would have forgotten about this post altogether. Old ideas become fair game by then.

I moved away from postcards. Printing postcards I'd spend at least $50, if I didn't have a coupon code it would be more like $100. Photos that are the same size were $11, if I didn't have a coupon code more like $20. Then I just print a letter.

You are the first to see the holiday photo besides my coworkers and inner family that got handed one. 

What to put on a card when one child talks about space non stop, and the other one gets a Leopard Gecko: 

It took awhile to change all the blue trim in the astro suits to green. I replaced space patches to holiday patches. Sunny our Gecko is nocturnal, so I had to disrupt his sleep to get photos of him. He's slow moving in his tank, but quick moving outside his tank. I struggled to get good photos of him. 

All in all it's fun! 

Mica thinks it's stupid, BUT he thinks most of what I do is stupid. Teenagers! He asked me to print 7 photos out, for his teachers/friends. Once I got them he didn't want them. He hates mixing friends with family. They are like 2 different modes in his book. 

Isaak struggled to understand why there was nothing on the back of the photo. He's used to our postcards. Again they were way cheaper this way. 

Close-Ups:

Letter:

It's hard to top yourself when you do a lot other years. Kids become less cute, and more handsome. If you are interested, check out my other holiday cards on my pinterest board here.

Question for you: When do you drop someone from your holiday card list? 

I understand some people don't make cards. There are some people I haven't seen, for years. One I hung out with in high school all the time. I miss her, but I've reached out to her several times. Every time she's in town I never hear from her. Crickets! At this point I don't know if she wants anything to do with me. She might even see me as a stalker? I hope not! I'm wondering if it's time to cut ties...

Chocolate Gingerbread Rollout #cookies #recipe

We're not done with celebrations. We have New Years Eve, and New Years Day to celebrate!

I decided to make Chocolate Gingerbread Rollout Cookies to celebrate! 

They are super easy to make!

Start out by setting out 2 sticks of unsalted butter and 1 egg. They need to be room temperature.

Use a mixer to combine the 2 sticks of unsalted butter, 1 egg, 1/2 cup granulated sugar and 1/2 cup brown sugar.

Add In:

• 1/4 cup molasses
• 2 Tablespoons of melted Chocolate Chips
• 3 cups of all purpose flour
• 3/4 cup cocoa powder
• 1/2 Tablespoon Ground Ginger
• 1/2 Tablespoon Cinnamon
• 1/2 teaspoon Salt

Keep mixing until everything is mixed together throughly.

Chill:

Cover the dough, and put it in the refrigerator for 20 minutes.

Roll Them Out:

Flour a clean surface, roll out flat with a standard roller. I followed up with using a decorative roller.

One thing I like about this dough, is that it can be reworked, and reworked. It doesn't loose anything. You know how some doughs get brittle as they keep getting worked? This one didn't seem to.

Cut Out the Cookies:

I chose to use a star and a snowflake. I didn't want my cookies to be too Christmas(y), and more winter(y).

Spray a pan with cooking spray.

Bake in an oven set to 350 degrees, for 12 minutes. I do 6 minutes on the top rack, and 6 minutes on the bottom.

To Pipe or Not to Pipe?

I had left over frosting, but after asking my family if they needed to be piped they said, "No. They are freaking good as they are!"

If you choose to pipe them, wait until the cookies are cool of course.

They are the perfect combination of ginger and chocolate!

Chocolate Gingerbread Roll ... by on Scribd

WW: Happy New Year {Linky}

After Christmas it was a rush to get down that holidays things to make room for our New Years Eve Dance Party! 

I had Travis and Mica blow the dust off the tree piece by piece:

We made too much food! One thing is for sure, one can never have too many lights. 

We had 15 kids show up and 11 adults.

Happy New Year!

I said, "Ok now all the boys have to kiss the girls." I heard loud, high pitch screams, "No!" Ha!

I let the boys have two kids spend the night - 1 for each kid. We know their parent's well. This was their first overnight with kids other than their cousins.

One of the little guys wasn't on his pillow, the other little guy was hanging off the mattress.

These boys could have stayed up all night.

Don't let that older one fool you this was him on New Years Day:

Like Father, Like Son. Here's Dad: