Have you made your 2015 New Year’s Resolutions yet?  If you have, we hope you’re already off to a great start.

According to research conducted by the University of Scranton, 47% of people who make New Year’s resolutions make commitments to self-improvement or education related resolutions.  But, what about home improvement?  Home is so intrinsically tied to our self identity, so shouldn’t we make a few resolutions for our home, too?  Before 2015 gets away from us, here are 4 New Year’s Resolutions to make this year for your home.

1. Implement a “one in, one out” rule. A cluttered home can sometimes translate to a cluttered life. To start the year off fresh, take some time to sort through the items you’ve added to your home and vow to only hold on to those that are useful or have sentimental value. Then going forward, for each new item you add to your home, vow to donate or toss another. This will teach you to only collect items that have use or purpose.

2. Learn to be grateful for home. Answer this question: what does home mean to you? Is it a blessing? A refuge? A shelter? A place to gather? No matter the answer, home is a place that should never be taken for granted. This year, commit to remembering the true value of a home. One of the best ways to do this is to look for opportunities to share the gift of home with others. Take in a shelter pet, participate in a home build for those less fortunate, or simply share family traditions with your children.

3. Make a fix it calendar. Life gets busy. A winter project gets put off until the warmer weather arrives. And then the spring comes and we don’t want to spend the warmer days doing home projects. Take time this January to identify things around the house that could use a little TLC. Add one to-do to each month of your fix-it calendar and commit to focusing on that one project for 30 days. It’s easy to put off those home projects, but with a structured plan those honey-dos seem a little more manageable.

4. Make happiness your map. Finding a new home is a big move. Literally! Packing up and moving to a new home can sometimes be intimidating, but if a little extra room, a bigger backyard or a better neighborhood will add to your happiness at home, it’s worth revisiting the big picture. Real estate professionals are there to help throughout the home buying or selling process and with more modern home search tools at your fingertips, searching for the right home for you has never been easier.

We hope you find health, happiness, and most importantly, home in 2015.  Here’s to another beautiful year ahead!