New year, same you? The new year brings out the best in us all when it comes to what we intend to do, but when things get busy and life starts moving again, it can be easy to talk ourselves out of all the good intentions we started with. Going home right after work instead of working out at the gym may seem like the easy way out, but improving your home life is a priority we can all get behind.
Here are 8 easy tips to live your best life (in your home) in 2019:
1. Reduce, reuse, recycle
If it’s 2019 and you haven’t been recycling, there’s a lot to catch you up on. Recycling is an easy and family-friendly activity that benefits the earth and your community. You don’t have to start composting right off the bat, but recycling larger plastic containers and buying Earth-friendly products such as beeswax cling paper, bamboo toothbrushes, or reusable bags is a great first step towards living a greener life.
2. Adopt a pet
Any pet owner already knows that it doesn’t take much for a furry friend to become part of the family. Your family pet takes on the roles of companion, playmate, friend–even a dinner date! Liven up your family’s home and improve your children’s sense of responsibility when you adopt a pet. For those families considering pet adoption, make sure to check out your local animal shelter!
3. Eat together
No matter your age, there doesn’t seem to be enough time in a day. Between work, after-school clubs and soccer practices, outings with friends, or doing chores and running errands, fewer families feel they have the time to eat together at meal times. By making the time for family dinners, you’re saying to every member of your family that you value spending time together. Sitting down at a table to eat together provides valuable time to touch base with every member of the family. And science is with us on this one. One study showed that the teens of families who ate together got better grades in school. An article from 2004 even found that teens who ate with their families on a regular basis had better mental health.
4. Be grateful
This is another great practice for you as well as your family. Being optimistic is one thing, but when you focus on the positives of what you have, you’re more likely to see the good in situations. Everyone in the family will be great people to be around and studies show that practicing gratitude can actually lead to you being happier!
5. Don’t compare
Hand in hand with the previous tip, practicing gratitude means being thankful for what you have and not focusing on what you don’t. Whether your co-worker got a promotion at work before you or your child’s friend has more toys, fighting the “grass is greener” mentality can be difficult. By reminding yourself and your family members of personal achievements and positive qualities, you can stay focused on what you offer and stay present.
6. Have a family night
Starting to notice a pattern here? Time spent together is time spent bonding. It doesn’t matter what you do, as long as you do it together. Play an epic game of Clue, binge a new Netflix special as a family, go out to dinner and a movie! The activity doesn’t matter. What counts is that you’re spending time together and creating shared memories.
7. Declutter
Even if you haven’t read Marie Kondo’s mega-bestseller “The Life-Changing Magic of Tidying Up” or seen her hit Netflix show, you should still round up your family for a major decluttering session every once in a while. While you don’t have to follow the KonMari method, taking stock of what you own and decluttering a few times a year will make cleaning your home less of an all-consuming chore. Your family and your home will thank you.
8. Improve your air quality
Regular maintenance and preseason tune-ups are important for the integrity and efficiency of your HVAC system as well as for the health of your family. When you clean your HVAC system and change air filters regularly, you prevent your unit from blowing old dirt, dust, and other allergens back into the air supply. Elite Air offers indoor air quality systems to improve your air quality as well as HVAC repairs and maintenance to keep your home at it’s most comfortable.
Every home’s HVAC needs regular maintenance in order to operate at peak efficiency. When you take care of your HVAC, you’re taking care of your home, which can improve the quality of life for both yourself and your family. 2019 has the opportunity to be your best year yet! With these happy home tips, you and your family could create a great year filled with fun memories.
