• Have a Pesky Drain that Always Clogs?
• Do You Value Your Time?
• Auld Lang Syne
• What's Going Down

very year, winter rolls around, and millions of people across North America and the world do the exact same thing. You might scribble them down on a piece of paper, or you may type them out on a Word document on your laptop. But if you’re like vast legions of people hoping to improve their lives in the upcoming year, you probably come up with five or six (or maybe just one or two) New Year’s Resolutions.

Typically, New Year’s Resolutions center on ways you can improve yourself. You vow to lose weight; you promise yourself that you’ll read at least one book a month, or you commit to doing a better job of staying in contact with old friends. While those are good and worthwhile, there are a few other resolutions you might consider for 2009. Instead of focusing on improving yourself, focus on improving your home!

Even if you’re a person always on the go, you spend at least a good portion of your day at home… I mean, you have to sleep sometime. If nothing else, your home is one of your biggest investments; of course, you want to ensure that it looks its best. That being said, here are four resolutions you should consider that could dramatically enhance your home in 2009.

Improve your home’s safety!
The most important thing you can do for your family is guarantee that they’re safe while at home. It may seem safe, but unless you cover all precautions, you can’t be certain. For example, have smoke detectors installed in every level of your home. If you already have them, make sure their batteries still work. If you don’t have a Carbon Monoxide detector, buy one… immediately! If you have little ones, make sure your home has been "child-proofed," so no unfortunate accidents occur. And look out for yourself—see if any handrails, grab bars, and steps are in need of repair. This could prevent you from taking a nasty fall in the future.

Have preventative maintenance performed!
Have you ever walked around your house and noticed small things that bug you… but they don’t bug you enough to do anything about? For example, do you have some gutters that don’t drain properly? Do you have a leaky toilet? Do you have a light switch that doesn’t work? Or maybe, do you have a furnace that isn’t working all that well? If you’ve noticed any of these, it’s important you call a professional to address them now. If you continue to wait, they could ultimately turn into a major repair job, and it will require much more of your time… and money!

Start conserving!
Every year they seem to get higher and higher! Your utility bills are out of control! Well, unfortunately, that’s something that is never going to change. They’ll continue to grow… unless you make some adjustments to your habits. For example, don’t waste water by having it run while brushing your teeth! Turn the lights off in empty rooms! Or think about setting your thermostat a few degrees warmer in the summer and cooler in