10 Apartment New Year's Resolutions for 2019

The new year is just around the corner, meaning it’s time to start thinking about all the ways you want to improve your routine in 2019. Having a happy home is key to a happy life, so making some new year’s resolutions for your apartment is a great way to set yourself up for success in the year to come. The good news is there are some simple changes you can make in your apartment or home that will have a huge impact. Follow our 10 apartment new year’s resolutions below to make your home living in 2019 the best yet.

1. Declutter Your Life

It may seem like more is always better, but when it comes to your home, having a lot of stuff can make your place feel crowded. This January, go through your closet and donate or throw out anything that is ripped, stained, or unworn for ages. If you want a simple trick for find out what you do and do not wear, turn every hanger in one direction. Once you wear a piece of clothing, turn the hanger in the opposite direction. After a few months, you’ll have a better idea of what should stay and what you can consider tossing. Decluttering goes beyond the closet as well. Look through your kitchen drawers and throw out duplicates and items you never use. Next up, take a look at your bookshelf and decide what you really love and what you will probably never read again (like those three-year-old magazine stacks). Decluttering your life will make you feel organized and refreshed.

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2. Switch Up Your Space

It is amazing how much moving furniture around can change the feel of your home. Move your bed to a new wall, rearrange your couch in the living room, reposition your wall decor. Even if you love how your apartment is currently designed, remember that change is good, and nothing is permanent. Try out a new layout and see if it brings a refreshing, new feeling to your home. No matter what, it will be invigorating to try something new, and changing your furniture or decor is way easier than moving to a new apartment. If you don’t like it, guess what? You can always change it back. So take the risk and switch things up.

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3. Finish That Half-Done Home Improvement Project

We all have that one thing at home that we started and never finished. Maybe it is a picture you finally printed but didn’t frame. Or chairs you started to reupholster but only picked out the fabric. Perhaps you ordered new side table lamps for the living room, but since you didn’t get light bulbs, they are just sitting in the box. Whatever your project, big or small, take the time to finish it this year.

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4. Do a Deep Clean

Bust out the mop, the duster, and the Windex. It’s time to really give your home a good scrub. Get the floors washed, the windows cleaned, the toilet scrubbed. Move your furniture around and get all the dust bunnies hidden in dark places. Living in a fresh, clean house will set your year off on the right foot. No judgement if you want to pay someone to do it, as professionals know exactly how to make your place really sparkle. Just commit to having your house cleaned sooner rather than later so you have a fresh start to the year.

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5. Sort Through Your Mail

We all know how easy it is to pick up the mail, throw it on the counter, and have it live there for what seems like eternity. This year, commit to no longer having your mail linger. Throw out all the catalogs and coupons you don’t want to use. Pay the bill that came in right away. Take the birthday card or wedding invite, read it, and then do with it what you will—file with other keepsakes, add to the fridge, respond, or toss. Just commit to having all your mail dealt with right after the trip to the mailbox. The lack of paper clutter will make your home look cleaner and more put together, plus you’ll personally feel great for successfully “adulting”.

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6. Buy a Statement Piece

Every home should have at least one item that sparks conversation. Maybe it’s an amazing piece of art you bought on a trip, a brightly colored couch or an art deco table shaped like a hand. Find something you absolutely love and that will encourage comments when friends and family come by your place. It will make you feel proud to own the piece, while also giving your apartment that extra special je ne sais quoi.

7. Clean Out Your Fridge and Pantry

Time to throw away that half empty sauce jar that has been in your fridge since last February and get rid of the stale crackers. Cleaning out your fridge, along with a good scrubbing, and your pantry and cabinets where you keep food will help you have a fresh start to the year. If you are trying to eat healthier, it is a great opportunity to get rid of the junk food so it’s not around to tempt you. Out with the old, in with the healthier, unexpired new.

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8. Make Your Bed Each Morning

You start and end every day in your bedroom, so treat it like the sacred space it is. Make your bed every morning, it only takes a few minutes, so when you come home your room feels put together. There is something energizing about knowing you’ve left in the morning with a bed that is made and ready for you in the evening. Plus, by making your bed, you start every day off accomplishing something, which is a great mindset to be in.

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9. Wash Dishes Immediately

We know… it is so tempting to put your dishes in the sink and forget about them. However, dirty dishes will never make your apartment feel homey or put together. Plus, you are going to have to wash them at some point, so do it right away.

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10. Set Up Auto Bill Pay For Everything

Setting up automatic bill pay will relieve stress immediately, as you never have to worry that you forgot to pay the electricity or cable bill. It only takes a few minutes to set up automatic bill pay, and it’s an easy way to “adult” like a champ.

Try adding a couple of these new year’s resolutions for your home in 2019 and we promise, you will be so thankful you did. Having a happy, organized, clean home will make you feel better every time you are there. Have other apartment new year’s resolutions ideas? Let us know by tweeting us @apartmentlist. We would love to hear what works for you.