Sure, it’s a few weeks past the New Year, and you’ve already made your resolutions—done and started. Way to go! Now that you’re in the groove of making those personal ambitions a reality, why not shift your focus in a way you may not have considered in the past. Could a few simple resolutions for your home make a big impact on your overall health this year—and every year after? Without a doubt, they can and will.
Here are five resolutions we all should make on behalf of our home and our health.
- Change the batteries in your smoke detectors. I know, I know, they say you should do this when daylight savings time rolls around each spring and fall. But do you? This time, put it on your calendar and make a point of getting it done. If the unthinkable should happen, the small amount of time and money it takes to complete this simple task will give you an enormous return on your investment.
- Change your furnace filter. The quality of air in your home plays a big role in your family’s respiratory health. Your furnace filter’s job is to catch the little particles and allergens that float around in your living space, allowing everyone to breathe easier. But the filter can only hold so much of that junk, so be sure to change it. Our furnace maintenance folks tell us to make the switch once a month, so when we flip the calendar, we know it’s time to head down to the utility room. Extra bonus: a clean furnace filter extends the life of your furnace and helps it run more efficiently, which saves you money. And if you use it during the air conditioning months, don’t forget to change the filter then too.
- Test or buy carbon monoxide detectors. Hopefully when you moved into your new home you took a look around to check out the carbon monoxide detector situation. If you don’t know about this odorless yet life-threatening gas, it deserves some of your self-health education time. These detectors don’t last forever, so be sure to test them annually and replace them every couple of years. Much like your smoke detectors, they can save your life. Own them. Test them. Replace them.
- Change out at least one of your conventional, chemical-laden cleaning products. Whether you make a switch with a personal care cleaning product or a household cleaner, you’ll be glad you did. You can easily make your own and skip paying higher prices for the toxic commercial products available in the store. There are all kinds of DIY recipes for personal care products and household cleaners online. I’d be willing to bet that switching just one will get you motivated to change another and another and another. Another alternative is to use no cleaning product except water! The e-cloth, which you can find now in many places as well as online, boasts a microfiber technology that cleans with just water.
- Make one change in the food you consume. If your family eats as many apples as mine does, commit to only buying organic apples. (This fruit is on the Dirty Dozen list of produce with the highest pesticide residues.) Or save up to buy grass-fed beef in bulk, which makes it more affordable. You can also learn how to make just one fermented food. One change at a time is more manageable than everything at once.
It’s easy to forget that our homes, like us, might need a little makeover-ing with the New Year, but it’s never too late to remember. By making a few simple resolutions a priority, your home will better serve you and your health. Totally worth it, right?
What resolutions do you have for your home this year?
Photo from iStock/ashumskiy
Paula Widish, author of Trophia: Simple Steps to Everyday Self-Health, is a freelance writer and self-healther. She loves nothing more than sharing tidbits of information she discovers with others. (Actually, she loves her family more than that—and probably bacon too.) Paula has a bachelor’s degree in Psychology and Public Relations and is a Certified Professional Life Coach through International Coach Academy.
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