It's February, the month of love! Just as you will celebrate your relationship with your significant other on February 14, why not take some time to look at ways you can improve the relationship you have with your home?
Like many homeowners (and honeymooners), the first year is pure bliss. Now that you've been in your home for a few years, you may find the unadulterated love is fading. You peruse the real estate section (just out of curiosity!), drool over spectacular homes on HGTV and take the long route home along your neighbourhood's nicest street, eyes peeled for sale signs. Before you go trading in your home for a newer, bigger, or more posh model, make sure you're doing everything you can do to love your current home the way it deserves to be loved!
Make time - Like any relationship, the one you have with your home needs your time and passion. Make an effort to clean it regularly, spoil it with a pretty new accessory every once in a while and spend more time enjoying your favourite nook.
Don't try to change it - Sure, home improvements are great. But if you're constantly seeing a feature you love in another home and trying to force it into your own, you'll never be satisfied. Make the most of your home's attributes and strive to showcase its best features.
Address conflicts immediately - Don't let things fester! Home maintenance is your responsibility so attack the issue not your home. If your furnace isn't working properly, don't try to kick it into submission - call an expert to fix things properly. If your roof springs a leak, don't procrastinate - have it fixed right away. Your home deserves it.
Be proud - Accept compliments about your home graciously and boast about its best attributes rather than pointing out its shortcomings.
Banish negativity - If you complain daily about the clutter on your countertops or the boxes piled in the spare room you always envisioned as a serene guestroom, take action! Invest in some pretty organizers for your kitchen. Dedicate a weekend to emptying the boxes in your soon-to-be guestroom and purge items you haven't used in a year. Work towards a solution rather than focusing on the problem.