Back to School for Homeowners.

A Fresh Start for Homeowners Too.

I write this post from a place of care and concern for all of the families who have been impacted by the severe storming and flooding that has swept over central Illinois lately! My prayers are with all who have experienced loss of any kind over these past few days.

School is now officially back in session for central Illinois families! The summer days behind us, full of memory-making fun, and now we collectively return to a place of routine. There is something about the start of the new school year that feels like a fresh start for all of us in some ways – a chance to rethink our habits and clear our slates. As homeowners, it is helpful to approach our homes with that same “blank slate” mentality at times to see it through fresh eyes. This can enable us to reset our home to serve our family and our needs even more efficiently. Below, I have written out four steps you can take to facilitate a “fresh-start-feeling” for your home as we jump into this next school year:

• Reflection: The first step in resetting and refreshing your home should be reflection. Ask yourself some key questions to help prioritize what needs to be tackled first. What areas of your home tend to collect clutter? What cleaning systems have failed over the past several months? How do you want this space to feel? What space causes the most stress? Answering these questions will help you significantly in knowing which spaces to tackle and how to effectively reset your space!
• Decluttering: One reality of life as a homeowner is that stuff just accumulates. This means that staying on top of clutter and regularly purging your home will go a long way in helping home maintenance and cleaning feel manageable throughout the year. Look at the places in your home that tend to collect clutter and make sure that everything there has a “home.” If there are things that no longer serve your family regularly or take up more space than they are worth, donating them can be a great way to declutter your space and let someone else benefit from that item!
• Maintenance: Take the start of the new school year as an opportunity to tackle the appliances that require regular maintenance. Wash vacuum filters, deep clean kitchen appliances, test your smoke detectors, and switch out seasonal clothing in your closets.
• Plan: After tackling your physical home in these ways, pour yourself a cup of coffee and make a plan for the next several months. Write out school schedules, create a list of meal ideas, revisit your budget, and set a cleaning schedule in place. A little planning can go a long way in helping us as homeowners feel intentional and peaceful as we tend to the needs around us and maintain our spaces.

May these next few weeks, as we settle into routines and say goodbye to summer, be full of intentionality as we create plans to execute, but also full of grace as we navigate the challenges and joys that inevitably come with each new season. Here’s to taking a deep breath as we turn a chapter and step into a new season. Here’s to fresh starts!