--- title: New year's resolutions for homeowners description: Follow these seven strategies to get your home looking its best in 2025. From decluttering to embracing sustainability and more, we've got you covered. image: https://blog.sothebysrealty.co.za/hubfs/Resolutions%201.jpg --- [![logo](https://blog.sothebysrealty.co.za/hubfs/Top-Floor-Blog/Logo.svg)](https://blog.sothebysrealty.co.za/) - [Home](https://blog.sothebysrealty.co.za/) - [SPOTLIGHT](https://blog.sothebysrealty.co.za/tag/spotlight) - [DECOR](https://blog.sothebysrealty.co.za/tag/decor) - [SUSTAINABILITY](https://blog.sothebysrealty.co.za/tag/sustainability) - [LIFESTYLE](https://blog.sothebysrealty.co.za/tag/lifestyle) - [ARCHITECTURE](https://blog.sothebysrealty.co.za/tag/architecture) - [ENTERTAINMENT](https://blog.sothebysrealty.co.za/tag/entertainment) ![Top Floor](https://blog.sothebysrealty.co.za/hubfs/Top-Floor-Blog/Top_floor.svg) Share [![Share on facebook](https://blog.sothebysrealty.co.za/hubfs/Top-Floor-Blog/facebook-dark.svg)](http://www.facebook.com/share.php?u=) ![Share on instagram](https://blog.sothebysrealty.co.za/hubfs/Top-Floor-Blog/instagram-dark.svg) [![Share on pinterest](https://blog.sothebysrealty.co.za/hubfs/Top-Floor-Blog/pinterest-dark.svg)](http://pinterest.com/pin/create/button/?url=&media=) [![Share on twitter](https://blog.sothebysrealty.co.za/hubfs/Top-Floor-Blog/twitter-dark.svg)](https://twitter.com/intent/tweet?original_referer=&url=&source=tweetbutton&text=) ![Share on youtube](https://blog.sothebysrealty.co.za/hubfs/Top-Floor-Blog/youtube-dark.svg) [![Share on linkedin](https://blog.sothebysrealty.co.za/hubfs/Top-Floor-Blog/linkedin-dark.svg)](http://www.linkedin.com/shareArticle?mini=true&url=) [![](https://blog.sothebysrealty.co.za/hubfs/Top-Floor-Blog/back-arrow.svg)Back to All Posts](https://blog.sothebysrealty.co.za/tag/spotlight) Spotlight # Seven new year’s resolutions for homeowners Published on 06 Dec 2024 ### We're approaching the dawn of a new year, and this gives you a perfect opportunity to reflect on your living space and make resolutions to create a home that reflects your dreams and aspirations. Whether you’re a seasoned homeowner or a new one, this list of resolutions by [Lew Geffen Sotheby’s International Realty](https://www.sothebysrealty.co.za/) will guide you on the journey to creating a more comfortable, organised and attractive home. **Resolution 1: Declutter and organise your living spaces** Start the new year on a “clean” state by decluttering your living space! Consider following Marie Kondo’s philosophy and discarding or gifting anything that does not bring you joy. Another popular decluttering strategy is the “four-box method”, in which you sort items into four boxes: keep, donate, sell and throw away. Some people find a 30-day declutter challenge particularly helpful. This strategy challenges you to declutter your home by removing a set number of items every day for a month. No matter which strategy works for you, the purpose of decluttering remains unchanged: to create a calm and well-organised home. **Resolution 2: Set a home maintenance schedule – and a budget** Creating a home maintenance schedule will save you money in the long term because it will have you sorting out issues before they become big problems. Make a list of the jobs that need to be done and try and do one maintenance task every month – or more if your budget allows. Building a home improvement budget into your monthly financial planning can eliminate some serious stress when issues arise, which they inevitably will at some point. **Resolution 3: Add a touch of greenery with indoor plants** In a world embracing [biophilic design](https://blog.sothebysrealty.co.za/biophilic-architecture-the-future-of-modern-design), it’s more important than ever to have touches of green in your home. If space is limited, you can use vertical space by installing wall-mounted shelves and placing small pots on them. Other ideas include bringing [large planters](https://blog.sothebysrealty.co.za/large-planters) into suitable areas of your home. ![Adding indoor plants to your home is a great way to introduce tranquillity](https://blog.sothebysrealty.co.za/hs-fs/hubfs/indoor-plants-studio.jpg?width=2000&height=1331&name=indoor-plants-studio.jpg) **Resolution 4: Make your home into a wellness retreatts-studio** You can make your home into a [wellness retreat](https://blog.sothebysrealty.co.za/how-to-design-a-home-thats-conducive-to-wellness) that promotes relaxation and rejuvenation in various ways. Incorporating natural light as much as possible and using soothing colours is a good start. You can add to your home’s feeling of wellbeing by investing in ergonomic chairs and desks that support posture and a living room suite that’s both attractive and comfortable. Other ideas include having a water feature in your home, creating a meditation area or space for movement and using ambient lighting for its soothing properties. **Resolution 5: Upgrade your security measures** If you have an alarm system, cameras or motion-sensor lights, take the time to test them and make sure that they are still working correctly. If your budget allows, consider upgrading your current security setup. There are various ways to do this, such as glass-break detectors, smart cameras, video doorbells and smart locks, to name just a few. **Resolution 6: Embrace sustainable living** The message about needing to do more for the environment has never been clearer, and there are some great ways to do this at home without making significant changes to your way of life. Think about installing water-saving showerheads and taps and starting a compost bin for kitchen and garden waste. If you’re considering buying new furniture (especially for your [outdoor entertainment area](https://blog.sothebysrealty.co.za/inviting-outdoor-entertainment-area)), consider choosing items made from bamboo, reclaimed wood or recycled materials. Given the increased global focus on environmental issues, such features could even enhance the [value of your home](https://www.sothebysrealty.co.za/property-valuation/). **Resolution 7: Get to know your neighbours** We mentioned security earlier and one of the best ways to secure your home is to get to know your neighbours – because they are the ones who are likely to be close to your home when you’re not. If you have a good relationship with them, they’re likely to pay attention on your behalf and let you know if anything is amiss. As you create new year’s resolutions for your home, reflect on its current state, set realistic goals and celebrate your progress throughout the year. Here’s to a year of growth, comfort and fulfilment within the walls of your cherished home! And if you’re looking for a home to make your own, [contact us](https://www.sothebysrealty.co.za/contact/) for all the assistance you’ll need. ## Comments [![Share on facebook](https://blog.sothebysrealty.co.za/hubfs/Top-Floor-Blog/facebook.svg)](https://www.facebook.com/LewGeffenSothebysInternationalRealty/) [![Share on twitter](https://blog.sothebysrealty.co.za/hubfs/Top-Floor-Blog/twitter.svg)](https://twitter.com/LewGeffen_SIR) [![Share on linkedin](https://blog.sothebysrealty.co.za/hubfs/Top-Floor-Blog/linkedin.svg)](https://www.linkedin.com/company/lew-geffen-sothebys-international-realty/) [![Share on youtube](https://blog.sothebysrealty.co.za/hubfs/Top-Floor-Blog/youtube.svg)](https://www.youtube.com/user/LewGeffen01/) [![Share on instagram](https://blog.sothebysrealty.co.za/hubfs/Top-Floor-Blog/instagram.svg)](https://www.instagram.com/lewgeffensothebysrealty/) [![](https://blog.sothebysrealty.co.za/hubfs/Top-Floor-Blog/fonts/pp-logo-website.svg)](https://www.privateproperty.co.za/) [![](https://blog.sothebysrealty.co.za/hubfs/Top-Floor-Blog/prop-data-logo.svg)](https://www.propdata.net/) Website Powered by Prop Data Copyright © 2026 Lew Geffen Sotheby's International Realty ```json { "@context" : "https://schema.org", "@type" : "BlogPosting", "author" : { "@type" : "Person", "name" : "Lew Geffen Sotheby's International Realty", "url" : "https://blog.sothebysrealty.co.za/author/lew-geffen-sothebys-international-realty" }, "dateModified" : "2024-12-06T13:39:00.375Z", "datePublished" : "2024-12-06T13:39:00.000Z", "headline" : "New year's resolutions for homeowners", "image" : [ "https://blog.sothebysrealty.co.za/hubfs/Resolutions%201.jpg" ], "mainEntityOfPage" : { "@id" : "https://blog.sothebysrealty.co.za/11-new-years-resolutions-for-homeowners", "@type" : "WebPage" }, "publisher" : { "@type" : "Organization", "logo" : { "@type" : "ImageObject", "url" : "https://blog.sothebysrealty.co.za/hubfs/logo.svg" }, "name" : "Geffen International Realty Franchises Pty Ltd" } } ```