fbpx

New Year’s Resolutions for the Home

It’s a New Year, a new decade in fact! This year at home let’s do projects smarter with the right tools. 

ONE: HAVE THE RIGHT TOOL TO GET THE JOB DONE 

Everyone needs a power drill, you can get the job done so much quicker, and efficiently – everything from building furniture, fixing a leaky faucet and other repairs. Find the right power tool for you based on what you’ll be doing. Look for something with enough power, battery life and what you want in your hand (12V on up should suffice for any home owner). I want something light weight and ergonomic, easy to move into small spaces like corners and not too heavy but still provides power. Others may want something heavier for on the job. I like the SKIL PWR Core power drills because of the built in light where the bit is so when I drill, let’s me see what I am doing, the automatic power jump charges the battery 25% in just 5 minutes, or 100% battery in 30 minutes enough to drill 100 screws. I’ve built many things, and never run out of power or performance.

Having one awesome power drill sets you up for success for projects all year long.

TWO: CLEAN, NATURALLY

Look for “natural” ways to clean! Indoor air quality is important. We spend around 90% of our time indoors, and there are five times more pollutants inside than out. Let’s start with the floors with green hybrid technology.  Rejuvenate Green Natural Stone, Tile and Laminate Floor is a plant-based, eco-friendly formula is the ideal all-in-one household cleaning product. I love it because it truly cleans effectively, if you spray it and other natural cleaners, and walk away, the other natural cleaner will leave a soapy residue. That residue leaves streaks which attracts dirt quicker, making it challenging as you need to clean again. The natural surfactants eliminate dirt and debris while the added ionic discharging agents instantly dry the floor with no streaks, saving you time.

THREE: CLEANER, HEALTHIER AIR WITH HUMIDIFIER

Anytime you get the cold or flu in the winter, your doctors always recommend a great humidifier top that off with the fact that when its cold outside, we crank up the heat which dries out your eyes, your skin, your nasal passages and your throat and even post nasal drip that’s so annoying, – it’s so annoying because you think you’re getting your sick, but the reality is, these are all symptoms of dry air, so you need a great humidifier to put back the moisture.

When the air is too dry (below 40 percent relative humidity) droplets from a sneeze, cough or saliva spray will stay airborne and circulate for up to two hours, spreading the virus further and making it easy to breathe in.  However, when using a cool mist humidifier and increasing the indoor humidity between 40–60 percent,  the droplets may attach to the water molecules, which become too heavy and fall to the ground. So, extra humidity is the key.

 

Additionally, humidity in the home above 40 percent is recommended to help soothe symptoms of colds and flu by the Medline Website, which is run by the National Institutes of Health; they say proper humidity in the home, especially in winter months, also eases breathing and soothes coughs when you are ill. Harvard Medical School lecturer, Pediatric Oncologist and molecular biologist Dr. Stephanie Taylor, who has been researching the importance of air humidity for years has said that “Dry air also harms our body’s natural immune barriers that fight infections.” (SOURCE)

Doctors recommend ultrasonic technology cool mist humidifiers, which create ultra-small molecules of moisture that evenly distribute throughout the room. Most other humidifiers are steam or evaporative based products, which are louder, and can grow bacteria in the base that may be dispersed into the air. These humidifiers can pull in viruses and bacteria through the fan, which then grow in the tank and disperse throughout room, exacerbating the problem.  The same issue can occur with some ultrasonic humidifiers that do not have an antimicrobial inhibitor injected into the plastic tank and base.

Look for a humidifier manufacturer that uses an antimicrobial inhibitor that is infused into the tank and base, such as  Air Innovations Clean Mist Humidifiers, which are infused with an antimicrobial inhibitor that  helps  prevent microbial growth on the surface of the tank and base, and have a permanent ceramic filter to trap other impurities.  This means no gunk growing in the tank and low maintenance: the permanent ceramic filter is cleaned by just rinsing. 

FOUR: ENHANCE YOUR HOME WITH LIGHTING

Have you ever wondered if the color of your bedroom affects your mood and helps you sleep? Well, in many cases, it can. Studies show that certain wall colors can be more beneficial to our moods and personalities than others. When making your selection, considering the type and purpose of the space is key to choosing the right color.

Look for smart lighting with all the different color options, and brightness (dimmer), with colors built all into one light bulbs. So you can literally just screw in the light bulb, and change your mood from your phone! You can set it to a timer to wake you, saw a warm sunset. Instead of jolting yourself up with an alarm clock. I love the LIFX options, especially their color tiles and also GE Color Smart Light Bulb.

Happy New Year at Home!

For more tips, watch my TV spots!