Each New Year we promise to eat better, work out, save money and spend more quality time with the people who mean the most to us but what about your home? Here are some ways to make your home in Chesterfield, VA more beautiful, organized, clean and green in this New Year! Clear the clutter! This is the time to streamline! Every year we acquire more and more stuff. Purge those cabinets and drawers that seem to get packed with unused items. Resolve to clear each room in your house of things that you no longer use. Safe and sound Your home is beautiful, but is it safe? Every homeowner should do a few things to avoid any potential health hazards or risk of fire. First, check your home for radon, a colorless, odorless gas that can cause lung cancer from the radioactive particles it traps in your lungs as you breathe, according to the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency. You can purchase a kit at your local hardware store for around $20. Second, invest in a $40 Carbon monoxide detector. Install the detectors on every floor along with your fire detectors. When a chimney flue or furnace vent gets blocked or leaks, carbon monoxide could back up in your house. Third, check your dryer for lint. You may clean the little trap inside the door, but most people neglect to clean the vents and ducts behind the dryer. Lint seems innocent, but it's highly combustible, according to the U.S. Fire Administration, accounting for more than 15,000 building fires a year. Go Green and shrink your bills You don’t have to add solar panels to your home in Chesterfield, VA to go green or drive a hybrid. You can start with the little things like:

• Turn off the lights when you leave a room
• Turn off your air conditioner when you leave the house as well as turn your heater down to 55 degrees at night.
• Use compact fluorescent bulbs
• Install low-flow showerheads
• Turn off your power strips

• Keep your house clean

Create a weekly cleaning schedule for your home to keep it clean and tidy without it feeling overwhelming. Here are a few tips for controlling the mess and clutter. Daily:

• Put your dishes in the dishwasher every evening
• Put dirty clothes in the hamper and not the floor
• Hang jackets and clean clothing

Weekly

• Wipe down fingerprints on cabinets, counters, mirrors and appliances
• Sweep and mop
• Vacuum, dust, and change bed linens
• Clean the bathrooms
• Empty all trash can

Keep all of your cleaners and cleaning items in a portable carryall that you can move from room to room.