Wear and tear are part of life, but it can be frustrating to deal with. When you own a house, you want to keep your belongings in good condition, but it can be difficult to know how to take care of them if you don’t know where to start. Here are a few tips to keep your household items looking like new.
Keep Fragile Items Out of Reach
One of the things you can do is to keep fragile items out of reach of small children and pets. Fragile items can include anything from dinner plates to knick-knacks. These items can sometimes have sentimental value and if you want to keep them looking nice for years to come, you’ll need to protect them. One of the easiest ways to do that is to keep them out of reach. You can put them on high shelves or even lock the items behind child-proof locks to keep them safe.
Keep Things in Storage
Another thing you can do is to put items that you aren’t using in storage. When you put items in storage, they are out of your house and out of reach of daily use, which can prevent damage. Putting things in storage is not a sure-fire way to protect your household items however. If things aren’t wrapped and packaged correctly, they could get damaged in storage. When you put things in storage, it’s important to check on them at least once a year to see if you do still need that item, or whether it should remain in storage. If years go by and you never take your items out of storage, it may be time to donate them to a new home.
Protect Them from the Elements
Household items can get damaged by the elements. For example, if your basement floods, water can damage books, boxes and other items. Other elements such as the heat and cold can do damage as well. For example, extreme temperatures can cause permanent damage to wood furniture. If you place items in your garage, make sure that they are durable and can survive the change of temperature of the garage. If you place things outside, make sure they can survive the season, and if not, take them inside. Wicker chairs may survive the summer, but heavy snowfall could cause damage to the structure of the chair. Protecting things from the elements will help ensure your household belongings look like new for years to come.
Read Labels Before Cleaning
Most household items will have instructions on how to clean them. For example, certain fabrics should not be cleaned with water and should be dry-cleaned instead. Water should never be used to clean electronics unless the electronics are turned off, and even then the device should never get submerged in water. While most items may just need a dusting or a wipe down, you should still read the instruction manual to make sure the items are cared for as intended.
Clean Furniture Regularly
Speaking of cleaning, an area of the home that often gets neglected is the furniture. The furniture can make or break a home, and just like any other area of the home, it needs to be cleaned regularly. Furniture may require special care, such as using a special wood cleaner for a wood furniture or a vacuum for the couch, but often a simple spray of vinegar and water is enough to clean most surfaces. When cleaning your furniture regularly, don’t overdo it on the heavy cleaners as that could actually cause damage to the furniture. Cleaning your furniture regularly will help it continue to look nice and polished for years to come.
Dust Regularly
Other items may not need to be cleaned thoroughly regularly, but they should be dusted. Those items that are placed on your nightstand can collect dust remarkably quickly, and that dust can be bad for your health. Dust can also get into cracks and crevices of an object, ruining its appearance. Regularly dusting is as simple as taking a slightly damp rag and wiping surfaces and objects down. You may need to use the corner of the rag to get into hard-to-reach places, but the result will be worth the effort. Dust can accrue quite quickly depending on the climate you live in, so it should be incorporated regularly into your cleaning schedule.
Use Items with Care
Even items that aren’t fragile can be broken if they aren’t handled with the proper care. Injuries can occur when someone is using an item incorrectly. For example, a knife isn’t fragile, but it can cause damage if it is used incorrectly. Knowing how to use it correctly and how to keep it sharpened (as a dull knife can be much more difficult to work with than a sharp knife) will prevent injuries and keep the knife in good condition. Other items may not cause damage to you, but they could break if not used correctly. For example, a magnet mechanical bottle opener may not cause damage to you, but if you tweak it too roughly, it could break, costing you time and money to replace.
Organize Your Home
Organizing your home may not seem like a way to keep items looking like new, but it can because organizing puts everything in its place. If things don’t have a place, they could be tripped over, toppled over, or otherwise hazardous to you and your household. By organizing your home, you can also declutter other items that you have no need for, therefore allowing more room for the items you want to keep. Decluttering also reduces your stress and can help your mental health. It can provide clarity and peace of mind. By organizing, you guarantee that everything you own has a place where it will get used and is easily accessible to clean if need be.
Taking care of your home requires energy and time, but it is worth it. Your possessions bring a certain amount of meaning to your life and if they are taken care of, you’ll be much happier.
To find your next home, check out our property listings!