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10 New Year’s Resolutions for St. Croix Homeowners

Jan 4, 2018

Happy New Year! Don’t worry, we’re not going to suggest that you make room for a treadmill or clear out your snack cabinet. But we do have some ideas that are good annual practices for homeowners and what better time than when we turn the page of the calendar to a new year?!

VI Traders – Virgin Islands Books and Souvinirs 2018 St. Croix Calendar

Here are 10 New Year’s resolutions for island homeowners — with some that are even helpful for our landlocked friends!

  1. De-clutter. While you’re packing away those holiday decorations, why not start a donation box for the Women’s Coalition of St. Croix’s Closet to Closet or the St. Croix Animal Welfare Center Flea Market? Remember the rule: if you haven’t used it in a year, it has to go!
  2. Add important dates to your St. Croix wall calendar. Some things that you may need to remember throughout 2018 are changing your water filter, pest control, hurricane season, and pet medications.
  3. Check your home for inefficiencies. Inspect your refrigerator/freezer gaskets to be sure they are sealing properly. Ensure that windows and doors on rooms with A/C are sealing properly and that your A/C unit(s) are working efficiently.
  4. Clean your gutters. Generally speaking, gutters and downspouts help divert water away from the foundation of your house, saving you from potentially expensive repairs. On St. Croix, our gutters and downspouts also feed our cisterns, providing the invaluable resource of water to our homes.
  5. Treat your septic system with root killer. Adulting can be hard, but it would be even harder if roots disrupt your sewer lines. Trust us on this one — it is an important annual task!
  6. Check your smoke detectors. We know you’re not worried about knocking over your space heater, but smoke detectors are still important for safety. Check to make sure no one borrowed the battery from the smoke detector for the wireless fan during the past few months.
  7. Clean screens and windows. Open that beautiful view and let the sun shine in by wiping away the salt and dust that has accumulated.
  8. Feng Shui for good luck and prosperity. Harmonize your home with a small project or full overhaul of the energy in your home. Check out how to Pick Your Perfect Front Door Color or 25+ Popular Feng Shui Cures for your Home for inspiration.
  9. Add a little extra to your mortgage payment. If you have any expendable income in 2018, make one or more extra payments on your mortgage. Just one extra payment a year can shave off up to four years on a traditional 30-year loan.
  10. Review your insurance policy. Most homeowners simply rollover their insurance policy year after year, but you may be missing out on an opportunity to reduce your premium. Contact your agent and maybe even shop around to see if the current market is any different from when you first obtained your policy.