New Year's Resolutions for Renters 

The time to establish New Year’s resolutions is right around the corner! Have you thought about your personal goals for the year to come? How about your goals as a renter? Most tenants have several things they can improve, like how you can improve as a parent, homeowner, or professional. 

The New Year is an excellent time to work towards being a better tenant. Welcome the year by decluttering, repairing, organizing, and reducing financial stress! 

Continue reading to discover the top five goals for renters as they enter the New Year. 

How to Make New Year’s Resolutions 

Creating realistic and attainable goals is essential for your New Year's resolutions. A generous percentage of people who set New Year’s resolutions will not achieve them by the end of the year because of the little thought and planning that went into the original creation of the goals. 

It’s important to put plenty of thought into setting a realistic resolution. Try writing your ideas down in a simple list. Then, choose a few of the possible goals to expand on. Dig deep, think about the goal, or continue writing to explore the likely resolution. 

Ask yourself: 

• Why do I want to achieve this goal? 
• Will the resolution help me improve? 
• Are there small actions I can take that will lead to achieving the goal? 
• Is this resolution possible to complete within 12 months? 
• What steps will lead to achieving the goal? 
• How can I keep myself driven to reach my goal? 

5 New Year's Resolutions for Tenants 

Below are the five top resolutions for renters to become better tenants in the New Year. 

Goal #1: “I Will Resolve the Maintenance Tasks I Ignored.” 

The New Year is a perfect time to schedule some of the maintenance requests you've been putting off. Because you're renting, you most likely need to communicate with your landlord or rental company to get repairs taken care of. If nothing immediately comes to mind, double-check the items in your home, like the AC unit and appliances. 

It’s easy to ignore a minor issue, like a faucet that continuously leaks or a squeaky door hinge. Make it your goal this year to finally address maintenance problems, whether big or small. 

Goal #2: “I Will Dedicate More Time to Deep Cleaning My Rental.” 

A popular New Year's resolution is to complete some deep cleaning tasks. You're renting your current home, which means you need to take extra care of the space. The last thing you want is to deal with years of gunk build-up when you finally decide to move out. The regular tasks, like taking out the trash, dusting the surfaces, or vacuuming the rugs, aren’t enough to take the best care of your home. 

Do yourself a favor and deep clean your home at least once a year. Of course, it's even better if you can do it seasonally. Here are some of the deep cleaning tasks you'll want to check off your list to welcome in the New Year: 

• Clean the windows 
• Wipe down the baseboards 
• Polish the floors 
• Clean the tile grout 
• Vacuum behind and underneath furniture and appliances 
• Dust the higher shelves, ceiling fans, and other often-missed areas 
• Clean out the HVAC system 
• Clear the drains 
• Wash curtains, couch curtains, and mattresses 

Goal #3: “I Will Declutter and Organize My Space.” 

One of the best ways to start the New Year on a good note is to declutter and organize your space. Decluttering is beneficial even in the home or apartment you are renting. The more organized and clutter-free your living space, the easier it is to keep clean and tidy. 

Additionally, reorganizing your home helps you to value it more. When things are messy, and the closets are spilling out every time you open them, it's easy to lose the motivation to clean them. A chaotic space can also be overwhelming and cause stress, even if you don't realize it. 

Gain your respect and love back for the home you are renting by decluttering and organizing it in the following ways: 

• Clean out the fridge 
• Toss the expired products from the pantry 
• Reorganize the closets 
• Donate clothes you don't need anymore 

• Go through your makeup and bathroom supplies 
• Get rid of any pillows, towels, and sheets you have owned for three years or longer 
• Part ways with the games, books, and similar items you last used months ago. 

Goal #4: “I Will Reduce My Financial Stress by Better Managing My Money.” 

If you don't have the best record of paying your rent on time, this next New Year's resolution is for you! Get on top of your monthly bills and reduce your financial stress by assessing your subscriptions and spending by establishing a realistic budget. Or, if you often miss rent payment days simply from forgetting, start setting reminders. You can do this on your phone, stick a note on the fridge, use auto-pay, or write it in bold letters in your planner. 

Many of us are guilty of having subscriptions we pay for that we didn't even remember we had. It may even be small costs, like $5-$10 per month, but these amounts stack up when you have several. Sift through all your subscriptions and minimize your financial stress by eliminating the ones you no longer need. 

And finally, create a budget. Suppose the budget you're currently using isn't doing the trick. In that case, so many user-friendly apps on your phone or computer make budgeting effortless! 

Goal #5: “I Will Be More Consistent with Regular Chores and Tasks to Care for My Rental.” 

Now that you've refreshed your rental with decluttering, organizing, deep cleaning, and rethinking your finances, it's time to plan to keep up with the chores you struggle with. For most people, tasks are much more challenging to complete if they aren't scheduled. 

Try setting aside 30 minutes to an hour each day for tidying up. One day, maybe you'll tackle the laundry. And on another day, you sweep and mop the floors. Be sure to make the pan work around your busy schedule. If you look hard enough, you'll discover you have at least a few minutes to clean up daily. 

CITED: Apartmenttherapy.com, Apartmentlist.com, Parkproperty.ca