The average American home is in a state of disrepair. Housing Matters estimates it would cost $2,920 to fix every single home in the USA to a satisfactory standard – a total of $126.9 billion, and of course, properties that are the most vulnerable need the most work done. It’s likely that your own home could fall into that section of needing wider repairs. The good news is that there a great number of hacks you can do yourself to get your home in a better state.The power of lemon
The first step to achieving better living conditions is at your fingertips. According to the New York Post, the average American home is dirtier than it has ever been. With household costs rising and cleaning agents often of dubious provenance, there’s little wonder why. Dirt is bad news for your pocket; uncleaned appliances and surfaces are more likely to break down over time. A secret weapon to add to your arsenal is the simple, and cheap, lemon. When combined with baking soda and vinegar, it can effectively neutralize dirt in the home and do away with many of the most persistent stains and marks.
The exterior
According to SWBC, attacking exterior dirt and deterioration is a good way to defeat dirt in the home. Buildup on windows and in guttering and drainage systems is a one-way ticket to building up moisture, mold, and mildew that can have long-term impacts on the home’s structural integrity and interior health. Taking regular action to get leaves out of the gutters, and ensuring that everything flows properly is effective and, often, oddly satisfying.
Keeping it fresh
The average tenancy turnover in the USA is 27.5 months, according to Resident Rated – hardly a marathon length. Keeping your home clean and tidy, and preventing issues for the landlord to fix, is a great way to lengthen that and keep the stress of moving home at bay. Another step is keeping the apartment fresh. Redecorating, even in subtle ways, such as putting up new photographs or trying out new furniture arrangements, can help to extend the lifespan of the home for you.
Of course, a bad situation is often one that simply has to be abandoned. But for many home owners, that can be put off for a long period of time. Just deploy house hacks to improve the situation and you’ll be sitting comfortably at home.
