2026: The Year of "Done" — Tackling the Top 10 Procrastinated Home Tasks of 2025
Happy New Year! As we ring in 2026, many of us are making resolutions to eat better, move more, or finally learn that new hobby. But there is another kind of resolution that provides immediate mental clarity: The resolution to stop procrastinating and get things done around your home.
We all have it—that mental "to-do" list that follows us from room to room. It’s the squeaky hinge, the scuffed drywall, or the drafty door. Individually, they are small. Collectively, they represent a "house-shame" that drains your energy.
Let's make 2026 the year you stop saying "I'll get to it" and start saying "it's done!" Here are the top 10 most procrastinated home tasks of 2025 that you should cross off your list this January.
The Top 10 "I'll Do It Later" List
1. The "Water-Watcher" (Caulking & Grout)
That tiny crack in the shower or the peeling caulk behind the kitchen sink seems like a cosmetic issue, but it’s actually a structural one. Procrastinating here allows water to seep into subfloors and wall studs, leading to hidden mold and expensive rot.
2. The Dryer Vent Deep-Clean
Cleaning the lint trap is easy; cleaning the actual vent line that runs to the outside of your house is the task everyone ignores. A clogged vent is a major fire hazard and forces your dryer to work twice as hard, spiking your electricity bill and shortening the life of your appliance.
3. The "Jiggle" Fix (Loose Handles & Deadbolts)
If you have a door that requires a "special trick" to lock or a handle that feels like it’s about to fall off, you’re playing a dangerous game. Hardware eventually fails—usually when you’re coming home with heavy groceries in a snowstorm.
4. The Safety Audit (Smoke & CO Detectors)
Don't wait for the low-battery "chirp" to wake you up at 3:00 AM. Get ahead of it - test every unit and check the expiry dates. Most detectors only last 10 years; if yours is older, it’s time for a replacement to keep your family safe.
5. Draft-Busting (Weatherstripping)
If you can feel a chill around your front door, you are essentially paying to heat the outdoors. Replacing worn-out weatherstripping is one of the fastest ways to improve home comfort and lower your January heating costs.
6. The "Mystery Hole" (Drywall Repairs)
Whether it’s a doorknob dent in the hallway or a scuff from moving furniture, drywall damage often sits for years. Why? Because the multi-step process of patching, sanding, and painting is a hassle. The cosmetic value to your home and how you’ll see your home without these dings gives you feel-good pride to start the year off right.
7. Cabinet Tune-Ups
Kitchen cabinets that don't close flush or hinges that squeak like a haunted house are daily annoyances. Most just need a simple adjustment to the mounting screws to hang perfectly straight again.
8. Lighting Modernization
That flickering fluorescent light in the laundry room or the outdated fixture in the foyer that you’ve hated since 2018. Lighting is the #1 thing homeowners are afraid to touch, meaning we live with bad lighting far longer than we should.
9. Sump Pump Testing
In Eastern Ontario, you only think about your sump pump during the spring thaw. Procrastinating on a five-minute test in January can be the difference between a dry basement and a flooded one come March.
10. The "Odd Job" Bucket
The loose towel bar, the tilted mailbox, the shelf that needs hanging, and the curtain rod that’s slightly crooked. These "15-minute" jobs never seem to happen. Clearing this bucket is the ultimate way to start the year with a clean slate.
How Your Local Handyman Service Can Help
You don’t have to spend your weekends frustrated by DIY projects that take three trips to the hardware store. Your Local Handyman Service makes it easy to clear the "procrastination list."
Whether you want to book a single repair or to knock out all 10 items on this list at once, we provide professional, efficient, and clean service. Let us handle the tools and to-do’s so you can enjoy your home again.
Make 2026 the year of "Done." Contact Your Local Handyman Service today to schedule your New Year home refresh!
(613) 851-8828 | info@YourLocalHandymanService.com |www.YourLocalHandymanService.com
Proudly serving Brockville, Kemptville, Ottawa, ON and surrounding areas.