Home Improvement Month?

It never fails. Every January I get the urge to spend money on household projects and durable goods. This year’s “improvements” are modest, but they helped mitigate the nagging feeling that I should be doing something. Their timing, however, made me wonder if I’m in step with other homeowners on similar guilt trips.

First, the accomplishments: a Blu-Ray DVD player for my home theater, replacement of the old toilet in the upstairs bathroom, new cushions for the dining room chairs. I also fixed the automatic garage door opener. OK, it was a simple adjustment with no cost for parts, but since I was prepared to go all the way and replace the old unit if necessary, I’m listing it here. As I said, this year’s list is modest. Not so with years past.

Last year, feeling fiscally optimistic, in a burst of January energy I replaced both the washer and dryer and installed a new shelf in the laundry room. In 2010, I greeted the new year by buying a new couch and a new furnace. The ultimate January purchase though came in 1999 when I bought a new truck on Super Bowl weekend. A truck isn’t exactly a household improvement, but I would argue that parking a new one out front makes your house look a whole lot better.

Want more examples? One neighbor just bought a new dryer. Another is either going to replace the carpet in her living room or refinish the beautiful hardwood floor beneath it.

Are my neighbors and I onto something? Do Americans go on home-related spending sprees in January? Like organizations that budget on the calendar year, does January mean that money (or credit) is again available to households now that the books are closed on the old year? Are home improvements a common New Year’s resolution that needs to get off to a quick start?

For confirmation, I turned to the Internet.

I found several references declaring May to be home improvement month and none for January. Most were by associations that want you to hire one of their members for your remodeling or landscaping project. That makes sense to me. What homeowner is going to inspect the roof and siding or purchase lawn seed and fertilizer when there is snow on the ground?

I also found a reference to “Blue Monday,” a date in mid-to-late January that’s considered to be the most depressing day of the year. This year it falls on January 21st—the date of this post! There’s actually a formula for calculating the date, although the whole thing smacks of pseudoscience. But that doesn’t mean people won’t try to turn Blue Monday into Black Monday by spending on themselves and their homes.

So a possible vote for January and several votes for May as home improvement month. I’m not sure about the other months. This needs more research.

In 2014 I plan to replace the carpeting and the drapes. I’m going to start in January.