As we kickstart the year with new plans and goals, only one thing’s for sure—it’s to make this year better and wiser than the last. Some may plan out a more effective workout program, a healthier diet, or even root for a less stressful year. Speaking of stress, a long term game-changer is to improve your living quality at home. That also means getting rid of what stresses you out.

What more can stress us out than the unwanted visitors that steal our food, eat up our walls, contaminate our water, or even cause us sleepless nights? Pest-proof your house and get rid of these worries for good and start the year right. Here’s how:

1.Seal Those Gaps

Pests—like the sneaky little ones as they are—will find a way to infiltrate your house just to take shelter, food, and water. Of course, they won’t need a proper entrance at the doorstep but instead, they’ll go creeping into the gaps and crevices of your widows, crack on the walls, or any opportunity to gain entry in your home. Door screens or window screens are lifesavers just to eliminate these unwanted borders to crash into your party.

2. Keep Your Outdoors Tidy

Pests are naturally outsiders, they can only be stuck inside our home when they are attracted with eventual signs of survival. Consequently, what’s found outside your house will give them the first impression. Thus, make sure that they are not loitering in your garage, backyard, or patio. To achieve this, here are things to keep in mind:

1. Trim the bushes and trees so they cannot be touching the sides of your house.
2. Keep your firewood storage elevated and must be at least 20 feet from your home.
3. Regularly rake up the leaves that have fallen throughout your yard.
4. Use gutter guards to avoid clogged gutters that will isolate clutter and water in the long run.
5. Make sure to inspect for pests when bringing wood or anything from the yard.

3. Clean-Up Your Kitchen

We cannot deny the fact that food and water are the ones that sustain us, pests will agree on this one too. Hence, one of the main areas at home that are infested with pests is the kitchen. Walk-in a pest-free kitchen by making sure you keep after your mess when cooking and prepping food. Don’t let your crumbs and spills sit all day and ensure to clean it right after. Also, always store food properly in airtight containers in the pantry. One more thing, make sure to sweep and leave the kitchen floor spick and span so that there isn’t any food litter that will attract ants and cockroaches most easily.

Seek Professional Help

While most of us, homeowners, have to take part in keeping our households intact and pest-free, not everything can be avoided by Do-It-Yourself approaches. In order to get rid and keep these pests away from our safe haven—our homes and our family—we have to trust the professionals in making sure that they are permanently not living where your kids and pets take shelter.

As what they usually say, “prevention is better than cure.” Finally, give yourself a break from the stress and dodge the aftermath of pest infestations and their consequences such as: food and water contamination from ants and rats, damaged walls from termites, diseases contracted by flies and mosquitoes, or even sleepless nights caused by bed bugs.

It comes a long way to be careful. Pest-proof your house and your yard now.