Ok, not really! Though the New Year usually brings new goals and resolutions...or perhaps not "new goals" but a new resolution to keep them! Either way, for most of us, we start with a feeling of excitement for what the new year has in store for us.
For some reason, the moment all of the Christmas decor comes down I instantly feel an overwhelming urge to purge (haha I just came up with that, but I quite like it!) and clean, but it doesn't sound as fun when I add that onto the end. Seriously though--anyone else? The home feels so different without all of the warm lights and pine every where. It is kind of like a second Christmas, though, when I start taking out all of my old decorations, because I've usually forgotten what I have by this point. Just me? 😅
Getting everything back in order is so important for me! I love having things in their places, with less clutter and a clean home. I enjoy myself and my home more when it's like this. ...though, lets be real, with 4 additional people living in my home its never clutter or mess free. Ever. Like Never ever. ...someday we will all miss the messes though, right? We will miss stepping on a lego only to bring excruciating pain. We will miss stepping in a mystery puddle...don't sniff it, just don't. We will miss constantly doing the dishes, laundry and the constant bed making. Right? Sure. Until then...
Here are some things I do to help me get my house in order in the new year!
1. First, things first, you must take down Christmas. I know, I know, we all dread it for so many reasons. If you're married to a Clark Griswold twin, like me, you have an extensive amount of decor-inside and outside. It's wonderful for a good month, month and a half if you're on top of things, but it's time. It is time. I don't mean you need to take it down right after the ball drops, but the sooner the better. (Sidenote: I also recommend taking your time to reorganize & label the decor as you take it down and store it. You'll be glad you did once it's time to take it all out again the next year!)
2. Vision Boards!! I think the reason we see all the memes not knowing what day it is or what to do between Christmas and the New Years is because we're all waiting on our planners to arrive! Am I right?! Just me?! 😆 I can't survive without a planner. Daily, weekly, monthly. I know, I'm such a wild child. Seriously, I NEED it! *insert picture of Dave Chappell drug addict character scratching*
Something I like to do is list out what goals I have for my home in 2019. Yes, I have a specific set of goals just for that...that's totally normal, right? I say YES! If it's not for you, then start one NOW!
If your home is currently everything you have ever wanted and no changes are necessary, please skip ahead to #3.
What are some things you want to work on? Big projects like completely redoing the flooring or kitchen all the way to small projects like adding a shelf in the bathroom. Make a list of some changes you want to focus on during the year.
Now, sort those by priority...sometimes for me, I simply pick out the ones that are easy, and/or inexpensive so I can quickly cross something off my list!
Once you have them sorted, I assign them to a month. It's really tempting to try to lump everything into ONE MONTH! Because you're in a good mood, your motivated and you're GOING TO DO THIS! I get it! Believe me, I so get it! BUT, let's be realistic here! Yes, I want you to hit your goals and be ambitious, but over extending yourself will likely result in a burnout. When we burnout, we feel defeated and then we quit. So spare yourself that downward spiral and be realistic to your life, your budget and what you can reasonably do. Remember, you have 12 months left to work! That's a long time.
3. Let's talk about the purging sensation that takes over our bodies post the Christmas gluttony! Maybe it's because we bought way too much over the holidays, were gifted too much and/or have just been forced to stay home, indoors for so long we have become highly aware of the junk we have acquired?! Either way, I think we can all agree we have to make room for the new and that means, out with the old!! (I swear I'm not planning all these catchy cliches...I mean even the title! 😆)
I'm sure there are LOTS of ways to do this. By now you've probably heard of Marie Kondo and her Tidying Up methods. I quite love watching her show. I, too, am a folding enthusiast 😂.
She has a method of decluttering, which I have not tried, so I can't say whether or not it's the "best" method or not. She prefers to go in categories: Clothes, books etc. Essentially, you take ALL of a particular category and sort through it. I can see the benefit of this. However, back to reality: I live in my home with 4 other people and a dog. We have to keep life going and they don't always appreciate my cleaning frenzies!
For me, it's easier, and more practical for my lifestyle, to tackle one room/area at a time. I will pick a room and start there. Go through the closet (or drawers), purge the items we no longer want/need/use and then reorganize the items we intend to keep. CHECK THAT OFF THE LIST! YES!!
(I also like how she talks about keeping items which "spark joy" refer to her methods to learn more.)
Then, move on to the next room/space. Here is a helpful checklist of rooms and how to clean and organize them over the next couple of weeks! This way you can take it little by little and move through your house, but still get it done very early in the year!
Cleaning & Purging Checklist
For some reason, the moment all of the Christmas decor comes down I instantly feel an overwhelming urge to purge (haha I just came up with that, but I quite like it!) and clean, but it doesn't sound as fun when I add that onto the end. Seriously though--anyone else? The home feels so different without all of the warm lights and pine every where. It is kind of like a second Christmas, though, when I start taking out all of my old decorations, because I've usually forgotten what I have by this point. Just me? 😅
Getting everything back in order is so important for me! I love having things in their places, with less clutter and a clean home. I enjoy myself and my home more when it's like this. ...though, lets be real, with 4 additional people living in my home its never clutter or mess free. Ever. Like Never ever. ...someday we will all miss the messes though, right? We will miss stepping on a lego only to bring excruciating pain. We will miss stepping in a mystery puddle...don't sniff it, just don't. We will miss constantly doing the dishes, laundry and the constant bed making. Right? Sure. Until then...
Here are some things I do to help me get my house in order in the new year!
1. First, things first, you must take down Christmas. I know, I know, we all dread it for so many reasons. If you're married to a Clark Griswold twin, like me, you have an extensive amount of decor-inside and outside. It's wonderful for a good month, month and a half if you're on top of things, but it's time. It is time. I don't mean you need to take it down right after the ball drops, but the sooner the better. (Sidenote: I also recommend taking your time to reorganize & label the decor as you take it down and store it. You'll be glad you did once it's time to take it all out again the next year!)
2. Vision Boards!! I think the reason we see all the memes not knowing what day it is or what to do between Christmas and the New Years is because we're all waiting on our planners to arrive! Am I right?! Just me?! 😆 I can't survive without a planner. Daily, weekly, monthly. I know, I'm such a wild child. Seriously, I NEED it! *insert picture of Dave Chappell drug addict character scratching*
Something I like to do is list out what goals I have for my home in 2019. Yes, I have a specific set of goals just for that...that's totally normal, right? I say YES! If it's not for you, then start one NOW!
If your home is currently everything you have ever wanted and no changes are necessary, please skip ahead to #3.
What are some things you want to work on? Big projects like completely redoing the flooring or kitchen all the way to small projects like adding a shelf in the bathroom. Make a list of some changes you want to focus on during the year.
Now, sort those by priority...sometimes for me, I simply pick out the ones that are easy, and/or inexpensive so I can quickly cross something off my list!
Once you have them sorted, I assign them to a month. It's really tempting to try to lump everything into ONE MONTH! Because you're in a good mood, your motivated and you're GOING TO DO THIS! I get it! Believe me, I so get it! BUT, let's be realistic here! Yes, I want you to hit your goals and be ambitious, but over extending yourself will likely result in a burnout. When we burnout, we feel defeated and then we quit. So spare yourself that downward spiral and be realistic to your life, your budget and what you can reasonably do. Remember, you have 12 months left to work! That's a long time.
3. Let's talk about the purging sensation that takes over our bodies post the Christmas gluttony! Maybe it's because we bought way too much over the holidays, were gifted too much and/or have just been forced to stay home, indoors for so long we have become highly aware of the junk we have acquired?! Either way, I think we can all agree we have to make room for the new and that means, out with the old!! (I swear I'm not planning all these catchy cliches...I mean even the title! 😆)
I'm sure there are LOTS of ways to do this. By now you've probably heard of Marie Kondo and her Tidying Up methods. I quite love watching her show. I, too, am a folding enthusiast 😂.
She has a method of decluttering, which I have not tried, so I can't say whether or not it's the "best" method or not. She prefers to go in categories: Clothes, books etc. Essentially, you take ALL of a particular category and sort through it. I can see the benefit of this. However, back to reality: I live in my home with 4 other people and a dog. We have to keep life going and they don't always appreciate my cleaning frenzies!
For me, it's easier, and more practical for my lifestyle, to tackle one room/area at a time. I will pick a room and start there. Go through the closet (or drawers), purge the items we no longer want/need/use and then reorganize the items we intend to keep. CHECK THAT OFF THE LIST! YES!!
(I also like how she talks about keeping items which "spark joy" refer to her methods to learn more.)
Then, move on to the next room/space. Here is a helpful checklist of rooms and how to clean and organize them over the next couple of weeks! This way you can take it little by little and move through your house, but still get it done very early in the year!
Cleaning & Purging Checklist
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