“New Year, New Me” the saying goes, but it is often hard to make a dent in those New Year's Resolutions when you have clutter lying around the house. Excess clutter causes the mind to work overtime on things that are not necessarily important and can divert focus from what needs to be accomplished at that moment, week, or year. Clutter also makes it hard for the body and mind to relax because subconsciously you recognize that there is work still to be done.
There are excellent ways to combat clutter:
- When tackling clutter, start with one room at a time, so you don't get overwhelmed. Taking a room or section at a time also allows you to feel a sense of accomplishment as you see your success, no matter how long it takes you to accomplish the full decluttering project.
- If you don't use something, don't want it, or don't need it: donate it. Donating is a great way to declutter your home or office, while also helping someone in need, and many donation centers offer tax write-offs. If you aren't sure about something, put a date on it and in a year, if you haven't used that item: donate it. Many times we think we need something when we never reach for it.
- Make sure when you take something from its designated space, take time to return it to that space. While this might be something that sounds easy, many times, it takes dedication to put that blanket away or put your laundry away right when it is done. This step will ensure when it comes time to tidy up, you will have less to do.
Clothing is another big hurdle when it comes to tidying up. Going through your wardrobe yearly is a great way to help free up closet space. It will also make it easier to find something to wear if you are only keeping items that fit or you love. Here are some great ways to help cut down on clothing:
- Start with all of the hangers in your closet facing away from you, then everytime you wear something, change the hanger, so it is facing towards you. Then at the end of a season or year, donate all the clothes on hangers facing away from you. This way you can easily see what you don't wear.
- Another good way to make sure you don't go overboard in on your shopping is to stick with one golden rule: when you buy a new item of clothing, you have to donate one. This rule makes sure you are always only buying things you need or want.
If you have already tried decluttering clothing and your home/office, and you want something more challenging, give trimming down your sugar intake a try. Here are some great ways to cut down on your sugar intake.
- Reach for fruit instead of refined sugars. If you are craving candy or something else sweet, try eating sweet fruit like plum, peach, or pineapple.
- Try sweetening your daily cup of coffee with cinnamon instead of sugar; it really does taste amazing. If you are looking for one-stop shopping, try VitaCup Genius Blend! It already has cinnamon and a lot of other great for you ingredients in it.
Hopefully, these great ways to help tidy up your life will make you feel better this new year and help you have a great foundation to take on 2019 and all of your goals!