New Year Resolutions for 2017
Revamp Your Home One Room at At a Time By Doing These Four Things Now
It’s January – that time of year when we all declare our big New Year resolutions for 2017. Sometimes our declaration is so broad and unattainable that it never happens. I know I’ve made that mistake before – after a short time, the resolution is long forgotten.
But this year is going to be different! This Sunday morning, as I looked around my house I had a big urge to purge. There is junk everywhere (or so it seems).
YES – I’ve already started. I strolled around my house and picked one thing in each room that was bugging the hell out of me. You might want to get a jumpstart, too!
Here are the five things you could do in each room of your house that will make you feel accomplished and refreshed as you declare your New Year resolutions for 2017.
The Big Purge: The Living Room
It seems that stacks of mail, delivery menus, old newspapers, old manuals, magazines and random bits of paper are on just about every surface. Gather all those up and toss them in the recycling bin. If it is really important, create an easy filing system for those particular documents, but please toss the rest.
The magazine purge is the hardest for me. I don’t get paper magazines much anymore as most magazines are viewed digitally, but I will confess I just can’t toss my old Architectural Digests. But they are now chronically stacked neatly on a shelf (maybe next year).
The Big Purge: The Kitchen
I have a whole cupboard just for coffee mugs above the coffee maker. It occurred to me that Bob and I use the same mug everyday – our favorite. The rest are stacked willy-nilly on the shelves and are never used. Sure, there is that Disney mug my sister gave me (about 10 actually), all the Starbucks mugs that are random gifts or old college logo or sport team mugs. And then there are the ones with all the motivational sayings. I guess to get us jazzed for the day?
Here’s the thing – I like my clear glass coffee mug with nothing but coffee, thank you very much!
Granted there may be some sentimental value attached all these mugs, but they are just irritating me. Off to my favorite charitable thrift store they will be dispatched. I’m keeping only our favorite mugs and four more (just in case we have company).
The Big Purge: The Closet
Several years ago, I adopted the capsule wardrobe philosophy (read this to learn more). Basically, a capsule wardrobe is a compact wardrobe made up of staple pieces in coordinating colors–usually in the realm of 30 items or fewer, including shoes. It works well for me and keeps my closet down to about five work outfits, and 2 weekend outfits, with a few dresses. My shoe collection is about five pairs. It makes getting dressed in the morning a snap and keeps laundry day down to about 90 minutes total.
As the cold weather arrived and I began digging out my winter coats, I realized I needed to apply this method to the coat closet. I know you have heard this many times – if you haven’t worn it in a year or it doesn’t fit, get rid of it. And I highly recommend this advice. It feels good and is quite liberating, trust me.
In any case, I have a big bag in the trunk of the car to take to another one of my favorite charities.
The Big Purge: The Bathroom
I’ve remodeled many bathrooms this year and one thing that puzzles me is why do people need so many different shampoos and conditioners in the shower?
You can only use one hair product at a time, I think? Maybe there is a favorite shampoo for each day of the week? I don’t know?
But seriously, decluttering the bathroom of old or unused products is just a general good practice. I took everything out of every cabinet and I mean everything. I was kinda surprised and embarrassed of what I found in my medicine cabinet. So embarrassed in fact, I won’t give you the gross details.
Here is a great blog over at InStyle with lots of pretty pictures on how to get your bathroom ship shape
Whatever your big New Year Resolutions for 2017, make a declaration to yourself to declutter your home. It will make you feel better and when you call me for a Remodel Clarity Session, you won’t be embarrassed (I never judge, honestly)!
