Clutter Free New Year
We’re are already five weeks into the New Year, and we sure have hit the ground running! January has traditionally been a quiet month in real estate, but this year seems a bit different. It could be the kids’ schedules or our growing team within Dwell that is keeping us busy. But instead of being overwhelmed, we are determined to keep these busy days productive and prosperous. In our pursuit to be the best we can be, we decided to touch on four surefire ways to start the year off bright and make the most of these very busy New Year days.
It’s not just our homes, but our minds, our closets and our finances that need to start fresh each year too!
The Home: Whether you are a stacker or a stasher – it’s time to cut the crap. Begin by changing your habits. Taking five minutes to read the mail, the school forms in backpacks and the newspaper is one of the first things you can do to reduce the stacks of items you aren’t sure what to do with. Make good decisions – if you’re not going to get to the People magazine this week – put it by your nightstand or in your bag to read on the run… It’s better than collecting dust on the sideboard. Begin your battle against the small stacks of daily clutter and you will find your new good habits will spiral into other areas of your home. Scheduled a de-clutter session once a day. Take those 20 minutes to tackle one area that has been overlooked.
The Mind: Exercise and sleep are the best ways to clear your mind. Start a yoga class or vow to take a brisk morning walk before you start your day. You will find yourself focusing on your best approach to getting your to-do’s checked off your list. Who knows, if you organize your time well enough with a clear mind, you might find those extra 20 minutes to read that People magazine!
The Closet: Everyone is all a buzz with the new book by Marie Kondo, a Japanese organizing consultant, called ‘The Life-Changing Magic of Tidying Up: The Japanese Art of Decluttering and Organizing. This book has started a de-clutter revolution inside the closet and out. But when it comes to the clothes – you must ask yourself – does it spark joy? If not, toss it. At least that’s her theory… But clearing out your closet is always a fresh way to begin a New Year. And it’s one that might spawn some new goals of its own.
The Wallet: De-cluttering your finances might be the one effort that makes this year the best. It’s like somewhat of an individual audit. Set goals for yourself. Where do you want to be financially at this time next year? Assess your spending habits over the past year and determine your luxuries versus your necessities. What corners can you cut and what areas should you invest more in? Try to pay off those credit cards and do it debt-free … well, aside from the mortgage. A financial cleansing enables you to feel in control of your finances, which in turn, can reduce stress you didn’t even know you had.
Tweaking a few things in your life could make your year a lot more stress-free and enjoyable. If by chance, you find your de-cluttering efforts bring you to the realization that you need a new home – you know we can help!
Happy New Year! Wishing you all a fresh start!