We love to believe our bodies can do far more than they really can. So, we push them, and then they fight back.
Instead of pretending you don’t have issues with your back, or that you need to eat something, or that you can still stay up all night, be honest.
Recognize your limitations. They are not bad things, limitations. They are your body’s way of saying “Enough!” Respect your body’s wishes and set your expectations to reality.
Kitchen Cupboards
Are your plastic containers out of control? I can relate. I used to get hit in the head with plastic containers and lids every time I opened my cupboards before I decluttered and reorganized.
Take 10 minutes and toss any containers without lids and lids without a container.
Use a plate or pan lid organizer to hold the lids to your containers.
While you’re in there you might as well do a quick declutter of any chipped plates or glasses.
Let Go of Hate with the Right Words
If you are holding onto something as ugly and painful as hate, your mind must be a terribly cluttered place to live.
However, I’ve found hate is less common than you might think.
Take a moment the next time you think “I hate…” or “I hate it when…”, and ask yourself if hate is really the right word for what you’re feeling. Or is it really frustration? Or annoyance, resentment, sadness, hurt, or any other painful feeling?
When you stop using the word “hate” you become more truthful with yourself.
Letting Go of Junk!
The beginning of a new year is a great time to tackle clutter from previous years. A great place to start might be that pesky junk drawer!
1. Pull everything out and put it on your counter placing like items together.
2. Wipe out the drawer and then go through your pens, highlighters, and markers to make sure they are still working. Toss anything that isn’t.
3. Sharpen pencils and toss any garbage that has found its way into the drawer.
4. Replace all items that belong and take care of those that don’t.
5. You can use small organizing baskets from the dollar store to keep like items together.
Enter the New Year with a Full Heart
Instead of looking back at everything that went wrong this past year and how you’re going to fix it all in the upcoming year, try noticing everything that went well.
A decluttered heart is one that doesn’t spend its precious energy on the bad. It notices the pain, acknowledges it, and knows there was also joy, and that there will be joy again.
The decluttered heart welcomes the unknowns of the new year with a faith that you can make it everything you need it to be.
Declutter Post-Christmas
Once Christmas is over and you’re taking down the decorations, it’s a great time to do some general decluttering while you’re up and moving.
Christmas and holiday décor
Simplify the kitchen
Declutter the toys
Declutter gift wrapping supplies
Simplify, declutter and prepare guest linens
Declutter clothing
Simplify your makeup collection
Declutter seasonal gear
Do a whole house decluttering sweep
Take a Breather from the Holiday Treats
Raise your hand if you manage to gain at least five pounds during the holiday season every year. Me, too. Ugh. And as fun as all of those carbs and sugars are, they don’t make you feel very good, do they? Kind of sluggish, bloated, unmotivated.
That is no way to enter the new year!
I’m not saying not to eat that cheesecake you look forward to all year, I’m saying, try to keep it to one piece. And perhaps you only have one kind of pie not all three. (I’m really talking to myself now).
Tried and True Decluttering Questions
When decluttering you’ll come upon items you aren’t sure about. Keep these questions nearby so you can use them whenever needed.
Do I love it?
Do I use it regularly?
Have I used it in the last year?
When was the last time I used it?
Can somebody else use it?
Can I borrow it from somebody else?
Can I use something else?
Do I have more than one?
Do I really need it?
Could I buy it today?