The start of a new year and a new decade are upon us. I still can’t believe that it is 2020- where did the time go? I think the new year is a great time to reflect and make goals that you want to accomplish over the next twelve months. There is something about the month of January that makes me want to declutter my life in every way- my house, car, mind and soul. I love to hit refresh and take a deep breath while leaping into the new year with a fresh mind and heart. One of the things that I would like to work on first is cleaning out the clutter in my house. Being a wife, mom of three young kiddos and business owner keeps me really busy. It is easy to put every day tasks to the side while I am busy raising my kids, making meals, running errands, going to church and keeping up with my amazing friends on social media! 😉 I will always be the girl who will  trade cleaning my kitchen to snuggles with my hubby and kids. Sometimes that can lead my home to get a bit cluttered. I have been working on ways to keep myself on track and be better organized around the house. Check out some of the things that have helped me so far this year and let me know if you have found some tips and tricks that you find helpful!
1. Donate Old Toys
Getting rid of toys can be a tricky job. I find I am only successful if my kids are in bed or not home. It doesn’t matter how long the toy has been sitting unused- the moment they fear it will be given away is the moment they grow a new attachment to it. Toys can take up a lot of space and be dust collectors, especially stuffed animals! I like to go through and find the ones that have been neglected for months and put them in a box to donate. I would much rather get rid of them and know some other kid is getting enjoyment out of them!
2. Clean Out Your Closets
I admit that I have a hard time letting some of my clothes go. After all, everything makes a comeback eventually in fashion, right? With that said, this year I am going to go through mine and my kids closets to see what I can part with. If the pieces are in good enough shape, I will donate them to someone else who can get some wear out of them. This is also a great opportunity to reach out to a friend who might have the same style as you or kids who can use some new clothes. Hand me downs are always awesome, especially with fast growing children!
3. Organize the Junk Drawer
We all have that one drawer- right? The one that is the catch all for everything random. Don’t know where this thingy should go? Toss it in the junk drawer! It’s all fun and games until you can no longer find anything or get the drawer shut! Take twenty minutes to go through the drawer and organize it or toss things that are no longer used.
4. Recycle Catalogs and Magazines
I definitely enjoy reading most of my articles on the internet now. However, I still find the occasional magazine or catalog creep their way into my house. I find myself saying I will sit down and look at them soon, but soon never comes. Toss those things in the recycle bin and get them out of your way!
5. Toss Expired Food
Anyone else have that old jar that gets pushed to the very back of the fridge and forgotten about? After a few months I find that there are quite a few that join it and start to takeover the space on my shelves. Take a few minutes to go through your refrigerator and pantry to check expiration dates. It’s always a nice help when I get some cleared up shelf space!
6. Scan Paperwork
There are certain things we like to save and store away in our filing drawers. However, I am noticing the drawers are becoming a little full. We live in a much more paperless world and I am going to try to climb on board. Take one hour a week to scan your documents on your computer and then save them to a flash drive or your cloud. This will make more room in your office space and won’t take up space on your computer.
7. Throw Away Expired Prescriptions and Medicine
I have a basket where I like to keep all of our medicines and prescriptions. I am definitely guilty of tossing the bottles into the basket once we are done using them and then forgetting about them. Check with your local health department and see when they are having a prescription take back day. This is the safest way to dispose of any old medicine you may have laying around.
8. Have a Garage Sale
Sometimes I come across items in my house that I no longer need but are in excellent condition. Instead of throwing the items away, place them all aside until you have enough to have a garage sale. This is a great way to make some extra cash and the kids usually love to be a part of helping!
9. Purge Expired Makeup
Unfortunately, makeup products do have an expiration date. It can be hard to part with that beloved shade of eyeshadow that you have had for years and have only used a few times. However, make sure it is not expired or you run the risk of bacteria growing in it. Toss it out and treat yourself to some new shades when Ulta or Sephora are having a good sale!
10. Schedule One Task a Day
Running a household can get overwhelming at times- there is always so much to do! Instead of stressing on trying to get the entire house decluttered and clean in a day or weekend, schedule it out over a month. Write down one thing you want to get organized or clean each day and take your time doing it. This will help you do a thorough job and not get burnt out.
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