Tag: knickknacks

Revisit Your New Year’s Resolutions

Posted on by Jordank

People often try to make a fresh start at the beginning of the calendar year, making #resolutions to lose weight, get more exercise, get #organized, save money and so on. But such resolutions — made to suit a salient juncture in time — often get sidelined quickly.

One can make a resolution or set a new goal at any time, of course, but the goal-setter needs to be ready. So if you made resolutions three weeks ago and are already coming up short, it’s time to revisit those goals and figure out how you can successfully meet them.

The first thing to do when making any sort of shift is to mentally prepare for change, says GoSkills. Inventory any progress you have already made toward a goal, however small; this will help you maintain positivity as you tackle the next steps.

Pick a goal that motivates you and has a substantial personal value or benefit. Is it to learn a new software program to boost your career? Learn a musical instrument as a creative outlet? #Clean and organize the garage to give you more space? What the goal is doesn’t matter as much as making sure it aligns with your priorities.

Limit yourself to just a few improvement goals. GoSkills suggests writing every aspiration on a Post-it and rearranging them until the most exciting topics rise to the top. When you have only a few Post-its left, you’ll know which areas to focus on.

Know your bandwidth. If multiple resolutions demand global changes or big chunks of time, you probably aren’t going to satisfy them to your satisfaction. Make your resolutions SMART: Specific, Measurable, Attainable, Relevant and Time-sensitive.

If a resolution has anything to do with #organization, for example, “get #organized” is not the one to make — it’s too vague and too all-encompassing. Such a goal sets people up for failure, because it’s hard to measure progress and any obvious failures will demotivate.

The SMART goal would be something like, “I will install new shelves in the living room by April 1 and display only the books and knickknacks I want on them, sorting and #donating the rest to [shameless plug] ClothingDonations.org.”

Revisit the hopes and dreams you have for the new year. Calibrate any resolutions you might make into manageable life goals that carry demonstrable returns. And remember that there is never a bad time to pursue self-improvement.

Junk Hides in the Most Obvious Places

Posted on by Jordank

In a consumer society, household #junk tends to build up. You go out and buy the latest fashions, gadgets and gewgaws, and they either become a part of the daily routine or your personal style, or they don’t.

Lots of that #stuff is probably packed away in boxes or hidden in the backs of #closets, with only a dim memory of their purpose remaining. But still more stuff is likely hiding in plain sight — and making your home a #cluttered #mess.

Think about it: Do you have stacks of #clothing where they shouldn’t be — anywhere outside your closets and dressers? Are mail and paperwork piling up on your desk? Is the kitchen table or entryway littered with new purchases or decorative items?

You are not alone. Most homes have “dump” zones where new stuff or stuff that hasn’t been integrated into the everyday lands. The trouble is that sometimes this stuff doesn’t find a spot for months or even years, especially if you have a smaller space.

All of this piled-up #clutter can easily make you feel overwhelmed. “It usually isn’t until the walls are closing in or someone brings those things to our attention that we do something about it,” says California-based Organizing Concepts & Designs.

What can you do? Find ways to tame those piles and places for those things. Go room to room and make an honest assessment of what needs to be in sight and readily accessible, and what can be hidden in storage or dispensed with altogether.

You might find that you need more shelves to display your knickknacks, a filing cabinet for your office, an underbed box for your extra linens or a new #storage system for your #closet. Don’t hesitate to install them; cost-effective solutions are available.

As you take stock of your stuff, you will find things hiding in plain sight that you no longer want or need. #Donate them to ClothingDonations.org by scheduling a free #donation #pickup for your #purge. Keep at it, and soon you’ll enjoy a #clutter-free, #organized home.

Get a Headstart on Spring Cleaning

Posted on by Jordank

Spring cleaning is a tradition that’s likely as old as civilization itself. Certain cultures even incorporate spring cleaning into their religious practices, but the imperative is more likely a byproduct of brighter days and warmer weather. People naturally want to shake off the cold, dark days of winter and make a fresh start.

You don’t have to wait unit March 20 to begin a thorough spring cleaning, however. In fact, with unusually warm months ahead predicted for much of the U.S., it may feel like spring in your area sooner — and that means you can take advantage of the weather to make everything spotless.

The Simply Organized Home suggests starting spring cleaning in February — that’s now — with a thorough #decluttering. “There is no reason to start deep-cleaning if you are surrounded by clutter,” it says. “There is no point in cleaning things that you don’t need, use or love.”

Go through the house room by room and get rid of the things that are just taking up space — clothing you don’t want or need, small appliances you don’t use, knickknacks that hold no real sentimental value. Box and bag your lightly used castoffs and visit ClothingDonations.org to schedule a free #donation #pickup.

With that #junk out of the way, you can start #deep-cleaning. Take a single room and dust, vacuum and clean everything in it, from the window treatments to the windows to the linens to the baseboards to the floors. Proceed to the next room (not necessarily on the same day) until everything is clean.

Alternatively, Apartment Therapy has a single-day spring cleaning plan that refreshes bedding and household fabrics while also sanitizing windows, woodwork and other seldom-scrubbed parts of the home that may have accumulated dirt and grime over the winter.

Spring cleaning is a once-a-year opportunity to freshen your space and make it more livable. But you don’t have to wait — start it now, and you’ll be in a great position to fling open your windows and enjoy the gentle breezes.