We’ve made it to a new calendar year, and for many, that means making New Year’s resolutions. Is “getting organized” on your list of goals and resolutions this year? Well, we at A Fresh Space fully support that! But in reality, getting organized is a single step that opens doors to your other life goals.
Yes, there’s inherent value in having an organized home. You feel better. You’re able to find things more quickly and easily. But as much as we love organized spaces, organizing is the path—not the end goal. What does that mean? Well, let’s take a closer look at a few common New Year’s resolutions, and see what role organization plays in pushing people toward them.
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Exercising More
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Picture this: you’ve signed up for a yoga class at 6 PM. You walk in the door of your home at 5:30 after a long day of work, and can’t remember where you put your yoga mat. You spend ten minutes searching for it and finally locate it, then move on to getting dressed. Your yoga pants are somewhere in the bottom of the closet, and you have to rummage through three drawers to find a tank top that’s suitable for the class. By the time all this has happened, it’s nearly 6 PM, and you’ll likely be late for your class. And after all that searching, you’re exasperated.
In that type of situation, many of us would simply throw our hands in the air and say, “Forget it!” and plop onto the couch instead of heading to the class. But, imagine if you’d been able to gather your equipment, change clothes, and be out the door again in five minutes instead of 30. With some preemptive organizing, it’s completely possible!
If your goal is to exercise more in the new year, give yourself a grace period of a few weeks before you try to keep a strict workout routine. Take that time to clear out any old equipment or workout clothing that you no can no longer use or don’t like, and then store everything in locations that make sense for your routine. Once your gear is in place and ready, getting out the door to hit the gym becomes an easy process—rather than a stressful one that makes you want to give up before you even begin.
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Eating Healthier
Along with exercising, “eating healthier” is one of the most commonly made New Year’s resolutions all over the U.S—and the world.
When thinking about adopting healthier eating habits, many people tend to jump in headfirst without thinking of the prep work that needs to be done. Healthy cooking requires fresh (or different) ingredients, and those fresh ingredients require quite a bit of storage space in your kitchen! Before you race to the health food store, take a few hours to clean out your pantry and refrigerator to make room for the items you need to purchase. As an added bonus, this gives you the opportunity to toss anything that might be expired or less-than-healthy that’s been hiding in your kitchen (and yes, you should definitely toss those Hostess cakes)!
Changing your eating habits requires more than organizing physical objects and items in your kitchen. It also requires a bit of behavioral change with your time and money. To truly take control of your eating habits, planning meals in advance is vital. Create margin in your schedule so that you have time to read through online recipes for healthy dishes, and then make a grocery list so that you head to the store with a clear mission. To set yourself up for success, you could even try freezer cooking or prepping full meals in advance.
Purchasing fresh items and new kinds of foods may also mean your grocery budget changes a bit, so be sure to build in some extra margin when planning for your upcoming food expenses. If “eat healthier” is on your list this year, start by organizing your kitchen, schedule, and budget to create the optimal environment where you can implement positive new habits.
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Working on Hobbies or Personal Projects
Have you decided to remodel your home this year? Or, maybe you want to learn a new craft or skill. Maybe you want to train your dog. Start a blog. Plan a trip. Research your family ancestry.
Whatever it is you’re wanting to do, it won’t happen on its own. Before you start making to-do lists to try and chip away at your goal, take a step back and ask yourself: why haven’t I done this before? What has gotten in the way of completing this project in the past (if you’ve attempted it before with no success)? What kind of physical, mental, or emotional clutter do I need to clear in order to create a clear path for myself?
It could be that you need to clear out your home office, garage, or craft room before you try to learn a new skill like hand lettering or carpentry. Or, maybe you need to reevaluate your calendar and let go of some obligations so that you can block out time each week to finish that online Spanish class. Even emotional clutter can bog us down and undermine our success before we even begin—perhaps it’s time to seek out a therapist to help you with lingering anxiety so that you can finally start that business, reach out to that long-lost friend, or take that next step in your career.
Take time to be honest with yourself, and figure out what exactly is standing in your way. A great way to reflect on the barriers you face is through journaling or mindfulness meditation, as both of these activities will give you the calm space to see yourself and your personal goals more objectively.
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Find Help Clearing the Clutter
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Sometimes, we all need a helping hand to give us a jump start on our goals. At A Fresh Space, we strive to help each and every client create a clutter-free path toward their goals. As the new year begins, we would be honored to join you on your journey and create an organized, optimal environment in your home or other space. Contact us today to schedule your consultation and begin setting yourself up for success—no matter what your New Year’s resolutions may be.
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