New Year * Same Routines

 

With a brand new year only a few days in, many of us love having new routines or hobbies that we hope to cross off our list. Each year we strive to make it one of our best ones yet, however, there are actual goals and steps to take to be able to accomplish these goals. This year, I’m sharing a few routines that have helped me, my family, and my community. 

1. Organizing: One of the biggest tasks many of us put on top of our list when a new year arrives is getting ourselves organized. This can be in the form of making a few quick lists, grabbing a planner to keep appointments in one location, or diving deep and organizing rooms in our home. One of the key elements to organizing is purchasing and decluttering each space. This is helpful to sit and see what you have in your home, figure out what items bring you joy, comfort, and peace, and then get rid of, sell or donate what doesn’t. By having items that you truly love to show off in your home, give you meaning or purpose, those are the ones you’ll continue to cherish and organize in your home. I also love finding cute organizers like large baskets to store plus blankets and pillows both on and off-season, as well as drawers to put in larger compartments that hold small items such as a junk drawer or my kitchen utensils. When everything has a place and a home, it makes it so much easier for me and my family members to grab items without spending hours looking for them. 

2.Cleaning My Home: I try to do my best to keep my home as tidy and clean as possible. However, I can’t do a deep clean as often as I’d like. One of the ways I’m diving into cleaning my home is by calling a professional to assist me. Nash Everett is a local company that offers cleaning services and one I would highly recommend for my fellow Jersey friends! They have mold services in the Cinnaminson area as well as an indoor evaluation and a home inspection to give your family peace of mind that your home is safe.  The mold technicians are trained for projects such as indoor spaces including attics, sumps, crawlspaces, and other difficult to access areas. They also offer various recommendation options including dry ice blasting equipment. This is an efficient and environmentally friendly method of mold remediation should your home need it. They also seal off your clean surfaces with an antimicrobial coating to prevent future bacterial growth. They take precautions to protect the health of their clients and their workers and have outstanding safety records that they are happy to share with you! 

3. Long Walks: Depending on the weather, long walks another routine I enjoy doing with either friends 6 feet apart, my family, or even just myself. Sometime’s just getting outside from some fresh air, my favorite music or podcast and a quick 30-minute walk around my neighborhood will leave me feeling charged and ready to tackle the next task on my never-ending to-do list. I encourage you to try and move your body at least 30 minutes a day to help!

4. Gratitude Journaling: I recently started this a few months ago and love that it puts my mind on the right path in the morning. I begin by writing down 3 things I am grateful for every morning before my children wake up. Writing down the things that I already have in place puts my mind at ease and allows me to see the things I have rather than what I wish I had. My children have also started their journaling of their own and are already loving sharing with me what they have written in the morning. 

5. Quality Time With Family: Before the pandemic hit, it was difficult to try and get the family all together for some quality time because we were always so busy. This time has allowed us to slow down, reconnect, and enjoy our time together. We’ve talked more, played games, watched favorite and classic movies, and appreciated the time to do so.

Each year leaves us feeling excited and hopeful for the year to come. I hope that this year allows you to do some of the new routines that you might have incorporated over the last few years or months. Sometime’s it can be exciting to try new things as well, ask friends about what they are working to improve themselves on or do your best to just survive the everyday tasks of doing your best in all areas of your life.