Start the Year off Right

It’s time to say goodbye to 2019 and to welcome a new year. Superstitions aside, a new year is a great chance for reviewing goals and committing to new ones. And as for your home, a new year is also the perfect chance for a deep clean to start the year off right. Are you ready?

In many traditions, people associate the coming of a new year with the change to leave behind burdens and start the year fresh and brimming with opportunities. Physically and mentally letting go of burdens allows us to remind ourselves of what’s really important.

Start 2020 off on the right foot

1. Now is the time to pay back any pending debts. If you have anything to pay off, try to take care of it before the end of the year. We also recommend reflecting on other types of debts, such as emotional debts. Follow through your promises!
2. A spotless home. Take the opportunity to give your home a good deep clean. Mark it in your planner. Put on some music and get to it! Take the time to clean your floors, rugs and wash your textiles. Get down to the nooks and crannies of your kitchen, bedrooms, and bathrooms… This might sound like an exhausting job but remember that you’re cleaning your life on all levels and you’ll reap the rewards.
3. Recycle, throw out and donate ruthlessly. Cleaning your home so thoroughly may take you a few days to complete, but it’s necessary. As Francine Jay says “If you bring in something new, get rid of something old”.
4. To start the year off right, you have to learn how to let go of material things. Dig deep and decide what you really need. Sometimes we fill our homes with things that we really don’t care about. But we struggle to let go because of the emotional attachment we create for them.

Declutter

Go from shelf to shelf and sort items you don’t need into a trash or donation box. Take your time, be honest with yourself and analyze if the object or article of clothing sparks joy or not. This is one of the biggest lessons from Marie Kondo.

Believe it or not, tidying up your home will also help you organize your thoughts. It helps you reflect on your harmful habits as well as reducing stress. An orderly house helps you feel better and, as if that wasn’t enough, allows you to actively meditate, helping you live the present and concentrate.

Cheap ways to update your decor

Once you’ve been through every inch of your home, you can move on to freshen up your home decor. But how? Try these economical solutions that will give your home a face-lift:

• Change your pillows and renew your living room setting. Match the colors and try different sizes and shapes.
• Alter one of your main walls. Try something bold and paint it in a trendy color, like iving coral. You can also hang up new pictures. You can even try DIY art and explore your creative side.
• New couch? Enjoy a new couch by simply throwing on a new couch cover. You won’t believe how different it’ll look – and how little it cost you!
• Nature, nature, nature. Plants are a must in 2020. Aside from purifying your setting and filling it with life, they’ll change your home decor in a blink of an eye.
• Home appliances… did you know that you can paint them? Yep, you can. With a little paint, you can enjoy a new kitchen!

Tidying up your home is a form of active meditation that helps you live in the present and concentrate.

Start off the year right. It’s easy with our tips, so give 2020 a warm welcome.