YOU’VE likely spent more time at home recently than you ever anticipated, spurring some ideas for projects around the house. Before you do that, it’s important to create a clean slate. Getting rid of old, worn and unwanted items feels good. Your drawers, cupboards, cabinets and closets will feel more spacious and you’ll feel empowered and organized going into 2021. Take a look at this list for some ideas on where to start. Unhealthy habits Whether it’s eating in front of the TV, procrastinating or overthinking, old habits don’t let new and healthier habits or big lifestyle changes in. Though it might seem minimal, paying attention to your sleep, exercise and eating better can do wonders for your overall health. “Before the end of the year, eliminating our unhealthy habits can significantly impact our body and mind’s response to the pandemic’s threat,” says Brandon Nicholas, a NASM-certified personal trainer with The Fitness Tribe. Ill-fitting clothes We all have those goal jeans we plan to fit into, but is your closet full of old sweaters you haven’t worn in years? “It may seem obvious to get rid of clothes that no longer fit but there’s a potentially harmful psychological component to letting them hang around in your closet,” says Peg Sadie MA, psychotherapist and self-care coach. “They’re a constant reminder of the unmet and possibly unrealistic goals you’ve set for yourself. Purging clothes that no longer fit can be cathartic, creating the emotional space you need to set fresh goals, hopefully with more focus on being healthy as opposed to fitting into a certain size dress.” Toxic relationships Think about the people around you, not just romantically, and take stock at which relationships are helping you move forward versus bringing you down. If you’re struggling to cut ties with certain people in your life, ask yourself why. “You don’t need to have a relationship out of holiday loneliness,” according to Destin Pfaff and Rachel Federoff, relationship experts of Love and Matchmaking. “Focus on yourself and do some serious self-care so you can find a real and lasting relationship.” Old food and condiments It’s a no brainer that you’ve stocked up during the quarantine, but did you clear out your kitchen and pantry? “Many kitchens are overflowing with so much food that it can be difficult to find what you’re looking for,” says Emi Louie, a professional organizer and Master Certified KonMari consultant. “The excess isn’t just expired food, but also food that is still good, but likely won’t be eaten before it expires or goes stale. Some examples are foods that were purchased in excess during the pandemic, ingredients that were used once for a recipe and never touched again, snacks that you tried but nobody in your house wants to eat, and food gifts that you don’t know how to use.” Impractical appliances It’s a good idea to see what’s collecting dust in your kitchen. Consider donating or even selling things you don’t use, especially items with one use like a quesadilla maker or panini press. If you haven’t used it in 2020, it’s a good time to recycle or donate it. Don’t forget about your mismatched food storage, missing lids or random containers. Repurpose the containers if you can, recycle the rest. Makeup and beauty products Like the food in your pantry, most beauty products have expiration dates. If you’re unsure, do a quick Google search on the shelf life of your mascara. It’s probably a lot shorter than you think. If you can’t remember when you purchased or opened an item, it’s likely expired, as the typical date is usually six-to-12 months from opening. Paper There are a lot of apps and software available to digitize your paper records, so start by shredding documents and scanning old photos. “Get rid of physical bills by going paperless,” says Marty Basher, organization expert with Modular Closets. “Most billing companies allow customers to pay online or via app, as well as receive invoices and policy changes through email or text reminders. For receipts and coupons, consider investing in a scanning wand. Not only is this a great way to go paperless, but also digitalizing copies prevents you from losing them later on when you need to make a return.” VHS and cassette tapes It’s hard to part with these memories, but you can get rid of them in an organized way. “If you have old tapes with content you love, but no VCR or tape player to play them, have the contents converted to a digital format and then toss the old tapes,” says Melanie Berliet, a home and organization expert. Cardboard Every time you get a new appliance, do you put the box away in your attic or basement? Many people fervently believe that they must save the boxes everything has arrived in, just in case. They are also convinced that they will seek out these boxes when it comes time to pack these items for a move. Boxes take up too much valuable floor space, they create visual chaos and they attract rodents. Digital clutter Emails that come in at all hours, social media notifications that never stop, and the list goes on. “The benefit of removing digital clutter is that you can reduce distractions that take your attention away from what’s most important, including being present in your own life,” says Marissa Zen, a mom who blogs for Squirrels of a Feather. Some ways you can do this are unsubscribing from brands you no longer want to hear from, removing unused apps from your smartphone, unfollowing toxic friends and influencers on social media accounts, cleaning up your phone’s photo library and deleting numbers and emails from people who are no longer in your life. (SD-Agencies) | 