8 Ways to Renew, Rejuvenate and Refresh in January
January 2, 2015
Some people find January a real let-down. After all the holiday hustle and bustle, it can be a month that drags with not much to do. But what better time of year than the very first month on a new calendar to make some great changes so when Spring comes, we are renewed and refreshed both in our homes and our bodies?
Here’s 8 ways to renew, rejuvenate and refresh your life.
1. Purge Your Closets
If you didn’t this before the holidays to make way for new gifts, now is the time to purge everything you don’t need anymore. That dress than has hung in the corner of the closet of 4 years? Donate it. The kids toys they haven’t so much as looked at? The half colored dog-eared coloring books, old magazines and books you’ll never read again can go into a donate box. The basement storage room? The junk drawer? All places to organize and declutter. There are sites and Facebook pages where you can post you have boxes at the curb for pick up or donate better items to a local church or in any drop box.
2. Clean Out the Kitchen Cabinets
The kitchen is another place to take on. Go through cabinets and pantry closets and check expiration dates, rotate foods and plan menus around your current stock. If you’ll never eat it, donate to the church or a food kitchen. Take some time to go through you recipe files, tossing what doesn’t appeal to you anymore and keeping ones to make this month. If you’re eating healthier or starting a diet, this is the perfect time to try out some new recipes. And how about some deep cleaning, like the oven, the microwave and those moldings?
3. Toss Expired Medication and Make Up
Take another day to do the same with the bathroom closets and cabinets and medicines. Check expiration days and dispose of old medicines properly. Take stock of what you have in the shower. Do you really need 7 shampoo bottles with 1/3 left in each? How’s your make up bag looking? Old mascaras should be tossed, as they can be bacteria breeding grounds. Broken powders, if unsalvageable, should head to the trash. Make room for a pretty new spring pallet in a nice organized container.
4. Take Time For You
With all this busy cleaning, it’s a great time to pamper yourself too! Maybe take a nice long bubble bath if you usually shower. Add some essential oil and epsom for therapeutic relaxing effects. Get a mani/pedi even if you are feet are still in boots. Use a scrub and a face mask once a week to revive dry parched winter skin.
5. Start a Daily Detox
Consider starting each day with warm lemon water. Maybe do some hot yoga or a new cardio routine to get in shape by spring. Try some detox tea or add fresh fruit as your daily snack or as a breakfast.
6. Try Deep Breathing.
There are many relaxing effects to deep conscious breathing. Belly breathing calms the body and oxygenates the blood. Take five minutes to sit and breathe, or try it right before bed. It feels great.
7. Unplug More Frequently
Enjoy unplugged quiet time more often. Completely eliminate any time-sapping activities, TV shows you don’t love, wasted time browsing what other people are doing on Facebook. Wake up and don’t check e-mail or Facebook for 15 minutes! Instead enjoy your coffee or tea while looking out the window. Or try stretching or just sitting talking to your family! Cut out news shows and take more time to have silence or even quiet uplifting music.
8. Switch Up Your Furniture
Rearrange your furniture, buy some new accessories or paint your rooms. We get so used to the way things are, sometimes a simple switch can make the room feel brand new. Swap a chair in the den to the living room. Add a big beautiful plant or 2 for fresher air and to bring nature indoors. Get a bright new tablecloth or centerpiece. Paint a wall a soft yellow or bold turquoise for a new effect! Add colorful throw pillows and blankets or conversely, get rid of your throw pillows for a cleaner streamlined look. Our environment can play a role in our moods and should be as relaxing and uplifting as you can make it and it should just make you happy. Too much clutter can be overwhelming for most people, so don’t let it get out of hand.
Staying indoors in January is always the perfect time to renew and refresh everything head to toe and room to room. When you get rid of the old, simplify and declutter, it leaves a sense of calm and renewal. When you add fresh new color to a room, in turn,you get rid of the doldrums. When you take time to look your best, you will feel your best too. What a great way to start the new year!
