It’s January. A New Year. It’s January. It’s cold outside in a large part of the country. What better reason than to get to some of those nagging little projects you’ve thought about all year. “I’ll do it when I have more time.” “I’ll do it when I have a break from work.” “I’ll do it when I can’t work on yard work or other outdoor projects.”

NOW is that time.

I don’t know about you, but I procrastinate on some of these things I don’t want to do, yet when I finally set my mind to it, there is a huge sense of relief that washes over me. Decluttering my home puts my mind at ease. It’s like the visual reality of an organized space clears the virtual fog from my brain.

What kinds of cleaning and organizing am I talking about? It doesn’t have to be huge. Attacking one drawer or bin or box can have a stress-releasing outcome. Here are some examples of the projects on my list:

Reduce Unnecessary Holiday Decorations

It’s likely you’ll be taking down your Christmas tree and packing up your seasonal decorations soon. Take this opportunity to throw out any broken ornaments. Are there decorations you haven’t used in years? Chances are you never will. Box them up and take them to a consignment store or the nearest GoodWill or Salvation Army. “One man’s trash is another man’s treasure!”

Attack that Fridge

Let’s be honest; there is at least one bottle of ketchup, salad dressing, mayonnaise or other condiment way in the back of the refrigerator that is expired. Take everything out, toss anything that’s outdated and wipe the shelves and trays down before putting the good stuff back in. LOOK how much room you have!

Clothing Purge

1) We MIGHT lose weight; 2) We MIGHT gain weight; 3) We MIGHT WEAR IT AGAIN. Number 3? In my mind the biggest lie I’ve ever told myself. If you haven’t worn it in several years, for whatever reason, get rid of it. If it’s worn, torn, or stained…do everyone else a favor and throw it away. If it’s gently used, in good condition, add it to your pile for the consignment store or Salvation Army.

“The Junk Drawer”

It might be in your kitchen, your living room, your bedroom, or every room in your house. It’s the place you put things when you don’t know where else to put them. There are sewing needles, paperclips, small bits of string, folded pieces of paper and outdated take-out menus in there. I know you see the theme here….get rid of the stuff you don’t need. Purchase or make a small organizer that fits inside the drawer and dedicate each section to pens, scissors, tape or anything else you’ll actually use.

The point is, even if you only get ONE task completed, there is likely a connection between the physical cleanliness and the peace of mind you’ll feel once you’ve finished!