Everyone’s favourite thing to do in the New Year is to set goals, make resolutions, and, of course, sign up for the gym. But what if there’s a better way to do things? What if, instead of trying to organise your life after 2024 is already underway, you prepare before it starts?
Starting your New Year before it hits midnight might seem strange, but it has a lot of advantages. Instead of spending the first month playing catch up from Christmas, you step into January feeling calm, organised and motivated. In this article, we cover simple ways to prepare for January 1st.
Deep Clean and Declutter the House
It’s natural for things to get out of hand during the festive season. You end up with junk cluttering the house—stacks of Amazon cardboard, empty chocolate boxes and new presents with nowhere to put them.
Your home is your sanctuary. It’s a place to recharge and restore. So, starting the New Year with chaotic and disorganised energy isn’t a tone you want to set for the rest of 2024. Deep cleaning and decluttering is an effective method to cleanse and reset your home for the coming year.
Deep cleaning is about getting into those small spaces you usually ignore. It could be the cobwebs in the corner or the dust behind the radiators. Decluttering involves going through everything you have and organising, throwing out or donating things you no longer want or use.
How to Declutter and Clean for the New Year
If you don’t have time to clear out the garage and scrub the skirting board, that’s okay. Perhaps it’s something you can do over January. Instead, do the basics to refresh your space.
- Get rid of broken items and unwanted presents - Grab any presents you got last year that are broken or shoved out of sight. Don’t hang onto that old lady perfume your grandma gave you. You’re never going to use it. Instead, donate it or gift it to someone else.
- Spend five minutes tidying up each room - You’ll be amazed at what you can do in five minutes. Whizz around each room and put things away. Don’t forget the pile of laundry on your bed.
- Do a five-minute clean - After you’ve done a five-minute tidy, do a five-minute clean. Get a microfibre cloth and spray, then wipe down your surfaces, including the bathroom.
- Change your bedding - You can’t go wrong by starting your year with beautifully clean bedding. Put on fresh sheets followed by clean pyjamas and fluffy socks - absolute heaven.
- Open the windows - An easy way to refresh your house is to air it out, even in winter. Open the windows and doors for a few minutes and let nature freshen up your space.
- Use essential oils - Once you’ve spruced up your space, pop your choice of essential oils into a diffuser for a homely scent. Lemon, orange or mint is revitalising, lavender is calming, and cinnamon is perfect for winter warmth.
Take Time for Self-Reflection
Now that your space is fresh and rejuvenated, settle down with a journal and reflect on the past year. Reflection is an excellent way to see where you’ve been and consider how you want to move forward.
New Year Reflection Journal Prompts
- Describe this year in a few words (e.g., happy, calm, stressful, challenging, exciting).
- What would you like to continue doing in the New Year?
- What things do you need to leave behind?
- Were there any goals you didn’t achieve? If so, why?
- What were the highlights and lowlights of the past year?
- What are you looking forward to in the upcoming year?
Read more: How to Improve Your Mental Health in Winter.
Set Your 2024 Goals
Goal setting isn’t for everyone. But, if you’re ambitious, love planning or need direction, creating goals is ideal. They don’t have to be huge like, ‘launch a company, buy a house or travel the world.’ What’s important is that they’re personal and significant to you.
New Year Goal-Setting Journal Prompts
- What is one thing you want to focus on this year?
- Does your goal excite you?
- Is your goal realistic, or do you need to make it more manageable?
- What do you need to do to reach your primary goal?
- How can you help yourself overcome barriers while working towards your goal?
Plan January (Don’t Wait)
A mistake people make in the New Year is having a spurt of inspiration at the start of January. But after a few weeks (or even days), you realise that work, life admin and winter rain don’t stop. So, you abandon your goals, only to open your journal the next year and wonder what happened.
Don’t fall into this trap. Instead, consider how to use January to set yourself up for the year. Maybe you can use the wet weather to clear out the attic. Perhaps you’d like to pick up a cosy hobby. Or you might need time to slow down and refill your tank after the mayhem of Christmas. Whatever it is, make sure you know how you’ll spend January.
Read more: 5 Reliable Ways to Avoid Christmas Stress.
Nurture Your Body Before the New Year
New Year means new me, and that usually refers to better health. You swear that from January 1st, you’ll go to yoga and eat more vegetables. But the first day of January is the worst time to start your health journey. You’re usually hungover, tired and unprepared for work.
Don’t wait until January 1st to start your health kick. Instead, spend the week after Christmas doing small things to nurture your body and get ahead.
Simple Ways to Look After Your Body Before New Year’s Day
- Take your supplements - Get a jump start on your supplements before the New Year hits. The Arella Beauty Collagen Supplement contains ginseng, hyaluronic acid, vitamin C and other nutritious-bursting ingredients.
Read more: 7 Incredible Benefits of Collagen Supplements.
- Stay hydrated - Drink plenty of water to detox and replenish your system. You can flavour water with cucumber, lemon or strawberries or opt for herbal teas to keep warm.
- Focus on sleep - Start a cosy evening sleep routine to catch up from the tiredness of Christmas. Our dreamy sleep supplement will help you drift off so you can wake up with energy.
Read more: How to Look After Your Health at Christmas.
Get Ready for 2024 With Arella Beauty
Don’t wait for January 1st to start your New Year. Freshen up your space, reflect, and set goals the week before so you can hit the ground running. Stock up on Arella Beauty supplements and enter January knowing you’re ahead of the rest.
Read next:
- How to Look After Your Health at Christmas
- How to Have the Best Alcohol-Free Christmas
- How to Improve Your Mental Health in Winter
_
Written by Emma Carey for Arella Beauty.
Emma is a holistic beauty and wellness writer. She has three years of experience in the well-being industry and a Master’s degree in Creative Writing and Wellness. Check out her portfolio and follow her on Instagram.
