Jan 31-Feb 2 [Days 31-2]: Bye Bye January!
PIN IT!
And the snow has already begun! According to the weather gods, the snow is supposed to continue all weekend, leaving us buried under 30 inches and stuck inside our cozy homes. Let’s just hope the snow stops by tomorrow or we’ll all start resembling this guy [see below picture].
Now that I’m stuck inside all weekend, I will actually have time to finish copying my past days resolutions over to WordPress and I will finally be caught up.
Day 31: Organize my apartment
Due to my minor setback [the arm that will never heal] my poor boyfriend has been trying to do everything, cook, clean, help me live, etc. Even though he tries his very best, he can’t do everything, so some things fall to the wayside. And what has seemed to fall lately is the state of serenity and order of our apartment. Although we have over 1,000 square feet, when the bookcases are cluttered and there’s debris all over my floor, the walls start to close in and I feel like I’m stuck in a shoebox. So instead of getting lost in a pile of clutter, I took a stand against our junk and got a head start on spring cleaning.
Step 1: Throw out the garbage/Donate useable goods: You know the old papers from college, the clothes that don’t fit [or never did and never will], broken knick knacks and doodads, the old cell phones that don’t work [thanks to a swim in the lake] dryer sheets, etc, etc. Unless you desperately need it, toss it. [And save time and space!] If it is a good that can still be used or clothes that are in good condition, donate them to those in need. (http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2010/01/15/haiti-clothing-donations_n_424610.html)
Set up an organization plan: We are all a little different, so no organization plan will be exactly the same. What you need to do to ensure you stay organized, find one that works for you and your stuff. Whether it be color-coding, alphabetizing, or stacking, find what works and stick to it. Or as i like to say, a method to your madness.Your life will de-clutter and you’ll be shocked with how much extra space you have!
If you’re still in the dark about ways to organize, consult this list put together by apartments.com. Who said spring cleaning was just for the spring anyway?
- Use under-the-bed storage boxes or bins.
- Buy furniture that doubles as storage, tables with drawers underneath and open-top ottomans.
- Buy plastic storage bins with drawers for easy access.
- Get or build racks for shoes.
- Install shelving in your closets.
- Adopt a filing systems for papers and documents.
- Hang racks near the door for keys and coats.
Above bullets courtesy of www.apartments.com
Day 1 [feb]: Celebrate the love
It’s February folks! The month of love, sex, and Hallmark. Even though we all aren’t believers in the month of love, it’s hard not to feel a tug on the ol’ heartstrings when the lovey dovey commercials,movies and songs start to dominate the airways. Well, I’m a firm believer in the month of love and take it very seriously. Whether it be planning for Valentine’s, celebrating my anniversary or matchmaking my single friends, I get really into February. So it didn’t take much deliberating when it came time to think of how to kick off my new month of resolutions. Instead of doing something, I’m going to say it, all 28 days of February. I’m going to express my love to my friends, family and self every day of February. As a woman, I often wake up hating my hair, my body, my clothes, etc. So when I’m feeling extra fat, ugly, depressed, stupid, I’m going to say one thing I love about my body, my hair and my life. Even though it won’t remove the extra pounds, it will avert my attention to another stellar part of my body. Or when Elliot and I fight and I’m so angry I feel steam pouring out of my ears, in those instances, telling him I love x or y about him allows us to take a step back from whatever is making us mad and remind each other what we love about one another. Sure it won’t always completely resolve the issue at hand, but it will make him and I see things more clearly. Every day I’ll post my love in pink or red, in hopes i can influence others to spread their love!
Feb. 1: I love… my green eyes that I always get compliments on
Day 2: Set up a savings account and use it!
It’s time to show some love to my finances, which are in serious need of some tlc. As you may know, I’m not exactly a great financial planner. Although, making a budget did put me way ahead of where I was, I still have many miles to travel. As apart of my new budget, there is a space for a savings, which is a 7 letter word not found in my everyday vocab. [I’m clearly a spender]. However, no matter how comfortable i am in my current job, we are in a recession, and I could lose my job in a second. As negative as that may be, I need to be realistic and need to have some sort of savings to fall back on.
Like most people in my position, it’s hard to decide how much to save from each paycheck. Although I make a comfortable amount, the cost of living is very high here, so after bills, food, clothing and shelter, I really do not have much left. So how much to save, realistically? After doing a lot of research, I’ve found a piece of advice that is not only solid, but realistic and still fits into my lifestyle. Do what works for you. Some people recommend saving 20% of your income, or $200 a month, but for me? That just isn’t possible! So I’ll save what I can each month. The most important thing to remember is not how much you save each month or what percentage you put away, but that you develop the habit and make saving a priority.
Feb. 2nd: I love…how Elliot does everything he can to make my life easier
Claire
Tags:blizzard of 2010, love, nest egg, savings account, snow, snowpocalypse, spread love
