With the anticipation and celebration of Christmas complete, I have to say, I’m even more excited for this next chapter of life. This was a hard year…physically, mentally, emotionally, and especially, financially. But if I’ve learned anything over the last few years, it’s that changing how you think can drastically change how you feel. And that little mindset tweak positively shifts how you go and grow through life.
If that resonates with you and/or you’ve had a similarly rough year, let’s make 2024 for us. Here are two ideas to leave 2023 on a high, and set us up well and excited for the leap year ahead.
pack up the past
Physically changing the space around you has huge benefits to your mental and emotional state. You're giving your eyes and brain a fresh slate to design and organize in a way that feels good and relevant to what's happening in life now. With the holiday season over, it makes sense to pack up your interior holiday decor and exterior lights, so you can ring in the new year with a new look. (That said, if you're still loving the festive spread, keep it up! You do you, friend!)
Now, there are lots of specialized containers out there for storing holiday decorations This idea is for anyone: (a) ready to pack up the holidays, and (b) wanting a quick, simple way to keep your holiday decor organized without spending a dime on specialty products.
If you’ve saved any cardboard boxes over the last month, look through them and select ones in good condition that are of similar size. When you’re ready to take down your decor, assign a box to a specific decorated area in your home (e.g. mantel, tree, entry) and grab a permanent marker. Let’s use mantel as an example.
On the front of your box, write “MANTEL” and every item you used on or around the mantel.
If you love how you styled that area, take a photo, print it out, and tape it next to the content list.
Carefully wrap each piece (tissue paper, kraft paper, bubble wrap) and place it in the box.
If you need a second or third box, write MANTEL on each box, as well as exactly what's being stored in them. Adding “Box 2 of 3” also helps!
Repeat for the different decorated spaces and store all boxes in ONE location in your home. When December rolls around next year, you’ll know exactly where all of your holiday decorations are AND where they get displayed!
see where your future "grows"
Unlike Christmas, New Year’s is more than a 24-hour celebration. It’s a chance to let go of what was or wasn’t, and welcome in 366 days of wonder, opportunity, and so much more.
If you have thoughts on where you want to go or grow in 2024, there’s so much power in expressing it on paper or digitally. You've probably heard the term “vision board”, which is a collection of images, words, and /or symbols that inspire and motivate you to reach specific goals and dreams. It may sound a bit lofty or intimidating to put together, so try out this simplified version:
Choose 2-3 areas you want to focus on (I chose Health, Home, and Heart).
Identify what you want to do or how you’d like to grow in that area.
Select a photo or write a brief text to represent each area, and voila!
Manifesting a New Year's goal or dream is a process, and letting it out, even if it’s only read or seen by you, is the first step to making it real.
A whole new chapter of adventure and fun is about to begin. And we have the power to shift our thoughts and feel good about where we grow from here. I would love to know what small tweaks or big impacts you want to make happen in your HOME in 2024. Comment below or DM me on IG to share!
Happy New Year!!
Always,
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