5 Things You Should Do Now

The rush of the holidays is done. Now is the time when we clean and plan for the rest of the year. Here are five tips on how you can save money, time and future hassles in the coming year.

• Organize. Now is the time to organize your holiday decorations while you are storing them away for the next year. Don’t just stuff them into cardboard boxes. Make a quick trip to the store and purchase some clear storage containers. Ones you can see into, so you will know what you put where. Trash anything that is broken or doesn’t work and shop after Christmas sales to replace what you can.
• Deep Cleaning. Now is the time to deep clean the kitchen and maybe even the bathroom since you may have had guests over the holidays. Pull out your appliances and clean the kickboards. Scrub down the walls behind the sink area if you have one and behind the range since these are often the areas where grease and grime collect the most.
• Project Planning. Now is the time to set up for your summertime projects. Plan what you will be doing and layout the designs. If you need to hire someone, now is the time to start getting bids. Contractors like to have their summer work lined up, so they know if they need to hire more employees. Help boost the local work force by planning now.
• Schedule it! Now is the time to set up schedules for changing filters, cleaning the fridge, cleaning your dryer vent, vacuum cleaner, and any other items that need to be changed out each year.
• Save Money! Best but not least, save money by shopping your after-holiday sales and get some fresh linens and towels for the new year. Weed out the linens and towels with holes and threads coming apart. Or you can change up your colors by replacing everything.

The past is 2017 now and 2018 is your future. Don’t waste time looking back unless it is to remember something that happened to help you learn a lesson. Now is the time to clean out your head and replace it with clear thoughts and plans for 2018. Forget making resolutions! Make decisions instead!

Happy New Year!