New Year New Me
Hello, 2024,
New Year New Me! Alternatively, how about a more personally realistic statement piece that reads, “I am a continual work in progress”? That sounds much more accurate to describe who I am and who I am becoming! ;)
Pouring ourselves a cup of ambition and looking ahead to another year can sometimes be a tall order! It is tiresome to determine what in our lives needs work or improvement. I thoroughly enjoy this New Year's tradition I have done over the past 3 years - picking a “Word of the Year,” to set the theme for the year ahead. There are multiple ways you can discern your word of the year:
To determine your word for 2024 you can always take it to prayer and reflect/determine what your word should be.
If you are open to advice from your inner circle, you can also ask your closest people what a suitable action word would be for you and your personality.
However, to make selecting a Word of the Year even more simplistic you can use Jennifer Fulwiler’s awesome Word of the Year Generator and let it do all of the hard work for you!
Here’s a link for you to do just that - Word of the Year Generator:
My word of the Year is Delight! My goal is to explore and nurture the relationship and memories I have with Little Lady K, the little girl inside of me who delights in the smallest of things!
Psalm 37:3-4 “Trust in the Lord and do good that you may dwell in the land and live secure. Find your delight in the Lord who will give you your heart’s desire.”
What else am I working towards in 2024? I am so glad you asked! I found a great template online for giving the house an easy spruce-up/organization/cleaning and it is broken down into manageable, bite-sized pieces! I sourced these cleaning/organization challenges from several blogs, including The Savy Sparrow, Lamberts Lately, and Out of the Habit.
If you would like a copy of the resources I compiled, please shoot me an email at katherine.bison22@gmail.com or send over a Social Media DM and I will get them to you! I promise I won’t spam you with emails!
Here is a sampling of what the Challenge looks like:
I appreciate that this list is organized and formatted with the steps being in chronological order! This format alone helps set you up for success as you clean/organize/declutter! One of my toxic traits is trying to cover too much ground at once while cleaning/organizing. I am very guilty of biting off more than I can chew, which in turn, bites me in the butt. So, if you need a sign or a guide to keep you on track, Lady K has these handy resources for you!
Additionally, I understand the struggle of “getting rid of items.” It is all too easy to jump down the black hole of “What if I use this in the future?” (Lol, that is covered in dust and you have not used it in 5 years and you barely remembered that it was amongst your possessions). Or the nostalgia of a gift/tool/note that someone gave you and it seems too special to give away. Trust me, I get it! However, I am here to help with ideas and tips to make de-cluttering easier in 2024!
TIP #1 - Don’t automatically jump to the conclusion that TO GET RID OF XYZ ITEM = THROW IT AWAY.
Nope, you don’t have to dump your old items in the trash! Would you be willing to donate your items to a charity/non-profit/organization? It can be so easy to donate and will only take a minute of your time! I will also say - if your clothes have holes, sweat spots, or are pilling - many donation venues will not accept items that are in poor condition. If the items or garment is trashed - trash it!
These are a few organizations that are happy to take second-hand items off of your hands.
Amarillo, TX Folks - Boys Ranch and the Downtown Women’s Center (2 of my personal favorite donation venues)
The Good Samaritan
Habitat for Humanity
Goodwill
Local Churches and/or families in need
Thrift Stores
TIP #2 DON’T MAKE A PILE OF OLD STUFF THAT YOU INTEND TO SELL AT A LATER DATE IF YOU WILL NEVER GET AROUND TO SELLING IT.
It is always nice to earn some extra cash for items you no longer wear or for household goods that no longer have a place in your home. However, if you plan to sell your items on Poshmark, Facebook, Garage Sell, etc. 6 months down the road it MAYBE MORE TROUBLE THAN IT IS WORTH. (Emphasis on the maybe). The point here is that if you fill up boxes with old stuff you never use and that takes up precious real estate in your garage/shed/spare bedroom that is what Joey Tribbiani would call a “moo point.”
See Friends TV show Season 7: Episode 8 The One Where Chandler Doesn’t Like Dogs
Joey : [about Rachel's assistant, Tag] If he doesn't like you, then this is all just a moo point.
Rachel : Huh. A moo point?
Joey : Yeah, it's like a cow's opinion, you know, it just doesn't matter. It's "moo".
Rachel : Have I been living with him for too long, or did that all just make sense?
Those boxes taking up space are providing you with no practical value - MOO POINT! Additionally, if you wait to sell your items, they may no longer be “in season” and will be 5X harder to sell. So, again, tread that decision-making process in a way that works best for you!
TIP #3 For the best closet de-cluttering results - rely on someone you trust to help you cut the clutter.
When it comes down to organizing your closet, I find it extremely helpful to have someone I trust say, “Lady K, I know you like this dress, sweater, or pair of shoes, but it’s time you cut that out of your wardrobe.” Sometimes we just need some blunt/honest advice from an outside source to help us be firm with the decision-making process!
REDUCE - REUSE - REPURPOSE
Old linens or towels? Can you use old sheets as painting canvas for projects around the house or for spray paint touch-ups for outdoor furniture? Can your towels be re-purposed and used for cleaning (bleach spots won’t matter)?
Old t-shirts make for great cleaning rags - cut them to size and just like that you have a stack of rags in no time.
Glass jars - Do you have a family member or a local ladies' circle that makes canned goods? Donating empty and clean mason jars is always helpful to these groups. You can also paint jars to match the color scheme in your house! Use them for interior decorating and on bookshelves/furniture. Upcycle old jars to use as grease traps. Bacon fan? Drain your bacon grease in a glass jar and save it to cook with later!
Textbooks and Books - Consider donating to your local library or Little Free Libraries that are set up in neighborhoods! The gift of a book donation can foster someone’s love of learning and I can’t think of a better contribution than that!
Toys or games - Could you consider donating to a foster family or group in need of toys/games?
Best of luck to you in discerning your goals and ambitions for 2024!
I hope you have a blessed and magical 2024 and that you were able to ring in the New Year with all your favorite people!
Lady K’s One Thing:
This soup is perfect for a freezing, wintry day! Creamy Chicken Tortilla Soup Recipe from Half Baked Harvest https://www.halfbakedharvest.com/creamy-chicken-tortilla-soup/
Oh, and also definitely try these green chiles! Delish! Young Guns Hatch Valley Chile
Sparkle and Shine in 2024,
Lady K
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