Top five tips to start your New Year off right at home

It’s 2019 — start your New Year off on the right foot by getting your home in order. Here’s how.

Get your storage game right

Rather than just tossing the Christmas decorations into the pile of other rarely used stuff in the closet (or storage locker, garage, etc.), visit your favourite retailer and pick up bins and storage bins in various sizes. Sort belongings by category and box them up, making sure to label accordingly. Keep like items together, and those used more frequently in an easier to accessible spot.

Sort the mail

Most people are guilty of this: tossing letters, flyers and coupon books onto the kitchen counter, office desk, dining room table or wherever else is convenient. Instead, designate one area to centralize the mail and make it a habit of going through the pile once a week to decide what to keep and what to toss. Minimize visual clutter by using a tray or dedicated holder.

Clean out and restock cupboards

All the holiday cooking and baking takes a toll on kitchen reserves. Open up the cupboard and take note of what needs topping up: flour, sugar, salt condiments, you get the idea. At the same time, toss anything that realistically may not be used again, ever, for example those mystery bags of bulk spices without proper labels.

Turn doubles into singles

In a similar vein, look under the sink and replenish any cleaning supplies that are running low. In addition, check for duplicates of things (i.e. extra mop handles, dust pans, pails) likely not to be used anytime soon and give them away, or find some other means of responsible disposal.

Reduce, reuse, recycle

Recycling can be easy, if you’re organized that is. If you don’t have them already, get one container dedicated to organics, a bin for paper, bottles and cans and one more for all the other stuff that needs to be taken to the local depot such as Styrofoam, light bulbs and batteries.