January Tip of the Month:

The beginning of the year is a great time to start new habits. Get more bang for your buck with these four quick and easy tips that are sure to bring greater peace and ease to your life.

For your Stuff...
EXIT STAGE RIGHT. Create or clear an area by your main door. Having a “staging area” here can ease the clutter around the house, eliminate wasted time looking for shoes and keys, and brings peace to a morning routine. It’s the place you put your keys, sunglasses, cell phone down-every time. Use it as the home’s “out going” box: outgoing mail, the item you have to return, library books that are due. It’s harder to forget something when it’s sitting right next to your keys. Your kids can use this space for their shoes and jackets as they walk in the door, put their backpacks and lunch boxes, get their soccer stuff for practice. This can be as simple as a small table and a basket for shoes, but be sure to use the area only for this purpose.

For your Spirit...
RELAX AND RECHARGE. Clear away one space that is for you to relax in. This might be a chair in a spot of sunlight, a floor pillow and some space on a shelf, a candle by the side of your bed, or wherever you can find some quiet. Spend 20 minutes a day there to recharge and center yourself. Do nothing, read an uplifting book, meditate, or journal.

For the Earth...
CHANGE TO CANVAS. Paper or plastic? People have been pondering this question for decades every time we go to the market. What would your answer be if they posed it according to the effects that choice makes: product of deforestation or a leading cause of injury and death to marine wildlife? Now I know this may sound glib or even harsh, but even the simplest choices we make every day can have a huge effect on our planet. Reusable bags are inexpensive and simple solution to this dilemma. My favorites are the green bags from Whole Foods and the insulated bags at Trader Joes, but I’ve even seen reusable bags for sale at main supermarkets and Ralph’s includes a free reusable wine bottle bag with the purchase of 6 bottles of wine. You’ll be doing something good for the earth and you’ll have one less decision to make.

For your Work...
OUT WITH THE OLD! Whether you work in an office or from home, January is the time to clear out those files! If they’ve been a mess, you can start fresh for the year. Remove anything pertaining only to 2007. Sort out what you’ll need for your tax preparation and keep that handy. Then dump everything else in an envelope or box and mark it 2007. Eighty percent of papers filed are never looked at again! If they aren’t already organized, absolve yourself of the task. In the rare instance you actually need to look at it again, you’ll still spend less time looking for it than you would sorting it all out now. Now you are ready to organize what’s left and filing will be a breeze as you go along throughout the year.

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