It’s likely that at some point in your life, you’ve uttered the words “new year, new me” on December 31st or January 1st. It’s the time of year where we try to reinvent ourselves, incorporate new habits, become better versions of ourselves. It’s also the time of year where we try to leave the entirety of the past calendar year behind. With the current status of the world, no one could really blame you on that one.
However, that doesn’t mean you need to completely toss away all of your clothes, shoes, and accessories and buy a new wardrobe, or suddenly become a fitness person out of nowhere. You are allowed to take smaller, more manageable steps to help get your resolutions to stick. Below is a list of ways you can help yourself prepare for the new habits and thought patterns you’re trying to introduce into your life, and even help you tidy up a bit.
Clean your hairbrush out. Imagine all the thoughts you want to leave behind are in your hair, and all the ones that get pulled out when you brush it hold those thoughts. They’re away from you now. You can toss them. You don’t have to think about them anymore!
Take out the trash. That’s literally trash! You definitely don’t need it! Walk around your living space. Look around and see the things you’ve missed. Collect all the bits of wrapping paper from Christmas, the receipts you don’t need, and all the junk mail. Toss all of that in there too. Get the clutter and junk out of the way, so you have room to welcome things you want. If you have the time and/or energy, you can also go through that filing cabinet and lose everything except the most important documents and records from the last three years.
Sweep the floor. This one ties in with the above. Step into a new year with no crumbs under your feet or cat hair in the corners. Clear the space, allowing room for goodness and light to come in.
Wash your bedsheets. Those sheets are holding all your nightmares and worries. So is your pillowcase. Wash them out! If you have a bit of borax, even better. They don’t use it to kill demons on Supernatural for nothing. As an aside, washing your sheets in hot water is the best way to break down all the oils your skin leaves on them. Even if you don’t wash your sheets often, try washing your pillowcase every time you do laundry to help with acne.
Do the dishes. You need clean things to eat on in the new year. Get rid of the old crusty food. Rinse it away along with any bad habits about food and negative thoughts towards eating. If your new year’s resolution is a diet, this is a great way to visualize yourself making room for healthy habits.
Clean the dead parts off your plants. They’ll thrive once they’re not trying to support something that isn’t there. Mentally tie something you’re trying to let go of to each leaf or flower you need to prune and toss it in the compost or trash. You don’t need it. It no longer serves a purpose.
Put the clothes you no longer want in a box or trash bag to donate later. The ones that don’t fit, are torn up, or give you a negative image of yourself need to go. No exceptions! (Except perhaps work uniforms). You can pass them on to another person who will appreciate them if they’re in good condition. If they’re not, go ahead and cut them up for cleaning rags or to make a t-shirt quilt. You don’t have to take the pile to Goodwill right this moment, but get them out of your dresser and closet.
Go back through your planner and note down any lessons you feel you’ve learned. This counts if you have a diary or desk calendar as well. Anything you’ve been consistently writing on or in for the entire year. Take note of any repeating patterns or thoughts, and make a list of them to take with you into 2022 so you don’t have to re-learn them.
Wash your emotional support water bottle (you should be doing this regularly anyway). This is not only going to help keep you healthy, but it’s also a sign you’re really committed to staying hydrated. Those things can gum up with all sorts of bacteria, even if you only ever put water in them. You backwash every time you take a sip, right? So whatever else you put in your mouth that day ends up in your water bottle. Get rid of the gunk and do your best to keep this habit in the new year. Your immune system will absolutely thank you. (We won’t tell anyone if you give up on your old one and just buy a new one, but try to keep the new one clean).
This is a gathering of suggestions and is far from being a checklist of “Things You MUST Do in the New Year.” So don’t take it as that! You can pick one, or two, or none. Anything you feel comfortable doing. Since it’s mostly cleaning, even those of us who are still in the broom closet can do them. Whoever you’re living with might be pleasantly surprised!
If all you can manage this new year is sitting with yourself and going through your old paperwork, you’ve done great. If all you can do is sit there and have a talk with yourself about your habits, you’ve still done great! Daily and domestic witchcraft consists of making the things we already do magical, even if it’s just the little conversations we have with ourselves.
No matter how you choose to step into 2022, doing it with the idea of clearing out the old to make room for the new can serve you well. So try a little cleaning and see what happens. A little goes a long way.
Written by @mylifeforthelore
