Organize The Bathroom with Simple Storage and Organization Tips

February 14

Inside: Ready to organize your bathroom, but don’t know where to start? This post will walk you through bathroom storage tips, how to organize your bathroom, and how to keep your bathroom tidy. It’s time to have a good start to your day, stop wasting time shuffling clutter, and make this busy room organized so you can easily find what you’re looking for!

It’s 5 a.m. and your alarm rings. There is a busy day ahead with back to back appointments. You woke up extra early so that you could get dressed in peace and quiet before the kids wake up. You can’t wait to sit on your oversized couch and sip on a hot cup of joe before starting this already stressful day.

Quietly you roll out of bed and walk to your small bathroom. The counters are cluttered and you struggle to find your toothbrush. As you reach for a hair tie, it falls into the toothpaste slimed sink. Now you need a brush for your hair and it’s nowhere in sight. You just used it yesterday, it can’t be far. Your blood starts to pulse through your veins…so much for that peaceful start to your morning. You’ll be lucky if you have time to make a coffee for the road.

The bathroom is high traffic space in every home. It’s a busy area that’s utilized daily.

They say kitchens and bathrooms sell homes and I believe in part, that’s because of how much we use them. We want them to be beautiful and need them to be highly functional. But often, the challenge is space. Many bathrooms have too little storage space so thoughtful organization is essential.

The fact is, a cluttered bathroom can be super frustrating. But with a few simple steps, you can transform your bathroom into an oasis of clean and tidy order. This guide will provide you with helpful tips and tricks if you’ve been wondering how to organize the bathroom.

Benefits of having an organized bathroom

Organizing your bathroom isn’t just about aesthetics. It’s about functionality, creating a peaceful start and end to your day. A tidy bathroom helps your daily routines go smoothly. Additionally, it can reduce stress and anxiety in the home by providing a sense of order and peace.

Moreover, having an organized bathroom frees up space. This can be especially helpful in small bathrooms. By finding and creating extra storage, you can avoid clutter and make the most of your available space.

1 – How to Maximize Your Bathroom Storage

The first step in how to organize the bathroom is to find and create extra storage. I always encourage people to go vertical with their storage to maximize their space. You go vertical by utilizing the back of doors, the inside of cabinet doors, and your wall space.

For instance, a floating shelf to store toiletries or hooks on the walls to hang towels. I used a wine rack behind the toilet to store scrolled up towels.

Seven Creative Bathroom Storage Options to Maximize your space

Use a free-standing cabinet or add a tiered organizer if you have extra floor space
Use hanging shoe organizers on the back of the door. This is a great way to store items like shampoo, lotion, and other toiletries.
Hang hooks. Hang hooks on the back of the door or walls to store items like robes and loofahs.
Use jars and canisters that you can place directly on your counter top
Store items in baskets. Place items like towels and washcloths in baskets for easy access.
Use a towel ladder. Towel ladders are a great way to store extra towels and linens.
Place extra linens such as washcloths and hand towels in bins for easy storage.

2 – How to Organize the Bathroom

Now that you’ve identified some extra storage solutions, it’s time to get to work. Organizing toiletries is one of the most important steps for getting your bathroom in tip-top shape. Here are some tips for organizing the bathroom:

Start by removing all items from one zone in the bathroom e.g. under the bathroom sink, or one drawer in the vanity. This will help you get an overall look of the space.
Discard expired toiletries, worn-out towels, products you no longer use, and broken items. (hot rollers from 1989, I’m talking to you!!!)
Put like items together. Group items by type, such as cosmetics, dental supplies, hair products, cleaning supplies, and first aid items.
Sort items into categories. This can help you prioritize what you need and what you don’t.
Create zones with baskets, bins, or drawer dividers. Divider inserts can help you keep items like makeup and skincare products organized.
Designate a space for every item. You want to make sure every item has an assigned home, or it will become clutter very quickly.
Use a vanity to store items such as cosmetics, lotions, hair products and perfume. Use clear storage containers under the sink to keep backstock. This can be a great place to store extra toiletries, bulk items you get from stores like Costco or Sam’s Wholesale Club. Clear jars or lazy susan’s can also be placed on the counter for things like cotton swabs and makeup brushes.
Finally, label containers. Labelling your containers will make it easier to find items quickly. It also helps you and others (…ahem the kids) put things back.

Decluttering your items, sorting into like categories, creating zones and designating a space for every item will make a huge impact on your daily routines. For more ideas check out this post on Dollar Store Bathroom Organization.

3 – How to KEEP the bathroom organized

Once you’ve sorted and stored your items, it’s important to keep the bathroom organized. Here are some strategies for keeping your bathroom organized:

Purge regularly. Get rid of items that are expired or no longer used. This will help you maintain an orderly bathroom.

Keep items contained on the counters. Use a tray to place canisters or hand soap.

Set up a cleaning routine. Regularly cleaning the bathroom is essential for keeping it organized. It could include things like:

Wipe down counters and sink each day.

Spray and squeegee the shower.

Sort and hang dirty clothes.

How to Organize Your Medicine Cabinets

Many people keep medicines in their bathroom. They may store them under the sink, in a closet, or in the medicine cabinet on the wall.

Use the medicine cabinet to store items such as bandages, tweezers, and antiseptic cream.

Place items in labeled containers. Label containers for items such as cotton swabs and adhesive bandages.

Put items in baskets. Place items like thermometers and flashlights in baskets for easy access.

One thing to note, if you have little ones in your home, you’ll want to be sure to place medicines up high so they can not access them.

You can check out my full post on Medicine Cabinet Organization Hacks here.

Simple Steps to Organize the Bathroom

Organizing your bathroom is a great way to keep your space organized and efficient. With a few simple steps, you can transform your bathroom into a clean and tidy haven. From finding and creating extra storage to using organizing hacks, there are a variety of ways to get your bathroom in tip-top shape. So, get ready to organize your bathroom this week with these simple steps!

4 Tips to Easily Declutter Your Home: The Tiny Task Approach

February 6

Inside: Struggling to declutter your home? My tiny task approach to doable decluttering will give you 4 tips to declutter your home with ease. It’s time to say good bye to overwhelm and hello to organized.

Are you looking to clear out your space, but feel bogged down and don’t know how? Finding the time and motivation to declutter can be hard. I often hear from individuals who feel stuck and don’t have an idea of how to get rid of the mess in their surroundings.

I have 2 elementary-age kids and a lot of activities which mean lots of stuff and not much time to organize it. I need to get it under control.

I get overwhelmed trying to figure out the best organizing solution so I end up just not doing anything.

I’m retired and have health issues. Often, I feel too tired to get started or finished.

Let’s Make Decluttering Easy

At Our Happy Hive, it’s my mission to help you go from overwhelmed to organized. I help you declutter and organize your home through tiny tasks that create quick wins and motivational momentum.

I approach decluttering differently. My goal is to make the work light and easy…so that you’re motivated to start AND finish your decluttering project.

Progress over Perfection

One mindset is critical for success with my method and that is to value progress over perfection. Many people get overwhelmed and stall because they try to take on too much.

Take Nancy for example, she wanted to declutter her entire storage closet over one weekend. She was fired up and ready to go when the project started. She pulled everything out of the closet and dove in. The first couple of hours were hard, but good…but by mid-afternoon she was exhausted. The space looked worse now than when she began and truthfully, there was no end in sight.

Her eyes started to burn as hot tears came to the surface. She didn’t want to quit…but she didn’t see how she could go on.

Like many others, Nancy ended up frustrated, pressed for time, and confused with all the things they are sorting through.

Instead of achieving a decluttered space, she ended up with one organized shelf and shoving everything else back into the closet.

Decluttering With Small Projects

My tiny task approach to doable decluttering focuses on small projects that take 30 minutes or less. You tackle one small project at a time…a single drawer, a shelf, or one pile of things. You finish your project, enjoy the finished product, and feel a sense of accomplishment. This cycle of doable decluttering motivates you to continue.

Helen was sick and tired of living with the mess and feeling like she couldn’t do anything about it. Out of desperation she tried the Tiny Task approach. She was amazed at how the progress boosted her confidence and made her believe in herself again. The progress she made was surprisingly satisfying. And the fact that she wanted to continue verses quit was simply shocking!

You may think it’ll take longer and question if it’s worth it. But the reality is, YOU ARE MAKING PROGRESS instead of stopping in frustration and quitting. You are going to get to your desired result one step at a time.

Like many things in life, your space didn’t become cluttered overnight. It happened over time. Decluttering small projects can be extremely satisfying and increase your motivation to continue. You’ll be surprised at the times you want to do another tiny task instead of quitting.

4 Tips to Declutter Your Home

So, let’ walk through my 4 tips to declutter your home. Be sure to grab my FREE Tiny Tasks Starter Kit.

Decluttering Tip #1 – Start with the easiest and most important space in your home

The best place to start are the areas of your home that are high priority areas for you and the easiest to declutter. You want to leave the least important and most cluttered rooms for last.

Julie, a busy mom started with one shelf in her pantry. It’s a place her family uses every single day. No one could ever find what they were looking for. She was regularly called in to find the little one’s snack, or the pesky spice they needed for dinner.

This area was a top priority. And even though it was cluttered, it was at a manageable level.

Decluttering Tip #2 – Break down the areas of the room into 30 minute tasks

Once you decide on the room to start, identify the smaller projects within the room. Every room has zones within it. For example, the zones in the Kitchen include the

refrigerator
pantry
cabinets etc.

Or zones in the bedroom include the closet, night stand, and chest of drawers.

The zones can be divided further into smaller sections. Take the refrigerator for example. Sections include the doors, shelves, and drawers.

Depending on the amount of stuff in the space, you can cover 1 or several sections with a single zone during a 30-minute period.

Decluttering Tip #3 – Make your easiest decisions first

As you think about the what you want to declutter. I encourage you to start with the things that are easier to make decisions about. Typically, pantry items, junk drawer, toiletries, even clothing can be easy places to start.

Anything that is sentimental and requires a lot of emotional energy is generally a more difficult decision and should be left for last. This includes things like memorabilia, heirlooms, photos, etc.

As you start to declutter, start with the no-brainer decisions first. Discard any trash, broken, or expired items first. Then identify the things you don’t like, no longer need, or have duplicates of. Lastly, make decisions on the remaining stuff in the space.

Decluttering Tip #4 – Commit to a minimum of 1 task per day

When you’re ready to tackle an area in your home, commit to at least one tiny task per day. As I mentioned earlier, you may enjoy the process so much that you want to continue. That often happens to me and others that have tried the tiny task approach.

By completing a minimum of one task, you are building your confidence that you can do this. You’re also strengthening your Decluttering muscle.

The Tiny Task Approach to Decluttering

The tiny task approach to doable decluttering has been very successful for me and others I know. It’s easy to love the flexibility that comes from being able to tackle one goal at a time. And not having to commit to a large, multi-step decluttering project that ends in frustration and overwhelm is so freeing!

Your decluttering goals are important, but they can be overwhelming. Rather than aiming at a perfectly decluttered space, aim for progress and see your home transformed one space at a time!

More Decluttering Tips

16 Things Marie Kondo Says Everyone Should Discard

Decluttering Tips: Deal With Clutter Traps For Good

How To Keep Clutter Away ... Easy Decluttering Tips

Common Decluttering Barriers and Solutions

How To Organize Paperwork and End Paper Clutter

January 23

Inside: Learn how to organize paperwork, what to keep and what to toss, and paper clutter solutions for the long-term.

Have you ever had to look for an important receipt or family record and were left scratching your head as to where you could have left it?

Do you get tired of shuffling piles around your kitchen counter or office desk?

Maybe you’re unsure of how long to hold onto important documents. And keep them just in case the IRS calls one day.

If any of these common struggles resonate with you, read on…I’ve got simple paper clutter solutions for you!

The Problem with Paper Clutter

It can cost you money…real money.

Recently our Costco membership expired. It was time to renew and thankfully we had a check from our previous year’s membership benefits that would cover the cost. But the check was sent a couple of months before our membership expired.

You can probably guess what happened next. Said check was shuffled around on my desk week after week. When it was time go renew, I had no idea where it actually was!

In addition to all of the junk mail you have to sort through, important financial documents land in your mail box. Things like your insurance card that you need to put in your vehicle. Property tax invoices. Or physical checks from a tax return.

If you don’t have a system in place to file or more importantly, take action on these documents. They can cost you lost income or fines. Eek! No one wants that!

Paper Clutter can also cost you time

How many times have you shuffled through the same pile looking for a bill, a kid’s school paper, or even an address so that you can send a Christmas card.

Allowing paperwork to become a monster will steal valuable time.

The Paper Clutter Trap

It seems, paper attracts more paper and they multiply. There are likely, areas in your home that collect all of the random pieces of mail, receipts, and important correspondence from who knows where!

Who’s got time for a paper chase.

Read on to learn what to keep what to toss. We’ll also talk about a process for staying on top of this highly undesirable paper clutter!

Step 1: Get Rid of Paper Clutter First

You can tackle paper clutter in a number of ways. If you have several piles of papers in various places throughout your house, you can start one room or one pile at a time. Alternatively, you can centralize the paper clutter and take it on all at once. I’m a take it on all at once kind of girl, so I gather the pile from the kitchen and the 107 piles in my office and take it all on at the same time!

In order to deal with the mess, you need to sort it into the following piles:

Act – anything that requires action, pay, follow-up, calls, etc.
File – anything that is worthy of being kept for a month or more and you want to put in a specified location like a file, binder, or box/tray
Toss – documents that do not contain personal information and that you want to get rid of (refer to the list below to see what items you should keep)
Shred – Sensitive documents that contain personal or financial information, but that you do not need to keep

Items that land in the Act pile need to be acted on as soon as possible. Pay the bill, Call the Person, Respond to the request. More on this later!

Paper clutter what to keep what to toss

Important Papers To Keep

Check out the infographic later in this post for a list of how long to keep various documents. You can download the graphic at the end of the post!

Step 2: How to Organize Paperwork

For the Papers that landed in the “File” pile, you’ll want a system to store them. Let’s talk about how to store and how to sort this group.

How to store:

There are many different ways you can store papers. Some people prefer a decorative box with a label. Other’s like to make binders with a specific focus. Traditional file cabinets are still a go-to for many people. Also, if you’re technically savvy, you may prefer to go paperless altogether and use a scanner.

For sensitive documents, you may want to store them in a fireproof box or even a safety deposit box at a bank.

Fireproof bag with passports sticking out of the pocket — Fireproof bag for important documents

Paper Organization Categories:

Once you’ve given some thought as to how you’re going to store your documents, consider how you’ll organize them. Below is a list of common categories with the types of documents you’d find in each.

Personal Records – Insurance records, Birth certificates, Death certificates, Marriage certificates, divorce decrees, Social Security / Social Insurance cards, Military discharge papers, ID cards, and Passports, Wills, Educational records, Life Insurance policies, Power of attorney, and Inventory of your safe deposit box

Home Records – Mortgage statements*, Insurance records, Mortgages, Home improvement receipts, Property agreements, Manuals*, Warranties + receipts, Property tax assessments, Appraisals

Auto Records – Titles, Maintenance records, Mileage records, Insurance

Financial Records – Receipts (especially deductible items and charitable contributions), Deposits / ATM Slips, Credit card statements*, Billing statements, Checkbook ledgers, Pay stubs*, Business / Income documents, Tax returns*, Tax forms*, Medical bills*, Contracts, Tax deductions documentations, Real estate records, Investment statements*, Receipts for major purchases, Retirement plan / Pension plan records*, Certificates for stocks and savings bonds

Medical Records – Medical statements, Doctor/dentist bills, Immunization records, Family medical history, Insurance claims, medical records

* where possible, keep electronic copies instead of paper

Whether you’re using a box, bin, binder, or file, to organize your papers, be sure to label them so that you can easily locate it when you need to retrieve something or file away more paperwork.

Step 3: Getting Rid of Unnecessary Paper Clutter (Toss and Shred)

At this point, you are through the hardest part. You’ve already sorted all of your paper clutter and you’ve filed your most important document. THIS is the easy part!

What Papers to Get Rid Of

When I moved to Canada, I packed all of my belongings including my file cabinet, and put them in a moving truck to go cross-country. This was the first time in my adult life to sort through papers that I thought I was required by law to save including tax documents that were 10+ years old and years of credit card and bank statements. I was shocked to learn that I didn’t need to hold on to all of this paper clutter! It was so freeing to shred unnecessary documents.

Check out this chart for how long you need to keep specific documents. Note, these are general guidelines. If you have a unique situation, you should contact your attorney or accountant. As a general rule, if you have a question about it, it’s better to save the document and not get rid of it.

Download this chart at the end of the post. FREE with a subscription to the FREE-BEE Library!If you don’t already have a shredder, you can get one for as little as $30 from Amazon or Staples. If you have a huge number of documents, you can take them to office stores like Staples can shred them for you. They typically charge by the pound. Finally, in some cities, there are services that are offered once a month or every few months where you can take your documents and they will shred them for you on the spot in an industrial shredder. I did this before my move to Canada and bonus… the service was free! If you have a lot to shred it is worth it to look into resources in your community!

How to Maintain Paper Organization

Now that you’ve gone through all of the paper clutter, it’s time to put in place an easy way to maintain and organize important papers. Check out these important tips!

Designate one place in your home to store your important papers
Establish a regular time to address your incoming documents (I find weekly is ideal for our family)
Implement the one-and-done rule. Touch your paper only once. During your specified time, open it and sort into Act, File, Toss, or Shred. Immediately File, Toss, or Shred anything in those piles. Then, be sure to take action within 24 hours on anything that goes in the Act pile. This includes paying bills, making phone calls, or following up with correspondence.
Purge regularly – Get rid of things as time passes e.g. when you add a new year’s tax documentation, shred the returns from 8 years prior so that you are only holding onto the most recent 7 years.
Go electronic where possible. Scan receipts or tax documents or get electronic versions of manuals online instead of keeping the paper version.

Paper becomes magnetic and before you know it, a huge pile is attracted to one or more spots in your home. If you don’t manage your paper clutter regularly it can become unruly. Implement these super simple ways to end paper clutter including the steps to Act, File, Toss or Shred and the 5 Easy Paper Management Tips and paper clutter will soon be a thing of the past!

A Busy Woman’s Guide to Starting New Habits and Breaking Bad Ones

January 5

Inside: Struggling to make changes in your life? Making changes in your life can be hard, but this post includes 10 practical tips that will help you. This guide is for busy women who want to start new habits and break bad ones.

Not long ago, I was walking with a friend and confided in her. “I don’t feel like I’m winning in any area of my life.” Things were hard. Every area felt like it was a struggle. In that moment, I felt pretty defeated. Until things changed. Ever been there?

My whole life didn’t change, but one area of my life changed. And by making strides in that one area of life, my perspective changed. By overcoming in one area my hope was renewed in other areas.

We all know that making changes in our lives can be hard, especially when you’re a busy woman with a million and one things on your plate. It can be difficult to find the time and energy to focus on making changes, but it can be done.

Image of a woman looking in a notebook while drinking coffee with text a busy woman's guide to starting new habits.

Introduction to the Busy Woman’s Guide to Making Time for Change

Making changes in our lives isn’t always easy especially when we’re constantly busy with work, family, and other commitments. But it is possible to make time for change and start new habits and break bad ones. This guide is designed to help busy women find the time and energy to make healthy changes in their lives.

I’ll provide tips and strategies to help you start new habits and break bad ones. You don’t have to do it all at once – change can be made in small steps. This post will help you create a plan to make the changes you want in your life.

Understanding the Benefits of Starting New Habits and Breaking Bad Ones

Making changes and starting new habits can be hard work, but the benefits are worth it. Starting new habits and breaking bad ones can help you lead a healthier, happier, and more productive life. They can give you a sense of accomplishment, renewed confidence, and feeling like you’re in control again.

Breaking bad habits can also be beneficial, as it can help you reduce stress, improve your self-esteem, and make room for healthier habits. It can also help you save time and energy, as you may be spending too much time on bad habits that are taking away from other important activities.

Identifying the Habits and Changes You Want To Make

Tip #1 – Before you can start making changes, you need to identify the habits and changes you want to make. Take some time to think about the areas in your life you want to improve and any bad habits that you want to break.

Here’s a list of 8 areas that you can use to reflect on your satisfaction in life.

Finance
Personal Growth
Health
Family & Friends
Community
Fun & Recreation
Spirituality
Career

Make a list of habits you want to stop, start, or continue in these areas. It can also be helpful to think about the goals and values that are important to you, as these can help you determine the habits and changes you want to make.

Once you have identified the habits and changes you want to make, it’s important to break them down into smaller, achievable goals. This can help you stay on track and make it easier to start making changes.

Picture of a woman stretching by a lake in a downtown area. She's a busy woman that is starting new goals.

Tips for Making Time for Habits in Your Busy Schedule

Making changes can be difficult if you feel like you don’t have the time to do it. But with a few simple tips, you can make time for habits even in a busy schedule.

How to Make Time for a New Habit

Tip #2 Use a Block Schedule to find your windows of opportunity for your new habit.

1. Look at your regular weekly commitments. I like to use a block schedule, to map out a standard week.

2. Find windows of uninterrupted time. It could be first thing in the morning when the house is quiet. During your lunch. When you’re sitting in the car waiting for your kid to finish basketball practice. Or any other time that works for you.

3. Schedule your new habit. This is the time each day or week when you’ll do your new habit. Consider setting reminders or alarms to help you stay on track.

Be realistic about how much time you have and what you can reasonably accomplish. It’s better to set achievable goals that you can stick to than to overreach and give up.

Tip #3 If you feel overwhelmed, try to break your goals down into smaller, more manageable tasks. This can help you stay focused and motivated.

Picture of a woman making her bed for the day. Whe learned how to start a new habit even thought she's a busy woman.

Maybe your habit isn’t something like exercising that takes a chunk of time, rather something you want to do every day like making your bed. In this case, you won’t need to schedule your habit, but pair it with another task you already do regularly. For example, commit to making your bed every day before you brush your teeth. Don’t allow yourself to brush your teeth unless you’ve made your bed.

No one wants to sit next to someone with bad breath, so you’ll be motivated to get that bed made!!!

Small changes that don’t require too much time or energy add up over time, and can help you stay motivated.

Strategies for Starting New Habits and Breaking Bad Ones

Once you have identified the habits and changes you want to make and found ways to make time for them, it’s time to start making changes. Here are some strategies to help you start new habits and break bad ones.

Tip #4 identify the triggers that lead to your bad habits and try to avoid them. Take note of the situations and emotions that lead to your bad habits and try to find ways to stay away from them.

Tip #5 find ways to replace your bad habits with good ones. If you find yourself in a situation where you are about to indulge in a bad habit, try to find a replacement activity that is healthier and more productive.

Tip #6 be patient with yourself. Change takes time and it is normal to have setbacks and slip-ups. Don’t give up and keep going.

Tools to Help You Stay on Track

Tip #7 Use a Habit Tracker to mark your progress. There are many tools available to help you stay on track with your habits and changes. Consider using a habit tracker or goal-setting app to help you stay organized and motivated. You can grab my FREE Habit Tracker below!

You can also use a daily planner or calendar to keep track of your goals and progress. Writing down your goals and progress can help you stay focused and motivated.

Other tools that can be helpful include accountability partners, mentors, and coaches. These people can help you stay on track and provide valuable advice and insight.

Motivation to Stay Committed to Your Habits

Making changes can be hard, and staying motivated can be challenging. Here are some tips to help you stay committed to your habits.

Tip #8 Stay motivated by focusing on the benefits of making changes. Remind yourself why you are making these changes and how they will benefit you in the long run.

Tip #9 Don’t be too hard on yourself if you make a mistake or have a setback. Everyone makes mistakes and it’s important to be kind to yourself and keep going.

Tip #10 Celebrate your progress. Making changes can be hard work, but it’s important to celebrate your successes. Take some time to reflect on your progress and the changes you have made. Celebrate the progress you have made and the habits you have started or broken. Share your progress with others. Encourage yourself to stay focused and stay positive. Be mindful of your thoughts and focus on the progress you are making.

Finally, don’t give up. Change takes time and commitment, and it’s important to stay focused on your goals and keep going.

Conclusion

Making changes in our lives can be hard, especially when we are busy with work, family, and other commitments. But it is possible to make time for change and start new habits and break bad ones. This guide has provided tips and strategies to help busy women make time for starting new habits and breaking bad ones.

Identifying the habits and changes you want to make and creating a plan for change is essential for making lasting changes. Making time for habits in your busy schedule and staying motivated are also key for making changes.

Finally, don’t forget to celebrate your successes. Taking time to reflect on your progress and celebrating with friends and family can help you stay motivated and keep going.

This week, decide on 1 habit to break and 1 habit to start so that you can live a life you love. With the right tools and strategies, you can make the changes you want in your life and lead a healthier, happier, and more productive life.

P.S. If you’re ready to start some new habits, be sure to download my FREE habit tracker bundle below. The bundle includes 3 habit tracking templates to track your habits monthly or on a yearly basis

Six Powerful Questions To Help you Reflect and Celebrate the Past Year

December 20

“Hurry…hurry” – words I say almost every day! It is so easy to go from one thing to another just taking care of one’s day-to-day commitments. If your family is like ours, we go from work/school, to after school activities, to dinner, to bath time, then bed time and repeat.

Over the course of a year one season blends into the next as well. We go from a vacation to kids in school, to kids out of school, to holiday 1, holiday 2 etc. Before you know it another year has passed. It’s easy to feel like you’re on a track that just doesn’t stop. Before this year’s holidays blur into a new year, take a moment to pause, reflect, and consider the 365 days that just passed. Reflect and celebrate the past year before you set new goals!

Remind Yourself of the Good

Maybe you feel like you had a meh year. It wasn’t your best year ever. I challenge you to find the silver lining. I read something once that encouraged you to flip situations to see them through a different light.

House to clean = Safe place to live

Laundry = Clothes to wear

Dishes to wash = Food to Eat

Toilets to clean = Indoor Plumbing

Lots of noise = People in my life

Long Days + Short Years

They say the days are long but the years are short. With young kids, there are so many funny, sweet, awesome things they do day in and day out, but it’s easy to remember the meltdown, the argument, the “threenager” attitude. So, it’s important to intentionally remind ourselves of the positive. By taking time to pause and consider the wins in our lives, we are crystallizing the best memories from the year. Writing it down is even better!

Reflection Defined

Reflection gives the brain an opportunity to pause amidst the chaos, untangle and sort through observations and experiences, consider multiple possible interpretations, and create meaning.

https://hbr.org/2017/03/why-you-should-make-time-for-self-reflection-even-if-you-hate-doing-it

Reflect Before Setting Goals

Our society tends to encourage focusing on the next big thing. When school starts…when we go on xyz vacation…once Christmas is here…in the New Year, I’ll do… Before you set goals for the next year, pause and answer the following questions. If you’re married, do them with your spouse, if you have kids, involve them.

What are my favorite memories from the past year? Did my kid(s) do something funny, new, or unusual that I want to remember. Did my spouse do something that was over the moon? Maybe I had a special time with some friends.
What were my biggest wins/successes from the past year? With the kids? With my spouse? Professionally? Personally? Financially? Spiritually? Physically?
What was the best adventure I had last year?
What new things did I try? Did I learn a new skill? Join a new group? Put myself out there and do something out of my comfort zone?
What lessons did I learn this past year?
What am I thankful for? Family, friends, health, accomplishment, neighbors, work etc.?

Celebrate Good Times

You rock! 🎉📝🙌 You had an awesome year! Smile on your successes, the memories that were created, the fun you had, the new things you did! In the new year, I plan on taking time to reflect on a more regular basis…what about you?