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Are you ready for a productive new year? Not only a new year but a brand new decade?
I love the motivation, enthusiasm and positivity that surrounds a new year.
It’s like a fresh start, a clean slate, a chance to start again and make positive improvements to yourself and your life.
I’m actually not setting any goals or resolutions for myself this year. I could write an entire in-depth post on my reasoning for this but I’ll save that for another day.
Instead I thought I’d share some practical things to do to set yourself up for a productive new year and start to 2020.
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If you haven’t made a monthly budget for yourself yet, make this the year you start. Budgeting is such an important tool which not only affects your financial wellbeing, but impacts other aspects of your life too.
For many of us, money is one of our biggest stressors and worries in life.
Take back control of your finances and you’ll feel the pressure alleviate in so many other areas too.
I’ve written many articles about budgeting over on my other website so if you need a little extra help with your finances, head on over to Katie Saves. In fact, sign up to my mailing list and get access to a free excel budget template.
Whether you keep yours digitally, use a wall calendar or a physical diary (or perhaps, none at all!), be your future friend and update your calendar.
Add in all the birthdays and anniversaries you anticipate buying for/celebrating.
Any events you already have planned.
And don’t forget the boring but necessary appointments such as dental check ups, when you car is due an MOT etc.
Or create one if you don’t already have one.
What should be on there? Anything to make life easier.
On mine I keep repeat prescriptions so that they’re visible and easily accessible when medication runs low.
Our bin collection schedule (different bins, different days, three-weekly collections makes it hard to keep up!)
Any mail that requires action paperwork that needs to be submitted, event invites that need RSVP’ing.
Vouchers that come in the mail that I may or may not use.
I find having these things visible makes me more likely to remember to action them (even with a calendar and a diary, I need all the help I can get!).
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If your handbag is anything like mine there’s probably hardly anything useful in there and instead a treasure trove of old receipts, snack wrappers/crumbs and the occasional dummy.
Clean out the rubbish and put in there what you actually need.
Now’s the ideal time to clear out your kitchen cupboards.
We all probably make a resolution of some description to eat healthier so get rid of the left over Christmas treats.
Take anything in date and donate it to your local food bank along with any others items that have been sat there a while that you know you won’t use.
Check for and get rid of any expired food and have a clean and reorganisation as you go.
I like to adjust the shelf heights and add these shelf inserts to create and maximise storage space.
While we’re sorting our cupboards out, take the opportunity to write a list of everything you have in.
Use this list to create a meal plan and only shop for what you need.
Doing this will reduce waste and keep your grocery bill low.
You can find lots of other helpful tips to reduce your food bill in this post.
Think about those little annoyances that blighted your days last year.
Is there anything you can do to pre-empt them and make your day that little bit easier?
Anything that you think will make your life easier. Do it.
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