Aidan's Top 5 Messy Rooms To Tackle In January

Happy New Year everyone! Some of us have new year’s resolutions or goals and others choose not to. Regardless of your approach to a new year, it is a good time to take the opportunity to reset. That may look very different for everyone so take this with a grain of salt!

My top ways of resetting include some resolutions but mostly, they have to do with

organization. I looooove to be organized. I don’t mind doing the “dirty” work either. It gives me a sense of accomplishment and I love looking at orderly things! I have certain zones in the house and all of them need attention from time to time. I typically use this time of year to address some, if not all these areas. The following are the areas I’ve addressed this year:

1. Mudroom: This room was dire because the shiplap that graced one wall was literally

coming off. The kids coat hooks and hall bench were also affixed to this wall which put

this room from the “I’ll get to it at some point” category to “Dire”. I could have just

nailed the shiplap back in, but in true AC form, I decided to use this as an opportunity to

redesign that area.

I decided to take that wall from farmhouse to French glam. I painted

the wall in vertical stripes 8” wide in light French blue and white. I then added these adorable fox hooks in a vintage brass and changed out the bench to something lower with cubbies. The kid’s backpacks never actually made it to the hooks in the last set up so in hopes of reclaiming the bench for sitting (not backpack storage) I repurposed the mudroom closet that use to house my small appliances, to the “backpack” closet. Not only is it easy for the kids to throw their bags in there when they get home, but it keeps the bench area, which is out in the open, looking a lot tidier.

2. Kitchen: Year after year, I try and assess what is and isn’t working in my kitchen. I use this space a lot so it’s important that it is organized in an ergonomic functional way. The first step is to go through every cupboard and throw away any expired consumables. Then, go through all your non consumables and be realistic with yourself on whether or not you use it. If you don’t, someone else can be, so take the opportunity to give it away. It’s amazing how many things will end up in your give away box. Finally, have a

look at all that you are keeping and organize it in a way that is going to work for you.

For me, it makes sense to have my baking utensils and dried goods close to where I use my Kitchen Aid Mixer. My cooking

utensils and pots and pans need to be close to the stove and so on. You may need to buy storage containers or drawer organizers so measure your shelves and drawers. That way you will buy exactly what you need! I ALWAYS like to finish things off with new storage bins/containers and pretty labels!!!

3. Home Office: My home office doubles as a craft room for the kiddos. When we

renovated our home, we put in built-ins to do double duty storage for my work

necessities as well as the kids crafting supplies. With tax season approaching, this is a good opportunity to put all your invoices, receipts, bills etc. that you need for your tax completion aside in a file folder or bin. This also is a good time to throw away 6 years ago filed taxes. You may also have catalogues, brochures, magazines, schedules, time sheets etc. that are no longer applicable. Purge any unnecessary papers and make room

for 2023. Regarding the kid’s art supplies, now might be a great time to retire old crayons and other writing and painting utensils. New pencil crayons, paint brushes and

markers not only look beautiful, but they may reignite some creative juices in your child.

A quick trip to Ikea is a fun and inexpensive way to revamp your crafting cabinet. They have great containers with lids to keep your things tucked away and a range of useful storage solutions. If you have stacks of your children’s creations, these paper holders are a beautiful solution. Running out of space to keep each one? Take a picture. Our phones are a wonderful way to take a trip down memory lane. It also provides physical space for new creations from your budding Picasso’s.

4. Closet: I don’t know about you, but I rarely walk into a mall without buying something.

The amount of clothes I accumulate over a year is outright silly. There, I said it! Some of

the things in my closet have not even been worn. In fact, some of the items still have the

tag attached! Now is a good time to go through your items. Chances are, if you’ve not

worn it in 8 months, you’re not going to and these items are taking up valuable real-

estate. If you have a shopping problem like me (pray for me), selling your items on

marketplace is a great side hustle. You’d also be surprised how junked up your jewelry

cabinet can get. Like everything else we own, be honest of what you do and don’t use.

Purging will provide breathing space for the items you Do use. It’s a lot more

pleasurable picking out your outfit for the day without having to meander through a

crammed closet. I always love color coordinated hangers. I like to group dresses with

dresses, blouses with blouses, sweaters with sweaters etc. This is not the only way to

organize though. Some people organize according to lengths of things or by color.

5. Makeup: This may surprise you, but makeup and skin care have an expiry date. I told my mother the other day that I was using the same eyebrow pencil she got me from her last trip to Japan. Being a make-up artist, she gasped in horror. I decided not to tell her about the reaction I got from using my expired Pro-Active skincare set (I give you permission to judge). Knowing this, I purged all kinds of things from eye shadow sets, mascaras, makeup remover pads etc. For my own skin health, I decided it was a good time to replace that which I needed, and I was glad I purged expired makeup and skincare along with other things I never really used! I also took the opportunity to go through my makeup brushes (and I have a lot) and tossed those that were looking a little shabby. Some of them I’ve had for over 10 years. To finish my makeup purging session, I decided to adorn my makeup table with new canisters to display my new brushes and products.

The areas in your home that need addressing may be different then mine. Regardless of the

areas, reorganizing anything will undoubtedly involve purging. From expiration dates to items unused, making sense of what you are keeping and what you’re throwing away or donating is a great starting point to an organized home. For me, I love orderly looking things. It’s the prize at the end of all my hard work. Don’t be afraid to reward yourself with pretty bins, canisters, and labels. It might encourage you to stay organized and to get the job done.

Happy 2023 everyone!

I raise a toast to you and your organizing endeavor! You can do it. A little bit of order goes a

long way!

Aidan