2009 is history, and you’re stoked for the New Year! But chances are you’ve lost some of your good habits in the holiday shuffle. Add these items to your to-do list and get back into the swing of things:
1. Pack away holiday decorations and presents: 30 min – You’re not the person who still has Christmas decorations up in June, are you? Pack away those ornaments, garlands and snowflakes. Consider re-using packaging for birthdays throughout the year, or wrap presents that you’d like to re-gift right away.
This is also a good time to shop post-holiday deals on themed decorations if you have more than thirty minutes, and since you now know what your friends and family enjoyed receiving, write down future gift ideas.
2. Set up your calendar: 10 min – Whether you’re a paper or digital gal, make sure you take a few minutes to include any recurring appointments onto your calendar. Try also scheduling time for your New Year’s Resolutions. Planning to exercise three times a week or spend more time with kids? Increase your chances of success by marking that time in your week… and for extra insurance, set a reminder!
3. Create a tax document folder: 3 min – Important documents for your taxes have probably already started to arrive in your mailbox and will continue to do so all month. Make sure you’re ready for the April deadline by collecting all the papers in one assigned spot. I like to use a folder that sits right alongside my keys, sunglasses and other items in my “mail center.”
4. Update your budget: 10 min – Review your goals for 2010 and update your financial bearings accordingly. Be honest about budgetary buckets that aren’t allocated correctly. For instance, if you’ve allocated $100 for clothes each month and are spending $150, it’s time to look at taking away money from another bucket.
Be realistic, and if you need help tracking what you’re spending on household essentials, remember Alice has some great tools under our “Budgeting” tab. There, you can see what you’ve spent each month overall, in each category, and what you spend on average.
5. Take inventory and stock-up on basics: 5 minutes –Whether you received guests at your home, or were away for most of the holidays, it’s time to take stock. Take a moment to discover if your guests left you with the need to buy more toilet paper than usual, or if you forgot that you let your dish soap run low. Items like paper towels, razor cartridges, glass cleaner, batteries and deodorant are all common items you may be running low on.
Make sure you take into account any personal care items you received as gifts, like body washes, perfumes, and lotions. Using your presents up first means you can save a bit of money this month, or if they’re stocking-stuffer sized, put together a travel kit for the next time you need to pack a suitcase. Pre-package your small bottles in plastic bags so they’ll be primed and ready for the security checkpoint.
6. Take a breather and relax: 2 min – The holidays were a busy time for most, and while you’re rearing to go on your New Year’s to-do list, make sure you take a moment to breathe and relax. Plug in a great air freshener along with your favorite music, and put your feet up. After all, you just made it through another decade!
What did we leave out? How do you get back into the swing of things after the holidays?
#3 is the best – I’d also suggest a digital version for donation receipts, Amazon receipts (for business purchases), etc. Even my student loan tax docs are now digital. Putting them in there throughout the year could easily save me 30-60 minutes every March.
@ Sam – Great tip! You’re absolutely right – I get so many digital versions as well. I prefer that actually. I wish I could pay my property taxes online! Thanks for the tip :)