10 things to purge for a fresh start this new year.

i love the feeling of starting over that a new year brings! even though i don't buy into the 'new year new me' mantra i do firmly believe it's a great opportunity to clear out unwanted items and get my life and home organised for the year ahead.

sometimes all it takes is a few simple changes to have a really positive impact on your productivity. decluttering has always been key to me feeling happy and focused on achieving any goals i've set for the upcoming months. why not purge some of these things and see if it helps you along the way too..


1. clear your inbox.

i've always been really bad at keeping on top of my inbox so clearing it down always feels like a huge weight off my shoulders. one of the best things i've done in the last few months is taking the time to unsubscribe from all unnecessary marketing emails which although tedious has made a HUGE difference to the number of emails i have to trawl through. i'm now way less likely to miss important emails and i don't dread sitting down to tackle any correspondence!

2. go through your bedside table.

my bedside table is a hoarders paradise. from broken bobby pins to out of date skincare i'm always amazed by how much of my bedside stash goes unused! take ten minutes to go through your bedside table and throw away anything you've either forgotten was there or haven't used for ages, i guarantee you'll feel better for it!

3. purge your beauty products.

i love to clear out my make up and rotate what's on my face regularly. it's easy to forget what you have if you don't go through your collection plus it's the perfect opportunity to wash your brushes and wipe down your compacts with a wet wipe to keep things clean and tidy. throw away anything old or out of date, chances are you don't need it if it's been hiding out for longer than a year in the bottom of your make up bag.

4. empty out your handbag.

this is a quick way to feel instantly more organised. empty out your purse and throw away that old chewing gum to begin with! go through your debit cards/gift vouchers and store cards and check when they all expire- there's nothing worse than losing out on a gift card that expired the year before! purge any old make up, snacks and receipts and give your bag a wipe down before repacking it with the essentials you actually use each day.

5. kitchen refresh.

i only clean out my cupboards properly 1-2 times a year but it makes a huge difference when i do. reorganising my drawers, tidying the shelves and disposing of food that is out of date is super therapeutic and i'm more likely to spend time cooking in my kitchen afterwards than opting for unhealthy take aways.

6. get your paperwork in order.

i hoard paper! from magazines to receipts you name it i'm a nightmare for putting stuff in boxes and letting it build up. the new year is a great time to go through your paperwork (especially if you've left your tax return until the last minute!) throw away any paperwork you don't need anymore and organise what's left. if you're still getting bills and statements in the post go paperless!

7. find the clothes that don't fit.

clearing out your wardrobe can be a mammoth task, so if you don't have the time to tackle a full overhaul at least remove anything that doesn't fit, is damaged or in poor condition.

8. organise your phone.

as someone who was constantly running out of space on my iPhone organising my apps and buying some extra storage for my photos really helps me feel less cluttered. i remove any unused apps and organise whats left- i put my most frequently used apps on my home screen and then sort the rest into general category folders like 'photo editing' or 'finances' so i'm not faced with dozens and dozens of items to scroll through. also go through your photos regularly and delete the images you don't want, if i don't keep mine in check i end up with hundreds of duplicate photos cluttering up my camera roll!

9. social media detox.

sometimes it's good to have a fresh start on social media. our lives are constantly changing as are our interests and priorities- when we were planning our wedding i followed a whole bunch of wedding accounts but now i'm more interested in children's clothing than florists! social media can have quite an impact on our daily lives so i like to focus mine on the people and brands that i want to engage with and unfollow the rest.

10. spruce up your stationery.

i like to have a good tidy up of my desk at this time of year. i focus on throwing away any pens that don't work, planners or calendars that are out of date and checking through my stash of notebooks to see what i need for the year ahead. invest in a good year planner or diary if you've not already got one and start thinking about the goals you might set yourself for the months ahead!


i hope these may give you some inspiration on how to take charge and feel more productive at home in 2018.. let me know if you have any tips for kick starting the new year!

back soon

caroline x