Maintaining a regular workout routine paves the way to achieving overall health, getting and staying in shape, and having a slim body. However, this routine requires devotion, persistence, and discipline. It is important that, in the first place, you have the motivation to take your workout routine to the next level and to be willing to progress. There are always newer ways to improve your workout routine and to get more satisfactory results. It is necessary to create a plan in order to implement these ways and soon you will enjoy a healthy and fit version of yourself. Guide yourself with our 6 tips to help you improve your routine and make your plan work.

Love What You Do 

You are probably acquainted with the slogan: “Do what you love, love what you do.” Believe it or not, this stands for a workout as well. In fact, one of the major reasons your previous workout routines have failed might be the fact you took workouts only as a burden or an obligation. In order to improve this healthy habit, make sure that you enjoy it the way you want to carry it out. Do some research on what type of workout suits you the best, what part of exercises you enjoy the least, and what the most, what surrounding and what company do you prefer during your workout hours and this will make it more enjoyable. Therefore, you will improve your workout habit and approach exercises as something fun and exciting to fill your day.

Take Small Steps

If you have paused for a long time with exercise, it will be rather impossible to jump into an overwhelming workout routine at once. Instead, set out a few small goals before accomplishing bigger goals. Focus on daily consistency, stick to realistic and time-bound visions. There is no benefit in overtraining, even though it might seem like a good means to improve your workout routine. Not only does it not help, but it can also cause some other unwanted problems. It can completely ruin your routine until you abandon it.

For that reason, motivate yourself by taking small steps and by not giving up on these small steps. Small, but persistent steps lead to results that never leave you disappointed. Whether you exercise at home or at the gym, start with warm-ups and as you progress, you will want to see and try out other exercises and level up your training. Make your workout habit an integral part of your day, as important as eating and sleeping. Schedule your workout and then follow your plan. Start with small, do not get exhausted and big steps will come to you naturally.

Measure Your Intensity

How hard do you exercise? What is the heaviest you can lift up? To follow your weight program as well as your level of advancement, it is a good idea to measure the intensity of your exercise. Measuring repetition maximum is helpful in improving your workout, but again, you have to take it with few precautions. Before you establish your RM and track it, prepare yourself to avoid injuries of muscles and joints.  You can calculate your 1RM at this pull up calculator and test your strength. You can also find out some more information on the downsides it carries along. You need to warm up your muscles in order to prepare them for their maximum without getting any injury. Increase the weight slightly and add episodes of rest between exercises.

Appreciate Your Workout Gear

You might not be able to go to the gym whenever you want, but that is not the reason to skip your daily exercise routine. In fact, there is so much workout gear around you may not notice. Stairs, bicycles, your carpet or bed – all these can be used as your gear, it is up to you to find appropriate exercise for them. Besides, invest in comfortable and enjoyable workout clothes. Do not hesitate on spending a bit more money on gear and clothes, since it is a long-lasting and promising investment.

You become even more responsible if you possess real training equipment at your home. This is a reason more to be conscious of their value and their power to improve your workout routine if you commit yourself as you should.

Have Your Rest Times

Your body gets tired so make sure you don’t put too much burden on it. Once you’re settled and improved your workout routine, insert resting times. Not all exercises are suitable for everyone, and you should be aware of numerous myths regarding exercising. Consider giving yourself a day off, or implementing some resting exercises like stretching, swimming, or yoga. Your body will be thankful to you and you will be able to come back stronger and thus improve your routine.

Reward Yourself 

Ask yourself: why is this routine so important to me? Remind yourself of its benefits. This will motivate you to continue and to sustain the improvement. Together with this, reward yourself from time to time for meeting your small steps and goals. Pick rewards that can be equally beneficial and healthy for you.

Move your workout status from good to great and make this routine a real enjoyment for yourself. Use your daily opportunities for a workout routine in the best way. Be smart in using your time, mindful in exercising your body, and let your motivation live until you move on from small to the greatest steps.

This article was originally published by artofhealthyliving.com. Read the original article here.

For weeks now we’ve had empty photo frames up in our house. And this is for no other reason than that we simply haven’t been able to choose which photos to put up. I guess to some extent we’re spoiled for choice these days, aren’t we? We take pictures on a daily basis, using our phones to capture those moments of joy, and then instantly posting them on social media. And whilst I love being able to share these images so easily with friends and family, it doesn’t stir up quite the same emotions as it does when you have something physically printed out and put on display in your home.

Creating Visual Memories With Photos

Let me explain a little bit more about these empty photo frames then. A few months back I bought a decorative metal framework of a map, and I had this brainwave idea that I could get some photo prints of all our family travels and then artfully display the photos around the specific areas on the map. Genius, I know. Over the years, we’ve travelled to lots of different places as a family (Iceland, Dubai, Singapore, Bali to name but a few) and I love the thought of being able to document these moments of joy in a visual way. So, I’ve got the idea, I’ve got the frames, and yet somehow I still haven’t got round to doing it. And I’ve worked out the problem. It’s that I’ve got too many photos to choose from. I mean it’s not a bad problem to have, I grant you (first world problems and all that) but because there are so many photos and because I haven’t been great at deleting bad ones or archiving them etc. the job to print out a handful of photos has suddenly snowballed.

I am determined to not let that stop me however, because surrounding ourselves with photos of special moments from our past bring us huge amounts of joy. And let’s be honest, it brings far, far more joy than gazing at empty frames!

Why Should We Have Photos Up Around The Home?

Photos take us back to times we had fun. Holidays, special occasions, ‘firsts’, those precious moments of joy in our lives. They remind us of people we love, the people that are special to us, or people who may no longer with us. Every time we glance over at that photo on the mantelpiece we are immediately transported back in time to that place, those people, the emotions connected with that time. It’s all well and good having millions of photos published online, but unless you’re looking at them regularly, what purpose do they serve?

I want to walk into a room and be reminded of the day we got married, my kids losing their first teeth, the day we got the dog, that time at the beach when we all jumped in the sea. So many happy memories that make me feel warm inside and bring a smile to my face. What a shame to keep them locked up inside a computer. And I guess more so than ever the past couple of years have taught us not to take these moments for granted. When we were locked away inside our homes during the pandemic, what better way to be reminded and feel connected to our loved ones when we couldn’t actually see them in person, than to have them there with us in picture form.

Photographs play an important role in our lives. But it’s not just about taking a trip down memory lane, there are also benefits to be had to our overall wellbeing. Looking at photos can help boost our mood if we’re feeling down and this in turn helps to alleviate stress. It’s very difficult to look at a photo of people laughing without feeling as though you want to laugh too. Emotions are powerfully contagious and combined with the nostalgia a particular memory may evoke it can make us feel valued, loved, and included. I guess you could say we feel part of the bigger picture – pun fully intended!

Capturing Moments Of Joy That Last A Lifetime

Photos tell our life story. They capture those split-second moments that are so precious to us, but yet without this visual record could be so easily forgotten. And whilst each image only physically captures a static moment they are also capable of providing  a whole narrative.

I started this post having a bit of a moan about the number of photos I’ve got, but do you know what? I’m glad I’ve got lots of photos, because it’s these snapshots that remind me who I am and what I’ve done. And I don’t want to miss one single moment.

*collaborative post

This article was originally published by artofhealthyliving.com. Read the original article here.

Improving your health as an adult can feel like an uphill battle. Whereas once you could bounce back after a night of drinking or lose weight quickly after a food-filled holiday season, now, you might find managing your health a little more challenging. Not to mention the increased risk of multiple illnesses! 

It isn’t all doom and gloom, though. You can be happy, healthy, and full of life whether you are 16, 26, 60, or beyond – it just takes a little more care as you get older. Here’s how to improve your health as an adult. 

Maintain a Healthy Weight 

A healthy weight decreases your risk of heart disease, high blood pressure, and certain cancers. Plus, it increases your energy levels. It looks different on everyone, though, so don’t get too obsessed with the scales or the mirror – focus on reaching a point where you feel comfortable. Balance is the key here. You don’t need to cut out an entire food group to reach a healthy weight (although that might work for some people), you just have to consistently eat healthily and keep up with an exercise regime. 

Eating intuitively and focusing on unprocessed whole foods can be a helpful way to reach your healthy weight, as can using a healthy weight management solution to reach goals and maintain what you have achieved. By burning more than you eat and being mindful about ,weals, snacks and portion sizes, you will see changes in the scale before long. 

Discover a Fun Physical Hobby 

Exercise is a vital part of any healthy lifestyle. It works wonders – it strengthens your heart, improves your mood, increases your energy levels, and wards of illness. There’s no reason you shouldn’t be exercising! Of course, it’s not always easy to fit in the time for jogging or the gym, which is why it’s a good idea to combine your hobby with your exercise routine. 

There are plenty of physical hobbies that will help you get enough exercise. Hiking, archery, rock climbing, basketball, and tennis are just some examples of fun hobbies that’ll keep you entertained while getting your heart pumping. Exercise doesn’t have to be a chore. 

Learn to Relax 

A stressed mind equals a myriad of health problems – not just mental ones, either, although that is also important to look out for. To avoid health concerns like high blood pressure and insomnia, it is so important to find ways to relax, no matter how busy or stressful your lifestyle is. 

People relax in various ways. Some like to read a book on their favorite armchair, some like to take a warm, relaxing bath at the end of the day, and some prefer to focus more on their mental relaxation through daily meditation. Find out what works best for you and incorporate it into your everyday life. 

Don’t Avoid Health Check-Ups 

When your doctor invites you in for a check-up, or you spot a symptom that’s worrying you, you must not avoid going to the appointment. It’s always best when you are unsure to leave it to the professionals. The decision to see a doctor may even save your life one day – it has for many people before you. 

These methods will help you live a healthier life as an adult, so be sure to stick to them.

This article was originally published by rosannadavisonnutrition.com. Read the original article here.

Keeping your gut healthy is crucial to help you manage your overall health. There are many signs you can watch out for to help you identify whether your gut is healthy. Some of the most common signs include bloating, poor sleep quality, weight change and an upset stomach.

Fortunately, with a few lifestyle changes, you can usually improve your gut health. It is vital to seek a doctor’s opinion if you are concerned that your gut issues may have a more serious underlying cause.

Cut Out Alcohol

Alcohol can be a major aggravator for our gut health. It is best to cut out alcohol entirely to give your gut the chance to recover. Consider taking at least a month’s break from drinking any alcohol and assess how your digestion has changed during this time.

Reduce Your Caffeine Intake

Caffeine can also have a negative impact on our gut health. It is a good idea to reduce the amount of coffee, tea and energy drinks you consume. Not only will this improve your gut health, but it will also improve your quality of sleep.

Instead of caffeinated drinks, ensure you get plenty of water and stay hydrated. Hydration is also crucial to maintaining your gut health, so switching out caffeine for water or juice can be very beneficial.

Go Easy On Sugar And Sweetener 

Sugar can cause imbalances in our gut health. It is a good idea to reduce the amount of sugar and sweetener in your diet to help combat possible imbalances. You could switch from regular to diet drinks to reduce sugar intake or choose foods and beverages naturally low in sugar or sweetener.

Use Antimicrobial Agents

Antimicrobial agents can be a great way to reset and rebalance your gut health. They can remove unhealthy pathogens that may be causing poor gut health. It is essential to do your research and ensure you understand how and when to use antimicrobial agents. It is a good idea to consult with a reliable doctor, like those at the Ruscio Institute, to help ensure you make the best possible choices for your gut health.

Manage Your Stress Effectively

It is crucial to manage your stress to help keep your gut healthy. Stress can cause a whole range of gut and digestive issues, so you should consider the different ways to reduce stress. It may help to make some changes in your life, for instance, by looking for a new job if your current role is a significant source of stress.

You could also consider engaging in some stress-busting practices such as yoga and meditation. These can be great ways to reduce stress in your life and help you manage any stress effectively. It can also help to talk to a licensed therapist if you have significant worries about your mental health.

Exercise More

Exercise is important to help you live a long, healthy life. You should ensure that you get plenty of movement in your routine. If it’s been a while since you last exercised, you could consider starting small. A short walk each morning and evening can be a great and easy way to incorporate more exercise into your daily routine.

Eat Slowly

Eating quickly can lead to indigestion and other gut-related problems. It is best to chew slowly to give your gut the time it needs to digest properly. You could consider taking smaller bites, using smaller cutlery or timing your meals to help you eat slower.

Go Vegetarian

Cutting meat out of your diet can be very beneficial for your gut health. This is because a vegetarian diet often includes more prebiotic fiber. It may help to start by eating a vegetarian diet for one or two days of the week. This can help you learn how to make nutritious vegetarian meals over time. You could also consider taking a cooking class to help you hone your skills.

Identify Any Food Intolerances

If you have any food intolerance, it is vital that you identify these early on. An excellent way to do this is by keeping a diary of your food intake and any resulting issues for your digestive system. You can then identify any patterns in how your diet impacts your digestion and gut. It is important to cut out any food or drink that has a negative impact on your gut health.

Final Thoughts

Managing our gut health can be challenging, but the rewards are well worth the effort. It is important to take a holistic approach to your gut health and ensure you consider all elements that could help you improve your overall gut health. You should always consult a doctor if you have any concerns relating to your health and ensure that you follow any advice or treatment plans they come up with.

This article was originally published by artofhealthyliving.com. Read the original article here.

The first time intimacy coach Amina Peterson took a good look at her own vulva, it was inspired by Betty Dodson’s practice of studying her own genitals in the mirror. The experience reminded Peterson of the very beginning of The Vagina Monologues. In the play, a character mentions that women might go years without looking at their own vagina. It’s hidden away “down there,” difficult to see and sometimes difficult to face. What resonated with Peterson was this resistance: We could look, but we don’t.

When she thought of it on a larger scale, she realized not only do we not look at ourselves down there, but we often don’t look at ourselves at all. That’s when she started doing mirror work, a practice of spending time with her body in the mirror to better appreciate and honor herself.

Today, Peterson guides clients through mirror work as a practice of self-intimacy and partner intimacy. (You can see the practice in action on our new Netflix series Sex, Love & goop.)

The Value of Mirror Work

By Amina Peterson, as told to goop

In our culture, looking at yourself in the mirror with praise and appreciation is considered conceited. There’s almost a connotation of its being vile or shameful. Often the only version of looking at ourselves that’s considered acceptable is not looking but putting on makeup or doing your hair so that your appearance is all right for other people. If you take it to another level, where you’re honoring yourself—seeing your body as a real body, as yours, as valuable, as worthy—it’s frowned upon.

When I was first confronted with mirror work—the practice of looking in the mirror and really seeing yourself—it was challenging. It went against everything I’d been told all my life about how I should see myself and how I should see others. Mirror work moves us out of this space where our beauty is for other people to consume and not for us to realize. That’s especially true for women and femmes.

When I talk to people about struggles that they have in intimacy, a lot of it is about being seen. Intimacy is so much about being witnessed. And a lot of us struggle with being witnessed by others because we don’t even allow ourselves to witness ourselves. If I am unable to look at myself, how am I going to allow my partner to look at me? How am I going to get to a space where I experience true intimacy with a partner if I’m terrified of self-intimacy? If I’m scared that somebody else will see something that I don’t allow myself to see?

That challenge can move us out of intimate spaces and prevent us from developing true intimate ties. Everything stays surface-level. We do it with the lights off. We hope no one notices that we have all these emotions. We want to be loved just enough, so if we could get by with the love we get, that’ll be enough.

But when you start doing mirror work, you get to expand your capacity for love and intimacy. It becomes a lot more than we otherwise allow ourselves to have.

How to Do Mirror Work at Home

There’s one thing you must have to do mirror work: a full-length mirror in which you can see your whole self. The rest is optional but will help you get the most out of your practice.

1. Set the space.

Even if you have only a little bit of time, treat this as something important and valuable by clearing the space physically and energetically. You deserve to take care of yourself and honor yourself within a temple-like setting.

1. Make sure that your space is clean. Get your clothes up and put them away, or whatever you need to do.

2. Cleanse the place. I like to use smoke to help clear the air. Use whatever calls to you. Some people like incense or resin. Others choose yerba santa, sage, or palo santo. I like to burn cinnamon or a sweet incense like ylang-ylang to call in some feminine energy, especially if I use something with very masculine energy, like tobacco or blue sage, at the beginning of the practice.

2. Prepare your body.

Ideally, you’re able to take a bath or a shower before doing mirror work. Now’s the time for those super delicious soaps or scrubs that you were gifted and were saving for something special. Light a candle. Take your time. Spend some time afterwards oiling and moisturizing your skin, luxuriating over yourself, and allowing yourself to feel into the moment. Then put your robe on—I like people to wear a robe or a sarong so they aren’t struggling with their clothes in the next step but have something to cover themselves with until they’re ready—and go stand in front of the mirror with intention.

3. Step in front of the mirror.

Disrobe in front of the mirror. And then simply look at and notice yourself.

Acknowledge yourself without judgment. Acknowledge yourself from head to toe. The grey curls, the wrinkles, the furrows, the rosacea, the rosiness in your cheeks, the fullness of your lips, the color in your skin. Maybe I’m noticing that one of my areolas is larger than the other. I do that without judgment. I’m just seeing it. You move through your whole body like that. Not judging, just seeing. Normally, when we look in the mirror, we tend to immediately perceive certain features as bad—especially if it’s something that’s changed, and even more so if it’s something that’s changed as we’ve gotten older. We notice what’s saggy or dimply, or if something isn’t as full as it used to be, or if there’s a new wrinkle, and we judge ourselves for that.

Offer yourself some praise and affirmations. It is powerful to remove the idea that something is wrong with any of what you’re seeing. The first affirmation I use is: “I see you.” Like, “I am witnessing you. I see myself.” Moving on from there, it’s about going with what you feel. When we’re not judging, we can move out of the thinking brain and settle into the feeling mind of the body.

Now I can witness myself and say something kind, praising what I see in my skin and hair and teeth, like:

1. “I’m grateful for these breasts.”

2. “I’m so grateful for this body that has moved me through childbirth.”

3. “I love my body. My body is strong.”

4. “This smile is bright and welcoming.”

5. “I am not symmetrical, and it is perfect.”

6. “I’m here. I’m worthy. This is my experience right now, and it’s great.”

4. Extend the practice.

This work helps create a more loving, intimate relationship with yourself. Sometimes I may send a client into this work repeatedly, where they do a ritual around this work every week: picking up their area, taking a beautiful bath or a luxurious shower, setting up their candles, and cleansing their space to be very intentional about mirror work as a project. The body craves ritual. And when we start working on ourselves, finding spaces where we can ritualize our own self-care, our own intimacy work helps the body remember that this is important to us.

This is an act of self-worship. If you look at my titles anywhere, it’s always Goddess Amina. And I refer to my clients as gods and goddesses and divine beings. It’s important for us to be worshipped—by ourselves and by our partners. We just have to learn how. And this practice helps us learn how our god self wants to be affirmed and appreciated and accepted and loved.

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Amina Peterson is a healer, a sex doula, and the founder of the Atlanta Institute of Tantra and her private healing practice, Fearless Giving. Her work focuses on intimacy coaching, Tantric sex education, sacred sex, somatic bodywork, and sexual revolution and activism.

This article was originally published by goop.com. Read the original article here.

This article was originally published by mindbodygreen.com. Read the original article here.

This article was originally published by mindbodygreen.com. Read the original article here.

From your eyes to your skin, your face encompasses a number of parts that you may want to consider keeping happy and healthy. Rather than leaving your facial health to fate, there are things that you can do that may maintain, or even improve, the look of your face. While life may not be all about looks, the face can be seen as rather important, from liaising with others to taking in the majority of the five senses, and even making a great first impression.

Wear Your Glasses

When your optician has assessed your vision, they will present you with a prescription that is tailored to your eye needs. From here, you may have had a bespoke pair of glasses created, and been advised on when to wear them. While some people may think that glasses detract from the rest of their face, they can actually be both fashionable and helpful. Failure to wear them can cause a number of problems, including problematic eye development, or the worsening of existing eye conditions. It can be a good idea to keep your glasses on you at all times, in your bag or briefcase, as well as to learn how to fix bent glasses or re-attach lenses, in case something goes wrong throughout the day.

Wear Sun Cream

Some people may shy away from using standard sun cream on their face, as it can feel greasy, oily, or heavy. Others may simply prefer to wear makeup as opposed to sun protection. Regular exposure to UV rays can damage your skin, causing premature wrinkles, dark spots, and even skin cancer. To combat this, you should consider using sun cream on your face, much like you would for the rest of your body. You can pick up specific facial sunscreens that are lightweight, or even have a level of foundation mixed in, to meet the rest of your skincare needs.

Avoid Touching Spots

Whether you are a teenager, or in the golden years of your life, you probably hate it when spots appear. Not only can these be unsightly to look at, but they may also play havoc with your self-confidence. It can be incredibly tempting to pick or squeeze spots, however doing so could cause problems in itself. When you squeeze a spot, you will be causing an open wound, which could allow dirt and debris to enter, leading to an infection. Likewise, continuously scratching or picking an area can delay the healing process of the skin, leaving your face temporarily, or even permanently, scarred. Instead, continue to thoroughly clean your face as normal, and consider if there are any products or hormonal reasons that could be causing your breakout.

Looking after your face can help to boost your self-esteem, keep you looking young, and make you feel attractive around others. By considering your medical needs, as well as a bit of common sense, you may be able to improve your facial health.

*collaborative post

This article was originally published by artofhealthyliving.com. Read the original article here.

It’s been 7 years since the infamous KonMari method entered our lives, where we were encouraged to declutter our homes through a process of sorting our belongings into categories and deciding which things ‘sparked joy’. Since then, decluttering has become the ultimate buzz word in wellness and it is big business. There are now professional declutterers who you can pay to come into your home and sort out your stuff for you.

Decluttering is tiring, it can be emotionally draining, and it can take up a serious amount of time, so it’s no wonder people are happy to pay for this service. However, having strangers rooting through your personal belongings isn’t for everyone and we believe that with a little bit of help everyone is capable of taking on the challenge of decluttering their homes.

A big part of this is about working on your mindset and changing the way you approach clutter, learning to not become too attached to objects that have no sentimental meaning or practical use to you. If you can conquer this, then both your living space and your mind will feel so much better for it. After all a tidy house is a tidy mind and we want to help you get there.

We’ve put together a few simple ways to help you declutter your home for yourself:

If You’re Not Ready To Part With It, Store It

OK so I know this seems a little counterintuitive, but stick with us. If you’re someone who is, shall we say, a bit of a clutterbug, the process of getting rid of some of your worldly possessions isn’t exactly going to be easy. And whilst you need to be strict with yourself, this isn’t something that is going to come naturally to you and certainly won’t be an overnight change. Which is why we think putting certain items into somewhere like Magenta self storage is an essential part of the decluttering process.

Although there is of course a cost involved when using storage facilities, we think this is a small price to pay for the benefits it brings in helping you to declutter. Because one of the crucial elements of decluttering, and certainly one that will motivate you to see the process through to the end, is progress. The feeling that you are getting somewhere with it. Let’s face it when you first take on something like this, it can seem incredibly daunting and overwhelming. And when we feel overwhelmed we are much more likely to run away, defeated and feeling as if we have failed.

In order to feel as though you’re making progress it’s really useful to move some of your items into storage for a while, to help create space in your home and for you to really focus on what needs doing, one box at a time. The simple act of creating space is enough to free up your mind, to help you breathe more easily over what could potentially be a highly anxious exercise.

As for the items in storage? Well, if they end up staying in storage for a couple of months or longer, perhaps it’s time to question whether you have missed any of them, and whether in fact you need any of them back in your life again.

Start Small

The best way to approach decluttering is to focus either on one area or one category of item at a time, rather than tackling a whole room. So for instance, you could say to yourself, “today I am going to sort through the kitchen drawers” and limit yourself to exactly this. This is a totally achievable goal, a task that you can easily complete within a couple of hours tops (depending on the number of drawers!). There’s no better feeling than the feeling you get from ticking off an item on your declutter to do list let me tell you. You are going to feel proper smug and this will fire up your passion and inspire you to continue your decluttering journey.

Another way you could approach it is to set yourself a time limit. Not a long one, maybe say an hour at most, so again keeping it small and achievable. Before you start, write down a few things you would like to get done in this time frame. Here are a few suggestions to get you started:

• Magazines/Newspapers – Flick through magazines taking pictures of any recipes/clothes/products/home inspo etc. that you love. It’s much better to have these on your phone rather than to rip out pages and create a different kind of clutter. Put any old magazines or newspapers in the recycling bin.
• Clothes – Sorting through your entire wardrobe can take forever, so instead focus on a few areas such as your underwear drawer or your jewellery box.
• Bookshelves – Pick just one bookshelf and decide whether you really need all of the books on it. Spend no longer than 5 minutes per book to ensure you aren’t distracted or become too emotionally attached to it. Question how much joy the book brings you, whether you are likely to read it again, whether or not it deserves a space on your shelf. Any that don’t, put to one side ready to take to the charity shop next time you go.
• Food Items – Empty out your pantry and check the expiry dates of those tins and jars lurking at the back. Throw out any that have expired and move any whose dates run out soon to the front of the cupboard to make sure you use them in time. Any that are in date but that you know you won’t use donate to your local food bank.

Take Before, During And After Photos

It’s always a good idea to document your journey, not just for memories sake but also to help aid you in the future. Taking photos before, during and after will help show you what you have achieved. But not only that, it will also remind you how you used to live and will likely evoke negative feelings of how it made you feel to live amongst clutter. This should be enough to keep you on the straight and narrow, helping you to adopt daily habits that allow you to stay on top of things.

Many of us work better with visuals and photos are a great way of documenting where things belong. Take photos of your rooms, but also details such as what your bookshelves look like, inside your drawers and wardrobes, bathroom cabinets, your fridge etc. If in the future you notice that things are starting to look untidy again, check back at your photos and see what’s changed. You can then use them as visual guides to tidy up before things get out of hand – a bit like a declutter manual if you like.

One good habit to adopt that should help prevent an influx of new clutter is to stick to the ‘one in one out’ rule. This means that whenever you buy something new or bring something different into the house, no matter what that object might be, you should get rid of one item you already have. This prevents you having more than you need and stops the overwhelm – both for you and your home.

Consider Professional Help

I know we started this post by saying you can do this decluttering lark on your own, but for some jobs it totally makes sense to call in the professionals and get some help. For example, if you have lots of old photos (you know, actual real life hold in your hand print photos) you understandably won’t want to get rid of them. They contain so many memories and are entirely personal to you, so we’re not asking you to bin them or for someone else to go through them and decide which ones you should and shouldn’t keep. But on the flip side, packs of photos and photo albums take up a lot of room, and for the most part remain hidden away in cupboards or collecting dust on shelves.

Professional declutterers have many strings to their bows and it’s up to you to do a bit of research and find one that can do the jobs you need them to do, such as transferring your print photos into digital files. Make no mistake, this is a lengthy process, and one that would take you way longer than someone who does this for a job and who also wouldn’t be wasting time reminiscing about ‘that time in France’. Once you have your photos stored digitally you can throw away the hard copies, keeping a couple of your favourites to put in frames and have on display in your home. You may find the throwing away process difficult, but remember your photos are safe, in fact safer and more protected than the hard copies, which over time could deteriorate and fade.

Another time consuming task that makes sense to designate to the professionals is sorting through music and films. Nowadays, most of us stream what we watch and listen to, but the older ones among us almost certainly have cupboards filled with CDs, DVDs, Vinyl and even VHS tapes. Most of which we no longer have the devices to play them on and so they sit there unused, but we can’t bear to part with them. Hire someone who can sort it out for you, by either transferring to digital files, or by sourcing streamed or digital copies for you and then

Ask The 3 Important Questions

The most important thing to work on before you physically start the decluttering process, is your mindset. It is essential you learn to shift your mindset to allow it to give you permission to get rid of things. And one thing that can help you with this is by asking yourself the following 3 questions about each item that you might potentially get rid of from your home:

1. Why do I own this? Think about where the item came from, the reason you bought it/was given it in the first place. It’s original purpose.
2. How does it add value to my life? Now think about whether this item has purpose in your life now. Maybe you no longer have as much use for it as you once did or maybe you no longer like how it looks if your style preferences have changed. Is it useful to you in anyway? Do you love it? Or in KonMari terms does it ‘spark joy’?
3. Why should I keep it? And finally, ask yourself why it deserves a place in your home. Do you really need it? Would you miss it if it was gone?

There will naturally be some items that tug at the heart strings, that you can’t quite decide on whether to keep or not, and it is totally fine to have a ‘maybe’ pile. These maybe items are perhaps the ones you should consider putting into storage so that you can give yourself some time and to then revisit them and ask yourself the same three questions again.

The decluttering process can be emotionally fraught, particularly if there are other issues at play. In the process you may discover things about yourself that you’ve never realised before and so in a sense it becomes a form of personal therapy. You and only you can decide which things to part with, but hopefully the tips above will help guide you on your way to making your home clutter free.

*collaborative post

This article was originally published by artofhealthyliving.com. Read the original article here.