13 Things You Should Do At The Start Of Each Year

I'm a huge believer in working to a plan.
When I look back across my life to the times when things have been going really, really well, when I have been achieving big career success and life is just fantastic, to a fault each of these spells was during a time that I was working a plan, had goals written out, knew what I wanted next. It's like having a road map in hand and if you just follow the map you get to where you want to be.
Conversely the times when nothing much is going on, when I feel like I'm floundering around, trying to find my way, are always the times when I don't have a plan written out.
So as we kick off this brand new year here is a list of things that you should do every year

image source: Rebloggy.com

1. Make A List Of The Bad Things

Sounds counter productive right? But trust me, it isn't.
Look back at the year that just ended and make a list of the things that stressed you halfway out of your mind, the things that made you nervous, the things that scared or overwhelmed you. Then write down how you won the battle, what the outcome was, how you feel about it now.
We don't always realize at the front end just how incredibly strong, resilient and fierce we really are. Looking back you'll find things that terrified you are no longer scary, things you stressed over weren't worth the energy, and you will see that you have some major coping skills you never even knew you had!
It puts the new year into perspective and gives you a little ammunition to face the inevitable bumps in the road with.

2. Stop Holding Onto Heartache

One of the most destructive things we do is to keep holding onto the relationships that failed. If your heart got broken last year, or if you were let down terribly by someone (it happens to everyone at some point in life), write yourself a letter either forgiving that person, or committing yourself to just letting it go. 
When you hold on to it, relive it, think about it, stay angry or hurt, the only person who suffers is you. That type of thinking is toxic and permeates into the rest of your life. Let it go and move on. If that person comes into your thoughts just send them love and light and close the door on it.
Once you have some distance from the relationship or the issue you will look back and see that holding onto it was a total waste of time anyway.
And if it still really hurts remember ~ This too shall pass ~

3. Set Goals

Whatever it is you want in life, write it down as a goal.
Make financial goals both for the short term and the long term.
Set career goals, relationship goals, travel goals, goals for your home, your car - you name it. The key to success and to achieving the things you want in life is to identify them, get specific, ad then start figuring out a plan to make them happen.
Not sure how to do it? Check out this post on How To Set Goals

4. Make A Budget

The key not just to financial security, but to just making it to the end of the month or the end of the year, is to make a budget that accounts for every dollar you earn and where it is going.
Want to travel? Buy a new car? Put in a swimming pool? Whatever it is that you want, add it to your budget and watch how quickly you can make it happen! 
Not sure how to create a budget? Read this post on How To Make A Budget.

5. Clear The Clutter.

Go through your home and your work-space and clear out all the clutter. You will be amazed at how clearly you can think, how much more relaxed you become when all the clutter is cleared away. According to the art of Feng Shui clutter has a negative effect on us emotionally, physically and mentally.
Read about the absolute magic in simplifying, organizing and clearing your space in Japanese cleaning consultant Marie Kondo's  world famous book:

The Life-Changing Magic of Tidying Up: The Japanese Art of Decluttering and Organizing

6. Clean Out Your Closet.

This ties in with number 5, but is also important on its own.
You will no doubt find great pieces you forgot you had, and in the process can streamline your wardrobe.
You already know what needs to go. Donate and consign everything you need to part with.

7. Clean Out Your Makeup Drawer.

image via www.avantderm.com

Take everything out, clean it, and decide what is still good and what needs to be trashed.
Not sure if your makeup has gone bad? Check out this post:
How To Tell If Your Makeup Has Gone Bad

8. Buy New Underwear.

Go through your lingerie drawer and toss anything that's no longer in tip top shape. Any undies that have bad elastic, saggy bottoms, frayed edges, have faded color, don't fit quite right, especially your every day items - get rid of them. I think it's a great idea to start the year with fresh, new, everyday underwear.
Try the beautiful Natori Bliss Bloom Thong

Natori's beautiful Bliss Bloom Thong is the perfect addition to your New Year Undies Collection 

9. Get Fitted For A Bra

At least once every year you should get refitted for a bra.
Sometimes you will find nothing has changed, other times, especially after weight loss or weight gain, changes in hormones, changes in exercise routines, you will find things really have changed.
Unless you want boobies that are saggy and limp and hang down to your belly button, you need to stay on top of how your bras fit.
(I can't stress this enough for full breasted / heavy breasted girls - we are fighting gravity more than all the other girls!)

10. Re -Evaluate Your Skincare Products

Its so easy to just stick with what you've been using for ages, and not realize that its no longer working any magic on your skin.
Your skin's needs changes with the climate, with your age, with your changing hormones. If you want luminous, glowing, healthy skin you need to change up the products you're using to meet your skin's needs.
I'm in love with Korean skin care and the way the Korean women with their world famous, exquisite skin, layer their products. You can read about it here: West Face East ~ How To Layer Your Skin Care Korean-Style
I buy all my Korean skin care products online through Memebox
, one of the world's largest skin care stores.

11. Rearrange Your Space

image via Adorable-Home.com

Changing the layout of the rooms you spend the most time in changes how you perceive that space. Sometimes it's all you need to feel refreshed and invigorated and inspired.
And if you don't like it, you can always change it back.
I just love white, Scandinavian style bedrooms.

12. Book A Trip.

You need to at least plan some travel for the year ahead. 
Maybe it's a big overseas trip, maybe it's a long weekend. Plan a beach vacation, a mountain retreat, or an escape to a new city. Whatever fits your style, just get it on the calendar. 
If you don't plan it out at the beginning of the year, chances are another year will roll by and you will have gone nowhere.

I book my travel both domestic and international, using Booking.com

13. Buy A Really Great Pair Of Shoes

Sometimes this means forecasting it to the season where you really need them, but try buying a pair of really good quality, timeless, walk-around-all-day-and-still-feel-great shoes. Shoes that go with everything, that look chic, and make you feel fabulous.
They will set you back a little (or a lot) more, but a really good shoe is a great investment in yourself.

Prada Wingtip Oxford Loafer

I bought myself this Prada Wingtip Platform Loafer
 (in black though) for my birthday. I will wear them forever. You can find them at Nordstrom

How To Create A Budget

The most important part of being financially successful is creating (and living by!) a budget.

I can't tell you how many people I know who make oodles of money but have nothing to show for it, no great savings or investments. By contrast I know many folks who earn very average incomes but have set themselves up brilliantly and have savings and investments working away for them, are able to do wonderful things every year, while never making a late payment or finding themselves in financial strife.

It's all in the perspective. And a good budget.

When I talk to my pro-makeup artistry students about running a business budget, and only spending the allocated percentage of their income on new eye shadow palettes, most of them look at me blankly, or with an embarrassed confusion because no one has talked to them before about making a budget.

So let's look at how to do it:

How To Make A Budget

List Your Income

Whether you go old school and use a big yellow legal pad, or maybe you do a spreadsheet or even an online budget tool, you need to start by making a list of all your income from it's various sources.

Don't forget to factor in extras such as child support, residual income and side jobs.

List Your Expenses

This one is always a bit uncomfortable to do because most of us spend more than we should, often more than we earn.

Start with your fixed expenses. Those are the ones that are the same every month, such as rent/mortgage payment, car payment, insurance, utilitites, phone, cable, internet.

Next list your non fixed expenses that pop up during the year. For example you know your car registration is due every September, you will need x number of oil changes each year, annual subscriptions, membership dues - you get the picture.

This is really important because not planning for these expenses can derail you and get you into a place where you can't pay bills that month.

Perhaps the biggest money pit is the amount you spend on food, entertainment and transport (gas for your car, taxi/uber etc)

Factor in a realistic amount for what you think you are spending in this category each month. I guarantee you you are spending more than you realize!

Create a category for random things such as clothes, shoes, homegoods, social events, birthday parties, child expenses - you get the picture.

A budget has to run to a zero game. By that I mean it has to round out to zero dollars at the end of each month, so every dollar you earn has to fall into a category or have a name.

Plan Your Savings

Savings fall into several categories.

Emergency Fund

You need to have at least $1000 in an emergency fund. This can be for unexpected medical expenses, unexpected car expenses, unexpected home expenses etc. There will always be crazy emergencies that pop up in life, and you have to be ready for them when they do arrive.

When you do have to dip into the emergency fund you then have to replace the money you took from it, which means you have to figure out where that money is going to come from.

Six Months Of Bills

You need to build a savings fund to cover 6 months of bills in the event that you lose your job, get sick or injured and can't work.

Mid-Term Savings

This is the fund for travel, for saving for a new car or a new couch, upgrades to your home, anything that you are working towards aquiring or achieving.

Long Term Savings

Your retirement, investments, college funds for kids.

Once you have your savings and expenses lists made you can look at how they shape up against your income list. You may find that your grocery, entertainment and clothing expenses need to be trimmed down!

Break It Down Monthly.

Your budget changes from month to month, so once you have your year's overview in place you create a budget for each month, ideally a few days before the month begins.

Pay Yourself First.

The first item to be fed each month is the savings accounts. 

Feed the pig.

You have figured out the percentage of income that has to go to savings, so that amount goes from each paycheck into savings as soon as you get paid. If you don't pay your savings first you will never get the right amount saved - there will always be extra expenses that will steal that money if you don't take care of it first!

How To Prepare Your Home For Fall

It will still be summer where I live for a while, but I might start prepping for fall anyway, especially after reading this article in Career Girl Daily.

How To Prepare Your Home For Fall

There are so many reasons to be excited for fall, from cosy evenings todelicious homely food and our favourite TV shows returning. One of our favourite things about fall is preparing our home for the darker evenings. Whether you need some inspiration for your dorm room at Uni or whether you’re lucky enough to have the whole house to yourself, there are so many cute ways to dress up your space this season!

In summer, we love light, bright, airy rooms with fruity scents and thinner sheets, but it’s time to switch it up a little bit. There’s nothing better than coming in from the cold, shivering and clinging to your jacket, and strutting into a room that oozes comfort, warmth and seasonal goodness. Strip off that soaking raincoat and enjoy these ways to prepare your home for fall.

#1 Start with the scents

We love clean, citrus scents for summer, but there’s nothing better than coming home to warm spiced smells in the fall. You can opt for a warm, fruity diffuser like Dr vranjes chinotto pepe diffuser 250ml from The Conran Shop that contains citrus, bergamot and mandarin with spicy cardamom, nutmeg and saffron and will continue working in your home while you’re at work. Or you can invest in a gorgeously scented candle to light when you get home like this Incense & Embers candle from Jo Malone.

#2 Wall decorations

Don’t underestimate the power of wall decorations, girls. They can make your room feel like an entirely different place! Invest in a cute piece of wall art like this LOVE print by CloudWalkerStudios on Etsy, or cut or tear out your favourite bits from magazines. In the cold weather you can’t beat a twinkling st of fairy lights, either. You can always get some from a local discount store or invest in these cute and affordableMagic Gem Fairy Lights from Urban Outfitters. String them up on your wall or around your bed frame for instant twinkly goodness.

#3 Bedding

We all have our favourite bedspreads, but you might want to get a new quilt or throw for the season. As well as being super warm and cosy, they can update your old favourite sheets. Try this Houndstooth Blanket from Zara Home if you need extra cosiness in the evenings or purchase this amazing Sheepskin Rug from Oliver Bonas and use it all year round, draped on a desk chair or for extra snugness lay it out across the floor.

#4 Accessories

Of course you can always DIY your own home decor, stringing paper chains together, spray painting vases bronze and marbling jewellery dishes are all the kinds of things a crafty girl could easily put their hands to. We like to try our hands at stringing things up and using glue, but when all else fails you can’t beat a beautiful flower in an even more beautiful vase, like this Small Glass Vase From H&M Home. We love this ring dish from Kate Spade, too. Accessories can be anything from cute perfume bottles to shells you collected on the beach in summer.

Decorating your home for fall can be one of the most fun parts of adapting for the new season. Even if you just look for cute free bits and bobs to put on your shelves and string a few leaves together, scents, sights and sounds that change to reflect the season will help you jump out of bed in the morning and have you heading for home with a spring in your step.

6 Unique And Beautiful Ways To Light Up Your Yard

I love summer.
I never want it to be over.
Which is somewhat handy being that I live in the perennial summer that is Phoenix.
Here you can spend your evenings outdoors basically all year round, so it's fun to have unique and interesting lighting accents in your back yard for last minute cocktail parties, casual evenings with friends, family nights or just a glass of wine and a good book on a rare night spent home alone.

I found this article about backyard lighting on PopSugarWritten by Lisette Mejia

Unique Ways To Light Up Your Yard

As great as they are, sometimes string lights can feel a little, "been there, done that." That's why we've gathered a bunch of completely creative outdoor lighting ideas that you'll want to try ASAP. And if you think you can't have an al fresco shindig because Summer is over, think again — right now is the perfect time because the weather isn't too extreme. Now, who's ready?

Photo by Fondly Forever Photography via Style Me Pretty

How creative is this? Attach small lights from a hanging planter and add corkscrews — we're just warning you now that it'll look funny when all your guests walk around with their heads up.

Photo by Amelia Johnson Photography via Style Me Pretty

Just beautiful. These grapevine balls were hung individually after adding string lights. Don't they look like little fireworks?

Photo by Jennifer Lindberg via Style Me Pretty

Ever seen wicker pendant lighting? Combine it with colorful string lights for a setup that works no matter what time of year.

Photo by John and Joseph Photography via Style Me Pretty

Image Source: Sarah Tew Photography

Nothing's more memorable than Moroccan lanterns lined on the stairs. If you don't want to deal with the hassle of blowing out the candlelight, replace the real deal with battery-operated votives.

Or, you could move the lanterns from the floor to a higher spot by hanging them from tree branches; this makes for an intimate feel.

Source: Brittany Ambridge via Domino