Welcome to the New Year. Can you believe it? Are you excited? I am!!
Just like I spent the end of the year reflecting, I like to spend the beginning of the year planning – scheming – dreaming. I know that some people are very anti-resolution. So I just call them goals. They are targets and focus – but bear in mind that they can always be adjusted, they can always be changed as life changes.
As you probably already know – I love gadgets. Now, I AM trying to declutter and simplify so I test out a lot of things before I share them with you. I think a cultivated list helps save you time and money. But a good gadget can make all the difference. I like to think of it as incentive to meet my goals.
The focus of my goals broadly stay the same from year to year. I just refine HOW I will meet the goals. Generally they are:
- Declutter and Simplify and Renew
- Health and Wellness
- Adventure
- Accomplish Things (aka Get Sh!t Done)
Here’s a list of my favorite things to help me meet my goals.
Declutter and Simplify and Renew
For me, a first step in decluttering is sorting. When I have things grouped together, I can cull out what I don’t need. Then, anything I keep gets a home with like things so I know where to find them in the future. This saves from unnecessary duplication of things and helps me see where I have more than I need of something.
And in the vein of minimizing waste, I am trying to refresh or renew old things so they have a second life.
DYMO Label Maker LetraTag 100H
Labeling things makes they easy to spot. I would be lost without this. The paper tape is the most useful. I find this particularly useful for labeling the many cables that collect from different pieces of technology.
DYMO Label Maker LabelManager 160
This larger version can make words larger and can print in multiple rows. I found this useful for my tool kit and things in the garage that needed more visible labels.
This was from a project last year but it inspired a labeling kick for me. The process of organizing and labeling my spices continues to inspire and fuel my other projects. I’m always looking for something that leaves a satisfying result.
I’ve really been trying to get away from plastics where I can. I like cloth bins because they look neat but don’t scratch surfaces. There are so many different size/styles/types available these days. If you search for images you like or things you think will look good in your space, you’ll likely find it. I use ones like these to store clothes so I can pull it down and see all things of a particular type (like swimsuits) all at once.
My IT guys said my keyboard letters wear off because I wear hand lotion. I argue it’s because I type a lot. Updating the stickers on a perfectly good keyboard gives it fresh life. Did you know you can pick font colors and even get larger ones? I also have a really nice (noisy) keyboard from Azio and they sell replacement KEYS. Worth checking into. When I used the laptop keyboard (instead of a peripheral) I bought a silicone skin to lay over it. It saved the keys and helps retain resale value.
This ties in well with my Get Sh!t Done goal. It can be overwhelming to tackle projects when life gets busy. I am committing to mini projects that I can be guaranteed to complete. Every day I want to sort three to five things. They may be keep, they may be sell/toss but it keeps steady progress. Even just one thing is okay. You’ll find the smallest goal can keep you motivated. Even if I don’t feel like it, doing one thing often leads to more. And then I have a wonderful sense of accomplishment!
Health and Wellness
This a classic goal. Is there anyone who doesn’t have some aspect of this as part of their new year’s goals? For me, this has been part of daily living. But I keep it as a goal and try to refresh what it means to me.
For 2023 it’s consistency. I’ve been on and off with taking care of myself. This year I’m focused on making it back into my favorite routine. This includes not only physical activities but a variety of things to help my mental, emotional, spiritual and community health. My general broad strokes are:
- Get outdoors more.
- Possibly rejoin a gym for community
- Engage in regular self-care
- Focus on new tools to manage stress
- Detoxify my environment (wow, this has layers of meaning, right?!)
What are my go to items to help me achieve this? Yes, I have a well loved list I’m happy to share.
*She is running a promotion for the new year – 25% off for the first 6 months! Use code NEWYEAR23. Check out her Instagram page if you want some free mini workouts and some heavy inspiration!
I did a review of this app and workout a while ago. Read it here. I am still part of the program and I still love it. I started to venture into the meal planning and find that I can always get the workout that I need/want. Bonus – it’s portable! The app and some workout bands follow me wherever I go. If you use the link, you can save $5 off every month! She has her own workout bands. I’ve used a lot. Hers are great! Easy to cancel if you decide it’s not for you!
Adidas Defender 3 Medium Duffel Bag / Adidas Defender 3 Small Duffel Bag
*The Defender 4 is another nice option! When you have to lug gear around – or you need something quick and easy for adventuring, I really favor this one. So much so that I sold off all of my other bags.
The big U shaped opening makes it easy to get things in and out. The two side pockets can hold shoes and other sundries. I started with the smallest size but I think the medium is the most versatile.
These insoles are in EVERY pair of exercise shoes I own. Sneakers are such personal preference but I find that simply upgrading the insole allows me to really customize the fit. These insoles will outlast your sneakers. I reuse mine for several pairs of sneakers.
Before you toss your sneaker’s original insole, use it to trace an outline on the Superfeet. Cut it to fit perfectly. There is also a blue if you don’t need as much support as me!
I love using hand weights and kettlebell in my home workout. This has been missing from my arsenal. I couldn’t decide which one to get. Work with a professional and get one that’s appropriate for you. Medicine balls come in many different weights. The link is to an 8lb one but there are 6lb, 10lb and 12 lb as well. I like the TRX ones because they are more comfortable to hold in my opinion.
First, I do NOT recommend you get this if you haven’t used one before. But I love them! My trainer lent me his, but when he needed it back, I immediately bought a replacement. I use it for incline chest presses, situps, and general stability. I am VERY careful NOT to balance on it unless I have someone around to assist me. Better safe than sorry!
I’ve put a lot of detail into the physical fitness but now to turn our attention to the other parts of health and wellness.
I’ve always enjoyed essential oils but always remained skeptical about their efficacy (how well they work). When my dad got sick and hospitalized, I really feel that these made all the difference. I enjoy Grapefruit in my daily water. Breathe and OnGuard are proprietary blends and perfect for cold and flu season. I like the roll on versions for travel.
Don’t let the name fool you, they aren’t really ice. If you’ve been paying attention to the latest IT gadget for self-care, it’s ice globes for facials. It helps reduce puffiness, temporarily tightens pores, and helps you feel refreshed. This is part of my morning rituals.
These are most often see as lovely, delicate glass globes. My issue with the glass globes are they are fragile. These metal ones have the additional benefit of having spinning tops. It rolls over your skin with ease – no tugging. Bonus, you can just leave the out and they stay pretty cool. I am addicted! Do not put them in the freezer. The fridge is fine for metal rollers!
Bianstone Gua Sha Tool / WILDING Aura Stone
I wrote about gua sha here, but I decided to up my game for 2023. I invested in a bian stone one that has jagged teeth for a bit more oomph on circulation. I also picked up a scalp aura stone from Wilding. Remember: be gentle.
Listen, I’m a skeptic. All I can say is that this ritual feels really wonderful – and so I’m willing to set aside results and just enjoy some personal pampering. I’m also checking out the WILDING cupping and I’m sure I’ll be writing about it more.
Snow Limited Edition Wireless Teeth Whitening
I’ve tried the strips – they work but I hate how they feel in my mouth. I’ve tried the custom tray, it works really well but it’s inconvenient for life. Wearing it for an hour is endless AND it irritates my gums. This one has the advantage of being short treatments (only 9 minutes) and the wireless version lets you multi-task. There is a less expensive wired version that works just the same. I hate being tethered to wires – which I learned with my face masks. With the wireless one, you can even do this while you shower! Self-care includes doing things that make you feel better. For me, that’s whiter teeth.
Adventure
If you’ve been following the blog in the last year, you may know that we bought a farm. Travel used to be my big adventure – but now just working on the farm is. Let’s be clear. I am not a farmer. I’m truly ill-suited to be a farmer. While I enjoy the outdoors, I dislike insects, creepy crawlies, and being dirty. But it’s forcing me to grow. In this vein, one plan is to try to formally learn tree identification. I haven’t decided the method yet – but I think this will come in handy. I will also learn how to do a bunch of new things and drive a bulldozer. Crazy, right?
The items on my adventure gear list right now are aimed at getting me outside during the cold weather.
La Sportive Nucleo High ii GTX Hiking Boot
I needed some good boots – for both farm work and hiking. My Raichle boots are in great shape for being 30 years old but…technology and boots have improved! These were highly recommended to me AND they are super comfortable to boot. I’ve put my beloved SuperGreen inserts for even better support! (If you are an REI member, you can also get them here.)
Day Wolf Electric Heated Winter Gloves
It’s also worth noting that I am perpetually cold. I don’t mind being outside in the cold, but my Reynaud’s syndrome (painful extremities that don’t get great circulation) has to be addressed to allow me to really enjoy the cold weather.
In 2021, George bought me a pair of liners from Day Wolf to help my winter hiking. They were such a huge game changer that I upped the ante this year and bought actual gloves. Now my fingers are nearly the warmest part of me. I have very small (dare I say dainty?) hands and these come in a range of sizes that work even for me!
One of my guilty pleasures is wearing onesies. Pre-pandemic my equivalent was dresses. It was so easy to be fully dressed. But hanging out at home, rarely leaving the house, I am low-key addicted to onesies. I do my best to hide it but now I’m sharing it in all of its glory. I discovered this brand a few years ago and I am obsessed! They have a bunch of styles. Frankly they work best for men (double ended zipper) but they are still so comfortable I wear them regularly. Silly. Comfortable. And as stylish as a I think a onesie can be. But this year, I upgraded to winter weight ones. There is a January sale (70% off!) going on right now so the link takes you to that page, but check it out. They really are wonderful. I think you’ll agree!
Now that that’s out of the way – time to focus on the most important Get Sh!t Done! Without that, the rest of this is useless!
What are your goals/focus/resolutions/manifestation plans for 2023? I’d love to hear them!
Disclosure: I am a participant in the Amazon Services LLC Associates Program, an affiliate advertising program. Some of these links are affiliate links. If you click a link and buy something, I may receive a commission for the sale. It does not cost you anything extra and you are free to use the link or not. Product purchases for review are made with my own money and my opinions are my own. If product is ever provided or the article is sponsored, it will be clearly noted at the top of the page.
