New Year's resolutions.

The new year is here, which means it's time to set some new goals for ourselves such as getting to the gym more, saving money, or eating healthier. But within a month or so, many of us find that even the best of intentions go to the wayside. We have some simple resolutions that you can incorporate into your daily life which can improve your home and lifestyle (and doesn't involve giving up chocolate).

Declutter.

Clothing

Purge, purge, and purge some more. The funny truth is that many of us only wear about 20% of our wardrobe, and the rest just takes up valuable space in our closet. Gently used clothing, shoes, or old jackets can all be donated to a consignment store for others to use.

Paper Clutter

Many of us have a room in the house or a space at our work where we've hoarded years of paperwork on the off chance that 'maybe' we'll need them later. We're here to tell you: you don't! The best way to eliminate old files and paperwork is to take the time to sort and digitize any files you may need for later, then shred or recycle the physical copies. Old magazines or books can be donated to hospitals or other charitable locations which will put them to good use.

Kitchen

Head into your pantry, kitchen cabinets, freezer and refrigerator to throw out any stale, old or unusable items. Donate or throw out anything that has been hiding in the back corner for the last 6 years... do you really need five frying pans when you always use your favourite one?

Increase your home's energy efficiency.

Here are a few tips on how to save energy and money within your own home:

• Unplug small appliances/electronics when they're not in use
• The optimum temperature for your fridge to ensure food safety and energy efficiency are 3C/38F, and 18C/0F for your freezer
• Swap out light bulbs for LED bulbs
• Replace your thermostat with a programmable one to schedule the heating and cooling system to only kick in when you're at home
• Skip the heat/dry cycle on your dishwasher. Your dishes will come out just as clean this way!
• Wash your clothes with cold water and hang them to dry
• Remove lint from your dryer to make it run more efficiently

Incorporate simpler wellness changes in your lifestyle.

A common new year's resolution is to get back to the gym, or to clean up our eating habits. But sometimes we take on drastic lifestyle changes that are hard to maintain. Here are a few healthy changes that are easy to add into your lifestyle:

• Drink more water. Carry a water bottle with you to work or on the go to try and consume more throughout the day. A minimum of two to three litres can help to improve your overall health, energy and mood!
• Make more homecooked meals. We know cooking isn't everyone's favourite task, but making more homemade meals will save you money, and is healthier for you than eating fast food or take out on a regular basis.
• Get to bed earlier. Getting more hours of sleep at night can help to make waking up easier, give you more energy throughout the day as well as increase productivity

We wish you a Happy New Year!