New Years Resolutions: How to Focus on Happiness in 2021

Goodbye, 2020! I know that the majority of us are ready for this year to be in the past. One thing that you need to know, however, is that just because a new year is approaching, that does not mean that it will automatically become a better year. While there are a lot of things that we cannot control (pandemics, as an example!), there is a lot that we can control and at the end of the day (or year!), we are the ones who decide how happy we feel. Happiness is created by the individual, not by the circumstances. If you are ready to move into 2021 focusing on happiness, here are a few tips on how to focus on happiness in 2021:

Decide What Is Important To You

Deciding what is important to you is the first step to happiness. What brings you joy? What is holding you back? Write it all down and then create a plan to put more focus on the things that are important, and get rid of the things that are holding you back from your passions. This will take time to figure out, but if you take the time to do it, your life will change significantly for the better.

Make A Big Change

If you are not happy with your current life situation, consider making a big change. This looks different to everyone. Some might think that making a big change is switching jobs, changing their hair style, or removing toxic friendships from their life. Others might think that a big change is moving cross country or trying to become an entrepreneur. Keep in mind: no matter what big life change you decide to make (if any), you do not have to do it alone. Your family and friends will be there each step of the way, if you will let them help you out. If you want to tackle it alone, but still need help, consider hiring out help. For example, we moved from California to Texas, so if you’re moving, I know how much help you might need because it definitely has the potential to get very timely and stressful. Ask your friends and family for help and also consider hiring a moving company to reduce the stress even more. Our Truck Moving is a Garland TX local moving company that has a goal of providing honest and stress-free moving services. They can help with residential and commercial moves + packing services, labor only services, and more. They will provide customer-focused service, fast and efficient services, and affordable pricing. Their five+ years of experience has allowed them to become the best movers around Texas! Making a big change in your life is hard, but you can make it easier by asking for help!

Limit Social Media

Limiting social media consumption is never a bad thing. Why? Because of the dreaded highlight reel! Nobody goes on social media to post about the ‘bad’ things in their life. Try to be aware of that the next time you are looking at a picture while thinking about how perfect this person's life is. Depression is at an all time high and Instagram has the potential to increase negative feelings about your own life significantly. Just keep that in mind going forward!

Say “Yes” More Often

There are so many amazing opportunities for you out there and the only way you will get to experience them is by saying “yes” more often, even when you are scared. A lot of the time, saying “yes” will get you out of your comfort zone and that is a good thing, in my opinion. Fear can be a valuable thing - it encourages caution when people need to be safe, but it can also be extremely limiting. Not everything you’re afraid of needs fear all around it. Sometimes, moments of bravery are what is needed to make your life better. Saying “yes” opens more doors for you, creates a more fulfilling and colorful world for you to live in, and it also promotes positivity in your life and others lives around you. Do you need to say “yes” to everything? Of course not! In fact, I think that we should say “no” more often (am I contradicting myself?), but the things that we “say” no to are the things that do not have the potential to bring us joy. So, for example, say “no” to that get together that you are dreading, but say “yes” to something such as traveling across the world (even if that might be a bit scary!).

Surround Yourself With Positivity

Last but not least, surround yourself with positivity! Think positive thoughts, do things that will enhance your happiness, and most importantly, surround yourself with people who want the same. This is important because even if you think positively, when you surround yourself with others who spread negative thoughts and feelings, you are bound to fall into the trap. Surround yourself with those who want to dwell in positivity, as well.

Pantry Organization on a Budget in 3 Simple Steps

We have officially been in our new house for 8 months! When we first moved in, we tackled so many projects; and still continuing. One of the projects on my long list was our pantry. Upon moving in, we literally just threw everything in there and shut the door. For us, we use the pantry every day. Now that we can have guests over and entertain, I wanted to make sure this somewhat high-traffic area in our kitchen was put in order and that our pantry organization project was done on a budget.

Step 1

The first step to organizing our pantry on a budget was to clear out every item that was in there. It took me about 20 minutes to remove everything and set it on the counter. Holy moly! I am not sure where all this stuff came from. I began by organizing into groups— pasta, boxed goods, snacks, canned goods, baking goods, etc. From grouping, I checked the dates on every item and threw out all the things that expired. I filled out a trash can full of expired food!

Step 2

Now that everything was laid out and organized, I was able to see what I had already and what organization tools I needed from the store. Typically, I see wooden or wicker bins being used or clear acrylic containers. I wanted to be a little different and go with a bit of color. Target had everything I needed to organize our pantry on a budget. I found the perfect mint colored bin, and they were all under $9! You will know that all of our kitchen accessories are in mint or light turquoise color if you know me. I grabbed a few bins in all different sizes. Two lazy-susans — these things are fantastic! If you don’t have one— you need one! They are so convenient. Just spin her around, and you get the item you need without having to move anything! One the Lazy-Susans, I placed our most used condiments (Cholula, Olive oil, Chick-Fil-A sauce). I also made one Lazy-Susan for the more breakfast type condiments such as honey, agave nectar, peanut butter, almond butter, etc.

For the canned items, I got a 3 Tier Bamboo Expandable Step Shelf. I have been wanting one of these forever! This makes it so easy to see every canned item you have—another “must-have” product for your pantry.

Step 3

Now that I had all the bins I needed, I placed each food group into separate compartments. For example, I made a “snack” bin, a bin for rice, a container for pasta, baking goods, sauces, and so on. I placed all the canned goods on the 3 Tier Bamboo Shelf.

Cleaning out our pantry and reorganizing it felt so good and even better than it was done on a budget! Now, if your pantry is an unorganized mess, I hope this project of mine has inspired you to go and get organized!! This project was very affordable. All the items used in this project are linked here.

As we finish organizing the rest of our home, I am excited to find more tips and tricks to share with all of you. For example, I recently heard about Junk Queen TX, and I would have 100% looked into their services if our pantry was more of a massive undertaking when it came to removing junk. If we have a renovation project in the future, their services might come in handy. They provide dumpster rental services with a 5-star service reputation, fair-low pricing, responsiveness and deep respect for their valued customers. When you have a lot of junk, renting a dumpster is the most affordable and convenient way to go. You dump it all, and they pick it up, and get rid of it for you. Easy, peasy. If you need trash removed, furniture picked up, or rubbish cleared away from your home or business, check out their junk removal services.

Happy organizing!