Curated Weekly

It’s hard to believe that we are already in a new month as well as in the last month of summer, but I do love the beginning of a new month as this a great time to do a monthly reset.  I do weekly resets on Sundays in general for things like my home, my work, self-care, etc., and a monthly reset just takes this work a little deeper.  The first weekend of the month is a time to for me to reflect on my current goals for progress to see if any adjustments need to be made, I will clean out certain areas of my home like the closets, pantry, and cabinets.  I will also check to see if any restocking is needed for things like pantry items, beauty items and work-related items.  I can do a whole a blog post on monthly resets (and I probably will), but for now since we are at the beginning of a new month for this week’s curated edition, I wanted to dedicate it to focusing on monthly resets.  Let’s start the month strong and focus on what we want to create for the month August.

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 SHOPPING, BOOKS, MEDIA, ETC.

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If you’re like me and like to make a physical to-do list, then this Bloom Daily Planner for Work & Personal To-Do Planning is a great tool.  I especially love that it has the personal and work categories as well as three spaces to list out the top priorities so that they do not get lost in the basic list of to-dos.

Despite what social media would have us believe, I don’t think you need a container for every item in your kitchen or that everything needs to be decanted for aesthetic purposes as this would take up a lot of time to do that much decanting.  But what I do find beneficial is decanting dry goods into clear airtight containers because you can keep an easy visual check on things that may need to be replenished each month.  Things such as flour, oatmeal, pastas, sugar, etc. are things that typically do not need to be rebought every week, but more like once a month and having them in clear containers will give you easy reminders of what is needed to be restocked for the month ahead.

If you have a small command center in your home, then this Grid Wall Organizer with Clips is a great find to add to this area.  I have a place in my home where I keep things like sale reminders from my favorite store, one-off bills that need to be paid like medical for example, invitations to events and birthday cards that need to be mailed that month.  This organizer can help in reminding you what needs to be taken care of that month as it pertains to those physical items like bills, cards, etc. and I like that it has clips and it’s not push pins because you may not want to put a hole in some of the items that you want to leave out.

If you are like me and like to purchase leather bags for their beautiful craftsmanship and durability, then be sure to keep a bottle of Leather Conditioner/Moisturizer in with your home cleaning supplies.  Bags typically need a conditioner 2-3 times a year to keep in optimal shape so that it doesn’t dry out and get dull.  You can use also use this on any leather good such as shoes, wallets, etc. but for only $15 a bottle which will last a very long time, this a great product to keep on hand to keep your leather goods in optimal condition.

If you’re wanting to start the month off with glowing, radiant skin, then give Dr. Dennis Gross Universal Daily Peel Pads a try.  These can technically be used daily, but they are pretty strong, and they absolutely work at removing that top layer of dead and peeling skin off of the face.  I use these 2-3 times a week and get the 30-pack, but if you are not looking to spend $92 for this item and instead just want to use them once a month to help remove that top layer of dull skin, then purchase these 5-pack for only $20.

One App that I use on my phone for organizing and to-do lists is the Microsoft To-Do App.  You can use this app to create many types of lists where you can list your items and it also has a function for checking them off with a tap of the finger.  Not only do you get to create the different types of lists, but within the list you can also choose the background from a picture in your camera roll which is such a nice function for a girl who loves pretty things.  I have lists in my app like Target List, Blog Post Ideas, Weekly Dinner Menu, Weekly To-Do’s, and when traveling I will list out things to do for that particular destination.  We are not always going to carry a physical to-do list with us everywhere we go, but with this app you don’t have to as you can create your to-do’s here for easy access on the go.

And while the house will get its weekly cleaning and daily tidying, once a month there are some things that I will deep clean such as the floors, the fridge, windows, etc.  The cleaning products that I use for these deeper cleanings are products that I use very sporadically, so I use a storage container like this Under Sink Turntable to keep them stored away and for easy access when I do go through and do a monthly deep cleaning.  It helps to keep these specialty items organized and stored away from the others that are used more often.

 

When doing a monthly reset, we often have some tasks that are month specific and if you are looking for more inspiration on monthly resets and organizing then look into Martha Stewart’s Organizing: The Manual for Bringing Order to Your Life, Home & Routines.  A book broken down into monthly sections that provides a lot of tips for organizing.  Described as, trust Martha to help you master all things organizing—sorting, purging, tidying, and simplifying your life—with smart solutions and inspiration. Here, she offers her best guidance, methods, and DIY projects for organizing in and around your home. Topics include room-by-room strategies (how to sort office paperwork, when to purge the garage or attic), seasonal advice (when to swap out bedding and clothing, how to put away holiday decorations), and day-by-day or week-by-week plans for projects such as de-cluttering, house cleaning, creating a filing system, overhauling the closet, and more.

 

Some books are just good for the soul, and The Road to Le Papillon: Daily Meditations on True Contentment  is one of them.  While we like to be productive and get things done during our monthly reset, it is also important to take some time to also be grateful for all that we currently have and have accomplished.  A monthly reset for our mindset if you will and Shannon’s book is a great way to incorporate this monthly mindset reset with her book which is broken down into monthly sections, so you can start a new chapter at the beginning of each month with new inspiration.  Shannon also has two other books that you can look more into on her blog, The Simply Luxurious Life. Described as, the road to true contentment is a chosen journey. Our enjoyment of life expands and deepens based on being courageously open to possibility and tenaciously becoming fully human. Living mindfully in the present steadies us as we pursue true contentment and live peacefully in our everydays, engaging with love, openness, presence, and kindness. in The Road to Le Papillon, Shannon tells intimate, never-before-shared, pivotal life stories that brought her to Le Papillon. With nods to the inspiration she finds in the French and British cultures, she lays out an array of skills and ahas, 

 

If you’re a bit on the minimal side of things like I am, but still love beautiful organization inspiration, then look into Organized Living: Solutions and Inspiration for Your Home.  By the same author of Minimalista, this book is full of beautifully organized spaces and ideas that is sure to get your inspiration flowing for organizing your own home.  Described as, eople are naturally curious about the homes of professional organizers. Organized Living was inspired by Shira’s desire to provide a glimpse into a rarely seen world: The homes of people who organize others. Shira showcases the homes of twenty-five international home organizers, offering an exclusive behind-the-scenes look into this meticulously kept world. Organized Living introduces you to the aspirational spaces of the most organized people in the world, the organizers themselves, and the passion that fuels their work. Through stunning images and absorbing interviews, you’ll gain expert tips and resources, loads of visual inspiration, and clever organizing hacks you can use in your own home, such as: Ditching the packaging, choosing stylish storage, elevating the most neglected spaces, and putting things away, right away.

 

And if you’re not really “that girl” with all of the organizing perfection and just want to keep on top of the household in general, then look into Organizing for the Rest of Us: 100 Realistic Strategies to Keep Any House Under Control.  A book for more practical advice on organizing than instead of the aesthetically pleasing kind. Described as, traditional organizing advice never worked for decluttering expert and self-proclaimed recovering slob Dana K. White. Is it possible, she wondered, to get organized without color coding my sock drawer? As Dana let go of the need for perfection, she discovered the joy of having an organized house in the midst of everyday life. You can too! In Organizing for the Rest of Us, Dana teaches you how to make great strides without losing your mind in organizing every room of your home. You’ll find her 100 easy-to-read organizing tips invaluable, including: why you need to get a grip on laundry and dishes before getting organized, the basics of organization for people who don’t like to organize, why changing how we think about clutter is the first step to getting rid of it, how living with less stuff is better for the environment, our spiritual lives, and our relationships, the simple yet life-changing tactic that is the container concept.

 

Carter Sullivan is a great YouTuber to follow if you are looking for real-life type of inspiration instead of a glossed-up kind.  She shares so many great videos on various subjects and one of them is her monthly resets.

 

If you are looking for information about how to create a monthly reset routine, then watch this video from Katie Calloway as she talks about setting goals, intentions and reflecting.

If you find that you are needing some inspiration to create a simpler life as part of your monthly reset, then Sadia from Pick Up Limes has some great minimalist habits that you can incorporate to help you achieve this goal.

And if you’re in a cozy mood and wanting to watch a cozy reset vlog of cleaning, organizing and admin, then look no further than this video from Cozy K.

 

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ARTICLES OF INTEREST

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Always one to into The School of Self Image podcast for inspiration, Tonya Leigh does have an episode all about The Monthly Reset.  Listen as Tonya talks about hitting that monthly reset goal and how it’s an essential part of self-image work and in shaping experiences and outcomes.

If you are looking for tips to keep a clean house beyond the monthly reset, then read 15 Habits of Women Who Always Have a Clean House.

If you have a monthly goal of decluttering the whole house, here is an article of How To Do a Whole-House Declutter in a Month.

I personally do a pantry deep clean and organizing as part of my monthly reset, but if you’re like me and have a small pantry, then here is 15 Small Pantry Organization Ideas from Martha Stewart.

If creating an overall better day and week for yourself is a monthly goal you are focusing on, then a great Podcast episode to listen to for inspiration on creating routines is from The Simple Sophisticate, The Importance of Daily and Weekly Rituals and Routines You Love.