• Posts on this site contain affiliate links. This means that when you purchase through these links, we get a small commission off of those purchases; in other words, it helps to keep this site running, cover fees, and support our family!

New Home-Fresh Start

We are enjoying our new house already! We have gotten everything moved in and almost everything has a place of its own. My goal with this fresh start is to better our quality of living. This means not only do we all have rooms (extra sleep is so sweet!) but that I plan to keep the house organized and tidy. 

I am already finding some great organizers and almost everything is in a box or bin, even outside. We are also clearing out and selling a LOT of things that we do not need to make some room and cover the costs of all the organizational materials. 

I truly believe that a clean and organized house makes all the difference when it comes to your health, energy, mood, and overall well-being. On our very first couple days in the new home we had freshly cleaned floors, cupboards, drawers, and nothing sitting out making a cluttered mess. That night everyone slept through, even the baby who had been struggling lately at the old house! We all woke up refreshed which meant we were able to wake up bright and early, get a lot accomplished, and in spite of a very messed up schedule, the boys were very cheerful and well-behaved. I have even managed to work out a pretty decent routine and make some healthy meals!

IMG_7868

The weather here has been beautiful as well, and since the house is so cleaned, I have been opening all the blinds and windows each day. The fresh air and light breeze are so refreshing and help to air out all the toxins that have filled the house. The boys were taking a nap the other day so I laid down on the couch in front of the open window and I have to tell you, that was one of the best feelings ever! I felt so alive and relaxed at the same time and even youthful as it reminded me of summer camp growing up. Did you know it is actually really healthy to open all of your windows for at least one hour each day? Try it! I have noticed such a difference!

Besides having the windows open and the house organized, we decided to invest in some houseplants. We picked up a few for decoration like an exotic purple plant and an orchid, both of which are colorful and liven up the house. We also bought some air purifying plants; that’s right, they rid the air of toxins! We chose the Red-Edged Dracaena plant which was only $5 at Lowe’s (plus our military discount!) It helps to eliminate xylene, trichloroethylene, and formaldehyde. We placed one upstairs and one downstairs. I’m thinking of adding a few more as we have seen some great results already! Plants can also be a great tool for teaching kids about God’s creation, photosynthesis, and responsibility. We picked up a little Lucky Bamboo plant for our older son to keep in his room. He has been making sure it gets light and water when needed and has enjoyed watching it grow!

IMG_7911

A neat house, fresh air, and toxin-eating plants is only the beginning to a healthier lifestyle. I have been encouraged to get moving and be active (and plan to start back up exercising!) and actually have a desire to make homemade meals for my family. I am up on time, the house stays clean, I have more energy for my kids, and all of this with little effort! In the old house I never opened the windows. We did not have any plants. The house was not the most organized. All of this resulted in daily migraines for me, sleeping in, being in a crabby mood, sleepless nights for the whole family, stress to the max. Now I have very few migraines, I feel more rested in the mornings, all around happier, and even my allergies and acne breakouts are clearing up! This new house and a fresh and healthy start is proving to be a huge blessing for all of us. 

You may not be moving into a new house, but you can start anew too! Spring is the perfect time to open up those windows, buy a few plants, and slowly work through every nook and cranny of your house while you get the energy. Sell or give away what you don’t need but others could use then put extra money towards bins, boxes, shelving, and other organizers. Let yourself say, “No, I don’t need this.” Start with the rooms you use the most–the living room, kitchen, bedrooms–and work your way even into your closets and storage areas. The more organized everything is in and out, the easier it will be to put things away and keep the house clean with little to no effort. Wipe down all the floors, counters, cabinets, and vacuum up the carpets. It may all seem like a lot listed out, but tackle one area at a time then make an effort to clean that area each night as you work through the rest of the house. Make sure you label everything too so you do not have to dig through and make a mess when you have things packed away. Investing a little time, elbow grease, and money in cleaning and organizing will have lasting benefits to your health and may even give you the boost you need to eat well and stay fit!

Be sure to follow Arts & Crackers on social media (buttons at the top right of the page.)

-Are you doing some Spring cleaning, purchasing air purifying house plants, or opening the windows each day to let in the fresh air?  What are some actions you are taking to get healthy?

Leave a Reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

This site uses Akismet to reduce spam. Learn how your comment data is processed.