We all want to lose our last 15 pounds of baby weight, dress like a fashionista, and have an organized home. But how many of us have the time and energy to make these things happen? Personally, a typical day for me entails scarfing down my kid’s leftover chick-a-saurus nuggets before getting my daily exercise in the form of a brisk jog on the way to the subway. While the time for New Year’s resolutions may be long gone, spring is upon us, and there’s no better time to take stock and make some changes in our lives that can benefit us and our families. Here are five great ways to do some “personal spring cleaning” and embrace a new you this season.
Purge Your Closet. Having a clean, orderly home is key to a balanced family life, especially in New York, where space is limited. I find my day flows more easily when my closet is organized and I can quickly grab a mom-friendly outfit in seconds. But this means getting rid of all the crap! Before Christmas, I did a huge purge of our home, including clothing I no longer liked. I usually do pretty well reselling my old things at Buffalo Exchange, either online or in person at their new location in Cobble Hill, Brooklyn. It’s a fun, eco-friendly place to shop and trade clothes and the staff is so nice. You can sell your clothing for cash or credit; they have great items for purchase from brands such as Marc by Marc Jacobs, and a good jeans selection.
There is also a new app called Poshmark that lets you easily sell your old clothes or accessories from your smartphone or tablet. It takes 20 percent of the selling price and handles the money exchange and sends you a shipping label.
If you have higher-end, designer items, check out Eva Gentry Consignment on Atlantic Avenue in Brooklyn. Its inventory includes gently-used designer clothes, designer bags and shoes.
You can also hire a professional who will come to your home and help. Karyn Starr with White-Starr Aesthetic Consulting and Rebecca Klein with The Restylists.com are two local moms who are amazing stylists and will help renovate your closet.
Enjoy a Mini-Makeover. For 2014, why not step out of your normal color comfort zone and embrace a new hue? In case you haven’t heard, radiant orchid (a purplish color) is the “color of the year,” which means you will be seeing tons of makeup and clothing in this gorgeous shade. Makeup in particular a great way to experiment with color. Buy a purple-toned lipstick (beauty tip: lipsticks with purple or lavender hues are very flattering on people with blue and green eyes). My top pick is the new Play of Light Lipstick by Dr. Hauschka in Exhilarating Berry, which is moisturizing and glossy. Or, get a new purple nail polish. My top two picks are Passion Purple or Grateful Grape by Dr. Remedy (Dr. Remedy was created by a podiatrist for his pregnant wife and is free of toxic chemicals). If you don’t want to buy more makeup, get your toes or nails done in a purple color next time you are at the salon. Soho Sanctuary offers manicures and pedicures with Dr. Remedy products.
Donate Or Sell Old Toys. Taking time in these frigid winter months to deep clean your baby gear feels so good—you can donate what you don’t want, or sell some items to make a little money on the side. Sorting through your kids toys and “merchandizing” them–highlighting things they may have forgotten about and tucking away others for later use–is also a great idea. For reselling baby and kid stuff, Lulu’s Then and Now on 5th Avenue in Park Slope is fab. I have sold a lot of my son’s gear there and also bought some really good clothes and toys, like a great Little Tikes toy piano that is now having its third life with my nephew.
Give. Since becoming a mom, I’ve grown up a lot and can now see my own mother with a fresh perspective and so much more compassion. Moms are strong, amazing people who can birth babies and juggle work and life and are beautiful to boot! I’ve realized motherhood is a sisterhood, and that we are all linked together by this shared and vitally important job. Not all women are afforded the same opportunities that I have been, so giving back in the name of motherhood is something I aim for this year. One great organization is Every Mother Counts, created by former supermodel, awesome momma, and yogini Christy Turlington. It helps women across the world by improving maternal health. There are also great local organizations. My bestie, Alyssa, (an amazing mom to three kids under the age of four!) inspired me this past Christmas by donating presents to a child who was with her mom at a local shelter for domestic violence survivors. Donating your time, money or gently used baby items to mothers affected by domestic violence is an amazing service. You can google local shelters to find one near you.
Let go. Lastly, in the midst of all this self improvement and change, I’ve realized that life doesn’t always go the way I want it to and that things get in the way–someone gets sick, work schedules change, etc. One thing I am really trying to do is let go. Let go of all my expectations, perfectionism and judgment as to what a “perfect mom” is. I think there is a lot of pressure on women these days. We are expected to “have it all,” and, especially in such a career-driven city as New York, there is so much emphasis placed on professional success. I am trying to simply focus on being “good enough.” So if tiny things slip through the cracks, that’s okay with me. If we are having “semi-homemade” meals most nights of the week, that’s okay. If I’m 10 pounds over my goal weight, that’s okay, too. Making mistakes and being imperfect is fine by me. I know I am a great mom, and I’m learning that being hard on myself serves no one.
