When I used to work for H&M I remember the awesome feeling of getting paid twice in December. Except the second load of dosh had to last you right up until the end of January (I swear I can hear the sound of belts tightening at the very memory). So here are 6 things to do when you bank balance is dwindling and you have run out of box sets to watch...
1. Give blood. Rich I went to give blood on New Years Eve. I think it is one of the most selfless acts you can undertake; you give up time, energy and ultimately your blood for someone you don't even know. We always marvel at the cross-section of people in the waiting area - illness and disease don't discriminate and when it comes to blood donation, neither do the people who are willing to give up the red stuff. For me there are 3 upsides to giving blood: free club biscuits, the feeling of doing something 'good' and the chance to sit down the relax with a magazine. When I was there in December I read the new Harpers Bazaar cover to cover whilst supping on a tasty pint of lemon squash.
Mrs Doubtfire came out in 1993, fellow interneters. Just let that sink in...
2. Clean. There is nothing more I love than a really good "sort out" - cupboards, draws, shelves, and of course, wardrobes. I find it really therapeutic to keep what I want and donate to charity the items that no longer belong. My friend Joban popped round the other day and was greeted by the sight of me pulling things out of my dining room cupboards and piling them up on the dining room table. Why on earth should I do this you may be wondering? Cleaner, tidier living space, you might find some money, you can donate unwanted items to charity which allows you to polish your halo.
3. Use up your sachets. Before I sit down to devour a magazine I always leaf through and pull out the free sachets of shampoo and conditioner/moisturiser etc, I then stockpile them in a box in the bathroom cupboard where they largely sit untouched until the next time I clear the cupboard out. It's a habit I picked up from my mum and one I have never questioned until this month I ACTUALLY USED A FEW OF THE SACHETS!! Cracking open a sachet of shiseido shampoo I felt the habit breaking AND my hair looked immense for the following 3 days. WIN. Your hair/skin will think it is Christmas.
4. Phone a friend. You know that friend you are always texting? Phone her. When I saw my school friends on Christmas Eve we ended up reciting each others home phone numbers ingrained on our memories; we didn't have a text option when we were teenagers. Phone a friend: you may finally use up some of your free minutes.
5. Write Thank You cards. Last year I felt compelled to write to 3 women who had changed my life for the better - one was so moved when she opened her card she phoned me in tears. I love it when people say 'thank you'; for a gift, for some information, for a phone call but a card, however old school, is a thing to hold and cherish. Here are 3 reasons to write a 'thank you' card: you get to crack out the awesome stationary you received at Christmas, it will only cost you the price of a stamp to send, you may even get some fresh air on the way to the post box,
6. Sort out your old photos. This a free trip down memory lane, you get to marvel at how fresh faced and awesome you were when at the time you thought you weren't and - ultimate bonus - you get to rid yourself of any bad memories/people by chucking those photos away! (Unless all your photos are on your laptop/phone in which case you're in for a major scrolling session).
Stay happy
Til next time...x
The Wardrobe Angel
