22 Things to Do to Prepare for 2022

It’s only a few days until 2022!

I don’t know about you, but I felt like 2021 was more limbo than 2020! Can’t wait to let 2021 go and get ready for 2022.

Up for a new start?

22 Things to Do Before 2022 Starts

Here’s a list of practical things to do to prepare for the new year!

You don’t have to do everything – just pick out the ones that apply to you. I am also using this list and using the few days left until the new year to try to do as many of these as I can 🙂

Trim your nails, cut your hair. It’s unlucky to do this right after the new year – it means you are “cutting off your luck”, so do this a few days before the new year.
Do what you can to “glow up” by the New Year! Use moisturizer, lotion or whatever works for you to keep your skin nice and soft. Use a facial mask, a hair mask, a body scrub – whatever you want. Have white hair? Color it. Do a little bit of exercise. Remove unwanted hair. The week between Christmas and New Year’s is usually pretty slow, so it’s a good time to do all those things so you can face 2022 looking your best!
Go through your beauty stash and declutter items that might have gone off. Since we’re all forced to wear masks when going out, I haven’t been using much makeup at all since this whole pandemic began. It’s been 2 years since I’ve bought any makeup. I’m sure a lot of my makeup is already past their recommended date.
Replenish your beauty stash of items that really work for you. Sales are happening after Christmas, so it’s a good time to take advantage of the promos and discounts! I’ve replenished my favorite moisturizer.
Replace your underwear. Are your undies still in good condition? If there are any that are old and in poor condition already, it’s time to replace them. Start the new year with nice undies!
Go through your towels, bedsheets, etc.. and see if they need to be repaired or replaced. “Turn” your mattress so the other side gets some use as well, air it out, or vacuum it well with a dust mite vacuum. Wash your mattress topper/ mattress protector if you haven’t done it for a while.
Declutter ratty clothes and clothes you can’t or won’t wear anymore. Free up space for better clothes and for clothes that you will actually wear.
Repair things that need to be repaired. Some items are easy to repair with a glue gun, Mighty Bond or Rugby. Have to sew a loose button? Clothes too long or too loose? Take some time to make minor repairs, or schedule to get an alteration if needed. Give yourself a deadline to finish these repairs. If you are not able to repair it within the allotted time, it means it wasn’t that important to you, so let the items go, and/or get a replacement if you still need it.
Check your fridge and pantry for items that are expiring soon. Set them aside so you can easily see them and commit to using them up within one week / month. Do a “Use It Up Challenge”.
Replenish your coffee / tea stash.
Clean your electric fan / aircon filter / air purifier. Some people clean their electric fans regularly. But many people I know have never cleaned their electric fans, ever. Anyway, it’s a good time to clean those electric fans! Or schedule an aircon cleaning. Or check if it’s time to replace the HEPA filter on your air purifier.
Get yourself a 2022 calendar! I know most of us have gone digital, but a big calendar that you can refer to at a glace is still faster than having to check your phone. Buy a calendar or print one out.
Check your clocks. We have a clock in almost every area at home. I just like to be able to quickly see what time it is without having to turn on my phone. But they inevitably become a few minutes off for some reason or other. Now’s the time to adjust them to make sure they are all synchronized again.
Tweak your Routines. Is there something you want to change about your morning routine? Your skincare routine? Now’s the time! Start experimenting with your routines right now, after a few days, you’ll have a pretty good idea of what works for you, then you can “officially” start your new routine on Jan. 1!
Check your pens. Throw out pens that have dried out or that don’t write well anymore.
Schedule important appointments on your calendar and set reminders. Think about what you might need to do for the coming year and schedule it so you don’t miss it.
- - Do you need to renew your driver’s license?
  - Do you need to renew your passport?
  - How about renewing car registration?
  - How about setting a dentist or doctor’s appointment for your annual check-up?
  - Any special occasions you want to take note of? Birthdays, Anniversaries
  - Other things you might need to file / renew – permits, etc…
Finish Projects. Do you have unfinished projects? Like that thing you’ve been meaning to spray paint but never got around to. Or that unused appliance you’ve been meaning to sell. Or scanning all those old family photos. Or organizing your personal paperwork (create a will, list out all your banking info, any insurance paperwork, paperwork for other assets, your Paypal, GCash or Paymaya info, to make it easy for trusted relatives to access them in case something happens to you). Finish what you can this year, schedule the rest in your calendar for next week/month to make sure they get done.
Create or update your emergency or reference phone list. If you have one on your phone or if you print out a copy and place it beside your landline, do what works for you. Mine used to have restaurant delivery hotlines, but I’ve since removed them because we all use apps like Grab and Foodpanda now. My list now has the phone numbers of my relatives, and the hotlines to Meralco, Maynilad, Converge, PLDT, etc.. including our account number (they always ask for this info, this way, I don’t have to go get the bill every time I have to call the hotline). You may also include the numbers for your doctors, your barangay chairman, etc…
Create or update your filing system for your bills, receipts, certificates, etc… Some like to use folders, some like to use those accordion envelopes. Do what works for you. Update it by consolidating the ones for 2021, and labeling in preparation for 2022.
Declutter Photos from your Phone. Since its’s the time we are looking back on the year, it’s a good time to browse through the photos on your phone – delete blurry, duplicate photos, or photos and screenshots you don’t need anymore. Save important photos on your computer, or to the cloud, or on a backup drive. I know this can be overwhelming for some of us – you can go through a month at a time. For example, for now, just focus on going through January 2021 today. Then next week, maybe go through February 2021, and so on. Or keep going while you’re on a roll! Even if you don’t finish the entire year, you’ll have decluttered at least a few months’ worth of unneeded photos and cleared up space on your phone for new memories.
Declutter Your Email. You can do the same thing as the photos on your phone. I have not gotten to Inbox Zero and I don’t think I ever will, but I have been able to trim down my email from almost 8,000 unread emails to now just over 1,000 unread emails. Also, while you’re at it, unsubscribe from emails you don’t read. If you still have emails of e-receipts from the year 2010, maybe consider deleting them, too.
Clean / sweep / vacuum / organize what you can before New Year’s Day. For good vibes and LUCK for 2022, you should welcome the new year with a clean and organized space. Do not clean or spend money (pay bills, especially) on New Year’s Day!

Bonus! Set your intentions for 2022. Visualize how the next year is going to be like. Focus on the things you want to accomplish, and on what kind of person you want to become. Now that the previous year is coming to an end, celebrate the good things that happened, let go of the bad things, learn from our mistakes. Move forward with clarity. Empower yourself to flourish in the coming year!