With a new year comes a clean slate, and we all love to start fresh. We see ourselves doing this any time we choose to start a new diet, exercise routine or get a handle on our finances. You know the drill; my new way of living will start on Monday, but first I am going to have one last fling, a huge meal or a day just being lazy. We don't have to wait until Monday to start!

A new way of living is not a punishment from which you need a reprieve. It is making the decision that it is time to be good to your body because this is the only one you have. When we are living in CHAOS (Can't Have Anyone Over Syndrome), we are usually the person that gets left out. We can't take the time to nurture our bodies, because there is so much to do and we don't have a clue where to start.

Do you ever feel like you are a spinning top? I am going to help you stop this vicious cycle and establish some simple habits that are going to start your new year with that clean slate. Your home did not get messy in a day, and it is not going to get clean overnight. You can do this with the help of a simple tool that you already have in your home — a timer. One is on your microwave, the stove and probably in the watch on your arm.

The reason you feel like that spinning top is because you are trying to do too many things at once. I want you to set your timer for 15 minutes and stay focused on one thing. It can be shining your kitchen sink, clearing off that coffee table or picking up the clothes on the floor in your bedroom. You are going to be so surprised at just how much you can accomplish in only 15 minutes.

The truth is we are not good at multitasking. We think we are, but our homes are living proof that we do not ever finish anything. We are the best at getting something out and not putting it away when we have finished. Here is the main reason we don't have homes for these items that are lurking in your "hot spots." Hot spots are those places where you pile things when you walk in the door or sit in your favorite chair. We have clutter taking over the drawers, cabinets and closets, and we can't find a place to keep the things we love and use.

In order to get rid of the CHAOS in our homes, we have to toss out our clutter. This will give us a place to keep things instead of piled on a table or the floor. Those great storage areas have been invaded by items that you do not love and use. It is time to evict them and clear out your hot spots. Our hot spots make our homes look messy.

If you would just take 15 minutes and clear out one hot spot, your home will begin to look better. It may not be that immaculate cleaning that we were forced to do as children by perfectionist parents, but it will feel better when you walk in the door. It is so hard to clean around clutter.