3 Tips On Cleaning Your Natural Hair Closet

It’s a New Year and a new YOU as many proclaim. The air smells sweeter, the birds chirp louder, and your natural hair goals have all been met and you have nothing to work on. OK, OK…back to reality.

It’s a new year. So what? Well, that doesn’t mean the whole world has to change nor does it mean your aspirations for your life have to change either.

What worked for you last year may find itself working for you again this year and that doesn’t mean you are in a rut or you are stuck in second gear. That just means you found a few pointers or ideas that are worth keeping around and may find themselves making an appearance again.

That also doesn’t mean you need to hold onto everything you did last year and assume it will be great for this year. Work, family, relationships and even hair (yes, of course hair!) has expiration dates on some of the choices we have made for them.

We were just as bright and bushy-tailed back in the beginning of 2013 and that sparked some wonderful ideas or lessons on how to treat our hair better. Now, at the beginning of 2014 it’s time to clear out what didn’t work to make sure we stay on the positive side of our natural hair journey. 

Ditch old or expired products

This should be a no-brainer but if you are a hoarder (raises hand and hopes you don’t judge) then you may need to be reminded of this. Some of our products are time sensitive especially if they are DIY products so be aware of that and clean house regularly.

If you find yourself slipping on that then use this, the new year, as the opportune time for it. Clean those cabinets and your fridge of any products that have been lingering around too long. Check dates on all bottles and jars.

Pointer: A really good idea would be to use a permanent marker and write the date you purchased your items on the jars themselves. This is great for everything but even better for items that aren’t your staples since they will not get used as often or as quickly.

Now, if you just cannot BEAR the thought of doing away with some items that may have been a bad idea to buy or perhaps they are getting old, find other uses for them.  Learn How To Deal With Rubbish Conditioners or How to Reuse Old Hair Products Either way, they need to be used or thrown out.

Check your hair accessories

Are they raggedy or holding on by a thread? Have those bobby pins* lost their soft edges? Are your hair barrettes and hair clips falling apart or do you see some of the paint peeling off?

Do your headbands* no longer have any life in them or are they stretched beyond repair? Yea, you know I’m talking to you (and myself) and it’s time to throw them away and update your arsenal.

The beginning of the year is a great time to go through the house and inspect your accessories to see if they can hang on or if they need to be trashed. The headbands* are no longer helping you if they are stretched beyond their elasticity.

If they are so stretched out that, you have to compensate by winding them tighter it will be harder to remove and you will be pulling out hair while using it! If your bobby pins* or hair pins have lost their soft edges, you are scratching your scalp or they are yanking at your hair with their exposed ends. Neither is a good way to start the New Year for your tresses.

This list includes your hair tools as well like your wide tooth combs, Denman brush* or even your satin bonnets*. If your comb or brush is missing half the teeth, you definitely need to stop yanking it through your hair as they have long passed their time of usage.

The satin bonnet* is no good if it has lost all its elasticity and is falling off your head every night so it may be time to retire it as well. They are too cheap at Walgreens, CVS, Target, Wal-Mart AND at every beauty supply store to bother trying to save. So please ditch it, and get another. 

Trash the bad habits and/or mistakes from 2013

This is just as vital as the first two and in some cases even more important. If it didn’t work in 2013, then it probably won’t work in 2014! Learn from your mistakes so you won’t repeat them. I made some bad mistakes in 2013, Natural hair mistakes of 2013, and they are staying right back there where they belong. I found the error of my ways and moved on from them.

It’s a new year and a good time to reevaluate your natural hair products, tools and even your methods. You don’t have to reinvent the wheel. Just perfect it so that you can reach your hair goals and keep your journey as positive as possible.