Get Organized This Year!

We usually look to the new year as a time for new beginnings, with thoughts of improving ourselves or our surroundings. As we settle into the new year, now is the perfect time to focus on getting our homes organized and in order. The start of a new year often brings a sense of freshness and renewal, and what better way to bring that energy into your home than by decluttering and simplifying your space? Getting your home organized is a great way to kick off the new year to a fresh start for yourself, simply by following these steps:

1. Reduce clutter

2. Create a plan to tackle your pain points

3. Establish routines

4. Delegate + outsource

5. Try a no-shop month

6. Focus on what’s important

Reduce Clutter

One of the best ways to start off the new year is to let go of items that are taking up space in your home that are causing you unnecessary stress. Here are some things you can let go of easily:

• Things that need to be returned to friends and family, things to be returned to stores, or pretty much anything that belongs somewhere else besides your home! Put them in your car right now.

• Any trash or recycling, like broken items, piles of empty boxes, or collections of plastic/glass bottles, etc. Make it a priority to drop off these items in the right spot, whether that be in your trash, recycling bin, or the local recycling center.

• Old electronics like cell phones and computers can be locally recycled at Best Buy for free. 

• Expired foods in the fridge, freezer, and pantry that won’t get eaten or have been there for quite some time should be cleared out. Think about whether they can be donated to the local food bank if you think it can benefit someone else.

Essential Tip! If it doesn’t serve you, definitely let it go!

Create a Plan to Tackle Your Pain Points

Ask yourself what specific problems you have and what your dream scenario would be to fix them. For example, if you struggle in the mornings with getting out the door on time, feeling stressed, chaotic, and disorganized, fix this with a plan:

• Lay out your clothes the night before

• Check the following day’s weather forecast to prepare ahead

• Plan your breakfast

• Make your car has enough gas or energy.

Essential Tip! Choose a solution that fits you and your lifestyle. Continue to do this and fix one problem at a time.

Establish Routines

I like to remind people that organizing isn’t a project, it’s a practice. It’s a way of life to live intentionally with only items that you need, use, and love. Resetting your space back to baseline every day is a very realistic thing to do. Once you have established a place for everything, it’s just as simple as putting things back where they belong. Trust me, this will change your life!

Essential Tip! Live intentionally with only items that you need, use, and love.

Delegate and Outsource

If something has been on your to-do list for several weeks or months, but it’s just not getting done, consider hiring someone to do it for you or enlist the help of a family member or friend. Just by seeing it on your list over and over again will cause you an immense amount of stress. Oftentimes, deciding when to start is the hardest part, but once you make a plan to tackle it, you will already start to feel better.

Essential tip! Focus on progress in your home, not perfection!

No-Shop Month

A no-shop month is exactly what it sounds like. Try to use things that you already have rather than buying more. It will decrease your clutter, you will use things that may have otherwise gone unused (freezer foods that have been there for a while!), and you will save money too! I know you will likely have to buy some things but try and be very intentional about it. For example, if you plan to cook for dinner, check to see if you already have some ingredients. This will set the intention of not shopping for things you don’t need, and in doing so, you will likely create new shopping habits after the month.

Essential Tip! Check the fridge/freezer/pantry before making your grocery list.

Focus on What’s Important

Remember to focus on what’s important, which is usually the living things in your life like family, friends, coworkers, neighbors, and pets. Don’t let things in your home become more important than the things that do matter. Far too often people spend so much energy, time, and money maintaining the items in their home that it leaves little time for anyone or anything else. 

Essential Tip! Rather than consuming your time with constant maintenance, strive to create memories from moments spent with loved ones.

My best advice, and I cannot stress this enough, is that you will free up so much time by letting things go, giving everything a home, and getting it organized. You will have more time to do things you love with the people you love.  If you are spending one hour every night putting the kids’ toys away or feeling frustrated every night by the piles of toys everywhere, the best solution is to let go of half of the toys so you have more time to spend with your children. So count on making it a priority this year to organize your home so you can reach this goal. As my organizing friend Jen Robin with Life In Jeneral says, “Connection over collection!”