New Year Goals: 10 Tips on How to Get Organized

If you're wondering how to get organized for the New Year, you're going to love these organization tips. #organize #declutter #recharge #howtogetorganized

The holidays are over, and its the time of year that many people set their New Year Goals one of the most common is getting rid of clutter! Here are my top tips on how to get organized and clutter-free this new year.

Theres always a spark of hope that comes with every new year. Resolutions are made, goals are set, and changes are applauded. A desire to start with a clean slate prevails, bringing with it the motivation to tackle goals.

How to Get Organized This New Year

In the spirit of new beginnings and starting with a clean slate, below are my top tips to help you take action and get organized this new year.

1. How to Get Organized Decide Where to Start

What area of your life is feeling the most out of control?

Try to narrow it down to a particular spot or room in your home, or even a specific area of your life. Maybe your bathroom counters or the kids toys are driving you crazy? Perhaps the kitchen pantry is the endless black hole in your kitchen where you can never find what you want.

Focus on one area at a time to make it easier to tackle.

2. Getting Rid of Clutter

You may have done this before the holidays, but there will no doubt be more things that you need to remove from your house or your life to welcome in a new year.

Clutter creates chaos, which creates stress. By decluttering and getting rid of what you dont need, you open up space to neatly arrange the things you do need and keep it organized.

3. Start With Small Goals

Setting realistic goals will improve your chance of success because tackling too much at one time often results in failure.

Examples of ways to start include:

  • Schedule a dentist appointment
  • Get to the gym 2-3 days a week
  • Clean the bathrooms once a week.

Hitting small goals can lead to hitting some of your bigger goals when it comes to getting organized in your life.

4. Plan a Cleaning Schedule

Cleaning may not be a task you really want to do. However, many people find that cleaning is a good way to relax or reduce stress.

While you may not enjoy the process, you might find that you love the result! Create a weekly cleaning rotation that fits your schedule so that it becomes part of your routine.

5. Use Your Calendar For Everything

Todays busy daily pace of life practically requires that we use a calendar to keep track of all our appointments, tasks and reminders. Some people feel overwhelmed at first with having everything in one place.

However, with a little time, having all your important events and reminders in one place makes it easier to remember things without expending so much mental energy trying not to forget anything.

Your calendar can be a paper planner or an app on your smart device.

6. Create Daily, Weekly and Monthly Routines

Routines are key for me to accomplish all my tasks. I work best by routine because when I do things in a similar way each time, I dont forget things when life gets busy or overwhelming.

Start creating routines based on what you do already. Then, build on these to include things that you want to be doing.

Examples of routines to develop include: making your bed every morning, paying bills on certain days of the month, or doing meal planning and meal prep once a week will help make your life stress-free.

7. Meal Planning and Meal Prep

End the terrible daily whats for dinner cycle by meal planning once a week. Taking a few minutes each week to plan out your meals and grocery list will save hours of wasted time throughout your week.

Start packing lunches and taking them to work. With a little searching, you can find hundreds of ideas that will not only taste great but will also save you time and money over going out to eat over your lunch break.

If you pack lunches the night before, this simple trick can help you have easier mornings, too.

Bonus: Take a look at this post I put together. It has some healthy meal prep ideas for the new year that can help you get started!

8. Learn How to Get Organized With New Storage Systems

Create new storage solutions in your home. Use a file system to help you stay organized: bills to pay, meal planning and grocery list, kids school papers, house repairs or projects that need to be done, etc.

Theres a reason that offices use filing systems. Its a simple but highly effective way of getting and staying organized. Create a filing system strategy that suits you and follow it the whole year because it will help!

I keep files for our bills, tax documents, medical papers, pets, kids, cars and more. That way, when I need to find proof that I paid a bill or I need my kids immunization records, I can easily find them in my file folders.

While you may benefit from purchasing something like a desk organizer or a jewelry organizer, you dont necessarily need to buy things to accomplish this task. See what you have around your home.Small plastic bins, file folders or even 2 pocket folders could work well for this system.

The important part isnt the tools you use but having a system that works for you.

9. Track Your Progress

Keep track of your progress by crossing things off of your to-do list (thats my personal favorite), or maybe making a big red X over your day in your calendar.

As you see your progress, youll feel successful (because you are!) and that will be the motivation you need to keep going until you achieve your goals.

10. Celebrate Hitting Your New Year Goals

Every success needs acknowledgment! It takes time and effort to make changes and get organized celebrate whenever you reach a goal. It can be small such as renting a movie youve been wanting to see or something bigger like a nice dinner out with your other half or with your kids.

You can determine what to use as a reward when you reach your goals. Make it something that you would be willing to work for!

Help yourself achieve your new year goals with these organization tips and tricks for getting rid of clutter and putting systems in place to help you organized.

Related: More Tips and Tricks on How to Get Organized

The post New Year Goals: 10 Tips on How to Get Organized appeared first on DIY House Hacks - One Crazy House.