Smarter Routines: How to Simplify Your Day and Get More Done

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get organized month smarter routines

January is National Get Organized Month. For that reason, throughout the month, posts are about smarter ways to organize. 

The best organizing includes ways to routinely make life happen around you. Truly, routines aren’t about rigidity. Routines create a structure that supports your life instead of complicating it. As a Certified Professional Organizer, I’ve seen firsthand how smarter routines can transform busy households, improve productivity, and reduce stress. The key is to focus on systems that are simple, repeatable, and adaptable. Creating smart routines supports you best.

Start with the high-impact routines

Not all tasks carry the same weight. Identify the tasks that have the biggest impact on your day. These become your anchors throughout the day at home and at work.

For example:

  • Preparing breakfast and packing lunches the night before

  • Reviewing your daily schedule or priorities

  • Setting aside time for exercise or self-care

When you build routines around these high-impact tasks, the rest of your day falls into place more easily. You can start with just one of these and build on as you see your success.

Build micro-routines for consistency

Smarter routines don’t need to be complicated. Small, repeatable habits are considered micro-routines. A five-minute morning tidy-up, a nightly “landing strip” check for keys and devices, or a weekly planning session can create big results with minimal effort. These small tasks make it easier throughout the day.

Use time blocks

Instead of jumping between tasks, group similar activities together. Time blocking reduces decision fatigue and helps you focus. Batching makes it easier for you to focus. For example:

  • Morning block: emails and work priorities
  • Afternoon block: errands or household chores
  • Evening block: family time and prep for the next day
  • Batch mail processing once a week
  • Batch meal planning and prep on Sundays

This method makes your routine more predictable and sustainable. It creates calm and order by using the same time of day for the same tasks.

Automate and delegate when possible

Smarter routines lean on tools and people to lighten the load. You do not have to do it all. Automate bill payments, reminders, and recurring tasks. Delegate chores to family members according to their strengths. The goal is completion and sustainability.

Build flexibility into your routine

Life is unpredictable. The smartest routines allow for wiggle room and have white space on your calendar. Rarely does a plan go perfectly. If an unexpected appointment arises, your system can bend without breaking. Think of routines as guidelines with extra oomph. Allow for tweaking your routines at an interval that works for you.

The Get Organized Month Takeaway

Smarter routines aren’t about squeezing every minute or being “perfect.” They’re about building intentional, repeatable systems that simplify your day and reduce stress. Start small, focus on high-impact areas, and refine as you go. Over time, these routines create a foundation for a more organized, calm, and productive life.

Get Organized Month: Smarter Ways to Organize Your Home (Without the Overwhelm)

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January is National Get Organized Month. With this in mind, the month will include Smarter Ways to Organize. 

Get Organized Month is the perfect time to reset your home. It is the natural time you feel the energy to put into this work. But “getting organized” doesn’t mean buying bins or tackling everything at once. In fact, the smartest organizing strategies focus more on creating systems that actually work for your real life. Here are smarter, sustainable ways to organize your home that reduce stress and save time all year long.

Organize for function, not looks

A beautifully organized space that’s hard to maintain won’t last. Smart organization starts by asking yourself, how do you really use this space? Store items close to where they’re used and keep daily essentials within easy reach. You will get ready for your day quicker and reserve real energy for what matters. When your environment supports you and your routines, staying organized becomes effortless and makes life easier.

Edit before you organize

One of the most overlooked organizing steps is editing. Too much stuff makes even the best systems fail. Don’t slack on the editing because it is difficult. Gather and consolidate a single category to edit. Rather than adding containers or labels, take time to remove duplicates, expired items, and things that no longer fit your life. Less inventory means less to manage. Smart use of your energy makes a difference.

Create simple zones and systems

Smart homes are organized by zones. A drop zone by the door for keys and bags, a paper zone for mail and school forms, or a cleaning zone with supplies stored together helps everyone in the household know where things belong. Clear zones reduce decision fatigue and prevent clutter from spreading. Everyone in your home and at work can benefit from using zone organizing.

Use visual appeal to your advantage

Out of sight is out of mind. If you can’t see it, you’re less likely to use it. Clear bins, open shelving, and labels make it easier to find what you need and put things away quickly. This is especially helpful for busy families and people with ADHD, where visual cues support follow-through with maintenance.

Right-size your stuff and your systems

One of the smartest organizing principles is letting the container be the limit. Assign a specific amount of space for categories like toys, shoes, or pantry snacks. When the container is full, it’s time to edit. This keeps clutter from quietly returning and simplifies your maintenance.

Build maintenance into your routine

Organization isn’t a one-and-done project. Smart homes include simple maintenance routines like a five-minute daily reset or a weekly review of high-traffic areas. Small, consistent efforts prevent the need for major overhauls later. Start your weekly maintenance with a Sunday reset.

A Get Organized Month Takeaway

Smarter home organization is about doing what matters most. When you organize with intention, simplicity, and real-life habits in mind, your home becomes easier to manage and more enjoyable to live in. Choose smart systems over quick fixes to create a home that supports you every day.

Get Organized Month: A Smarter Way to Prioritize What Really Matters

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January is National Get Organized Month. With this in mind, the month will include Smarter Ways to Organize. 

You are bombarded with decisions daily. Some tasks have deadlines, some do not. There is a barrage of decisions, and the velocity of life keeps you moving forward every minute of the day. Get Organized Month is the perfect opportunity to reassess how you prioritize tasks. Many people I work with feel overwhelmed because everything seems urgent. When all tasks are treated equally, prioritizing becomes exhausting and ineffective.

One of the simplest and most powerful organizing tools I have recently learned has helped me rethink prioritizing. Rather than defaulting to what seems urgent, these two questions to ask yourself.

How high are the stakes? And how reversible are the consequences? (By the way, Jeff Bezos uses these questions to prioritize.)

How High Are the Stakes?

Ask yourself, “What is the true cost if this does or doesn’t happen on time?”

High-stakes tasks often involve:

  • Health and safety

  • Finances and legal responsibilities

  • Work performance or reputation

  • Connections to people who matter at home and work

Examples of high-stakes tasks:

  • Paying taxes or bills by a deadline

  • Submitting a proposal tied to income, promotion, or expenses

  • Addressing a medical issue

  • Responding to a school issue affecting your child

Low-stakes tasks may feel pressing, but don’t have lasting consequences:

  • Decluttering a single drawer

  • Trying a new digital tool

  • Perfecting an organizing system

When the stakes are high, consider a pause before acting.

2. How Reversible Are the Consequences?

Next, consider whether the outcome can be undone or corrected. You may have your own set of rules you live by that feel highly consequential.

Low reversibility (hard to undo):

  • Signing a lease or contract

  • Sending a sensitive email or message

  • Making a major financial decision

  • Committing to a long-term obligation

High reversibility (easy to undo):

  • Rearranging your schedule

  • Testing a new routine

  • Moving items in your home

  • Drafting an email without sending it

When reversibility is low, it’s worth slowing down and planning carefully.

Putting It All Together: Real-Life Examples

Example 1: Work Priorities
You’re deciding between cleaning up your inbox or preparing for an important client meeting.

  • Client meeting: High stakes, low reversibility → Top priority

  • Inbox cleanup: Low stakes, high reversibility → Schedule later

Example 2: Home Organization
You want to reorganize your pantry, but you also haven’t set up automatic bill payments.

  • Bills: High stakes, low reversibility → Do first

  • Pantry project: Low stakes, high reversibility → Weekend project

Example 3: Family and Parenting Decisions
Your child needs a school form signed, and you’re debating whether to research new storage bins.

  • School paperwork: High stakes, low reversibility

  • Storage research: Low stakes, high reversibility

Example 4: Health and Self-Care
You’re choosing between scheduling a doctor’s appointment and rearranging your planner.

  • Medical appointment: High stakes, low reversibility

  • Planner setup: Low stakes, high reversibility

Apply these questions as you plan your day. If you are prioritizing but not acting on your plan, you may be productively procrastinating. Often this occurs because of an emotion is holding you back. If you find you need the energy to start a project, take a walk or get a sip of water rather than doom scroll on socials.

Where This Framework Applies

This prioritizing method works beautifully across many areas of life.  In every sector of your life, whether it is work or home, you can apply these new questions to help you know what to do first. Put this into place in your Weekly Planning Meeting agenda. After you consider your lists and your calendar, start asking yourself these questions for clarity. Tasks with high stakes and low reversibility deserve your best energy. Everything else can wait, shift, or be tested without pressure. Organize your priorities first and let the rest fall into place with greater ease and confidence.

My Top 3 Favorite Blog Posts of 2025 and Why They Matter

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year end wrap up of organizing and productivity topics

As we move through 2025, I find myself looking back at the content and insights I’ve shared this year on the journey of decluttering, simplifying, and living intentionally. You, my friends, found these valuable, and these became the top-ranked blogs because of their practicality and ability to spark real change at home.

⭐ 25 Small but Mighty Strategies to Organize Your Paperwork (August 7, 2025)

If there’s one thing almost every household underestimates, it’s paper clutter. Bills, receipts, kids’ school forms, mail, and warranties overflow from our mail to our countertops. This post offers 25 easy-to-use strategies to be proactive about conquering this clutter.

  • I break paperwork into three simple categories (Active, To File, and Archive) so the system works, even when life is chaotic.

  • The post outlines small habits (like a “Sunday Reset” or a family command center) to keep things manageable.

Why this tops the list: for so many families with busy schedules, paperwork isn’t just a nuisance.  It’s a stressor. This post helps give you back control, so paper stops ruling your life and your space.

🏡  25 Simple Ways to Keep Your Home Organized Every Day (February 6, 2025)

This post says what I believe are the most important routines for everyone. Staying organized shouldn’t be a one-and-done project. It should be woven into the rhythm of everyday life.

  • The tips are simple, doable, and baby-step friendly. Begin with one drawer, one shelf, or a small corner. That momentum helps build toward bigger organizing wins.

  • Practical advice like using clear bins, labeling, designating a “home” for everything, and tackling paper clutter slowly makes organizing feel accessible.

Why this is a top post: because for families trying to stay afloat, this post offers a practical, doable structure rather than a massive overhaul.

🧠 Let Them: The Organizing Mindset Shift That Changes Everything (June 12, 2025)

Organizing is never just about stuff. Organizing is about people, relationships, and energy. This post explores a mindset shift that’s critical, especially in family homes or shared spaces where not everyone shares the same vision of order.

  • The main idea is that sometimes change sticks only when you stop trying to control others and instead focus on what you can control: your space, your habits, your boundaries.

  • Embracing boundaries is important; however, it is important to give family members or housemates space to find their own rhythm, while protecting your own peace and order.

Why this matters deeply: for many people, organizing is more than logical; it is emotional. This post invites grace, patience, and self-care.

What These Posts Reveal About Approaching Organizing in Your Home, Work, and Life

Looking at these three blog posts together, you’ll see a pattern. I believe that you can make a difference every day with your organizing and productivity. These three concepts are what make your organizing practical and easy to accomplish.

  • Create systems that align with how you think.

  • Follow habits and routines as the structure of your everyday life.

  • You need a mix of tools and strategies that make your organizing and productivity easy.

Give these blog posts another read this year and see how you can start 2026 with a fresh perspective.

 

Have a Holly Jolly Holiday (With Holiday Self Care)

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have a holly jolly holiday with self care

 

The holiday season is filled to the brim with activities and time together.  There’s lots of excitement, not to mention lots of organizing and things to do. Your planning often is about taking care of others and insuring everyone’s happiness. This year we need to practice packing some extra self care with our holiday bags. Check out these ideas to add self care to your holiday planning.

 

Schedule time for self care

It is easy to think, with so much extra to do, when do I have time for self care? Self care is more important during busy times because it is the fuel that keeps you going.  Create self care routines at the same time daily. These priorities can be at the beginning of the day to give you a strong start to each day or at the end of the day to ensure your rest.

 

Keep your gratitude practice going strong

Appreciating the blessings in your life remind us of all that is good and positive.  Whether it is writing a text to a friend, writing in your journal or a note to yourself, keep your practice intact during the holiday season.

 

Acknowledge emotions

During the holidays we experience a range of emotions.  Whether happy, sad, overwhelmed or frenzied, it is good to  name emotions. We can acknowledge what we are experiencing and process this. Give yourself time to pause. Check in with your feelings, acknowledge and sort through the reasons behind these. Manage your expectations and keep these in line with what you can physically and emotionally manage.

 

Keep a list of self care options

When we start down a negative path, we want to have options to make a change. Make your own list of relaxation activities. This can include taking a walk to see holiday lights, sitting down with a hot cup of cocoa, putting on fuzzy slippers for the rest of the day, or any number of soothing activities.

 

Well being first

We all know that our physical wellbeing is critical.  Be sure you keep your health routines like sleep and diet as much as you can. While there are times for a late night and special treats, keeping to your regular bedtime and meals with protein give you the energy and emotional stability you need.

 

It will be a holly jolly holiday in all ways when you take time for your self care.

 

 

 

Give Joy That Doesn’t Become Junk Holiday Gifts (2025 Edition)

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holiday gifts of experience 2025

As a certified professional organizer, I often share with clients that the best gifts are those that add connection without adding clutter. This holiday season, curate your generosity with the gift of experience rather than stuff.  That’s why I’m a strong advocate for gifts that are enjoyed, remembered, and then do not need to be stored. Here are some of my favorite fresh, thoughtful ideas for 2025.

Gourmet “Moment” Kits

Enjoy the moment together with these “experiences in a box.” Here are some of my favorite foodie treats.

  • Hot chocolate or cocoa bomb kits — beautifully packaged single-serve hot chocolate spheres, flavored with exotic spices or inclusions like caramel or lavender.

  • “Build-your-own” spice or seasoning kits — exotic salts, rubs, or finishing salts in sample vials, arranged with recipe cards for making meals.

  • Gourmet popcorn  — a movie-night treat, but nicer than just bagged corn, can be paired with a list of favorite streaming holiday movies.

These kits give the joy of making and sharing a treat with nothing left behind.

Artisan Consumables & Indulgences

Give a gift that perhaps someone will not purchase for themself.

  • Micro-batch chocolates, truffles, or bonbons — small, beautifully packaged.

  • Specialty teas, craft coffee samplers, or rare single-origin bags — beverages are classic “disposable” gifts.

  • Luxury bath bombs or artisanal soaps — the recipient uses them, scent fills the room, then they’re gone.

  • Edible florals, infused honeys, jam/jelly sets — pretty and tasty.

Consumables delight the senses, and those who receive your gift will feel pampered.

Experiences & Subscriptions (Short-Term)

Learning is a joy to be shared all year long with these experiences.

  • A cooking class, mixology workshop, painting class or pottery drop-in session — a live or virtual event to share time together.

  • A month-long subscription box (e.g. tea-of-the-month, snack boxes, or wellness samples) —  spread the joy over a longer period of time.

  • Gift certificates to local experiences — a spa day, wine tasting, escape room, or local theater.

  • Digital gifts or downloadable experiences — online art classes, guided meditation series, or virtual concert passes.

These are treasured experiences far more than another “thing” to store.

 Charitable or Giving Gifts

Give a gift that impacts more than the person who receives it.

  • Donate in someone’s name and present a certificate or digital card.

  • Sponsor a local cause or buy community meals in their name.

  • Give microfinance or scholarship gifts that generate impact for years to come.

Tips from the Organizer’s Toolbox

  • Keep the packaging simple with recyclable papers and boxes.

  • Your gift will feel special when it ties to the person’s tastes, hobbies, or a shared memory.

  • Set aside time on your calendar to give the gift and receive the joy of the person opening it.

 

This holiday season, skip the clutter trap. Choose gifts that get enjoyed together, not stored or kept hidden away for years.

Grateful for You this Thanksgiving

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grateful for you

When Thanksgiving Comes Late: ADHD-Friendly Strategies to Get Ahead for the Holidays

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If you live with ADHD, the holiday season can feel like a juggling act of deadlines, decisions, and details that all seem to happen all at once and all of the same importance.

This year Thanksgiving lands late in November, adding in extra details and decisions and taking away time. Now there are fewer weeks and less time. It is easy to feel behind before the season even begins.

The good news is that with a few ADHD-friendly strategies, you can reduce the feeling of being overwhelmed and enjoy the holidays even with fewer weeks on the calendar.

Create a visual tool to help you track tasks and time.

When Thanksgiving is later in the month, time feels like a blur between the holidays. Urgency can turn to paralysis.

  • Use a visual calendar to map out the next six weeks. Color-code tasks like shopping, decorating, travel, and rest.

  • Work backwards and write in time blocks for key events and deadlines. These are the critical priorities for the season such as purchasing, mailing, wrapping and delivery.

  • Set reminders with transition times built into the process. Multiple alarms beat one last-minute reminders.

Break projects into actionable micro tasks.

Big projects like getting ready for the holidays are overwhelming. Instead, write out clear, specific micro tasks that can be completed with as little decision making as possible.

  • Instead of “decorate,” try “find the box of ornaments.”

  • Instead of “shop for everyone,” try “order one gift online.

Create a flexible plan and expect changes. 

Managing expectations means creating a plan but keeping it flexible. Having a plan gives you scaffolding, managing it with flexibility keeps it on track.

Think of your plan as a flexible framework:

  • Keep a master to-do list and highlight only three priorities per day.

  • Use sticky notes or a digital board so you can easily move tasks around.

  • Celebrate progress, not perfection.

Work with your energy.

Extra activity can be energizing and draining. Work with your energy to preserve your self-care. Both introverts and extroverts benefit from using their energy wisely during the holidays.

  • Set up boundaries for task completion and make it known that done is perfect.

  • Schedule “no-peopling” days before and after major events.

  • Say “no” (kindly!) to commitments that don’t light you up.

  • Build in recovery time after social or family gatherings.

  • Set up bedtime routines as sacred.

Keep it simple especially at Thanksgiving.

A late Thanksgiving might mean skipping or reimagining some Thanksgiving and holiday traditions. Find ways to get help with a team of elves, semi-homemade foods, or enlisting your family. Get creative about what each holiday preparations are and imagine how to accomplish these easily. Be sure you have moments during the holidays season that bring you personal joy.

A late Thanksgiving can be a reminder about what is most important about this season of gratitude. Pause, plan, and create systems that support you and how your brain works best. Start small, start today, and make space for what really matters this season.

The One Gift I’m Giving This Year: A Password Keeper

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Each year, I like giving or making gifts that simplify life and bring joy. As a Certified Professional Organizer®, I’m always looking for practical tools that calm daily chaos. This year, my go-to gift for friends, family, and clients is one simple thing: a password book or online password keeper.

Why a password manager?

Managing passwords has become one of the biggest sources of frustration, emotion, and stress in modern life.  Everything requires an online account and authentication. Between banking, shopping, streaming, and every new app or service, everyone is managing hundreds of passwords. No one knows how to keep these easily accessible. Too often, that leads to sticky notes on the desk, scribbles on paper folders, forgotten login screens, or endless password reset emails. A password keeper can change that. It’s a small system that saves time, frustration, and brain space.

Here’s why I love giving this gift!

It brings instant clarity, agency, accessibility, and calm. There’s nothing quite like flipping to the alphabetical section of your book or opening a secure dashboard and finding exactly what you need. The biggest threats to our security are online now. It’s a simple way to create order in the scary digital world. Easy access to better security habits ensures you follow through with your intentions. When passwords are stored easily and safely, you make them stronger and unique for each account. No more using the same password everywhere or defaulting to “1234.” Life is full enough of daily friction and frustration.

 

A bonus for both paper and digital access is that you can share these passwords as needed with loved ones. Having help to access financial information through password keepers makes life less stressful for your family, too. From college students managing their first bank accounts to older adults navigating online medical portals, everyone can benefit from an easier way to keep track of passwords.

Do I choose paper or digital?

Whether you prefer a cute little notebook or a digital option like 1Password, Dashlane, or Bitwarden, the idea is the same. Having a simple tool that helps you stay organized and stress-free in an increasingly digital life will be life-changing!

This year, I’m giving the gift of simplicity and security. You know that the most meaningful gifts aren’t about more stuff. Especially at times like these, the best gifts are about less worry and less clutter.

A Fuss-Free Thanksgiving: Simple Ways to Stay Organized and Enjoy the Day

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Thanksgiving can be less stressful and less messy.  You can enjoy your time with your friends and family by keeping it simple. It’s all in how you organize your preparation and meals.  Here are a few tips on making your day fun, festive, and fuss-free Thanksgiving.

 

Beverage station

Make it easy for you and your company to help themselves.  Set up a beverage station with ice, your choice of adult and kid beverages, and glasses.  If it’s a cool day, you may decide on a hot cider with a ladle and mugs, too.  Place your station in an area that will bring traffic away from the kitchen and into a gathering spot.

 

Nibbles

Take a tip from Ina Garten, Barefoot Contessa, and Sandra Lee, Semi-Homemade, and have a few nibbles out before the main meal. It will keep kids and adults from being underfoot in the kitchen.  A Thanksgiving charcuterie and a bowl or two of nuts is a great starter for the holiday meal.  If anyone wanders into the kitchen, put them to work chopping!

 

Disposable plates

There’s already a lot to wash and dry, so why not go with biodegradable dishware for the day?  Available from LeafNFiber, these lovely plates will add to the natural decor of the day and make clean up easy.

 

It’s all about timing

Make a list of what’s for dinner. After this, create a timeline for what goes into the oven at what time.  If your list is the same each year, consider creating this in digital form in Notes, Notion, or Evernote or a notebook to keep and save. Lower your cognitive load by referring to the list throughout the day.

 

Add entertainment

Everyone’s stress level goes down with a soundtrack.   Have a guest create a playlist as a backdrop for the day. A family game or a walk after dinner brings out the conversationalist in everyone. Our family’s favorite game is Do You Really Know Your Family.

 

Leftovers

Plan ahead to keep and share leftovers.  Purchase inexpensive plastic ware to give away as leftovers leave.  Everyone loves this gift!

 

Go team!

Take a trick from football and other team sports that are on television on Thanksgiving.  Get your team in gear.  That means everyone has a part to play or a job for dinner, clean up and other activities.  There are many small jobs that can be done throughout the day, including ones specifically for your kiddos.  Help everyone pitch in by giving everyone something small to do to be a part of the festivities. The best Thanksgivings are when everyone brings a favorite dish. You divide up your list and share it with those who are joining the feast.

 

 

What ways do you make it a fuss-free Thanksgiving at your home?

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