In Celebration of Get Organized Month, Make it Easy to Get Organized
January is National Get Organized Month. New year resolutions always include getting organized. You may think, “I would love to organize my home or office, however, organizing can be overwhelming and take a lot of time.” How do you make it easy and straightforward? Check out these tips to help you get a jump start on getting organized this year.
Trash or recycle it
The easiest way to get started is to hunt for trash and recycle. Walk your space with a trash and recycling bag. It is easy to know what to let go of. Already you are seeing a big difference in your space.
Right size it
Contrary to Marie Kondo, start small not pulling everything out. Pick one small area, category, or zone. Starting small keeps you from being overwhelmed. Start with only shirts, or plastic ware or your junk drawer. When you see one category of stuff grouped together and compare what you have, it is easier to let go of stuff. Once you have conquered a small spot, you have confidence in your organizing.
Time it
Set a timer to get started and create momentum. Just 15 minutes in one spot makes a big difference. Get started in your bedroom or bathroom, recycling, editing, and resetting your stuff.
Bag it
Having a designated spot to place stuff as you declutter makes it easy to let stuff go. Have a shopping bag ready in your closet to drop in clothes, shoes, and bags as you decide to declutter. Set a space in your guest room or garage for items ready to donate.
Make a game of it
Pull in your family to do a team effort on organizing. Set a timer and “beat the clock” by gathering items to donate. Host a laundry party where everyone folds and puts away their stuff. Play the matching game with socks. Making a game of organizing is fun and effortless.
Calendar it
Want to add a big chunk of organizing to your schedule? Add decluttering dates to your calendar to set up an appointment with yourself to organize.
Reset it
A family reset is a time each week to get stuff back to where it goes. Gather your family, set a timer for 15 minutes, and go! Once stuff is back at its home, you feel organized, and your space looks tidy.
Start the new year with practical, efficient, and simple strategies to reach your organizing goal.
My family did a “family reset” all day yesterday, taking down the Christmas decorations. It was a full team effort. So thankful for those who pitched in and helped. It was the perfect example of “many hands make light work,” and since we were all doing it, it felt kind of fun.
Same idea could work once a week with the regular stuff.
Hard to believe it’s National Get Organized Month already! But here we are, the first month of the year, and getting organized is a top goal for many. This is especially true as we begin the New Year.
I’m so glad you advised NOT pulling everything in a category out at once, which is the opposite advice Kondo gives. I’m with you 100%. Doing small bits at once is less overwhelming and more doable.
I love the idea of having a shopping bag ready to go for donations. I think so often we get tripped up when decluttering and organizing because we don’t know where to put things. Deciding in advance where various “categories” of items will go makes the whole process so much easier.
i always have a bag in the 5th cubby of my mudroom for donations. I have invited everyone in the household to put items they no loner want there. Simple.
I love the cubby dedicated to donation!
It is so easy to get overwhelmed and shut down if we don’t work in baby steps!
Family partnerships and team effort really work! Thank you for sharing this!