BE ORGANIZED IN THE NEW YEAR
I have never been a fan of New Year’s resolutions. But I am a fan of the “fresh start” spirit that comes with a new year. Especially with the end of a dreadful 2020 and a hopeful 2021. I think one of the reasons I dislike New Year’s resolutions is that a sense of failure can come with it if things do not go according to plan. There is no failure in self-evaluation and taking steps toward a better future. There is also no failure in getting organized. Yes, you can be disorganized or a system might not work for you. Yes, you can try something to get organized and it does not pan out. But there is no failure.
Organization takes time, effort, daily choices, and, most importantly, a starting point. I have put together a few ideas to help start the new year implementing better habits and systems.
Take the time to: Keep. Toss. Donate. This is a perfect time to go through clothes and closets, kitchen items, etc., as you put back your non-holiday items and add the new arrivals.
Create simple schedules. For example, I wash sheets and towels on Sundays; I like to meal plan on Monday morning and go to the grocery store on Mondays or Tuesdays; I aspire to (some day) make my bed in the morning. I try to complete certain tasks on the first of the month (i.e., in the past, I gave our dog his heartworm and flea medications on the first of the month). I do not stick to these every week/month, but because it’s a simple schedule it is easy to get back on track.
Find a calendar, planner, or notebook that works for you. Call me old school, but I cannot stay organized with the phone calendar. Throughout college, law school, and my time in D.C., I was planner gal (more specifically, the very plain and simple AT-A-GLANCE Monthly Planner). I wrote everything in my planner and carried it everywhere with me. Now that I spend a lot (understatement of 2020) of time at home, I am in love with the new weekly planning pad I found on Amazon (pictured in the photo!). It’s simple, positive, small, and allows for flexibility (linked here). I also cannot wait to try this daily notepad (linked here).
Be ambitious with certain goals, even if it’s small. You might just stick with it! For example, I am one of those people that loves sending cards to people- birthday cards, thank you notes, you name it. I am proud to say last year, I sent a birthday card to everyone in our immediate family on his or her birthday for the entire year. It was a tiny goal, but I did not dream I would make it the whole year and I did! At the beginning of last year, my mom set out to workout a certain number of times per month and she kept that goal all year.
Start with one room or one area that has been bothering you. Do a little at a time until the room/area is done. Set a timer…. sort, clean out, organize for 10 or 20 minutes at a time. A drawer or box at time. You will be amazed when you are finished. The point of getting organized is not to overwhelm you, so take on smaller tasks instead of more daunting ones.
Get your family involved. For every toy that comes in, your child must choose a toy to donate. One in, one out. Same with clothes. Create new family schedules (movie nights, family dinners, new chore lists).
Make a to-do list, whether on your phone, in a notebook, or a planner. It is wonderfully satisfying to cross things off when you are finished. Or revisit to-do lists you already have and re-prioritize the things you have left to do. This would actually be a great time to do The Challenge - Ten Things to Organize!
It’s a great time to self-evaluate and focus on what is causing you stress, what caused you stress last year, and what may cause you stress this year. Maybe your work situation or the kids school schedule has changed (again) and your focus needs to be on that situation, not organizing the basement shelves. Maybe disorganization in 2020 caused you stress and organizing certain aspects of your life in the new year would relieve some stress and anxiety. Or maybe you are still stuck at home and need to keep busy and organize something! Whatever the situation is, evaluate the past year and think about what changes you want to see in your life moving forward.
