At this time of year I always like to take some time to look around my house and find ways of getting myself organized and decluttered for the coming year. I like to start the New Year with a clean slate, concentrating on all the possibilities that the coming year holds. And I find that I am better able to do that when I’ve cleared out all the clutter from the year gone by and gotten myself on track for what’s ahead. So with that in mind, here are 5 tips for getting organized for the New Year, or rather, 5 simple questions that you can ask yourself to get (and keep) yourself organized over the long-term.
What does organization mean to you?
Just because your neighbour likes to colour-code her pantry and schedule everyone in her family down to the microsecond 6 months in advance, doesn’t mean that you have to. What would “organized” mean for you? Does it mean having a system in place to deal with all the notes and things your kids bring home from school every day? Or having a neat and tidy kitchen? Or finally clearing out the junk closet? Figure out what “organized” means to you, and start with that.
What motivates you best?
Do you prefer to start with the hardest task so it’s easier from there on in, or do you like to start with the easiest task to build up momentum? Figure out what kind of approach motivates you the most and go with it.
Will you actually use it?
Before you buy something new, ask yourself if you actually have a use for it? Do you know where you’d put it? Do you already have something that does what this thing does already? While that dancing hula girl doll or singing fish is funny, do you REALLY need it in your house? It’s the same thing with the latest “gadgets”, too – if you already have a regular coffee machine, do you really need an espresso maker or one of those single-serve pod systems? More stuff in your house means more clutter to stress you out!
Will a deadline help to motivate you?
If you’re having a hard time with decluttering and getting organized, consider giving yourself a deadline to work towards: call a charity and arrange for them to pick-up donations from you on a certain day; that way you HAVE to get it done!
Are you panicking over the amount of work to be done?
Try not to get overwhelmed by looking at your entire house or your entire life and thinking you “should” get it all organized. It’s too much, and you’re just going to overload and try to avoid having to deal with it at all. So just take it in baby steps; just pick one smaller chunk and work on it. Perhaps today is the day you’ll organize your office space or desk. And tomorrow you’ll sort out your kitchen. And on the weekend you’ll deal with the junk closet. Break it down into manageable chunks and get yourself organized one area or piece at a time.
If you’re feeling overwhelmed by end-of-year clutter, take some time to ask yourself these questions and you’ll be well on your way to getting organized for the year ahead!
photo credit: pixabay.com cc (modified by me)
