The New Year is almost upon us; this means it’s time to start out new and fresh and maybe make a New Years resolution or two.
One resolution that lots of people make is to get more organized and even if that is not your resolution this year, doing so will greatly improve how smooth-sailing your year could be in the months ahead. Here are several ways to organize your life in the New Year that will calm some of the chaos.
Ways to Organize Your Life in the New Year
Start meal planning
If you don’t already, the new year is a great time to start. You will not only get benefits from being organized, but you will find that your grocery bill will be better under control and you probably won’t spend as much on eating out as you might spend now. Meal planning is as easy as 1, 2, 3…and just takes about a half hour or less each week.
Make a date with your papers
Most of us have a lot of paperwork (sigh) just sitting in various places around our home. Make a time to sit down and go through them and place them where they belong. Decide what is really important to keep and create a filing system for it. Make a plan for new papers that come into your home. Check out my post on organizing your paperwork for more details.
Related: Organizing your home can be so difficult. You have no idea where to begin or how to organize your home in a way that makes sense. This organizing essentials guide is the perfect solution. With real life advice, this go-to guide covers almost everything you own! Get started now and say goodbye to clutter forever!
Go spreadsheet happy
Spreadsheets can really help you stay organized from grocery lists to important dates. Think of a few categories that need refining in your life and make some spreadsheets to organize in those areas. Alternatively, you can hunt around on Pinterest for free printables to help you organize certain areas of your life. One of the main free printables you’ll need for the new year is a 2015 calendar and I just so happen to have a fully editable set here.
Make a budget
If you don’t have a budget, now is the perfect time to make one. A budget is not just about spending and saving. It is about figuring out your financial priorities and getting them in order. A budget can help you decide where you should be spending your money and where you should be saving it. Knowing where your money goes, helps you stay organized by allowing you to see the big picture before you take on more. To help you create a budget, there are lots of free online tools, but here’s my favorite online resource.
Make a promise to say “No”
Oh, this is a toughy for me and my personal New Years’ Resolution. I have such a hard time saying, “No.”
One way that most of our lives become disorganized and chaotic is by committing to too many obligations and events. This year, make a promise to yourself to not overbook your time. It is not only important because it keeps you more organized, but one key to staying organized is to keep your stress low and learning to say “no” will help you do that.
Pick a room to organize
While the idea of organizing your whole home may be too daunting, you can do it if you take your time. Start with one area that is really bothering you and spend just 10 minutes a day in that room organizing it. Pretty soon you will realize how far you’ve come and your whole house will be organized before you know it. If you really hate organizing, set a timer. It will really help.
What are some of your ideas of Ways to Organize Your Life in the New Year?
Thanks so much for sharing a link to my budgeting post, Sarah! Love your idea to spend just 10 minutes a day organizing a room too.
Thanks Kalyn. I am happy to share it. 🙂
Love these tips! I need to make a date with our paperwork ASAP! Ugh.
I love how you said to pick a room to focus on. Even though I would LOVE to get our entire house organized at once it is very overwhelming. By breaking it up room by room it makes it much more manageable.
Great tips. I have to admit that I’m not the tidies of people. I can always find something more interesting to be doing rather than cleaning and tidying but I do love my home to be nice. My mind feels cluttered when my home is. I started picking a room and working on it a few years ago and it really makes a difference. If I get up on a Saturday morning and think “I’ve got to clean the whole house.” I don’t even bother starting. If I just think today I’m going to clean and tidy the kitchen, that’s easy and I just get on with it.
I love the tip about focusing on one room. One way I try to stay organized is with my basket. Throughout the day as I find things that don’t belong in a certain room I place them in the basket. Then before bed, I ask everyone to get their things from the basket and take them to their rooms. It has become a game to see what has been found throughout the day. By the end of the day the basket is empty and we start again.
Hmm, that’s a really interesting idea; very creative! Thank you for sharing. 🙂