Want to get organized for the New Year?

Every January, there is a huge surge in the organizing efforts around our home. The dust has settled, and the gifts are opened and need to be put away. And suddenly the house seems too small.

Maybe you are wondering what to do with all of your things also. So, it’s time to start organizing again, room by room, section by section. Let’s say you wanted to start with your bedroom. If you start with the goal of conquering one closet or one dresser a day, that is a reasonable way to start.

Just in case you have forgotten, let’s review the basic procedure of organizing again… (yes, I need this as a review also) Incidentally, if you want a humorous version of the same idea, read this: I want to make my home “S.T.I.N.K.”

This is a non-fancy (no acronym version) of the organizing principles.

1. Empty out the entire shelf/dresser/ closet that you are working with.

2. Decide how you want the area that you are organizing to function. Is this for frequently used items? Is this less-frequently used storage?

3. Sort the contents of your area into groups: keepers and non-keepers.

4. From the Keepers pile, decide if this is something you want in the area or some place else.

5. Designate boxes for “someplace else” and another box for “trash” and “donations”.

6. Once you find which items you want to permanently store on the designated shelf/ dresser/ closet, find a way to label things so they can find their way back.

7. It may be a good idea to invest in some baskets, containers, or dividers to help things stay organized. Work with the space and the items until you get something that is not only functional but looks good also.

8. Take a picture of the finished product. Place the picture where you can refer to it as needed.

If you are a thinker, review the high brow thoughts about organizing and organizing principles.

If you want practical advice, anything from organizing spaces will be helpful also.

There’s something so fulfilling about getting a space organized. I hope you will enjoy your January organizing adventures. I plan to tackle my dungeon this January. I’ll work on it for a few days until we go to Chicago next week. I start in the dungeon because everything seems easier when I’m done with that space!

Happy and Safe New Year!

#organizingspace