Every year after Christmas, I create a list of new goals for my home. Many of them are often related to organization or specific projects I want to work on or accomplish. I thought it would be fun this year to share my New Year’s Organizing Resolutions.
As I thought through the different areas of my home and the specific activities that need organizational attention, I came up with 12 months of goals. By focusing on my list each month and completing a few tasks at a time, I’ll be less stressed all year knowing I don’t have to get everything done at once. And, my home should be much less cluttered and my life far more organized by the end of the year!
Perhaps you can adapt some of these to meet your own needs or create your own list of organizational goals.
New Year’s Resolutions for Your Home
January
Organize papers. Shred or recycle paper. Set up 12 folders for monthly planning and filing. Use a filing system to plan ahead with birthday cards, coupons, recipes, holiday ideas and more. As each month ends, you can use the folder for notes of things to remember next year or for receipts to save.
February
Organize clothes. Pare down what we own and only keep in our closets what we actually wear. Sort clothes in closet by color or type. Invest in new hangers to make the best use of closet space.
March
Organize computer files. Create desktop folders, organize documents and back up important files to an external hard drive.
April
Organize accounting system and budgets. It’s time to organize bill paying paperwork and systems, and assess the budget and plans for the new tax year.
May
Organize the kitchen. Which dishes have we used in the past year? Toss out old spices, clean out the refrigerator and pantry. Assess the condition of the kitchen towels and aprons. Keep items you use and love, and give away the rest! Unless you have a lot of storage space in your kitchen, items you only use seasonally should be organized by season and put in storage. Wipe down all shelves and surfaces.
June
Organize and clean garage and storage. It’s time to find the excess that’s been hiding out in the garage or storage space! Give away or sell what you don’t need. Reorganize and sweep out storage spaces.
July
Organize kid’s toys, clothes and keepsakes. Set aside one box to store favorite memories, one box for toys to give away and one box for clothes that no longer fit. If your kids are grown and out of the house, reclaim space for yourself by decluttering their old items and sending them their mementos to store at their own homes.
August
Sort and organize linens, bedrooms and bathrooms. Toss or give away excess or worn out linens, and pare down or replace only the essentials for each bedroom and bathroom. Clean out under sinks and toss out old medications, cleaning supplies or cosmetics. Tidy up nightstands and dressers.
September
Organize photos. Delete blurry photos. Back up photos on your computer to an external or online storage system. Print out photos for gifts, albums or Christmas cards this year.
October
Organize for the holidays. What do you want your holidays to look like this year? Make plans for hosting parties, entertaining or family get-togethers. Gather new addresses for holiday cards. Save favorite ideas, recipes and plans in a holiday folder or notebook. Organize and pare down holiday decor to what you love.
November
Organize hobbies and crafts. This month as you are crafting or spending more time indoors, assess and organize craft supplies. Pare down to what you need and use. Make a few handmade gifts to use up some favorite crafts! Organize or toss out wrinkled or old gift wrap and tags.
December
It’s time for house cleaning and preparing for holidays. Spend a few days at the beginning of December deep-cleaning your house and setting up guest rooms or bathrooms for visitors. Clean the oven. Set up a wrapping station for gifts. Restock your baking supplies and set up a baking station so you can enjoy holiday goodies and make treats to give away.
Happy planning!
