August – Find homes for not so frequently used appliances.
Worried that you won’t “get organized” this year – like you’ve written on your New Year’s Resolution list? Don’t be – just pick up one new organizing habit each month.
If you need help finding one, follow this list – or use it to make your own! (And download your calendar aid here!)
January – Put Away 10 Things
Start small – and anywhere. Pick up 10 things each day and put them away where they go.
Take 5 minutes to do this at the beginning or end of your day to build this habit.
February – Label 1 Thing
You don’t have to label the dog and the cat, but if it helps everybody in the house to know where a thing is (or where it belongs), put up a label.
Get a fancy label maker or use Post-it notes – but label the location of one thing each day.
March – Put Things Back
For March, when you take something out, put it back where it goes when you’re done with it.
Wake up every morning and remind yourself of this new habit.
April – Deal with 5 Pile Items
April – Tackle those piles!
You may have lots of piles, or just one big one. So each day in April, take 5 items from the top of your pile(s), and deal with them.
Does it need to be read, opened, filed, acted upon, or recycled? Do it!
Then put it where it needs to go. Doing this everyday will make a nice dent – and a good habit!
May – A Folder a Day!
You’re starting to build organizing momentum – so this month we’ll try something a little bigger.
Each day in May, grab one folder from your files and go through it. Most of the time, the papers can be shredded or recycled.
If you think you need to save instructions, flyers or even old invoices, chances are, you can download them online. Check and make sure.
June – Get to the Garage
Walk into your garage each day and pick up the first thing you see. Decide were it belongs and put it there.
If the first thing you see is already where it belongs, then look at something else. The idea is to get things to their homes.
After 30 days of putting one thing back, and into the 6th month of this exercise, you’re going to be getting pretty good at this!
So, keep up the good work!
July – Pitch it!
This month you get to throw away, recycle or donate one thing each day.
This doesn’t mean trash, though. That would be easy, right?
Find something that’s been hanging around that you don’t use. Are there old salt and pepper shakers on your windowsill that you don’t use? Donate them?
How about that tube of hand cream on the nightstand that has three drops that you can’t get out – throw it away!
August – Clear Your Kitchen
Out of sight, doesn’t always mean out of mind. Under cabinet storage is a great place to keep your mixers, blenders, can openers and other “make life easiers”.
So for August, each day choose a small appliance in your kitchen and ask, “Do I use this enough for it be out?”
If it’s out “just because,” find a cabinet that’s easily accessible and put it there instead.
September – Cull Your Wardrobe
September is closet month!
This month you can do to your closet what you did to your kitchen counter. Your closet is valuable property in your life, so keeping it neat is important.
Everyday, pick five things you haven’t worn in a while, and do one of the following with each:
- Store it (seasonal clothes should only be out during the season)
- Donate it
- Return it to its rightful owner (yeah – your sister knows you have it!)
- Hang it back up with the hanger hook facing the other way
If you find backward hangers in a month – it means you haven’t worn those things. Reconsider having them in your closet!
Important note: Be realistic with yourself. Saying, “I’ll wear that someday,” or “I can wear it at some point,” is causing you to not act. Don’t let it have that power! Your closet holds the clothes you need to perform your daily routines, not your once a year clothes – or once in a lifetime clothes.
October – Get the Junk Out
Have you noticed how every drawer wants to end up as the junk drawer?
This month you get to spend 5 minutes each day on a drawer in the house. Get them back the way they should be!
You can find details on this here.
November – Time for the Car
Your car is an extension of your home, and it can get cluttered with things as well. Consoles and glove boxes become random storage space. And heavy things in your trunk can degrade your gas mileage.
Each day in November grab one thing from your car that doesn’t belong. Take it into the house or garage and put it in its proper home.
December – Regift!
Re-gifting is a great way to save money and let someone else enjoy things that have given you joy. Each day choose one thing that you don’t use anymore and figure out who would enjoy it. Label it with a Post-it note or wrap it immediately.
If no one comes to mind, you can always donate the item to the Salvation Army or another charity. They like the re-gifts!
Happy New Year!
Are you ready? Click to download this handy aid to cut out and tape to your calendar.
Share how it goes in the comments and tell your friends on twitter and Facebook!
I so need these tips! Thank you for being willing to share them in my organization round up!
Hi Kathy,
I hope they work well in your organization round up. I appreciate you using them.
These are great goals! I’m going to have to give this a try.
Thanks Pamela. Let me know how it goes
Great ideas! I love how these baby steps make a difference!
Thanks Ellen. Hopefully they will become habits as well.