I began participating in organizational challenges years ago… good for a fresh start to the new year no doubt, but also freeing in that you get rid of so much unnecessary “junk” and stuff, especially once you finally put away the Christmas decorations and want a clean slate.
I’ve participated in those hosted by others, but started doing my very own version two years ago and I love helping each of you clear the clutter, too = basically one of my love languages! And because everything is easier when we hold each other accountable, I wanted to share this year’s challenge to keep you motivated, get on track and ready for an organized start to 2022.
Practical Organization Tips for January:
Here is my January 2022 organization challenge… go ahead and bookmark this for easy reference and set your alarm each day to tackle at the same time so you won’t forget! I’ll be posting everyday to show you how I get it all done as well AND there might be a fun giveaway for those that complete all 31 days.
And because we all need some organization tips + tricks to help make this easier and more efficient, start incorporating these happy +clean home habits into your schedule bit by bit, and you’ll build your way to having a tidy home sweet home everyday. Here are my top recommendations:
It’s a rule in our house and one I don’t budge on. I know I’m crazy, but I promise it makes bedrooms feel cleaner when the bed is made and starts my day off on the right foot. Plus, it teaches your kids responsbility and taking pride in their space. Yes, I’m the person that always makes their bed on vacation as well.
This is another reason why a label maker is an essential in our home… because everything is prettier and more efficient when it’s labeled and your husband won’t call you [or at least he will call you less] asking where the spare batteries are, etc.
I know a lot of people that swear by the “clean it all up at night” rule, but that’s not my motto. Now that the girls are older and help with the cleanup, it’s easier to tackle as we go about our day. When I get done cooking dinner, we clean it all up… as you go makes it far less daunting and keeps everything semi-organized all the time.
I started intiating this rule into our house a few years ago and it’s been a gamechanger in not letting piles of laundry overpower hampers. Even if it’s a small load [towels, sheets, kids blankets, etc] doing one load of laundry each day helps me keep on top of this necessary chore. And as a tip, I wash and dry the girls clothes, but they are responsible for putting it away = a lesson I learned early in life and one that served me well [especially when I went away for college].
Every night, set a timer for 10 minutes before bed to do a small cleanup. For me, that includes loading and starting the dishwasher, removing all excess “stuff” from the kitchen counters and island, putting away the kids backpacks/lunchboxes, homework, etc and all other items left out. Basically, do a quick sweep through of your most lived-in roms before you call it a night. You’ll thank yourself in the morning!
Make a home for everything so you know when things are out of place! Ensuring that everything has a designated space will save you lots of time and effort in the long run! And yes, this makes it MUCH easier for everyone in the family to help as well.
This is a BIG one in my house… a place for all the items you wish to donate or give. For me, it’s a storage space upstairs off my office. Whether it be a drawer, bin or box, it’s a spot for items you no longer use. I try to drop off our donations or schedule a pickup from a local non-profit each month so I stay on top of this and so that I am continuously getting rid of the excess stuff.
A tried and true organization tip to keep clutter to a minimum is to create a system where you donate something every time you bring in something new. For example, next time you go shopping, before adding those new clothes to your closet, go through and pick a few items to add to that donation bin. If you haven’t worn it in a year, you’re probably never going to and with the new additions, you’ll hardly notice the ones you removed!
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