Journal
How to Get Organized in 2018
It's the second week of January and we can finally start to settle back into our everyday routines. You might be staring at your holiday decor, wondering if you should start to put it away yet. You're also probably noticing a little bit of clutter, or that things seem to be a bit out of order. What a great time to regroup and get organized!
Let's start with that holiday decor: Resist the urge to dump it all back into a giant box and sealing it shut until next year. Trust us, you will not want to open that box this year when it comes time to redecorate! Put as much care into putting things away as you do when you decorate for the holidays. If you've kept the original boxes and packaging for ornaments, make sure you put them away in these. If you didn't keep the packaging, check out these handy ornament boxes that you can purchase. You will thank yourself later!
Your closet: If you've taken advantage of the winter sales like I have been, your closet might be looking a bit overstuffed. It's a good time to go through every single article of clothing you currently own. While that seems like a daunting task, it will feel great once you are finished. Go through each article, noting it's size and condition and how many times you have worn it. If you haven't worn it in the last couple of months (unless it's seasonal), then it's probably a good indicator that you no longer need it. Then, evaluate the way you organize your closet. HGTV recommends hanging your garments by "cluster", which is 5-8 pieces of clothing that coordinate together. The idea behind this is that you're visually reminded of what pieces you typically wear together. You can check out this article by HGTV to get a better idea of how to cluster your closet.
The home office: This is usually where all our bills, receipts, and coupons typically pile up. If your computer is currently fighting for space on your desk's table top, you might want to consider clearing off it's surface and starting with a blank slate. If you don't have a paper sorter, this can help eliminate the piles of papers that accumulate on the tops of our tabletops. Also, go through everything in those piles. Get rid of or sort the bills you've paid, the receipts you no longer need, and the coupons that are expired. Organize your pens in a container, so they can be easily accessed. Maybe even treat yourself to a few new office supplies or gadgets. A new calendar will also help you get your head in the game for the beginning of a new year!
Your kid's room: Okay, so this one is really worthy of it's own blog entry, but there are small things you can do to try to get your little one's room more organized after the holiday gift madness. Toy storage is key! If your kid has toys all over the floor, especially after receiving gifts, it might be time to get a new toy box if you don't have one already. Toy box design has come a long way and some even double as reading bench, like this one. Also, maybe adding some shelves to the wall or bookcases might address some of the organization issues. Adding storages boxes to these will help you control the clutter.
The kitchen pantry: Another popular new year's resolution usually corresponds with a healthier diet. If that's the case for you, it's time to open up that pantry! Get rid of anything expired and donate any canned goods that aren't, but you don't plan on using. Using resealable containers are a great way to organize your dry goods, such as rice and pasta, flours and dry beans. Not only will you be able to see clearly what you have and how much, it will also allow you to organize easier within your limited shelf space when everything is in jars of similar size. Just make sure that you label them so that you don't accidentally mistake your baking powder for baking soda! You can also take this time to sort through all of your food savers and containers. How many pieces do you have that are missing coordinating lids and vice versa? It might be a good idea to buy an entirely new set if you're finding more mismatched pairs than matching.
Hopefully these tips can help you sort through some of the clutter you've been experiencing in your home after the holiday season! Implementing even just a few of these into your life will have you feeling as if you're starting with a clean slate already!
