As the calendar turns to January once again, it is time to carefully store our holiday finery and get organized for the coming year. Whether you want to streamline your daily routines, reduce stress, or just enjoy a cleaner and more orderly environment, organizing your home can have a transformative effect on your life. This process isn’t magic; it is just about implementing practical strategies throughout the year so that you can create a home that is not just tidy but truly supports your lifestyle and goals for every season.
Home organization is never a one-time project. Instead, it is a process where you implement different strategies throughout the year to help maintain an organized home. Consider putting into practice at least one of these strategies each month so that you don’t get overwhelmed by the process and can focus on tasks that are applicable for the season.
Start Small for Big Wins: January
January is an excellent month to begin your year of organization, and you can motivate yourself with small, manageable tasks that provide a quick win. Focus on visible areas like the coffee table, nightstands, the junk drawer, or a bathroom cabinet. Decluttering these spaces will help to streamline these spaces to simplify your everyday life and provide a sense of accomplishment.
Take time to separate the items you are organizing into things that you no longer use and the items that are essential. Donate or throw away the items that are not useful or relevant to you. Establish a simple system of organization for the items you want to keep, such as bins, baskets, or dividers, to ensure that they remain neat and accessible.
Declutter and Organize Paperwork: February
Tackling your files and paperwork in February will get you ready to face any challenge that arises for the upcoming tax season. Start by sorting through stacks of bills, receipts, and documents, either digitally or in physical copies. Shred or recycle anything that is unnecessary and categorize and file the rest into easily accessible folders or binders. If you do have physical copies of essential paperwork, consider making digital copies and storing them in secure, cloud-based systems for easy retrieval.
February is also an ideal time to go through all of your subscriptions and unsubscribe from unwanted services, mail, and paper statements. This will ensure that you are minimizing future clutter.
Simplify and Organize Clothing: March
March is the month that falls just before the weather starts to warm for those in the Northern Hemisphere. This means that it is a good time to begin evaluating the items in the household clothing that no longer work for each family member. As you begin to go through the clothes of the household, try to make this a family project so that each person has ownership of the way this project unfolds.
Begin by sorting through each family member’s clothing and separating the pieces you want to keep from those you should get rid of due to fit or style changes. Donate, sell, or recycle the items you don’t want to keep to free up storage space. For the items you are keeping, organize them by category and store them carefully using hangers, hooks, drawers, baskets, or bins. Store less frequently used items in storage containers to give you more room for seasonal clothing.
Optimize Storage Solutions: April
Optimizing storage is all about making sure that you have the pieces you need to keep your home organized in each room. First, tackle problem areas like the mudroom, hall closet, or pantry and look for functional pieces that will help to organize these spaces. Before you go out and buy storage pieces, take the time to evaluate how you or your family uses each area and which storage makes the most sense.
The best solution will be different for each area and might include a mixture of options like baskets, bins, shelves, bookcases, or a hall tree. Always look for ways to maximize vertical storage so that you keep floor space clear. Once you have completed the biggest problem areas, move on to each room and consider ways to implement better storage.
Refresh Shared Spaces: May
As the year moves on, the clutter in shared spaces can quickly accumulate. Before the beginning of summer, take the time to clear through the shared spaces where your family gathers, spaces like the living room, den, dining room, and kitchen, to clear the space so that it is ready for impromptu gatherings and parties. Start by decluttering surfaces like countertops, living room tables, and the dining table. Then, rearrange your furniture, if needed, for better flow and desired functionality. Add stylish storage containers like baskets or ottomans and benches with hidden compartments to keep essential items accessible but out of sight.
Tidy Up Your Kitchen: June
June is an ideal time to tackle kitchen organization so that you can prepare for more intensive meal preparation during the school year or for more eating at home during the colder months. Start by decluttering your pantry, fridge, and cabinets by tossing expired food and consolidating duplicate food items. Group similar food items together, such as spices, baking items, or snacks, to make these items easier to find.
Go through your cabinets to ensure that you use all of the items and do not have unnecessary duplicates. Use small storage solutions for your kitchen cabinets, such as separators and bins, to organize your kitchen gadgets and make them more accessible. Keep like items together so that anyone can easily locate items.
Organize Hidden Places: July
This summer, devote a few hours to organizing less frequently used areas such as the attic, closets, garage, or basement, which can quickly become a catch-all for everything you do not want to handle. As a first step, it can help to remove everything from the space if this is practical. If not, organize specific zones and work through them systematically so that you are sure to tackle the entire space.
You will want to go through the items in each space and sort them into keep, donate, and discard piles. For items that you want to keep, reorganize them, if necessary, into clear or labeled storage bins so that you can easily locate the items when needed. If possible, implement vertical storage for your bins so that you can keep the floor space clear.
Establish Daily Organizational Habits: August
Check in with your organizational processes around the midyear to see how things are going. August is a good time to establish better daily habits for keeping your home tidy. Integrating simple routines, such as a ten-minute cleaning spree in the evening, to ensure that clutter doesn’t build up and your home feels put-together every day.
Another habit might be to establish a drop zone at entry points such as the back door or foyer so that everyone becomes accustomed to keeping items such as bags, coats, and shoes in one location rather than all over the house.
Organize Hobbies and Gear: September
As the summer draws to a close, this can be an excellent time to reorganize play items like sports and summer gear or craft supplies. Evaluate the usefulness of each item and discard or donate items that do not work for your lifestyle or family anymore. For seasonal gear, store it carefully so that it is easy to find. If items are dirty or in disrepair, clean and fix these items before you store them so they are ready when you pull them out next year.
Streamline Holiday Decor: October
October is the month just before the fall and winter holidays begin, so it is a good time to organize your decor before you need it. Begin by assessing the decorations that you have. Check boxes of ornaments and decor, strings of lights, and outdoor accessories to see if you need to replace anything before the season begins. Let go of items that are outdated or no longer fit your style. Make sure everything is clearly labeled so that you can access it easily.
Organize Bathrooms: November
Before the holiday season begins in earnest, early November is ideal for organizing spaces like bathrooms. Begin by clearing the countertops and cabinets so you can start with a clean slate. Get rid of expired toiletries, medications, and makeup that are taking up valuable cabinet space. Use baskets and bins to sort items and organize them with like items. Consider installing extra shelves, hooks, or free-standing cabinets to keep your towels and toiletries more easily accessible.
Reflect on Your Organization Routines: December
Take some time for yourself during the busy holidays of December and the transition to the new year to assess the effectiveness of your organization methods throughout the past year and identify areas for improvement. Consider your daily practices and consider if they are effective or not, or perhaps they just need better implementation.
Take time in the transition from one year to the next to store your holiday decor carefully. Make sure that your items are clearly labeled so that they will be easy to access next year.
