How To Get Organized in the New Year

I don’t know about you, but for me, it’s been TOUGH to get back into the swing of things this week. Taking the end of December off to recharge was great, but the first week of January? The struggle is real. To get back in the groove, there are a few things I’m doing (and definitely suggest YOU do!) to get myself into the New Year mindset. Check ’em out:

• Make a list of year-end goals.

You can’t really get where you’re going if you don’t know where that is. Envisioning a longterm goal for yourself is the first step to actually achieving it. Be it a career goal, a personal goal, whatever. Make sure that your goals are attainable, but don’t be afraid to be ambitious.

• Brainstorm a plan for how to GET to those year-end goals.

A goal without a game plan is useless. Figure out what needs to happen and what you need to do to get to where you’re going. Break up your ultimate goal into small, manageable goals and a timeline. Make sure you reward yourself for attaining the smaller goals. Focus on your progress and you’ll avoid burnout and feeling overwhelmed.

• Deep clean and declutter.

Cleaning just automatically helps you reset. When your space is clean and organized, you just FEEL better overall, don’t you? Commit to doing a deep clean and purge of your home, office and bedroom. If your carpets have seen better days, consider calling in a professional like this Evanston, IL carpet cleaning company to breathe some life back into them. Get rid of the clutter, everything you don’t absolutely need. Paper clutter is the absolute worst. File away all your important paperwork and documents and keep them out of sight. Be prepared as deep cleaning can bring out some house issues you may have not known about, for example, termites, bugs, flies, etc. they could be in your floorboards or your basement/attic and will need to be dealt with as soon as possible. You can contact professionals like https://www.pestcontrolexperts.com/termite-control/ to get them to assess the area and sort this problem out in enough time.

• Get a new planner.

Getting a new planner is my FAVORITE part of the new year. I LOVE planners. Find a pretty one that you love and will actually use. Mine is from SugarPaper LA’s collaboration with Target and I’m obsessed with it! (There are SO MANY CUTE ONES.) I tried the whole digital cal thing, but it just doesn’t work for me. I don’t know why, but I just can’t seem to make myself do it. Something about putting a pen to paper and writing down my schedule and to-do’s just HELPS ME stay focused and on track. If you’re a blogger? Make sure you find a great editorial calendar and plan out your content in advance. There are so many great ones out there! My gals Desiree and Jolene from Darling Be Daring sent me their AMAZING and adorable one. You can scoop it up in their Etsy shop!

Shop Sugar Paper LA x Target Planners

• Sort out your inbox.

If you follow me on Twitter, you know I spent the better part of today doing this. 672 UNSORTED EMAILS. EEK. I really let my inbox get out of control the last month, so there you have it. Sit down and commit to deleting, sorting and organizing your inbox. It’ll make you feel so much more focused and in control. I’m a total email hoarder. I hate deleting emails in the fear that I’ll desperately need someone’s contact information and not be able to find it. The best remedy for this is really to just maintain a contact list, which I’m working on. I suggest doing the same. That way, you can keep your inbox as pared down as possible, and still have all the info you need on hand. (And really, it’ll be so much easier to find someone’s contact info in a spreadsheet rather than in a sea of emails.)

• Ruthlessly edit your closet.

Go into your closet and immediately discard everything you haven’t worn in the past year. You’re not going to wear it. Just get rid of it. This is tough for me sometimes, because I see possibility in EVERYTHING. Plus, we develop sentimental attachments to our wardrobes. The truth is, you’re not going to wear it. Get rid of it, you’ll have so much more space for all the new goodies you’ll be bringing in this year! By the way- need help with this? Let’s work together. Closet editing is one of the most fun parts of my job. Sometimes, you just need an objective third party to help. Not in South Florida? Email me and let’s talk about a virtual closet purge!

• Set a schedule for yourself and stick to it.

If you have a schedule, you’ll be more likely to get everything done. For me, working from home is a blessing and a curse. I love that I have the freedom to set my own schedule and do what I want to do. I can manage my own time and if I want to take an afternoon nap or lunch with a girlfriend, I can DO that. But, I often get majorly distracted. Working from home and being able to move my schedule around also means that I get sucked down Twitter rabbit holes, take breaks to play with my dogs, and basically waste a whole lot of time if I’m not careful. If you work from home, it’s really important to still treat your day like a work day. Get up, get dressed and make things happen. (Still working on the getting dressed part, to be honest.)

• Get up early. Go to bed early.

Ok, I am HORRIBLE at this. I’m a total night owl and stay up ’til all hours. I tend to sleep until 8:30 or 9, so sometimes, I get a later start. Getting up earlier feels great because you feel like you have so many more hours in the day! This year, I want to transition into more of a morning person. I feel like you just get so much more done!

• Always keep a running to-do list.

Keeping on top of a to-do list is a great way to make sure that you actually get everything done. With so much going on and so many things to remember, a written reminder of all you have on your plate is the best way to stay on-task. Always knowing exactly what you need to do will ensure it gets done. Plus there’s really nothing as satisfying as crossing something off, right?

So there you have it. Tell me in the comments: how are you getting organized in the new year?