This New Year, You've Decided to Get Organized Now!

When the clock struck 12am on New Year's Day, you proclaimed your resolution,  "I'm going to organize my home."  Have you been waiting for the perfect time to manage your possessions? Now is the time to control the clutter, one step at a time. Here are tips on home organization to get you on track. 
 
You might be wondering where to start. This alone can be overwhelming. So, why not start small. Tame those junk drawers. Streamline your pantry. Recycle magazines older than 6 months. Do you really need 6 cookie sheets or 3 blenders? Donate a few jeans or tops which no longer fit or flatter. Ask yourself "would I re-purchase this item today?" 

Shoot to just get things done. Maybe with a pile of papers in your office or on your kitchen counter. Make 3 piles; 1. To do 2. To keep 3. To recycle.  Don’t focus on how big the piles are. Each can be sorted into smaller piles later.  The perfect approach to organizing is to realize not everything will be perfect at first. Let's be honest, 100% perfect is only in fairytales, aim for 100% functional. 

Watch what comes in and out.  Are you constantly bringing things in but never taking anything out. Then how do you expect things to change? It's time to break the bad habits. Stop letting the mail pile up. Stop ignoring the piles on the floor. Stop collecting figurines if you can't figure out were they will go.  Shop at home before bringing in anything new. Go through the pantry and make a list before entering a market. Get in the habit of letting one thing a day go into the recycling bin, into a donation pile or into the trash.    

Remember, once you let the clutter go then you can showcase the items which are truly needed, wanted, or loved. It took more than a day to become overwhelmed with stuff, yet with one day at a time you can get your home back in shape. Remember, bad habits of holding onto and buying too much stuff are hard to break, but you just have to keep yourself in check.  
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It's ok if you get off track, just make sure you come back to decluttering and organizing again. Just like the old saying "If at first you don’t succeed try, try again!" Life is about new beginnings and it’s a new year. This is new opportunity for you to reinvent the person you are today. Look towards the future you want and don’t let anything stand in your way of getting there. Have a happy, healthy, Organized New Year!