5 Ways to Jump Start Your 2020 Organizing Efforts in an Hours

One thing I love about being an organizer is that while most people who made other New Year’s resolutions have abandoned their efforts by January 15th, the people that have resolved to tackle getting more organized are just getting started. This is when my phone really starts ringing with new clients – Exciting!

Here are 5 things that you can do in 1 hour or less to help you jump start your organizing effort for 2020.

1. Freshen Your Files

Go through your most frequently used files at home and purge all of last year’s papers that are outdated. This will save you time by only having current active papers in your files, while not having to wade through excessive info. If you need to archive some of your 2019 papers, I like using either a plastic file box or this cardboard storage box from the container store.

2. Pantry

After the holidays, a lot of food pantries see a decline in donations. This is a great time to scan through your pantry for items you have not used, or will not use, as well as any extras that you may not utilize through before they expire. Getting your pantry down to just your staple items is a great goal. You will be helping those in need too!

3. Kids Art

If you, like so many of my busy clients, have your child's artwork and school projects all over the house, implement a space saving tactic to keep them corralled in 2020. First, set aside a storage box labeled for each child’s sentimental items, this will be only for the best of the best projects from the little Van Gogh-in-training.

Next, set aside a designated display area for current masterpieces to live - this could be in the child’s room, above the fireplace, or on the traditional appliance: the refrigerator. You can also purchase a picture frame that can house many pieces of art, or you could do one frame per child and display a new picture each week.

4. Closet Clutter

If reducing your clothing is a goal for the New Year, go through your closet and move all your clothes to be hanging with the hangers backwards on their rod. As you wear items, change the hanger back to the other (correct) direction. That way at the end of the year, you can see what you have worn throughout the year and what you have not. In December you can just do a closet purge of all the remaining backward hanging items.

4. Reading Material Recycle

Go through that pile of magazines, newspapers, and articles that you have been hanging onto, and make the decision to start fresh for 2020. To continue keeping reading materials in check, decide on a container that will be their designated spot as they come into the house. Once this is done, set a rule for yourself that when the container starts to get full, it is time to purge.

Remember, small incremental changes can add up to a more organized 2020!

Best of luck!

#NAPOGOMONTH, #NAPOminnesota