Organizing 101

Why Organizing Matters

An organized home provides many benefits that can improve your overall quality of life. When your physical environment is clutter-free and everything has its place, you will experience reduced stress and anxiety. Studies show that clutter negatively impacts your ability to focus, which leads to decreased productivity. An organized home allows you to operate more efficiently so you can free up valuable time to spend on what’s most important.

There are also health benefits to an organized home. Clutter is a breeding ground for dust and allergens which can worsen respiratory issues like asthma. Tripping hazards from clutter lead to more falls, especially for the elderly. An organized home is safer for families with young children and pets. Knowing where things are located also reduces frustration and anger when you need to find something quickly. Overall, an organized home leads to greater peace of mind.

Organizing Your Physical Space

Decluttering and organizing your physical environment can have immense benefits for your mental clarity, productivity, and overall wellbeing. Here are some tips for organizing each room in your home:

Living Room

• Go through all surfaces and clear clutter. Donate, recycle, sell, or trash items you no longer need.
• Use storage furniture like shelves, cabinets, and media consoles to store items neatly out of sight.
• Arrange furniture to create open spaces and clear walkways.
• Declutter magazines and books. Keep only current issues and titles you’ll actually reread.
• Use storage bins and baskets to corral toys, blankets, and remotes.

Kitchen

• Clear countertops completely. Only keep essential small appliances out.
• Organize cabinets using Lazy Susans, shelf dividers, and bins. Side note: label bins.
• Arrange dishes, food, and cooking tools for easy access.
• Declutter expired food and unnecessary kitchenware.
• Create cleaning and cooking prep checklists.

Bedroom

• Make bed daily and keep room tidy.
• Use storage beds and under-bed bins.
• Install shelves to organize clothes, shoes, and accessories by type/use.
• Donate or sell unused clothes and shoes.
• Use trays and dividers to organize jewelry, watches, and other small items in drawers

Bathroom

• Store bathroom essentials in clear, stackable bins. Again, side note: label bins.
• Use hanging shower caddies and wall-mounted shelves.
• Declutter old makeup/skincare items. Keep only current products in use.
• Fold towels neatly and store out of sight.
• Use daily bathroom cleaning checklist to maintain organization.

The KonMari method of tidying recommends starting with clothes, then sorting other items by category, keeping only items that “spark joy.” Maintain the system by putting everything back in its place after use. A place for everything and everything in its place creates a peaceful, productive environment.

Organizing Your Mind

A cluttered home often goes hand in hand with a cluttered mind. When your physical surroundings are disorganized, it can negatively impact your mental clarity, focus, and decision making. Setting aside time to organize your thoughts and mental space provides immense benefits.

Benefits of a Clear Mind

Having a clear, organized mind allows you to focus on what’s most important in both your personal and professional life. You’ll be able to identify your top priorities and pursue them efficiently without constant distraction. With less mental clutter, you’ll find it easier to make decisions, plan for the future, and solve problems. A decluttered mind reduces stress and anxiety, as you’ll feel more in control and on top of things. Overall, you’ll be able to think more creatively, feel more motivated, and gain confidence in your abilities.

Reducing Mental Clutter

To reduce mental clutter, set aside time for self-reflection. Identify your values, goals, and current priorities. Recognize recurring negative thought patterns and let them go. Process your emotions to prevent them from clogging your mind. Digitize, delegate, or trash commitments that no longer serve you. Schedule time for your top priorities and say no to nonessential tasks. Practice mindfulness to stay focused in the present moment. With a decluttered mind, you’ll gain mental space to process new information and opportunities. Personally I have found that it helps a lot to journal what I’m processing.

Goal Setting, Priorities, Schedules

Set SMART (specific, measurable, achievable, realistic, timely) goals aligned with your core values. Break big goals down into manageable steps. Identify your top 3 priorities each day and align your schedule accordingly. Block off time for focused work on your priorities. Schedule time for relationships, self-care, and fun too. Use a planner to map out your ideal week and important deadlines. Refer back to your schedule and goals to make daily decisions on where to focus your time and mental energy. Adjust as needed but stick to the system. Review and reset your goals and schedule quarterly/annually.

Creating a Daily Routine

Creating and following a consistent daily routine can help you feel more organized and in control. Having a routine decreases decision fatigue since you already know what your day will look like.

A daily routine covers your regular morning and evening activities. When constructing your routine, be sure to block time for different types of activities:

• Morning routine: Get ready for the day (shower, breakfast, etc), work, exercise
• Afternoon: Lunch break, errands, household chores
• Evening routine: Make dinner, family time, get ready for bed

Having a visual schedule can help. For example, you could create a table detailing your ideal daily routine:

Morning

• 6:30 AM – Wake up
• 6:35 AM – Make bed
• 6:40 AM – Meditate
• 7:00 AM – Exercise
• 7:30 AM – Shower and get ready
• 8:00 AM – Make and eat breakfast
• 8:30 AM – Start work

Afternoon

• 12:00 PM – Lunch break
• 1:00 PM – Errands
• 3:00 PM – Laundry and tidying up

Evening

• 5:30 PM – Make dinner
• 6:30 PM – Dinner with family
• 8:00 PM – Free time
• 10:00 PM – Get ready for bed
• 10:30 PM – Lights out

Having a set routine reduces decision fatigue and helps each day feel more organized. Be sure to schedule time for obligations as well as self-care activities. Tweak your daily routine until you find a schedule that works optimally.

Weekly Meal Planning

Meal planning is one of the best ways to save time and money while eating healthier. When you plan out your meals for the week ahead of time, you can create efficient grocery lists, prep ingredients in advance, and avoid last minute takeout decisions or expensive impulse purchases.

Benefits of Meal Planning

• Saves money. Meal planning allows you to take advantage of grocery store sales, bulk discounts, and coupons more strategically. You waste less food since you only buy what you need.
• Saves time. With a plan in place, you don’t waste time deciding what to eat each night or making extra trips to the store. You can also prep ingredients in advance which makes cooking quicker.
• Eat healthier. When you plan meals, you can intentionally incorporate more fruits, vegetables, lean proteins, and whole grains into your diet. You have more control over your nutrition.
• Reduces stress. Knowing what you’re going to eat removes a daily decision. You also won’t have to worry about scrambling to make dinner or order unhealthy takeout on busy nights.

Meal Planning Tips

• Look at your schedule. Consider your calendar for the week – what nights will you eat out or need super quick meals? Plan around your commitments.
• Involve family members. Get input from others about favorite meals, dietary needs, or recipes they want to try. Kids may be excited to help.
• Mix it up. Include some time-saving leftovers or crockpot meals along with 30-minute meals and one-pan recipes. Variety keeps it interesting.
• Make a master list. Keep an ongoing list of quick and easy meal ideas you can combine in different ways. Build up your go-to options.
• Take out one day in the week to wash, chop, package and freeze veggies that you bought in bulk in order to save costs and increase the products lifetime.

Grocery Shopping with a Plan

• Make a master grocery list. This includes staples you regularly need to replenish. Just add additional items for that week’s meals.
• Shop on a day you have time. Don’t rush – an organized grocery trip leads to less waste and impulse purchases. Go with your list in hand.
• Buy produce first. Start in the produce section and select fruits/veggies needed for your meals and snacks.
• Get just enough. Stick to the amounts on your list and resist overbuying, even if it’s on sale. Only get extras if you have a plan to use them up.
• Check for gaps. Before checking out, scan your cart and make sure you have all the ingredients needed for each planned meal. Pick up any missing items.

With a weekly meal plan and grocery list in hand, you’ll save so much time and stress in the kitchen. Eating at home more often will become quick, easy, and healthy for your whole family.

Scheduling Your Week

Creating and sticking to a weekly schedule is one of the best ways to stay organized, feel in control, and make the most of your time. By blocking out certain parts of your days or weeks for different activities and priorities, you can ensure you’re not overlooking important tasks, appointments, or personal time.

Get started by looking at your calendar app or planner for any standing appointments, classes, meetings, etc. Block these off first so you have an overview of what’s already booked.

Next, think about your biggest priorities and goals for the week. Are there work projects you want to make progress on? Errands to run? Social events or activities? Block time for these as well.

Be sure to schedule time for your personal priorities too – like exercise, meal prep, family time, hobbies, etc. Adding these to the calendar ensures they don’t get lost in the shuffle of other obligations.

Many productivity experts recommend themeing your days. For example, you might devote Mondays to administration tasks, Tuesdays and Thursdays for deep work, and Fridays for errands and household chores. Find a pattern that suits your lifestyle and needs.

SCHEDULING PARAMETERS/TIPS:

• Schedule in time blocks, not just appointments. Seeing those open blocks helps you use time effectively.
• Alternate focused work blocks with breaks and lighter tasks. This boosts productivity.
• Leave buffer time between meetings and tasks. This allows you to wrap up, transition, etc.
• Schedule personal items like exercise at times you’ll stick to. Put them in your work calendar too.
• Overestimate how long tasks will take. It’s better to have extra time than be stressed and rushed.
• Review your schedule the night before and each morning. Make adjustments as needed.

Sticking to your weekly schedule will help boost productivity, reduce stress, and ensure you’re making time for what matters most. Adjust and refine as needed to make it work for you. Consistent scheduling keeps your time and priorities in check.

Organizing Your Finances

Getting your finances organized can provide tremendous benefits in reducing stress, saving money, and working toward financial goals. By creating a budget and tracking your spending, you gain insight into where your money is going each month. A budget allows you to align your spending with your values and priorities.

Benefits of a Budget

• Reduces stress – Knowing exactly how much money you have to work with each month helps eliminate worries about overspending. You can make informed decisions within your budget.
• Helps you save – Budgets make it easier to identify areas where you can cut back on spending and direct that money toward savings goals instead.
• Achieve financial goals – With a budget, you can see how you’re progressing each month toward retirement, paying off debt, or building an emergency fund.
• Gain awareness – Detailed tracking of expenses reveals where your money is going. You can spot unnecessary spending.
• Make mindful choices – A budget empowers you to consciously choose how to allocate funds based on what’s most important to you.

Budgeting Tips and Tools

• Use a budget template – Download a simple budget template or use budgeting tools through your bank or apps like Mint or Easy expense.
• Track every expense – Record all expenses no matter how small so you have complete data.
• Set reasonable limits – Budget realistic amounts for each spending category based on actual costs.
• Review and adjust – Examine your budget monthly and make changes if needed. Don’t be rigid.
• Save first – Decide on a savings amount and transfer it out of your checking account right away.
• Use cash envelopes – Place monthly cash allowances into envelopes for groceries, eating out, etc.
• Include financial goals – Add line items to your budget to represent the amounts you plan to put toward debt, savings, etc.

Reducing Financial Stress

• Build an emergency fund – Having 3-6 months of expenses saved provides a sense of security and a cushion for unexpected costs.
• Contribute to retirement – Consistently putting money toward retirement helps create peace of mind for the future.
• Use extra income strategically – Use bonuses, tax refunds and other unexpected money to make progress on financial goals.
• Pay down high interest debt – Reducing credit card and other high interest debt will liberate money to save and invest.
• Live below your means – Spend less than you earn and avoid lifestyle inflation as income rises.
• Get organized – Use a system to pay bills on time, automate savings and track all expenditures.

Decluttering Paperwork

Paper clutter easily accumulates over time. Bills, receipts, manuals, notes, and important documents pile up in corners and drawers. Digitizing and organizing your paperwork can save you time while decluttering your home.

Start by sorting through all the paper around your home. As you sort, have folders or piles for keep, toss, recycle, and shred.

• Keep only essential documents like legal paperwork, medical records, tax documents, and any current bills or statements.
• Toss junk mail, old assignments, and items that can be easily found online if needed again.
• Recycle paper items like magazines, newspapers, and junk mail you’ve read.
• Shred anything with personal information before discarding.

Next, set up a simple filing system for ongoing paperwork management. Have folders or binders for categories like:

• Financial: bills, bank statements, tax documents
• Medical: health records, insurance, prescriptions
• Legal: contracts, deeds, wills
• Automotive: registration, insurance, maintenance records
• Home: warranties, manuals, improvement receipts
• Personal: licenses, passports, memberships

Digitizing paperwork helps simplify organization while reducing clutter. Scan important documents to have digital backups. Sign up for paperless billing and online statements whenever possible.

Use apps to organize and manage bills, statements, and subscriptions. Set payment reminders and store documents digitally. Shred any paper copies of digitized documents.

Maintaining the system is essential. Have a spot to sort new paperwork when it comes in. File or digitize items immediately to avoid new piles. Review files yearly and shred any outdated or unnecessary paperwork.

Cleaning on a Schedule

Creating a cleaning schedule can help you maintain organization and cleanliness in your home. Having set days and times for cleaning specific areas prevents things from getting too messy or out of hand. Consider implementing a schedule for daily, weekly, and monthly cleaning tasks.

Daily Cleaning

Certain cleaning tasks should be done daily to avoid bigger messes in the future. Try to clean for 10-30 minutes each day focusing on:

• Wiping down kitchen counters
• Doing dishes
• Tidying up clutter
• Making the bed
• Cleaning the bathroom sink
• Sweeping floors

Setting aside a small amount of time daily makes cleaning fast and easy so it doesn’t pile up.

Weekly Cleaning

Do a more thorough cleaning of the entire home once per week. Spend 60-90 minutes focusing on:

• Vacuuming floors
• Mopping floors
• Cleaning the toilet
• Changing sheets
• Dusting
• Emptying trash cans
• Cleaning mirrors and glass
• Wiping down kitchen appliances

Tackling these tasks weekly keeps your home fresh and prevents buildup.

Monthly Cleaning

Some cleaning tasks only need to be done once a month. Set aside time each month for deep cleaning:

• Cleaning inside kitchen cabinets, drawers and appliances
• Cleaning inside the refrigerator
• Cleaning window interiors
• Dusting blinds, ceiling fans and lamp shades
• Vacuuming upholstery and curtains
• Scrubbing bathtubs and showers
• Washing walls

Monthly deep cleaning hits areas that build up grime over time.

Custom Cleaning Checklists

Create a tailored cleaning checklist for each room or area of your home. This checklist can include daily, weekly and monthly tasks specific to each space. Hang up the checklist in the room as a reminder. Some areas to make checklists for include:

• Kitchen
• Bathrooms
• Bedrooms
• Living room
• Dining room
• Home office

Custom checklists streamline cleaning so you know exactly which tasks need to be done when. Implementing a schedule and checklists makes cleaning fast, effective and stress-free!

Maintaining the System

Once you’ve organized your home and created routines, it’s important to stick with them and prevent clutter from building back up. Here are some tips:

• Do quick tidy-ups each evening before bed so messes don’t accumulate. Spend 10-15 minutes putting items back in their proper places.
• Wipe kitchen counters, do dishes, and take out trash/recycling daily. Don’t let these chores pile up.
• Declutter weekly by sorting accumulated papers and items that found their way onto surfaces during the week. File, donate, or trash items immediately so they don’t turn into clutter.
• Clean one room or area of your home more thoroughly once a week. Vacuum, dust, clean mirrors/windows, etc. Rotate which room you deep clean each week.
• Review your schedule and routines regularly to make sure they are working for you. Adjust waking, bedtimes, exercise times, etc as needed.
• For routines like meal prep and household chores, re-check that you have the most efficient systems in place. Improve processes if you find better ways.
• Check in on your finances at least monthly. Review spending, adjust budgets if needed, and evaluate if your financial goals are on track.
• Do a major decluttering session every 1-2 months where you sort through seasons items, stored belongings, etc and purge what you no longer need. Don’t let clutter build up!

Staying disciplined about doing quick daily tidy-ups and weekly home maintenance is essential for maintaining an organized system long-term. Evaluate regularly and improve processes so clutter doesn’t return.