Organizing Checklist for January

If this economy has taught us anything it is that we can get by with less. I think we can safely say less of just about everything.


This year I challenge you to declutter the excess from your spaces by donating or recycling one bag of items a week. Then free your schedules by eliminating one hour of electronics each week (television, wii, search engines, email, etc.). Only replace those with things or activities that fill a definite need. You may be surprised as your attitude towards “stuff’ changes for the better and you will have more time for important things.  Just think, at the end of the year you could have 52 less bags of stuff and 52 more hours in your week for things that count.

Some organizing reminders for January
• Set at least one new personal goal for the year. Break it down into manageable tasks and put those on your calendar.

• If you have not already done so, get a new planner that shows a week at a time and breaks the days into hourly segments. Organize your daily activities with it. Many computer programs will allow you to do that.

• Start a container for tax related items that arrive in the mail this month.

• Update your paper and computer records by purging folders of items no longer needed. This will make preparing tax forms much easier, too. Shred old financial documents a little at a time or take them to a records management company to be shredded professionally.

• Set a schedule to clean and organize one drawer or closet each week.  Write it down and pencil it in your planner.  Even it it has to be changed, it is a reminder.  If you don't write it down, it probably will not get done.

• With shortened days and longer nights, make sure every light fixture has working bulbs. Brighter environments can brighten the outlook of those who are photo sensitive.

• Try online resources for new recipes. You will find you can remove of some of those cookbooks and magazines with recipes.