When the New Year arrives, many of us are excited for a new beginning and a fresh start. While we often take the time to set goals for things like personal health and finance, we shouldn’t underestimate the impact that a clean and tidy home can have on our attitude and mental state. Getting your home in order will give you a physical representation of a clean slate, and it just might help you feel a little calmer and more in control in the coming year.
Here are some organization-related projects you can do around your home that will have a huge impact on getting your home off to a fresh start this year.
Conquer the paper chaos.
Paper is one of those things that builds up slowly, but eventually becomes incredibly overwhelming. Before you know it, you can’t find anything, from your water bill to your kid’s friend’s birthday party invitation. There’s no better time than the new year to take care of the paper problem, once and for all. Some ideas:
Don’t give it a chance to grow – Keep a recycling bin right inside your door. After you pick up the mail, sort through it immediately, and recycle anything you don’t need or aren’t interested in. This alone could drastically cut back on your paper buildup.
Sort it out – Instead of piling anything and everything in the same place, find a way to sort the papers before you set them down. Get a file folder for each category (e.g. bills, action items, kids) and a file sorter to keep your folders organized.
Clear it often – Make sure you are regularly going through your papers, taking care of your action items, and getting rid of anything that is outdated. Don’t let it build up and become overwhelming.
Get things off the floor.
The floor space in your home should be reserved for large items, like furniture, large plants, and floor lamps. What should it not be used for? Piles of papers, linens, shoes, books…just about everything else. If you have a “pile” of something on your floor, something you’ve looked at a thousand times and thought “I’ll get rid of that…someday,” then it’s time to get rid of it! Everything in your home should have a place where it’s not in danger of being stepped on. And when your floor space is clear, your home will look and feel much cleaner.
Solve (little) problems.
Do you have a place to hang your keys? Can you never find a clean, matching pair of socks? Are you constantly losing the remote? Are your daughter’s stuffed animals taking over her bedroom, your family room, and everywhere in between? Take a minute to think about these pain points in your home, and the trouble they’re causing you. Often, problems like this can be solved quickly and inexpensively (case in point: get a hook for your keys that can adhere to the wall).
Ditch the clutter.
Nothing says “fresh start” quite like a less cluttered space. While clutter clearing is most easily done slowly and over time, doing a big push at the beginning of the year could motivate you to keep going. Start with one room (or even one closet!) and get rid of things that you no longer use or love. If you’re having a hard time parting with sentimental items, consider renting a self-storage unit to keep things safe while keeping your house clutter-free.
You deserve a new start this year—and so does your home! Tackling these problems will get you off to a fresh new beginning!
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