Let’s get organized! I know, I know, it’s the mantra we’re hearing everywhere from everyone, but there is a reason! January is chock full of promise and positive energy so lets use it to our advantage. I’m all about January being a month to reset for the year ahead, so I can feel organized and totally refreshed. A little pre-spring cleaning if you will.
Over the years I’ve discovered and developed a ton of key ways to do just that, to reset my home, and in doing so, my life. Some are major acts, others are little tweaks, all are guaranteed to put a skip in your step and help you feel a whole lot better going forward.
Let’s dive in…
.01 Sort All Skincare & Makeup + Throw Out Expired Items
This is one of my favorite ways to get into the cleaning/organizing groove. Take a good look through all of your skincare and makeup items, taking stock of what you currently have. Give products you aren’t totally loving to a friend to try out and throw away all expired items.
While you have your items out to organize, wipe down your bathroom drawers and cabinets, and then use smaller containers to group like items together (think all your makeup brushes in one, lotions in another, eye makeup grouped together, lipsticks, etc). That evening when you start your nightly skincare routine, it’ll feel so good as you gaze upon your super organized space!
And don’t forget about your medicine drawer! Throw out anything that is expired or empty, and make note of any medicines you need to purchase to always have on hand.
.02 Clean Out The Sock Drawer
There’s something about taking everything out of your sock drawer and making sure every sock has a match; super easy yet super effective. To go even further, toss any socks you never wear. I know I have about five pairs I never wear in my drawer and I’m eager to get rid of them. Yes, this sort of stuff excites me (am I as lame as I sound?!)!
A new goal I have this year is to have everyone in our family in different colored socks so it’s super easy to know what sock goes to what person. I’m thinking black for Cody, white for me, black for Harvey and white for Evie? Anyone ever do something like this!?
.03 Empty The Fridge + Clean It Up
This is such a satisfying task! It makes me feel so much more motivated to eat healthy, and I always feel more refreshed to meal plan after I do this with our fridge (and pantry).
.04 Make Your Home Work Harder For You
What I mean by this: if you use something every single day, it needs to be accessible. Super accessible. For instance, I recently moved our box cutter, stamps, a pen/notebook, and a lighter in our entry/living room console. I use all of these items constantly and it’s been SO helpful to have them all in one drawer for me to access.
I also recently put all of my daily vitamins and health related items in one lazy susan that I keep in our pantry so that they are easy to grab – and to help me remember to take those vitamins!
Another way we make our home work for us: I added little Command hooks in our entry closet right at Evie’s height so that she could easily hang up her coat on her own. This little change has helped with all the extra picking up that Evie should really be doing herself!
I always swear that it’s the little hacks that make the biggest difference!
05. Refold All Your Linens
So simple yet the difference is amazing; your whole closet instantly looks 150% better. It’s also a great time to take stock if you need any new towels or linens (guest towels, etc.) if any of your current ones are pilling too much or just no longer up to par. I love that our Garnet Hill linen sheets and white towels, as they are great quality; we’ve had them forever and they’ve held up wonderfully.
06. Sort The Toys
A few weeks after the holidays is the perfect time to tidy up and sort the kids’ toys. Any older ones that are missing pieces or broken? Toss or fix. Any toys that no longer get any attention? Put away for a couple of months or donate. Not sure what to do with the influx of new toys received as gifts? I love taking a few and putting them away for a couple of months as well. When a rainy or sick day hits hard, it’s great to have these “hidden” toys at your disposal to entertain and occupy at the last minute.
07. Clean Out Your Purse/Diaper Bag
I try to keep my bags pretty tidy but it’s inevitable that crumbs, knick-knacks, hair ties and more gather in there. Empty your bags out, toss the garbage, wipe out your bag, restock up on necessities (gum, snacks for the kiddos, diapers, change for parking, etc) and feel oh so much better next time you’re out and about!
08. Tidy Up All Those Photos
This is one of those to-do list items that feels so incredibly daunting; I don’t even know where to start! But it’s a must – and anyone (aka everyone) with a smartphone understands this dilemma all too well. I know my process, now it’s time to… purge my current Camera Roll (full of too many random photos and screenshots), organize them into folders, then back up them all! If anyone has any recommendations on how to go about this in the best way – let me know! I’m all ears!
09. Delete Apps You Don’t Use
Is it just me or does your phone get “messy” after awhile? I’m not talking literally messy (but that too – wipe it down!), but cluttered with newly downloaded apps, etc. From time to time, I like to tidy it all up. I sort my apps so they are all on the home screen, separated into categorized folders – it makes accessing them all so much easier!
Any apps you no longer use – delete! Give yourself some extra digital space on your trusty phone!
10. Closet Clean Out
To begin, I recommend taking everything out of your closet so you can visually make a full closet inventory of everything you own. Then start sorting each item one-by-one. Donate items that you no longer wear and toss anything that is holding itself together by it’s bare threads. After doing this, you can better see what your closet may be lacking (a crisp white shirt? a new pair of jeans?). Set yourself up for success by focusing on only purchasing items that are on your “need” list going forward. I’m a big believer in quality over quantity!