Get Organized in 2009

This year, say goodbye to clutter, once and for all and finally start to feel like there are enough hours in the day. Just make a New Year’s resolution to get organized—it’s much easier than you think! Follow these 7 steps and you can reclaim your space, your time, and your sanity in 2009.

First, rethink your space and how it affects your life. Take a look around your home or office—can you quickly find your grandma’s recipe for brownies, your favorite pair of winter boots, or your client contact lists? Or do you have to rummage through piles?

Evaluate how you use your time. Do you struggle to get things done, like errands, household chores, and other projects? Is it hard to decide what to do first and what can wait until tomorrow?

After you’ve decided what aspects of your daily routine could use a makeover, start thinking about how you can change them. An easy approach is to make lists. Jot down all the unorganized areas in your home and workplace, as well as daily tasks that are particularly time-consuming.

Once your list is complete, start adding possible solutions to each problem. Because it’s important that you have the right supplies to stay organized, these solutions can also work as a ‘grocery list’ of items that will help you. Here are two examples:

Problem: Overstuffed closet
Solution: Get closet organizers and hangers with extra racks for pants. Put old, rarely worn clothes into large trash bags and donate them to charity.

Problem: No time for exercise
Solution: Exercise first thing in the morning, before other must-do, last-minute tasks get in the way. If you can, do something else at the same time, like reviewing notes from yesterday’s office meeting.

Using your list, get the supplies you need. Look for items and furniture that are designed with compartments, such as drawers, folders, or cubbies that will allow you to easily put things away in the same place each day. Avoid anything that might just add more clutter to your space, like oversized, clunky desks.

Create daily to-do lists. Each night before bed, write out everything you want to accomplish the next day. Put the most important tasks at the top of the list, so they get finished right away. For even better results, write out an itinerary complete with time slots for each activity, and keep it with you throughout the day so you stay on schedule.

Make it a habit to stay organized. The hardest part about reorganizing your life is sticking with it. But the more often you put things away and manage your time well, the easier it will be to keep it up. Reinforce these same habits with your family—there’s strength in numbers!