Getting organized for a new year

A new year represents a new beginning, and it always motivates me to get my house more organized. After Christmas, I always feel the need to de-clutter and find new homes for all the gifts. Today, I am sharing a few tips that have helped me to bring a little more order to my often chaotic home.

It’s always a smart idea to begin by doing an inventory of what you have, to decide want you want to keep, and to get rid of the items you no longer use. Then, think about how you use the things you want to keep and organize them accordingly. Ensuring everything has an assigned space is critical – especially if you have kids.

The next step is to take a trip to the dollar store and get some organizing tools. Hooks, shoe racks, baskets and bins are all extremely helpful.

I love using clear over-the-door shoe racks. They hang on the backs of doors, which allows you to utilize unused space while easily seeing a variety of items at a glance. Clear shoe racks are great for holding craft supplies, hats and mitts, stuffed animals and LEGO kits.

Over-the-door hooks are also a wonderful way to utilize unused space. I love them for hanging up my kids’ backpacks after school. The hooks get their bags off the floor and out of the way.

Wall hooks are another simple storage option. We used hooks in our garage to create a makeshift mudroom. My boys each have their own hooks for their snow pants and coats.

Baskets and bins are also fantastic tools for getting organized. We have dollar store bins in our garage, and we use them as “quick grab” hat and mitten baskets. Everyone has his or her own basket, and it makes it easy to find outdoor clothing on busy winter mornings.

We also use bins and baskets to organize books, toys and snacks. It works great with kids because it really helps them to quickly locate items they want, and it makes it easy for them put their possessions away when they have finished with them.

Keeping drawers and cupboards organized can be a challenge, but it isn’t too difficult if you tackle one space at a time. I recently started folding and stacking my children’s clothes in a way that allows them to find their clothes without digging through the whole drawer. Little tricks like this make it easier to ensure that things remain organized on an ongoing basis.

I am a firm believer in “a place for everything and everything in its place.” Invest a little time now, and I guarantee it will pay huge dividends in the year to come. Happy New Year!