Happy New Year!

Are you one of the many people who will resolve to get organized at work and at home for the new year? Here are a few tips to help you get started.

Start with making sure you have closure on the things involved with the holiday season and any time you may have taken off from work over the last couple of weeks. Clear your email inbox and reset and re-prioritize your task list.  Put away any decorations used or new items received during the holidays and set your intentions for a fabulous year ahead.

Clear the holiday clutter

Gather all holiday decorations and prepare to put them away.  As you do, take a close look at the decorations themselves.  Don’t pack up or put away things you won’t use again next year.  Toss broken lights and ornaments and donate items you just don’t love anymore.

Let go of holiday cards and greetings you received. Quickly take one last look at each one, appreciate the sentiment that came with them, and then recycle. (OK, if there is one or two that are particularly meaningful, heartfelt or special, put them into a memory box or file for safe-keeping and to look back on in the years ahead.)

Pack things up for the next holiday season

Clear plastic bins are great for storing holiday decorations.  Be sure to group like items together and label all of your bins.  Try to store all holiday decorations in one area.  This will make it easier next season when you go to decorate your home or office. Since these items are pulled out and returned only once a year, its appropriate to have them tucked away. Get them out of the way and make sure they don’t block items you use more regularly.

You can purchase containers specifically made to hold ornaments, wreaths, wrapping paper, etc.  If you have the budget to invest in new organizing products, a few of these items can be very useful in containing your holiday related supplies and decorations.

Find a home for any new items you received over the holidays

Want to find what you need, when you need it? Establish a “home” for all of the new items that came into your life during the holidays.  Find the right spot, and then commit to putting things back away where they belong when you are done using them. This is a huge time saver for the next occasion you need to find something!

Reflect on last year and set your intentions for the coming year

If you haven’t done so already, take a little time to reflect on the year that has just passed… what goals did you achieve, what challenges did you face, and what do you want to do differently this year?

Set your intentions and resolutions for the new year.  What do you intend to do, accomplish and achieve? What will it take to make that happen? Take some time right now, to reflect and write down your goals.

If you could use some support in setting New Year’s resolutions that stick this year, please let us know. We’d be honored to partner with you in your success!

Wishing you an organized and productive year!

The Team at Simply Placed