Get Organized About Getting Organized!

The new year is here, kids are back in school, and a normal routine is just around the corner. Most people have the new year's goal of getting organized. The first step in accomplishing that goal is to have a game plan on exactly how to do it. No matter how good you are, it won't happen overnight. You need to schedule out what you need to do, and a specific time line to get your home under control.

Below you'll find simple steps to set up a organizing game plan so by the end of the month, your home will be clutter free and orderly:

1. Write down what rooms or closets you want to de-clutter and organize.

2. Look at your calendar and allow an appropriate amount of days for each task. If your garage is in complete chaos, you'll need to allow for more time than you would your coat closet. Take into account your family's activities and schedule to make sure your time line is realistic.

3. Block off the actual time you need on your calendar and resolve to stick to your schedule. Make sure not to take on a bigger project than you have time for. A lot of people make the mistake of emptying out a clutter filled closet to find they don't have time to go through it all before the kids come home from school. This leaves you with a bigger mess and a lot of frustration. Tackle organizing your home one step at a time. I've always found that a task takes longer than you'd expect, so allow for an extra 15-30 minutes to the time you set for each closet or room. If it's the garage or attic, you might want to add in an extra day for the job.

4. Start a donation bag and a throw away bag that you use for each room or closet. Go through your things and get rid of what you don't need. Be realistic about what you really use. If you have a special outfit that is sentimental to you but you know you'll never wear it again, take a picture of it then donate or consign it.

5. Utilize tubs or baskets and put similar items together. The tubs with lids are perfect for this because you can stack them in your closet to maximize space.

6. Make sure you maintain your newly organized home by putting everything in its place and whenever you bring something new into your home, get rid of something else to make space for it. Your house doesn't grow to meet the needs of your purchases. To prevent this from happening, make sure you really need whatever you purchase. You'll help your pocketbook and the environment by being smart about what you buy. We're a consumer based society and usually have more stuff than we know what to do with.

View getting organized just as you would losing weight. It won't happen over night and it's an ongoing battle. To stay organized, you have to do basic things daily to maintain order in your home. Just as you have to permanently change your eating habit to stay at your ideal weight, you have to permanently change your organizational habits. Once you create the habit of being organized and keeping clutter at bay, maintaining an orderly home will be easier than you ever imagined.

*** For additional tips on organizing your home, you'll find helpful systems and routines in my book Managing Life with Kids at http://www.todaysbalancedmom.com/. Note that I've changed my website name to todaysbalancedmom instead of todaysultimatemom. After all, isn't balance what we're all after? If we can find that, then we will be the ultimate mom!