Maybe itās the new year.Ā Maybe itās the unseasonably warm January temps.Ā Or maybe itās early nesting as weĀ await the arrival ofĀ baby number 4 later this year.Ā Ā Whatever the reason,Ā lately Iāve been consumed with the desire to clean, organize, declutter, and simplify.Ā Iāve spent the past few weeks setting up stations, systems, and solutions for the hot spots in my home.
Itās amazing what a little organization can do to lower stress, clarify expectations, and even shape attitudes and behaviors (mine as well as the kiddos).Ā As humans, we truly are influenced by our environments.
Iāve found that I tend to be an all-or-nothing type of cleaner/organizer, so this year Iām trying to remind myself that itās really about doing just one thing at a time.Ā Rather than becoming overwhelmed and letting chaos reign (which really would be so easy) itās the cumulative effect of several small steps in the right direction.Ā
So here are a few of the steps Iām taking to try to bring a little more organization, simplicity, and purpose to 2012:
First, I corralled my paper clutter with a filing system, like the one pictured above,Ā from Lovely Crafty Home.Ā I tend to be a stacker, but with these designated files, mail, birthday invitations, and teachersā notesĀ all have a place to call home.Ā I also popped a calendar on the front of the filingĀ boxĀ by printing these bright, simple, and FREE ones from TomKat Studio.
IĀ completed the stationĀ with a home binderfor organizing and recording all the systems that I hope to use to get and keep our home running smoothly.Ā Iāve pinned several inspiring home binders on my organization board on Pinterest (visit it here).Ā
Much of my binder consists of pre-made formsfrom Mandi Ehman of Lifeā¦YourĀ WayĀ (availableĀ for free fromĀ her site here).Ā Sheās already created simple, useful forms for almost everything I neededā¦.and a few I didnāt realize I needed until I saw them there!Ā
Included in my binder is my plan for breaking up the housekeeping into small, manageable chunks.Ā I have daily tasks for myself, and chore cards organized for my boys.Ā
I also included this Declutter and Organize Calendar, which takes that huge task of organizing andĀ declutering my whole house and breaks it into small daily duties.Ā Rather than looking at every nook and cranny of my house as one project -and feeling overwhelmed- this list reminds me to do just. one. thing.Ā For example, yesterday I organized my spice cupboard.Ā It took maybe 15 minutes, but if I want a little boost,Ā allĀ have to do is take a peek at that beautiful cupboard.Ā (Nevermind that Iām still putting away my Christmas decorations.Ā Baby steps.)Ā
One more resource thatās guiding me throughĀ Ā the baby steps is Simple Mom creator, Tsh Oxenreiderās ebook,Ā One Bite at a Time.Ā Based on the old adage: āHow do you eat an elephant? One bite at a time.ā, Tsh outlines 52 projects ā one for each week of the year ā to guide you to the larger goal of a more organized, simplified lifestyle.
Whether itās creating an effective morning routine or organizing your finances, Tshās ebook breaks each project into manageable steps.Ā (And through January 10th, itās on sale for just $4!Ā Click here to visit Simple Mom.)Ā Itās organized in such a way that you can follow the challenges in the order theyāre presented in the book, or prioritize your tasks and take out your biggest goals first.
It was actually this book that framed my whole perspective as I jumped into this year with a penchant for organizing.Ā Tshās reminder that itās one bite at a time, one step at a time, keeps me from getting overwhelmed and reminds me to just do something today.
Who knows, maybe by this time next year there will only be a small portion of my āelephantā left!
What are your favorite tips and goalsĀ for organizing and preparingĀ in the newĀ year?
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