It was one year ago that I began my blog and vlog. My house was “tidy” before then, but far from organized. A year later and countless hours, days…let’s be honest, weeks spent organizing and it’s still not perfect, but it’s a million times better. I hardly ever misplace anything, I spend far less time cleaning, yet my home is cleaner then ever and I have way more time for new hobbies. I can promise that I will NEVER go back.

Unlike a lot of other new years resolutions I’ve tried, being organized is super easy and gives you IMMEDIATE gratification and results. I could spend hours at the gym and give up dozens of cookies before I see a result in the mirror, but just 30 minutes of organizing and BAM, amazing results.

So, if you are thinking of reorganizing your home this year, here are some tips I’ve learned along the way:

1. Touch it once.  So many times I move something from one room to another, not sure if I should keep or donate or what to do. From now on, when cleaning up a pile, make a decision and stick to it.  Keeping it? Find a home and put it there RIGHT NOW.

2. LABEL, LABEL, LABEL. I have no idea why this works, but it does. We have enough to remember and think about in any given day, where the band aids go should not take up any valuable brain space. Make a spot in your bathroom for first aid stuff and label it. Sure, you MAY remember where your stuff is, but the rest of your household may not. I label EVERYTHING….putting things in baskets, bins or totes without labeling is just downright silly.

3. Give everything a home.   Make a designated spot for everything and keep all like things together. Where does your camera live? Your keys? Your belts? Your tape? Make homes and label them!

4. Contain it. Don’t get me wrong, buying and putting your stuff in containers WILL NOT make you organized. Throwing containers at clutter is one of the biggest organizing mistakes because people toss random stuff in them and then forget whats in there or have to route through many containers looking for what they need. But, when used properly, containers will give you more space and make finding and putting away things easier.  Here are some MUST HAVE containers. You need a cord box, where you keep every spare extension cord, phone cord and power cord you find. You need containers for medicine and first aid supplies. One container for all your adhesives. Glue, tape and other adhesives should all be together…K., you get the idea. Remember, until you sort and put all the “like” things together, you’ll never know how many containers or what size you’ll need.

Happy new year everyone and happy organizing!