Follow This 12-Month Plan To Clear Out The Clutter, And Have More Time To Do What You Love

Organizing can seem overwhelming at times, but if you’ve made a promise to yourself to be more put-together in 2016, then this is just how you’re going to do it! Instead of looking at your home as a huge big mess that needs to be dealt with, compartmentalize it into easier-to-manage sections. Then, tackle each part one month at a time.

There you have it, a 12-month plan to a more organized home. Doesn’t that seem like it will be super manageable? You bet! 2016’s only just begun and by the end of it— you will be way more organized than ever before.

I spent some time researching yearly plans for organization, and I came up with one that made the most sense to me. The sections of your home that you’re cleaning have to do with what’s going on that time of year, which makes it easy to see the end goal.

Want to have a more suitable home for family gatherings? Start organizing your dining room in October to prepare for the holidays ahead. You see what I’m getting at here.

Make you life much easier and much more organized this year, using this as your guide:

1. January: Start On The Small Piles

Start with obvious piles around the home. For the first month, start small. Tackle those piles of coupons and junk mail you’ve been hoarding. Trust me, it’s a great way to ease into this process, plus, it’ll show you results— and fast! It’s just what you need to stay motivated to keep that New Year’s resolution.

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jmistur/Flickr

 

2. February: Tackle Your Work Space

Next month, tackle your work space. I’m sure we’re all striving to work a little harder in 2016, so get that desk area cleaned up. Also, sort your documents, both virtually and in real life. You’ll be glad you did.

desk
volkanolmez/Unsplash

 

3. March: Clean Out The Closet

Spring weather will be creeping up around this time, so you’re probably going to be thinking a lot about your wardrobe right about now, anyways. Go on and spend the month organizing it, why don’t you?

closet
lovemaegan/Flickr

4. April: Deep Clean Different Areas

‘Tis the season for spring cleaning! So, you’ve gotten your house a little more organized, and now it’s time to go in and really give it a deep cleaning. Tackle a different area every weekend, and have it all spick and span by the end of the month.

mops
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5. May: Beautify Your Bed & Bath

Well, you’ve already tackled your closet, so might as well get the bedroom and bathroom done next. That just makes the most sense, you know?

bed
niklanus/Unsplash

6. June: Tidy The Kitchen

Now that the kiddos are out of school, you’re all going to be spending more time as a family in the kitchen, and you’re going to want it to be as functional as possible for all of you. So, reach way back into those cupboards and start getting your cooking area more organized this month.

kitchen
designbuildinhabit/Flickr

7. July: Spruce Up The Patio

It’s the middle of summer, and you’re going to be spending more time outside entertaining and the like, so get that grill cleaned up and start organizing your outdoor supplies.

patio
lovemaegan/Flickr

8. August: Organize Craft & School Supplies

Back to school time will be quickly approaching! Start cleaning up the craft room and school supplies that may have fallen into a junk drawer somewhere to be more prepared for the year of learning.

crafts
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9. September: Scrub The Mudroom

Your kids are going to get messy on the playground and have more and more school/sports equipment to drag in. Go ahead and get that mud room/laundry room area sorted out because you’re going to be using it this time of year more than ever.

laundry
lovemaegan/Flickr

10. October: Get Ready To Entertain

You’re going to be entertaining friends and family a lot during the holiday season (and it’s just around the corner). So, sort your fine china and make sure the dining room is suitable for guests. Because it’s about to get crowded in there!

dining
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11. November: Reflect On Past Memories

You’re obviously going to have family on the brain this time of year, so why not start getting those family photos in order? There’s no better time to start scrapbooking or finally framing that photo like you’ve been meaning to, you know?

frame
tbisaacs/Flickr

12. December: Harmonize Holiday Decorations

All right, it’s time to break out the holiday decorations, but once you’re all done with them— make sure you put them away neatly. Don’t just wad up those lights because you’ll hate yourself for it this time next year.

christmas
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Once you make it through this list, you’ll have successfully stuck to your resolution and you’ll be so much more organized. 2017 will have nothing on you!

[h/t: Houzz]