Five Ways to Feel More Organized in Less Than an Hour

Look around your house and find all those piles of mail.
Gather it all in one place to sort.
Create categories: bills, papers to file, catalogs, etc. And of course, recycling and trash.
Put everything where it goes; trash or recycle the rest.

Create a system for the categories above.
Use file folders and a desktop file box, a wall mounted basket, or a file cabinet.
Label each file folder with a category that works for you: bills, school, social, file, kids, receipts, etc.
When sorting your mail, just put things into the appropriate folder.

Grab a paper and pen and take a look at what you have in your pantry, fridge, and freezer.
Make a list of 5-7 dinners you want to eat during the next week, as well as options for breakfasts and lunches.
Write down any groceries you need to buy for these meals.
Post the “menu choices” for the next week where everyone can see them. Family can vote on what they want to eat on what day, while you have a sense of control knowing you have everything on hand to make it (or delegate someone to do it!)

Set a timer for 15 minutes.
Check for old, expired food, and throw that away.
Get rid of boxes that are half full by emptying the contents into clear plastic containers. (I love having labelled containers for food items I buy often, but you can also just use Tupperware that you already have to accomplish the same goal.)
Use baskets or bins to contain like items such as breakfast, snacks, bread, baking, etc.
Label! Even if it’s just sharpie on a white envelope label, it will help things stay where they need to be!

Grab a bag for trash and a basket or bin for items that don’t belong in your car.
First, get all the trash out of your car.
Now grab all the things that don’t belong in the car (legos, an abundance of pens, plastic cups, socks?).
Evaluate what needs to go in your car and make a designated home for those important things (hand sanitizer, gum, masks, car documents).
Vacuum and wipe down surfaces.
Even if your house feels like a disorganized mess, you will breathe a sigh of relief when you get into your peaceful haven on wheels.

With my kids, I call this “Power Hour,” but really it can be any amount of time. Just get everyone involved.
Go through the house putting everything back in its home (or at least in the room where it lives). The key is to not get bogged down pulling everything out of a cabinet to reorganize the entire thing, or start taking trips down memory lane with each knick-knack.
Go for the “low hanging fruit:” don’t hesitate, just throw those old magazines into the recycling bin, put all clothes on the floor directly into the hamper (or washer), put the toys in a basket, etc.
Just keep moving and putting things back in their homes!

If you’re feeling overwhelmed, just pick one of these tasks and start. I promise you will feel better in less than an hour!

BK Branding Co.January 24, 2023