I don’t know about you but, for me, this time of year always feels so full of potential… and pressure. Christmas is over, we’ve seen in the new year, and now it feels like there’s so much to do! We feel like we’re supposed to get on top of everything and super organized and ready to take on whatever 2018 has in store for us.
But when your to-do list is already as long as your arm, organizing anything, let alone the whole house, can seem like a daunting task. You don’t have to put it off, though. What if I told you that you can organize 11 different spaces in half an hour each? I promise it can be done!
From your documents and paper clutter to your bedroom and entryway, I’m sharing 11 ways you can organize your life in 30 minutes or less. Here we go!
#1: Organize your important personal documents
January is the best time to organize your personal and financial paperwork. It’s a great way to start the new year and it makes completing taxes, financial aid applications, and other critical pieces of paperwork easier throughout the year, since you can easily find the reference papers you need.
#2: Get the entryway closet under control
Most people keep a lot of stuff in their entryway closets, so they can get messy really easily. For example, in our entryway closet, not only do I have coats, I also have my vacuum, steam mop, and loads more. Crazy! Now is the perfect time to get it sorted once and for all and it really doesn’t have to take long.
#3: Organize the master bedroom closet
The master bedroom closet admittedly isn’t the hardest to organize, but when it gets messy, it can get overwhelming. In my closet, I had way too many clothes, shoes, and random stuff I piled in there to make the bedroom look clean. Gah! If you’re in the same boat, don’t worry – I have some simple solutions to solve all of your problems.
#4: Sort out your jewelry
When a friend asked me to write about how to organize jewelry, I was a bit stuck. I’ve always just thrown what little jewelry I have in a jewelry box, so it wasn’t very organized. I decided this would be a good opportunity for me to get inspired and figure out a good way to organize mine. It turned out really well and I came up with loads of ways to keep my jewelry neat and tidy.
#5: Get rid of paper clutter
I know organizing paper clutter seems like a daunting task, but it really doesn’t have to be. It also doesn’t have to take you a long time. When I’ve helped friends with their paperwork in the past, it hasn’t taken us long at all. It’s actually a pretty easy task once you get started. Promise!
#6: Organize your purse
Is your purse neatly organized or is it a hot mess with everything thrown in? You should consider a purse organizer! I love having individual compartments that make my stuff easy to find, and it makes switching purses SO easy because all I have to do is lift up the organizer and plop it into another purse! SO easy! 
#7: Organize Legos and a separate space for being creative!
I think every parent has experienced the pain of standing on a rogue Lego block. It’s not a very nice feeling! My daughter is super creative and loves to play with Legos, but the mess that comes along with this creativity isn’t as fun. I’ve got a simple solution to get those Legos organized and create a space just for being creative. No more Lego piles around the house – 2018 is looking up already! 
#8: Organize a kitchen without a pantry
If you have a pantry, you’re lucky! Many homes don’t have one, so a lot of people have to make do with the space in their kitchens. Making do doesn’t have to be a struggle though, if you organize your stuff well. If you make sure everything has its own place and you get rid of the clutter, you’ll be fine. Let me show you how.
#9: Tidy the kids’ dishes
With kids comes a lot of colorful, plastic dishware that I bet you’d never have in your house otherwise! If you don’t want a kitchen where kid stuff takes over and swallows up any sort of “pretty” that the kitchen has to offer, there are plenty of ways to tame the madness and organize those darn kid dishes!
#10: Organize kitchen utensils
Everyone says the kitchen is the heart of the home, which is one of the many reasons why it’s important to keep it organized. I don’t know about you, but if my kitchen is cluttered I feel like the rest of the house is a mess too. Organizing your utensils will not only make it easier to keep them organized, but it will also give you a sense of pride every time you look at them and see how nice they look. It’s the small things…!
#11: Organize your health
I believe that when we truly feel good about ourselves, we feel good about everything else too. That’s why I think it’s so important that everyone gets their health organized and knows where they’re at with their workouts, diet, and self-care.
We all wrestle with time, money, and other things that keep us from being healthy, but that doesn’t have to happen – you can dedicate just 30 minutes a day to your health and I promise it’ll make you feel like a whole new person! (It’s easy once you get the motivation, I promise!)
Time to Get Organized!
Now it’s over to you. If you have no idea where to start, begin by taking a walk around your house and making a list of all the things that you’re not happy with.
Think about your rooms, closets, cabinets – anything that could be organized, and write it down. Then you’ll have yourself a checklist of all the things that need to be done. Even if you choose just 1 room, closet, or cupboard to tackle each day, you’ll be winning and getting 2018 off to an amazing start.
Pick one project, do it today, and then see what you feel like doing tomorrow. You’ve got this!
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