As we reach the midpoint of the year, it’s the perfect time for a mid-year reset and organizing your way to a fresh start. We’re focusing on decluttering and organizing our spaces to breathe new life into our homes and minds. It’s about creating an environment that supports your goals and aspirations for the rest of the year.
The Importance of a Mid-Year Reset
As we transition from the first half of the year into the second, a mid-year reset serves as an essential checkpoint. It’s a time to reassess our surroundings, declutter, and reorganize. This process is not just about creating a tidy environment; it’s about fostering a space that enhances our well-being and productivity. Here’s why:
Reducing Stress
Clutter can be a significant source of stress. It is a constant reminder of tasks that need to be completed and can make our living spaces feel chaotic and overwhelming. By decluttering and organizing, we can create a more serene environment. A study published in the Personality and Social Psychology Bulletin found that individuals who described their homes as cluttered experienced increased levels of stress and fatigue. By contrast, those who described their homes as restful and restorative reported lower stress levels.
Increasing Productivity
An organized space is conducive to productivity. When our surroundings are cluttered, our ability to focus can be hindered. We spend unnecessary time searching for items, which disrupts our workflow and wastes valuable time. The Harvard Business Review reports that a clean, organized workspace can significantly enhance productivity and motivation. A mid-year reset allows us to streamline our spaces for optimal efficiency.
Psychological Benefits
Taking control of our physical surroundings can have profound psychological benefits. It gives us a sense of control and accomplishment, boosting our self-esteem and motivation. Moreover, the act of decluttering can be therapeutic. It lets us let go of items that no longer serve us and make room for new possibilities. The process can be a metaphor for personal growth and transformation.
A mid-year reset is not just a cleaning spree. It’s a holistic approach to enhancing our quality of life. By decluttering and organizing our spaces, we can reduce stress, increase productivity, and experience significant psychological benefits. It’s a powerful strategy for personal and professional success.
Room-by-Room Organization Tips
Organizing your home can seem daunting, but breaking it down room by room can make the process more manageable. Here are some practical tips for decluttering and organizing key areas of your home:
Kitchen
The kitchen is often the heart of the home, and keeping it organized can make meal preparation easier and more enjoyable.
Categorize
Group similar items together. This could be by function (baking supplies, cooking utensils), by frequency of use (daily use items, occasional use items), or by type (pots and pans, plastic containers).
Use Vertical Space
Pull-Out Pantry: If you have a narrow space in your kitchen, consider installing a pull-out pantry. These can fit in spaces as narrow as between the fridge and the wall and provide a lot of vertical storage space. You can store canned goods, spices, baking ingredients, and more. The pull-out feature allows you to easily see and access everything in the pantry, making it a very efficient use of space. The idea is to use every bit of space you have, and vertical spaces often provide a lot of untapped potential. We like this pull-out pantry.
Clear Counters
Keep counters as clear as possible. Limit the items on your counter to those you use daily. Non-essential items can be stored in cabinets or drawers. Store small appliances in cabinets or pantries when not in use to create a clean, uncluttered workspace.
Living Room
The living room is a communal space that should be comfortable and inviting.
De-clutter
Regularly go through items in your living room and remove anything that is broken, no longer needed, or doesn’t belong in the living room. This will help maintain a clean and organized space.
Storage Solutions
Use furniture with built-in storage, like ottomans or coffee tables with shelves or drawers. This can help keep the room tidy without sacrificing style. Multifunctional furniture can also be a great way to save space.
Cord Management
Use cord organizers or cable management boxes to keep cords from electronics tidy and out of sight. These are great solutions for entertainment centers or areas where many cords converge at a single power source. Also, try cord identifiers, which can help keep your cords organized. They’re small, colored clips or tags that attach to each cord, allowing you to quickly identify which cord belongs to which device.
Bedroom
A peaceful and organized bedroom can contribute to a good night’s sleep.
Closet Organization
Start by removing everything from your closet. With your closet empty, now is a great time to give it a thorough cleaning. Dust the shelves, wipe down rods and hangers, and vacuum or mop the floor. Next, sort through all the items you removed from your closet. Create four piles: keep, donate, sell, and recycle. Be honest with yourself about what you actually wear and need. Group the items you’re keeping into categories that make sense for you. This could be by type (shirts, pants, dresses), by season (summer, winter), by occasion (work, casual, formal), or by color. This system needs to work for you and you alone, so decide which grouping would be the best fit for your situation. Consider clothing type, closet space, and budget when buying hangers. For a cohesive look, choose hangers of the same type and color. We like these slim non-slip clothes hangers.
Under-Bed Storage
Make use of under-bed storage for items not needed daily, such as seasonal clothes or additional bedding. Drawers on wheels, or rolling drawers, are an excellent choice for storing items like footwear or out-of-season clothes, as they can easily slide in and out from under the bed. Vacuum-sealed bags offer another under-bed storage solution, as they can compress items, making them more convenient to store.
Dresser Drawer Organization
Begin drawer organization by emptying and cleaning them for a fresh start. Sort items into keep, donate, sell, or recycle piles. Use drawer organizers and dividers to maintain neatness and prevent jumbling. Choose folding methods like file folding or rolling to maximize space.
Home Office
A well-organized home office can increase productivity and reduce stress.
Paper Management
For efficient paper management, categorize documents into main categories and then sub-categories. Use color coding for easy identification and label each file clearly. Organize these in a filing system arranged alphabetically. Regular upkeep, including prompt filing of new documents and removal of outdated ones, ensures an efficient, stress-free system.
Desk Organization
To create an optimal workspace, maintain a clear desk surface and use organizers for supplies and cord management. Designate zones for different tasks and utilize wall space for extra storage if needed. Regular cleaning prevents clutter, while personal touches like photos or plants make the space enjoyable. The aim is to create a workspace that is functional, inspiring, and tailored to your workflow.
Digital Decluttering
To streamline your digital workspace, uninstall unused programs, manage emails by deleting non-essentials and unsubscribing from unwanted mail, and clear old files by moving inactive ones to external or cloud storage. Keep your desktop and smartphone organized by managing program icons and deleting unnecessary photos and apps. Regular digital decluttering can boost productivity and improve your digital experience.
Setting Goals and Creating New Habits
Organizing your home is not a one-time event but a continuous process that requires setting realistic goals and creating new habits. Here’s how you can approach it:
Setting Realistic Goals
When it comes to organizing, it’s important to set achievable goals. Trying to tackle everything at once can be overwhelming and may lead to burnout. Instead, break down the task into smaller, manageable goals. For example, instead of aiming to organize the entire house in a weekend, focus on one room or drawer at a time. Celebrate each small victory to keep your momentum going.
Creating New Habits
Maintaining an organized home requires developing new habits. Here are a few to consider:
One In, One Out Rule
For every new item you bring into your home, let go of another. This helps to prevent clutter from accumulating.
Daily Tidy-Up
Spend 15 minutes each day tidying up. This could involve putting things back in their designated places, doing a quick sweep, or clearing off countertops.
Regular Decluttering
Schedule regular decluttering sessions, whether it’s once a week, once a month, or once a season. Consistency is key to maintaining an organized home.
The Importance of Regular Maintenance
Like a car, your home requires regular maintenance to stay in good shape. This involves not only cleaning but also decluttering and organizing. Routine maintenance prevents tasks from piling up and becoming overwhelming. It also helps to keep your home looking its best.
Staying Motivated
Staying motivated can be challenging, especially when the novelty of a new project wears off. Here are some tips to keep your motivation high:
Visualize the Outcome
Keep a clear image in your mind of how you want your space to look. This can serve as a powerful motivator.
Make it Enjoyable
Listen to music, audiobooks, or podcasts while you work to make the process more enjoyable.
Get Support
Enlist a friend or family member to help, or consider hiring a professional organizer. Having support can make the process more fun and less overwhelming.
Organizing is a journey, not a destination. It’s about making continuous improvements and adjustments to create a home that supports your lifestyle and goals. By setting realistic goals, creating new habits, maintaining your space, and staying motivated, you can enjoy the benefits of an organized home.
Tools and Resources for a Successful Reset
Having the right tools and resources can make the process of organizing and decluttering much easier and more efficient. Here are some of our favorites:
Apps
There are numerous apps available that can assist with organization. Some popular ones include:
Homezada
HomeZada is a digital platform for homeowners to manage financial aspects, inventory for insurance, maintenance schedules, and remodeling projects of their homes. It prioritizes user data security and offers a comprehensive solution for organized and efficient home management.
Evernote
Evernote is a note-taking app that helps users organize ideas, projects, and tasks. It syncs notes across devices, supports multimedia additions to notes, and integrates tasks and schedules. It also offers robust search capabilities for easy retrieval of information. A free trial is available for new users.
Todoist
Todoist is a versatile task management app that supports task creation, prioritization, reminders, and team collaboration. It integrates with various other services and is available across multiple platforms. It offers both free and premium versions.
True Assisting
Our website, True Assisting, offers a wealth of information on organizing and productivity. Here, you’ll find practical strategies to maintain your newly organized pantry, the pros and cons of decanting, creating a home maintenance schedule, and advice on organizing life documents, among others.
Productivity Books
We have a selection of books available on our website that can provide further guidance on organizing and productivity. You can find our organizing and productivity books here.
Organizing Products
We also offer a range of storage and organization products in our shop. These include airtight storage containers, drawer organizers, cord organizers, and more. You can browse our storage and organization products here.
Resources for Donating or Selling Unwanted Items:
When decluttering, you’ll find items you no longer need or want. Here are some resources for donating or selling these items:
Goodwill or Salvation Army
These organizations accept a wide range of items and often offer pick-up services for large donations.
eBay or Craigslist
These platforms allow you to sell items to local buyers.
Facebook Marketplace
This is a great place to sell items locally. You can list items for sale and arrange for pick-up or delivery.
Freecycle
This is a network of people giving away free stuff in their local community. It’s a great way to eliminate items while helping others in your area.
The key to successful organizing is to find systems and tools that work for you. By utilizing these resources, you can make the process of decluttering and organizing more manageable and enjoyable.
Embrace the process of organizing and decluttering. It’s not about achieving perfection—it’s about making small, consistent changes that add up to a big difference. By taking the time to reset in the middle of the year, you’re setting yourself up for success in the months to come.
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