Apparently, January is the “get organised” month and I’m here for it. There’s nothing quite like a clean slate to get the creative juices flowing. And a new year holds so much promise – it can be the start of so many great opportunities. And it can be the chance to bring even more clarity to your life.
It takes courage to grow up and become who you really are. EE Cummings Click To Tweet
During the week between Christmas and New Year, I started thinking about what I wanted to do, achieve and experience in 2023. As you do. Some people call it making resolutions or goals. Some people like to choose one word for the year. Whatever you call it, it tends to start happening during that crazy week.
Many people feel uneasy during that time because routines have been discarded and we seem to be living on leftovers and eternally snacking on Christmas chocolates, floating in between the past year and the next one. It can definitely be unsettling. But it can also be exciting. Like many others, I find writing lists helps me to organise my thoughts into some kind of plan. (Or realise just how tired I am. Meh.)
Anyway, it takes me quite a while to finalise that list. (It’s the middle of January and I’m not done yet.) So to take the stress out of this exercise, I’ve given myself the whole of January to finish it. Because there aren’t really any rules and “Get Organized January” doesn’t end until the 31st! Where’s the lie?
Here are the 7 ways I’m getting organised this January
1. Decluttering
When I started thinking about my 2023 planning, I immediately became overwhelmed with all the ideas swimming around my head. There was so much that I wanted to organise and I didn’t know where to start. I actually felt immobilised by the enormity of the task. So I took a step back and started decluttering the areas of my home that needed it.
Just the act of tidying, throwing away and donating instantly brought the calm and clarity that I needed to start putting my list together. Over the past few days of January, I’ve decluttered and sorted my bathroom cabinet, the laundry room cupboard, the Christmas storage area and the clothing in my walk-in wardrobe.
And while doing this, I also discovered that rearranging areas of our home is a great way to inject joy and excitement into my life. Yes, I know that sounds silly and certainly isn’t profound, but it instantly energizes me. Moving furniture, artwork and ornaments to different parts of the house is also a more affordable way of changing things up. I find that making small changes like this has an instant impact on my mindset, kicking me into action.
2. Setting up my blogging and social media schedule
Towards the end of last year, I resigned from my part-time job as a social media coordinator at an advertising agency so that I could focus more of my time on creating content for my blog this year. I was finding that my focus was too fractured and I didn’t have enough time and mental bandwidth to achieve my goals on my blog. So that’s where I’m at right now. I’m setting up daily, weekly, monthly and annual plans and goals for my blog and Instagram account and feel like I’m slowly clarifying my end goals.
Writing, video editing and sharing content are how I best enjoy being creative and I hope to achieve more by setting up a structure that encourages me to focus on relevant and value-adding content for my midlife community. Check out my Instagram HERE.)
3. Setting up my annual reading challenge
I use Goodreads to keep track of all the books I’ve read and want to read. It also has a reading challenge feature that keeps me on track with my reading. If you love checking things off a list and having a visual display of the progress of tasks, you’ll value this.
I love reading but often get sidetracked by scrolling endlessly on my phone or watching TV. So having this reading challenge helps me read as many of the amazing books out there as I can.
The 9 books I’ve read recently and how I rate them
4. Sorting out my recipe file
We’ve been using a meal delivery service for a few years now because it takes the slog out of meal planning and preparation. We get three meals a week so we still have the flexibility to make old favourites or order takeaways on the other nights.
To get myself more organised for those other nights, I am sorting out my recipe file to only include my tried and tested recipes that are firm family favourites and the recipes that we’ve loved from the meal service. I’ve discarded all the recipes I thought I’d like to try but never have so that when I need inspiration, my choices are uncomplicated.
5. Setting up my calendars and planners
One of my favourite personal purchases in December is a new (flat) desk calendar. I love to write down all my planned activities on it because it gets me thinking about future plans, outings and get-togethers. It’s good to have things to look forward to and my desk calendar allows me to see exactly what I have planned for each month.
But my primary calendar is probably my digital one because my phone is always with me and I can use alerts to remind me about things. I tend to put birthdays, appointments and outings onto my desk calendar to plan my life. But everything else goes into my phone calendar.
I also have a separate weekly planner for my blog and social media activity. And I use the To Do app for various other lists like what to pack for a trip, activity lists, places I want to visit etc.
6. Organising my weekly cleaning schedule
Keeping on top of housecleaning is a biggie for me. I see every cobweb and grubby mark and I need a clean and tidy environment to operate and be content. (Are you picking up a trend here?) I quickly realised that I need a schedule to help me feel in control at home. Some people set aside a full day a week to do all their cleaning, but I’ve got a plan that schedules a few jobs every day of the week. They’re quick to do and if I follow the plan, I manage to keep my house clean. This year I want to try setting a timer for these jobs so that it doesn’t encroach too much on other things that I want to achieve each day.
7. Deciding on what I want to achieve, do and experience in 2023
This is a very personal one and everyone will have their own ideas and goals. I guess, ultimately though, we formulate lists of things to do, achieve and experience in an attempt to grow and improve. It’s basically a plan to get the most out of this life we have and to be happy while doing it. I don’t set lofty ideals when doing this, mostly I jot down simple things. And some goals I include every year because I haven’t achieved them yet!
I think the thing is to start by writing down whatever you’re thinking and then see whether you can identify a pattern and perhaps formulate a plan to make them happen. Be brave, and vocalise your dreams and ideas – some of them will stick and others may have to wait for next year, or the year after.
In conclusion – getting organized 101
We know that having a purpose in life is important so when we set up these guidelines for ourselves each year, we’re essentially acknowledging our lives and helping ourselves stay on track with our life plans (and in my instance, trying to fight my laziness and actually do things)!
Of course, some people already have it together or feel fine about winging it – and that’s great. I’m still in the process of working it all out and I need the guidelines and clarity so I always welcome this refresh. Some years are better than others. This year has been a gentle start for me. I’m easing into things, and it feels like the right thing to do. It may be different for you.
If you’re someone who makes new year’s resolutions or goals, or maybe chooses a word for the year – I’d love to hear some of your plans for 2023. Are you going big or clarifying what you already have? Comment in the reply section below.
If you don't know where you're going, any road will take you there. - George Harrison Click To Tweet
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