Having a place for everything sets you up for success

Why is space planning so important? Having a designated space for all of your items – whether it be the furniture in your living room or the dishes in your kitchen – will ensure that your home is organized and free of clutter. Proper storage solutions and room layouts can go a long way to making your daily life stress-free and organized because you will be able to find the items you are looking for quickly, they will have a smaller chance of getting lost or damaged, and you will be more inclined to put things away and prevent clutter from accumulating.

When items have their own place, it is easier to follow an important guideline for staying organized: keep like items together. For example, if you have a closet set-up to store linens, it is a good idea to make sure all of your linens are stored in there. This way, you can easily find the linens you need without having to check multiple rooms or closets for what you are looking for. However, this can be difficult if you either don’t have a designated linen closet to begin with, or have a closet that isn’t big enough to store all of your linens.

A designated space is also essential to prevent clutter. Having a specific storage space for items will encourage you and your family to put items away after they are used, because you know where they are supposed to go. When it isn’t clear where an object is meant to go, or there isn’t sufficient space to store it, or it is out of the way, people can be less inclined to take that extra step to try and put items away when they are done with them. However, if there is a specific shelf or cupboard for an item that provides space and is easy to access, people will be more likely to tidy up after themselves.

Consider an area in your home that is used regularly, like a toy room – when kids have toys that need to be stored in an overflowing toy bin, or in a cupboard that is out of reach, they won’t want to put things away because it isn’t quick or easy. With properly planned storage like a shelving unit with different compartments and lower height, clean-up is a lot more appealing.

Proper storage also means that your items are better protected. Instead of shoving them into a drawer that isn’t deep enough or leaving them out to get banged up or scuffed, storing them in a place where they fit properly will ensure your items last longer. Calm Order can work with you and your design team to create an organizing solution that has the dimensions and layout to fit your belongings and lifestyle.

Whether you are building, renovating or moving, Calm Order can set you up for success by working with you to create storage solutions and home layouts that are organized and functional. 

Setting goals for the New Year

Now that the New Year is here, it’s time to put your goals into action! In our previous post, we talked about how to plan for new goals and resolutions – but now it is time to start working towards your goal. Planning is important, but putting your plans into action is another challenge. Follow these steps to make sure you stay on track and maintain your goals throughout the year:

Set manageable goals

As we mentioned in our post on planning for New Year resolutions, one of the most important parts of setting a goal is to make sure it is manageable. Goals are supposed to be set benchmarks or targets that you want to reach by the end of the year or a certain period of time. In order for them to be successful, make sure that your goals are actually achievable, and something that you can work towards and stay focused on. You shouldn’t have to be changing or adapting your goals because you don’t have the time or energy to work on them. When you set your goal, make sure you have the resources, means and motivation to achieve your goal. You need to make sure you have time to work towards it, and support from friends and family to see it through.

For example, if your goal is to get organized, make sure you are able to set aside time each day or week to work on a section of your home. Do you have a full-time job or activity that will prevent you from working towards your goal? Is it a goal that you can accomplish in one year, or should you dedicate more time to it?

Have realistic expectations

When setting a goal, know that it is something you are not going to achieve overnight, or probably even at the end of the month. Goals are usually set for a year, or even longer, for a reason. They take time and dedication to see them through. Prepare yourself for a long road ahead and be realistic about how long and how challenging it may be to accomplish. Don’t expect to see a noticeable change or result at the end of the first week. Visible changes will take time, so remind yourself throughout the process that results will happen if you keep working and stay focused. Goals are not tasks that you can accomplish right away, but rather year-long or more commitments that you will need to spend time on in order to see results.

If your goal is to get organized, it’s important to realize that it won’t take a few quick steps to accomplish. Getting organized and maintaining your organized home or life requires time and effort. For example, it’s almost impossible to tackle your entire home right away. Instead, start with small, simple tasks (like the junk drawer or kitchen pantry) and work up to larger projects. By being realistic about the process of getting organized, you will be more successful in achieving your goal.

Make goals attainable

It’s important to be practical about the timeline of your goal. Don’t underestimate how long it will take you to see noticeable changes. It is unreasonable to think that you will have your whole house organized by the end of the first month. Not only is it a lot of work to complete, but problems or life events may come up during the process which can delay your timeline. Make sure your goal is attainable – give yourself enough time, or more time than you would expect. This way, you will have a better chance of achieving your goal and prevent yourself from becoming discouraged or stressed out when your planned timeline comes quicker than expected.

It may also be helpful to work with a friend or family member to achieve your goal. Trying to complete it on your own may not be practical for you, so consider finding another person to work on this goal with you. Setting a goal as a team works great for home organizing. Not only will this help you attain your goal, but it will ensure that everyone in your home continues to maintain your organized state beyond your anticipated completion date.

Remember: small, consistent changes create big everlasting results

When you are working towards your goal, stay focused and know that each milestone you hit and each small change or task you accomplish helps you work towards your final goal. Producing small results on a continual basis can help you stay on track without overwhelming you during the process. For example, during the month of January, Calm Order is posting small organization tasks you can accomplish each day to help you get your home organized. Although one month doesn’t cover every small task that needs to be completed, the idea of organizing one small section or area at a time will eventually lead to a home that is completely organized. Take the idea of doing one small task each day and continue it throughout the year or time period you have set for yourself.

When you set a goal for this year, make sure that it is manageable and attainable. Be realistic about your progress and what you will be able to achieve in the time you have set for yourself, and remember that small accomplishments will lead to big and lasting change when your goal is finally realized.

Reduce your mental holiday clutter

When people think about staying organized over Christmas, more often than not they focus on physical clutter, like organizing presents and decorations. However, over the busy holiday season, people can develop mental clutter that can make it difficult to truly enjoy the season. Many people have a lot to do over the holidays in addition to their regular jobs or tasks – there’s visits with family and friends, holiday parties, gift shopping, gift wrapping, decorating, and plenty of other obligations. This holiday season take some time to organize your mental clutter to avoid feeling stressed and overwhelmed.

Remember: you’re not in this alone

If you’re hosting a meal for family and friends, don’t think that you have to do everything yourself. Ask your guests to pitch in and help with the meal by bringing a side dish or beverages so you don’t have as much to do. Cooking a turkey and bringing it as a guest can be difficult, but if you handle the turkey, it is easy for someone else to bring a salad or vegetable. Desserts and appetizers are also easy to delegate to other guests.

 When you’re assigning items for guests to bring, be sure to write down what each person is bringing so you or another guest don’t accidentally make the same thing or forget to bring a dish. Make sure you know what everyone is bringing, and if they will need to heat up their dish or keep it in the fridge until the meal is served. This way, you can plan your own dishes accordingly.

Change your gifting habits

A lot of mental stress during the holidays comes from having to buy gifts for your friends, family members and co-workers. Not only is it difficult to come up with ideas, but shopping can be very time-consuming and financially draining. Consider reducing your gift consumption without sacrificing the fun of giving and receiving gifts. Instead, try drawing names for “Secret Santa” or hosting a gift exchange with a lower budget. This way, everyone still gets a gift, but you won’t have to spend the same amount of time or money.  

Gifts don’t have to be expensive, and they don’t have to be a tangible object either. Consider going out for a nice meal with friends instead of buying each other gifts or take a loved-one to an activity or performance. These “clutter-less” gifts don’t have to be enjoyed during the holiday season either – they can wait until sometime in the New Year, so you aren’t scrambling to fit everything in December. Postponing your gifts will also help keep your spending down during the holidays.

Take time to relax

There may be a lot you want to do over the holidays, but it is important to make sure to do set time aside to relax and spend time with friends and family. Plan on meeting with friends for lunch or set aside time for after-work drinks. If you really want to relax, a trip to the salon for a quick pedicure or manicure with friends might also be a good way to unwind. It doesn’t have to take up a lot of time but getting together can be a great way for you to take a break while spending time with your loved ones over the holidays. Finding time to get together can be more special than just sending them a gift.

Purchase supplies ahead of time

It’s not too early to start purchasing your groceries for the holiday meal. Start looking for sales on cranberry sauce, condiment spreads, crackers, pickles, and other non-perishable foods. Turkeys, hams and other meats and fish can also be purchased in advance and frozen – just be sure to give yourself enough time to safely defrost them before preparing. Some desserts and baked goods can also be made up ahead of time. You can start baking simple bars, dessert squares and cookie dough now and freeze them. Whenever you have people over or need a dessert, you can simply pull them out of the freezer before the meal, so they are ready to go when you need them.

It can be hard to have fun over the holidays when mental clutter is weighing you down. Take time to relax over the holidays and make visiting family and friends a priority. Do what you can ahead of time but remember that you don’t have to do everything on your own. Giving gifts is a popular holiday tradition, but it doesn’t have to take up a lot of your time or money. With these simple steps, you can enjoy the holiday season!