I know we are only about a month in to the New Year, but I am still celebrating. In years past I set New Year resolutions that were too complicated to keep beyond the first week. This year, I decided to focus instead on goals for our house and time we spend together as a family. I’ve realized that part of my problem with breaking resolutions in the past was lack of organization. So this year, I’m dedicating January to getting organized – and I am happy to already be celebrating the progress.
Organization comes easy to some people… but I am not one of those people. I seem to spend most of my life running from one place to another – putting out fires at every stop. I know that this isn’t a good habit to share with my children, so I’m making changes in our home. It will take some time to change our habits, but I’m determined to get our house more organized.
I started by enlisting their help to tackle the three “hot spots” in my house that always seem to get the most chaotic – the kitchen counter, my bathroom vanity, and the play room. The goal was simple – to declutter what was there, organize what was left, and get prepared for the rest of the year by stocking up on the things we use most. I wanted to share our game plan to help you get organized this year too.
How to Organize The Home
The Kitchen Counter
The kitchen counter is where things go to die it seems – from mail to school notes to coupons. First, sort everything on the counter in to piles – a pile for each family member, a pile for bills, a “To Do” pile for things that need my attention, and trash and recycling piles. If some of the clutter belongs to the kids, create a game with them to see how quickly they can help sort. You may be pleasantly surprised how big the trash and recycling piles become! Once everything is sorted and put away, take note of what needs to be restocked. Keep items that help you organize and clean easily accessible and ready to use – like trash bags, paper towels and cleaning spray.
The Bathroom Vanity
If you’re anything like me, you may have a mild obsession with cosmetics and beauty products. I love cosmetic subscription boxes, so when I say I have cosmetics… I mean I have a LOT of cosmetics.
This is a big job to but one that’s important to tackle for a clean, organized area to start each day in. First, go through all beauty items and toiletries to see what is still good and what needs to be thrown away. Wash make-up brushes with baby shampoo or cleanser, wipe down any sticky or dusty bottles, and combine any products that you have duplicates of. Organize items according to the type of product and how often they are used. Products that are used daily should be within easy reach while products used less often can be stored in cabinets or storage areas. Make a list of items to stock up on – toilet paper, tissues, soaps, and shampoos.
The Playroom
The playroom is an easy room to neglect because it’s easy to close the door on and avoid. To organize the playroom or play area, you should have a system of organization in place. Spend some time purging any broken, unused or outgrown toys that are no longer wanted. Whether you have cabinets, colorful bins and baskets, or a large storage unit, make sure you have a way to organize and put away toys and games. Separate the items by age and/or type of activity. Games for older children go up higher while toys for little ones are stored where younger kids can access them. If your play area contains items that children aren’t allowed to use without permission, make sure that they are put away out of reach or are clearly marked as off limits. Colorful pictures or signs indicating where items are stored will help everyone keep the area organized in the future.
Organizing and Stocking Up
Once we have our “hot spots” cleaned up and organized, we stock up on any items we might need. There are certain items that we can never seem to have too many of – wipes, diapers, cleaning sprays, paper towels, trash bags and toilet paper. When it’s time to stock up on items, we head to Sam’s Club – our go-to place for household staples.
Sam’s Club has everything from favorite foods and household products to paper goods and even clothing. Save time and money by shopping for the items you use most often. If you have little ones at home, you know how important it is to save time and money whenever possible.
Right now, you can get an instant $10 off when you buy 2 Pampers products at Sam’s Club. How awesome is that!?
I am excited at how much progress we have already made in just the first few weeks of the year. It has us all excited about continuing this process through the rest of the house as well. We’re enjoying working together on the house and feel better with the house being more organized. This is definitely the best resolution I have ever made.
Enjoy getting your house organized in 2018 and make sure you take advantage of the great deals from Sam’s Club when you’re stocking up on supplies and household products. Happy New Year!
This is a sponsored conversation written by me on behalf of Pampers at Sam’s Club. The opinions and text are all mine.
Cheryl says
I can always use help getting organized. Thanks for these tips!
LILLIAN BROWN says
I have been laying low because of surgery and getting organized is on my list for spring
Sarah L says
I need to organize my garage. It’s the worst spot in our house.
Sarah L says
Today I need to organize the kitchen. It’s overtaking the room.