Yes. I am a professional organizer, and I am advising you to delay new organizing projects until 2022. Please note, I do not advise that you forget about them. Rather I would like you to take a piece of paper and a pen or pencil and make a list of all the organizing projects you would like to complete in 2022.
Once you have made your list, look at it a second time and determine if it is realistic. Maybe some projects can be deferred even further to 2023. Rank the projects you want to complete with number 1 referring to the project you want to start first. Then get out your 2022 calendar and decide on a realistic date to truly begin thinking about this project. After you have completed all these steps put your list away somewhere safe and then stop thinking about it until January.
Are you wondering why a professional organizer is recommending that you delay your new organizing projects?
The answer is simple.
Reason to delay new organizing projects
This is one of the busiest times of the year. We are all shopping, wrapping, cooking, eating, decorating, traveling, and gathering with friends and family. That is in addition to all the things we regularly do.
Why upset the apple cart by introducing a new organizing strategy, rearranging furniture, reorganizing where supplies are kept, or any number of organizing projects in your home?
If you do that you will be creating more chaos in your home. This is already an action-filled and chaotic time of year. There is no need to add more anxiety and stress into the mix.
Keep stress at a minimum by maintaining the organizing strategies you already have in place.
Here are some suggestions to help you maintain order in your home during the holidays:
Use the Organize Your Home 10 Minutes at a Time cards to accomplish small tasks and keep spaces in order.
Keep your entry clear of clutter. Have a basket for gloves, hats, scarves near the entry to corral these items. Keep a tray on the floor near the coat closet for boots. This will let the snow and ice drip off the boots and into the tray – not onto your floor.
Cut down boxes and recycle them immediately after opening them.
Remove trash – be sure to look for any instruction manuals or small pieces that may get mixed in
Clear kitchen counters of dishes, pots and pans and remember to empty the dishwasher.
Do small loads of laundry. Laundry is an ongoing, never-ending task – just like dishes pots and pans. Do not let it pile up. Do small loads regularly to avoid a mountain of laundry taking hours of time.
Open the mail. Open email and snail mail. You never know what may be hiding. Schedule payments or pay bills so you don’t fall behind.
Wait until the festivities are over to begin your New Year, New You organizing transformation.
Make your first task decluttering the decorations.
Start by mindfully putting away your decorations. Assess the decorations as you put them away.
Are there any that are looking tired? Consider tossing them.
Is there something broken? Toss it right away.
Has a decoration lost its appeal to you? Donate it. Yes, I know the holidays are over, but someone may be looking for decorations at bargain prices.
Then pull out your project list. I promise January or at the very earliest, the end of December, is the time to start new organizing projects.
Jonda Beattie and I will be here to support you as you start your New Year, New You organizing mission. Sign up to participate in our popular Clear Space for You virtual support group. We will guide you through the steps to take your project from idea to completion.
Meanwhile, just for now, delay any new organizing projects. Sit back, relax, and breathe in the joy of the holidays.
Diane N. Quintana is a Certified Professional Organizer® ,a Certified Professional Organizer in Chronic Disorganization®, Master Trainer and owner of DNQ Solutions, LLC and co-owner of Release●Repurpose●Reorganize, LLC based in Atlanta, Georgia
Isn’t it funny how doing a few more, but smaller, loads of laundry can make you feel a little calmer? Of course, not always easy if you don’t have laundry facilities in your home, but for those who do, this one little trick can help. Also “yes” on the trash. That adds so much clutter and is free to fix!
I love that you mentioned creating an organizing plan in December and starting in January! I totally agree. We don’t need to add pressure. I love that you mentioned your product “10 Minutes at a time” cards. That will help a great deal during a busy time.
Great post! Timely as well.
What great advice! I love that you include ways to minimize disorder until you take on the new 2022 organizing projects. Another thought: Organizers themselves are busy and often don’t have much time in their schedule to accommodate new projects. So even if you are able to begin working with an organizer, chances are you wouldn’t be able to go “full force” until the new year anyway.
It’s funny how breaking down the boxes and getting them out quickly is a game-changer. I prescribe to this tip and even do it for my family members who don’t. it keeps spaces clean.
This is such sound advice. However, I say that as I continue to work with my clients during the holiday season. But the work we do is always in the bigger context of what is going on in their life right now. We make space for what’s doable based on what is happening.
With that said, I feel the need to “postpone” things until 2022. I prefer to use the next few weeks to wrap up, review, and think about the new projects or ideas for the New Year. I don’t want to do any of them yet. And that’s OK. There are more gatherings and trips this time of year. I’d rather focus on engaging in those activities than stressing myself out unnecessarily. I agree that doing the basics to keep “now” as organized as possible makes an enormous difference. So keeping counters clear, doing laundry regularly, getting cardboard boxes into recycling, etc., all go to keeping things feeling less chaotic. And then, when the holidays are over, you won’t be overwhelmed by the state of home.
I couldn’t agree more. There’s such a tendency to rush to complete things before the new year, and that rush contributes to the chaos rather than clearing it. I love your approach!
I stress prioritization as one of the biggest skills one can learn to become more organized overall. Burnout can take down even the most motivated person if they try to tackle too much at once!
And I love that you suggested donating old-but-still-good decorations! Keeping items in circulation as long as they’re useful is a great way to cut down on clutter and waste.