I’d love to share my tips on getting more organized with you.

When I was younger and all the way through college my room always looked like a tornado tore through it.  Clothes on the floor, books on the bed, shoes everywhere.  I was a mess.  Now I will note this by saying I was not dirty.  Dirty dishes belonged in the kitchen sink, not in the bedroom.  I believe there is a huge difference between being messy and being dirty.

One aspect about myself is that I had this organized chaos going for me.  Almost always I would know exactly which pile my class notes were in or where I took off those shoes that I had to wear that night.  But I still looked unorganized.

As I’ve gotten older, married, and started my career I have found that I do not have time to be messy.  Plus, J really gets bothered by my pile system.  I was surprised he called me after our first date because it was laundry day for me and I had clothes everywhere in my bathroom.  Poor guy didn’t know what he was getting into when he asked to use my restroom before leaving.  I’m pretty sure he had to step on clothes to even get into the bathroom.  I was mortified and was sure I probably wouldn’t hear from him again… BUT I was wrong.  He texted, we started dating and are living happily ever after.  But I digress.  He really, really hates living in a messy house.  So, I have developed new systems and ways of staying organized.

Here are my no-fail tips on getting more organized.  The best part about them? They are super easy to follow and you can start today.  Not tomorrow or next week, but today.

Tip One: have a gathering spot for any monthly bills.  J and I have one drawer in our kitchen that is for monthly bills.  Every bill is opened and placed inside the drawer.  We pay our bills twice a month – on payday.  So every time we go to pay bills we open the drawer look at their due dates and pay what we can/have to.  Then any unpaid bills are put back in the drawer until next payday.  Bonus: place your checkbook, envelopes, pen and stamps in the drawer.  Everything is in one spot and easy to take care of.

Tip Two: Schedule your week out before it starts.  I love my new planner and every Sunday I spend 5-10 minutes to look at the week ahead.  I make sure we know of any appointments for  us or the dogs that are coming up.  We plan time with our friends and family then we schedule time to workout and eat right.  I live by my planner so for me it’s our family’s lifeline.  If you don’t spend a few minutes organizing your week before it starts then things you want to do and need to do will just slip away.

Tip Three: Plan at least 3 meals each week.  Think about three meals (the whole meal – entree, side dish, etc.) that you can have this next week. Make sure you have the ingredients or buy them during your weekly trip to the grocery store.  That way on the nights you don’t want to cook or are tired, you don’t have to think too much about it.  You know you have the ingredients for three whole meals that you want waiting for you.  Plus your spouse/roommate can help you out by getting it started before you get home.  If we know what we’re having then J usually will defrost the protein, start grilling, and have it mostly ready by the time I get home.  Then all I have to do is make the side dish and put the finishing touches on.  Teamwork is the best.

Tip Four: The basket routine.  Because J hates my pile system and I have learn to not like it as much, I have developed a new system.  Meet the basket routine.  Every few days I walk around the main living areas of our home with an empty laundry basket in tow.  I gather anything that doesn’t belong in that room.  Shoes, jackets, dog toys, necklaces (because I have a tendency to leave those laying around), etc.  Then once the family room and kitchen are back in order I walk through the rest of the house emptying the basket.  I usually only have to make one trip around the house and in less than 10 minutes my house is straightened.

Tip Five: Two Chores every two days.  Some others out there like the one chore a day technique.  That’s too much for me.  There are some days I want to come home and lay on the couch while watching TV.  I don’t want even want to think about cleaning something.  So instead I space it out a bit more.  Every Tuesday, Thursday, and Saturday I clean.  Typically I clean at least two things those days.  It doesn’t seem to be such a daunting task by having a day off in between and it’s not as overwhelming by only having two tasks to do those days.  Here’s the breakdown:

Tuesday: dust the furniture and wipe down the kitchen

Thursday: vacuum and sweep the kitchen

Saturday: bathroom and clean mirrors

Now I wipe down the counters after cooking every meal, but on Tuesday I really spend some time scrubbing the countertops, wiping out the microwave, etc.  Plus I steam clean our carpets about once every other month and I tend to do that chore early Saturday or Sunday mornings.

Simple and super easy tips on getting more organized that you can start {TODAY}.  So what are you waiting for?  Get started.  Living a more organized life is really satisfying.  Plus not having a husband moan about your clothes on the bed is really peaceful.

What are you tips on getting more organized?  I’d love to read about them.  Go ahead and leave me a comment.