31 Days of Organizing Tips: Day 2 (Planning)

Welcome to Day Two of the 31 Days of Organizing Tips series!  I’m so glad you’ve joined me. Throughout this series I’ll be sharing organizing tips that will help you on your journey from overwhelmed to organized.

Did you create your list of organizing projects yesterday and choose one or two that you want to start with? Great! {If not, go ahead and read yesterday’s tip first and then come back!}  The next step to getting organized is to plan your project.

To help you out with this planning stage, here is a planning document from I Heart Organizing (just like yesterday’s printable). Click the picture below to see how she uses her planner and to download a free copy yourself (please pin from the original source!).

It’s important to assess what works with your current system so you can make sure you continue to incorporate that into your new organizational plan.  You should also determine what is not working with the way you currently do things.  Presumably there are some things in this category or you wouldn’t be changing anything!

You may think you don’t have a current system to evaluate, but in reality you do.  Look at where the things you’re looking to organize are now and how they get there.  Whether it’s paperwork, toys, or clothing, figure out what’s happening with those things now and then decide how you want those things to be organized moving forward.

Sometimes you need to break a project down into smaller projects too. The third section is the place to do this. And then you can make a list of any supplies you will need. The last section helps you break the project down to different days of the week so it’s less overwhelming.

Here’s another planning sheet (also from I Heart Organizing).

What I like about this one is that you can write out why you want to tackle this project and how it will benefit your life. Knowing what your vision is will make it much easier to get organized and stay organized.  Once you’ve worked out what you want to see happen you can plan the details that will help you get there (materials needed, time required, budget, and schedule).  

For Day Two, print out one of these planners (or make your own) and plan out one of your organizing projects.  If this seems overwhelming, start with something small like a junk drawer or linen closet.  That will help you get used to the steps in planning a small project so you can build up to something larger.

Have you used a project planner like this before?  How did it work for you?   What is the best organizing tip you’ve implemented?

If you need help decluttering or organizing, contact me for in-person organizing services in the Mississauga area, or virtual organizing services anywhere else.

Happy organizing!