Wayward Girls' Crafts: Simple Ways to Be More Organized

At the start of each new year I always resolve to have a cleaner house and be more organized. In January I love to clean out my closets and get started fresh on the new year. Here are some tips I have found for making my home FEEL more organized because I have found just feeling more organized can cut down on stress. They are simple tips that can help you out!

Have a command center. Jordan has posted about her command center and here is a picture of mine
Solve "clutter collector" problems. I have a counter in my kitchen that collects so much junk! Find a new place to put the mail, coats, stuff to go upstairs, etc. Find out what is hanging around there and find an official home for it. Even if it is still just hanging around but out of sight it will seem more organized. Sometimes just adding a basket as well can make a space seem more organized.
Put like things together. This goes along with the previous tip. Group shoes, coupons, reusable shopping bags, toys, diapering supplies all in one place and preferably out of sight in a basket. When things have places they are less likely to be left in the middle of the floor.
Clean out your corners. I have left my maternity clothes in the corner of my room in big bins for far too long. They are off to be put away!
Clear out closets. In talking to my mom I was inspired to clean out my closet this past week. She had a rule of thumb "I have had this long enough. It is time for it to bless someone else's life now!" I got rid of some shirts I have had for like 10 years- don't judge!
Clean out your fridge. Now I'm not just talking about the old food in there. I'm talking about the crustiness left on the glass shelves or in the drawers. Wipe down the outside. Take a magic eraser to the door handles. Trust me it feels better. While you're at it hit the pantry as well.
Get rid of wasted spaces. Frequently builders put one shelf in a closet or put them way too far apart. Adjust your shelves. Add extra shelves in there. Use up all that valuable space that is out of sight! I'm dying to do this in my pantry!
Have a daily checklist. On Monday I do my bathrooms and it feels so good to have them done. Each day I do a chore. PB is about the age where she will be getting a daily list of chores as well.
Time yourself. I timed myself when folding clothes and emptying the dishwasher. I know if I have an extra 10 minutes I can get a simple chore done. Those are one of those chores I have named "bottle-neck chores." Other things get messier when those aren't done right away.
Go through your house and decide what stresses you out and fix it. Is there a table that has had a stack of stuff needing to find a home post Christmas? Clear it off. Are all of your closets in need of some TLC? Take an hour and clear them out.
Organize in smaller bins. I noticed my baby clothes were impossible to look through. When PB grew out of clothes I just threw them in a bin and stored them away. This time around I am storing them in smaller bins broken down by size and type of clothes so that it will be much easier to look through. This can be true of many items. Smaller bins can mean a big difference. For example toys, books, shoe bins for individual family members, etc.
Get more cleaning supplies. I have cleaning supplies in each bathroom. I also added more trashcans in our house. This especially helped after I had the baby.