This year was a huge adjustment for me as I took on two new jobs and started preparing my oldest for college. Consequently, a lot of my usual habits and schedules needed to be readjusted. Most importantly, in order to get a handle on all the things I need to get done, I had to get organized.
As we head into the new year, I realized I should probably be re-evaluating all aspects of my life on at least an annual basis to help me stay on track. To help me do this, I created this checklist to help me analyze and organize all of these areas. I hope it helps you too.
House
- Create or tweak house cleaning schedule
- Review home maintenance checklist and write in calendar reminders for the year
- Unsubscribe from catalogs and junk mail (click here to find out how to stop junk mail)
- Declutter the house by donating, selling, or discarding items you no longer need
Family
- Reevaluate chores and allowances and make any necessary adjustments
- Reevaluate routines (e.g. before school, bedtime) and create checklists for family members if needed
- Write in all known schedule items on the family calendar for the year
- Review family emergency plans (e.g. what to do in case of a fire)
- Clean up and reorganize the family “hub” (the place where family members drop off and find information like important paperwork, reminders, etc.)
Meals
- Create a streamlined meal planning system (read this article for tips on how)
- Post a grocery list on the fridge to track items needed as they run out
- Determine 3-4 meals that freeze well and schedule one day each month to make multiple batches to keep on hand to use instead of eating out due to lack of time or prep
- Clean out coupon organizer and reorganize couponing system if necessary
Money
- Create a budget
- Develop a plan to pay down debt if you have any
- Evaluate investments and make any necessary adjustments
- Gather up paperwork needed for taxes and store in a folder or box
- Contact creditors and utility companies to negotiate lower rates
- Review insurance policies
Computer
- Go through inbox and delete all unneeded messages
- Unsubscribe from emails you no longer want to receive
- Clean up desktop (remove any unused applications)
- Uninstall programs you no longer use
- Perform a disk clean up
- Backup your entire system and schedule weekly or monthly backups
- Delete bookmarks you no longer need from your web browser
- Organize computer files, photos, and videos into appropriate folders
Car
- Clean outside and inside of vehicle (vacuum, windows, everything)
- Make sure registration and insurance cards are up-to-date
- Schedule next oil change and full-vehicle inspection and maintenance appointment
- Write in inspection and maintenance reminders for the rest of the year on calendar
Health
- Restock first aid kit(s)
- Throw away expired medication and restock medicine cabinet (click here for a list of items you should have on hand)
- Schedule routine check-ups (or pencil in a reminder to do so on your calendar)
Professional
- Update resume
- Update social media profiles
- Set goals for the coming year
This is a quick list to help you shape up all the major areas of your life each year. If you’re looking for a more in-depth system for getting organized, check out my Get Organized Checklist Series that tackles one area at a time with an easy-to-follow checklist.
Corinne Schmitt
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You know that this organizing checklist makes me giddy! I’m pinning now.
Oh, I really need this list! There are a few things on there that I am good at, but there are just as many that I never even thought of! I will have to get busy!
I love the idea of a checklist. It is a great way to visually see what you need and how to reach your goals.
I agree. I’m very visual (and I have a bad memory) so lists are the only way I get anything done!
Wow – great post. I am really glad I checked out your blog. Great tips here. I’m going to follow you and forward on. Thanks
Thanks Tandy. I’m so glad you stopped by!
This is a fantastic list! I really need to do this as well. We moved in October, so we’re still out of sorts from that as well, and this would help get me back on track, too!
Getting organized is my biggest goal right now AND I just happen to be a huge fan of lists. Thanks so much for sharing this one. It will be very helpful! 🙂
Stopping by from Wined Down Wednesday. Great list. I definitely do a lot of them but never thought to turn it into a checklist…which is kind of surprising because my life is one giant checklist!