Get Organized Week (aka GO Week) is officially the first full week of October, but we think any week is a great time to start your journey to a more efficient home! Make a plan to tackle one larger project for the entire week or smaller ones each day. If you’re someone who needs a guide to help you start, follow along below!

Organize One Room

We all have that one “problem” area in our home. It could be your bedroom closet or the kids’ playroom. The task of straightening it up can seem so impossible that you don’t even feel like bothering to try.

The good news is that you can change it for the better! As the poet Emily Dickinson said, “one step at a time is all it takes to get you there.”

If a bedroom closet is your biggest issue, avoid feeling overwhelmed by breaking the project into smaller segments. On the first day, empty everything and sort it into “keep,” “toss,” “donate” and “sell” piles. The next day, go through your “keep” pile and decide what new storage solutions, if any, you need to purchase. It could just be a shoe organizer or maybe you’d be better served with an entire new closet system.

Just need to redo your shoe storage? Congratulations! You can take the rest of GO Week off or take on another small task.
Is a new closet in the cards? It doesn’t have to be a scary prospect! Carefully measure your closet space. You might find a wire or wood closet system kit that will fit with minimal adjustments. Turn installation into a fun weekend project to round out the week.

A closet kit makes design and installation easier for the DIYer. Featured product: SpaceCreations Kit

Has your kid’s playroom gotten out of hand? If you think your child is mature enough to help you sort and reorganize, encourage their participation. Approach the job similar to the bedroom closet scenario. Start by assessing what must stay and what can go. There may be more tears over this “toss” pile than the closet one (or not!). Your best bets for organizational products will likely be cube storage and kid-friendly furniture.

Whether you opt for one of these two areas or another one that feels daunting, remember you can make it more manageable. It just requires putting one foot in front of the other, so to speak.

Choose One Project per Day

Do you have smaller problem areas or a thirst for instant gratification? Approach your organizing week daily chore-style. You’ll first want to walk through your house looking for spaces or situations that cause stress or fights.

Give books and decorative objects a home in your office by installing an adjustable shelving system. Featured product: Book Shelf Kit

These could include the entryway, where shoes accumulate, the pantry, where no one can find anything to eat, or your home office. Other commonly cluttered or neglected areas are the bathroom, junk drawer, guest room and craft room.

Once you’ve come up with seven (or however many you can handle), assign each one a day of the week. Focus on only one task at a time to avoid distractions.

If you get to the end of the week and haven’t finished all your planned projects, don’t beat yourself up! Move the uncompleted ones to another weekend and pat yourself on the back for all you did!

Tidy up your bathroom cabinet with a pull-out organizer.

The most important thing to keep in mind as you’re working on any project is that it’s for you. Don’t feel the pressure to complete your list in seven days or to do something each day. But also know that you’ll feel a great sense of achievement when you can check something off your list. And, best of all, your life will run smoother for your efforts!