Are you looking to change your life this year? If so, you have probably been looking for ways to get more organized.
Becoming an organized person is important when it comes to changing your life. And these 50 things to do to get organized will definitely help you with that.
These activities are perfect to do at home when bored and will help you organize your entire life.
Let’s dive in, shall we?
. Organize your phone
Our phones are probably the tools we use the most. In fact, we use them so much that they have become like an extension of ourselves.
Just as any room in our homes, phones, and laptops get cluttered over time.
Taking a few minutes to organize the apps on your phone into folders, setting a cute wallpaper, and changing your colors and theme, can make you feel like you have a brand-new phone.
Plus, it will also help you find what you need fast. So, instead of scrolling on social media, take 20 minutes to clean your phone today.
2. Organize your laptop
Just like your phone, your laptop also needs to stay clean and organized.
Create folders to organize your important files, uninstall unused software, check that your antivirus is up-to-date, and run a full scan.
3. Organize your paper clutter
There is nothing worse than having to go through a ton of paper clutter when looking for an important document.
Take some time to go through all the paper clutter you have in your house and organize it into 3 piles :
- To scan
- To keep (for legal or official documents which are not considered valid when scanned)
- To throw away without scanning
Scan all the documents you can keep digitally and throw away the originals, keep all official documents such as birth certificates organized in a folder, and throw away all expired warranties and other documents no longer needed.
4. Create a budget
Having your finances under control is just another important habit to implement to live a more organized life.
Tracking your income and expenses will help you pay off debt faster, save money and build wealth.
Don’t know where to start? The free personal finance sheets below will help you get your finances in order this year!
5. Download a new app to get organized
Productivity apps can be amazingly effective when it comes to keeping us productive and organized.
Here are 5 of my all-time favorite apps to get organized:
- To-do list – Schedule planner (to-do lists, routines, and habits)
- Google Calendar (Digital planner)
- Trello (List management)
- Notion (project management)
- Boosted (time/project management)
These free apps are going to help you become the most organized person you know.
6. Learn new cleaning hacks
Learning new cleaning tricks is definitely underrated.
If you want to live a more organized life and be more productive, you need to keep your home clean and tidy.
This will save you a lot of time, which will allow you to get other, more productive, things done.
The next point on this list will also help you save a ton of time when cleaning your home…
7. Create a cleaning schedule
Having a cleaning schedule is another way to get super organized and save time on home chores.
Following a cleaning schedule and doing a few chores daily will save you so much time at the end of the week.
I used to spend my Sundays cleaning until I started following a cleaning schedule. It now takes me 2 hours max to deep clean my house which allows me to dedicate the rest of my Sunday to working on my personal projects.
Here is a quick example:
8. Set goals
If you haven’t set any goals for the year yet, what are you doing?!
Goal-setting is such an amazing process. It gives you a chance to sit down, reflect, and imagine your dream life.
What’s your definition of success and what can you achieve this year to make your dream life come true?
Once you have figured out your goals for the new year, you need to write your own action plan.
This post also includes a free action plan template you can download using the form below!
9. Plan your week
If you want to become an organized person, planning the week ahead of you is the place to start.
There is no better way to be super productive than jumping out of bed each and every day with a plan.
Write down everything you plan to do in the upcoming week as well as at least 3-5 goals for each day.
This simple habit will not only help you be more organized but will also help you achieve your goals!
10. Organize your wardrobe
One of my favorite ways to get organized and save time in the morning is to prepare my outfits for the week over the weekend.
I just have a look a the weather forecasts and prepare my 5 work and gym outfits for the week ahead.
I hang everything together and this simple trick saves me so much time every morning.
Taking everything out of your closet and going through each item to define what you want to keep/sell/donate/throw it away will help you make room in your closet.
And it will make it much easier for you to figure out what to wear.
11. Clean your fridge
It’s now time to get ready for a fresh restock.
Take everything out of your fridge, check the expiry dates, throw away expired food, and deep clean that fridge.
12. Meal plan
Having to decide what to cook every day can be such a waste of time and money.
Instead of staring at your fridge’s content wondering what the hell you can cook with what’s inside, create a meal plan.
Doing so will also help you save a lot of money, allowing you to buy only what you really need when grocery shopping.
This is a simple but effective way to save money and avoid wasting food.
13. Clean your drawers
It’s now time to clean your drawers and organize them using clear plastic bins.
Decluttering drawers and closets is key to saving time when looking for things.
14. Declutter one room
If you are bored at home and don’t know what to do, decluttering is always a good idea.
Nothing feels more rewarding than living in a clean and clutter-free space.
Here are a few tips if you don’t know where to start:
- Start with the least used room
- Declutter one room at once
- Go through each item and ask yourself whether you want to keep/sell/donate or throw it away
Decluttering will help you save a lot of time when cleaning and looking for things.
15. Make a pantry inventory and list
Going through your pantry and making a list of everything you already have and things you should restock is a simple tip that can save you time and money.
It will also help you with the next point on this list…
16. Stock up on things you use regularly
Now, this is one tip that saved me so much money.
Stocking up on imperishables, shower gels, shampoos, and cleaning products will save you a lot of money if you buy them when they are on sale.
17. Automate your payments and savings
If you struggle with your finances and hate having to spend time preparing your payments every week, you should definitely consider automating them.
Automating your payments will also save you money in late fees.
And automating your savings as well will help you ensure you pay yourself first (save money before paying your bills) and build wealth.
18. Create routines on your phone
Did you know that you can create routines pretty easily on your phone using a to-do list app such as To-do list – schedule planner?
Doing so is what helped me transform my life in a few months.
And I have to admit that this free app is so cute… This really makes me want to use it every day.
I mean look at it:
19. Get a new planner
Getting a new cute planner is a great way to motivate yourself to be more productive and better manage your time.
I love getting my planner inserts from Etsy. There is a huge range of planner inserts available and I love the idea of supporting small businesses.
And I always find what I look for, which is usually not the case with big brands, so it’s a win-win.
20. Sort your skincare/haircare
Going through your skincare, haircare, and makeup products regularly will help you ensure you do not use expired products, which can harm your skin.
Cosmetics can usually be used until 12 months after opening them for the first time so as a rule of thumb; if you don’t remember when you bought a product or used it for the first time, throw it away.
21. Organize your makeup and brushes
Organizing your makeup and brushes (and cleaning them) is a simple way to avoid having to waste time looking for what you need every morning.
Plus, it will also inspire you to try new makeup looks and reinvent yourself. It’s time to get creative!
22. Consolidate your debts
If you want to improve your finances this year, knowing exactly how much you owe is a step you cannot skip.
Listing all your debt and due dates will help you implement a debt repayment strategy to get out of debt fast.
Need help with this step? The free personal sheets below contain everything you need to get your finances under control.
23. Meal prep
Whether you are a busy mom, professional, or student, one tip can help you save a ton of time every day: meal prepping.
Cooking several meals at once is a simple way to ensure you eat real food (and not a bag of chips and dried beef while working on your computer) no matter how busy your day is.
Meal prepping is also a great way to eat healthier and will be super helpful if losing weight is part of your goals for the year.
Plus, it makes logging your food intake in apps like Lifesum so much easier!
24. Delete unused apps
Are you bored and scrolling on your phone?
Well, deleting your unused apps is a simple way to make space on your phone and keep it organized.
This is just another simple way to be more productive with your time today.
25. Unsubscribe from unwanted Newsletters
If you are anything like me, you probably get annoyed by the ton of emails that pop up on your phone screen as soon as you check your emails.
When having a bad day, you probably frantically slide to the left to delete them without even opening them.
Unsubscribing from these unwanted newsletters is a much more productive way to fix this issue.
26. Make lists
Making lists is my favorite way to get things out of my head and get organized.
To create these lists, you can either use your favorite paper planner, the native to-do list app on your phone or apps such as To-do list.
Here are a few lists you can create to stay organized:
- Goals for the month
- Things to do this week
- Shopping list
- Cleaning projects
- Recipes to try
- Books to read
- Restaurants to try
- Movies/series to watch
27. Create a monthly vision board
Creating vision boards is something I only started to do this year and I have to admit that this has become something I love to do.
Creating monthly vision boards on Canva has become a way to express my creativity and boost my motivation to achieve goals.
Create a vision board and resize it to use it as a phone and desktop wallpaper, this will help you keep your goals in mind every day.
28. Go through your emails and create subfolders
Creating subfolders in your inbox will help you keep your emails organized.
Here are a few folders you can create in your personal inbox:
- Expenses
- Meetings
- Account set-up
- Personal
- Work
29. Download a password manager app
Downloading a password manager app such as Nordpass makes it super easy to generate strong passwords and ensure all your only accounts are protected.
Moreover, this app contains a lot of functionalities such as data breach alerts informing you as soon as one website you use has been hacked so you can change your passwords.
Using a password manager is an effective way to ensure you change your passwords regularly and do not use the same password for all your accounts.
30. Cancel unused subscriptions
Canceling unused subscriptions is a simple way to save money.
Go through your bank account and credit card statements and look for any subscriptions you no longer need/use and take a few minutes to cancel them.
31. Make a backup of your phone
Making a backup of your phone’s content is a must.
Ideally, you should schedule these backups so you don’t have to think about them.
We usually only think about them when we actually need them. And, more often than not, when that’s the case, it is already too late.
Scheduling a backup of your phone once a week is a very effective way to ensure your files are safe.
32. Make a backup of your laptop
The same goes for your laptop.
Scheduling an automatic backup weekly will save you the trouble of trying to recover your files after getting hacked or losing your computer.
33. Create new playlists
Creating new playlists for different activities (workouts, cleaning around the house, working, studying, etc…) is a fun way to discover new artists and add novelty to your daily life.
34. Organize your digital photos into albums
Another productive thing you can do when bored is to organize your pictures into albums and delete pictures you no longer want to keep.
Since you should have created a digital backup of all your files, there are probably a ton of pictures you can delete from your phone to free up some space.
35. Create a recycling center
Creating a recycling center at home will help you be more organized and keep your home clean and tidy.
Nope, having one trash can is not enough.
36. Get rid of unused kitchen appliances
Unused kitchen appliances, especially gadgets are the worst.
They take so much place and can pretty much be replaced by a knife and cutting board.
Getting rid of them will free up a ton of space in your kitchen.
37. Organize your pantry
Organizing your pantry is another way to feel productive and should definitely be part of your to-dos.
Take everything out of your pantry, go through each item to check the expiry date, and reorganize things in clear plastic baskets.
This will help you keep an eye on everything you have, avoid spending money on unnecessary things, and will also help you when meal planning.
38. Update your resume
Updating your resume even when not actively looking for a job is a must.
You never know when the universe will offer you a new opportunity and you better be ready whenever it happens.
Keeping an up-to-date resume is something organized people do.
Do know how to create your resume? Canva and its hundreds of templates have your back!
39. Create reminders for birthdays
There is nothing worse than forgetting about someone’s birthday.
Even though social media makes it easier to remember these important dates, you should keep a list of birthdays and other important dates to remember.
And the easiest way to do so is to create a recurring event on your phone or digital calendar.
40. Write a go-to grocery shopping list
Having a go-to grocery shopping list on your phone is a great tip to stay organized.
Simply add items you buy every week to this list and then, before going grocery shopping, add anything special you want or need.
This will help you stay organized and will save you at on of time and money when grocery shopping.
41. Create a habit tracker
This is a no-brainer: to achieve your goals, you need to define new habits that will support them.
And you need to find ways to make these habits stick.
Tracking your habits and progress is a simple way to stay motivated to achieve your goals.
Adding a habit tracker to your planner is a creative way to ensure you stay inspired to achieve your goals and commit to your new habits daily.
42. Create a morning routine
To become a productive and organized person, you need to implement a daily routine.
Your daily routine will help you ensure you get daily tasks completed and focus on all the things you want to achieve.
It’s a great way to improve your organizational skills and ensure you stick to good habits.
Any productive day starts with a super productive morning routine.
43. Create a night routine
Implementing a night routine will help you unwind after a super-productive day and stay focused on your personal goals.
The secret of a relaxing night routine is to limit distractions and focus on self-care. Your night routine should help you recenter on yourself and recharge after a long day.
When working hard on life goals, things can feel overwhelming and recentering on what really matters can be hard.
Implementing a healthy night routine will help you take time for yourself and stay motivated in the long run.
44. Write a book list
Reading personal growth books has transformed my life in so many ways.
No matter the goals you are trying to achieve this year, finding good books on the subject, reading them, and applying them to your life will help you make massive changes.
Looking for inspiration?
45… And buy all the books you want to read this year
Now that you know what you read, go to Amazon and purchase the books on your list to ensure you actually read them.
46. Find a place for everything
Finding a place for each and every item in your house will help you keep a clutter-free and organized environment.
A very disorganized person is usually all over the place. And this is usually a huge waste of productivity and time.
Have you ever met a disorganized person with great time management skills?
Nope.
And that’s because being smart with your time and getting things done requires a minimum of organization.
Ensure every item finds its place after you used it to keep your home organized.
47. Clean out your closets
Another thing you need to add to your to-do list if you want to become an organized person is to clean out every single closet in your house.
This goes along with everything having its own place in your home. You can’t just stuff all your clutter in one closet and act like it doesn’t exist.
It didn’t work for Monica Geller and won’t work for you either.
Take everything out of your closets and re-organize every single shelf.
48. Rearrange your furniture
What better way to have your life organized and take a fresh start than by rearranging your furniture and rethinking your space?
If you have already decluttered your home in the past, you know how productive and creative you feel afterward.
Rearranging your furniture and rethinking every room is a logical step to take after decluttering.
Seeing less clutter around you will motivate you to make bold changes. And once again, when looking for inspiration, Pinterest is your best friend.
49. Plant a (big or tiny) garden at home
If you try to eat healthier this year, you will rapidly notice how unhealthy sauces are in general.
And in most healthy recipes, sauces are replaced by spices and aromatic herbs.
The issue with aromatic herbs is that they only stay fresh for a couple of days. This is why having your own tiny garden at home can be so useful.
Not only will you have fresh herbs all year long, but this will also save you money in the long run.
The good news is that you do not need huge spaces to plant aromatic herbs.
You can actually plant them in small pots and keep them in your kitchen!
50. Create a workout routine
No matter your goals in life, working out 3-4 times a week is a minimum to keep you healthy.
And staying in good health is key when trying to reach ambitious goals. You won’t go anywhere if you feel sick and tired every single day.
Working out regularly will help you get in shape, sleep better and feel more energized.
If you are not used to working out, you definitely need to create a workout plan to stay consistent.
The good news is that a lot of free apps, such as FitOn, can help you with this. To get in shape this year, you should definitely give this app a try!
Final thoughts
To be more organized, you need to implement systems and make small tweaks to your daily life.
A simple way to do so is to stop mindlessly scrolling on your phone when bored and start being more productive with your time.
This is when apps can come in handy. Many time management tools and apps can help you boost your organizational skills and be more productive with your time.
When you start being more organized and improving your time management skills, you quickly realize how much you can get done when you don’t spend your day on your phone or watching Netflix.
The 50 activities on this list will help you live a more organized life to make time for everything that matters to you.
