How to Achieve Whole Home Organization in 2016

Yes, you read that right! I’m taking back control of the clutter this year, and I’m bringing you along with me every step of the way. Little by little, step by step, and room by room, I’m banishing clutter and bringing order where there is currently chaos. I want to share with you How to Achieve Whole Home Organization in 2016!

Now let me be clear: I’m generally an organized person overall. I’m not a fan of knick-knacks, I’m pretty good about getting rid of stuff I no longer use… But you know how life goes, right? Over time, you collect all kinds of items and they start to accumulate in closets and on shelves, until one day, you look around and realize you are overrun with STUFF!

My family & I have only lived in our current home for 3 1/2 years, and I am constantly amazed at all of the crap we have accumulated in that short time frame.

I’ve declared 2016 as the year of INTENTION, and that applies to all aspects of my life, including being intentional about what stuff takes up precious space in my home.

Do you want to be intentional about your stuff, too, and finally take back control of the clutter? Let’s do this together!

It all starts with a plan.

I’ve learned the hard way that I can’t just attack my clutter and do a big purge. It never lasts. So I’ve decided to do things more intentionally. (You like how that word keeps popping up?)

Before we get started with our whole home organization, I want to give you a few tips to help you be successful:

1. This is not a sprint, but a marathon, so pace yourself.
2. We’re going to tackle big & small areas of our home, but not all at once. This is a year-long process.
3. Be intentional every step of the way and you will find yourself basking in the glow of a simplified & organized home one year from today. (That means you have to do the work!)

Ready to do this?

Step One: Whole-Home Assessment

First, I had to do an assessment of the current situation in my home. This meant taking the time to go room by room, including the attic, basement, garage, and closets, and make detailed notes.

I made note of things like:

• current organizational tools, like bins, boxes, tubs, shelving, etc.
• what I currently store in each space
• what I want the space to be used for
• wall & closet dimensions
• ideas for organizing the place, including sketches of my ideas

I made a handy printable for you to use to do a whole-home assessment for yourself. Click the image above to get yours, and print as many copies as you need until you write down notes for your entire home.

Remember, this isn’t a magic wand you can wave and your clutter simply disappears. This is a year-long organizational process that will require effort and intention. Plan a few hours or a full day to do the whole-home assessment and be as specific as possible with your notes.

Step Two: Plan of Attack

Now that you have your notes, it’s time to spread out at the kitchen table with your whole-home assessment and your planner of choice. You might even want to grab a notepad, too.

Let me give you a peek at my process:

First, I wrote down all of the big areas of my home that need to be de-cluttered & organized. My list looks like this:

1. Both attics (We have one upstairs & one in the garage, but I’m counting them as one big space.)
2. Garage
3. Basement
4. Guest bedroom
5. Master bedroom/bath
6. Marley’s bedroom/bath

Next, I wrote down all of the little areas that give me grief.

1. Basement closet under the stairs
2. Guest bedroom closet
3. Master bathroom: under sinks
4. Master bathroom: linen closet
5. Master bedroom: closet
6. Marley’s bedroom: closet
7. Marley’s bathroom: under sink
8. Front hall closet
9. Kitchen cabinets
10. Kitchen pantry
11. Kitchen countertops (all those papers!)
12. Online files & photos
13. Old financial & personal files

Are you overwhelmed? Don’t worry. We’re not tackling it all at once, remember? Baby steps.

Now it’s time to decide which areas you’ll tackle each month. Click the image above to download your monthly home organization road map.

It’s time to make a realistic plan of attack. In each month’s block, write down the areas you’ll work on for that month.

I recommend balancing large & small areas each month. While some of the small areas can be done at the same time as the larger areas, others will be done independently. For example, since I have 6 large areas, I plan to tackle one large area every two months, and fill in with smaller areas in the alternating months.

After getting my Whole Home Assessment and Monthly Road Map completed, my year-long plan looks like this:

[one-half-first]

• JANUARY: Both attics
• FEBRUARY: Kitchen pantry, cabinets & counter top
• MARCH: Garage
• APRIL: Old files & paperwork
• MAY: Marley’s bedroom & bathroom
• JUNE: Online files & photos
  • Side project: My mom’s photos

[/one-half-first]
[one-half]

• JULY: Guest room & closet
• AUGUST: Basement closet under stairs
  • Side project: Finish basement stairs FIRST!
• SEPTEMBER: Basement
  • Side project: Finish basement bathroom
• OCTOBER: Master bedroom closet
• NOVEMBER: Master bedroom & bathroom
  • Side project: Linen closet
• DECEMBER: Front hall closet & entryway

[/one-half]

**As I share my progress, the list above will contain links to corresponding blog posts.**

If you have a lot of problem areas, you may need to stretch your whole-home organization plan into 2017, and that’s totally fine! Don’t pressure yourself to get this done in a certain amount of time. Otherwise, you’ll get overwhelmed and just give up, and you definitely don’t want that to happen.

Step Three: Make It Official

Now that you have mapped out each month’s area(s), it’s time to make it official and put them in your planner. Set designated days & times to work on each area.

Maybe you want to set aside one weekend each month and just get it done. Do some hard-core de-cluttering and cleaning on a Saturday, then spend Sunday organizing whatever you’ve decided to keep.

Or perhaps you want to spend 15-30 minutes several nights each week until it’s finished. Determine what is best for you and plan it out on your calendar (in pen!), then hold yourself accountable to get it done.

We’re in this together.

Throughout the year, I’ll be sharing my progress here on the blog with you – large and small areas. You’ll see the messy before pictures and the steps I’ll take to make them clutter-free and organized!

And before you go, be sure to SHARE WITH YOUR FRIENDS!

DOWNLOAD: Whole Home Assessment  |  Monthly Home Road Map

[bctt tweet=”Organize your WHOLE HOME in 2016 w/ this awesome plan + FREE WORKSHEETS!”]

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What’s your biggest problem area in your home? Are you planning to conquer it in 2016? Share in the comments below!