Tag: goals

Meet the New Year Head-On

Posted on by Jordank

The start of a #new year always carries hope for renewal. With the #holidays officially complete, people look to the future and think about how they want to spend the months ahead and what they might want to accomplish.

Six days old already, 2026 still holds ample promise for reaffirming #goals large and small. Everyone’s goals will be different; the important part is to acknowledge what they are and make concrete steps toward them.

Be intentional as you consider the year ahead. “It’s easy to get overwhelmed” by your goals, says Planoly. Write down the steps need to move ahead on any resolutions or plan, breaking the tasks down into achievable, bite-sized pieces.

Goals themselves don’t have to be huge to be life-changing. Success suggests 44 ways to “kickstart” a new year — everything from calling one of your kids to planning a vacation to #cleaning a #closet and #donating the excess #clothing to a #charity like ClothingDonations.org.

Medium suggests another 10 goals, including eating three square meals a day, buying a plant, spending time with your best friend, checking your blood pressure and going to a yoga session. These goals couldn’t be simpler, and yet, you will feel a sense of satisfaction and renewal if you complete one.

We at the Organizing Blog have many goals for 2026 (maybe too many). First, we’re going to continue to #declutter and #organize, of course, and report back to our many loyal readers what we’ve discovered about the process, ourselves and our surroundings along the way.

But we’re also going to tackle a few overdue #household #renovations, starting with new paint in the main bedroom and a complete bathroom overhaul. Satisfying these goals won’t be cheap, but few things are going to get any cheaper than they are right now.

For anything you put off until “next year,” that time has come. Make a list of goals and a plan for getting to where you want to be, Forbes says, and tell people about your goals so they can help. Measure your progress and course-correct when necessary, but never admit defeat.

Have a happy, productive and fulfilling new year!

Revisit Your New Year’s Resolutions

Posted on by Jordank

People often try to make a fresh start at the beginning of the calendar year, making #resolutions to lose weight, get more exercise, get #organized, save money and so on. But such resolutions — made to suit a salient juncture in time — often get sidelined quickly.

One can make a resolution or set a new goal at any time, of course, but the goal-setter needs to be ready. So if you made resolutions three weeks ago and are already coming up short, it’s time to revisit those goals and figure out how you can successfully meet them.

The first thing to do when making any sort of shift is to mentally prepare for change, says GoSkills. Inventory any progress you have already made toward a goal, however small; this will help you maintain positivity as you tackle the next steps.

Pick a goal that motivates you and has a substantial personal value or benefit. Is it to learn a new software program to boost your career? Learn a musical instrument as a creative outlet? #Clean and organize the garage to give you more space? What the goal is doesn’t matter as much as making sure it aligns with your priorities.

Limit yourself to just a few improvement goals. GoSkills suggests writing every aspiration on a Post-it and rearranging them until the most exciting topics rise to the top. When you have only a few Post-its left, you’ll know which areas to focus on.

Know your bandwidth. If multiple resolutions demand global changes or big chunks of time, you probably aren’t going to satisfy them to your satisfaction. Make your resolutions SMART: Specific, Measurable, Attainable, Relevant and Time-sensitive.

If a resolution has anything to do with #organization, for example, “get #organized” is not the one to make — it’s too vague and too all-encompassing. Such a goal sets people up for failure, because it’s hard to measure progress and any obvious failures will demotivate.

The SMART goal would be something like, “I will install new shelves in the living room by April 1 and display only the books and knickknacks I want on them, sorting and #donating the rest to [shameless plug] ClothingDonations.org.”

Revisit the hopes and dreams you have for the new year. Calibrate any resolutions you might make into manageable life goals that carry demonstrable returns. And remember that there is never a bad time to pursue self-improvement.

Donate Your ‘Aspirational’ Clothes

Posted on by Jordank

Hanging on to clothes that don’t fit as an incentive to keep a New Year’s resolution to get in shape? Studies show that this strategy tends to backfire by reminding people that they aren’t the same slim size they were in the past, producing a sense of inadequacy that can result in behavior that doesn’t support the goal. Instead of holding out for the day those clothes might fit again, donate them to ClothingDonations.org and take a long walk or sign up for a fitness class. When you reach a more ideal size, you can buy new clothes!

Try Something New in 2021

Posted on by Jordank

If you made any 2020 resolutions, chances are that they were upended by the COVID-19 pandemic before you could see them through. Many people continue to have more down time at home due to social distancing restrictions, however, so it might be time to work on a new hobby or work on skill. Country Living suggests trying something new every month of 2021, whether it’s a complete pottery or fitness class or simply a new recipe or hairstyle. “Get creative and don’t forget to get your friends and family involved,” the story says.

Cut Kitchen Clutter in the New Year

Posted on by Jordank

Experts agree that small, incremental New Year’s resolutions are easier to keep and may turn into healthy, lifelong habits. For example, Good Housekeeping suggests keeping the kitchen clutter-free by putting all recipe cards, small appliances and incoming groceries in their place immediately. One study found that women who were surrounded by kitchen clutter tended to eat more cookies, the magazine says; so, this resolution can contribute to other common goals such as losing weight and eating right.