In the organizing world, January is Get Organized (GO) month. For organizers, every month is GO month, but not everyone feels that way. For many, GO month may evoke an overwhelmed sigh or the desire to crawl back under the covers. In the spirit of the new year, let’s tackle your resolution to get organized! Here are ten simple ways to start that process:

1. Purge before you purchase – Organizing products can look pretty and make you feel organized before they’re implemented, but make sure you purge the space first. You don’t want to end up having extra clutter in your home if the bins aren’t the right size or don’t fit the space.

2. Write it down – Using an old-fashioned pen and paper or the Notes app on your phone (less clutter), write down your goals and the next steps required to achieve them. By doing this, you’re less likely to get distracted and forget what the initial plan was.

3. Toss the junk (mail) – If your mail is turning into swaying piles, start by purging the junk.

4. Expired and fired – Toss any expired foods or medications from your cabinets. You’ll be (pleasantly) surprised by how much space this quickly creates.

5. Matching game – Just like we played when we were kids—match up all your sheets, Tupperware, socks, anything that has a pair! At the end, whatever doesn’t have a match can be purged.

6. Nix the fix – Give yourself a deadline on any items that you’ve been planning to fix yourself or get repaired. If they don’t get fixed before your deadline, it’s time to let them go.

7. Returns – Spend an afternoon gathering all of your returns and make it your goal to have them out of the house by the end of that day. Whether it means packaging them up or going to the store, get them moving. If the return date has expired, it’s time to give them away.

8. Password puzzle – Digital organizing can be overwhelming, and it may require you to hire some help. In the meantime, make sure you tackle all of your passwords and have them all recorded. This will expedite the digitizing process without wasting time figuring out what your passwords are.

9. Hire an expert – Some people hire personal trainers to hold them accountable, push them harder in their workouts, and meet their fitness goals. Think of an organizer as your motivator, coaching you and teaching tricks of the trade that have long-lasting results.

10. Still feeling lost? Come check out our brand-new studio space located at 2255 Massachusetts Avenue in Cambridge on February 10th-11th for our Grand Opening! We’re hosting plenty of workshops to get you started. We also have some helpful organizing products in stock to make things easier.