5 Simple New Year’s Organization Tasks to Start the Year Off Right

This post may contain affiliate links, which means that I may earn a small commission – at no cost to you – if you click through and make a purchase.

Happy New Year!  I hope you had a wonderful time ringing in the new year, whether you went all out at a fancy party with friends, or opted for a Netflix countdown with the kids and crawled into bed at 9:00.

There’s something about a new year that always makes me want to declutter, organize, and start fresh.  Judging by the abundance of organizing products on sale in January, I’m not alone in that.  While it can be tempting to resolve to KonMari your entire home, I recommend starting with baby steps, so you’re not burned out by the second week.  Here are five simple and quick new years organization tasks that you can complete now, to start the year off right.

1. Pack up the Christmas decor

Every year, it amazes me how the decor that was magical and festive a week ago becomes stress-inducing clutter when the new year rolls around.  Granted, this might not be a quick task, depending on how extensive your decorating is, but it makes a dramatic difference in the feel of your house.  Once the Christmas decor is packed away, I feel like I have room to breathe again.

Take a little bit of extra time to put things away properly.  Make sure you’ve got all of the knick knacks spread around the house, the Christmas dishes, and the Christmas books.  If you purchased annual ornaments for your kids, jot down who got which ornament and why.  And finally, if you do Elf on the Shelf, tuck that elf away in the bottom of the bin, so that it’s not the first thing you see when you open the storage bin with your kids next year!

2. Clean out the fridge

The leftovers have been eaten, and there’s a decent chance that you’ve resolved to eat healthier this year.  Give yourself a fresh start by cleaning out the fridge.

Take everything out of the fridge before you begin, including all drawers and bins.  Start the drawers and bins soaking in a mix of warm water and dish soap.  Meanwhile, sort through the food, tossing everything that’s expired or spoiled.  Wipe down all surfaces – walls and shelves – with whichever cleaning solution you prefer (I use warm water and dish soap).  Wipe out the drawers and bins once they’ve finished soaking.  Use a clean, dry cloth to dry everything.  Organize items by type (salad dressing, condiments, beverages, etc.) when putting everything back.

Voila!  It probably took you less than 30 minutes, and every time you open your fridge you’ll be glad you did it!

Related: How to Declutter Your Home in 5 Easy Steps

3. Organize the Tupperware

This is an area of our house that gets out of control quickly, and causes daily frustration.  Organizing it can be done in less than 10 minutes.  Pull everything out, and make sure that each container has a lid and vice versa.  If it doesn’t, or it’s broken, get rid of it.  Once you wipe down the drawer or cupboard, put everything back in, using a system that works for you (see some creative ideas here).  We keep ours in a drawer, organized by size, lids and containers separated – simple, but it works for us.

4. Clean out your wallet

Get rid of those Christmas receipts, and any expired coupons or membership cards you’ve been carrying around.  Deposit any cheques you may have received over the holiday season.  If you have a big ticket item that you’re saving the receipt for, find somewhere other than your wallet to keep it – you don’t need it on you all the time.

Related: 191+ Things to Throw Away

5. Clean out your purse or diaper bag

I do this pretty regularly, and am always amazed by the items that end up in my diaper bag.  Inevitably I have at least one item of clothing, a crushed granola bar, and about three pacifiers.  Pull everything out, from all of the pockets, and only let items back in if they actually belong there.

These new years organization tasks are designed to be simple and quick, so do not stress about finding the perfect “Pinterest-worthy” solution for your Tupperware, or creating elaborate labels for your fridge storage.  Work with what you have in the house now.  By addressing these common trouble areas you will have a noticeable impact on how organized you feel, which will help start the new year off on the right foot!