Getting organized can have countless benefits on your mental health, personal life, and professional career. By prioritizing the clutter, you’ll be able to get ahold of the chaos and bring joy, clarity, and calm into your everyday life.

The last few years have been filled with ups and downs, but that doesn’t mean it’s too late to take charge of your life and get organized this new year. Below are five ways to get organized in 2022.

Declutter messy areas

I don’t know about you, but I tend to feel drained and unfocused whenever there’s a mess around my house. Whether it’s the bathroom, the kitchen, or my home office space, those messes can’t go long without being organized before my anxiety and stress begin to take over. If this is true for you as well, prioritize these spaces and make sure to tackle them before anything else.

Plan the week ahead

If you have upcoming time off, this is a great time to begin your organization journey. By planning your time, you’re more likely to go through with your intentions and not over-book yourself with other plans. I love using my Google calendar to time block and keep me accountable when planning for these big projects.

Clear the mental clutter

Getting organized is more than cleaning up the messy areas in your home, it can also mean taking the time to clear any mental clutter that may be holding you back. For this exercise, take out a sheet of paper and pen and write down anything and everything that’s on your mind. It is what some would call a brain dump.

Don’t worry about organizing this yet. You can do this later. The point of this exercise is to get everything out of your head and onto a physical sheet of paper.

Consolidate your notes

If you’re a disorganized note-taker like me, then you probably have 10 notebooks, 100 sticky notes, and 20 tabs open on your computer keeping track of all of your ideas, important steps, and any upcoming tasks. To organize your life, you have to organize your notes too. Decide on one single tool where you’ll keep all your notes. This can be an iPad, a binder, or your phone.

Time block your days

Like I mentioned above, time blocking is a great way to keep yourself accountable and on track when trying to conquer your to-do list. When it comes to organizing your life in 2022, take a stab at time blocking. You’d be surprised how easy it is to add a task, change the time, and keep yourself on track to tackling the most important projects of the day.