How to Get Organized for Success in the New Year

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As the holidays wind down, you’ll be thinking of ways to get organized for success in the new year. Who could blame you? New Year’s Day represents a fresh start for every aspect of your life.

Maybe 2023 was full of ups and downs, or you’re ready to shed what no longer serves a purpose for you. Here are seven ways to create organization, simplify your life, and achieve greatness in 2024.

1. Create SMART Goals

How many New Year’s resolutions have you broken? According to a 2022 survey, 22% of respondents stuck with some, while 11% gave up altogether. About 63% never bothered setting resolutions in the first place.

If this is you, swap your resolutions for SMART goals. SMART goals stand for specific, measurable, achievable, relevant, and time-bound — an excellent way to organize yourself for success in 2024. 

Resolutions cause people to concentrate on outcomes — what they want to achieve. However, many fail to plan actions or dream up something unattainable. Conversely, SMART goals focus on the steps and efforts to achieve your resolutions. 

2. Declutter Your Space

If a cluttered space is causing you stress, it’s time to clean the house. Getting rid of items you no longer need will allow you to leap into the new year refreshed and organized. Go through each room, emptying closets and drawers. If you have items stacked on desks, consoles, and bookcases, you’ll want to sift through those, too. 

Clutter can induce feelings of anxiety and depression, poor concentration, tension, and aggravation. Studies have even shown clutter spikes cortisol levels and may lead to harsher parenting.

Decide what you need, what can go into storage, and what you can get rid of. When returning “keep” items to their place, position whatever you use most often closest to the front and less-used items in the back. This technique is instrumental in organizing seasonal clothing and decorations in your closet and drawers.

3. Design a Vision Board

A vision board helps you visualize your future and life goals, allowing you to prioritize what you must do to attain your dreams. It’s a fun, creative project, too. Those old magazines you recently removed from your coffee table are the perfect place to pull pictures, clippings, and quotes to inspire and manifest your desires.

Your first step to creating a vision board is to sit down and reflect on the previous year. Consider where you are currently, how you got to this place, what you’ve accomplished and learned, and things you’re grateful for.

Then, contemplate what comes next — this is an excellent time to incorporate some of your SMART goals for the upcoming year. List big and small objectives — from traveling to learning how to throw pottery — and set intentions. These could be adopting a mindfulness practice or deepening relationships with family and friends. 

Finally, choose one word to embody the year ahead — focus, self-care, confidence, laughter, connection, and hope are good examples. Once you’ve put your vision board together, hang it where you’ll see it often. It’ll remind you of what you’re moving toward.

4. Buy a Daily Planner 

Some people prefer using a digital calendar they can sync with their phone, but keeping a handwritten daily planner at your desk is also a good idea. 

A calendar is always helpful for staying organized during the day. However, there are several ways to utilize one for success in 2024. In addition to listing upcoming appointments, use your daily planner to keep track of the following:

• Weekly goals
• Gratitude list — at least one thing daily
• Important dates, including birthdays, anniversaries, and SMART goal deadlines
• Overall mood for the day
• Food diary
• Passions, interests, and wants
• Affirmations and positive quotes
• Bucket list
• Books you want to read

You should also start writing your top three priorities down every day. These methods will keep you organized and motivated to complete tasks and get around to doing things you enjoy. 

5. Budget Finances and Spending

You, like many others, likely grappled with rising inflation in 2023. Let next year’s spending look different with a revamped budgeting routine. You can download several apps to help track your spending — for example, Mint, YNAB, EveryDollar, and Honeydue.

Budget apps allow you to sync your bank accounts to give you a clearer picture of where your money is going. This enables you to spend more intentionally and save for the long term.

The cost of necessities is rising, and you don’t want to deplete your funds. Look for ways to cut back on spending and create new financial goals, such as paying off your student loans or putting a down payment on a house instead of buying another streaming service you rarely use.

6. Start a New Daily Routine

Structure is the best way to achieve organization in 2024. What does your current daily routine look like? A prosperous new year should begin with an early rise from bed. 

Decide what you hope to fit into your day — maybe an exercise session or just enough time to eat a hearty breakfast before leaving for work. You may even want to be able to sit quietly and meditate before diving into tasks.

Meal-prepping, drinking water, stretching, making your bed, and going for a walk are other ideas to incorporate into your routine. Of course, most importantly, you’ll want to create a relaxing bedtime practice — turning off devices and getting washed and changed at a decent hour — to get a good night’s sleep.

7. Break Your Multitasking Habit

You might think multitasking allows you to get more done at once. However, years of research show the opposite. According to self-improvement author and book curator Thatcher Wine, multitasking causes cognitive overload and stress, prolongs task completion, and increases the chances of making mistakes. 

Have you ever tried shooting off an email or completing an assignment during a remote team meeting? You likely miss important details when you’re not focused on the speaker. Ultimately, you’ll find yourself scrambling to clarify what you misheard and feel overworked.

Make a conscious effort to mono-task in the new year — meaning focusing on one task at a time with all your attention. Removing distractions — such as silencing your phone, closing out your inbox and pausing notifications — and scheduling time for deep work are practical strategies to stay focused.

Mono-tasking will initially feel unfamiliar, especially as you break out of your multitasking patterns. Just be patient, though — one study says it could take 66 days before a new habit becomes second nature.

Start the New Year Off on the Right Foot

There is always something to look forward to in the new year, whether you hope to move up the career ladder or focus on becoming your healthiest self. Starting 2024 as organized as possible will free up space in your home, workplace, and life, help you focus on what’s important, and achieve everything you set your mind to.