How To Create A Home Organization Checklist
Before I say anything else, I want to start this blog post by expressing that I swear by checklists. If you have read my blog on my to-do list lifehacks, you know that I use them for just about everything. They have supported me in becoming more efficient with my work, as well as time blocking my days. Especially when it comes to cleaning and organization (although this post will be specifically on organization), creating a list that is unique to you and your space, will be the ultimate game changer! Also, I love to write my list on the notes app of my phone, but you can absolutely use pen and paper as well! Now that we have gone over my complete infatuation of list-making, let’s discuss my top tips for putting together your own organization checklist.
There are typically two routes I would suggest when it comes to the general structure of your checklist. I will discuss each one in detail and leave it up to you which direction you go! The first route is setting up your checklist where you focus on a different room or area in your home per month. This is not to say the other areas of your home would be ignored until their designated month. You’ll just give each room a little extra TLC on their month (you can also pair this with cleaning tasks if you’d like). What I like about this option is it gets you in the habit of regular organization, while also giving each area of your home the attention it deserves. If you decide to move forward with a room (or area) per month, it will absolutely be individual to you based on the size of your space, the number of rooms, etc. To support you in building your own checklist, I will give you a general idea of how I would structure each month:
January - Kitchen
February - Pantry
March - Bathrooms
April - Living Spaces
May - Bedroom
June - Fridge / Freezer
July - Paper, Mail, Finances
August - Garage
September - Linen Closets
October - Car
November - Purse / Bag / Wallet
December - Holiday Declutter
Once you have deciphered what each month’s theme will be, it’s time to designate tasks specifically to the theme of the month. Depending on the month’s topic, some will involve more tasks (like kitchen and closet), whereas some months will be on the lighter end (purse/bag/wallet). I like to get as linear with my tasks as possible, but to keep things simple, here are just a few drafted tasks per month. It should also be mentioned that the needs of each area will vary based on the organization needs. For example, if you have already given your home a full organization transformation, these tasks will be general upkeep (edit, zhuzh, and add any additional organization products necessary). If you haven’t gone through with any organization steps on these areas before, it might be a little more maintenance (aka remove, edit, sort/categorize, add organization product(s), and label). To keep things consistent, I will write the task with general upkeep in mind, but feel free to tailor it to the needs of your home (also, if you are looking for a complete organization step-by-step process to help you with building your checklist, make sure to check out our January In Jeneral blogs).
January - Kitchen
Wipe down and edit appliances
Sort through upper cabinets
Sort through lower cabinets
Clean out junk drawer
Under-The-Sink TLC
Clear out counter space
February - Pantry
Check expiration dates
Make sure all products are in their designated zone
Add any new organization products necessary
Update any labels necessary (making sure labels sync up with product accurately and exchange any labels that are no longer intact)
Donate (or discard, depending on it’s status) any extra inventory that isn’t serving you and your family
March - Bathrooms
Under the sink TLC
Look over expiration dates in medicine cabinet and makeup drawer
April - Living Spaces
Place pet toys in designated bin or basket
Clear out coffee table drawers
Eliminate pet hair on the couch (my favorite tool for this)
May - Bedroom
Refold dresser drawers as necessary
Sort under the bed
Nightstand TLC
June - Fridge / Freezer
Clean out any expired foods
Wipe down
Make sure each shelf reflects a specific zone (dairy, leftovers, produce, etc.)
July - Paper, Mail, Finances
Organize any loose papers into the following categories: receipts, critical documents for taxes, papers for recycling, bills
Papers that need to be filed are added to their labeled file (if you don’t have a filing system yet, here are a few of my favorites)
Update any labels necessary
Shred & recycle any papers designated
August - Garage
Make sure all inventory is in it’s proper zone (tools, auto supplies, sports equipment, etc.)
Get rid of any trash lingering
Store any loose items in the proper storage container (take a peek here for all our garage organization essentials).
September - Linen Closets
Refold any distressed blankets or towels (a little inspo blanket roll for you).
Make sure each shelves’ inventory matches it’s zone
October - Car
Check all the crevices for trash
Gather any loose clothes, snacks, beauty items, and accessories in a basket. Bring them inside and store them properly.
If you find yourself throwing things in the center council, add a new organization system (here is one for inspo).
November - Purse / Bag / Wallet
Throw out loose trash and crumbs
Store loose change in wallet or pouch
Discard any unnecessary receipts or empty gift cards
Organize bills by amount ($1 bills in front and your highest bills in back)
December - Digital
Unsubscribe from unwanted brands
Back up computer and phone
Delete old and unnecessary messages
Look over and delete photos no longer needed (aka me accidentally screenshotting my alarm every morning)
Again, these tasks will be completed depending on your current organization status, size of space, etc. With that, I hope this drafted checklist gives you some inspiration in building your own. From here, my final suggestion would be to either assign a week (or day) for each task or choose a day (or two) of each month where you accomplish all the tasks for the month!
Now that we have completed the first option for building a checklist, let’s move on to the second. Fortunately this one will be a little simpler and quicker to explain. Instead of choosing a room/space per month, you will simply build a week-by-week checklist to keep up with your organization. What I love about this is you are building daily habits to keep up with your organization systems. It’s also a beautiful reminder that 20-30 minutes a day can make a massive difference! I like to keep it to 2-4 tasks per day. I find this to be both manageable and sustainable. I will write out a sample organization weekly checklist that I would use (again, this is a little more tailored towards upkeep, feel free to make it unique to you and your organization needs)!
Monday - Kitchen / Pantry
Store excess kitchen items left on countertop
Sanitize kitchen appliances
Make sure all food items are in their proper zone
Meal plan for the week
Tuesday - Clothes
Place loose hangers in the closet to one side, make sure items are fitting your system (color-coordinated, seasonal, etc.)
Make sure shoes are with pairs and added to shoe container
Scan the bedroom and closet for loose clothing
Wednesday - Papers
Gather any loose mail or papers
Shred (or recycle) unnecessary papers and file the remainder
Thursday - Car
Collect any loose change and place it back into pouch or wallet
Dispose any reminder receipt or trash
Bring inside any accessories left in car
Friday - Bathrooms
Clean makeup brushes
Make sure beauty products are places properly
Make sure medicine cabinet is to your standard
Saturday - Living Spaces
Store away loose toys
Refold blankets
Eliminate pet fur
Clean out coffee table drawers
Sunday - General Sweep
Walk around house with basket to toss any loose items or trash (put away once everything is collected)
Beautify and zhuzh
These weekly tasks will likely vary week-to-week, but I hope this supports you in structuring your own weekly checklist. Remember, it doesn’t have to be perfect and it’s all about playing around with different checklists and options until you find a system that works for you and your family.