Have you ever noticed that there are certain times of the year when you feel more motivated to take action? Days, months, or seasons when you feel energized to invest some effort into a project or task? The arrival of a new year can certainly be one of these times, and for good reason. The days begin to lengthen, the extra commitments of the holidays are behind us, and we feel ready to start afresh.
Each year, during the month of January, I run a themed challenge to help you clear the clutter, get organized, and become more productive. In the past I have featured a month’s worth of tasks, goals, images, and videos to guide you on a path to achieving tangible results. If you’ve missed these and want to give them a try, here are links to a few previous challenges:
- “Make a Fresh Start”
- “Selfie-Disciplines”
- “30 Things to Store”
- “Digital Declutter”
- “Quotes in Action”
This year my theme is “Select-an-Effort: Organizing tasks for 2023.” Beginning on January 1, each day I will be sharing three options for decluttering and/or organizing an area of your home. For each area, I’ll be offering three choices:
-> Low Effort – a quick and instant improvement.
-> Medium Effort – add a bit of order in a short period of time.
-> High Effort – when you have at least 30 minutes to truly get this area in shape.
I openly admit that I got this idea from my friend and fellow organizer, Hazel Thornton of Organized for Life. She recently published a book called, “What’s a Photo Without the Story? : How to Create Your Family Legacy.” In this book, Thornton offers options for readers depending on how much time and effort they want to invest. [Note: I am copying this idea with Hazel’s permission… thanks, Hazel!]
In addition to tasks, I’ll also be scattering in links to other posts for those who want a bit more information (or inspiration!), product ideas, and tools that might come in handy. When you come across these links, know that I’m not being compensated to promote products. These are simply some suggestions for you to consider. Tastes and budgets vary, so choose what works for you!
As we enter a new year, I invite you to follow along and give these ideas a try. Some days you may opt for minimal effort, while other days you may decide to go “all in.” As always, pick and choose whatever works for you.
I wish you a wonderful 2023. May it be full of the freedom that comes through organization!
Low medium and high effort — what a great idea! 🙂
Here’s to a successful organizing challenge, and a terrific New Year, Seana!
Thank you so much for the inspiration, Hazel. YOU are the source of the whole idea for this. Thank you for letting me borrow your idea. Happy New Year!!
Smart! Linking effort and energy to a task is a positive way to move any project forward!
Thank you for these words of affirmation, Ellen, and for your kindly and encouraging comments all year long. Happy 2023 to you!
I love this approach. When we have lofty plans and we fail to hit a benchmark one day, we get demoralized and give up. How much better it is to do just what we can. No workout time? How about a five minute walk or dancing to a few TikTok songs? No time to declutter a bunch? How about a drawer or a purse or a shelf? Giving people permission to pick an effort level keeps them from turning their backs and doing nothing at all.
And I love that you were inspired by the incomparable Hazel Thornton!
Julie Bestry recently posted…Organize Your Annual Review & Mindset Blueprint for 2023
Hazel inspires us all, right Julie?
I think it is important to be mindful about the time and energy we have on any given day, and then adjusting our plans in light of this. I find this is true when I practice yoga, for instance. Some days I feel willing to push a bit more, while others I may be hurting or haven’t slept well and so I scale back a bit. What’s important is to keep showing up in some capacity so we don’t lose momentum.
I LOVE the low, medium, high theme this month! I’m all in!! Happy New Year!
Tamara recently posted…5 Budget-Friendly Healthy Weeknight Dinners
Yay! I hope you find lots of things that feel worth the effort this month. 🙂