get your life organized: the plan sheet is quick, simple, and NOT going to freak you out

Here we go, friends.

We’re ready to rock and roll and live focused in 2015.

January is going to begin with some serious organization because we can’t really focus on other important parts of our life if we’re muddled down by stressful, messy, chaos.

As a little bit o’ love for you, I’ve created a January || Organization Plan Sheet that is quick, simple, and not going to freak you out.

I am all about writing down goals and intentions, but I am often overwhelmed by blank pages and millions and millions of questions.

I want simple. I want quick. I want concise.

So here’s the skinny. . .

Get Your Life Organized — The Plan Sheet is Quick, Simple, and NOT Going to Freak You Out:

I actually created the plan sheet last week, and I’ve already started on it.

Believe me, I’m not trying to be braggy–I was desperate.

Our house was basically insanity after we got back from celebrating Christmas in Pennsylvania, so I went (gulp) a bit nuts.

I mean it. There were things everywhere.

Owen couldn’t put his clothes away because he had 6 Ts still hanging around. (He’s now wearing size 8.).

Laundry baskets full of clean clothes were being mistaken for dirty clothes, so we were double washing. (Unbelievable.).

I was unable to open drawers in the kitchen because there were too many papers and old receipts. (Frustrating.)

The laundry room, which is right off of our garage, had become a graveyard for shoes, coats, and books, and the tipping point was when I found an old piece of Halloween candy shoved in a shoe that no one would claim. (Right? Gross.)

I was overwhelmed at how much needed to be done.

I didn’t know where to start.

All I wanted was my mom to come over and help me. She’s so good at organizing, so patient and awesome, and there were times when the kids were young that I would have lost my mind had she not sat with me and helped me to turn the kids’ drawers.

Figuring out what to do with the clothes that didn’t fit–or kind of fit–and where to put them and how to find the unlabeled bins of Maddy’s 4T clothes which I’d just thrown in in a hurry so that Cora had something to wear was very hard for me. It still is. But I’m getting better.

Often, when I’m overwhelmed, I just don’t do anything.

I freeze.

So the mess sits and sits. And the chaos builds. And I start to freak out inside. And then I freak out on the outside. And then the whole house freaks out because I freaked out. And then everyone and everything’s all messed up.

This month, however, I’m taking back control.

I created the January || Organization Plan Sheet, and it really, truly helped me figure out where to begin.

Here it is: live focused printable jan teachmama.com

live focused printable jan teachmama.com

Download. Save it. Print it. Use it.

(If you do share it, though–which I hope you do!, please share this post instead of the attachment page!)

It consists of five steps:

step back and look around
write it down
pick three
make a plan
be happy

My favorite? Be happy. Because I’m encouraging some sort of reward–something that is healthy and happy and perfect for you. For me, it was giving myself time to read. Something I really, truly love to do but rarely allow during the day. I always read before bed, when I’m super tired. Too tired to really enjoy the book.

I wanted to keep it all manageable, so there are only three things you really need to organize.

Three things. You can totally do that.

I chose:

Owen’s drawers because he had been asking for help for weeks, and I’d been too busy;
our laundry room because, well, it was just gross;
and our kitchen drawers because I literally open it five times each day, and every single time, I got more angry and more cranky;
I also added a fourth–my work finances–because I’ve tried for years now to find a system that works, and nothing really seems to do it for me.

I filled out my little sheet, and I got started.

I was ready–determined–to do this, so the physical organizing happened quickly for me, and it was also done over holiday break when my husband was home from work most days.

The finance piece? I’m giving myself all month to figure it out.

And when you’re finished with it, feel proud.

Take a photo. Share it on our facebook page or instagram, and tag it #livefocused.

That way, we’ll all see that we’re in this together and though it may be my laundry room or kitchen drawers that need organizing, it may be your pots and pans or your pantry.

heaven help me #organizing #books #newyear #startingfresh

A photo posted by amy mascott (@teachmama1) on Dec 12, 2014 at 7:17am PST

It may not look like much to you, but guess what? I AM SO PROUD OF THIS DRAWER!!! Before Christmas, I couldn’t open it. It was maxed to the max. I was stressed every. single. time. I opened it which was about 5x’s a day. But now? It is my FAVORITE drawer in the house!!! Sometimes I open it and just smile at it. ¤• Don’t judge. . . We all have our things. •¤ Where will YOU begin with January organization? Is there something you’re super proud of? share it! #livefocused #teachmama #organization #wegotthis #happyd A photo posted by amy mascott (@teachmama1) on Jan 1, 2015 at 9:20am PST

I am thrilled to really embrace 2015. Watch out world, crazy things can happen when a bunch of smart women (and men!) are a little more focused!

Here. We. GO!