25 Ways To Get Organized While You are Social Distancing

I am all about seeing the bright side in things: I choose to look at my Hashimoto’s diagnosis as the push I needed to live a healthier life and learn how to take care of myself, I look at my divorce and time as a single mom as a period of growth and this time with the spread COVID-19 is no different. My heart truly goes out to all of those that are personally impacted by the virus whether suffering personally, having lost a family member or are struggling financially. However, for the rest of us I am choosing to look at this time at home as an opportunity and make some lemonade.

Since we (and our kids) are all going to be home for the foreseeable future, I have put together 25 ways to organize and declutter while you are social distancing. I have a checklist (download here) that we will tackle together to declutter and organize our homes. Each day I will hop on Instagram Live to chat through the category for that day and our tips that you can use to declutter your space.

And on that note, this wasn’t exactly how I planned to launch my new organizing Instagram challenge but I am excited to tell you guys about it and dive in! I am thrilled to announce #organizingdone. This hashtag will be a way for us all to connect and celebrate organizing wins with each other matter how big or small. Tag me and use the hashtag #organizingdone on Instagram as you tackle any organizing challenges in your life. I will be doing periodic giveaways for those of you that get #organizingdone and nothing makes me happier than seeing you put in to practice what I preach each day.

So, will you join me while we are home trying to bend the curve and get that #organizingdone? Make sure you download the checklist (here) and tune in on Monday, March 16th at 1:00pm ET for the first Instagram Live to tackle day 1 (and hear more about the first #organizingdone giveaway).

Tips on How to Declutter and Organize While You are Social Distancing

So many of us are working from home these days which can be tricky! Set up a home office space to help boost productivity and keep you on track when there are so many distractions. Take a peek at my desk organization tips and some of my favorite desk organization products here.
Did you know that makeup expires? Do a deep clean of your makeup drawer and toss anything that is expired or that you don’t wear anymore – see my guide on makeup expiration dates here.
Set up a system for your daily schedule once life goes back to normal. Think through what system works for you: do you need a notepad to write out the schedule for the week or perhaps planner like my favorite Erin Condren planners? What works for you and your daily life?
Time to talk toys! Get your kids involved and organize their toys and games. Yes, it might be a bit harder to part with items while they are involved but including them in the process is such a valuable lesson. Focus on things like making sure all game pieces are in the right box, using bins to categorize and set up systems they can manage on their own and teaching them about donating items when it is time to part with something.
Dig out and organize your inbox. Our inboxes are often overlooked (especially our personal email accounts, anyone with me?) but use my top three tips on organizing your inbox to start fresh.
Organize your linen closet. How many of you are guilty of just shoving things in and then only ever using the same 2 or 3 towels and sheet sets over and over again? Use these steps to organize your linen closet and don’t forget to save what you are getting rid of to donate once you head out of your house.
Tackle paper clutter! It can be so easy to just pop something in a filing cabinet to keep so you don’t have to think about if you really need it. Now that you have some extra time at home clear out all of that paper. Here are the guidelines I follow for how long to keep paper.
Create a meal plan for your family. Since we are all going to be eating at home a lot more lately it is time set up a meal planning system (like with my notepads here) to ensure you are maximizing what you have on hand.
Organize your phone! Raise your hand if you have apps on your phone that you don’t use or don’t remember what they do. Clear out the unused or out of date apps and think through a system of app organization that works for you – are you a rainbow or category kind of girl or guy?
Have you been searching for things to do to keep your kids busy while they are home? Use this opportunity to organize their art supplies. Which markers are dry, coloring books are full or paint brushes mangled? Grab things from around your house that could make for fun crafts and get ready for an answer to “mom, I’m bored.”
Today we are tackling a big one: organize your pantry. If you are like me you have stocked up on supplies and pantry goods lately and now is the time to make sure it is all organized so you are working through it thoughtfully. Check expiration dates, move the oldest items to the front and take inventory so you buy correctly the next time you head to the store. See more pantry organization tips here and tips for organizing a kitchen without a pantry here.
Create a morning checklist for your kids. They won’t be home from school forever so get a jumpstart on streamlining your morning routine. I have a fun printable checklist that you can laminate and check-off with dry erase markers daily.
Take a trip down memory lane and organize your sentimental items. See my tips for organizing sentimental items here and how I organize my kids artwork here.
Organize your closet. This might be the first thing we all think of when organizing, it can be the hardest but you can do it! See my tips on closet organization here.
Tackle your fridge. By this point we have all been home for a while but it is important to not neglect your fridge and let it become a black hole just because you are not grocery shopping as much. Check out this blog post on how to organize your fridge once and for all.
Create a family command center. Once activities and life starts back up again, having a command center will help keep all family members on the same page and organized.
Now more than ever we are all being so mindful of keeping everything clean so it is time to declutter and organize your laundry room. Put all the lingering clothes away, toss any mismatched socks and organize any of the cleaning or household items that live in your laundry room.
Venture into your storage room or basement. We all might like to throw things down the stairs and shut the door but it is important to keep your basement and storage room organized so you can maximize space (especially if you are stocking up on certain items like toilet paper). Follow these steps here and here to get your space in tip top shape.
Get your file folding skills ready and organize your dresser. Check out my twins video full of tips (how cute and little are they!) on organizing a dresser.
Whether you have a mudroom or coat closet sort through what has landed there over the years and make sure everything has a home and purpose to be in the space.
Organize and clean out your car. First and foremost take everything out of your car (and I mean everything, stepped on goldfish and all) and put away anything that doesn’t belong. Then set yourself up with a system to help keep the car organized (trash bag, bin to pop items in that need to head back inside, emergency supplies, etc).
Organize your jewelry. Take out all of your jewelry, take note of what you have (do you really need 4 colorful chunky necklaces?) and be mindful of what you are putting back. Donate items that are in good condition and toss anything so tangled you might pull your hair out trying to fix it.
Spend some time cleaning out your kids closets. Kids grow so fast that their closets can often become a bit of a nightmare. Focus on finding what fits now and clear out/store anything else – my tips for kids closet organization are here.
I am not a huge believer in junk drawer (everything should have a purpose) but I know they exist and we do all need a spot for mismatched items. Dump out that drawer and sort through what you have and what you still need (hint: empty rolls or tape or those tiny toys your kids got at a birthday party are a no).
Organize the space under your sink. Use these tips to help squeeze in storage under the sink and keep those cleaning supplies quick at hand.