This is likely going to be a very strange winter as we will be limited in the outings we can do. But this could be the perfect opportunity to get your home organized! Often we are so busy and out of the house a lot of the time, but COVID-19 has forced us all to slow down a bit and spend more time at home. We are now forced to really look at our spaces and see what we can do to utilize the space better and cut down on the stress.
Here are some great areas to organize before winter hits:
1. Garage. Wouldn’t it be great to be able to store your car in the garage all winter so it is protected from the elements? Before it gets really cold out, see what you can clear out of the garage, or get up on some shelving so that your stuff doesn’t take up as much floor space. Put toys and sports equipment into totes and on some shelving. You definitely don’t want to store anything in cardboard in the garage because it often is a place that gets damp, so switch out those boxes for plastic totes! Hang long tools like rakes, brooms, shovels on the wall so they take up very little space but are easily accessible. Create a home for your garbage and recycling bins so they don’t migrate into the main area where your car will fit. See if there are things that don’t belong and move them elsewhere in the house. See if there are things that you can part with, that you either never use or forgot you had. Is it being stored in the garage more important than your ability to store your car in there?
2. Winter Clothes. When is the last time that you went through all of your gloves, mittens, hats, scarves and other winter accessories to see what still fits, still works and that you still like? Get everyone in the house involved to see what you want to keep and what you can part with! Once the “keep” items have been decided, divide them among each person and store in a basket or drawer for each person. Make it so that everyone is individually responsible for their own items and decides when they want to part with stuff that is worn out or that they never wear. Go through other winter clothes like coats, sweaters, boots and do the same. You want to know what you have that still fits and functions before the season starts and you are caught without warm clothing! This is also a great thing to do at the end of the season as well, because winter items are typically on sale as stores want to sell off the rest of their last season stock.
3. Gift Inventory. Do you have an area where you store things that you’ve found throughout the year and purchased as gifts for others? This is a great time to go through these items before the Christmas season begins. Take note of what you have and who you want to give those things to, and make sure to only purchase gifts for people whom you do not have gifts for yet. If you do not have a space for future gifts, this may be a great solution for you! It can be a basket in the closet, or a bin under the bed – whatever works for you! Just remember where it is and check it regularly before you go shopping for a birthday or Christmas gift.
4. Papers. It is so helpful to have your papers in order near the end of the year, to prepare yourself for tax time. Even though you don’t have to worry about it for many months, why not get yourself organized now while 2020 is still fresh in your brain? There may be business or medical receipts that you will forget the context of come April, so filing and labelling them appropriately now will be really helpful. Keep a folder for your current year and put medical receipts, business receipts (if applicable), childcare expenses (if applicable), and your T4s and other tax forms when you get them in the new year. Talk to your accountant for information specific to your taxes and how you can make it more organized for them and yourself! While you’re going through tax papers, flip through other files that you have and see if there are any obsolete ones that you can shred or recycle to free up some space.
5. Holiday Décor. Rather than waiting until you start to decorate, go through your holiday decorations now to decide what to keep and what you are willing to part with. The reason this is so helpful to do it early is because it is easier for donation centre/thrift store to sell holiday items before the season starts rather than in the middle of it. You can also share those items to your favourite “buy nothing” page or give away to friends and family members who would love those decorative items. And rather than buying new holiday decorations, see what you can do with natural elements to give a festive look.
Happy organizing! Now you can focus on more important things during the winter months.
