Holiday downtime gives us a chance to reflect on our accomplishments from the past year and set goals for the new one. It feels great to have a fresh start! We want to help set you reach your goals in the new year. January is Get Organized Month, and now is the perfect time to set yourself up for success. Here are some of our tips for getting organized in 2023.
1. WRITE DOWN YOUR Goals
Now that you've taken time to reflect and dream of what you want to accomplish, it's time to give voice to your goals. The best method we've found for setting goals is to make them SMART: Specific
Measurable
Achievable
Realistic
Timely
Without a solid foundation, it can feel like there's no end in sight to the work you're doing to achieve your goal. By making your goals SMART, you have a built-in action plan for success.
Don't forget to make it fun! Grab a notebook and some multi-colored markers and write your SMART goals down.
Tip: You can find supplies like these in the crafting section at Goodwill West Texas.
2. Create an actionable Plan
Now that you've set your goals, it's time to break it down into actionable, measurable steps. A plan will keep you on track to reaching your goals and keep you from feeling overwhelmed. It tells you exactly what you need to get done, when to do it, and how to measure your progress along the way.
Break down your goal into a multi-step process. For example, your goal might be to dedicate more of your free time to a volunteer cause in your community this year. Think about the steps it will take to get there. It could look something like this:
Step 1: Research local nonprofit organizations
Step 2: Sign up to volunteer for an organization by Jan. 31
Step 3: Complete 5 hours of volunteer service hours every month
Tip: Goodwill West Texas is a great place to volunteer your time! Learn more at goodwillwtx.org/volunteer.
3. CLEAR YOUR MIND (AND YOUR SPACE)
Clutter is one of the biggest obstacles to staying organized, in our mind and in our homes! It's important to set aside the time you need to accomplish your goal. Maybe, like in the example above, it's blocking one hour of your Saturdays off to follow your passions. Or maybe it's literally starting off the year on a fresh foot by cleaning and decluttering your home
If your things aren't "bringing you joy" any longer, now is a great time to box them up and drop them off at your local Goodwill. Our donation centers are open from 10 a.m. to 7 p.m. Monday through Saturday and 12 p.m. to 6 p.m. on Sundays. When you donate your unneeded items to Goodwill, they get a second life AND they help your community.
Bonus Tip: Do what works for you
If you browse the internet, you'll find lots of tips and guides like these for accomplishing your goals, but not every strategy works for every person. We encourage you to do what works best for you and pace yourself. If you're organizing doesn't go exactly as planned the first time, start again! After all, at Goodwill, we're big fans of second chances.