by Karli Jaenike

Your happiness is dependent on motivations that are unique to you, but a common thread that science says we all share are the benefits of being organized. A study conducted at UCLA concluded that reduced stress, healthier diet, better fitness goal followthrough, increased productivity, and better sleep patterns are all benefits of an organized lifestyle.

Whether you’ve realized it or not, almost every aspect of our lives can be improved with better organization. Our friends at Simply Self Storage came up with these 25 organization tips to help you get organized and reap the benefits. Here are five steps to get you started!

Organize Your Home

Your home should be your optimal environment. If it isn’t, you have all of the power to change that and take control of your space. Clutter at home increases the chance of discord between you and your family, significant other, or roommates. Visual clutter feeds mental clutter — cut it out with these tips.

• Utilize hidden storage space under your bed and other furniture
• Stow away those items that you haven’t used in over six months in storage — or consider donating them!
• Make sure that each drawer has a specific purpose, no more “junk drawers”
• Decrease paper clutter by sorting documents into trays and files
• Get rid of unsightly cables by binding and labeling them accordingly

Organize Your Work Day

Don’t let your work habits add to your stress. On the days where you feel swamped having structure and organization can help you feel centered and on top of it. Your level of organization also correlates to your coworkers’ happiness, so be a good colleague and try implementing these tips.  

• Keep your inbox clean by only keeping emails that you need to hang onto — try to archive toward the goal of Inbox Zero
• Avoid excess paper clutter by digitizing work documents
• Keep your desk consistently clean by making sure everything has its place
• Get ahead of the game by preparing for Monday on Friday
• Declutter files on your computer by erasing unneeded docs and download

Organize Your Family

It has been proven that cleanliness that children experience growing up has a direct effect on the level of education that they achieve later in life. Set your family up for success with these family organizational tips.

• Use velcro or designated drawer space to store game controllers

• Dedicate a drawer in your kitchen for toys in order to entertain the kids while you cook

• Devise a convenient all-in one place to store keys, mail, and a main calendar, preferably near an exit and entry door.

• Utilize multi-functional storage solutions, like storing stuffed animals in a bean bag case and create another seating option

• Make getting ready in the morning faster by planning outfits out ahead of time and encourage a stable nighttime routine

Organize Your Meals

Food should be a source of enjoyment, not stress. If you find yourself feeling the latter, try these tips.

• Plan meals out ahead of time and freeze them in portions for an easy ‘reheat and eat’
• Portion out snacks ahead of time, including fruits, veggies, crackers, cheese, etc. to make packing lunch easier and faster, and to make it easy to grab a healthy snack rather than a bag of chips
• Keep track of food that you need with a dry erase board on your fridge or use a list app that you can share with your partner
• Expedite breakfast and make pre-proportioned smoothie pouches with frozen fruits and veggies

Organize Your Social Life

By organizing your social life you will communicate more effectively and your friends and family will thank you. Add these tips to the way that you socialize.

• Avoid a dead phone by charging your phone faster on airplane mode
• Create a date jar, write down things that you want to do and pick one out of the jar when you are feeling bored or stuck at home
• Make long distance family or friends feel closer by planning consistent times to talk and sticking to it
• Clean out your social media accounts, delete photos you don’t like anymore and update your feed to match your current interests
• Use lunch time to socialize, make plans with friends and coworkers and maximize the use of your break time

What tricks have you used to get your life in order? Tell us your mindful tips below!

You may be also interested in:

• How to use a Personal Kanban to improve daily output
• Infographic: How to boost productivity with nine daily rituals
• This is one of the best ways to keep your team productive at the office
• Four ways to turn goals into habits
• Infographic: How to stay productive when you’re tired