Do you think staying organized requires a lot of time and energy?

While you do have to put in some effort, you don’t have to spend hours on end putting things in order.

In fact, just taking care of little everyday items can help you keep things neat, tidy, and orderly.

In this post, (which just so happens to mark the 800^th post on the blog, wow!) I offer a collection of eighty ways to keep things in order at home and the office.

Before going any further, I would like to send a big thank you to all of my readers and followers.

I hope you find my posts helpful and useful. Thank you so very much for visiting and supporting the blog!

I’d also like to thank my dear family and friends for their support.

I couldn’t have asked for a better bunch of people to be in my life. Thank you all for your love, encouragement, and inspiration.

Here’s to 800, and many more posts on The Order Expert!

Now, on to the list…

80 Easy Ways to Be More Organized Everyday

AT HOME

…in the Bedroom

Make your bed as soon as you wake up

Put dirty clothes in the hamper

Sort laundry the easy way with two hampers: one for colors, and one for whites

Pick up and fold or hang clothes in your bedroom before you go to bed

Layout your clothes for tomorrow for work, school, or the gym

Create space on a shelf or hanging rack to hold your outfit for tomorrow

…in the Kitchen

Clean out the kitchen sink drainboard/dishwasher

Clear off the kitchen table after dinner

Set up recycling bins in your kitchen, pantry, or garage, for paper and plastic goods

Hang a small dry erase board in your kitchen for your grocery list, and snap a photo of the list with your cell phone before heading to the store

Round up take out menus and place in a binder, magazine holder, or file folder

Pack your lunch and snacks for work or school the night before

Create a breakfast, lunch, and/or dinner meal plan for the week

Gather disposable plastic forks, knives and spoons and place them in a single storage container or zippered bag

Remove expired coupons, old articles invitations, and other materials from your refrigerator door

…while Traveling and Running Errands

Store a couple of plastic grocery bags in the back pocket of the driver’s seat for on-the-go trash bags

Remove trash from your car when you arrive home

Drop off and pick up dry cleaning the same time each week

Designate compartments in your backpack or purse to store your wallet, keys, and cellphone

Use a small bag or pouch to make switching purses or bags a cinch

Separate and rearrange the paper money and coins in your wallet or coin purse at the end of the day

Remove receipts from your wallet, purse, or bag, at the end of every day, and place in a receipt box or folder

…in the Home Office

Prepare a mailing station complete with stamps, envelopes, notepads, pens, pencils, permanent black marker, twine, labels, packaging tape, and a pair of scissors

Create a gift wrap station complete with gift wrap, ribbons, bags, tissue paper, cards, envelopes, gift cards, cellophane tape, permanent black marker, and a pair of scissors

Make a checklist of items you need to have with you before leaving home or the office

Create a charging station for your cell phone, MP3 player, laptop, and other devices

Label the cords behind your desk, TV console, or in the kitchen

Start an instruction manual file in your filing cabinet or computer

Put together a personal information binder to hold important documents

Make a storage box to hold lightbulbs and batteries

Make photocopies of your birth certificate, passport, driver’s license, insurance cards, and other important documents and store in a filing cabinet for quick and easy reference

Make a list of websites where you save credit card information. This makes it easy to update your information when you are issued a new card.

Organize your most frequently used apps on the home screen of your smart phone

Make a gift card file or box to store unused gift cards

Create an email folder to catch coupons, discounts, newsletters, and other timely announcements

Create a list of the items sitting in dead storage or other less-frequented areas in your home

…in the Hallway

Put together a drop-tray for your hall, entryway, kitchen counter, or room to store your house keys, car keys, wallet, sunglasses, medication, and other vital items

Prepare a checklist of items to take with you when you go to the gym, for a workout, or class

Carve out a special area on a bookshelf or counter to store borrowed library brooks

Hang up your coat or jacket instead of throwing it on a sofa, bed, or chair

Construct an outgoing container in your hall to hold items to be returned to friends or family, library books, clothes and other goods to be dropped off at a local charity

Get a basket or other container to “catch” scarves, gloves, hats, earmuffs, and other winter accessories in the hallway

Use stick-on hooks to hang keys, lanyards, bags, and other light, but necessary items

Use different colored nail polish to mark keys for easy identification

…in Your Calendar

Schedule housekeeping chores into your calendar so you won’t forget

Collect the birthdays of your friends and family and enter them into a digital calendar as recurring events

Create a bill payment calendar and holding area for bills and invoices

…in the Living Room

Shred and/or recycle junk mail and unwanted solicitations immediately upon checking postal mail

Breakdown and recycle postal package boxes and parcels as soon as you receive them

Create a remote control “landing zone” in your living room, den, or TV room

Recycle newspapers, circulars, and ads daily

…in the Bathroom

Put together a small toiletry kit for your bag or purse (floss, hand lotion, bobby pins, safety pins, painkiller, nail file, comb, lip balm, other personal items)

Assemble a shoe care kit that includes brushes, shoe polish, rags, waterproofer, and water spray bottle

Prepare a nail care kit that includes nail polish, nail file, nail scissors/clippers, nail polish remover, and lotion

Make a homemade first-aid kit that includes bandages, gauze, cotton balls and pads, antiseptic creams, ointments, and cleanser, tape, ice/heat pack, scissors, and painkiller

GET ORGANIZED. FEEL GREAT.

31 Easy Ways to Get Organized in the New Year is a downloadable eBook that will teach you how to build solid organization habits….all in as little as 15 minutes per day!

Click here to learn more about the workbook >> 

AT WORK

…in Your Calendar

Use a single calendar for all of your appointments and meetings

Review your schedule in the morning and decide what you are going to work on first

Write in your vacation and holiday dates into your calendar

Create a to-do list for tomorrow before the work day is through

Transfer information written down on scraps of paper and sticky notes into a paper or digital planner/calendar

Use a sticky note or tab to keep your place in your paper planner or schedule

…on Your Computer

Create subject folders in your email inbox

Set up filters in your email program or client

Add a signature to your emails with a closing greeting, your name, and any other relevant contact information

Go through your email messages quickly by using the “From” sorting function

Bookmark frequently used websites in your internet browser by subject

Synchronize your computer files with your cell phone, laptop, or tablet

Declutter your computer’s desktop at the end of the day

Add contact business card information to your computer contacts apps, and then recycle the cards

…on Your Desk

Clear out and use your inbox/outbox at work for postal or interoffice mail

File away ten paper documents or reports in a filing cabinet

Clear off unneeded items from your desk or workstation of before working on a project or task

Replace filing folders in a filing cabinet as soon as you are finished using them

Develop a template document

Delete old or unneeded voicemail messages at the end of the day

Put several business cards in your wallet or card case

Refill your printer or fax machine with paper

Pack a couple of spare pens in your purse, backpack, or briefcase

Clear off your desk or workstation before leaving work

Push your seat under your desk when finished working

How about you? Did you know this post marks The Order Expert’s 800^th post? What’s your favorite thing about The Order Expert? Which of the above tips are you eager to try out? Join the conversation and leave a comment below!