Last Month Checklist, February
Mar 1 Go through your knick knacks and get rid of any that are not very meaningful to you and are just collecting dust.
Mar 2 Attach some extra pegs or hooks inside your coat closet to hold items like umbrellas, hats, purses and dog leashes.
Mar 3 Get your shoes off the floor and into a shoe holder. If you have several family members in your house, consider a separate shoe holder for each person.
Mar 4 Get rid of any old newspapers piling up. From now on, don't allow old newspapers to pile up more than a day or two. By then, the news is old anyway. Keep a paper recycling container or crate in your garage and get rid of those newspapers on recycling day.
Mar 5 Put all of your household cleaning supplies into a bucket. Then just carry the bucket with you from room to room when you're ready to clean. If your cleaning supplies won't fit in a regular-sized bucket, you probably have more than you need.
Mar 6 Clean a bookcase. Remove all books from the top shelf, clean thoroughly and then return the books to that shelf. Clean all the other shelves in the same manner.
Mar 7 Designate one drawer in your kitchen or home office for stationery, return address labels, postage stamps, a few pens, postcards, greeting cards and any other personal correspondence supplies. When you want to write a letter or a note, everything you need will be in one place.
Mar 8 Today is National Organize Your Home Office Day. Schedule at least 30 minutes to weed out a file drawer, clear off your credenza, organize your Rolodex or to file everything in your To Be Filed tray.
Mar 9 Hang a bulletin board for each child in his or her room. They can use this display area for artwork, notes, greeting cards they receive and more--and it will help to keep your refrigerator clear!
Mar 10 Need more storage space in your bathroom? Consider adding a plant stand. Some are very narrow which makes them the ideal size for bathrooms.
Mar 11 Weed out your Tupperware and plastic container collection, especially if your cabinets are overflowing with more than you'll ever use.
Mar 12 Create a chore chart, with responsibilities, family names, days and times. Whether you have kids or not, everyone in the household should contribute to the chores that need to be completed.
Mar 13 Launder or dry clean any curtains or drapes that have not been cleaned in awhile.
Mar 14 List three people who you would like to thank for something they've done (i.e. a hairdresser who stayed at work late to fit you in, or a friend who babysat for you, or a co-worker who helped you with a project). Buy or make three thank you cards, write a heartfelt message in each and mail to these people. You'll brighten their day and you'll feel good about yourself.
Mar 15 Have exercise equipment that hasn't been used in months? Clean those machines off, and vow to use them at least one consistent day each week starting this spring.
Mar 16 Go shopping for any Easter treats. Even if you can't get to a store or the mall, Internet shopping is only a few clicks away.
Mar 17 It's St. Patrick's Day. Bake some Irish Soda Bread and enjoy it for dinner tonight.
Mar 18 Listen to any messages on your voicemail or answering machine. Return any calls necessary and clear off those messages so your machine is a 'clean slate' for tomorrow's calls.
Mar 19 Have a dinner party. Make your own special meals, have a potluck or order food that can be delivered to your doorstep. You may even want to have a theme, such as Caribbean night or Tex-Mex night.
Mar 20 Today is the first day of spring. Go through last year's spring wardrobe and weed out anything you no longer want. Then, launder or iron anything as needed and begin adding these spring clothes to your closet. When that first warm day hits, you'll be ready.
Mar 21 Find that one drawer in your home that is cluttered to the max, and clean it out today.
Mar 22 Steam clean your carpets or have them professionally cleaned. It's amazing how much dust, dirt and who knows what else can accumulate in carpet fibers.
Mar 23 Start planning a summer vacation. Whether you leave home or not, make it special. Have a list of dates, places to visit, fun things to do, etc.
Mar 24 Is your house overflowing with stuffed animals. Donate some of them to a family shelter or a kids charity organization.
Mar 25 Think up some fun rewards your family can enjoy for completing projects around the house. For instance, all of you can work on cleaning out the garage and when it's done, everyone goes out for pizza or to the movies.
Mar 26 Make it a point to have at least one green vegetable (i.e. spinach, kale, Brussels sprouts, asparagus, etc.) on each dinner plate each night.
Mar 27 Today is Easter, the season of renewal. Sit back and decide on one thing you would like to improve in your life. Then begin working on that one thing, even if you can only do so for five or ten minutes each day.
Mar 28 Cook enough today for two meals, so you don't have to cook tomorrow. Try to do this at least once each week, so you always have a 'no cooking necessary' day.
Mar 29 Have your lawn mower serviced. Now is the time to clean, balance and sharpen those blades.
Mar 30 Prune your outdoor plants. Remove dead or damaged limbs from trees and shrubs.
Mar 31 The first quarter of the year is officially over, and the second quarter starts tomorrow. Write up one to three goals you'd like to accomplish during the months of April, May and June, and schedule time on your calendar to work on these goals.
by Maria Gracia - Get Organized Now! http://www.getorganizednow.com FREE Get Organized Now! Idea-Pak and E-zine, filled with tips and ideas to help you organize your home, your office and your life, at the Get Organized Now! Web site.
