How to Achieve Your Home Organization Goals Before the Year Ends

Why You Don’t Need to Wait Until January to Finally Get Organized

Every January, the same promise gets made: This is the year I’ll finally get organized.

But somewhere between the rush of back-to-work schedules, spring sports, summer travel, and everything in between, life has a way of derailing even the best intentions. By fall, many families are still surrounded by clutter, unopened boxes from their last move, or spaces that simply don’t feel settled.

The temptation? To shrug and say, I’ll just wait until next January.

Here’s the truth: You don’t need to wait for January. In fact, the best time to get organized is now.

Why Waiting for January Doesn’t Work

We love the idea of a “fresh start” in January. New year, new goals, new you. But in practice? January is already a season of overload.

Think about it:

• You’re adjusting to new routines after the holidays.

  
  

• The winter blues can sap energy and motivation.

  
  

• Statistically, most resolutions fizzle out by mid-February.

  
  

And clutter? It doesn’t pause for the calendar. Every week you put it off, the piles grow, the closets feel heavier, and the stress compounds. By waiting until January, you’re essentially giving yourself permission to live with that weight for another four months.

Why Now Is the Best Time to Reset

Fall is actually one of the most natural seasons for a reset. Kids are back in school. Routines are more predictable. The energy in your household naturally shifts from summer spontaneity to structure.

And this year, the trend many are calling The Great Lock-In  is taking off—focusing on fitness, financial goals, and productivity as the weather turns cooler. But here’s the thing: none of those goals will stick if your home isn’t supporting you. If you’re going to “lock in” on anything, it should start with the foundation—yourself and your home.

And let’s be honest—if you wait until December to tackle it all, you’ll more than likely be juggling holiday festivities, gift shopping, travel plans, and hosting duties. By taking these 3 Steps to Get Organized  before the new year!

• You create space for gatherings without panic decluttering.

  
  

• You streamline daily routines so mornings and evenings feel calmer.

  
  

• You give yourself the gift of stepping into January lighter, not already behind.

Where to Start (and Build Real Progress)

While it can be tempting to begin with the busiest areas of your home—the kitchen, playroom, or mudroom—we take a more systematic approach.

At The Modern Steward, we work top to bottom (or bottom to top, depending on the home), room by room.

First, we declutter! Then we organize. As items shift naturally to where they belong, a staging area is created for anything that needs deeper attention.

Trust me, this structure matters. It allows us to build momentum and avoid the overwhelm that comes from pulling everything out at once. We follow categories, yes—but always with an eye on the flow of the home and the unique rhythms of each family we serve. The goal isn’t just order in one space; it’s a home that functions seamlessly as a whole.

And what about the trickier categories—like photos, documents, and sentimental keepsakes? We don’t ignore them. Instead, we categorize them within the spaces where they’ll live but save the deeper decisions for later. By the time your whole home is reset, you’ll have the clarity to approach these areas with more confidence. In fact, we often set aside an extra session to help clients commit to a photo system, document process, or keepsake plan—projects that deserve dedicated time and attention once the bigger reset is complete. That way, you still gain order in your daily life now, while leaving time to thoughtfully process those sensitive categories when you’re ready.

Pro tip: If you’re doing this yourself: Pick one room and complete it fully before moving on. That means decluttering, organizing, and staging the items that need later attention. This method creates visible progress and motivation, instead of leaving you stuck mid-project.

Anticipating Emotional Pushback

When it comes to getting organized, two concerns come up again and again:

1. “I don’t have time right now.” I hear this from clients all the time. The truth is—waiting doesn’t give you more time. It keeps you stuck in cycles of stress that drain your energy daily. When we work with families, we don’t overhaul everything at once. We build momentum systematically—room by room—so every step brings relief. Even a few focused hours each week create small wins that add up. Before long, your home starts working for you instead of against you.

2. “What if I need this later?” The second roadblock is emotional. Regret (“What if I need this later?”) or guilt (“I spent money on this, I can’t just let it go”) keeps families stuck. These feelings are normal. The key is to reframe the question. Instead of asking, Should I keep this? try asking, Is this serving me in this season of life? That shift removes shame and puts the focus forward—so you can release items with confidence and clarity.

Want to dive deeper into letting go of emotional clutter? Check out this blog post on: How to Declutter Your Home and Conquer Emotional Clutter.

A Real-Life Example

Last year, I met with a potential client—we’ll call her M. She was ready to push off organizing until January. It was late September, and she still had unpacked boxes from her family’s summer move. Overwhelmed, she assumed the new year would be a better time to “finally deal with it.”

Instead, we worked together in short sessions before the holidays. While her instinct was to focus only on her kitchen, desk, bedroom, and entryway—the spaces that felt heaviest—I encouraged her to follow a full-home reset. Within a few sessions, we had established systems throughout her home, not just quick wins in a few spots.

That’s the difference. When you focus only on “hot spots,” you might get immediate satisfaction, but it rarely lasts. Over the past 10 years, I’ve learned the real solution is a systematic reset—otherwise you’ll end up re-organizing the same areas again and again instead of maintaining a calm home long-term.

By November, M was hosting without panic-cleaning. She told me, “I didn’t realize how much energy I was wasting just navigating around clutter.”

When January rolled around, she wasn’t starting a new resolution—she was already living in a calmer, more organized space. From there, she was able to move deeper, tackling projects like digitizing her photos, organizing her important documents, and even setting up systems

related to her estate.

For more perspective on maintaining your space long-term, check out these tips from me and a few of my organizing besties in  The Spruce.

Final Thought: Don’t Wait for January

If you’ve been unsettled all year, you don’t have to live in limbo until January. The best time to reset your home is now.

Start with envision what li free will look like and how you’ll actually feel. . This will help build momentum before the year ends.

Your future self will thank you.

Need some guidance? I’d love to help you finish the year strong!  Schedule a free call and let’s get you organized before the calendar turns.