7 ways to stay organized in the New Year

We’re on the brink of a new year, and whether you’re a resolutions person or not, there’s an undeniable clean slate feeling about the stark crispness of a brand new paper planner or notebook.

You know deep down that it won’t solve all of your problems, but there’s still so much power in having a fresh, dedicated space for plotting out your vision for the year ahead. In the spirit of new beginnings and renewed ambitions, we turn to the lives of some successful creatives to gain some inspiration from how they stay organized.

Perhaps some of their tips can help you start the new year on the right foot.

7 New Year’s resolutions to help you stay organized

1. Invest in a label maker

Musician Daniela Gesundheit writes nondenominational devotional pop music, and is also a mother of young twins, so as an artist juggling many modes, responsibilities, and identities, a well-ordered, structured space is important for her creative process.

In an interview with The Creative Independent, she said, “Right now I’m really drawn to ultra organization, which seems antithetical to creative flow, but for some reason, it’s what I need right now. I think it’s probably in contrast to the chaos of living with two toddlers.”

She brings a handheld label maker with her to the studio everyday, in an attempt to bring order to the space. She continued, “I have this feeling that once my environment feels ultra ordered and organized, that I’ll be able to feel like I can create chaos and loosen within that space. I’m currently making the clarity, and I’m really looking forward to making my own mess instead of cleaning up two toddler’s messes.”

3. Create Google Doc ‘cheat sheets’ for yourself

As a multitasker who often works on dozens of projects a year, visual artist Jillian Mayer knows that she’ll be lost if she doesn’t have some kind of instruction manual for how to order her time and orient herself within a specific project. She recommends making “cheat sheets” for yourself.

In an interview with The Creative Independent, she explained how her Google Doc system works, saying, “I’m redoing my Google Docs in order to have each commission or project have its own folder. Every time I have notes they go in the folder. It’s sort of annoying, but it’s also amazing. It’s broken up by 3D works, video works, paintings, and invoices. It’s just management.”

4. Keep an archive of your work

Artist and researcher Akeema Zane says it’s good practice to keep a detailed archive of your work, whatever it may be.

“I keep a folder in my drive — and it could be a bit better organized — but it’s been certainly very helpful to see all of the things that I apply to,” she told The Creative Independent. “Make sure you have backup as well of the things that you’re creating. I know that there are some artists that do practice throwing stuff out or burning journals or like things. But if you’re not one of those people, keeping everything and maybe having seasonal cleanings is advice that I would give.”

While her advice is specifically for artists, it can be applied to anyone who is applying for jobs and opportunities, or just wants to retain knowledge for more quotidian purposes like taxes, health information, and other data around the home and living.

5. Writing down your ideas is great, but sticking to one method and one document or notebook is crucial

It’s common — and good — advice to write down your ideas as soon as you have them so that when it’s time to get to work you’re not starting at square one, scrunching up your face and trying to brainstorm your way into a good idea.

But many people struggle to keep up with the ideas themselves; they get relegated to random notes app entries on a phone, handwritten scribbles on margins and scraps of paper that get shuffled around and buried. So it can really help to have one designated place for ideas, and stick to it.

Choose one notebook or one digital document and use it exclusively — make sure you always have access to it no matter where you are. Then again, some people find value in the exact opposite method, and love having multiple notebooks for their different needs. Go with what works for you.

If you prefer a digital document, many creatives swear by the free Evernote app, which is secure and syncs to all of your devices, meaning that you can write ideas on your phone and then pull it up later on a Word or Google doc when you’re back at your desk. The app can also save articles you’ve read, products you’re interested in, and photographs and PDFs as well. It’s kind of like Pinterest, but with more functionality.

6. Schedule time for everything

Whether it’s creative work like writing or drawing, or making a plan for what to do about clutter like that overwhelming pile of coats on the stair bannister or the unwieldy overflow of Tupperware in the cabinet, it’s easy to keep putting it off for another time unless you schedule specific time to deal with things.

A tried and true practice that professional organizers and successful people alike swear by, practice making specific dates and times for tasks and hold yourself accountable.

7. Use color and visual tools to differentiate between tasks

Staring down a monochrome to-do list can feel daunting and boring. That’s why artist Kelly Helsinger color-codes her tasks. She writes on her blog Messy Ever After that in the past, she’s written down weekly tasks on loose-leaf paper with little check boxes next to them.

“Then, I’d go through and highlight each checkbox in a different color,” she wrote. “Sometimes it was just a list of alternating rainbow colors — it served no real purpose other than to make my task list more enjoyable to look at.”

If you’re inspired by color, incorporating it into your organization method via highlighters, sticky notes, and utilizing different colors on your digital calendars and task lists is a great way to stay motivated and on top of your schedule.