Happy September 1st my friends! It’s the first of the month which means it’s time for a fresh, new Get Organized Checklist. Here’s what’s on tap for the month of September.
See below for a printable pdf version of this checklist.
Your September Get Organized Checklist 
Set your goals for the month. Ah…what are your goals for the month ahead? I love starting each new month with a fresh perspective and renewed commitment to my goals. Are there things you’ve wanted to start working on, maybe a new habit that you’d like to create? Take a few minutes today to think about (and better yet, write down) what you’d like to accomplish in the month ahead.
Check your monthly tickler folder. If you’ve taken my paper clutter workshop and use a tickler file, today is the day to go through your September file folder and distribute the contents into your daily folders.
Declutter + organize your closets. My thermometer is in disagreement with this one at the moment…but September is a great time to declutter and organize your closets to get ready for the cooler temperatures. If you’ll be organizing your closets this month, join my self-paced online class Organize Your Closet for a step-by-step guide to transforming your closet into organizational bliss. Or, if your kids’ closets are on your to-do list, sign up for our self-paced online class Organizing with Your Kids. You’ll learn all my secrets and strategies for involving your kids in the organizing process.
Make clothes shopping lists for the upcoming season. As you go through your closet (and / or your kids) sort and edit your clothing. As you do, make a list of the clothes, shoes, and accessories you and your family members need for the upcoming season. Use this wardrobe-shopping-list printable (from my Closet Workshop) to organize your shopping lists.
Deep clean your home. When the seasons change I always have a strong urge to get my home sparkling clean. It’s a great time to shampoo the carpets, wash the windows, clean the light fixtures, and maybe even do a bit of painting.
Pull out + declutter your fall decor. September is also a great month to inventory your seasonal decor. As you pull things out of storage, donate items you no longer like or want out on display.
Check your heating system + schedule a service call if necessary. Seems crazy to be suggesting this on a 100 degree day…but it never hurts to plan ahead.
Clean out the fireplace flue. If you have a wood burning fire place, get ready for fire season by cleaning out the flue or making an appointment with a chimney sweep. While you’re at it, make arrangements for firewood. If you don’t have a fireplace, check your inventory of candles…and stock up if needed.
Perk up the outside of your home with fresh potted flowers, a fall wreath or new doormat. The flowers on my front porch have had it with this heat. I’m excited to put out some potted Mums and maybe even some pansies before the end of the month.
Declutter + organize the garage. We did our annual “fall” garage clean-out earlier this week. I find that if we do it twice a year…it doesn’t take much time at all. If yours hasn’t gotten attention for a while, remember to break the task into small organizing sessions. Make progress for fifteen to thirty minutes at a time. Start by letting go of items you no longer use, need or love, and then arrange your keeper items into zones such as automotive, lawn and garden, kids toys, etc.
Sign up for a fall class on a topic of interest like scrapbooking, photography, yoga, cooking, or organizing. For me September is back-to-school month (even though my kids start in August.) Quench your thirst for learning by signing up for a class on an interesting topic. You could join an online online organizing class. Or if you’re local, join me for some yoga at the Y. (I’m not teaching…just a very happy student.) Or if you want to brush up on your photography skills (an ongoing goal for me) consider 31 Days to a Better Photo. (I’m starting today!)
Let go of something that’s weighing you down. The change of seasons is also a wonderful time to do some general decluttering. This month, find one thing in your home that’s weighing you down…and let it go!
Whatever you decide to put on your to-do list this month, make it a great one! Here is the PDF for this month’s checklist: Download September-checklist. (You will need Adobe Reader to open the file which you can get here: http://get.adobe.com/reader/)
What’s on your September to-do list? Is there anything you feel super-motivated to do this time of year? I’d love to hear from you.
I love the last item on your list: Let go of something that’s weighing you down. In all seriousness, I think that is an awesome addition to my monthly goals!
For this month, do you think I could just chuck all of my unfiled paperwork? That is really weighing me down. 😉
That sounds like a good idea Jan C. 😉
Hi Aby! Your checklists are great, however we are going into Spring now so while I’m all ok for updating my wardrobe and spring cleaning, do you have a Spring/Summer checklist for us on the other hemisphere? Many thanks!
Thanks for your checklists LUV them, LUV checklists!! I am motivated this time of year to refocus and get back to business. My house, at the end of a fun summer, is in need of serious organization. We are working on rearranging and organizing my son’s room and desk. I am also trying to get my holiday checklists prepared and get done whatever I can now. I really want to enjoy each holiday and running around at crunch-time takes away some of the fun. My basement also flooded from Irene so that is in need of a major clean-out. Good thing I have everything in waterproof tubs down there, but still, need to declutter. So…… that is going to keep me plenty-busy. Couple that with back-to-school mode and fall sports. It is going to require many, many checklists! Ha! Enjoy your September goals.
I always thought making lists, planning out schedules, etc, was just a waste of time.
A lot of blogs have given advice to make lists or to do’s to be better organized. Wether writing it on your phone, a sticky note or even on your hand.
Now that I am a college student I bought a notebook planner and let me tell you, it definitely works!
It keeps your mind off of thinking “what was I supposed to remember to do?” Makes the day go by much more smoother.
I’m going to try my month of September to do list now! College has so many deadlines, due dates, day of’s!
Even doing something as little as picking what to wear for the day the night before makes the day go by much smoother.
@Robyn,
Here are some links to the checklists for when it was spring here:
March:
http://creativeorganizing.typepad.com/creative_organizing/2011/03/your-march-get-organized-checklist.html
April:
http://creativeorganizing.typepad.com/creative_organizing/2011/03/your-april-get-organized-checklist.html
May:
http://creativeorganizing.typepad.com/files/may—checklist.pdf
And here’s my spring cleaning checklist:
http://creativeorganizing.typepad.com/files/spring-cleaning-checklist.pdf
Go for someone who makes you smile because it takes only a smile to make a dark day seem bright.
So cute! I already like you on FB and also get your posts on Google Reader. 🙂