It's That Time of Year Again...

Every December, I get in my Marie Kondo mode. Out with the old and in with the new. I always dread the cleanup, but it feels good to start the new year with a clean desk (even if it’s only temporary). Here are some of my organizational to-dos that help me get ready for the new year.

• I clean up my desk. It’s not as bad as the picture, but it’s cluttered. I always end up with tons of sticky notes all over the place.

• I put all the contacts in my database and all the appointments on my calendar.

• My photo collection always needs attention. I archive all of the current year’s photos to my external hard drive.

• It’s also time to clean up the email files and my saved documents. Don’t forget to clean out the Sent and Trash, too. The old stuff takes up space.

• And it’s tax time. I always procrastinate on the task of pulling all the tax information together. I set up files for the current year and close out the old one.

And if I’m still in an organizing mode, I might get around to the closets. (Or maybe not)

Happy New Year. I hope you have a safe and productive year.

What are you planning to do to get ready for 2024?

An End of the Year Checklist for Writers

It’s the end of the year again, and I’m not quite sure how that happened. I love this time of year with the holidays and activities, but I always feel I’m running 100 mph to keep up.

Here’s my end of year checklist I put together to keep up with my writing life.

• Make sure you have copies of all receipts and tax documents. It’ll make tax season easier.

• Go through all of your pictures from the past year and archive the old ones. I use an external hard drive for storage and to remove the clutter from my phone, PC, and tablet.

• Make sure that you back up all of your important files regularly. Don’t accidentally lose your work. It will make you cry.

• Most of my writing groups’ dues are due in December. I go ahead and pay them to make sure I’m current for next year. (Save all receipts.)

• Look at your goals for the past year. Did you have successes? Make your list for the new year.

• I go through all my TBR (To Be Read) piles. I have a book shelf in my office, a pile on my nightstand, and one in the living room. I end up with a lot of books. What I don’t plan to keep, I share with my local libraries.

• Clean off your desk. It’s a magnet for clutter and things you don’t need.

• Get your calendar for 2020 organized.

• Clean off your computer. Archive any old files that you don’t need.

• Celebrate your successes, wins, and accomplishments from the past year.