It’s so easy to get swept up in the excitement of the new year, don’t you agree?

I have a history of being overzealous when it comes to my list of New Year’s resolutions. My tendency is to attempt to achieve too many goals simultaneously, which often results in a failure to achieve any of them.  Can you relate?

I smartened up over the last couple of years and started to heed the advice that I often give my clients…focus on just one thing at a time. 

In 2014, my one organizing goal was to improve the functionality of several closets in our home (the guest room and my daughter’s bedroom). So what is my One Thing for 2015?  Actually, it has nothing to do with tackling a space within my home.

For years, our family has struggled with the “It’s 4:00…What’s for Dinner?” Syndrome, which leads to a lot of unnecessary stress, unhealthy eating habits, and overspending. So my One Thing for 2015 is to consistently plan out and shop for our weekly meals ahead of time.

How can I increase the probability of meeting my goal/resolution?

Focus on the benefits I will experience as a consequence of achieving the goal

~  Less stress…since I will have a plan in place

~  More money…since we won’t have to eat take-out food by necessity any longer

~ Improved health…since planning meals enables me to make healthier choices for our family

Create a list of concrete action steps

1. Create a “Master List” of meals that all (or most) of my family members will eat
2. Identify a printable menu planning/grocery list to use as a tool for mapping out my weekly plan
3. Incorporate a meal planning component into our weekly family meeting that occurs on Sunday evenings, so that I can get family member input
4. Explore meal planning programs and apps, such as Emeals.com to determine if they might be useful (my kids are extremely picky eaters, so I’m pessimistic about the usefulness of such resources for my family)
5. To the extent possible, batch process weekly food preparation (e.g., dice veggies, measure out portions) in a single hour-long session each Sunday

Enlist the help of an accountability partner

Communicating your desire to achieve a goal to other people and asking them to support you and hold you accountable throughout the process is one of the most powerful methods for helping you stick to your commitment.

Now that I’ve put my 2015 goal out there for all of you to see, I’ve got no choice but to achieve my goal!  I invite you to hold me accountable via blog comments, emails, and Facebook check ins. My plan is to write a follow-up post at the end of February to share my progress.

Now, it’s your turn.

I invite you to share your One Thing for this year below in the comments section. Perhaps it’s a chaotic space you’d like to tackle, a system you plan to implement in order to increase household efficiency, or a clutter-producing habit that you’d like to nip in the bud. I’d love to serve as your accountability partner in order to help you achieve success in 2015!

 Want to learn more about Natalie Gallagher or Refined Rooms?  Visit www.RefinedRoomsLLC.com or connect via: Facebook | Pinterest | Twitter | LinkedIn