Plan to Be Organized in the New Year

New Year's resolutions come in all sizes. While many people's resolutions are so big (becoming fluent in Mandarin, training for a triathlon, building a life-size replica of Stonehenge out of Popsicle sticks, etc.) that they're hard to stick with, they don't have to be. In fact, some of the most effective and fulfilling New Year's resolutions are the small ones.

One relatively easy goal for the new year is to become a better planner. Because life can sometimes feel like an endless blur of commuting to work, picking up the kids from school, making dinner, going to soccer practice, scheduling appointments, household chores, and somehow trying to find "me" time at the end of the day, keeping an organized calendar can help everything flow just a little bit smoother. And in order to help you make it happen, we've laid out a few tips and suggestions below.

Tip: Good Planners Use Planners

Day planners can be a life-saver. While many people prefer to enter all of their important appointments and to-dos into their phones, others prefer using a day planner since the very act of writing something down helps them retain the information more effectively. Whether it's a large desk calendar (a must-have for office workers) or a portable planner (great for jotting down ideas in the moment), it can mean the difference between getting Junior to the dentist on time and paying those pesky "no-show" fees for a missed appointment.

Suggested products: Wit & Delight Desktop Calendar Notepad, Moleskine Large 12-Month Day Planner, Rifle Paper Co. Pastel Weekly Notepad, Sugar Paper Signature 12-Month Spiral Planner, Poppin Spiral Pocket Notebook

Tip: Set up a Command Center

By "command center," we don't mean something that resembles the NORAD control room; instead, it's a place where all members of your household can stop to view the family calendar, post to-do lists, and leave each other notes when necessary. Most of the time, the command center should be set up in a high-traffic area of the home such as the kitchen or entryway. The most useful command centers typically include a dry-erase calendar and either a message board or bulletin board. And remember the "out-of-sight, out-of-mind" rule: the more visible and accessible the command center, the more likely you'll actually use it!

Suggested products: U-Brands White Square Monthly Dry Erase Board, Double-Sided Laminate 12-Month Calendar, Command Center Cord Control & Tech Storage Solution, Three by Three Square Magnetic Chalk Board, Umbra Large Thork Thick Cork Bulletin Board

Tip: Designate a Place for Mail and Keys

Lost mail and lost keys can be disastrous, so avoid catastrophe by having a designated place for each. Your home's entryway is usually a great place to grab your keys and outgoing mail as you're headed out the door, or you can combine this area with your command center in a high-traffic area. No desk or counter top area? No problem, you can also set up a mail station or key rack on the wall.

Suggested products: Umbra Yook White Key Hook & Organizer, Umbra Estique 5-Hook Organizer, Perch Magnetic Modular System, Bello Pegboard System, Umbra Hammock Accessory Organizer, Umbra Large Hammock Tech Accessory Organizer

Tip: Pre-plan Your Lunches

Weekly meal-planning and prepping can help save value time in the mornings before work and school. By meal planning and grocery shopping on weekends (or even the night before), you can prepare a full week's worth of meals and snacks in a short time so that they can be easily grabbed on your way out the door. (Plus, you can save money by eating out less.) And, with the right food container, the meals you prepare will be fresh and great-tasting every time!

Suggested products: Lunchskins Shark Sealable Paper Sandwich Bags, Sistema Klip-It Lunch Cube-to-Go Bento Box, Russbe 3-Compartment Lunch Bento Box, OXO Good Grips Round On-the-Go Lunch Container, Full Circle Reusable Feed Me Snack Bags