Back to Organizing Checklists Index Monthly Organizing Checklist

May 2022

by Maria Gracia An organizing TO DO for every day of the month… Join our newsletter to be notified when the newest Monthly Organizing Checklist is available. PRINTABLE VERSION: click here __ May 1 May Day. Today is the “festival of flowers” holiday that goes way back to Roman times, celebrated with flowers, dancing, ringing bells, May Queens, and dancing around the Maypole. Surprise someone with a pretty bouquet of blooms. __ May 2 Clean up nature’s debris.  Get outside and begin cleaning up nature’s debris around your home…broken twigs, plants that need to be cut, thatch on your lawn, etc. For many people, this is a big job. If you can’t hire someone to do it for you, work in 30-minute increments each day until the job is done. __ May 3 National Teachers Day.  Take the time to write a heartfelt letter, or post a special tribute on social media, to a teacher who made a difference in your life. If you have children in school, send a card or gift to their favorite teacher(s). __ May 4 Get rid of old, worn out slippers. Treat yourself to a new pair. __ May 5 Sort through kid art supplies. Help them discard any that are no longer in working condition (like markers that no longer write, pencils that are down to their nubs), and to donate anything they’ve grown out of (coloring books, kid scissors, etc.) __ May 6 National Nurses Week begins. National Nurses week begins today and concludes on May 12, Florence Nightingale's birthday. Thank a nurse for all they do to care for others. __ May 7 Organize your eating utensil drawer. I remove everything from that drawer and temporarily place it on the counter. I run my plastic utensil organizer through the dishwasher cycle…top shelf (I usually wait until later in the day when the dishwasher is fairly full). I use the hand vac to remove any crumbs from the drawer and wipe if needed as well. The clean organizer then goes back into the drawer and the forks, spoons, etc. are sorted back into its compartments. If I find anything no longer needed, out it goes! __ May 8 Happy Mother’s Day.  Whether you have children or not, enjoy the day doing something you love to do. __ May 9 Organize your linen closet.  Strapped for time? Do one shelf a day. Bring any worn out towels to the Humane Society. They use them as bedding for the animals. __ May 10 Inventory warm weather gear. Do you have enough shorts, t-shirts, and sandals to get you through summer? Make a list. Stock up. __ May 11 First Day of National Police Week. May 11-17 honors America’s law enforcement community. Attend a candlelit vigil to remember those officers who have fallen in the line of duty. Next time you see an officer, consider purchasing him or her a cup of coffee, or lunch. __ May 12 Dust off computer wires. If you haven’t done this for awhile, they may be caked with dust. __ May 13 Disinfect the toilet. Yes, it’s important to clean the toilet, but disinfecting it removes the germs. __ May 14 Refill as needed. Refill postage, printer ink, scotch tape…anything you’re running out of, but that you actually use. __ May 15 Tidy up your gardening supplies. Consolidate them to one area of your garage or shed so you can quickly access them when needed. __ May 16 Clean off outdoor furniture.  Dust off and wipe down. If your outdoor furniture has been stored inside your home all winter, it’s time to bring it back outside. __ May 17 Give some love to your feathered friends. Clean birdhouses and fill them with fresh birdseed. __ May 18 Start shopping for college.  Is your child is going to college this fall and living on campus? Start shopping for dorm needs now. With supply chain shortage, it may be challenging to get what is needed as fall nears. __ May 19 Launder out-of-season items. Launder out-of- season items, like jackets, snow pants, blankets, etc. If I have lots of bulky items, I take them to the laundromat and wash/dry in the triple- loaders. Once cleaned, store for the season. __ May 20 Stow winter boots. Summer in the United States means sandals and flip flops. Stow away those winter boots (and other winter gear) until the cold weather is back. __ May 21 Consider donating special occasion clothing. If you have a wedding dress, evening gowns, tuxedos, old prom gowns and other special occasion clothing, and have no intention of wearing any of these items again, consider donating them. __ May 22 Get rid of old craft supplies. Fill at least one bag and donate it. __ May 23 Sell something. Sell something you own, but no longer have use for, on Facebook Marketplace, eBay, or at a rummage sale. __ May 24 Vacuum. Try to get to at least one room. Maybe two? __ May 25 Help your child organize his/her backpack. Empty backpacks completely, getting rid of old papers, pens that have slipped to the bottom, food wrappers, etc. Discard junk. If your child is still in school, return what he or she needs back into the backpack. This is also a good time for your child to be reminded that if he/she has something in school that’s no longer needed, to either discard it or bring it home for storage…whatever is applicable. __ May 26 Get rid of old beverage packets. Do you have old coffee K-cups, hot cocoa packets, tea bags, apple cider packets, etc. that you never use? Say goodbye to them. If they’re not expired, donate to a food pantry. If they are, throw them out. __ May 27 Scrub off your outdoor grill. Grilling season officially begins today. Are you stocked on grilling tools? __ May 28 Say goodbye to condiment packets. If you have a surplus of old ketchup/mustard/mayo packets, soy sauce, salad dressing and the like (most likely picked up from fast food restaurants), get rid of them. __ May 29 Clean out your vehicle’s glove compartment. Get rid of any junk you don’t need. __ May 30 Memorial Day (USA). Honor those who paid the ultimate price for our freedom and liberty. Fly your flag at half staff, from sunrise until noon. __ May 31 Write up your June goals.  May the month ahead be a super-organized one for you! Back to Organizing Checklists Index