Some New Year's resolutions are harder to stick to than others. For me, organization is one of them.

This year I've decided that before I can tackle any other resolutions, I need to be more organized. Once I get organized, I may be able to approach other goals differently, (hopefully) in a way that helps me achieve them easier.

If you're interested in taking a similar approach, check out these tips.

Get into a routine

Routines are essential to a well-organized life. When you have a daily routine set, you know what to expect out of your schedule, which makes it easier to remember all the things you need to do.

If your lifestyle isn’t conducive to having a consistent schedule, start small. Try to maintain a stable sleep schedule. Have a few bedtime and morning rituals, such as journaling, meditating, or reading. These sorts of activities help your mind and body wind down or get ready for the day, helping you process emotions and keeping your brain fresh.

Finding some time every day for yourself is essential, and try not to procrastinate. Holding yourself accountable to your schedule and your routine will ultimately help you stay organized.

Write more lists

Write things down! Start by making both a long and short-term lists of tasks and goals. Make lists of things you’d like to purchase and prioritize the things you need over the things you want. Small notebooks, legal pads, or daily planners are great tools.

You can also make or buy a small whiteboard for your fridge, which can be really helpful for appointments, weekly chores, and groceries. You can also get larger boards for your office, which can work well as calendars to remember longer-term deadlines.

If you want to take the calendar a step further, create one online using Google Calendar or a similar service. Online calendars are easily shared and very readable, and you can also set up email and text reminders.

Purge and clean

Everything you own should have a place. Important things like your keys, phone, headphones, and wallet should be deposited in the same spot every day.

Having a decorative bowl or tray to put them in is helpful. Avoid junk drawers and hot spots that collect things that don’t have a place — chances are, you don’t need these things anyway.

Keep only what you need; take inventory of the things that you own, and get rid of all anything broken, old, or unused. If this feels overwhelming, take it one drawer or cabinet at a time, and don’t start another until you’ve finished the first. Remember, if you haven’t used something in the last year or two, you probably can do without it. Throw out or recycle broken items, and only replace what you need. Gently used or new items can be donated to thrift stores and shelters, or, if they are more valuable, you can sell them online.

Platforms like Craigslist, eBay, and Facebook are good places to start. If you have items that aren’t in condition to sell and you don’t want to deal with hauling them to the dump, consider a junk removal service that will pick it up directly from your house.

You can also purge and clean with some self-care. Try a face mask, hot bath with Epsom salt or some revolutionary beauty products.

Finances and digital life

Decluttering the intangible parts of your life is just as important as organizing the tangible. Again, if this seems overwhelming, take baby steps. Even something simple, like making a weekly meal plan, can help you keep both your budget and your body on a healthy schedule.

Check your bank account regularly and pay bills early. There are budget apps and websites that can help with this if you’re not sure where to start.

Whether you’re one of those people with zero unread emails or a thousand, take some time to sort your inbox. Trash any old emails, but don’t get rid of anything business related for at least six months.

Create hard copies or digital backups of documents, photos, or other important data that you store on your computer.

As much as you want to get organized, it's important you don't lose anything important. Take your time, be patient, and enjoy a more organized life this year.