I Need to Work Hard to Stay Organized, so Here's Everything I'm Buying to Make My Life Easier This Year

Organizing isn't fun for me, and I have to put extra effort into staying organized. I wish I could be like my friends who get a thrill out of having epically well-coordinated planners or buying a brand new pack of sticky notes—but I don't. I wish I was someone who didn't lose their keys, remotes, and glasses every five seconds—but I am that person. I've entered 2022 the same totally-not-a-Type-A-personality I've had since 1998, but I've also started this year with a few new purchases to help me level-up my organization skills and make staying organized more pleasurable.

I am the type of person who will put my bag, wallet, or jacket down in a bookstore or restaurant and accidentally walk out without it. I once walked off without my luggage outside of an airport, and when I turned around, it was rolling downhill and I had to chase after it. So naturally, one of the first things I added to my cart in preparation for a less chaotic new year was a 4-pack of Apple AirTags. They're low-profile tracking devices, so I attach one to whatever bag I'm using when I go out, one to my keys, one to my wallet, and one to my luggage whenever I travel. I can track the items the tags are attached to via the Find My app on my iPhone, and I can use the app to have the tags make a sound if I misplace any of the items.

Speaking of traveling, I often forget to pack all the chargers and wires I need when I'm on the go, whether I'm on my way to visit family in a different state or somewhere much closer, like the local library. This roll-up travel cord organizer makes it easy for me to see which wires I have and which ones are missing as I pack.

I want to start planning my days better as well. So I ordered a planner and a to-do list notepad. The planner is great for, well, planning ahead and looking at my week and month at a glance, while the to-do list notepad helps tackle day-to-day tasks. Breaking down the things I have to do at a larger and smaller level like that has made remembering dates and completing tasks less overwhelming, and if I forget to add a task to one, the other organizer serves as a backup. I made sure to pick a planner and notepad with fun designs that match my interest and tastes, too, since that would make using them more enjoyable. I also made sure to stock up on highlighters so I could color-code my planner and daily to-do list.

Alas, I have a tendency to leave pens strewn across my desk (and, OK, occasionally the floor). I do the same with makeup brushes on my vanity. Just like with my planner, I knew I needed something aesthetically pleasing enough to give me the extra boost of encouragement to stay organized, so I ordered two of these cat-inspired cups from Amazon. My desk and vanity have never looked so adorable or organized. I stocked up on cute cat pens to match the cups, which only further encourages me to keep them in their designated place.

I misplace my glasses frequently as well, so I added this charming penguin eyeglass holder to my desk. Since it's always right in front of me and fun to use, it makes remembering to put my glasses in a safe, easy-to-find spot effortless.

I often have to click "Forgot Password" more frequently than I would like to admit on login pages. I'm a big fan of over complicated passwords, and I have various streaming, e-mail, and online shopping accounts, so remembering at the top of my head where each random slew of letters, numbers, and symbols belongs has proven difficult. In an effort to combat the amount of times I have to request password resets, I'm going to actually write them down in this handy password book. I really love its discreet design and lack of a "Password Book" label stamped on the front, which was a common find among other options.

Also on the note of streaming, I'm absolutely in love with my Fire TV Cube and the ways in which it has streamlined my life. The device relies on the Alexa voice assistant, allowing me to do anything I could do with the included remote via voice command. I can tell the Cube things like "open Hulu," "rewind 30 seconds," "change to HDMI 2," or "turn the volume down," and it will do just that—speedlily and hands-free on my end. This is a wonderful feature for someone who constantly misplaces their remote.

Additionally, I can tell the Fire TV Cube to set reminders as I watch TV, so I won't forget to head out to my manicure appointment because I lose track of time enjoying a show. I've also set my Cube to wake me up at 6:30 a.m. every weekday morning, so I don't have to worry if I forget to turn my phone alarm on.

Some of us need to work a little harder to stay organized—and that's totally OK. Check out everything I, someone with no natural propensity for organization, will be relying on to stay organized this year.