The beginning of the new year is full of promise and good intentions. NAPO (the National Association of Professional Organizers) has designated January "Get Organized Month", to help inspire folks to get up and GO! Did you know that the two most popular New Year's resolutions are to drop a few pounds and to get organized? Why not start your new year by doing both? Shed some weight - not the kind you carry on your hips, but the kind that burdens your home and your time. Eliminate the physical clutter, the papers that pile up on your countertops and desktops, the toys that crowd your family room, the clothes bursting out of your overstuffed closets and dressers. Open up some space and give yourself room to breathe again. Start small - choose just one spot to clear away, and you will be pleasantly surprised by how much lighter you feel, both physically and mentally. Then, move on to the next small spot. By taking just one, manageable step at a time, you'll avoid "overwhelm" and gradually work your way through your home, saving time and money along the way. Make this year the last year you make the resolution to get organized, and just get "GO-ing"!

To begin your new year, here are five tips that will help you clear away the holiday clutter and make next year's holiday a little easier:

Holiday Decoration Storage

This is a great time to go through those old, chewed-up boxes of holiday decorations before you put them away for next year!

• Sort and toss anything broken or worn out (and I'm NOT talking about the clothespin angel your child made for you in the first grade. That's a keeper!).

•  Donate anything you didn't use this season (or last season).

• Organize and pack up your decorations by room and label your boxes "family room", "kitchen", etc., as you put things away. Then, next year, all you have to do is put each box (or boxes) in the appropriate room when you begin your decorating and everything you need is there, ready to go.

• Strings of lights will remain untangled if you wrap them around empty paper towel rolls, making a notch in either end for the male and female plug ends. You can also buy plastic wheels designed specifically to wrap your lights around.

•  Check out the post-holiday sales for new storage bins. At this time of year, organizing supplies are on sale, so get rid of those old cardboard boxes and store your stuff safely and in an organized way.