12 Things to Do at the Start of Every Month

Want to become more organized, productive, and successful in your everyday life? Make sure you are accomplishing these 12 things to do at the start of the month to set yourself up for success every single month.

(+ a FREE printable at the end of this post!)

I always find the start of a new month to be filled with hope, inspiration, and motivation. As someone who loves a good Monday, you can only imagine how much I love the start of a new month. It’s like one big Monday.

(Monday-haters, don’t click away. 😉 )

New months are filled with fresh goals, restored motivation, and new opportunities!

Even if you don’t get as excited as I do, when we start a fresh month, we can all agree that we want it to be a good one. We want to see success, health, and happiness. These 12 things to do at the start of the month can help you achieve that.

Why You Need a New Month To-Do List

Before making a concrete list of all the things to do at the start of the month, I found myself forgetting or, quite honestly, procrastinating all my start-of-the-month tasks ad to-dos.

Now that I’ve made a full list of everything I want to get done at the beginning of a new month, I am much more accountable and likely to actually get it done. It has also helped me realize that the tasks really aren’t that bad.

After all, there are really only 12 things that I do at the beginning of the month.

Twelve.

That’s all there is to it! Let’s go ahead and jump into the beginning of the month to-do list.

12 Things to Do at the Start of Every Month

So, the time has come. We are flipping that calendar page over and starting fresh. Day 1 of a brand new month. Let’s get started crushing our goals and to-dos.

Here are the 12 things that I do at the start of every month to set myself up for success:

1. Do a Previous Month Review

To start off a new month strong, you have to know where you left off the previous month. Reviewing the last month gives you a good idea of what you need to do/where you should focus your attention as you navigate your beginning of the month to-dos and priorities.

Make a list of last month’s to-dos that didn’t get all the way done. For me, this typically includes smaller things like getting my haircut, shopping for a new household item, or other minor things like that. Whatever it is for you, jot down a quick list of anything leftover from last month’s to-do list.

Check-in on last month’s goals and reevaluate. I set new goals for every new month. Sometimes, these goals don’t go as smoothly as I hope and, as I start the next month, they remain on my list, not crossed off. That’s okay! It’s time to reevaluate.

Don’t just copy and paste last month’s incomplete goals into this month’s – at least without asking yourself a few questions first:

Do you still want this goal? What kept you from achieving this goal last month? How will you shift/change this goal or your actions to make this month more successful?

These questions can help guide your review of your previous month and help you figure out how to start the beginning of this new month strong.

2. Set New Goals

This is my favorite thing to do at the start of every month. It’s time for some NEW GOALS!

Setting new goals for a new month is one of the best ways to boost motivation to commit to a month of growth and success. After reflecting on the past month, you should have a pretty good idea of where you are at.

Now, you can set some goals for this month.

When you set goals, try to keep the phrase “quality, not quantity” in mind. We sometimes get a bit too goal-happy and take on too much at once, forgetting that we are still humans with limited time and energy.

Instead, focusing on setting quality goals – goals that mean a lot to you, help you get closer to your long-term goals, bring you happiness, and feel realistic and achievable. (Check out SMART goals for proper goal-setting tips.)

3. Plan Your Month

(Roughly).

It is next to impossible to plan every single detail about your month at the start of the month. You simply just cannot know everything the month has in store on Day 1. But, what you CAN do, is make a rough plan for your month.

{RELATED POST: Sugar Paper Planner Review | Did I Like It?}

In your planner, jot down:

• set due-dates, deadlines, etc,
• bills
• holidays
• birthdays
• anniversarys
• pre-exisiting plans
• scheduled appointments

Anything that is already planned and you feel confident about, write that down in your planner at the beginning of the month. This can help guide your plans and schedule for the rest of the month while keeping you organized and well-planned.

4. Budget Plan

Every month’s expenses and income may differ a bit. For example, in December, I know I have to incorporate holiday gifts and activities into my budget. Maybe you have house guests coming and will need a bigger grocery haul. Or maybe you’re taking on some overtime and your income will be a bit higher this month (woohoo!).

Whatever it is, it’s a good idea to make a quick budget plan at the start of every new month. You might choose to start by reviewing last month’s budget and seeing how it lined up to your expectations. Then, you can build a new month’s budget from that.

Things to consider when budgeting:

• expenses (bills, groceries, gas, etc.)
• income (work, side hustles, etc.)
• savings (how much do you want to save?)
• recreation (what are some “fun things” to do this month?)
• events (birthdays, holidays, etc. can all affect your budget)
• investing (are you planning to invest any money this month?)
• debt (do you have debt? How much you be paying towards it this month?)
• money-saving ideas (list all the everyday habits to save money that you can incorporate into your life)

The 50-30-20 rule is a good rule of thumb for setting a budget. This rule says you set aside 50% of your income for expenses, 30% for fun/recreation/wants, and 20% for savings or debt.

You may also consider getting a cheap budget planner to help simplify this process and keep your budget organized. By having some structure, your monthly budget plan can become quick, simple, and easy.

5. Clean Out the Kitchen

Kitchen cleanout is a MUST on my list of things to do at the start of every month.

Honestly, it’s best if you can clean out your kitchen about every 2 weeks or so. At the least, have a good kitchen clean-out at the start of every month.

A kitchen clean-out often includes:

• tossing expired products
• throwing out old leftovers
• cleaning the fridge (shelves, drawers, and walls)
• taking inventory to make a grocery list
• running/unloading dishwasher
• putting all dishes/utensils away

Toss expired products (take note for a grocery list), throw out old leftovers, clean the fridge shelves and walls, and organize your pantry and fridge by food category and/or expiration date.

Keeping a clean and tidy kitchen is a great way to stay healthy, organized, and save money on groceries. I’ve found that keeping a clean kitchen makes me way more likely to use my groceries and I waste WAY less.

Not to mention, it just feels GOOD to have a clean kitchen. It makes me more likely to spend time cooking homemade meals and yummy snacks.

6. Meal Plan

Right after you clean out your kitchen, it’s a great time to make a meal plan for the coming days (or weeks!).

Meal planning is one of my favorite things to do at the start of the month. I’m not super strict with it, but it’s fun to scroll Pinterest or cookbooks, find recipes that look delicious, and plan for them!

Once you have an idea of some of the meals you might want to try, you can specify ones for the next week and plan groceries accordingly. A good meal planner will have a spot to write down meals and a corresponding grocery list.

Some of my favorite meal-planners on Amazon:

Have fun with this! Get inspired by yummy dinners, get family opinions, get creative, and get excited about some BOMB meals.

7. Change Your Sheets

This obviously should be done more than just once a month (you should be changing your sheets once a week if they’re being slept in every night), but it feels so good to start a new month with new sheets.

Since a new month feels like a clean slate to me, I love to start with a clean home, clean sheets, a clean kitchen, and a clean self. It makes me feel like I am off to a good start.

Strip your bed and put on some fresh sheets at the start of every month. You will feel great, trust me.

8. Pick a New Book

At the start of every month, I make a goal for myself in regard to reading. Whether it’s to finish just one book or read 3-4, I like to set a reading goal for myself.

Reading before bed is a positive daily habit I’ve been trying to establish for myself. So far, it’s been going really well. I’ve read 3 books in the past month and I LOVE reading before bed now. It’s my favorite way to wind down.

I’ll stop rambling about my reading habit… but, really, you should pick at least one book to focus on at the start of a new month!

{RELATED POSTS: 20 Books to Read if You’re Single in Your 20s | 24 Must-Read Books}

If you’re focused on self-improvement, this can be a great way to really work on that. Reading has so many benefits for you, your health, and your mind.

Bonus points if you read books ABOUT self-improvement. 😉

Some of my favorite self-improvement books:

Choose at least (more if you want) one book to read this month. Make it one of your goals for the month!

9. Tidy Up Your Room

A clean space is good for you.

Your mental clarity and mindset in particular benefit from having a clean living space. During a busy month, it can be easy to let our room get cluttered or messy. Clothes get thrown on the floor and cups collect on our shelves. It happens!

With that, tidying your room is a great thing to do at the start of every month. A clean room helps us get in the mindset of a new month. Motivation can be drawn from our environment.

Taking the time to set yourself up for success by tidying your environment is a great way to start a new month off on the right foot.

10. Start a 30-Day Challenge

30-day challenges are PERFECT for starting a new month. Every month, whether formal or not, I begin a new challenge for myself. These challenges always relate to some form of self-improvement – physical health, mental health, journaling, productivity, self-care, etc.

Starting a challenge is a great way to keep yourself accountable and motivated for 30 days. Many people hypothesize that it only takes 21 days to start forming a habit.

Habits are SO important… they are what make up our lives.

Every action you take is a vote for the person you wish to become.”

James clear, atomic habits

A 30-day challenge is a perfect way to start establishing the habits that you want to continue. Decide on good habits that will help you build the life you want to live and challenge yourself to it for 30 days straight.

{REALTED POST: 70 BEST 30-Day Challenge Ideas for Insane Growth}

Whether it be reading every night (this is my current challenge), hitting your step goal every day, drinking enough water, limiting screentime, or something else, find a challenge that means something for YOU and helps you achieve the life you want for yourself.

11. Organize Your Desk

An organized workspace is an essential part of being productive and successful.

Keeping your desk area organized can lead to:

• better time management
• less/no misplaced items
• less likely to forget tasks/deadlines
• more professional appearance
• increased mental clarity
• improved motivation
• better mood

If you’re someone that tends to end up with a cluttered desk after a day’s work (me too), it may be worth purchasing a desk organized to help control the chaos.

My favorite affordable desk organizers:

I found that my desk was getting really messy every day simply because there was not a place for everything. Now that I have a desk organizer with compartments and areas for all things (pens, papers, paperclips, scissors, etc.), my desk stays much cleaner and I only really need to do a deep-organize once a month or so.

This is perfect for me since organizing my desk is one of the things I do at the start of every month. Really, the once-a-month tidy is all it takes!

12. Schedule Self-Care

In my post about how to have a reset day, I talk a TON about the need to keep up with self-care. Self-care isn’t a reward… it’s a necessity.

If we don’t care for ourselves on a regular basis, we WILL burn out – mentally and physically. Specifically scheduling self-care is a great thing to do at the start of every month to ensure that you get the care you need.

I like to do this on a monthly basis so I can cater to my schedule and needs/wants that month. For example, my self-care during the holidays may look a lot different than my self-care in the summer months.

By setting some self-care goals and routines for yourself at the start of the month, you are setting yourself up for success, health, and happiness.

How do you like to start a new month?

What are the things you do at the beginning of every month? Do you have new-month routines and rituals or are you going to start with these ones?

I’d love to know how you get prepared for a new month. Leave me a comment below telling me your favorite thing about a fresh month!