Organizing doesn’t have to be a full-time job. Just a few minutes of tidying will make a huge difference. Once you get into the groove of straightening up and putting things away, you’ll feel energized and ready to tackle the next project. Clearing clutter is addictive! Here are four places to organize that probably need some attention that can either be completed in an hour or in little chunks as you have time throughout the day.
Image Via Hillside Lane Blog
The Front Entry (or whatever door gets the most use). Chances are this is where keys, mail, and other items get tossed at the end of the day. Take a second to place items in their proper home and tidy up the rest. Use hooks, small trays, or a magazine rack to keep this area neat going forward. It’ll make getting out the door in the morning much easier!
Time investment: 5 minutes
The Junk Drawer. Your junk drawer is probably a black hole of receipts, pens, old rubber bands, marbles, and other items that have no other home but here. Take everything out of the drawer and put back only what truly is essential: a pen, notebook, scissors, batteries, tape, etc. Anything that is broken, outdated, or non-essential has to go. File away those receipts, discard bits of string, and corral your batteries.
Time investment: 10 minutes
The Linen Closet. Like the junk drawer, the linen closet seems to trap things that shouldn’t really be there, like seldom-used serving platters and spare boxes of aluminum foil. Remove items that you have in excess: threadbare towels that no one likes to use, extra sheets, and so forth. Donate any items that are still usable but you don’t need (animal shelters can always use towels). Relocate things that should be kept elsewhere. Take a few minutes to group like items together using baskets and bins or just neat stacks.
Time investment: 15 minutes
The Pantry. An organized pantry makes meal prep and grocery shopping easier. Take stock of what you have (bonus points if you keep a running list) and pay attention to expiration dates. Toss anything that is expired. Donate what you won’t use or what you have in excess. Wipe down the shelves and any appliances that may be stored in there. When you put items back in, make sure you can easily reach your items and you can see the what it is so you’ll actually use it.
Time investment: 15 minutes
