It is the beginning of a new year and the beginning of a new decade, so you know what’s on everyone’s minds?
Goals. Resolutions. Habits. Whatever you want to call it.
That’s why I decided to do a series this month on some of the popular resolutions out there, and how to help you keep those resolutions in a much simpler way.
So the first thing I’m starting with is home organization. Everyone wants to be more organized, right? I love to organize, and even I want to get rid of more stuff this year and better organize what is left.
But if you are just getting started with home organization, it can seem like a huge undertaking, especially if you’re starting with a challenging area like closets, toys, or kitchens.
That’s exactly why I’m sharing 10 things you can organize in 30 minutes or less that will make a big difference and give you momentum to keep going.
The key is to start organizing in areas that you use most often. Having those areas organized will be the most satisfying and the most helpful to you.
30-Minute Home Organization Projects with Big Impact
1. Pantry
The pantry can be daunting if it is stuffed full of food, so just start by tackling one shelf at a time. First, check expiration dates. (When I clean out my pantry, I almost always find spices that are expired.) Then, toss any food you haven’t used in a long time. Consider paring down foods that are similar, such as different flours, sugars, pastas, etc.
2. Kitchen drawers
I have found that most people either have few kitchen utensils and gadgets or a ton. Unfortunately, it seems like there is never enough room in the kitchen, so every item you have takes up precious space. So that’s the real question to ask yourself: Do you use this item enough to make it worth taking up valuable space?
3. Toiletries
Toiletries, makeup, and hair products are something you probably use every day. We often have multiples here too. I’m guilty of this. I’m pretty sure I have about 9 different hair products. And don’t get me started on makeup. The thing to watch out for with makeup is product expiration. (Check out this article by Real Simple to see when different types of makeup should be replaced.)
4. Command center
If there is anything that accumulates quickly in a home, it’s mail and papers. Whether it’s bills, junk mail, school papers or coupons, it’s easy to get overwhelmed by all the paper. But this is a easy home organization task that will make a world of difference. Recycle what you don’t really need, immediately do anything that can be taken care of now, schedule reminders for what needs to be handled in the future, and keep one tray or folder for papers you must keep.
5. Laundry room
I have a lot of weaknesses, but I do manage to keep up with the laundry by washing, drying and putting away one load a day. However, I know this is a struggle for a lot of people. Maybe your laundry room has stacks of dirty clothes, clean clothes, and clothes that need to be taken out of the dryer. Enlist the help of your family (after all it is their clothes too) and put away all the clean clothes. Wash any dirty clothes you are behind on and go through your cleaning products. Toss anything that’s old or you don’t use and line up your laundry products in order of use (stain removers, detergent, fabric softener, etc) so they are easy to access.
6. Shoes
Tackling clothes would be a huge project, so we will just start with shoes. Get out all of your shoes (winter and summer) and toss anything that is broken and cannot be repaired. Set aside shoes that you haven’t worn in a year to be donated, and consider putting everything that remains in a shoe organizer or plastic boxes so you can find them quickly.
7. Fridge
How long has it been since you’ve cleaned out your fridge? Probably a while unless you have a tiny fridge that has to be cleaned out often. This can be a big undertaking, so just start with one shelf or bin at a time. Get rid of anything expired or you just don’t want anymore. Clean down the shelf and put all the items you want to keep back inside the fridge. Consider using plastic bins or organizers for some of the small items like yogurt or condiments.
8. Nightstand
Organizing your nightstand is a fast task that will likely make you feel so much better about being in your bedroom. Evaluate every item on top of the nightstand and in the drawers to decide whether you really need to have it beside your bed or whether it could go somewhere else. Also think about things you might want to add that would be helpful to you like tissues, a pen and notepad, or a pair of fuzzy socks.
9. Undergarments
Much like shoes, these should be fast to sort through. Look through your underwear, socks, and bras. Discard anything that has rips or holes and anything you hate to wear. (Ahem, granny panties.) Fold everything you want to keep neatly, and put them back in your drawers. Because these items are so small, it may be easier to keep your drawers organized if you use smaller bins to corral these items.
10. Car
Don’t forget about a place where you likely spend a lot of time—your car. Quickly go through your glove compartment, console, seats, floorboards and trunk. Take out anything that does not belong and things that need to be thrown away. One trick I use to keep my trunk tidy is to put items I want to keep in the car (umbrella, ice scraper, extra blanket, etc) in a laundry basket. This keeps smaller things from rolling around in my trunk.
And when these projects are done, look for other projects you can complete in 30 minutes or break down into 30-minute chunks.
You can have an organized house this year if you break it up into small, manageable projects and spread them throughout the year. Remember how you eat an elephant? One bite at a time.
If you’re ready to get started, then you need this FREE printable that will let you check off home organization projects as you complete them and note how long they took to do. Seeing that it really doesn’t take that long to organize something will motivate you to keep going. You can get your FREE 30-minute organizing projects printable here.
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