Short on time but need to do some organizing? Break it down into small organizing projects and you’ll find that you can organize even when you don’t have time or energy. Make a quick list of organizing projects that you need to do, set a timer, and take one on when you have a couple extra minutes.
The easiest way to break down any organizing project is to look at your project in a smaller scale. Organizing a pantry might seem daunting but if you break it down into shelves and take on one shelf each evening after work for a week, that overwhelming pantry isn’t quite as mountainous.
Simple steps to take when organizing:
Do a quick sort – put the items into one of these 4 categories:
- Keep – these items stay in this area
- Toss – these items get thrown out or recycled
- Donate/Sell – these items get donated or sold (consignment, Facebook Marketplace, etc.)
- Relocate – these items are in the wrong spot and need to be brought somewhere else in the home
15 Minute Organizing Projects
Silverware Drawer – Sort silverware, putting like items together. If there are extras or too many of certain items, let them go.
Utensil Holder – Empty your utensil holder, wash utensil holder if needed and only put back often used items. Duplicates? Maybe you can let those go.
Quick Sort Clothing – Do a quick sort of your clothing (or someone else’s clothing) and clear out any items that you don’t wear. Don’t concentrate on how much you get through, just set a timer for 15 minutes and do what you can. Check out this post on how to create a capsule wardrobe with clothes you already own.
Toiletries – Sort toiletries by categories. Choose a couple categories that make sense and do a quick sort and contain. Here’s how I organize our toiletries.
Spice Cabinet – You can go through your spices and eliminate extras, expired items, almost empty containers. Another little thing you can do is to decant baking supplies. This takes a couple minutes and makes a big impact.
Sort/File Recipes – If you have a stack of recipes to sort in your recipe binder, this is a great little mini organizing project. Alternatively you can go through your recipe binder and recycle and recipes that you aren’t going to make again.
Paperwork – Have a stack of paperwork on a counter? Do a quick sort and file. Set up a system for those incoming papers moving forward. Here’s a post on my 3 folder system.
Office Supplies – Open a drawer, empty and sort it. Group like items together and put them back in a way that makes sense for your needs.
And a couple other areas you can organize in 15 minutes:
- sheets
- towels
- under the kitchen sink
- under a bathroom sink
- a shelf
- a book stack
- toy basket or bin
- junk drawer
- batteries
- cords
- water bottles
- food storage containers
What other quick organizing projects can you tackle in 15 minutes or less? Tell us in the comments!
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