Thanks to Cindy Bernstein of Aim4Order for this episode of Tips from the Pros with a blog about quick organizing tasks.

Spending hours or days organizing can give you big results. Unfortunately, most of us don’t have the stamina or time to spend doing it. Here are some decluttering jobs you can do in 10-30 minutes.

Kitchen counters

Your counters should be clear of everything not used on a daily basis. For example, you can leave the toaster and coffee pot if you use them most days. But that bread making machine needs to be put away. 

If you have tools like a big spoon, spaghetti stirrer or spatula that you use often and you want to have them handy, put them in something like a large vase so they are not simply laying around on the counter. Also, decluttering the kitchen will allow you to find things easier and spend less time preparing meals.

Kitchen or pantry shelf

Check expirations. While they last a long time, canned goods do eventually expire. Organize your spices. Do you have multiples of a spice you rarely use? Toss the older one. Anything that is not expired and unopened, and you know you’ll never eat, can go to a shelter or food bank. If you have one or two cans, it’s not really worth the trouble. But if you have a lot of food to donate, it can provide a nice meal for someone in need.

Refrigerator

Do you have notorious family members who use almost all of something like milk or juice and then put the container with two drops left in it back in the refrigerator? Go through and pull out those things and add them to your shopping list. Remove expired items including condiments. 

Look at produce and other perishables to evaluate if they are worth saving. Wasting food is not good, but saving things that will never be eaten is a waste of space.

You can check out the freezer too. Do you have ice cube trays with one ice cube in them? Refill those. Frozen food cannot be saved indefinitely. Start labeling food when you put it in the freezer so you know how long it’s been in there.

Entryway

Do you have a designated drop zone for keys, purses and backpacks? If not, set up one. Put shoes back where they belong. Place dry umbrellas in their storage space. Tidying up that area is important because it gets a lot of traffic and tends to collect things that don’t belong there. 

Junk Drawer

We all have at least one junk drawer. Take everything out of the drawer and get rid of things you don’t need. Multiple items like if you have several corkscrews, can be tossed as well. Some things might have a better home elsewhere. You’ll have a lot more space and it will be easier to find things if the drawer is less cluttered.

Dresser drawer

Take just one drawer and see what you can donate or toss in order to make the most of these quick organizing tasks. The sock and/or underwear drawer is a good starting place. Throw out anything that has holes, is faded or stained. If you feel inspired, keep going to the next drawer.

Living room

The living room is another area that gets cluttered easily. As a result, things tend to go in there, but don’t always get put away where they belong. Clear surfaces so they are easier to keep clean. Put things away that have storage space in other rooms.

Dining room

Is there room to eat at your dining table? If not, clear it so it can be used again. Put items away in the rooms where they belong and have dinner at the table again. If there are papers on the table, sort them and recycle any trash. After decluttering, wipe down the table so you can eat there.

Home office

Get rid of clutter on your desk. Only keep things you use daily on the surface of your desk. Most things can be put away at the end of the day. Pens, scissors, letter opener and other supplies can be put in a decorative glass or vase so they are handy without being messy.

Bathroom

Make sure the countertops, back of the toilet and sink area are as clear as possible. Of course, you need to have your toothbrush conveniently located along with toothpaste and hand soap. Most things can go under the sink, which can be another disaster area, or put away elsewhere.

Decluttering your home

In addition, you don’t have to spend an entire day decluttering your home. If you do small jobs each day, you will start to see a change right away. Contact me if you need help with these quick organizing tasks.

Buying or selling your home? Contact Gigi today!
Oh by the way, I’m never too busy for any of your referrals.