It’s easy to think that you can’t change the state of your home if you don’t have a significant amount of time, but this simply isn’t true. If you have 10 minutes and want to do something kind for your future self, do one of these 10-minute tidying tasks! If you choose one a day, your home will look and feel different in less than two weeks.
Investing time and energy into tidying your home not only saves you time and money, it can even improve your mental health. Here are 10 tasks sure to change the way your home looks and feels.
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10 Minute Tidying Tasks
- Clean out your fridge. Toss anything that’s expired, wipe down shelves, dig to the bottom of drawers. Your future self will thank you when she comes home with groceries and has plenty of space for them.
- Go through that paper pile. You know the one I’m talking about. Sort your mail, school papers, and receipts into three piles: recycle, file, handle. Handle whatever needs handling.
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- Clear off your dresser. You know the saying, “Don’t put it down, put it away”? I really need to follow that one for my dresser. The thermometer that goes back in the bathroom, the shirt I tried on but didn’t wear, the bracelets I did wear yesterday… my dresser becomes a dumping ground. If yours does, too, take a few minutes to clear it off.
- Box up those donations. Again, a minor task that I just can’t seem to do until things have been sitting around for a while. I am SO GOOD at finding donations and putting them in a pile, but I’m terrible at actually boxing them up and dropping them off/scheduling a pickup. You, too? Today’s the day! Grab a box or a trash bag and take care of business!
- Tidy your entryway. There’s nothing nicer than walking in the door and seeing a nice clean space. Unfortunately, with how much traffic entryways get, it’s hard to keep these spaces neat. Spend a few minutes making sure everything that’s in your entry is still useful and belongs there. I’m betting you can find a bunch of items that belong somewhere else.
- Reset your pantry. The pantry is another high-traffic area that needs a good reset every few weeks. If you have ten minutes to tidy, look through your pantry. Tidy everything up, remove any expired foods you see, and toss any empty boxes (If you share your pantry with a family, you probably have at least one in there).
Related Post: Pantry Organization
- Clear your bathroom counter. Next on our list of 10-minute tidying tasks is the bathroom counter. The madness of mornings doesn’t lend itself to keeping spaces tidy, so your bathroom may take a hit with your morning preparations. Now that you have a few minutes, tidy your bathroom counter. Put away any makeup, medicines, lotions, and whatever else you find on your counter. Give everything a quick wipe when you’re finished.
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- Tidy your desk. The best way to be productive at work is to have a clean space. Take a few minutes to tidy papers (add some vertical storage if you are a piler), clear dirty dishes, put pens away, and throw away scraps of paper you no longer need. Dust your space off and wipe down your keyboard, too!
- Straighten a bookshelf. Tidying up a bookshelf is a great way to make a room feel neater! Spend a few minutes removing books from the shelf that you read and won’t read again, your kids are too old for, or you’re just not interested in. Rearrange the rest of the books. Stack some up, group some by color—change it up just for fun!
Related Post: How to Reduce Visual Clutter
- Simplify your nightstand. There’s nothing more annoying in the middle of the night than reaching for something on your nightstand and knocking over a bunch of other things. People with simpler spaces sleep better, so simplifying your nightstand is a helpful first step. Remove anything from the top of your nightstand that isn’t an absolute necessity. If you have drawers, simplify and organize them. If you don’t have drawers, consider putting all your necessities (lotions, vitamins, nail file, etc.) in a basket.
10 Minutes Makes a Difference
Don’t fall into the trap of thinking that if you don’t have hours to clean and organize you can’t make a difference. Just a few minutes a day of tidying, organizing, decluttering, and maintaining order can make a HUGE difference in the long run.
Would you add any other 10-minute tidying tasks to this list?
