How to De-Clutter in 15 Minutes






As you know, I recommend that you spend at least 15 minutes every day on your organizing.  But... if you have a lot to do, will 15 minutes even make a difference?

The answer is a resounding YES!  You CAN make a difference in your home in only 15 minutes.

I found a great blog post from Better Homes & Gardens entitled "How to De-Clutter in 15 Minutes" which tells you what to do with that time.

So... the big question is... where to start?

Here are the questions to ask yourself.
1. What bothers me the most?
2. What would make me feel the best if it were done.
3. Which area has the most visibility?

Armed with the answers to those three questions, I have included excerpts from the BH&G article that tell you how to de-clutter the most prominent areas.

The next blog will tell you how to de-clutter the more hidden areas, and after that I will give you some ideas of things you can do when you only have 5 minutes to work on your clutter.

Happy Organizing!

Marsha Sims
www.sortitout.net

Declutter Your Kitchen Cabinets

If you have 5 minutes: Simply straighten the insides of your most disorganized or most frequently accessed cabinets and drawers. Bringing order to the things you use most often will make daily routines easier.

If you have 10 minutes: Spend a little time doing the organizational tasks you always think about when you?re cooking but don?t have time to do in the moment, such as relocating your cooking utensils to a drawer closer to your range.

If you have 15 minutes: Do a quick sort-and-toss. Put items you never use into a donation box, and toss gadgets that no longer work or are past their prime.

Declutter Your Clothing Closet

If you have 5 minutes: Hang up clothes that are draped over your designated drop spot, such as on a chair.

If you have 10 minutes: Reorganize the hanging bar in your closet by item type, placing all of your shirts in one section, pants in another, etc.

If you have 15 minutes: After you organize the hanging bar, target one other area, such as the top shelf or the floor of your closet. Come back as you have time, such as five minutes before hitting the hay, to organize the next section until you've worked through the whole closet.

Declutter the Bathroom

If you have 5 minutes: Put away anything on the countertops, and pull the shower curtainclosed to conceal any bathtub clutter.

If you have 10 minutes: Straighten any open displays, and relocate items that don?t belong in the bathroom.

If you have 15 minutes: Dive into the vanity cabinet and any other storage space. Toss items that are outdated or unused. Corral items by type into baskets or bins.

Declutter Your Entryway

If you have 5 minutes: Straighten up the shoes and coats.

If you have 10 minutes: Entryways, as coming-and-going spots, tend to collect more than their fair share of clutter. Do a quick cleanup, and return items to their rightful places.

If you have 15 minutes: Hang hooks or pegs to give coats and bags a home instead of the floor.