What to Organize When Stuck At Home
Part 1
I don’t know about you, but when I heard that we might be facing weeks stuck at home as a strategy to #flattenthecurve one of my thoughts was, “At least I will finally have some time to tackle those items on my to-do list that never seem to get done.”
In times of uncertainty it is natural to want to focus on things that we can control – like finally de-cluttering your closet. But, if you are already overwhelmed by your surroundings, taking the first step is often the hardest part. That is where this list comes in. A two-week, two-part guide to small home organizing projects you can tackle that will help you feel like you’ve got the household under control. By design, these projects can be done in short blocks of time. We know there is a lot going on, and, chances are, your kids are home too, which means you will be squeezing this in between other activities. We got you. Do what you can, when you can. Every little bit adds up. By the end of our time at home, you will have less clutter and more room to breathe.
Boost your productivity by organizing your To Do list by location of where your task needs to take place.
Project 1: To Do List
All successful projects begin with a plan. No doubt in the past few days you have thought about 700 things that you could get done during this time at home. Take 15 minutes to write it all down. Once it is on paper, determine which 5 tasks are your priority. Then, pull out your calendar to schedule them.
Project 2: Junk Drawer
A junk drawer can be cleaned out and reorganized in 20 minutes. First, grab a trash bag and a “move elsewhere” bin. Then, pull everything out of the drawer, placing in the trash or “move elsewhere” as appropriate. Drawer dividers are great for corralling little parts and pieces and keeping the drawer neat. In a pinch, little boxes can be repurposed as well.
Project 3: Medicine Cabinet
As with a junk drawer, have a trash bin and move elsewhere bin handy before you begin. As you pull each item off the shelf, check the expiration date. Group expired items together and take a picture so you know what needs to be re-stocked. Of the keepers, sort like with like and put everything back in that order.
Project 4: Kids Books
Have a sturdy donation bag handy. Set the timer on your phone for 20 minutes. Focus on one shelf at a time. Pull out each book. Set aside to donate: books that your child has outgrown, duplicates, books that you find annoying or that make annoying sounds, esp if there is no off switch. If your young child is around ask them to pick out books they want you to read to them. (The others you know are not as likely to get read and can be set aside or donated.) If your older child is around, ask them to pick out books they won’t read again; donate the rest.
Once the timer goes off, start putting the keepers back on the shelves, arranged by height or by color. If you have more books than shelf space, put those that don’t fit in a bin in the closet. Swap them in periodically. Keep books that your child is years away from reading on a shelf at the top of a closet. (See our Resources page for our favorite places to donate books.)
Project 5: Create a Grab ‘n Go Makeup Drawer
A Grab ‘n Go Makeup Drawer will change your life. I am not exaggerating. Imagine having every item you need to get ready for work or school at your fingertips. No rummaging, no searching. Here’s how it’s done: sort your make up by type. Pick out the products you use daily or weekly. Toss shades you no longer love or anything that has a funky odor (makeup goes bad sooner that most of us realize.) Put sample sizes in a “travel” bin. Keep everyday essentials in the most accessible place possible, like the top drawer of your vanity. Everything else, including duplicates, can be placed in a lower drawer or under the sink. Use drawer dividers to keep everything organized.
Project 6: Food Storage Containers
You will be amazed at the amount of space you will find once you get your collection of Tupperware under control. First, pull all of your pieces of Tupperware out of the cabinets or shelves. Then, try to match tops to bottoms. Toss orphans, any part that is stained, melted, or cracked, or sizes you don’t really use. When putting the keepers back, I like to nest bottoms and use the largest container to store all of the tops. If you have a lot of space, you can store sets together.
Project 7: Toss 20 Things in 20 Minutes
Hooray! You have made it this far. This last task involves quickly collecting the surface clutter. By this I mean the assortment of little, useless things that are hogging up the prime real estate throughout your home. Often times, you are so used to having these items lying around, you seem to see past them. In fact you can even involve your kids by turning it into a scavenger hunt. Grab a garbage bin and donation bag, and start tossing, recycling, or donating these items:
1. Wire hangers.
2. Plastic hangers that have lost their shape.
3. Plastic bags from the dry cleaner. (Protect garments by storing them in canvas hanging bags.)
4. Any piece of clothing that is stained or stretched out, including undergarments.
5. Anything with a layer of dust on it.
6. Orphan socks. (You’ve managed this long without the pair, it’s okay to repurpose them as rags or toss them.)
7. Any article of clothing that is no longer flattering.
8. Expired medicine.
9. Expired sunscreen.
10. Food that has lived deep in the recess of your freezer since 2010.
11. The goodie bag candy your child received at last month’s birthday party.
12. Mismatched mugs.
13. Promotional plastic cups and related freebies.
14. Duplicates: you don’t need 8 spatulas or 4 can openers.
15. Half-used, long forgotten candles.
16. Markers without caps – and caps without markers.
17. Completed coloring books.
18. Takeout menus from restaurants you don't really like.
19. Chargers from gadgets you no longer own.
20. Anything that bugs you every time you see it.
Projects 8 to 14 will be posted soon.