Here's another fifteen minute project...clean out and organize a few kitchen drawers. I worked on my junk drawer, the drawer that holds the phone books and my silverware drawer. That drawer led to organizing my utinsil drawer. Overall it ended up taking twenty minutes and things got sorted and put where they belong.
If you do this for the next three days, most of your kitchen drawers will be organized! A great time to do this is while something is baking in the oven.
Showing posts with label Fifteen Minutes. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Fifteen Minutes. Show all posts
Let's Talk Kitchens..Another Fifteen Minute Project
I decided yesterday I would tackle the cabinet where I store all my spices. I’m not a big fan of cooking, so my cabinet that has my spices doesn’t get much attention. I probably haven’t attempted to organize this cabinet in years!
I took everything out. I had a few things (bread crumbs, fried onions that you put on green bean casserole, gluten free flour and baking powder) that were almost empty and expired. I had to throw those items away. I found some SpongeBob tattoos that didn’t belong in my spice cabinet, as well as a baggie of Chuckie Cheese tickets. Those items were moved.
Then I divided my spices into “sweet and salty”. The sweet baking supplies went on the right and the cooking seasonings went on the left. On the bottom shelf I use my three-step shelf system. It works great because you can see what you’ve got in a deep cabinet. It works best if the shortest items are in the front, tallest in the back. I purchased mine years ago at Walmart.
The second shelf has cooking oils, measuring cups and other tall spices.
My top shelf has candles and matches if the power goes out. It also has my meat tenderizer and a funnel. I suppose you never know when you need a funnel!
I used a small basket usually for pencils and pens and put all my packet seasonings in it. This is a great way to store these!
I took everything out. I had a few things (bread crumbs, fried onions that you put on green bean casserole, gluten free flour and baking powder) that were almost empty and expired. I had to throw those items away. I found some SpongeBob tattoos that didn’t belong in my spice cabinet, as well as a baggie of Chuckie Cheese tickets. Those items were moved.
Then I divided my spices into “sweet and salty”. The sweet baking supplies went on the right and the cooking seasonings went on the left. On the bottom shelf I use my three-step shelf system. It works great because you can see what you’ve got in a deep cabinet. It works best if the shortest items are in the front, tallest in the back. I purchased mine years ago at Walmart.
The second shelf has cooking oils, measuring cups and other tall spices.
My top shelf has candles and matches if the power goes out. It also has my meat tenderizer and a funnel. I suppose you never know when you need a funnel!
I used a small basket usually for pencils and pens and put all my packet seasonings in it. This is a great way to store these!
Another 15-20 Minute Project
I decided to clean-out/organize my coat closet. This would also help clean out my laundry room which has been a dumping ground for winter coats and accessories!
I have a shelf on top of my coat closet. I put two plastic baskets on this shelf. One shelf has my childrens gloves, hats, mittens and scarves. The other has my husband and my winter accessories. I also sorted through all the gloves and mittens and discarded any without a match.
I moved all the ski clothes and major winter clothes out of my laundry room to this closet. I put snow boots on the floor.
My only issue was my husbands collection of baseball caps. I'm not sure how many baseball caps he needs, so they are now in a basket on the top shelf!
I ended up with 2 sacks of stuff to take to Goodwill, and a very clean front closet. I'd say it was a productive 20 minutes, and my laundry room is thanking me!
I have a shelf on top of my coat closet. I put two plastic baskets on this shelf. One shelf has my childrens gloves, hats, mittens and scarves. The other has my husband and my winter accessories. I also sorted through all the gloves and mittens and discarded any without a match.
I moved all the ski clothes and major winter clothes out of my laundry room to this closet. I put snow boots on the floor.
My only issue was my husbands collection of baseball caps. I'm not sure how many baseball caps he needs, so they are now in a basket on the top shelf!
I ended up with 2 sacks of stuff to take to Goodwill, and a very clean front closet. I'd say it was a productive 20 minutes, and my laundry room is thanking me!
Weekend Assignment: 15 minutes
Pick one area that needs to be organized/decluttered/purged. I am going to pick the medicine cabinet. Have a trashcan ready!
First: Take everything out!
Second: Sort through the mess; throw away anything old, expired, or unusable.
Third: Look at the remaining pile and double check to make sure that you need everything.
Fourth: Put things back. Make sure you can see everything, so you know what you have.
In 15 minutes, you have just done a fantastic job of organizing!!
First: Take everything out!
Second: Sort through the mess; throw away anything old, expired, or unusable.
Third: Look at the remaining pile and double check to make sure that you need everything.
Fourth: Put things back. Make sure you can see everything, so you know what you have.
In 15 minutes, you have just done a fantastic job of organizing!!
Step 5: Decluttering and Organizing your Small Spaces
You've made your list and now you want to get started.These areas are pretty small and you can try the pile system where you donate/sell/keep/trash, but in reality the easiest thing to do is to either keep it or pitch it (recycle it)!
Remember these are your small areas. Areas you can do in 15 minutes like junk drawers, sock drawers, areas under sinks, or a shelf in the linen closet (WARNING: this can lead to the entire linen closet needing to be cleaned out, so I'd suggest the linen closet when you have more than 15 minutes).
*Take a before picture!
I just did under my bathroom sink, which is probably the most unattractive part to my house! I had 4 bottles of hotel shampoo that were all sticky... TRASH. I had the ice packs that you fold in half to activate that they give you when you have a baby.... TRASH. Now maybe you are thinking, "wait, you might use those!" Well, maybe someday...but for almost 3 years they have sat under there waiting to be used, and every time we have the need for an ice pack, I just go to the freezer and get one. Now maybe you are thinking, "wait, someone could have used those!" Well, I'm too embarrassed to give the Goodwill my extra childbirth ice packs, so there is no place for them but the trash! I do not feel guilty and you should not feel guilty either! I also had 2 bottles of lotion that had about 1.5% of lotion left in them....TRASH.
I also had 4 boxes of contacts, lysol, clorox wipes, toilet paper, extra conditioner, soap, shampoo and cleaners. All of those things were staying.
This is when the baskets come in handy. It is almost better to wait and get baskets after you see what you have left; that way you get the right size.
Then you put everything away, and everything has a home.
*Take an after picture, so you can see what a fantastic job you did!
Step 3: Your Purse or 15 minutes
Disclaimer: Purses are not clutter, purses are accessories!I got a new purse for Christmas and I love it! It is perfect for me. I love purses, but my fun, large, slouchy purse was driving me crazy because everything would fall into one spot and it was like a large black hole finding anything!
The purse I got finally works for me. It has a built in wallet. I love this feature! It also has a pocket in the front for my blackberry. Then the main pocket holds the following: lipstick, lip gloss, gum (all in the inside zipper pocket), mini hand-sanitizer, band aids (in a slip pocket), small notepad, pen, car keys and small planner (when needed). It even has room if I want to throw in my small digital camera.
Your mission is to clean out your purse. Remember the OUT basket, from Step 2... put any receipts that are floating around in your purse in the out basket. Throw away any trash that has accumulated. Then decided what you really need to carry around with you.
One of my co-workers always had the cutest purses and they were so tiny (she has 5 children). She said, "if I carry a large purse, I'll just carry around stuff I don't need." What do you really need in your purse?
Maybe you don't want to start with your purse. You'll need to find something that you can clean and organize in 15 minutes. Here are some ideas: cabinets under kitchen sink, cabinets under bathroom sinks, medicine cabinet, spice cabinet, jewelry box, 1 junk drawer.
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)