10-Minute Organizing Projects to Make You Feel Better About Your Day

The thought of tackling the tsunami in your garage or the jumbled mess in your closet can be overwhelming, often leading to the decision to avoid the project altogether. However, according to the lifestyle experts at Martha Stewart, there’s a different way to approach organizational projects around the home: in 10-minute chunks.

While we understandably drag our feet about cleaning projects that stand to take hours, focusing on quick organizational tasks can help us chip away at a larger problem or avoid ever getting to that stage in the first place.

Not sure what you can possibly get done in 10 minutes? Try one of the following rapid-fire tasks and start slowly gaining control of your life and home:

Create a mail file. Does that growing pile of mail on your countertop give you a knot in your stomach? Put an end to the insanity by using a three-section magazine stand to quickly file mail into appropriate categories, such as “needs action,” “file,” and “shred.” Junk mail, of course, should go directly in the garbage.

Create a tidy box (or bag): Is clutter getting out of control? Grab a box or bag, pick a room, and place anything that doesn’t belong there or that you want to get rid of into your container. When you have another 10 minutes, grab another box and choose a different room. Sort through your boxes to return items to their rightful place or discard them altogether.

Inspect your spice rack. Spice racks, drawers or cabinets are notorious for becoming overcrowded and outdated. Take a quick inventory and discard any that are past their prime. Ground spices should only be kept for six months to a year, whole spices are good for a couple of years.

One drawer at a time. If your bureau is an intimidating collection of disorganized drawers, take it one drawer at a time. Start with your socks or tackle your T-shirt drawer, for example. This will quickly allow you to sort, fold and discard one area at a time, and before you know it, every drawer will be in order.

Streamline your nightstand. Our bedrooms should be a place of serenity, but our nightstands often tell a different story. Take 10 minutes and go through your pile of books, shelving most and keeping the one or two that you’re actually reading, get rid of hair ties, medicines, coffee mugs, loose change, random jewelry and whatever else tends to accumulate on your bedside table. This return to order will give you an important sense of calm when you retire for the evening.

Don’t forget that organizing your digital life will work wonders toward restoring order as well, so take 10 minutes to unsubscribe from emails and get rid of unused apps on your phone. Enjoy the breathing room that this restores in your life.