How To Get Organized In One Hour Or Less
If you're anything like the average person, you split your time between work, playtime, meal prep, housework and a million other little things. For those who can't find the time to fit in home organization, we're providing tips on how to tackle it bit by bit. So, whether you have an extra ten minutes, or an hour in each day, you can still live the NEAT life!
It typically takes a minimum of two hours for us to complete an entire space from start to finish. When time is limited, we recommend taking it slow and tackling one category at a time instead. If your goal is to organize your kitchen, start with glasses one day, move to dishes the next, then pots and pans....you get the idea. Lastly, don't purchase product until you've completely finished a space, because you'll likely shift things around as you go.
10 Minute Projects
Dish Towels : Empty your dish towel drawer. Ruthlessly edit, setting aside damaged items to use as rags. Fold towels to the height of your drawer and store upright in color order.
Kitchen Counter : Clear your counter for a clutter-free visual. Tuck utensils into a drawer near the stove and stow small appliances in lower cupboards or on pantry shelves.
Baking Pans : Set aside those that are worn out or hardly used, for donation. Implement a sorter and stand them upright near your oven if possible.
Socks : Go through your sock drawer. Edit out pairs with holes, or those you no longer wear. Lay each pair flat, then fold to the height of your drawer and “file” them upright using dividers as necessary.
Purse : Go through your purse. Dump it out, tossing trash including old receipts. Categorize the contents and relocate or donate any unnecessary duplicates like pens. Place each category in its own pocket or pouch.
Shower : Take inventory of what you’re keeping in your shower. If you have duplicates, consider storing the extras elsewhere. Add a caddy if necessary for additional shelving.
30 Minute Projects
Spices : Pull your spices out of the space. Toss any expired items. Decant into matching spice jars and label, or commit to buying just one brand moving forward for a cohesive look. Replace in on a riser or in a shallow drawer in alphabetical order.
Utensils : Gather all utensils and gadgets from around your house and sort them by type. Edit out any duplicates that are never dirty at the same time. Pick your favorite and set the rest aside for donation.
Food Storage : Pull it all out. Match tops with bottoms, making sure none are hiding elsewhere in the house. Dispose of or donate mismatched pieces. Stack like with like, keeping lids separate within a bin or drawer divider.
Accessories : Focus on accessories. If you have a lot.. tackle one category at a time. Purge items that are worn or collecting dust and sort the rest into categorized bins by color. Display hats and purses when possible.
Utility Drawer: Empty it out, then categorize, setting aside trash, broken or dried up writing utensils and items that belong elsewhere. Put often used, go-to items back, making sure not to overload the drawer. Add organizers as necessary.
Medicine : Toss all those expired items making sure to dispose of prescription drugs safely. Sort by category (pain, cold, first aid) into separate bins if possible, and label. Store out of reach of children.
1 Hour Projects
Wardrobe : Focus on just one category in your wardrobe. Pull it all out and think about when an item was last worn as you decide what to donate. Try on clothing to see what no longer fits. Don't be afraid to FaceTime a friend for advice. Place items back in color order.
Shoes : Pull out all your shoes and sort by type then color. Once you can see them all, it will make it easier to edit out pairs that are uncomfortable or “well loved”. Place them back, using modular shelves or clear shoe boxes as necessary.
Kitchen Station : Create a station for your most frequent habit such as coffee making or baking. Place all tools and supplies in nearby cupboards and drawers to avoid hopping around the kitchen.
Refrigerator : Toss expired food and condiments. Wipe the interior down. Sort into categories and designate areas of your fridge for specific categories, labeling as necessary. Don't forget to create a "home" for leftovers!
Drop Zone : Limit each family member to one or two sweaters/jackets and pairs of shoes to keep by the door; more if you have space. Create communal baskets for go-to shoes, hats, and other items. Relocate the rest to individual bedrooms.
Bathroom Vanity : Empty everything out! Sort by type, then edit old or expired items. Place it all back, storing everyday items in the top drawer and tall bottles under the sink.
Once you've finished a space, it's time to shop for any necessary product to contain categories. Measure first, label last! You'll thank us later. Lastly, snap a picture of your quick organization project to share with us by tagging @neatmethod on social! If you're still feeling overwhelmed, please reach out and let us help. We offer customized in-home organizing services for an end result that will bring a welcome calm.
We are Ashley and Marissa, the founders of Neat Method.
Lets face it – we obviously love to organize and are a little…or maybe we should say a lot type-A. This perfect storm created The Neat Life. Welcome! We’ve seen it all, heard it all, organized it all, and are always obsessed with seeing a perfectly NEAT space. Even if a clutter free space doesn’t tickle your fancy as much as ours, we guarantee you will be entertained by our antics and drive to make the world a NEAT-er place!
