50 Things To Do In 5 Minutes
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I'm not suggesting you complete 50 tasks in 5 minutes. This isn't some kind of scavenger hunt. Rather it's 50 separate suggestions of things you can accomplish in 5 minutes.
We all love dramatic before and after photos. It's amazing to see all we can accomplish with enough time and resources. But the reality is that most of our life isn't made up of a day or half-day spent on organizing projects. Our lives are made up of 5 minutes of availability squeezed in between work, changing diapers, getting out the door, folding laundry and watching Netflix. And that's how we live organized... by taking advantage of those moments.
So the next time you have 5 minutes, step away from Instagram (where you know you'll spend way more than 5 minutes once you’re sucked into it) and try to do one of these things to make your life a little simpler, your home a little more organized and your heart a little happier.
Check Voicemail & delete old messages
Schedule an annual doctor visit for yourself (& write it on the calendar)
Delete 25 out-dated emails from your inbox
File a small stack of papers
Shred a few old bills
Repair a loose button
Throw out expired or old condiments from the fridge
Clean out your purse (or at least one section of it!)
Delete bad photos from your phone (search on today’s day in your phone and look at any photo taken “today” in prior years)
Sort a pile of papers on your counter
Clear out the ice cubes that have collected in the bottom of the freezer
Review what’s on the top shelf of the pantry (it’s probably expired)
Toss expired spices and add them to your shopping list to replace
Cleanse your garbage disposal by running it with a cut up lemon, baking soda and ice cubes
Clear one clutter "hot spot"
Refill the soap dispensers in all the bathrooms
Update your voicemail message
Plan your dinner menu for the week
Choose 3 things from the closet that you'll never wear again and put them in the donate box
Update your Netflix queue
Write a love note to your spouse or significant other
Transfer the $5 you didn't spend on coffee this morning from your checking account to your savings account
Write a card to a friend
Update your child's baby book
Throw out expired medications
Clear out the containers of last week's leftovers from the fridge
Answer 1 important email that you keep putting off
Uninstall 3 apps from your phone that you never use
Add critical numbers to your cell phone contact list - poison control, local sheriff department, doctor, dentist and other key doctors
Move your donation bag/box to the trunk of your car so you can drop it off on your next trip out
Restock your diaper bag with wipes, diapers, diaper cream, a small snack & a bottle of water
Check your coat closet for out of season items that need to be moved
Research options for your next vacation
Search for a new recipe to try with ingredients you already have on Epicurious or All Recipes
Clean off your doorbell and exterior door knob to make the welcome warmer for visitors
Put away 5 things that are not in their correct home
Dust the television & electronic components
Clean the fingerprints off your the lightswitches around the house
Clear out the unmatched socks from your drawer
Sweep out the side of the garage without a car in it
Empty your shredder and the bottom tray on your 3-hole punch
Empty the crumb tray on the toaster and wipe off the finger prints from the outside
Remove 3 outdated documents from the front of the fridge
Delete 3 recurring timers from your DVR of shows that you never watch or that have been canceled
Microwave a bowl of water with lemon juice for 3 minutes to loosen gunk then wipe down the microwave with a damp cloth
Clear out the unnecessary receipts gathered in your George Costanza wallet
Send a quick "thinking of you" email to 3 friends
Unscrew the filters from your faucets and soak in a small bowl of white vinegar to clear the mineral deposits
Update your to-do list. Eliminate one thing you don't really need to do and probably won't do anyway
Read a Delightfully Organized blog post!