When it comes to your home, you may be someone whose drawers, closets, and cabinets are always pristine and impeccably organized, ensuring that everything has a place. Or, perhaps you tend to cram as much stuff as possible into a cabinet until it overflows and will no longer close, then get stressed out about it. If, like many of us, you fall into that second category, chances are the thought of cleaning and organizing your home feels overwhelming, and maybe even insurmountable.
Instead of starting to tackle the mess, I’ll try to distract myself from the anxiety of living in a disorderly space by watching TV or reading, and then feel guilty about spending that time doing something other than cleaning. For the longest time, I thought of cleaning and organizing my apartment as an all-or-nothing task, where I’d have to dedicate days to clearing out the clutter and putting everything back in order.
One day, I got distracted while retrieving something from my medicine cabinet, and ended up cleaning and organizing it. Even though it was full beyond capacity—to the point where something would fall out and hit me on the head every time I opened it—I managed to get it neat and tidy in about a half hour. I was amazed at how much better I felt after accomplishing this task I had been putting off for years, and wondered what other small, manageable projects I could take on next. To get some ideas, I spoke with three professional organizers to gather seven organization tasks you can tackle in an hour—or less.
Organizing Tasks That Take an Hour or Less
Under the Bathroom Sink
The small cabinet below a bathroom sink can hold a surprisingly large amount. Not only is it a great place to stash some toilet paper, but it’s also a handy spot for storing various toiletries and personal care products—sometimes too many. To clean out the area under your sink, Godding recommends pulling everything out, then sorting it into categories—like cleaning products, haircare, soap, lotion, paper goods, personal items, etc. Throw out anything that is damaged or expired, and donate unwanted items.
Consider which items might be better off being stored somewhere else. “You might want to evict towels, toys, lightbulbs, and tools,” Godding says. “Smaller items, like medication and makeup, might be better suited for a drawer.” Once it’s empty, wipe out the cabinet using an all-purpose cleaner. Maximize the space you have with products like bins, caddies, or stacking modular drawers and bins. “As you put everything back in the cabinet, consider visibility and ease of accessibility as well as frequency of use,” Godding says. “Place your most frequently used items up front.”
Underwear Drawer
For some reason, underwear drawers are often neglected. “But this is where we start getting dressed, and it sets the tone for our outfit and our day,” Wahl says. “An organized lingerie drawer is a little treat for yourself.” Start by taking everything out of the drawer and wiping it out if it’s gotten a little dusty. Get rid of anything holey, stretched out, or discolored. “Life is too short for worn out underthings,” Wahl says. Then, sort everything by type: all underpants together, bras together, socks together, etc. “Sort the way you shop for and wear your lingerie, separating sports bras from daily bras, for example,” she suggests.
Next, grab drawer inserts if you have them—fabric lined cardboard works well for lingerie—and place them in the drawer. Place one category per section back in the drawer. “Only fold [your underwear] if you will keep up with the folding every time you do laundry,” Wahl advises. “Otherwise, a jumble is fine as long as the categories are separated.”
Medicine Cabinet
Begin by pulling everything out and sorting the items into categories: medication, toiletries, makeup/skin care, shaving, etc., Godding says. Dispose of any expired medication. “Some pharmacies, police stations, hospitals, and government buildings have drug drop boxes for expired or unused drugs,” she says. If you’re unsure where to go and live in the U.S., you can check the Drug Enforcement Administration’s website to find the drop-off location nearest you.
Once the cabinet is empty, wipe down the shelves using a non-toxic cleaner. Then, put your most frequently used items back into the cabinet, grouping them by morning routine/evening routine, user, or height, Godding suggests. “If you are using a weekly pill organizer, back stock medication can be stored in a secondary position,” she says. “Evict bulky packaging and medication paperwork.” Lastly, store items with handles—like toothbrushes, razors and combs—upright in a cup to conserve shelf space. Adjust the cabinet’s shelves as needed.
Coat Closet
When was the last time you cleaned out your coat closet? If it’s been a while, you may want to set aside an hour to reorganize it, says Sarah Dunn, professional organizer. Start by emptying everything from the closet. Next, vacuum or sweep the floor, clearing out any dirt, dust, and debris that has accumulated over the years. Now, go through your coats and put aside any that you no longer wear or like, or that don’t fit. Decide if you want to put those in storage or donate them. “Re-home items that don’t belong in that closet,” Dunn says.
Then it’s time to put the coats back in the closet. You can color coordinate them, or, if there are multiple people in your household, group each person’s coats together. If you want everything to be uniform, Dunn recommends using matching hangers and ensuring that all the coats in the closet are facing the same direction. “Use matching baskets to corral frequently used items that live in the coat closet,” Dunn says. “For example, [have] one basket for your vacuum parts, one basket for reusable shopping bags, [and] one basket for pet supplies like leashes.”
Junk Drawer
Contrary to popular belief, it’s possible to have a junk drawer that’s actually organized. To get yours in better shape, start by taking everything out and grouping similar items together (e.g. office supplies, tools, papers, etc). “Check each item for viability,” Godding says. “Discard or re-home duplicates, damaged items, memorabilia, and paperwork.”
Once it’s cleared out, wipe down the inside of the drawer with a non-toxic cleaner. Then, place your most frequently used items back in the drawer—ideally at the front. Use drawer organizers, small plastic containers, or simply cut pieces of cardboard to group similar items together.
Food Storage Containers
Chances are you have a drawer or cabinet in your kitchen full of plastic and/or glass food storage containers and seemingly mismatched lids. Instead of letting them sit there and collect dust, Dunn recommends taking an hour (or probably less) to get them organized.
Start by taking everything out of the drawer or cabinet. Then, match the containers with their respective lids. Get rid of any plastic containers that don’t have a matching lid or bottom. Once you know what your collection looks like, assess whether you’ll ever need that many containers. If you have a lot more than you’ll ever need, consider getting rid of some. Also, toss any pieces that are tattered, chipped, or stained, Dunn says. Finally, put the containers back in the drawer or cabinet with their lids on, if you have the space. If not, stack the containers of the same size together, then place the lids directly beneath them.
Linen Closet
Over time, your linen closet can get crowded and dusty, so it’s a good idea to clean it out and reorganize it on a regular basis. As usual, start by pulling everything out of the closet. Next, Godding recommends sorting everything into categories: sheets, blankets, towels, toiletries, paper goods, first aid, etc. Then “perform a secondary sort by bedding size, sheet sets, and towel size/purpose,” she says.
Clear out what you no longer need. “Slightly damaged linens can be donated,” Godding says. “Towels and other linens are always welcomed at animal shelters.” Consider what might work better somewhere else. Once it’s empty, wipe out the closet with a non-toxic cleaner. “As you put everything back in the closet, consider visibility and ease of accessibility as well as frequency of use,” Godding explains. “Place most frequently used items at mid-height—between hip and eye level. Use bins and shelf dividers to maximize your storage space and keep items tidy.” If multiple people are helping with laundry and putting away clean linens, Godding suggests labeling the shelves by sheet size or designated bedroom.
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