New Year Challenge: Organize Your Life in 15 Minutes or Less

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As Seen On Macaroni Kid.

By Sherri Durbin, Owner at Consider It Done!
December 30, 2020


Yes, it is possible to organize your home & life in 15 minutes or less! Here’s a fun & simple task list you can accomplish each day in 15 minutes or less during the month of January!

  • January 1- New Year’s Day-Take out your 2021 calendar, whether digital or paper. Enter in all important days for the whole year. If you’re feeling ambitious put all unwanted holiday gifts into the trunk of your car to be returned to the store(s) next week
  • January 2- Designate a donation box for the month of January. (You‘ll be using it for several tasks this month.) Go through all of the hats/mittens/scarves in the house and remove any you did not wear last year or won’t wear this year. If they are in decent shape, put them into the donation box. If not, trash them
  • January 3-Clean out your silverware drawer-take everything out, wipe it out and put everything back
  • January 4- Call and make all needed annual dentist doctor and veterinarian appointments for the year today
  • January 5-National Whipped Cream Day- Take out all of the refrigerator door condiments-throw out all expired or “never going to use this” items-wipe off the door shelves, put the keep items back
  • January 6-Take a clean, damp rag soaked in your favorite all- purpose cleaner, and wipe down every windowsill in the house
  • January 7-Go into your closet and take out just 5-7 items you KNOW you no longer love, need or wear. Into the donation box they go! (If stained or torn, trash them!)
  • January 8-Take the dustpan or mini vacuum and empty out the shoe tray by the front door. Vacuum or sweep out and wipe down the tray. Neatly put back all of the shoes and boots
  • January 9- Strip your bed and throw the sheets into the washer-While you’re at it, change your pillows or comforter for a fresh new look when you remake the bed
  • January 10-National Sunday Supper Day – Sit down and plan out 7 dinner menus, making a shopping list as you go
  • January 11- National Clean Off Your Desk Day – Clear everything off the top of your desk-wipe down the desk and replace items. If there are papers to be sorted, make a “File later” pile. If there are bills in the pile, make a separate folder marked “Bills to pay” or designate a “Bills” basket that you will check twice a month
  • January 12-National Pharmacist Day-Empty out the medicine chest-check all expired medicines and safely dispose of all expired ones
  • January 13-Take out the pen cup, empty it. Take a scratch piece of paper, test out all of the pens. Throw out any pens that have lost their ink or are dried out.
  • January 14-National Dress Up Your Pet Day- go through all of the pet toys-Trash the nasty, chewed up ones, buy a new one and play with your pet
  • January 15- Go around the house and collect all of the loose change you can find. Look in pockets, drawers, wallets, and under couch cushions. Put your collection into a jar and when it is full you can take it to the bank to cash in
  • January 16-National Use Your Gift Card Day – go through all gift cards and put them in your wallet so you’ll have them with you when you’re out and about
  • January 17- Go through the kids’ toys and take out 5-7 toys that they no longer love and use. If they are trashed discard them, otherwise all of them can go straight into the donation box
  • January 18-Martin Luther King Jr. Day – Go online or to the library and research some facts about Martin Luther King Jr
  • January 19-Set a timer for 15 minutes. Declutter your email inbox! Delete old and unwanted emails, and move any emails you want to keep out of your inbox and into a separate folder
  • January 20-Go through your nightwear drawer-take everything out. Trash (don’t donate, no one wants them) anything you no longer love or wear. Fold the remaining pj’s and place them back into the drawer
  • January 21-Vacuum under the couch cushions. If you’re feeling motivated vacuum under your bed
  • January 22-Make a list of movies and TV shows you’d like to see. This will save you time when you decide to watch a movie but can’t think of what you’d like to watch
  • January 23-National Handwriting Day-Today you will handwrite a loved one a card or letter using your best handwriting. Tuck an old duplicate photo inside the note, they’ll love it!
  • January 24-Open up the Tupperware cabinet and pull everything out (Yes, all of it). Match up the containers with their lids, checking the dishwasher too. Toss or recycle pieces that have no mate. Stack everything up neatly and return all matched items to the cabinet
  • January 25-Declutter the top drawer of your night table: Take everything out. Purge anything you no longer need. Return items that belong elsewhere to their rightful places in your home
  • January 26-National Spouses Day-Leave your spouse a handwritten note with a coupon in it for something they’ll LOVE you for, like doing a chore for them! If you are unmarried consider doing this for a child or a dear friend
  • January 27-Dump out your purse. Yes, the whole thing! Take out all of those crumpled receipts to file or shred. Put back only the items you need! Organize all of the lipsticks, hand sanitizer and hand lotions into one makeup bag. Trash any fuzzy old candies
  • January 28- National Data Privacy Day- Time to come up with all new passwords. We recommend writing them down
  • January 29-Clean your makeup brushes: Wash them with antibacterial soap, rinse them and lay them flat on a small towel to dry
  • January 30-Go through the mug cabinet and get rid of any mugs you don’t love or use. Place the unwanted ones straight into the donate box
  • January 31-Take all of the donations from the donation box and drop them off at your favorite local Goodwill or local charity. Start planning your February calendar and work on finishing up any January tasks you may have missed

You did it! You made your life and home more organized in January! Now, don’t you feel productive? If you have resolved to live in a more organized home in 2021, perhaps you are overwhelmed and don’t quite know where to get started.  Consider It Done! can help! We offer professional organizing services to fit all needs. Call us @ (919) 697-8874 and we’ll customize a service plan that honors your budget. We service all areas of The Triangle. Here’s our NEW YEAR, NEW YOU special promotion:  www.consideritdoneasap.com/packages