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6 organizational tasks that take under 30 minutes

6 organizational tasks that take under 30 minutes Illustrative photo (Freepik)
Author: Maria Kholina

Tuning into a wardrobe reorganization or kitchen cleanup can be extremely challenging—after all, creating a comfortable living space seems to involve a thousand tasks. Technology should also not be overlooked—computers and phones also need maintenance. But some of these tasks can be completed in just 30 minutes, citing Real Simple.

Sort through underwear or sock drawers

Organizing underwear and socks is part of the clothing decluttering process, which can take less than 30 minutes.

Take everything out and discard any underwear with broken elastic or that no longer fits, as well as socks with holes in the heels or those missing a pair for a long time. Put the rest back in the drawer, sorted by type.

Clean your phone photo gallery

Many people do this task while waiting in line or when offline, but it deserves a full 30 minutes of attention. Numerous unnecessary files occupying your phone's memory can slow down its performance.

It's recommended to start by reviewing your screenshots and deleting any that were taken accidentally or are no longer important. Then, review photo series.

Find those moments when you took more than five photos of the same object, and keep your favorite one. Alternatively, you can transfer all or some of the photos to cloud storage.

Sort sauces in fridge door

You don't have to clean the entire fridge at once, you can start small. A favorite spot for many is the fridge door, where mustards, jams, syrups, and half-used sauces typically hide.

Remove everything from the door and wipe the drawers thoroughly with a microfiber cloth and dish soap. Put the items back, checking the expiration date of each and discarding spoiled items.

If something is already open, unscrew the lid and ensure there is no mold or strange odor. Moreover, if there are unspoiled products you haven't used and know you never will, set them aside to give to someone who will use them.

Tidy up kitchen countertops and open shelves

These usually quickly accumulate a strange assortment of children's homework, fresh fruit, invitations, and oil. Just by tidying this area, the entire kitchen will look cleaner.

Start by gathering all items that don't belong in the kitchen, including papers that need filing or backpacks that "unexpectedly" ended up in this room. Pile everything up and then take it to the appropriate places.

Next, put away small appliances that are not in use and wash any dishes, like cups and bowls left on the kitchen surface.

Organize your desk

This is another place that quickly becomes cluttered but is quick to tidy. Start with the most substantial items—papers and notes, sorting them into two piles: for disposal and keeping. Important documents can also be digitized.

Then, go through your stationery, setting aside for disposal anything you haven't used recently, including dried-up pens and a stapler that hasn't worked in years.

The only items recommended to keep on the desk are those you use daily, such as your phone, keyboard, monitor, lamp, and other work essentials—but even they should be stored in an organizer drawer.

Review medications

This small area holds significant importance as it's filled with various items: vitamins, medications, bandages, plasters, ointments, and even some tools like clippers and tweezers.

First, check the expiration dates on medication packaging. Discard any that have expired, making a list of what needs to be replenished.

The remaining medications are easiest to organize by purpose—this will make them easier to find when needed.