Welcome to another week!
This week we will be focusing on getting rid of the little things on your to-do list that seem to linger. You know the ones I'm talking about. They only take a few minutes to do and they're not urgent so they get pushed aside for "when there's more time" and then six months go by and they're still there. You can't forget about them because a little voice inside your head keeps reminding you, you still haven't done them.
I did this a lot. After days, weeks, months of putting off the to-dos, I would get tired of hearing that little voice and I would do what I'd been putting off. And it would only take five minutes. Why didn't I do it sooner?!
That's when I came up with Five Minute Fixes. I looked at my list and picked tasks that would only take five minutes (or less). Then I set aside fifteen minutes and tackled three of them. After doing this a couple of times I started feeling really accomplished and my to-do list began to quickly shrink.
Quick Furniture Touch-Ups
This can range from tightening a screw on a wobbly table leg to scrubbing out a stain. This five-minute fix is especially important if it's a piece of furniture you use regularly or see daily.
Go Through Piled Up Mail
There have been many times I've brought in the mail and thrown it on the table vowing to go through it in a few minutes. The few minutes would turn into days and the pile would grow.
I am happy to say I've stopped doing that. Now, when I bring in the mail I immediately go through it, tossing out anything that's not important. This usually takes one minute. Take that one minute. It's worth it.
Clean Out a Junk Drawer
I have to confess, I have more than one of these and the one featured today has looked like this for years. It's a drawer I rarely use in my bathroom. I was quite surprised at what I found in it.
A screw driver, first aid tape, pen, makeup brushes, Pedegg... As you can see the drawer is very narrow, but it's deep and there was a lot more in there than I thought.
Over half of that mess ended up in the trash can. The rest was separated into piles: medicine, hair supplies, what goes back in the drawer, and items that needed to be put back in their home.
Here is the end result.
Now everything is back where it needs to be and I can see what I have in my drawer - keeping items I (want/need to) use regularly where I can easily get to them.
Because I only gave myself five minutes to complete this project it went much faster than it would have had I not given myself a time limit. Knowing I had to beat the clock, I was able to sort through it all quickly, without looking at each item trying to decide if I should keep it or if I should throw it out.
Wipe Down the Front Door
Sometimes the build up of dirt and pollen are so gradual we don't realize that the once bright door has dulled from the elements. A rag and a little soap and water (or whatever cleaning product you like to use), five minutes and voila - your door looks fresh again. A little instant gratification.
Clean Out Your Wallet
This one may not even be on your to-do list, but it's worth doing at least once a year. Discard old insurance cards, throw out receipts, empty the change that is making your wallet heavy, replace old photos with updated ones. It might also be a good idea to have a laminated list of important phone numbers in your wallet. This would be very useful in case of an emergency or if something happens to your cell phone.
Taking 5, 10, 15 minutes a week to do small projects like these will lighten your load and before long your to-do list will feel a little less overwhelming. Think of the time you will free up time to do the things you love. And that little voice that keeps reminding you of all the things you still need to do will slowly fade away.
Have a great week!
Rebecca ~
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