A handy list of 15 quick wins you can easily get done in a few minutes when gaps appear in your day. These tasks are great little projects to do when you have any time spare. Which will you tackle first?
Don’t you hate it when something gets cancelled at the last minute?
Today was one of those days.
I’d scheduled in an appointment, but they rang to say that it would have to be postponed, and so I found myself with a gap in my day.
What to do…
Well – I hate wasting time, so I started to think about how I could use the time well rather than waste it procrastinating (as is unfortunately, all too easy).
This got me thinking how great it would be to have a few quick and easy things to do when something like this happened again.
So I’ve decided that going forward I’m going to highlight on my TO DO list anything that could be done in 5 mins or less.
Then I’ll always have something to do that’s useful and that I know needs doing!
These things are things that aren’t urgent at all, but would make all the difference to my home life if they were done.
They’re the things that seem insignificant but can make life easier in the long run.
OK, OK – so we don’t all have “spare” time, but if you really start to think about how you are using your time, I’m convinced that everyone can find a spare few minutes each day.
Because those times that seem too small to do anything with, can actually be put to great use, and you’ll feel that you’ve achieved something each day if you can fit one of these into most days.
Times like when you’re waiting for:
- The kettle to boil
- A bath to run
- Tea to cook
- The washing to finish in the machine etc….
I challenge you to try and find those little pockets of time, and fill them!
Here’s my list so far – what else can you think of?!
#1 – Collect Spare Change
Go around your house and gather any spare change you can find.
This could be by emptying pockets in coats, looking at the bottom of your handbag, under the sofa cushions etc…
Then, grab a pot and create a spare change pot to put it in.
Ideally have this in your hallway as then it’s easy to drop in change when you walk through the door, or grab some on your way out.
When the pot is full, you can take it to the bank.
You’ll honestly be amazed at how much you can collect without even noticing.
I use this to pay for treats such as takeaways, or even holidays if you can wait and let it build up! (Last year we collected about £250 in loose change – incredible!)
#2 – Do A Bin Walk
Have a quick walk around the house with a bin bag and see how much you can fill it with.
Even in the most organised of houses you can find loads (magazines that have just been finished, bins that need emptying, broken items, clothes that are unwearable, old toiletry bottles etc….) – basically obvious rubbish!
Creating a habit like this each week/month will make all the difference in having a more organised home.
Extra points: – you could also do this for recycling, of course.
Related: 3 Bin Bag Challenges to Try Today
#3 – Do Some Shredding
Start a pile of shredding (things like addresses on envelopes, letters, bills etc…), and use a small shredder to go through some of the pile every few weeks.
This is a great habit to get into as it will help avoid identity fraud as much as possible.
#4 – Do Some Filing
Start a pile as with the shredding (just don’t get the two piles mixed up!), and spend some time every few weeks doing some filing.
Batching it is so much quicker to do than one item at a time as needed – so you’ll actually get more done in those few minutes than you would if you were doing it one item at a time.
#5 – Organise Your Email
Go through a folder in your email and see whether you really do need everything in it!
We often create new email folders in an attempt to be more organised, whereas in actual fact, if not used correctly, the folders can simply become a dumping ground for emails we want out of sight of our inbox.
As with paper filing, really start to consider whether you actually will ever need a certain email again. When you start to go through your folders and see what you have in there you will no doubt be shocked!
#6 – Sort Through Your Pens
How frustrating is it when you need a pen, find one, only to try writing and find it’s run out of ink!.
Pens that don’t work are a pain and a big time waster.
If you spend 5 minutes gathering all the pens in your home into one pot or drawer, try them quickly on a piece of paper, and only keep the ones that actually work, you will find it pays dividends on a regular basis.
#7 – Sort Your Bag
Sorting out your handbag takes a few minutes, but makes you feel great when it’s done!
Just take out any expired vouchers in your purse, old receipts and paperwork no longer required, put loose change in your new change pot(!), and generally make the bag a nicer thing to carry around (and lighter!).
#8 – Go Through A Drawer Or Cupboard
Pick one drawer or cupboard and see what’s there.
Check whether there is anything that shouldn’t be there (clutter), and if there is then remove it and get rid of it or move to another place in your home. Lastly, just give it a quick tidy up.
Some ideas for quick jobs would be: –
- Go through your hall cupboard and check that all coats and shoes are suitable for the current season – move out if not, and ensure that everything is easy to find.
- A quick purge of your kitchen cupboards will ensure things are in date still (if close to being out of date move to the front so you eat them in time!)
#9 – Sort Your Media
Alphabetise your DVDs and/or CDs so you can find what you want more quickly – and check that everything is in the correct box so there’s no frustration when you come to play something only to find it’s not there.
You could even tackle this small DVD storage project that I did a few years back, and still love today! It saves space and feels much more streamlined…
#10 – Declutter Magazines
Any piles of magazines can be lessened by going through a couple at a time to rip out any articles you want to keep, and then recycling or giving to someone else to read.
#11 – Sort A few Recipes
Why not quickly write up a loved recipe into your own recipe book, or print off some from the computer that you use a lot.
Before you know it you’ll have your very own recipe file of things you and the family can’t wait to eat.
#12 – Keep In Touch
I keep a list (in my planner), that has all my friends and family on it.
Every few weeks I make a check that I’ve got in touch with them all.
Those that I haven’t (life gets in the way sometimes), I will send a quick text / email etc… to arrange to meet up or simply to say hi and check in.
This may seem a very calculated and cold way of keeping contact with people, but so many of us let life get in the way – and are constantly shocked at how long ago it was that we last had contact with certain people.
This way you are much more likely to get things added to your diary and keep up your relationships!
#13 – Make Some Money Online
Selling your clutter online can be a great way of getting rid of unwanted stuff but making some money in the process.
Go through your home and collect together anything that fits the bill, then spend a bit of time selling it online.
If you’re worried that larger items could be a hassle, especially if items are too big to post, a big draw for me with this is that people will come and take things away for you – so even if an old coffee table only sells for 1p, the buyer has to collect it and you are clutter free with no hassle about getting rid of it yourself!
What a bonus!
Related: Things to Sell to Make Money from your Clutter
#14 – Declutter Your Car
Simply go to your car with a plastic bag and fill with any rubbish that has built up. Also take out any coats, bags etc… that have been left in the car.
Clearing it out like this makes sense, not only for you to be able to feel calmer when driving, but also will save petrol as the car won’t be as heavy (specifically true for larger items that you’ve left in the boot for as long as you can remember!).
#15 – Relax
Take a break – yes, really!
Simply do nothing for 5 mins, breathe deeply and relax – you’ll feel energised! (it’s not all hard work!) .
Actually focusing on relaxation will do you the world of good.
Related: Amazing ME TIME Ideas You’ll Want to Try!
Another option like relaxing, is to add in a little exercise to your day. A few squats, lunges, steps etc… can really add up over time and make a huge amount of difference to how you’re feeling…
So, there you have it!
Some really easy quick wins that can fill up the wasted small gaps of time you naturally find yourself in each and every day.
Once you start filling those gaps with jobs, you’ll see that you really don’t need as much time as you think to make a big difference to your home.
So – which will you get started on first?
I’d love to know, so please leave a comment below (or I’d love to know if you’ve got any other jobs to add to this list).
Above all, just get started today…
… you’ll thank yourself tomorrow!
