10 Minute Activities to Get Organised
Since we are all stuck in for the next couple of weeks, I thought it would be good to recap the most popular Well Organised Wednesday's so far this year. So if you missed them here are the top four, remember each one should only take you 10 minutes…
No. 1: Recipe books
Cookbooks, how many do you have and how many do you use? I am guessing the two numbers are not the same; it so easy to have more than you use. You may have been gifted some or full of great intentions decided this is the year you were going veggie, or maybe do Veganuary or just going to cook more for the family. They are so easy to hold onto as ‘there is that recipe that looks amazing which I am going to do’ or letting them go makes you feel guilty as it confirms you are not going to cook.
Banish all those feelings! With so many recipes available on line you can always find out how to make something, so don’t feel guilty about letting them go.
Get all of your books together (as well as all those bits of paper, recipe cards, magazine cut outs etc). Look at them one by one: ✔ if there is a recipe you use put it on the keep pile. ✔ if you have never tried any recipes from it and know you won’t it is time to donate!
If there is a recipe you have intended to do and have not - be honest are you ever going to? ✔ if the answer is no, donate! ✔ if the answer is yes, then set yourself a target to do it, if it hasn’t been done by that date then let it go. Hopefully you should end up with a pile of books to keep and some to let go. If you are keeping paper and recipe cards then there is a little extension to this task; treat yourself to a nice folder and organise them by meal types so they are easier to find. Now all you need to do is put them on a shelf together somewhere; whether on show or tucked away in a cupboard it doesn’t matter just make sure they are all together. This is a really great first step to organising your kitchen, one of the most important rooms in the house, as it is where the whole family hang out. It is definitely my favourite rooms to declutter and organise making it a lovely place to be.
No. 2 : Opt out
The plan is to stop clutter coming into your house bu opting out of all unnecessary post.
✔ Opt out of door to door mail from Royal mail; print off the form / fill it in /send it freepost – Opt Out form (Royal Mail)
✔ Opt out of unaddressed mail from the Direct Marketing Association; fill out the form/ either post back or scan and email – Opt Out form (Unaddressed Mail)
Spending just 10 minutes doing this will reduce junk mail massively, saving you time / reducing your recycling / as well as doing a little bit for the planet. If you want to know how to tackle your paperwork check out my blog post: Even my paperwork has paperwork.
No.3: Mugs
Mugs, do you have a favourite? We definitely all do, I even like a different mug for different drinks and depending what time of day it is that can change; it is all part of the joy for me. My partner very much insists that he doesn’t (and thinks I am ridiculous), but he most definitely picks up the same type of mug every morning for his coffee.
In between your favourite mugs there are probably ones you are not bothered about and also ones you just don’t like (you may also have enough mugs for the whole street to come in for a cuppa). So lets get some room back on those shelves so you don’t have to stack your mugs on top of each other or fight to close the cupboard. ✔Take out all the ones you and your family love and put them to one side. ✔ Take out all the ones you really don’t like; put them in the donate pile. ✔ Then look at what you have left and think about how many you need before you put the dishwasher on, maybe 10-20? If you can select the ones you most like from this pile and donate the rest you are nearly done. ✔The final thing is to put them all back on the shelf, remember to put the ones you love near the front or on the lower shelf (if you have more than one); then pack up the rest in a bag and donate them.
No.4: Baking
Love it or hate it, I can guarantee you will have turned your hand to baking at some point, whether a birthday cake, school cake sale or something else. In your kitchen you will have various baking supplies you will have enthusiastically snapped up and now they are languishing in the back of the cupboard.
Your baking equipment will probably be in various places squeezed into various cupboards where there is space – if you are feeling energetic you can try collect them all together in one place, but if not just concentrate on this..
✔ Find all your flour, sugar, icing, baking powder and anything else you have bought ✔ Check the dates ✔ Chuck out anything that is not in date ✔Find a space to store the rest, so it is all together.
That is it! Another step closer to an organised kitchen, well done!
...and don’t forget there is a new Well Organised Wednesday #WOWednesday post every week at 6pm; join me on Instagram or Facebook.
