Quick Organization and Cleaning Tasks Checklist
As busy moms who have a lot going on each day on our to-do lists. There comes a time when you want to get things done around the house but you just don’t have a lot of time to clean or declutter. So I have found that it is so important to focus on organization and cleaning quick wins. Little organization quick tasks that you can do in 20 minutes or less that while they won’t make your home perfect they will add up and give you the organized home you wish for.
Don’t let yourself become overwhelmed by all that needs to be done. Take one or two of these mini-tasks every day and get them done. Then in a few weeks, you will be amazed that you’ve accomplished the whole list.
If you have company coming over soon focus on the more common areas of your home where guests are more likely to see.
Some of these organization and cleaning quick tasks will only be done occasionally and many of them will be a frequent task. I put them all together and on the checklist so that if you find yourself with 15 minutes to get something done.
You can just pick one task and get it done. Whether that’s a daily item like doing the dishes or emptying trash or a more occasional chore like cleaning the ceiling fan or organizing your kid’s dresser.
40 cleaning and organization quick tasks
1. Clean out your junk drawer
I know you have one we all do. That one drawer where everything goes. Take 15 minutes and go through it and clean it out. Put things that don’t belong in there away and tidy up what goes in there.
2. Clean out under couch cushions and vacuum couch and under couch
When we moved I was appalled at how gross under my couch was when we moved it. It’s a quick task and one I need to make the effort to do. Sometimes you don’t think of these little things but they need to be done.
3. Organize your makeup and beauty products
You might not get this task all done in 15 minutes but imagine the progress you could make in 15 minutes. You can also do it in 30 minutes over two days. Throw out anything old or expired or no longer wanted or used. Then tidy up the rest.
4. Declutter your pantry
Your pantry is something I bet you and your family use on a daily basis. That means it’s probably pretty disorganized and in need of a cleanup. So throw out old, expired and stale food. Then straighten cans, boxes, and bags so it’s easier to see what you have and cleaned up.
5. Get rid of 15 things you know longer want/need from your closet
I’m a huge fan of regular purging of things from your home. Less stuff means less
6. Clean up and organize under the kitchen sink
Even though it’s not seen by many people having the under the sink area tidy will make it easier for you to find things under there when you need it. It will not take long and you will get a feeling of accomplishment when you go to get something from under the sink and it’s clean.
7. Tidy up your purse
While not technically a part of your home your purse is a part of your life and something you use often and is likely to be a mess most of the time. So go through your purse throw away the trash, take things that don’t belong in it out and make it organized and clean.
8. Tidy up your diaper bag
This is also a great idea to make time for. Like a purse your diaper bag, if you have kids that still use one, is something you use all the time and it gets cluttered and messy.
9. Go through and clean out 15 toys your kids no longer need and donate them
If you have kids then you know that there are probably lots of toys you can donate or toss that your kids no longer need or use or are broken, missing pieces. If you don’t have kids then go through your own books and games and find things to get rid of. Either way, you are getting rid of things you don’t need in your home.
10. Clean up the washer/dryer area
I don’t know about you but my laundry area gets so messy. Lent from the dryer, miscellaneous stuff found in pockets and trash from laundry soap and dryer sheets. So taking 15 minutes can make this area all cleaned up and ready for you to do your next load.
11. Go through a paper stack and file or toss
Do you tend to have a lot of paper piles in your home? Maybe on your kitchen counter, a table in your office. Paper tends to pile up. So take these few minutes and go through a stack. Throw out what’s garbage and file what needs to be kept.
12. Clean out your fridge
Here’s another area of your home that is used a lot and tends to get messy and could probably use a quick cleaning. Just do a quick toss of old stuff and give the shelves and walls a wipe down. It will make finding a snack or making a meal easier with a clean fridge.
13. Go through and organize your medicine cabinet
This task can easily be done in only 15 minutes. Just toss out what’s old and unusable. Wipe down the shelves and neatly store the rest. Also, make note of what medicines and supplies you are low on or out of and need to pick up more of.
14. Clean off and wipe down kitchen counters
Cleaning off big spaces that take up much of a room can easily make space look instantly more organized and put together. So picking up the kitchen counters and wiping them down will make your kitchen, space you spend a lot of time in, so much cleaner.
15. Sweep and mop floors or vacuum
Take 15 minutes and work on your floors. This can either be sweeping and mopping your hard floors or using a vacuum and taking care of your carpets. Your floors get dirty often especially if you have kids and pets so spending a little extra time here will really help your home.
16. Dust your furniture
Depending on how much furniture you have you may be able to get a lot or most of your home dusted in 15 minutes. At least the main living spaces. Less dust will leave your home looking nicer and also help with allergies and sickness.
17. Do a load of laundry
If you have a clean load of laundry take the time to put it away and not just let it sit in the laundry basket. I’m so guilty of doing this way too often so no judgment from me if this is you. So put on an episode of a favorite show and fold and put away a load of clothes
18. Keep a clean sink
One of the quickest and easiest ways to make your kitchen look neater and cleaner is to keep a clean sink. Stay on top of doing dishes and don’t let them pile up. When the dishes are done the kitchen instantly looks better. It can feel like it will take forever but you will probably be surprised at how quickly you can get them done. Then wipe down your sink so that it looks fresh and shiny.
19. Clean out your car
This may not technically be a part of your home but you probably do spend a good amount of time in your car. So make the time you are in it a little more enjoyable by keeping it tidy. Take anything out of the car that doesn’t belong their coats, backpacks, toys, etc. Then get rid of any trash. Do a quick wipe down of the surfaces and if you have the time to grab a vacuum and get rid of crumbs.
20. declutter and organize your kid’s dresser drawers
Take a few minutes and go through your child’s dresser. If you have more than one kid you will probably only be able to do one at a time if you are trying to stick to 20 minutes or less tasks.
Pull out any clothes that no longer fit and put aside to give away or donate. Refold anything that has gotten messy. Put things together. Like shirts with shirts. Pants with pants and so on.
21. Organize and declutter your bookshelves
Before I started reading more digital books than physical books I had way more books than I had shelves for. So regularly I would have to go through and select books to donate or give away. Now I read 90% of my books through Kindle so I don’t need to do this as often.
It’s still helpful to find books that you no longer need or want and give them away. Usually, your local library will accept used book donations and it’s a great way to give books you enjoyed a new home.
22. Empty all your trash cans
Take a large trash bag and go through and empty any trash cans you have throughout your house. We have them in the bedrooms, the bathroom and by our desk. Then take out that trash bag and the kitchen trash.
23. Tidy your nightstands
It should take you about 15 to 20 minutes to clear off the tops of your nightstands and the drawer if your’s has one. Mine tends to get pretty cluttered with papers, cups, chapsticks, etc.
So I recommend you clear everything off, throw away the garbage, put away things that don’t belong on it and only put back what you really need on there.
24. Organize pet toys and supplies
Does your pet have a million chewed up toys as our dogs do? Or is just us and the fact that we spoil our pups? We have three separate pins that are all over half full of dog toys and does the puppy just want to play with one at a time. Of course not.
Like a child, he sometimes wants them all so if you have the same problem gather up all their toys. Then get rid of the ones that are too ruined and put the keepers in a bin or basket that your pets can reach. That way you can return them all to where they belong each night.
25. clean off the front of your fridge
Do you have magnets with lots of art, pictures and important papers up on your fridge? Take a few minutes and tidy this up. Take everything off the fridge spray and wipe it down. Then put back up only what you really love and is important to you.
26. clean and organize your shower
Tidy up any bottles and get rid of any empty ones. Then do a quick wipe down to get your shower shiny and clean.
27. Clean off and wipe down the bathroom counter
Tidy up your counters by putting everything away that was left out. Then spray down your counters and sink and do a good wipe. This will only take a few minutes but your bathroom is a room you go in a lot during the day and seeing it tidy and clean will improve your mood. Trust me!
28. Clean your ceiling fan
This won’t be as fast of a task if you have to use a ladder to reach your fan. But if your fan is reachable like mine, we use this little duster that’ll get your fan blades dust free in under five minutes!
29. Vacuum or wipe down your baseboards
You can either do a quick vacuum of your baseboards with your vacuum’s attachment to get rid of any dust. If you want to get them cleaner though this baseboard cleaning trick is super easy to do.
30. Organize your coffee mugs/coffee area
If you have a kitchen cupboard like me that’s full to bursting of mugs, travel mugs, or other drink cups, take a few minutes to clear some of them out. Start with anything you haven’t used in the last 6 months, then adjust your time limit if necessary. Set them aside in a box to donate when you have the time.
Also, this is a good time to check out your coffee supplies like pods and creamers and toss anything old and organize the remainders.
31. Kids art supplies
Go through any art supplies like paint, crayons, markers,etc. Get rid of dried out or empty products. Then take a few minutes to group things together and store them more neatly.
32. Clear off the dining room and/or coffee table
Clearing off tables like your dining room or coffee table will instantly help make your living space feel more tidy and organized. Just like making your bed does. When the largest flat surface of space is clear it makes the whole room look better.
So put things away where they belong, throw away any trash and organize what belongs on those spaces.
33.Your underwear and sock drawer
Look in your underwear and sock drawer and pull them all out. Now go through and get rid of anything that no longer fits or is in bad condition. You use your undergarments and socks daily so only keep the good stuff. The things that fit well and are comfy.
Now put everything you’ve decided to keep back in and organized. If you want to go a step further and be more organized. I love these drawer organizers. They keep my underwear and socks neat and tidy.
34. Organize your desk
Take a few minutes and get rid of some of the
35. Declutter and tidy up your coat closet
Go through your coat closet and take out anything that your family no longer wears or uses. Then tidy up and organize the closet so that next time you need to grab something out of there everything is where it should be.
36. Go through one Kitchen Cabinet
Start going through one cabinet or drawer at a time and getting rid of things you don’t need or use, getting rid of duplicate items. Then wipe down the cabinet or drawer and putting things back neatly.
Put the items you don’t want or need aside to give away, sell or donate. If you aren’t using something sell or give it to someone who can use it and have less mess and
37. Clean out under the bed
Take a few minutes and clean out under the beds in your home. Pull everything out decide what you can get rid of, throw away any trash that’s gotten under there. Then put back anything that is stored under your bed.
38. Organize a Child’s closet
Go through one of your kid’s closets at a time if you have more than one child. Go through and remove any clothing that is not in good shape or that no longer fit. Since kids seem to grow out of their clothes in five minutes I’m sure that there will be plenty of things that can be given away or donated.
Then go through and straighten up the closet and get it more organized so that it’s easier for you and your child if they are old enough to find what they need.
39. Start a load of bedding
Throw in the sheets and blankets from the beds and when they are dry remake beds with clean sheets and bedding. Though with washing and drying time this will take longer than 20 minutes. The actual work time for you is not much.
40. Organize your family’s shoes
In my home, I have the least amount of shoes. I wear an ankle brace so many shoes don’t fit me and so I don’t have many my 12-year-old daughter, on the other hand, has so many.
So go through everyone’s shoes, get rid of ones that no longer fit or are damaged and organize the remainder.
