The other day, I planned to get out in my yard and do some yardwork. The weather had other
plans for me. I woke up to a downpour and knew I had to switch gears.
While I did not get any yardwork done, I did shred old tax paperwork and cleaned out the freezer.
I've always felt that rainy days provide the perfect opportunity to tackle indoor tasks. With just an hour or so of focused effort on a rainy day, it's easy to make significant strides in decluttering and tidying up your space.
Here are a bunch of one-hour, rainy day organizing projects to inspire you.
Apply this cleaner liberally to your shower walls and glass doors, and let it sit for four hours. Then, use a gentle brush to scrub away buildup. Finally, give it a good rinse.
Consider doing half the shower at a time for safety and
convenience. (Caution: Do not use on granite, marble, or other natural stone.)
2. Filing Cabinet Refresh: Invest an hour going through your filing cabinet (or any cardboard file boxes you have stashed away), recycling paperwork you no longer need.
Keep a shredder nearby for sensitive documents, ensuring your personal information stays secure.
3. Desk Cleaning: Dedicate an uninterrupted
hour to cleaning out your home or work desk. Remove clutter, get rid of junk (like used disposable coffee cups), file away loose papers, consolidate and/or replenish office supplies, and wipe down surfaces for a fresh start.
A coworker of mine, years ago, had a
stockpile of soy sauce in his desk. While it's okay to have one or two of these if you use them now and then, it's usually not necessary to have a drawer filled with condiments.
4. Gardening Tool Organization: Get ready for gardening season by organizing your tools. Clean them off, assess their condition, and designate a specific spot in your garage or shed for each tool. This will make gardening tasks more efficient. 5. Scuff Mark Removal: Use a Mr. Clean Magic Eraser to tackle random scuff marks on your floors or walls. Spend an hour going around your home, erasing marks and restoring surfaces to their former glory. (Check the directions for appropriate surfaces on which to use the Mr. Clean Eraser and spot test first in an inconspicuous area.) 6. Kitchen Utensil Drawer Overhaul: Take an hour to organize your kitchen utensil drawers (both eating and cooking
utensils.) Remove clutter, discard broken or unused utensils, donate duplicates, and invest in drawer dividers to keep everything neatly arranged. 7. Linen Closet Makeover: Get rid of towels that are stringy or that have holes. Sometimes the Humane Society will accept these as donations.
Remove items you no longer use, fold linens neatly, and use labeled bins or baskets to keep everything tidy and accessible.
8. Refrigerator Deep Clean: Roll up your sleeves and give your refrigerator a thorough cleaning. Remove expired foods, get rid of food nobody in your family is ever going to eat or drink, wipe down surfaces, and reorganize your groceries for maximum freshness.
9. High-and-Low
Organization: Declutter high and low areas. For instance, declutter items stored under your bed. Invest in storage containers or vacuum-sealed bags and keep the area tidy to prevent dust buildup. Another possibility is to declutter and clean the top surface of your refrigerator.
10. Digital Photo Organization:
Spend an hour sorting through your digital photo collection, on either your computer, your phone, or both. Create folders, delete duplicates, and back up your memories to ensure they're safe and easily accessible.
Each of these one-hour, raindy day projects offers a manageable way to improve your living space and make the most of a
rainy day indoors. Choose one that resonates with you, set a timer, and enjoy the satisfaction of a cleaner, more organized life.
