The other day, I found myself with about a half hour to kill before heading out to an appointment. It wasn’t enough time to tackle a major project, but I knew
there was certainly enough time to get something done.
My coat closet immediately came to mind. Specifically, the lower area under the shoe racks.
For a week, I had been noticing that
this space—home to our everyday shoes, winter boots, a pair of crutches, and our flag for special days—was looking less than pristine. Gravel, specks of dirt, and dust bunnies had taken up residence.
I hadn’t addressed it earlier because I knew removing the two
wooden shoe racks that I have fitting snugly in the coat closet, side by side, would be a bit of a challenge in the tight space. But with 15 minutes to spare, it
felt like the perfect task. Here’s how I tackled it, step by step:
1. Cleared the Space
I pulled out everything: the shoe racks, the shoes, the crutches, and the flag. Yes, it was a little tricky getting the shoe racks out of the closet, but I took it slow to avoid scratching anything or making the task harder than it needed to be.
2. Vacuumed and Cleaned the
FloorI grabbed my handheld vacuum and went to work, removing all the
dust and debris. After that, I sprayed the vinyl floor with a bit of disinfectant and gave it a thorough wipe-down. 3. Assessed What We Had
With everything out of the closet, I took the opportunity to reassess what was in there. I spotted
a pair of sneakers that I hadn’t worn in quite some time and decided to add them to our donation box.
4. Put Everything Back
Once the floor was dry, I replaced the crutches, the flag, the shoe racks, and the footwear.
5. Sorted the Footwear
As I
returned everything, I sorted by family member so that each family member’s footwear was grouped together. It’s a small step that makes finding what we need so much easier.
This little project was wrapped up within the 15 minutes I had set aside for it. It felt amazing to cross it off my mental to-do list—and I still had time to
spare before leaving for my appointment.
Tasks like these are perfect for those in-between moments. They’re manageable, rewarding, and help maintain order in areas of the home that tend to get overlooked. Plus, taking just a few extra minutes to declutter and reorganize can make a space feel fresher and more functional.
If you’ve got 15 minutes and a spot that’s been bugging you, why not give it a go? You may be amazed at what you can accomplish in such a short time.
