If your house is anything like mine after the holidays, things might have gotten a little messy. Or perhaps, really messy.
Think about it: presents to give, gifts received, craft projects, ornaments, and holiday attire—all stacked up on the piano bench. I had a box for returns sitting on my office floor, and stacks of games we played over the holiday break piled up in the living room. You get the idea.
With the post-holiday tiredness setting in, I knew a huge cleaning session wasn’t going to happen. Instead, I started dedicating 10 minutes a day to nothing but putting items where they belong or getting rid of things.
One of my least favorite chores is taking items back to the storage boxes in the basement—which is why the piano bench piles existed! I was actually a little shocked that in just 10 minutes of focused tidying, my home cleared up pretty fast.
The most important rule I set for myself was this: I had to put things where they belonged, not just move something to a new “holding spot” for later.
I’m now thinking of making this a permanent habit. As I’ve moved past the holiday items, I’ve noticed how much daily clutter still accumulates. Yet, in just 10 minutes, I can have the daily mail sorted, my grandson’s school papers filed, yesterday’s clothes in the hamper, and stray toys and books put away. What if I brought the stuff that belongs in the basement to the basement daily if needed, instead of letting it sit in a pile?
We decluttered my grandson’s toys yesterday. What if we had him pick them up daily before he’s gotten so many toys out that the pieces get mixed up?
Clutter is often a result of unmade decisions or procrastination. If we consistently clean up the daily mess for 10 minutes a day, we are forced to make those decisions. We won’t be procrastinating and leaving things out for “later.” Our homes would instantly feel more serene.
Plus, if we keep up with the daily clutter, we won’t end up with such a massive backlog to work through.
Are you willing to try picking up for 10 minutes a day and see what a difference it makes?
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