5 Minutes or Less: Decluttering Projects!

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Looking for some really fast organizing in the New Year? You don't need to have a New Year's Resolution of organization in order to find small ways to keep the clutter out of your home. Here are a few ideas for things you can throw away right now with an absolutely minimal time investment (5 minutes or less).

1. Pens

There is zero reason to keep ALL the pens you have in your home. Especially easy to part with are the free pens that businesses give away. They are usually cheap quality anyways. Go through your office or junk drawer and you can probably find at least 5 or 10 to say good-bye to.

2. Old medicine

I just cleaned out my medicine cabinet and found sore throat spray from 2007! I really wish some medicines were sold in small quantities because it's so hard to use them all up. But there's no need to keep medicine that expired years or even months ago. Toss it. It won't be as effective anyways. And of course old prescriptions need to go too. I tear off the label and recycle our prescription bottles. If you have a pain medicine or something that doesn't need to go in the trash, find the appropriate way to recycle it. Some police stations accept them and pharmacies have recycle programs also.

3. Well-loved socks and underwear

It could be those lone sock that's been sitting on your dryer waiting for it's mate to appear for the last three weeks or a pair with holes. Toss 'em. I usually just toss them when I find them during clothes folding sessions. Easier than hunting them down in everyone's drawers.

4. Old mail

You can usually eliminate at least half of your mail if you toss the junk in the recycling bin as soon as you get it. Keep a small box near the door you usually enter holding your mail. This makes it easy to toss in catalogs, random credit card offers, etc. If you want to shred mail, make a "shred pile" or keep your shredder near the door.

5. Expired food

Do a quick pantry raid and toss any old or opened food that you aren't going to use before the expiration date. Make this a fast job while you wait on a pot of water to boil. Or set the timer for 5 minutes and just toss whatever you find in that time frame.

6. Clothes

Set a timer for 5 minutes and find clothes from one closet to donate. Could be your closet or a child's. Or even your husband's dresser :)

7. Phone photos

Maybe this isn't a physical item, but it's annoying to have a bunch of blurry pictures saved on your phone. Delete 10 of them at a stop light or during a commercial break.

8. Toys

The next time you are pulling your hair out at having to pick up toys again take a plastic grocery bag and find three to put in your donation pile. Keep the bag in your car or by your door so you can grab it quickly. Any others items you find to donate in your 5 minute declutter sessions can be throw in here too.

9. Extra cups

Why do we seem to collect this random assortment or mismatched, ugly plastic cups? Look in your cabinets and find a few to toss in the recycling bin or donation pile (if they're worth saving). Most of my plastic cups are not worth saving.

10. Receipts

Sort through your wallet or the bottom of your purse and find old receipts you won't need anymore. Rip them up or shred if you feel the need.