This is it! It is Day 1 of the 10 Minute Organizing for 10 Days Challenge!
Every day for 10 days we are tackling a different space for 10 minutes of focused organizing!
So sign up to grab your free guide (if you haven’t already)!
Before we jump right in, here are a few tips to use throughout the challenge to help make your 10 minute organizing sessions go more smoothly:
Pick a time of the day to complete the challenge- You can keep the plan more general by choosing a morning, afternoon, or evening session; or pick a specific time of day. Whichever you choose, make a plan for it in your day.
Don’t skip a day!- Stay consistent so you don’t have to decide if you want to do your 10 minutes of organizing today or not, you are just going to do it! Starting is the hardest part so make it a given.
Set a timer– Stay focused because 10 minutes isn’t long!
Have a notebook and pen with you– Jot down any tasks that you think of during your session.
For example, you might think of something to add to your grocery list as you are cleaning out your fridge, or you might think of a recipe so you can use up the rest of the chicken that was hiding in the back of the fridge. You don’t want to get sidetracked during this 10 minute session, so keep a pad of paper at the ready!
Don’t get carried away (be realistic)– Try to focus on a small, specific space during these 10 minutes. We want this to be a doable project. Additionally, don’t spend hours on a small area.
We know your organizing session can run over the 10 minutes. An extra 10 minutes is fine, especially if you are in a rhythm and are feeling extra motivated to get it done! The rewards of an organized space will propel you into the next project.
But be aware of a major pitfall: if you spend 2 hours organizing something today, the next day you might avoid starting all together because you don’t want to commit another 2 hours to organizing.
If you did spend 2 hours on a project, celebrate it, and then remember that tomorrow you only need to get started and complete those 10 minutes.
Leave time to clean up your piles– At the end of your 10 minutes, you will probably have a few piles:
- trash
- belongs elsewhere
- donations
Spend the 2 minutes to take care of those piles now. You don’t want your 10 minute organizing session to be lingering for days!
You also might come across a task or projects to do. That’s where your notebook comes in handy. Record your tasks and designate a spot for current/ to-do projects.
Let’s Get Organizing!
Today we’re organizing the fridge. You can choose to work on any small space you decide, of course, but today’s episode will focus on the fridge.
Step 1: Start on the top shelf. Take everything out and wipe down the shelf.
Step 2: Begin sorting like with like. Work your way down the shelves, making quick decisions and tossing anything that is expired or rotten.
Step 3: As you go through your food, add items to your grocery list, quickly record any items or meals you want to use or make soon.
Pay close attention to sauces and other condiments usually stored in the door. Those items tend to get forgotten. Be honest with yourself about whether or not you are going to use it in the future.
Step 4: As you are returning items to the fridge, put the most used items front and center. I tend to store my leftovers right at eye level so they aren’t forgotten.
That’s it! I hope your fridge is loving it’s 10 minutes of TLC. Now, the best part is you’re done for the day!
Before and Afters might not look that dramatic, but after my 10 minute session I could definitely feel a difference.
Plus I now had reminders of what to use next and what items we need to get more of on our next shopping trip (and really, my family does eat this many eggs).
In my own fridge, I don’t use any special organizing containers. I dislike the idea of coming home from the grocery store and having to repackage items into new containers, so I don’t. The fewer the steps the easier to maintain!
However, if you are looking for some mega inspiration to take your fridge to the next level, Sam, from Simply Organized, knows her way around a fridge (or really any organizing project)!
She frequently shares her gorgeous well-stocked fridge on Instagram and I love seeing her rainbow of goodies for the week.
Check out Ep 31 of A to B Podcast when she joined us on the podcast and shared some of her tips, Behind the Scenes with Sam from Simply Organized.
We did it!
We want to celebrate Day 1 of the challenge with you today, so check in with us! Let us know how it went!
We welcome updates, before and after pics, or even questions that came up for you as you started the project. Tag us on Instagram @AtoB podcast or Facebook. Or send us an email Hello @ AtoBpodcast.com.
Also, it is not too late to invite a friend! We made this handy, dandy image to make it easy to share far and wide! We’ll see you tomorrow!
