Here are six home projects you can finish in just a day.
Declutter Your Home
Depending on how neat you are, you might not be able to fully organize every room of your home in just a day. But you can get rid of a lot of clutter to make subsequent organization much easier. Start by making a list of every room in your home. Then, create a sublist under each room of every spot in that room that needs decluttering. For example, in your bedroom you might list the nightstands, dresser, and closet. Work room by room, sorting items into piles to keep, donate, sell, and throw away. If you’re struggling to get motivated, begin with the room that has the least amount of clutter to be able to quickly check a room off your list.
Hang the ‘I Will Do It Later’ Pile
Framing and hanging photos and other artwork, along with hanging shelves and mirrors, are tasks that often get pushed to the back burner even though they generally don’t take much time to complete. If you have items piling up that you intended to hang, set aside a day to get the job done. That way, you only have to take out your tools once. Try to enlist another person to help you to make the job easier and ensure you’re hanging everything straight and at your desired height, especially if you’re putting up heavy or bulky items.
Touch up Furniture
Over time, furniture can become scratched or chipped. But minor flaws can be fixed relatively quickly and easily. Spend a day carefully checking over all of your furniture and refreshing it as needed. For instance, small scratches in wooden pieces of furniture often can be touched up with polish or wax. If you have painted furniture, be sure to keep some extra paint on hand to cover any spots where it’s chipped. Plus, sometimes all furniture needs is a good dusting to look its best again.
Organize Cards and Stationery
Many people have greeting cards, stationery, and coordinating envelopes lying around. And it’s important to keep them organized, so when you need a card or other item for a specific occasion you can quickly find it. You can easily complete this task in a day. Start by spreading out all of your cards and other paper products. Categorize them by type. You can even sort your cards by holiday if you wish. Then, put each type in a folder or other storage container with a label saying what’s in it.
Prepare for a New Season
Set aside a day around a seasonal change to prepare your home for the new season. For instance, spend some time reorganizing your closet, taking out off-season clothing for storage while putting clothing for the coming season front and center. You also might want to change your bed linens to ones that are more seasonally appropriate. And swap out any season-specific decor you have for items that usher in the new season.
Clean Out Your Pantry
Another great project to tackle in a day is cleaning out and organizing the pantry. Start by completely emptying the pantry and cleaning the shelves. Then, throw out any expired food, and make a pile to donate of edible items you don’t want. Categorize the items you’re keeping by type, such as spices, soup cans, and teas. Take note of anything that needs to be restocked, and make sure to leave room for it. Finally, replace the items in your pantry. To optimize your pantry organization, consider adding different food storage items, such as a lazy Susan for easy access to food in the back.