May 12th, 2008 - Do you have a minute?
Unfortunately, I didn’t save the post, but a few months ago someone who’s blog I read linking to a blog she reads with the neatest little tip: Time some of the chores you always procrastinate on. You’d be surprised at how many don’t even take a minute. Then, when faced with those 1-minute chores, just do them.
Or something like that. For her, taking out the kitchen garbage was a 1-minute chore, for instance. For me, it’s much longer. It takes a minute just to get the overstuffed bag out of the trash can. Then I have to tie it up, get outside (three doors), and over to the garbage can. Come back in, get out a new bag and put it in. Probably a 5-minute chore.
However, I’ve been trying to implement this in other ways. Instead of setting down an item to put away later, I take it upstairs right away. Or after I have 2 other items. Instead of waiting for a huge pile or to take up “later” which is usually forgotten. If I have a moment while the bread is toasting or waiting for Maggie to take care of something, or whatever, I try to remember to look around and see if there’s something little I can do.
Some 1-minute or less chores might include:
- Getting out a new washcloth and hand towel in the kitchen
- Clearing out my backpack from work (dishes, receipts, papers to file, etc.)
- Straightening a few cans in the pantry
- Recycling the daily paper
- Bringing up a new package of toilet paper before we run out
- Refilling the dog or cat water bowls
- Dealing with one item sitting on the kitchen table (filing, looking something up online, recycling, putting in my backpack to take to work, making a note for Eric, etc.)
- washing a baggie
- wiping down the counters or stovetop
- making a list of bigger chores for the weekend
- straightening the living room sofa (cushions, pillows, blankets)
- recycling old magazines
- taking something downstairs for storage (I always have a few plastic freezer containers or glass jars sitting around)
- going through the daily mail (most of it gets recycled anyway)
- going through Maggie’s latest drawings and deciding which to keep or give away
What are some 1-minute chores in your home?