Often, we feel like we just don’t have time to do all the things that need to be done in our homes, but I’m here to encourage you to use those 10 minutes of downtime you have throughout the day to complete any of these 37 quick tasks. These are my favorite tidy home tips for the busy mom!
If you’re anything like me, you find yourself with 10 minutes here and there. There’s not enough time to start a whole project or cook a meal. You could sit down and watch 10 minutes of your current Netflix binge or read a book. Neither of those is a terrible idea, but more often than not, there are quick tasks around our homes that can be completed in those same 10 minutes.
Instead of spending those 10 minutes in a way that you’ll likely regret later, why not do something relatively productive? Surprisingly, many chores we hate to do can be completed, to some degree, in 10 minutes or less!
You’re dying for me to tell you my favorite tidy home tips, aren’t you?
Before I give you the list, I need you to become comfortable with this mantra: Done is better than perfect! Repeat it a few times. Write it on a piece of paper.
10 minutes isn’t enough time to make your bathroom sparkle or reorganize your garage! Let’s be real! However, 10 minutes is plenty of time to get some key tasks around your house DONE!
37 Quick Tasks You Can Complete in 10 Minutes or Less
- Unload the dishwasher
- Load the dishwasher
- Wipe down countertops
- Remove old leftovers from the refrigerator
- Wipe down the front of the dishwasher and refrigerator
- Sweep the kitchen floor
- Wipe off the dining table
- Reply to one email
- Delete email from Inbox
- Delete 50 pictures from phone’s camera roll
- Pay a bill
- Wash a load of laundry
- Fold a load of laundry
- Put a load of laundry away
- Declutter any surface
- Make your bed
- Clean out the console in the car
- Clean the bathroom mirror
- Clean a toilet
- Wipe down the bathroom sink
- Pick up toys from the living room floor
- Dust the surfaces of one room
- Water the plants
- Vacuum one room
- Refill soap dispensers
- Empty trash cans
- Tidy up bedroom
- Tidy up the front porch
- Tidy up the back porch
- Tidy up the living room
- Tidy up home office
- Sweep the stairs
- Clean glass on front doors
- Clean glass on back doors
- Clean out under the couch
- Change a light bulb
- Throw away junk mail
I often do some of these quick tasks in the mornings between the time I drop my daughter off at school and when I need to leave to get to a client’s house. I’ll do a couple more in the afternoons between the time I’m home from a client and need to leave to pick her up from school. I’ll do just about anything to keep from sitting in my car, in the carline for longer than necessary. Thankfully, we only live about 5 minutes from the school!
I hope you’ll consult this list any time you feel like you have time to kill, but not enough time to do anything significant!
What tasks would you add to this list? What are your favorite tidy home tips? I bet we could come up with another 37 quick tasks!
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I love a list of small, easy-to-do tasks that can be accomplished quickly. I need to start at #1 and work my way down right now!
Thanks! I need to start at the top and do it all most days! Shooo…
I love this list! I’m going to start today.
Thank you!
Oh yay! You’re welcome!
Making lists is a great thing to do when it comes to every day cleaning. I must admit making the bed and getting the kitchen just so every morning starts my day off right!
I’m a big fan of making the bed! I love waking up to a “clean enough” kitchen! Thanks for stopping by!
I love this list! You know that time when you’re ready to go somewhere but you’re a bit early – you could do any of these things! I love it!
I’m rarely ready ahead of time, but for people who are – – yes you could absolutely do any of these!
I often have a 15-20 min list of things. But I do try to do a little something when waiting on coffee or maybe for a skillet to get hot. Great list.
Thanks. Yes, use all that idle time for good!
excellent list! breaking these tasks in to small time frames is an attitude changer! thanks!
Great list! When I worked retail a previous boss used to say if you have time to lean, you have time to clean. It stuck with me all these year. My mom would do a purse cleaning while sitting in car or waiting in a line, go through old receipts and such. I found I do the same too ha ha.
This is such a great list!!! About the only time I get to do anything is in a 10 minute snippet!
It’s the little things that make a difference! Now if I could only get my peeps on board to help🤪
Yes!! Always the little things!