A minute at a time - gets the job done - Page 3

[Peppermint Leaf]

One of the reasons I started this thread was that I so easily can feel overwhelmed by the task of cleaning/decluttering .. that I don't want to get started... plus I noticed many posters stating they just didn't have the time to spare..... but who doesn't have 2 minutes.

try really hard not to look at the whole picture -- if its just too overwhelming. Just look at what you can accomplish in a few minutes

[Peppermint Leaf]

I am so unmotivated today to work on my awful garage.

So I have been doing several 2 minute stints out there .... I have filled 6 garbage bags !!! :

Now --- if the garbage man would just come this week (due to snow he hasn't been here for 3 weeks!! )

[rainyday]

Originally Posted by Peppermint Leaf

Now --- if the garbage man would just come this week (due to snow he hasn't been here for 3 weeks!! )

You must live near me! The pile of garbage and recycling was awful before they finally got here and took it away. No more snow for now, thank goodness, though it was fun while it lasted.

In several two minutes, I:
made the bed and gathered up the dirty laundry.
cleaned the toilet and sink
made DS's bed and folded his pjs
put away toys from living room
picked up hats and scarves by front door

[Tangled Hill]

Originally Posted by Peppermint Leaf

Well -- My family wanted pasta a for lunch --- so I decided to see how much work I could get done in the kitchen while the water was boiling and the pasta was cooking (approx 15 minutes total) .... well I got my whole kitchen cleaned up and the dishwasher loaded up and turned on !!! ..

Yeah -- Pasta cleaning :

This is my favorite way to clean the kitchen! I've gotten so much done just waiting for water to boil.

[rainyday]

Along the pasta water lines, I always unload the dishwasher while I'm waiting for the coffee to brew. I hate unloading the dishwasher, but I always find that when I actually do it, I'm done before the coffee is.

[bluebunny]

Yeah, it is amazing what you can accomplish in two-minute increments.

Along the pasta water lines, I always unload the dishwasher while I'm waiting for the coffee to brew. I hate unloading the dishwasher, but I always find that when I actually do it, I'm done before the coffee is.

I do this, too.

Today I cleaned out two shelves in our mud room in increments throughout the day. I also did four loads of laundry and made dinner.

[Peppermint Leaf]

:

[thixle]

thank you for this thread!
today, in 2 minute incriments, I:
-hung laundry
-organized the girl's dressers and put their clothes away
-made draft dodgers for the doors!
-picked the bits of paper off the floor (hoo-ray scissor practice, lol)
-tamed the toys in the living room floor

and I'm not exhausted

[Maddy123]

You can do a lot in 2 minutes...

I've been instituting a "two minute plus carry" routine and I think it helps a lot.

The second I walk into a room, I take 2 minutes to do anything that needs doing (load the dishwasher, wipe off a counter, whatever for 2 minutes). During that 2 minutes, if I see anything that goes in another room, I group or stack the items that need to go. Then I do whatever I came into the room to do in the first place (fix a snack? ). If you have more than 2 minutes, fine. But it's ok to leave things undone. You'll be back.

When I leave the room, I grab an item or two from the "doesn't belong here" group and put them back. (That's the "plus carry" part of the routine).

Start over when you walk into the next room (the 2 minute neatening).

If I pass thru a room, I don't have to do anything.

But if I actually GO in a room, I do the 2 minute thing. Or I shorten it to one minute, if I have kids hanging on me. Try to keep the attitude of seeing how much you can do in the 2 minutes. It's sort of a game.

You would be amazed at how these little "2 minutes plus carry" sessions can improve your house. Also, you really notice how often you move from room to room during the day. A lot! If you go into to a room, and there's nothing to do, good for you.

I know this is a BIT different from the original thread, but since it involves "2 minutes" I thought I would post it.

[Peppermint Leaf]

Originally Posted by Maddy123

You can do a lot in 2 minutes...

I've been instituting a "two minute plus carry" routine and I think it helps a lot.

The second I walk into a room, I take 2 minutes to do anything that needs doing (load the dishwasher, wipe off a counter, whatever for 2 minutes). During that 2 minutes, if I see anything that goes in another room, I group or stack the items that need to go. Then I do whatever I came into the room to do in the first place (fix a snack? ). If you have more than 2 minutes, fine. But it's ok to leave things undone. You'll be back.

When I leave the room, I grab an item or two from the "doesn't belong here" group and put them back. (That's the "plus carry" part of the routine).

Start over when you walk into the next room (the 2 minute neatening).

If I pass thru a room, I don't have to do anything.

But if I actually GO in a room, I do the 2 minute thing. Or I shorten it to one minute, if I have kids hanging on me. Try to keep the attitude of seeing how much you can do in the 2 minutes. It's sort of a game.

You would be amazed at how these little "2 minutes plus carry" sessions can improve your house. Also, you really notice how often you move from room to room during the day. A lot! If you go into to a room, and there's nothing to do, good for you.

I know this is a BIT different from the original thread, but since it involves "2 minutes" I thought I would post it.

:

One of the organizing websites I was on suggested never leaving a room empty handed

[thixle]

Originally Posted by Peppermint Leaf

One of the organizing websites I was on suggested never leaving a room empty handed

I do this all. the. time. I don't even WANT to know what my house would look like if I didn't...
But how do I train Dh on that? I swear, he'll make 4 trips to the laundry room for 4 different articles of dirty clothing (that were all in the same room to begin with)...

[Peppermint Leaf]

Originally Posted by Maddy123

You can do a lot in 2 minutes...

I've been instituting a "two minute plus carry" routine and I think it helps a lot.

The second I walk into a room, I take 2 minutes to do anything that needs doing (load the dishwasher, wipe off a counter, whatever for 2 minutes). During that 2 minutes, if I see anything that goes in another room, I group or stack the items that need to go. Then I do whatever I came into the room to do in the first place (fix a snack? ). If you have more than 2 minutes, fine. But it's ok to leave things undone. You'll be back.

When I leave the room, I grab an item or two from the "doesn't belong here" group and put them back. (That's the "plus carry" part of the routine).

Start over when you walk into the next room (the 2 minute neatening).

If I pass thru a room, I don't have to do anything.

But if I actually GO in a room, I do the 2 minute thing. Or I shorten it to one minute, if I have kids hanging on me. Try to keep the attitude of seeing how much you can do in the 2 minutes. It's sort of a game.

You would be amazed at how these little "2 minutes plus carry" sessions can improve your house. Also, you really notice how often you move from room to room during the day. A lot! If you go into to a room, and there's nothing to do, good for you.

I know this is a BIT different from the original thread, but since it involves "2 minutes" I thought I would post it.

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Good ideas here :