Welcome to my annual 15 Minutes to Fabulous series! Over the next few weeks I’ll be featuring some fantastic guest writers. Let’s face it, give a busy woman 15 minutes of uninterrupted time and she can conquer the world…or at least 15 minutes of it! Today’s guest blogger is Nashville’s Mridu Parikh from Life is Organized. I don’t know about you, but I can always use organizational tips. Please follow Mridu on Twitter and like her Facebook page. Mridu will have you organizing like a “freakin’ pro” in no time! She has a light-hearted approach to organizing that I think, no I know, you’ll love!
Your family room should be one of the most relaxed areas in your home: an inviting space for your family and friends to hang out, chat and unwind. Unfortunately it can also duo as a dumping ground for toys, books, magazines, video games, shoes, clothes and everything else you and your family use.
Good news. You can transform this cluttered space back into your relaxing haven with just a quick spruce up and minimal effort. Just set your timer for 15 minutes. For real. Timers keep you accountable, on track and give you a great satisfaction when that ringer goes off. You’ll be amazed how much you can get done in short, focused bursts of time and energy.
Step #1: Get a laundry basket. Gather anything that does not belong in this room and put it in the basket. I’m talking clothes that should be in your kids rooms, mail that goes in your office, plates that should have never left the kitchen, Barbies that live in the playroom and socks that go in the hamper. No need to distribute these items right now. Just get them piled into your basket so they’re out of your most valuable real estate in the house. Don’t overthink, sort or toss items at this point. Just keep moving for 5 minutes.
Step #2: Separate the remaining items (that do belong in this room) by similar categories, (like books, DVDs, magazines and remotes), and store them away. If you don’t have a dedicated space for these things, like bookshelves or a media console, use individual baskets for storage. Remember, this isn’t the time to go through your stuff and make tough decisions on what to toss and what to keep. Your goal here is to clear space and make this room inviting and useful. You have 5 minutes to pick up and put stuff away.
Step #3: Spend your last five minutes on beautifying your room. There is so much pleasure in walking into a space that simply looks nice. Feel relaxed and invited with fluffed up pillows and a cleared couch. Here’s what you can get done in your home stretch.
- Fold and stack your blankets
- Re-arrange your throw pillows on the couch or chair they belong to
- Pick up everything off the rug
- Do a quick wipe down of your coffee table and other large pieces of furniture
- Extra credit: Run the vacuum over your rug or carpet for just 60 seconds
Bio: Mridu Parikh is an Organization Life Coach and Simplicity Expert for women who are tired of feeling overwhelmed and stressed out. Through her real-life video blogs, on-demand classes and one-to-one coaching, she’ll show you how to get your life and family running smoothly – sans the drama and matchy-matchy bins.
Prepare to get uber motivated and take action with Mridu’s FREE 5-day organizing workshop.
Stay tuned next Wednesday for another great guest post!
love this! i’m also not entirely sure why I never thought to grab a laundry basket and throw everything in it.
I know…love that idea!
love this
Always love Mridu’s tips! Love gettting her emails too!! Those tips go a long way!! 🙂
Me, too. Her emails are fantastic!
I love this! I love her emphasis on NOT going through stuff and throwing away. I also love that she says to take a little time to make it pretty.
I think that’s why I get bogged down in the de-clutter process. Because I’m like, “but that’s boring!” But if I know I get to do something pretty at the end? That’s a little motivation right there. 🙂
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I think that’s why I get bogged down in the DE-clutter process. Because I’m like, “but that’s boring
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