5 Things You Haven’t Yet Organized to Keep Busy During a Pandemic
Organizing is a productive thing to do this year. After all, we’re mostly stuck at home. I don’t know about you, but I’ve gone through periods of zero motivation. December has been a challenge; the constant stay-at-home is taking its toll. However, a bright spot emerged as I began packing up my house to move. Something about that felt productive and lifted my spirits. So if you’re struggling lately and the holiday decorating just isn’t working for you, here are some areas you might not have organized yet. Get cracking, and you might just feel a bit better!
1. Your attic. Actually, this might have been the first thing you organized. But if not, now’s a fantastic time — especially if you’re digging around up there for holiday decorations. If you don’t have an attic, it might be the basement or garage. Or, you might have all three! Set a goal for yourself to get them all organized by the end of January.
Related Posts:
Organize a Storage Area So It Doesn’t Become a Clutter Trap
6 Steps to Clear Out Clutter from Christmas and Other Holidays
2. A closet. I wrote about closets earlier this year as we discussed things you could organize while stuck at home. But you probably have more than one. Tackle the hall closet. Or linen closet.
Closets are a challenge for some, but I like organizing them because it’s one, contained space. You can pull everything out, clean the shelves, and put it all back, sorting as you go. If it’s too overwhelming, or if you have one of those incredible walk-in closets that’s an entire room, you can set a timer and work for 15 minutes a day on the project. We’ve written a lot about closets over the years, so check out these posts for more help.
3. The medicine cabinet. It’s incredible how much stuff manages to accumulate in there. I dislike throwing away old medicines and you are NOT supposed to flush them down the toilet. The extra step involved in getting rid of prescriptions is probably why many of us have so many orange bottles sitting around. But it’s a good idea to go through those and get rid of the ones you no longer need or those that have expired. First, if you have kids or teens in the house, it’s a matter of safety. Teens who abuse drugs may start with the medicine cabinet at home. Second, items that expire aren’t going to work as well. This is very true for liquids, especially. Those get pretty icky!
Take some time to dig through there. Keep the over-the-counter pain relievers and general use items. But really consider many of the others. Sticky cough drops, old eyedrops, 3-year-old prescriptions you needed for a specific illness or procedure — all of those can go. While some can go into the trash, you can dispose of prescriptions at a drop-off location near you. I found one at a CVS not far from me. Look for a big metal bin in the pharmacy area. Remove the label, at least your name, before drop-off. Here is more information about finding drop-off locations in the Raleigh, North Carolina area:
NC Medical Board Safe Medication Disposal
4. Your career. I hope you’re one of the people out there who remains employed and job secure. If you are, you might use the extra time to organize your career. What classes do you need to take to advance? What classes would just be helpful? So many classes are online, even plenty that are just plain fun. A new learning experience might perk you up and get your brain buzzing again. And when life returns to something resembling “normal,” you’ll be a step ahead for work.
5. Your hobbies. Speaking of organizing your free time, what hobbies are you enjoying this year? Now’s a good time to organize any stuff associated with those. Or, it’s a good time to clean out the stuff you needed from old hobbies. That canoe, hiking boots, or backpack can go. Someone may want them now as they seek the great outdoors. I mentioned my lack of motivation during some periods this year, so I get it if you’re just not feeling a hobby. I’m not saying throw it all away if you think you’ll return to it. But it’s nice to sort through and refresh sometimes. Set a boundary for hobby items or a timeline. By that I mean you decide that if you haven’t touched that hobby stuff in three years, it’s time to say goodbye. Or you can keep it but only what will fit into the right side of this closet.
Motivation may be hard to find right now, but we can see the light at the end of the tunnel. Sometimes, that light seems to shine just a little brighter when we organize and feel good about the space around us or our time. Has organizing something helped you?
Tag:career, closet, hobbies, medicine cabinet, organizing
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