Weather can be unpredictable. You’re prepared to do gardening and tidy up your yard, then it starts to downpour and you have to switch tasks. When planning outdoor chores, we must be flexible, as the weather is not.
Rainy days provide the perfect opportunity to finish inside projects. To motivate yourself, start with some upbeat music. Tina Turner is my best motivator.
You don’t have to spend the same number of hours organizing an inside project as you would working in the garden. Most of my clients and friends prefer gardening over anything indoors.
You might not like organizing and cleaning, but the work has to be done, and there are not very many volunteers for those tasks. So, finish the job and feel proud of yourself.
Here are a few one hour, rainy day projects to inspire you:
Clean the shower
Add 1/2 cup dish soap to a 16-ounce spray bottle. Fill the rest of the bottle with white vinegar, screw the spray nozzle back on and gently shake. Apply this cleaner liberally to your shower walls and glass doors (do not use on granite, marble or other natural stone), and let it sit for two hours. Then, use a gentle brush to scrub away the buildup. Finally, rinse and enjoy the shiny and clean shower.
File instead of pile
Schedule one hour of collecting scattered papers. Sort and file important ones in your filing system. Recycle those you no longer need. Keep a shredder handy for sensitive documents, ensuring your personal information stays safe.
Desk cleaning
Commit to one hour to clean your work desk. Remove clutter, get rid of used disposable coffee cups, file away loose papers, consolidate or replenish office supplies, and wipe down surfaces for a fresh start.
Erase wall smears
If you’re not ready to paint your walls, this is the next best solution to remove black marks. Use a scrubbing paste to remove ugly marks on your floors or walls. Spend an hour going around your home, erasing smudges and restoring surfaces to their former beauty.
Organize drawers
Take an hour to organize your kitchen utensil drawers, both eating and cooking utensils. Remove the clutter and discard broken or unused items. Donate duplicates and invest in drawer dividers to keep everything neatly arranged.
Towel task
Let go of towels that are old and not usable anymore. Donate towels to the humane society to help keep animals warm and clean. Remove items you no longer use. Fold linens neatly and use labelled bins or baskets to keep everything tidy and accessible.
Picture perusal
Schedule one hour to sort through the digital photo collection on your computer, your phone or both. Create folders and delete duplicates and blurred images. Back up your memories you want to save to ensure they are safe and easily accessible.
These one-hour, rainy-day projects are ideal for busy people who don’t have a lot of free time. All of us can spare one hour to keep our homes functional and beautiful.
Transformational life coach Ranka Burzan owns a professional organizing company in the qathet region and has written several books on reducing clutter. For more information, email [email protected] or call 604.578.8954.
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