Blog Post

How to Clean a Closet in 15 Minutes Per Day

Damon Cox • Sep 30, 2019

Your messy closet: You’ve been putting off cleaning it out for weeks or maybe even months or years. As the time goes by, the project becomes more and more overwhelming, and by this point, you’re sure it will take a whole weekend (or at least a whole Saturday) to get through all of the clutter. The good news is that it doesn’t have to be like that! You can make great headway working on your closet for just 15 minutes per day. Read on to find out how to achieve this feat without a huge investment of time.

Schefuler

Add It to Your Schedule

Even though you’ll only be dedicating 15 minutes per day to cleaning out your closet, it is important to choose the time that works for you. It might seem like such a small time investment might be easy to fit in whenever you notice that you have a spare quarter-hour, but the reality is that if you don’t have a set time for working, it’s very likely that you won’t get it done at all. 


Choosing the best time of day to work on your closet comes down to personal preference and your existing schedule. If you don’t leave very early for work in the morning, immediately before or after your shower might be the best time. This way you aren’t tired and it’s already crossed off your list for the day. On the other hand, many people prefer waiting until after work or after dinner. The danger here is that you will be too tired or too overwhelmed with other chores and tasks. Whatever you choose to do, write it down in your paper planner or set a reminder on your phone so you don’t forget about it. 


If scheduling 15 minutes per day seems like more trouble than it’s worth, then you might be better off just knocking out the job as fast as you can on a Saturday.

Find a Place to Keep Your Supplies

Since you are not going to be working on this for long periods of time, it makes the most sense to keep your supplies near the closet. This will eliminate the need for you to waste time gathering them each time you are ready to work. The obvious place to keep them is, of course, in the closet; if your closet is too cluttered for that, find another place in the same room where you’ll be working. 

The supplies you should have handy are:
  • A timer
  • Garbage bags
  • Boxes
  • Laundry baskets of two different colors
  • A few shoeboxes or small plastic bins for small items you find in the closet
Later on in the process, you’ll need a vacuum cleaner and maybe some dusting or cleaning supplies, but for the moment, just those basics should do.
Timer

Set a Timer and Get to Work

When it’s time to get started, start your timer for 15 minutes. Look in the closet immediately to the left of the door and pull out the first item you see. Ask yourself if you need and/or want it. Be honest: Does it fit properly? Have you worn it this season or quarter? Does it match other things you own? Do you have an occasion to wear it? (For example, if you used to be a nurse and now you are staying home with your children or working in hospital administration, you probably don’t need to keep your scrubs any longer.)

Take five or ten seconds at the most with each item and make your decision about whether you will be keeping it (put it in one of the laundry baskets), throwing it away (put it in the garbage bag), or donating it (put it in the box). If the item needs to be mended or treated for stains, you can put it in the other laundry basket. Work hard without stopping for the full 15 minutes. Think about it this way: If you allocate 10 seconds per item, you will be going through 90 items in 15 minutes. That is a lot! You will probably be shocked at how much you can accomplish in such a small amount of time.

Don’t Leave a Mess

When the timer dings, you’re done... almost! Put the last item in your hand in the appropriate receptacle, then stow it all away neatly. The last thing you want is for your laundry basket to fall over or for your garbage bag to rip open. Stack the baskets and put them on the floor of the closet or elsewhere in the room where your pets or children can’t get into them. Tape up the box of donations and put it in the trunk of your car; you’ll be dropping this off at your favorite thrift store or charity the next time you pass it. And put the garbage bag in the trash bin. Don’t wait for the box or bag to get full; just take care of it now. It is worth the few cents another garbage bag will cost you.
Empty Clothes Hangers

Get Your Empty Closet Ready to Organize

Once the closet is empty, it will be time for the fun part: preparing to put everything away! You will want to vacuum and wipe down your shelves and hanging rods. You might decide to paint the walls. Or you can spring for custom closet organizers to come in and renovate your closet into an amazing storage system! If you are in the Fremont area, contact S & S Cabinets for a free in-home consultation appointment. We have all of the closet accessories you need to stay organized after all of your hard work.

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