Simplify Summer: Quick Organizing Projects You Can Do in 30 Minutes or Less

It’s July!

Is your July chaotic like mine?

Kids are home. This is wonderful! We get to spend all this time with them and go on amazing adventures!
It also comes with chaos, unpredictable schedules, and constant requests. It’s easy to feel overwhelmed. When I am overwhelmed, I like to get rid of stuff. Seriously, try it! If I can clear out one shelf, one drawer, one cabinet, I feel so much better. It’s like therapy.

So, here are 5 organizing projects you can do in just 30 minutes.

Grab your favorite drink, turn on some music, and let’s do this!

1. Purse, Diaper Bag, or pool bag reset

It’s crazy how quickly these can get out of hand. Take 10 minutes here, that’s all you need. Toss the old receipts and trash. Use pouches to group like items together. Stock up on the esssentials.

2. Junk Drawer Clean Out

Listen just throw it all away. Okay maybe not, but it’s tempting right?
What you can do is take everything out, toss duplicates, random screws, old batteries, restaurant menus, expired coupons, gross old chapstick, and anything else that doesn’t belong there. Vacuum and wipe the drawer out and put the necessities back in. Preferably with drawer organizers.

3. Entryway Tidy

This may be the entryway at the front of your house, or by your garage door. Wherever you enter from, that’s where I want you to focus. Put away all the shoes. ALL OF THEM. Toss the old mail too. Stategize where your keys should actually go. Do you need a basket for returns? Order those things and delegate installation to your spouse. Done.

4. Pantry Floor Pick-Up

The pantry floor becomes another drop zone of grocery items. Bulk purchases that we never put away, jugs of oil or vinegar that we don’t know what to do with, cases of water, old bags. Don’t worry about the rest of the pantry right now. Just focus on the floor. Toss anything expired, you clearly aren’t using it, and anything old and gross. Take the remaining items out and vacuum, sweep, and mop. Go ahead and wipe those baseboards too. As you put things back in, group them like with like. If you have a million tote bags, take the biggest one and store all the other bags in it for a quick win.

5. Car Clean out

The dreaded car…grab a trash bag and let’s get to work.
Toss the obvious trash, take items in the house or garage that don’t belong in the car, give it a quick wipe down and order yourself a car trash can. Bonus if you can do this at a car wash with a vacuum.
Check out our blog on keeping your car organized here.

It doesn’t take much to give your brain a boost. Try it!

Hi, I’m Naomi!

Founder of Charming Spaces, professional organizer, wife, mom of three and passionate advocate for women.

I hope this blog is everything you’re looking for, but feel free to shoot us a message and follow us on Instagram!

How to Organize Your Vehicle

If you’re a busy mom or a business owner, you are familiar with your car being like a second home. Shuffling kids to activiites, running errands, pulling over for client calls, driving to consultations - we spend a ton of time in our vehicles! The sheer amount of papers, empty chip bags, and gum wrappers, are enough to drive anyone crazy. With a few strategic organizing solutions, we can create a clean and functional space for on the go.

Here is a step-by-step guide to organizing your car, complete with must-have items like a trash can, organizers for your consule, and emergency supplies.

Start with a Clean Slate

Before diving into organizing, we have got to clean out that hot mess car! Listen, there is no judgement. Here’s a secret, organizers have the messiest cars of anyone I’ve ever met. Don’t ask me why. It’s a thing.

So empty it out. Yes, completely. The glove box, the console, the trunk, all of it. Toss the trash and take anything inside that doesn’t belong in your car. Give it a good wipe down and vacuum, and maybe add a smelly good.

Check out this car vacuum on Amazon. Great reviews, and it has a blower option too!

Organize the center console

At this point, you’re looking at an empty clean car and a pile of items that need to come back into the car. Decide what items you need easy access to in the center console. This is prime real estate, so choose wisely.
This is what I keep in mine:

• Tampons

• Backup Sunglasses

• Pens

• Extra business cards

• An envelope for business receipts

• Charger

• Hand Sanitizer

• Chapstick

I use these home edit organizers to keep things neat and tidy in the console. These are a game changer!

Organize the glove box

Truly, there isn’t much organizing that needs to be done here. The only thing I recommend keeping here is your vehicle manual, insurance card, and napkins or wipes as these often don’t fit well in the center console.

Organize the Trunk

There is very little that should be kept back here, if you can help it. The reality is, when hauling kids around, sometimes you need to keep some basics in the car. Plus you need some emergency supplies. Here’s what I keep in my trunk.

• Jumper cables

• First-Aid Kit

• Basic Tool Kit (for work)

• Trash Bags (for work)

• Kids’ necessities (extra change of clothes, minimal amount of toys)

• Car cleaning items (wipes and small vacuum)

If you have some hidden storage cubbies in your car, utilize those. If not, I like these trunk bags that keep things stored nicely.

Add a trash can

Car trash with kids is a major problem. Solution: add a trash can and empty it every time you get gas. I really don’t care which trash can you get, just get one that works for you and place it where you can actually reach it. Here are a few trash cans I like:

Maintain your organized car

Now that your car is nice and clean and organized, let’s keep it that way! Easier said than done, right? It’s all about building new habits and creating a routine. My suggestion is to pick a day of the week that works best for you, and complete the tasks listed below. This may be Sunday afternoon when you’re already working outside in the garden, or maybe its Friday after the kids get home from school, or maybe its after soccer on Saturday. Whatever feels the most natural for you.

• Empty the trash

• Bring items inside that belong inside

• Wipe + Vacuum

• Restock supplies

Enjoy Your Organized Ride

Pat yourself on the back and enjoy!

Hi, I’m Naomi!

Founder of Charming Spaces, professional organizer, wife, mom of three and passionate advocate for women.

I hope this blog is everything you’re looking for, but feel free to shoot us a message and follow us on Instagram!