9 Things You Can Clean in 5 Minutes or Less
Updated: Dec. 21, 2023
You can get these tasks done before you need to run out the door for work or while you’re waiting for the oven to preheat.
One shelf in the fridge or pantry
Go through your food and drinks and organize them in a way where the things you need most often are at the front. Quickly check expiration dates and throw away anything that has gone bad. This is the right way to organize your fridge.
Wipe down the outside of appliances
When cleaning the kitchen many people forget to wipe down the outside of appliances. Grab a disinfecting wipe and clean off your fridge, microwave, toaster, oven and coffee maker. Don’t forget to scrub the handles; a lot of bacteria can collect there.
Clean out under the sink
Pull out your trashcan or the bottles of cleaning supplies that live under your sink and wipe it down, getting rid of any trash that may have piled up. When you put your cleaning supplies back, group things together, such as the floor cleaners or the disinfectants. If you have time to clean the whole sink, these tips will help you make it sparkle.
Junk drawer
Everyone has that drawer in their kitchen where they just throw things that pile up on the counter. Take 5 minutes and throw away everything that you don’t need in there. That could be expired coupons, junk mail or notes that are no longer relevant. Once all of the trash is out of there, group things together. Put all the pens and pencils on one side, the rubber bands and paper clips in the corner and all your pads of paper stacked neatly on top of each other.
Shoe closet/rack
After a long day, most people tend to just throw their shoes in the closet or on the rack by the front door. In between errands, or while you’re waiting for your dinner to cook, organize your shoes. Pair them up and place them in a convenient pattern on the floor or rack.
Sock drawer
Get rid of all your stray socks that you have been waiting to find a match to and pair up the ones that got separated. Double your drawer space by following these folding tips.
Pile of magazines
Are your monthly subscriptions piling up next to your chair waiting to be read? Make an effort to read them. Try putting the magazines on your nightstand or in your kitchen so you can flip through them before bed or while eating your breakfast. That way you can read them little by little and won’t feel bad about throwing them in the recycling bin.
Cables
The ball of tangled wires behind your TV or computer can be a huge eyesore. Untangle them and coil them up at the base so they don’t look so unorganized.
Wash the windows or glass doors
Grab the glass cleaner and a few paper towels and get scrubbing. It takes less than a minute to clean one window. How many can you get done in 5 minutes? If you run out of glass windows to clean in your house, move on to other glass surfaces such as your phone screen.
