Getting an extra hour in our day seems like a dream… or maybe it actually is because many of us use the “Fall Back” hour to sleep in??

How about making the most of this gift of time by tackling a project you’ve been pushing off? Don’t feel like you need to organize an entire room in one weekend. Start small with single categories and feel how motivating and impactful a small step can be.⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀

In celebration of the fall time change, I’m sharing five fall seasonal projects that you can accomplish in ONE hour or LESS. 

1. Sheets and towels

Notice I didn’t say linen closet? That’s because for so many of us, organizing a linen closet is daunting and BIG. The goal of the Fall Back into Order project is to start small and get motivated by completing a small project that makes a big impact in your home.

How many should I keep?

Sheets: two per bed

Bath towels: two per person, plus four – six for guests

Hand towels: five – eight per bathroom

For sheets, I recommend storing the set not on the bed in the bedroom to which it belongs. Stained or ripped textiles can be recycled through Threadcycle programs, available at Goodwill or other donation centers.

2. Shoes

Shoe addict or just the basics? Either way, you likely have a pair or two (or three or more) that need to go. Edit your shoe collection twice a year, as you rotate out the open toes for boots.

In prep for this post, I went through my shoe collection and got rid of FOUR pairs! Worn-out wedges, flip flops that I didn’t end up wearing all summer, heels that have been hanging around since my corporate job days, and extra sneakers that were just taking up space.

Some things to keep in mind as you go through them one by one:

• Check the heels and straps for any signs of wear. Yeah? Say goodbye.⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀
• Be honest with the fit: still giving you blisters even if you’re pretending they don’t? ⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀
• And style, my friends. Would you buy them again today?

3. Medicine cabinet

It’s fall – staying healthy? I can’t organize your flu shot for you (please, please, get one!), but I can help you keep your medications and toiletries in order. ⠀

Step 1: Take everything out of your drawers and wipe them down. There’s inevitably a sticky or dusty mess somewhere.

Step 2: Sort by family member and type (adults vs kids, creams vs pain relievers). But don’t toss anything expired. They can be brought to pharmacies and health care centers for proper disposal.

Step 3: Be sure to note which of the expired and almost empty items you need to re-buy, so that you’re not running to Target when you have a sick family member at home.

Step 4: Sort into bins and add a label.

My favorite organizers for organizing your medicine cabinet:

Hope you don’t need any of this anytime soon, but for when you do, you’ll have reassurance that you will know exactly where to find what you need.

4. Baking

Just like with the linens, instead of going full steam ahead on the pantry, take time to focus on just one section. Holiday cooking season is coming up, so get ahead of the sprinkles and food coloring by organizing and decluttering your baking collection. Or if you really need an excuse, why not start with the sweetest part of your kitchen?

I love using these bins with handles from The Container Store in pantries. They are one of the most inexpensive bins out there but one of my favorite to use in any room in a home!

5. Kids papers

Looking for a way to make the most of your extra hour on Sunday with your family? Make them some cocoa (and lots of coffee for you) and sort through the kids papers: art projects, school work, birthday cards, report cards, notes. Everything.

Spread it all out on the living room floor and spend time asking your kids about what makes the “special” artwork special.

But know that it’s also important to recognize with them what isn’t worthy of making the cut, and why that is. Empower your little ones to OWN the conversation about what to keep and what to toss, but remember that they need your guidance until they understand the gained value is so often in the creative process, not the final result itself.

Looking for a way to store your kids saved work? You can order a customized memory box here.