Sort Through the First Aid Kit, Wash Throws and 7 Other Household Tasks You've Been Putting Off

When the house is clean and food is prepared, it seems like there's nothing left to do. But that's not true — we've compiled a list of tasks that people usually postpone until better times (and now it seems like those times have arrived).

Sort Clothing and Shoes

Organize all clothing and shoes into these categories.

• Items to Keep. Everything you use frequently.
  
• Throw Away. Items that are broken, outdated, or no longer useful to anyone.
  
• Give Away or Sell. Clothes and shoes in good condition that others may find useful.
  
• Hard to Part With. Items you're not ready to let go of yet. Don't forget to mark the date when you expect to give them away and store them for safekeeping. Perhaps after a year, looking at these items again, you'll realize they're no longer needed.

Design: Anna Rims

Now sort only the items in the "Keep" category. Separate clothes and shoes into home and everyday wear, sports and festive outfits, seasonal and non-seasonal. Keep underwear and accessories separately.

Move everything you won't need in the near future to the top. Place all the rest on shelves and hangers. Hang clothes from longest to shortest, from thinner material to denser fabric, from lighter color to darker.

Organize shoes in boxes and label their contents (or affix photos). Store away winter boots and shoes that won't be needed this season. You can find more storage ideas for clothing and footwear here.

Design: BLACKDOT Studio

Sort Documents

Retrieve all papers and sort them into two categories: necessary and unnecessary. Anything that is no longer relevant or will not be needed can be thrown away. Start by shredding the papers or tearing them into small pieces. If it seems some old documents will be needed in the future, scan them and store them digitally.

Organize remaining papers into categories and place them in folders or organizers. Each category will have its own, for example:

• Finance (invoices, loans, taxes);
• Property (documents for apartment, cottage, car);
• Medical (insurance, discharge papers);
• Education (certificates, diplomas);
• Personal Documents (passports, birth and marriage certificates).

Design: Lyudmila Danilovich

Organize Computer Files

If you're sorting documents, follow the same principle as in the previous step. Then organize all applications and programs (depending on their function) into folders.

Clean up browser history, sort bookmarks, and delete anything unnecessary. Organize photo folders, make copies to external or cloud storage.

Design: BLACKDOT Studio

Clean Household Textiles

Use a vacuum cleaner on all surfaces to remove dust (rugs, sofas, and chairs). Then treat furniture with fabric upholstery using a steam cleaner if you have one. Clean rugs with special cleaning products and dry them thoroughly.

Do a big laundry: gather blankets, throws, and pillows. First check the materials they are made of to see if they can be machine-washed (for example, down and wool can be, but only on delicate cycles, and cotton batting cannot). Some items may have to be hand-washed.

Design: Zarkua Design

Wash Windows

Check the weather forecast and choose a cloudy and not too cold day. Windows are easier to wash when the sun is not shining directly into the glass and creating spots and streaks. Lay down a cloth on the floor and begin work.

• Prepare everything needed. You can use special cleaning solutions or make a regular soap solution, which works just as well. Don't forget to prepare another bucket with clean water, a sponge or brush with a long handle, and a clean cloth.
• Wipe the frames first, then the glass. Wipe surfaces with a well-wrung sponge. Move from bottom to top to avoid streaks. If the window is large, use a brush with a long handle. Also don't forget to rinse the glass with clean water after using soap solution.
• Dry the windows thoroughly. The brush has a special rubber squeegee — place it on top of the glass and slowly move down, pushing water away. Streaks can be wiped with a clean cloth (preferably microfiber — it absorbs moisture and leaves no streaks).
• Wash mosquito nets separately. Best done in the bathroom with a shower, soap, and brush with stiff bristles.

Photo: Pinterest

Declutter Items on the Balcony

It's time to transform the balcony not into a place for storing items, but into a cozy relaxation corner. Set aside one day and move all items from the balcony into the apartment so you can sort them easily. Then organize them by categories (as clothes and shoes in the first item).

Don't forget to tidy up the balcony and wash the windows before returning items. Set up convenient storage systems (for example, a closed built-in cabinet) to store everything in one place and free up as much space as possible.

After that, you can place a small coffee table for breakfasts on the balcony, put in a chair or hang a hammock. More ideas for decorating a glassed-in balcony can be found here.

Design: Marina Karalkina

Organize Kitchen Cabinets

Open the cabinets and see what's where. Ask yourself: is it convenient for you, do you need to change anything? Then take out all contents and wipe the shelves. Sort all dishes (possibly items you've never used or plan to use) and groceries.

Items you use rarely should be placed as high as possible, and all necessary items should be moved down. You might unexpectedly find something useful (long-lost baking molds or waffle makers that you bought years ago and forgot about).

Sort all spices, mixes, and baking additives. Consider how to organize their storage — for example, place them in a separate drawer and use organizers for convenience.

Design: Mirburo

Sort Through the First Aid Kit and Cosmetics

Go through all cosmetic and skincare products and check their expiration dates — some of them definitely need to be thrown away. Also look at whether you're still using all of them — some products might not suit you anymore and can be donated.

The same applies to medications — how to sort through a first aid kit was discussed here.

Important Note: Plastic packaging from cosmetic products should not be thrown into regular trash. They can be recycled at special waste collection points, but you'll need to completely clean the bottles and remove caps and metal parts.

Some cosmetic stores also accept used packaging from their own products (but only those they produce themselves).

Photo: Pinterest

Start Doing Morning Exercises

At first glance, the easiest item that requires the least effort (but it's not true). And yet it's the most important one. Begin with a light morning warm-up, and you'll feel more energetic and cheerful.

Many fitness centers and studios have opened access to online workouts. This is an excellent time to start working out, doing yoga, or dancing.

Photo: Pinterest