Get organized in just 10 minutes

New Haven (WTNH) - If you think you don't have time to get your home or office organized, think again.

Professional organizer Lisa Lelas from Life Styling in Guilford showed us how you can accomplish big organizing tasks in just a small amount of time.

The following organizing tips were compiled by Lisa:

Create a daily "task basket." On your kitchen counter near your telephone, place a little basket filled with 5- 10 minute little tasks (on seperate strips of paper) that you never seem to make the time for (such as cleaning out the microwave, folding laundry, polishing the sink, etc.). Once or twice a day, whenever you're on the phone for an extended conversation, reach into the basket and pull out a task to accomplish while chatting on phone!

Get into the habit of creating a 10 minute time pocket every day to accomplish an organizing task. Mark it in your planner or on the calendar. Maybe stay 10 minutes later at work to organize your desk and files, or get up 10 minutes earlier to organize something around the house. Before you know it, it will be as normal as brushing your teeth everyday!

Things you can accomplish in just 10 minutes or less:

Weed out 10 file folders. Dedicate 1 minute or less per folder, cull and recycle any papers you no longer need. Consider dating material stored in files and/or placing most recent paperwork in the front of the file folder, so older, more outdated materials can be culled easily in the back of the folder.

Get rid of junk emails. While at your desk, take 5-10 minutes to unsubscribe to 5-10 junk E-Mails each day.

Synchronize your day planner or electronic organizer to your household master calendar for kid's events, appointments and other family activities.

Sort through that pile of magazines and old catalogues either stuffed into a magazine rack, on your kitchen counter or beside your bed. Be honest- if you haven't read a magazine that's several months old, chances are you never will. Toss them into the recycling bin. If there's a dog-eared page you wanted to save, tear that out and file it away.

Pick through an overstuffed drawer: a kitchen gadget drawer, a junk drawer, a sock drawer, etc. Set a timer for 10 minutes, grab a trash bag and toss things you don't need.

Write out your greeting cards for the month. If you shop ahead and purchase all the cards you need for that season, it'll only take about 10 minutes to write out all of your greeting cards for the month ahead. Address them, stamp them and send them out!

Clear out one shelf in your refrigerator. Remove items first, clean the shelf and put items back in an orderly way.

Make a donation bag. Go through your clothes closet and choose 5 clothing items that you never wear. Do this regularly. When the bag is full, donate it!

Make an appointment you've been putting off. Whether it's a trip to the dentist, doctor or accountant, get on the phone and establish an appointment time.

Clear off one flat surface in your home. Whether it be your kitchen table, counter, desktop, dresser top or nightstand, choose one and clear it of clutter!

And finally... clean out your purse!