Think you don’t have time to get organized? Here are ten things you can organize while sitting down at the end of the day watching your favorite shows and movies.
The number one question I get on Instagram is “How do I find time in my busy schedule to get organized?” And I always ask what their evening looks like. The answer is always the same. “I go, go, go until the kids go to bed, then I get to sit down and watch one show before bedtime.” I totally get the nonstop lifestyle, and I lived it myself for 15 years. But that evening downtime can be just as productive as it is relaxing when you throw a little organizing project into the mix. Here are ten things you can organize while watching television that won’t feel like work at all.
1. Junk Drawer
Yes, that drawer you’ve been avoiding for months now…the one you cuss at every time it won’t open because it’s packed so full that things get stuck. That one. Pull the drawer right off the tracks and bring it over to the sofa while you binge your favorite show. You’ll be surprised at how fast you can declutter and tidy the junk drawer when you’re only half-focused on how messy it is.
2. Computer Folders
If your desktop is looking like a puzzle table full of scattered folders and files, it’s time for a cleanup. You can create new folders based on the categories you need, organize files into sub-folders, and delete anything you no longer need. This is typically a big job and you won’t finish at once, but you can use the TV show as a timer to work until it’s done.
3. Purse & Wallet
When your purse and wallet start looking like a traveling filing cabinet, pantry, and office combined, that’s your cue to give it a good refresh. Take everything out, spread it all over the coffee table, and reorganize it in a way that will help you find what you need more easily. It’s also a good idea to bring the trash can into the room and place it beside you, because you’ll definitely find some trash during the cleanout.
Read More: How To Organize Your Purse With An Insert
4. DVDs & Video Games
Has it been a while since you’ve gone through DVDs and video games? In a world where most movies are streamed and games are downloaded straight onto consoles, we don’t really use those disks as often as we used to. When you’re watching an hour-long show or a movie, toss your DVDs and games into a laundry basket and go through them all. Look for cases without disks, make a donation pile, and alphabetize the ones you want to keep.
5. Printed Photos
Disclaimer: this is a huge job that takes days, weeks, or sometimes months depending on how many photos you own, but by working on organizing your printed photos once a week, you’ll slowly but surely start to see a light at the end of the tunnel. This is especially effective if you do it while your kids or partner are watching a show you’re not that interested in. You’re able to focus better and relieve the memories of the pictures.
6. Legos
Legos are a great thing to organize while watching TV because they require almost no mental attention. You can submerge yourself in the latest Housewife drama while sorting shapes, colors, and sizes and not have to really think about them. There’s no sentimental attachment, no decluttering, and no decision making.
Read More: How To Organize Legos For Older Kids
7. Nail Polish & Supplies
If you have a lot of nail polish bottles, nail tools, press-ons, stickers, dip jars, and nail care products, this can be a fun organizing project during your weekly series. Fill up a caddy, container, or even a drawer removed from its tracks so everything is nice and tidy. Throw out any polish that’s past its lifetime and give everything a good wipe down with a disinfectant.
8. Small Toys
Small toys like Hot Wheels cars, Shopkins, Mini Brands, Barbie accessories, and those random toys your kid gets as prizes from school tend to get thrown into a bucket with hopes of better organization later. Now is a good time to break out that divided case you bought months ago and finally sort those toys into slots and categories. Turn on a movie your kids have seen many times and you can all sort them together without too much distraction.
PS: How To Neatly Store Hot Wheels Tracks

9. Digital Calendar & Notes App
Need to organize your digital life? Clean up your calendar and Notes app during the slow parts of a movie or commercials in a series you just started watching. You can organize files, add folders for Note categories, color-code your calendar, set up recurring reminders, and delete unneeded notes and events.
10. File Cabinet
Bring in a few files from your file cabinet, sit down in the floor, and spread them out to go through one by one. Purge any old files you no longer need, set aside files that go in a different folder, and make new labels as needed. You likely won’t finish the whole cabinet in one sitting, but just a few folders at time will eventually result in a filing system you can easily access.
10 Things To Organize While Watching TV Recap
- Junk Drawer
- Computer Folders
- Purse & Wallet
- DVDs & Videos Games
- Printed Photos
- Legos
- Nail Polish & Supplies
- Small Toys
- Digital Calendar & Notes App
- File Cabinet
Want More Quick Organizing Projects?
Here’s a video with some fast and easy organizing projects you can do when you only have a little time. For more organizing tips and ideas, be sure to subscribe to my Youtube channel and follow along on Instagram @lelaburris.
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