The Power of Small Tasks: Creating Margin Through Everyday Maintenance

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There’s something incredibly satisfying about tackling a big project. Painting a room, rearranging furniture, deep-cleaning the garage—those kinds of tasks make a visible difference, and they give you that immediate sense of accomplishment we all crave. It’s no wonder we often gravitate toward them when we feel the need to “get something done.”

But here’s the catch: while the big projects are fun and fulfilling, they’re not usually the things that trip us up in daily life. It’s the small tasks—those little maintenance jobs that seem too insignificant to bother with—that actually steal our peace and waste our time.

I’m talking about things like:

• Cleaning out the medicine cabinet (so you’re not scrambling for expired cough syrup at midnight)
• Organizing the kids’ craft bin (so art time doesn’t begin with 20 minutes of digging for scissors)
• Sorting the junk drawer (so the batteries aren’t buried under old receipts and bread ties)
• Switching over seasonal clothing (so you’re not still hunting for mittens in May)
• Tidying the coat and shoe closet (so you don’t trip over three left boots when you’re already running late)

These aren’t glamorous jobs, and they rarely offer the kind of “before and after” moment we dream of. So they get pushed off, week after week, until the clutter starts to invade our minds as well as our homes. We end up spending extra time and energy each day compensating for the disorganization—searching, shuffling, or stressing over what we can’t find.

And this is where the magic happens: when you intentionally tackle those small, nagging tasks, you create margin in your day-to-day life.

You open up mental space, reduce decision fatigue, and make your home work for you instead of against you. It’s not just about having a neat junk drawer—it’s about not wasting time and patience looking for batteries when you need them most. It’s not just about seasonal clothing—it’s about having a morning that runs smoothly because everyone can find what they need.

The Power of a Timer

One of the easiest ways to finally knock these little tasks off your list? Set a timer.

So many of these small jobs only take five or ten minutes—less time than it takes to scroll social media or reheat your coffee. The problem is we think they’ll take longer, or we don’t know where to begin, so we keep putting them off.

Setting a timer gives you two things:
1. A clear starting point — no more waiting for the perfect moment.
2. A defined end — it’s easier to stay focused when you know you’re only committing to a few minutes.

Try it today: pick one of those little tasks that’s been lingering on your to-do list, set a timer for 10 minutes, and get to work. You’ll likely be amazed at how quickly the job is finished—and how good it feels to have it done.

Even if you don’t finish, you’ve still made progress. And tomorrow, you can set the timer again and pick up where you left off.

Start Small, Live Lighter

If you’ve been feeling overwhelmed, or like your days are constantly filled with friction and hurry, maybe the answer isn’t a major overhaul or a weekend-long project. Maybe it’s simply stopping for ten minutes to tackle the cluttered corner or messy shelf that’s been bothering you for months.

You can also take it a step further: set aside a morning, an afternoon, or even a full day just to knock out these small but significant tasks. We do this all the time for big jobs—mowing the lawn, deep cleaning the house, or repainting a room—because we know they’re important. But what if we gave the same kind of focused attention to the little things that quietly drain our energy day after day?

Imagine a Saturday morning devoted entirely to finishing the jobs that take 10–15 minutes each. None of them are hard, but together they have the power to change how your home feels—and how your days run.

So whether you chip away at your list five minutes at a time, or set aside a whole day to tackle them all, the little things are worth your time.

Start small. Stay consistent. And watch how your home—and your heart—begin to feel lighter.

Need help getting started?
Download my free printable checklist of 20 Quick Tasks That Create Margin to post on your fridge or add to your planner:
[Click here to grab your checklist!]