Now that the kids are in school, you can take a little breather. But not for long — the fall and winter holidays are just around the corner. You can still get ready for the festivities to come, however. This to-do list, inspired by house logic, shows how you can organize your home in less than one hour a day by November 1st.

Oct. 1: Remove old holiday decorations. Do you still have that Easter bunny lawn decoration near the foot of your driveway? Shamrocks or Valentines on your front door? Time to take those down. And go through all your holiday decorations stored in your home, throwing out the ones you haven’t used in three years.

Oct. 2: Get rid of your kids’ old school clothes. Now that the school year has started, you already have a good idea of what items your kids have outgrown. Set them aside to donate or give away.

Oct. 3: Clean out your closet. What’s good for the gosling is good for the goose. Sort through your own closet and rid yourself of that ratty sweater — or anything else that you haven’t worn in the last three years.

Oct. 4: Remove the mysteries under your sinks. Under the sink is always an area where forgotten items get stashed. Go through these spaces, replace and organize cleaning items, and reclaim your lost treasures!

Oct. 5: Organize your bathroom counter tops. Make your bathroom counter tops shiny and organized so that you can decorate them with just the right touch of seasonal items.

Oct. 6: Touch up the towels. Make sure your towels are nicely folded and ready for use. Set aside the towels you don’t want, and donate them to an animal shelter. According to this article, most animal shelters accept old towels, blankets, and sheets so that they can line the bottom of animal cages.

Oct. 7: Remove expired prescriptions. Sort out all prescriptions and over-the-counter drugs in the household. Mix pills from expired medicines with dirt or kitty litter in a plastic bag. Then, seal the bag before throwing it out with your household trash.

Oct. 8: Dispose of empty prescription bottles. Scratch out any personal information on empty prescription bottles so that it is no longer readable. Then seal the bottles in a plastic bag and throw the bag out with the trash.

Oct. 9: Get rid of unmatched socks. According to this Business Insider article, there are at least 62 interesting things you can do with those unmatched socks — from using them as shoe protectors to making mothballs.

Oct. 10: Sort through your shoes. Give away those shoes that you haven’t used in three years. And throw away the ones that are worn down.

Oct. 11: De-clutter the kitchen surfaces. Clear out extra items cluttering the counter tops.

Oct. 12: Clear out extra houseware items. Find someone who can use those pots and pans that are cluttering your cupboards.

Oct. 13: Let the gadgets be gone. Sort through your appliances, utensils and novelty cookware, and get rid of the items you don’t see yourself using.

Oct. 14: Stock your pantry. Sort through your pantry and get rid of expired foods. Then make sure you have the basics. Place sugar, flour, pasta, oatmeal and similar items in airtight containers that stack, house logic advises.

Oct. 15: Clear out the living room clutter. Remove excess items on coffee tables, end tables, and other surfaces, and decide if they need to go away permanently.



Oct. 16: Sort through your pet’s toys. Get rid of any damaged items that may hurt your pet, such as punctured or excessively tattered toys. Also, find a new home for those toys that are no longer of interest to your furry family member.

For more information on how to organize your home in less than one hour a day by November 1st, check back with us on October 16 for Part II!

Meanwhile, if you are thinking about moving or buying a home in the San Joaquin Valley or Bakersfield