sort

1. dump everything on the bed. all of it.
2. make 4 buckets: darks, lights, delicates, towels/sheets
3. one pass through the pile — each item goes in a bucket. no folding yet.
4. load the most urgent bucket into the machine
5. fold each bucket as it comes out — by sub-type (shirts together, socks together)
6. put away one bucket before starting the next

you can stop after any bucket and it's still progress.

1. pick up one item from the dryer/basket
2. fold it
3. walk it to its home. put it away.
4. repeat. one at a time. no pile forms.

lowest possible starting friction — just pick up one thing.

1. pass 1: separate by owner (mine / kids / partner)
2. pass 2: within each owner pile, separate by type (tops / bottoms / underwear / socks)
3. pass 3: fold each sub-pile. done.

best for multi-person households. each pass is brainless.

1. trash first — sweep all garbage off every surface into one bag
2. clear → sink — move all dishes from counters/table to sink area
3. load dishwasher (or soak what needs soaking)
4. wipe counters (now that they're clear)
5. sweep floor (crumbs fell during wipe)
6. hand-wash remaining items
7. dry and put away

each step unlocks the next. no thinking required.

1. stand in the middle. look around.
2. what's the single worst thing? do that.
3. look around again. next worst thing. do that.
4. repeat until it feels tolerable.

for overwhelm mode. when even looking at the kitchen triggers a crash.

1. pivot question: "does this belong on this desk?" yes-pile, no-pile.
2. no-pile: move everything out. don't organize it, just remove it.
3. yes-pile pivot: "do I need this today?" active vs. archive.
4. archive goes in a drawer. out of sight.
5. active items get placed by reach: arm's length, lean, stand up.

binary decisions are fast. no "where does this go" — just "here or not here."

1. pick any small area (one corner, one shelf). sort just that. 5 minutes max.
2. pick the adjacent area. sort that.
3. merge: do the two areas share categories? combine them.
4. expand outward. sort the next zone, merge with the growing sorted region.

survives interruptions. you can stop after any merge and it's still better.

1. dump the drawer onto a towel
2. each item: "have I used this in 6 months?" no = bin. yes = keep pile.
3. keep pile goes back. done. 5 minutes.

purge first. always purge first. then organize what's left.

1. get small dividers or containers that fit the drawer
2. categories: tools, cables, tape/glue, batteries, stationery, misc
3. one pass: each item into its container
4. put containers back in drawer. labeling optional but helpful.

do the quick sort purge first, then this. order matters.

1. turn all hangers backwards (hook facing you)
2. when you wear something and put it back, turn the hanger normal
3. after 3 months: every backwards hanger = unworn = donate

zero decisions in real-time. the data accumulates passively. requires patience, not effort.

1. buckets: work, casual, exercise, sleep, going out, seasonal
2. assign each item to ONE bucket. if it's two, pick what you'd reach for first.
3. arrange closet by bucket — left to right matches your week.

not choosing from 40 shirts — choosing from 7. reduces morning paralysis.

1. set up 5 piles: act (needs response), file (keep), scan (digitize), shred, trash
2. one pass. don't read — just glance and sort. 2 seconds per item.
3. trash and shred: do immediately. they're gone.
4. scan: batch-scan with phone, recycle originals.
5. file: into labeled folders (landlord, insurance, medical, tax, kids).
6. act: this is your todo list. it's small now. do it.

the 2-second rule prevents reading rabbit holes. sorting, not processing.

1. spread everything out so you can see it
2. scan for anything with a deadline. pull those out.
3. sort by date. nearest deadline on top.
4. process from the top. one at a time.
5. everything else → bucket sort above.

crisis mode. when you know something is overdue and you can't remember what.

1. pass 1 — file type: all PDFs together, all images, all docs, all installers
2. pass 2 — age: older than 6 months → archive. older than a year → delete.
3. pass 3 — rename survivors with dates (YYYY-MM-description). done.

each pass is mechanical — no judgment calls, just attributes.

1. sort downloads by date modified
2. select everything older than 30 days
3. delete. all of it. if you needed it, you'd have used it.
4. empty trash. feel nothing.

the nuclear option. fast, cathartic. 90% of downloads are one-time-use.

1. get 4 bins: lego, art stuff, small toys, soft toys.
2. set a 5-minute timer. everything on the floor goes in a bin.
3. don't sort within bins. the bin IS the system.
4. anything homeless → "misc" bag. review monthly.

kids can do this too. the bar is "off the floor" — not "organized."

1. do this when the kids are out.
2. every item: "touched in 2 weeks?" yes = keep. no = bag.
3. bag in storage 1 month. nobody asks → donate.
4. remaining items get bucket sort treatment.

quarterly purge. reduces total volume so daily bucket sort works.