Most of these don't even take 15 minutes, but it's what popped into my head:

Shred receipts
wipe down kitchen appliances
quick wipe down of bathroom
file papers
sweep the kitchen
wipe down the kitchen chairs
sweep/get cobwebs off front porch
fold a load of laundry

Make your bed.
Clean the toilet
Clean the bathroom sink
Clean the kitchen sink
Empty the dishwasher
Dust a room (depending on what's in the room)
Clear off desk top
Wash the cat's food bowl
Hand launder unmentionables
Tidy a room (put everything away, take things that belong elsewhere to the room they belong)
Take stuff out of the freezer for dinner
Sort recycling
Go through 1 file folder and toss outdated papers

Load the dishwasher
Take out the garbage
Send a greeting card
Take the trash out of the car
Start a load of laundry
Change the bed
Plan clothes for tomorrow and set out, along with accessories
Make one lunch
Take donation bag/box and put into car
Pay a bill online
Call someone you love and tell them so
Make up a bank deposit
Check in on this forum!

Barbara

Go thru the medicine cabinet and weed it out
Iron one shirt
Stretching to music
Squats, Push Ups and Free Weights
After soaking, clean the drip pans on the stove
Fill one birdfeeder
Deadhead flowers
Rinse and refill birdbaths
Go through photo software and weed photos you don't want, tag, rate, and describe photos

Clean the cat litter box
Change the kitchen trash bag
Straighten a closet
Throw in a load of laundry
Sweep a room (hardwood floors)
Swifter under a bed
Dust a bookcase
Clean a window

I timed my "salmon chowder" prep today.

In 15 minutes I...

- Set out the two pans (stew pot and saute pan)
- Set out the spoon rest, wooden spoon, ladle, can opener, and chef's knife
- Set out plate to hold raw veggies and bag for trash and scraps
- Set out and opened canned salmon, condensed milk, and chicken brooth
- Set out 3 cups water, butter, pepper grinder, dill weed, and celery seed
- Set out potatoes, onion, corn, and leeks.
- Put corn in microwave to defrost. (Home grown and frozen in a large container. Forget to get it out last night.)
- Peeled and diced large onion and set it to saute in stew pot
- Cleaned and sliced two leeks and tossed them in saute pan
- Diced five potatoes

The timer rang.----------

In the next 15 minutes or less, I ...

- poured the broth, water, spices, leeks, corn, remaining butter, potatoes, and salmon in with the browned onions, popped the lid on, and set it to simmer.

- Tossed out the trash, set dishes to soak, put the spices and utensils away

- and then poured the milk into the chowder.

Supper is done!

Oh....I'm so happy to hear someone is experimenting with timing tasks. I am planning on doing that this week too. Your Chowder recipe sounds good and I'm always looking for a new way to eat Salmon. Thanks

Speaking of 15 minute increments for tackling small jobs, has anyone found a good timer besides the one on an appliance? Flylady's timer looks good, I especially appreciate the words "You can do anything for 15 minutes" on the timer, but would prefer a wind-up timer to an electronic one. However, I have found that these seem to break after a while.

My Westminister chiming mantle clock is the best thing I've got right now... I must admit that it's wonderful.

I can clean a fairly dirty kitchen in 15 minutes if the day is young... not so at nighttime which is an incentive to clean as I go or else I wake up to dinner dishes the next morning.

Thanks for any recommendations about timers!

What a great thread- and I too love using the timers. I have been amazed that one of my most dreaded tasks,(and I have no clue why but it irks me) is emptying the dishwasher and putting everything away. When I have timed it, it usually takes less than 5 minutes. (so now I don't hate it as much). Its funny because I used to procrastinate it and now I think oh its a nothing task.
I especiallylike the timer for sorting through things like photos or a drawer. You really can accomplish something in 15 minutes!!
Combined with the timer, I think it was flylady who also had a system where you would neaten by collecting a certain number of objects to either toss or put back in their correct places. (a nice one for me with reading materials, mail, stuff that "accumulates".)

cupofkindness, I've used a small digital timer in the past. I still have it. It is battery operated, and has a clip to attach it to your clothing or anywhere in a room to make it visible. It allows you to set it for 15 minutes or set it to start running at zero and shut it off when you are done to see how long something takes. I'm pretty sure I bought mine locally at a Target or such and it was about $5. I see they have a selection at Amazon. The link is for the one I have. I've used it for over 3 years, intermittently. I don't see the 'clip' part of it, but that is what the face of it looks like.

If you don't like the digital timer, all I can think of is an egg timer?

Here is a link that might be useful: Taylor Timer

-fold one basket of laundry

a lot of these, though, are more like 10 minutes.

I think I'm going to start timing some of the things I want to do in the house--it'll motivate me to actually do them.

I may come back with a 7-minute list!

I was just thinking about this yesterday what a great thread. Years and years ago Woman's Day or Family Circle had an article "twenty minute jobs" I never forgot the concept.Thanks all printing the suggestions out

Couldn't resist compiling a list (5 minutes)

After soaking, clean the drip pans on the stove
Call someone you love and tell them so
Change the bed
Change the kitchen trash bag
Clean a window
Clean out a drawer
Clean out my email box for 15 mins
Clean the bathroom sink
Clean the cat litter box
Clean the kitchen sink
Clean the toilet
Clear off desk top
Deadhead flowers
Dust a bookcase
Dust a room (depending on what's in the room)
Empty the dishwasher
file papers
Fill one birdfeeder
fold a load of laundry
Go through 1 file folder and toss outdated papers
Go through photo software weed photos you don't want, tag, rate, and describe photos
Go thru the medicine cabinet and weed it out
Hand launder unmentionables
Iron one shirt
Load the dishwasher
Make one lunch
Make up a bank deposit
Make your bed.
Pay a bill online
Plan clothes for tomorrow and set out, along with accessories
quick wipe down of bathroom
Rinse and refill birdbaths
Send a greeting card
Shred receipts
Sort recycling
Squats, Push Ups and Free Weights
Start a load of laundry
Straighten a closet
Stretching to music
Sweep a room (hardwood floors)
sweep the kitchen
sweep/get cobwebs off front porch
Swifter under a bed
Take a walk
Take donation bag/box and put into car

Another idea
Take a pic of the project/area first then take an after fun

Have to add two which I did today

Clear off top of Kitchen sink

Clear off dining room/kitchen table

Thanks Minnie for Compiling the List...good idea. :-)

Ok, I'll add a few more I've done since I posted last....

Soak & Scrub out the Wastebaskets
Wash the computer down with alcohol
Sew a button on a shirt
Update the calendar and coordinate with a family member
Clean the glass on a storm door
Scrub & polish the tea kettle
Soak the cutting boards in vinegar then scrub with lemon & salt
Use an egg for a facial and lay down for 15minutes
Water the houseplants
Change the batteries in all the smoke detectors

I'll add them to the list later .. having the list in front of me helps too..

I have agreat one o add
GET UP AND AWAY FROM THE COMPUTER FOR 15 MINUTES !! haha
clean/rearrange things in the freezer (a cold job)