I have a rule: if something takes just 15 minutes to do, I’ll just do it when I think of it, instead of putting it off. For example, a 15 minute task could be sorting out the clothes on the ‘laundry chair’ in the bedroom, or wiping down the leaves of my houseplants. And the same rule can be applied in the garden, too!
Now that it’s summer, you’re probably thinking, “I’ve put in so much hard work over the spring, why can’t I just sit back and enjoy my garden?”. Of course you can, but if you’ve got those lingering tasks on your list that, if ticked off, would increase your enjoyment of your garden, wouldn’t you just do them?
Many of us struggle for time these days, so here are a few tips for increasing your productivity with the limited time that you have:
- Spread your tasks out over the week so that you’re not overwhelmed
- Write down your to-do list instead of keeping it in your mind, and place it somewhere visible
- Be realistic with your time – if you’ve got work til 5pm and you’re taking the kids to football practice at 5.30pm, you’re probably not going to have time to squeeze in a 15 minute task while getting everyone ready to go
When you do have the time, here are some quick and easy 15 minute garden jobs that will take a load off your mind!
Put together garden furniture
I’ll admit, not all garden furniture is easy to put together, and I’ve come across some extremely hazy instructions in the past – but there’s one piece of furniture that I can’t fault, and that’s this swivel cocoon chair!
It takes – you guessed it – just 15 minutes to put together, as it’s incredibly easy to assemble. Once it’s up, it creates the perfect seat for reading a book, having your morning coffee or chatting across your patio bistro table with a friend.
Spin to your heart’s content (but don’t get dizzy!) with a 360-degree swivel mechanism. This allows you to face the chair in any direction, which is ideal if you have limited space and need to strategically position your furniture.
Add to that the weaved, rattan-style frame, and you’ve got yourself a beautiful piece for any space! Unlike your usual rattan chairs, this features a more intricate, unusual design that complements a laid back, boho theme. The neutral colour makes it versatile enough to accessorise with the existing pillows, or even a bright throw or extra cushions!
Get this gorgeous chair from QVC here.
Clean up climbers
If your climbers are bursting with life (as they should be at this time of year!) give them a quick tidy by deadheading any spent blooms and tying up loose stems that haven’t clung to their supports.
Tidy around your bird feeders
Food that has fallen onto the floor from bird feeders can encourage disease, and make ground dwelling animals such as hedgehogs sick. Tidy around with a dustpan and brush (make sure to cleanse your cleaning equipment afterwards) and replace any food in the feeders that has been there for a long time.
Pressure wash your fence
A bit of green algae on your fence can make it seem old and unloved. Freshen up your boundaries by quickly pressure washing any algae from your fence panels. It’s a quick job, but it can make a huge difference.
Add some brown matter to your compost
Keeping a healthy balance in your compost is a fine art, and we often forget to keep that balance in check when we’re getting rid of garden matter and kitchen waste. If your compost heap or bin is green-heavy, quickly scour your recycling bin for some cardboard, or collect up any dry leaves, wood chips or straw that you may have lying around, and scatter these throughout your compost.
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