‘I organised my spices – and feel happy every time I cook!’ 12 readers on their most rewarding tiny accomplishments

No more fumbling … a well-organised spice cupboard. Photograph: PicturePartners/Getty Images/iStockphoto View image in fullscreen No more fumbling … a well-organised spice cupboard. Photograph: PicturePartners/Getty Images/iStockphoto Life and style ‘I organised my spices – and feel happy every time I cook!’ 12 readers on their most rewarding tiny accomplishments Forget writing that novel: the most satisfying tasks are often the smallest. From batch cooking and bird feeding, to filling a kettle with meticulous precision, our readers reveal their favourites

Prefer the Guardian on Google S ometimes, it’s the smallest accomplishments that bring the biggest feelings of joy. You don’t need to run a marathon or write a novel to get a sense of achievement; something as simple as reorganising your cutlery drawer or repairing a garden fence can prove surprisingly satisfying. Here, readers share the modest achievements that have brought them great pleasure.

I really enjoy cooking and have a large collection of spices. Recently, I bought a few dozen glass bottles and organised my herbs and spices in a drawer, with labels on the lids and sides. Every time I cook, I feel pleasure from being able to instantly put my hand on the requisite spice without fumbling through piles of little boxes, and having to open and smell them to be sure which is which. Anna Smith, musician, Utrecht, the Netherlands

View image in fullscreen Sawing wood can be simple, yet so satisfying. Photograph: South_agency/Getty Images I love using a sharp saw to cut a piece of wood as accurately as I can, then planing the end grain so it is pretty much dead square. The grain glistens beautifully as the light hits it, and the feeling of having done something simple but essential, using only basic hand-tools, is its own reward. Anonymous, teacher, Derby

I love getting arduous tasks done with ease using little hacks. A good example is using sugar soap to clean greasy surfaces in the kitchen. It is also very effective on the grout between tiles. Just give it a little scrub (you can even use an old electric toothbrush), leave overnight, then wipe off with a damp cloth for lovely white grout! Louise Wong, legal assistant, London

I don’t buy anything new or secondhand; I use what I already have, adapt things and shop my own wardrobe. It means I save a large percentage of my salary (compared with others) and I spend that money on my passions and priorities: pottery, art classes and coastal path walking. Rachel Smith, urban planner, Medway

View image in fullscreen Catch it if you can! Photograph: Artem Stepanov/Getty Images On several occasions, I have dropped a bar of soap in the shower, only to catch it again, eyes closed, without fumbling. I was once washing upwards from my chest to my shoulder and the soap escaped, but I caught it behind my back. It’s even more satisfying than my uncanny ability to load exactly the right number of sheets of paper into the printer when printing long documents. Ed, writer, Bebington

I recently had a second baby and I found so much joy in batch-cooking and labelling containers of food towards the end of my pregnancy. Seeing the freezer full of meals, all neatly stacked, felt great. Top tier nesting activity. Lucy J Huskisson, art technician, Bristol

I love hollyhocks, but I have never had any success growing them from seeds. Two years ago, I was passing a house where someone was cutting down their hollyhocks – the flowers had died and in their plac…