How to Get All Your Administrative Tasks Done in One Day

One of life’s simplest joys is dedicating a chunk of time to absolutely crushing the administrative to-do list that’s been hanging over your head for ages. It helps when a bunch of those errands are clumped fairly close together, giving you the opportunity to check them all off in just one afternoon.
Lower Manhattan is lucky to have a high concentration of places where you can get these mind-numbing tasks done quickly, from sending packages to getting your marriage license. If you’re in the mood to knock a bunch of bureaucratic items off your agenda, here’s where to start.
Making the DMV a breeze
Going to the DMV is one of the most dreaded errands on anyone’s list, but a visit to the Lower Manhattan branch isn’t so bad for one simple reason: you can make a reservation. The DMV location at 11 Greenwich St. opens at 7:30 a.m. on weekdays (it’s closed on the weekends), is surprisingly efficient and is located just a block from the Battery, so you can pregame your appointment with a nice morning walk in the park to prepare yourself for bad license photos and the likelihood that you brought the wrong documents with you. Note that even if you’ve got years left on your license, there’s a good chance you’re going to have to brave the DMV in the near future: Everyone who wants to travel by plane domestically has to get a REAL ID by May 7 of this year, which means an in-person trip to the office.
Post with haste
Lower Manhattan is blessed with three post offices — at 1 Whitehall St., 1 Hanover St. and 114 John St. — giving you plenty of options for your mailing errands without forcing you out of the neighborhood. In addition to buying stamps to send postcards to your friends who live in less interesting places, you can also apply for a new passport, get money orders, drop off packages and more.
Get on line to skip the line
If the lines at LGA have you nearly missing flights on the regular, it might be time to upgrade. TSA PreCheck is a program run by the Transportation Security Administration that allows prescreened travelers to use dedicated security lines at airports and skip time-consuming security measures like removing shoes and jackets. While you’re on your errands run around the neighborhood, pop into the Oculus to enroll in the program at one of the CLEAR kiosks. No appointment is necessary, and you can even enroll on the weekends.
If you frequently travel internationally, you can set yourself up with Global Entry, which allows expedited clearance for low-risk travelers reentering the United States. If you start your application online, you can close it out with an in-person interview at 1 Bowling Green, where you’ll find the U.S. Customs and Border Protection office. (Note that the Global Entry enrollment fee also includes PreCheck, so you only need to choose one program.)
Get hitched
The City Clerk’s office is often described as the most joyful municipal building in the whole city, and for good reason. Every day, New Yorkers cross its threshold to either get a marriage license or officially tie the knot, and its steps are often full of celebrations, flowers and the happiest photos you’ll ever see. The City Clerk’s office is located slightly north of the district, but it’s the only location in Manhattan to get a marriage license. Check the hours and make an appointment here.
Notarize this
If you need a notary for a lease or any other legal document, you can stop by the UPS Store at 27 Trinity Pl. It’s open daily starting at 8:30 a.m.
Ch-ch-ch-changes
If you want to change your legal name and/or your sex designation, you can start by filling out these official forms online. Then, you can file them at the New York Civil Court, which can be found locally at 111 Centre St., just north of City Hall.
photo: iStock