Should you clean or organize first?

Author: Lauretta Waters  |  Last update: Wednesday, October 1, 2025

#1 It is impossible to effectively clean your home without dealing with your clutter first. If you eliminate the clutter, your home will instantly look cleaner. Clutter always makes a home look dirty, even though it may not be that bad.

Is it better to clean or organize first?

Decluttering comes first. You can't really organise before you declutter. Then comes cleaning, which is so much easier when things are decluttered.

What is the 50% rule in decluttering?

The 50% rule for clutter is a straightforward yet powerful principle: reduce the number of items in any given space by half.

What is the correct order to clean your house?

  • Clean the whole house, not one room at time
  • Gather all your cleaning tools in a caddy
  • Clear the clutter
  • Dust and vacuum
  • Wipe mirrors and glass
  • Disinfect counter tops and surface areas
  • Focus on tubs, sinks and toilets
  • Sweep, then mop

In what order should I declutter my house?

Kondo recommends tidying in the following order: clothes, books, paper, miscellaneous items, and sentimental items. For example, gather all of your clothes from the closets and put them in a pile. Then you can start the process of deciding what to keep.

How to Start Decluttering Even When You're Overwhelmed

What is the 20/20/20 rule for decluttering?

Then we tested our hypothesis: the 20/20 Rule. Anything we get rid of that we truly need, we can replace for less than $20 in less than 20 minutes from our current location. Thus far, this hypothesis has become a theory that has held true 100% of the time.

What does ADHD clutter look like?

Symptoms of ADHD Clutter Anxiety

This may include cluttered surfaces, piles of paperwork or clothing, and difficulty finding necessary items. People with ADHD clutter anxiety may also experience feelings of overwhelm or anxious when faced with clutter or disorganization.

What is the hardest room to clean?

The kitchen is the home's heart for so many people. Unfortunately, it is also one of the hardest rooms to keep clean. With all those surfaces, appliances, and utensils, it's not surprising that the kitchen often takes the longest to tidy. It is one of the most time-consuming kitchen procedures to clean the oven.

What is the correct sequence for cleaning?

So, what is the correct order of cleaning? Generally, it's best to start with decluttering each room, followed by dusting surfaces from top to bottom. Next, clean windows and mirrors, then tackle the floors by vacuuming and mopping. Finish with the kitchen and bathrooms to ensure they're hygienically spotless.

Which part of the house takes you the longest to clean?

Bathrooms and kitchens are known as 'wet areas'. These often take the most time to clean. That's why they should be first in the order you clean your house. Once you've done step 1 and 3, dust everything and then get down to work in your bathrooms and kitchen.

What should you not declutter?

What Not to Throw Away When Decluttering Your House
  • PHYSICAL PHOTOS. Our memories are more often immortalized on social media than in leather-bound albums. ...
  • FAMILY HEIRLOOMS. ...
  • DUPLICATES OF THINGS THAT MAKE LIFE EASIER. ...
  • ANYTHING DIFFICULT TO REPLACE. ...
  • ESSENTIAL DOCUMENTS. ...
  • PERSONAL KEEPSAKES.

What is the one touch rule for avoiding clutter?

This rule suggests that you handle items only once, putting them away immediately rather than setting them down temporarily. By adhering to this principle, you can effectively prevent clutter buildup and save time in the long run.

What is the core 4 method of decluttering?

Coined by pro organizer Kayleen Kelly, the “Core 4 Method” breaks the decluttering process into four simple steps: clear out, categorize, cut out, and contain. In essence, it's designed to take the stress and overwhelm out of the organizing process.

Which rooms to clean first?

Clean Your Home In This Order
  • Clean The Bathroom First. The bathrooms are usually the hardest room to clean, and so they're a great place to start. ...
  • The Kitchen. The kitchen is the next hardest place to clean in the house and also one of the most important. ...
  • Entryways and Hallways. ...
  • The Living Room and Family Rooms. ...
  • Bedrooms.

Is it better to be organized or messy?

Organizing and de-cluttering your life is good for both your mind and your body. Clutter on the floor, in your filing cabinet and on your desk can wreak havoc on everything from your stress levels to the safety of your home.

What is the 1 2 3 4 5 cleaning method?

So essentially. you pick up one item, put it away, that's number one. Pick up another item, put it away, that's number 2. And so on and so forth until you get to 5.

What is the correct order to clean?

Recommended Order for Cleaning a House
  1. Decluttering. Start by removing any clutter and putting items back in their designated places. ...
  2. Dusting. ...
  3. Cleaning High-Touch Surfaces. ...
  4. Bathroom Cleaning. ...
  5. Kitchen Cleaning. ...
  6. Bedroom Cleaning. ...
  7. Vacuuming and Sweeping. ...
  8. Mopping.

Should you dust or vacuum first?

We recommend dusting before vacuuming, this is because dust particles usually get moved around the room when you dust, meaning all your hard work will go to waste. A top tip is to wait at least 2 hours after dusting to get the vacuum out.

What is the best order to clean your room?

Follow these steps to give your bedroom a thorough deep clean.
  1. Put Away Miscellaneous Items. ...
  2. Take out the trash. ...
  3. Pick up Dirty Clothes. ...
  4. Put Away Clean Clothes. ...
  5. Dust the Ceiling Fan. ...
  6. Dust Window Treatments. ...
  7. Clean Windows and Mirrors. ...
  8. Dust and Wipe Down Surfaces.

What part of the house is the hardest to keep clean?

The kitchen is the heart of every home, but it's also the most challenging room to clean. From grease stains on the stovetop to food crumbs under the refrigerator, there's always something that needs a good scrubbing. The oven, in particular, can be an absolute nightmare to clean.

Which bathroom is dirtier?

One study found women's bathrooms were dirtier than men's. Researchers attributed that to more children and heavier traffic in female bathrooms.

What does an ADHD bedroom look like?

Serenity as the Inspiration. Trish Buscemi, a specialist who creates calm interiors for those with cognitive learning challenges, recommends blue, green, and muted brown towns for bedrooms of children with ADHD. These gentle hues actually work well with people of all ages seeking a space that inspires rest and calm.

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