How To Declutter Your Home? House Decluttering Guide That Saves Time

Estimated reading time: 17 minutes

Is your house tidy enough not to ask yourself how I declutter my home? Each person and family has a different understanding of what it means to have a tidy house. For some people, dust on furniture and equipment, toys scattered around the room, a forgotten cup by the computer, and things lying out of place signal to start a total cleaning out of the house. Others are calm about the cobwebs in the corner, cluttered with worn clothes on chairs, unwashed dishes in the sink, and soapy stains on the bathroom glass. They begin to clean when the scattered items disturb walking around the house peacefully. Others realize they are dirty and are ashamed of it, so they do not invite guests but can not bring themselves to declutter and organize their homes. And in families with young children, clutter is a frequent occurrence.

From my experience, I have collected decluttering tips and approaches to the organization for the lazy ones and those who are restricted in time, hostesses who relieve stress by decluttering, and those who hate this activity. Here you will find the best tips on how to do clutter cleaning in your apartment quickly, how to logically organize the process, which at first glance is not easy, and how to clean systematically.

General Home Decluttering

For many of us, our homes are our sanctuaries. They are places where we can relax and unwind after a long day. However, some people’s homes are a source of stress and anxiety. If your home is cluttered and disorganized, it can be challenging to relax and feel at ease. Fortunately, there is a solution. 

House decluttering is the process of removing unnecessary items from your home to create more space and clarity. In addition to improving the appearance of your home, decluttering can also help to boost your mood and reduce stress levels. If you’re feeling overwhelmed by the state of your home, don’t hesitate to start decluttering today. You may be surprised by how much better you feel once your home is clean and organized.

Decluttering steps include: 

• comprehensive cleaning of hard-to-reach surfaces; 
• discarding unnecessary things; 
• storage organization. 

Such work at home is carried out depending on the dirtiness of the rooms, so there is a simple rule: the more often the maintenance cleaning is done, the less often the general cleaning is needed. Each person decides by themselves to clean once a month, twice a year, or before holidays.

Helpful Tips To Start Home Decluttering

How do cleaning services handle an entire apartment in a couple of hours? The answer is simple: they divide the home into zones and follow a plan for cleaning a cluttered house. To clean like a professional cleaner quickly but efficiently – stick to the following decluttering steps:

1. Determine The Approximate Time You Will Spend Cleaning Each Room

Try to stick to a schedule. Better yet, if you set a timer. Please do not get distracted by your phone, and do not look at objects for long. It is so easy to get distracted and lose your mindset.

2. Put All Things Around The House In Their Proper Places

Take dirty mugs to the sink, take dirty clothes collected during the week on the chair to the washing machine and wash them. Grab a trash bag, and put unwanted papers, wrappers, used pens, and other small things that clutter up the space.

Important* To avoid accumulating trash in prominent places and thereby not cluttering the home, you can have a small trash can in each room. This way, you save yourself from carrying an apple stump or used napkins to the kitchen (ideal for people who are too lazy to clean up after themselves).

3. Sort Through Things In The Process: Throw Out / Fix / Give Away

It is very convenient and essential because you can quickly eliminate unnecessary things, and something broken will finally be fixed and used.

4. Gather Cleaning Tools In A Bucket For Easy Movement Around The Apartment

When cleaning, going from one room to another for cloth, sprayer or cleaner takes a few extra minutes. Often we put off the effort to clean the mirror from streaks for later just because the detergent is left in the bathroom. So a broom and dustpan, a basin of soapy water, or a glass scraper should always be on hand for convenience.

5. Apply A Scientific Approach To Cleaning Clutter – ” The Inner Circle”

It is used by cleaning services to deal with dirt effectively. The circle is divided into four components: temperature, time, chemistry, and mechanical action. The principle of its work is the following: all sectors are divided into equal parts, but if you increase one of the indicators, it will reduce the time for cleaning and cope with the task better. For example, grease stains are removed in hot water faster than in cold water, so you do not have to wash the thing manually, use aggressive powders, or spend extra time.

How Can This Be Applied To Cleaning A Cluttered House?

1. Keep the windows open while cleaning to allow fresh air into the house;
2. During the decluttering steps, group small items into compositions. Remember that many small things interfere with wiping dust and create visual noise in the interior. Discarding or hiding these items in a basket or box will reduce the cleaning time. For example, perfume bottles are better placed on a dressing table, console, or shelf;
3. Start cleaning your house from the far room and move in a circle. This way, you will not miss anything, and you will not be grabbing everything chaotically;
4. Do the dry and then the wet cleaning, but not vice versa. And don’t forget to declutter the various surfaces first;
5. Cleaners need time to dissolve plaque and dirt, so pour the product on the stove, bathtub, and toilet surface, and soak the laundry in advance.

Another option is inconvenient storage space. For example, a child can not reach the shelf with hats, so he throws a cap on the ottoman in the hallway.

To avoid this, organize suitable storage space for different things. Maybe you need to buy an extra nightstand, or you can hang shelves on the wall if there is no space.

• Use things for their intended purpose if you want to avoid clutter. Do not keep laundry on the ironing board. Have you ironed it? – Put the board and iron away in their designated area.

Take note* Do not try to put all your clothes away at once. You will get mixed up and miss a thing or two. If dirty clothes are scattered on the floor, take them apart first, and only then get the others out of the closet to lay them out neatly. Remember, the smaller the goal, the easier it is to accomplish.

6. Upholstered Furniture Like New

Upholstered furniture also requires cleaning and looking its best. Start with vacuuming your couch or chair, as this will be the first step in house decluttering. But if the surface has soft upholstery, this will not be enough:

• Moisten a white sheet and drape it over the sofa;
• Go over the surface evenly with a broomstick to let the dust settle on the sheet;
• To eliminate the greasy effect, determine what kind of finish your furniture has on it. A melamine sponge removes dirt from leather, and a cloth soaked in a salt solution is good for regular fabric. For velour sofa is suitable for cleaning with a soapy solution, and clean suede can only be used with a special brush.

To finish cleaning up the clutter, you must also organize the couch. Add some decorative cushions to the sofa so they will have their place and look advantageous on the couch. You can also neatly stack a fluffy blanket next to it, which can be used in case you get cold. The main thing is that the cushions and the blanket remained in their places and were not scattered across the space.

7. Carpet Care

Carpets are a thing that looks advantageous in the space of any house or apartment. When you declutter and organize order, you shouldn’t forget about the carpet either because nothing should lie on it and be clean. Also, I would like to say that carpets should not interfere with your daily activities. If you have a carpet that you think interferes with you or even develops allergies, remove it. Carpet adds to the coziness, but your health is more important.

The most common problem with carpets is spots from drinks and food. Here are the top 3 solutions to clean your carpet:

Solution #1

Remove traces of spilled alcohol (such as vodka or champagne) with a cloth soaked in a solution of warm water and laundry detergent. It is necessary to dissolve one teaspoon of vinegar in 1 liter of warm water to wash this alcohol from the carpet.

Solution #2

A solution of 1 liter of cold water and one tablespoon of glycerin will help against coffee or tea spots. Apply slightly warmed glycerin to a clean cloth. Place it on the coffee spot for 20 minutes. Then blot with a damp cloth and remove any remaining moisture with a paper towel.

Solution #3

Water with ammonia can help with wine stains. Add one tablespoon of ammonia to a glass of water. Use a clean white cloth to soak the spot. Move from the edges to the center, so you do not smear the wine over the surface even more. Remove excess moisture with a paper towel, and repeat the procedure until the stain is gone. Remove any ammonia residue with a damp cloth.

Do not forget to vacuum the carpet regularly, whip it out and clean it periodically with a carpet care product. It is best to have it professionally cleaned once a year.

Important* Do not use harsh brushes to prevent nap damage.

8. Do Not Be Afraid To Ask For Help

If you can not do it alone, call for help. There is a good chance that there are people in your circle who… love to declutter! Call them and have a decluttering party! Together coping with the mess is not so hard, and in the evening, you can order pizza, turn on the enjoyable background comedy and reward yourself with something nice for the hard work.

Decluttering Home Room By Room

Cleaning up clutter can cause discouragement and stress, just imagining the amount of work. It is easier for our brains to come to terms with small tasks. So divide the process by area (kitchen, bedroom, nursery).

Decluttering Living Rooms

Start with the furthest rooms. Since dirty equipment has to be washed in the bathroom, it does not make sense to clean up there first.

Bedroom

Before cleaning, walk around the bedroom, clean up the organized clutter lying out of place, and take and throw out the trash. Put scattered clothes by category: do not keep T-shirts in the same department as socks; keep them separate. Use vertical storage instead of a horizontal one so you can find any T-shirt or decide on the color of a shirt at a glance. This way, you will not lose the right thing.

Change your bedding and flip your mattress if necessary. Go through the corners, sweep away cobwebs with a broom or vacuum, and wipe off the dust afterward. Move toward the center of the room so you do not accidentally clean the same surface twice.

Vacuum, wipe down baseboards with a damp cloth, and then mop the floor. Do not forget to wipe down doors with handles.

Tip* You can freshen up the look of your curtains without taking them off to wash them. Take a wet towel, roll it up and wipe off the dust. Perform the procedure before you wet clean.

Living Room

The principle is the same as for the bedroom. Anything that is not in its proper place is taken away: 

• mugs should be in the kitchen;
• dirty laundry to the laundry;
• toys in the storage drawer. 

Wipe dirt off the chandelier and curtain rods with a wet microfiber cloth. If roller blinds are in your living room, you need to wipe them down with a damp sponge without detergent. Go through the sofa and chairs with a vacuum cleaner with a special nozzle. Use a stain remover if coffee, wine, or grease traces are on the upholstery. Wipe down the coffee table. Vacuum the debris from the floor and wash it with a damp cloth. Move the couch and armchair away to remove dust and small objects falling under/behind the furniture.

Tip* Pay attention to your TV, router, or computer wires. Dust gets caught on these wires and is not collected by a vacuum cleaner. Unplug appliances and wipe down cables with a damp cloth.

Children’s Room

Teach the child to clean their toys before going to bed. Make organizers, sort toys, and sign where the cars are and where dinosaurs or Barbies are so that a child looking for your favorite Tyrannosaurus does not shake the contents of all the boxes on the floor. Then there will be fewer problems with house decluttering.

Do not lay in the nursery carpets; they often become plasticine, sap, or paint victims. And if you do, stains are inevitable. Use hypoallergenic products for cleaning surfaces and carpets without strong perfume fragrances. Otherwise, the rules are the same as for other rooms.

Decluttering Non-living Rooms

Non-residential areas are usually cleaned last, although they are more stained because they are more passable.

Hallway

Let’s start our decluttering tips for non-residential spaces with the hallway. The hallway is the first place guests see it, so it mustn’t be cluttered. To reduce clutter and keep things organized, follow some simple tips, such:

• Hang a key rack on the wall, so you can hang your keys right away when you come home and not throw them where they shouldn’t be. In addition, the keys will always be in the same place, and you will not have to look for them;
• Declutter and organize a shoe rack near the door or in the closet, so you can hide your shoes right after you enter without spreading mud in the hallway;
• Install extra hooks to have extra space for outerwear. It is convenient when you have guests;
• Place a small basket to store umbrellas, bags, or outdoor clothing. If space allows, give each family member a shelf in the hallway or a box where you can quickly throw a hat, scarf, or gloves. It is incredibly convenient for a family with small children.

These are just some ideas for decluttering and organizing your hallway. Of course, you can come up with other creative solutions depending on the size of your hallway and what you need to store there.

Kitchen

Now it is time to clean the clutter in the kitchen. First, soak the dishes in a soapy solution or immerse them in the dishwasher. On the stove, apply a cleanser. If you do this ahead of time, the grease and dirt will soften and be easier to remove in the kitchen.

• The hood is more challenging to clean than the stove. So first, remove the grid and soak it in a solution of 15 ml of detergent, 50 g of baking soda, 100 ml of vinegar, and 3.5 liters of water. Leave to soak for 20-30 minutes, then rinse;
• Clean the inside of the refrigerator with warm water and dish detergent. Remove the shelves and rinse under the shower;
• To declutter and organize the cabinets, start organizers for loose products. It will save the need to wipe scattered flour or sugar.

Also, wash kitchen cabinets and countertops with a soapy solution applied to a microfiber cloth. Keep things you rarely use on the top shelves, such as a meat grinder.

• Run a little hot water, turn it off and leave it for 30 minutes until the clog dissolves. Clean the sink along with the drain screen. If the drain is leaking badly, clean the drain with a dirt remover, or add 15 grams of baking soda and 50 ml of vinegar.

Important* Do not use acidic and abrasive cleaners to remove dirt from induction and glass ceramic hobs. To clean the gas stove’s grid and burners, soak them for 5-6 hours in a soapy water solution.

Finishing Off With Bathroom Decluttering

What is the dirtiest thing in the bathroom? It is the toilet bowl. Not only do germs and bacteria settle on it, but also limescale accumulates. But not all people know that the floor near the toilet is also filthy. If you flush the toilet with the lid open, the splash gets on the floor, from which we spread them all over the apartment. Close the lid before you flush. Decluttering steps into the bathroom, begin cleaning the toilet bowl, pour the acid cleaner and leave it for 10-20 minutes.

Move on, and clean the faucets, sink, tub, or shower stall.

Do not forget to clean the tiles in the bathroom. If you are an opponent of aggressive household chemicals, you can wash the floor and tiles with a homemade solution of water and vinegar. Dissolve 1 cup of 9% vinegar in 5 liters of warm water. Also, wash the floor and let it dry.

Important* Do not use acid-based cleaners to clean chrome faucets. They will erode the surface. A melamine sponge soaked in cold water is better without adding any cleaning agent. The texture of the sponge makes it a great way to remove limescale and bring back the shine. It can also clean glass, mirrors, tiles, leather, and shoes.

Home Decluttering For Lazy People

I have prepared additional decluttering tips if you are a rather lazy person. You will know the secrets of how to clean your house or apartment and not get tired.

1. Decluttering Equipment

• Buy a melamine sponge to quickly and easily bring the faucets back to shine;
• Buy a robot vacuum cleaner and run it daily, so you do not have to vacuum yourself and save time. There are robot vacuum cleaner models that also do wet cleaning.

2. General Cleaning

• Coat the cabinets inside with a laundry conditioner or anti-static, so less dust accumulates.
• Freshly ground coffee will get rid of unpleasant odors in the refrigerator;
• You can get rid of the soot on your iron with table salt. Put the salt on a piece of paper (not newspaper), turn off the steam function, turn the temperature to the max, and then gently press the iron’s soleplate against the salt (do not press down hard, as you will not damage the coating);
• Soak dishes in the sink with soap and water. Grease spots will come away independently, and you will not have to rub glasses and plates;
• Remove any extra dishes. Leave a minimum of appliances and plates for daily use so as not to accumulate piles of dirty dishes;
• Put silicone mats on the shelves in your refrigerator so you can clean them less often. Cleaning your house will be much easier because you will spend less time cleaning;
• Do your cleaning chores in parallel with your other chores. Brush your teeth? Pour the detergent down the toilet or wash the sink simultaneously;
• If you line your stove with foil, you will not have to clean any grease off it, but that’s not your cup of tea.

3. Storage And Organization

• Store things in closed closets. The less open storage, the less often you have to dust;
• Store each garment on a separate rack;
• Hang laundry on hangers so you do not have to iron it too often;
• Put a dirty laundry basket in the bedroom instead of the bathroom. So, you can dump your clothes in it before you go to bed instead of on the floor or the chair.

Bottom Line

Now, you know how to declutter your house without spending much time and effort, and most importantly, do it qualitatively. Hopefully, with these tips, you will efficiently and happily begin to keep your house clean and motivate your family members to act.

Read even more tips for organizing your home space here.

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