Should I clean or declutter first?

Decluttering must come first before organizing and cleaning.
Whether you've set yourself into an everyday declutter challenge, or you declutter just when you are about to clean a particular area in your home, you will find that organizing and cleaning becomes a lot easier when you have decluttered first.
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Should you clean or organize first?

Organize First; Buy Second

I recommend cleaning out first, assessing what containers you REALLY need, and then buying a few bins to start. You can always add later, but you don't want a bunch of empty containers cluttering up your home while you figure out where you might use them.
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When decluttering where do you start first?

The first step is to completely empty each space, assess each item, and put everything back where it belongs. Start with your powerhouse storage spaces first, such as the pantry and upper cabinets. Then move onto the lower cabinets, drawers, the space under the kitchen sink.
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What is the fastest way to clean and declutter?

How to Declutter Fast – Quick and Easy Steps
  1. Toss the Trash. In every area you organize, start by tossing the obvious trash. ...
  2. Move Non-Kitchen Items Out of the Kitchen. ...
  3. Tidy Reading Material in the Living Room. ...
  4. Organize the Bathroom One Drawer at a Time. ...
  5. Let Go of Unused Items in Your Home Office.
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What should you not declutter your house with?

Decluttering Mistakes: What Not to Do When Decluttering
  1. Starting a Major Decluttering Project Without a Plan. ...
  2. Not Using a Sorting System While Decluttering. ...
  3. Hanging On to Donate/Sell Items Too Long. ...
  4. Trying to Organize Before Decluttering. ...
  5. Trying to Declutter Everything All At Once. ...
  6. Getting Wrapped Up In the Sentimental Items.
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5 Decluttering Mistakes to Avoid | How NOT to Declutter



What is the 20/20 rule for decluttering?

When struggling to make decluttering decisions, the 20/20 rule says you should consider letting go of an item if: You can replace it for less than $20. And you can replace it in less than 20 minutes.
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What is the rule for decluttering?

Vow to Bring Less Home

The most important rule to set before you even begin to purge items is to make a sincere effort to bring less stuff in. There's no point in putting forth the effort to declutter if you undo all your progress by buying more stuff.
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How do I get rid of sentimental clutter?

From focusing on the memory to understanding how you can help those in need, these steps will help you rid yourself of sentimental clutter.
  1. Rid Yourself of Guilt. ...
  2. Let Vulnerability In. ...
  3. Take Pictures. ...
  4. Ask Yourself Focused Questions. ...
  5. Donate Clothing and Home Goods. ...
  6. Donate to Archives or Local History Museums.
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What do you clean first in a messy house?

House Cleaning Steps
  1. Do Your Laundry. Start with picking up the dirty laundry off the floor. ...
  2. Make Your Bed. ...
  3. Vacuum the Floors. ...
  4. Mop the Floors. ...
  5. Grab Cleaning Supplies. ...
  6. Start with the Biggest Items. ...
  7. Put Away Your Stuff Where They Belong. ...
  8. Quickly Dust the Furniture.
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How do you be ruthless when decluttering?

How to be ruthless when decluttering clothes: 8 Key tips
  1. Get in the right headspace to start ruthless decluttering. ...
  2. Set a deadline. ...
  3. Make ruthless decluttering fun. ...
  4. Motivate yourself with a reward. ...
  5. Lay out all your clothes. ...
  6. Create a sell, keep, donate, and discard. ...
  7. Ask yourself questions as you start ruthless decluttering.
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Why can't I start decluttering?

Decluttering sentimental items is one of the most common reasons people struggle to declutter. It's easy to attach emotions and memories to sentimental items, making it hard to let them go.
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Where do I start decluttering when overwhelmed?

Here is the best formula for decluttering large, overwhelming spaces:
  1. Remove the easiest things first. ...
  2. Discard larger items next. ...
  3. Donate items instead of selling them. ...
  4. Break your large space into smaller bite-size challenges. ...
  5. Work until your bite-size piece is completed.
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Where do you start when a messy house is overwhelmed?

Where to Begin When You're Overwhelmed by Clutter and Mess:
  • Take care of time sensitive issues. Check for any appointments or activities you may have forgotten. ...
  • Focus on food and clothes first. ...
  • Make a simple morning routine. ...
  • Make a simple afternoon and evening routine. ...
  • Choose one special task to do each day.
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In what order should you clean your house?

The Ultimate Cleaning Guide
  1. Step 1: Dust Your House. ...
  2. Step 2: Clean Furniture Fabric. ...
  3. Step 3: Clean Mirrors and Glass. ...
  4. Step 4: Clean Surfaces. ...
  5. Step 5: Clean the Kitchen and Bathroom. ...
  6. Step 6: Clean Floors. ...
  7. Step 7: Vacuum the House.
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When cleaning the house the bathroom should be cleaned first true or false?

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.
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What room should you clean first?

Clean the Most Difficult Room First

Because cleaning the bathroom is so time and labor intensive, it's a good idea to make it the first room you clean. Afterwards, all your other chores will seem easier. Additionally, if you save the bathroom for last, you may be so tired when you get to it that you abandon the task.
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Why do I struggle to keep my house clean?

1. Too much stuff. This is a very common and significant hurdle to keeping a tidy house. If you simply have too much stuff crammed inside your walls, it will be nearly impossible to maintain a state of organization and to clean efficiently.
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What is the fastest way to deep clean a house?

Fast House Cleaning Tips
  1. Clean the whole house, not one room at time. ...
  2. Gather all your cleaning tools in a caddy. ...
  3. Clear the clutter. ...
  4. Dust and vacuum. ...
  5. Wipe mirrors and glass. ...
  6. Disinfect countertops and surface areas. ...
  7. Focus on tubs, sinks and toilets. ...
  8. Sweep, then mop.
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What is the fastest way to clean a hoarder's house?

6 Easy Steps For Cleaning A Hoarder House
  1. STEP 1: Clear out the Trash. ...
  2. STEP 2: Clean and sanitize your floors. ...
  3. STEP 3: Disinfect everything. ...
  4. STEP 4: Scrub down the bathroom. ...
  5. STEP 5: Deodorize. ...
  6. STEP 6: Don't forget the small stuff.
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Why do I have a hard time letting go of material things?

Guilt can play a big role in our resistance to decluttering. “We often feel guilty if we're getting rid of something from someone we love,” says Trager. “It's hard to remind ourselves that a person will still love us, and us them, even if we no longer own this item they gave us.”
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How do I let go of old photos?

Follow those steps to make the most of your memories with photos.
  1. Sort through your items and place them in categories. ...
  2. Let go of any items that don't bring you happy memories.
  3. Take a picture of the items.
  4. Tell your story. ...
  5. Organize your story for each photo in a binder or on your computer.
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What is a decluttering checklist?

A decluttering checklist is a to-do list that helps you determine what you need to do to create a space you love. Here's the problem most people run into: they write down big projects as a to-do item. On a sheet of paper, you write “Clean out office,” “Declutter kitchen,” or “Clean up the explosion of toys.”
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Can a cluttered house cause stress?

Clutter can make us feel stressed, anxious and depressed. Research from the United States in 2009, for instance, found the levels of the stress hormone cortisol were higher in mothers whose home environment was cluttered.
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How do you decide what to throw out and what to keep?

One helpful way to decide whether to keep an item or get rid of it is to think about when you last used it. If it's been months or years, that's a pretty good indication it's something you should get rid of.
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