There are plenty of ways to describe the process involved in keeping a tidy home, and people tend to use a lot of the words interchangeably. “Getting things organized”, “decluttering the house”, “cleaning up” and other phrases are often used as though they pretty much mean the same thing. But actually, there’s important differences between the meanings! They are actually completely different steps in a total process. Here’s a quick guide to what these different terms for keeping house really mean, as well as the order in which they should be completed.
Decluttering
This is the important first step in the cleaning process. Decluttering involves clearing your home of items that are no longer needed. You know the broken stuff you never seem to get around to fixing? Or those objects that always seem to be hanging around but are never actually used? Decluttering means getting rid of them! Your home will feel much more comfortable when you live with only the belongings you want, need and use. Need proof? A study done at Princeton University Neuroscience Institute showed that the human brain focuses better and remains more relaxed in a decluttered environment. Not only that, but it’s pretty much impossible to effectively organize or clean until the decluttering process is completed, so if you skip this step you’ll likely be living in a less-than-tidy house.
Organizing
Often confused with decluttering, organizing is actually the step that comes after you have rid a room of any unneeded items. Organizing means making a well-thought-out plan and system for an area of your home. (It’s what makes it easy to find things you’re looking for, rather than having to search all over the place!) When you properly organize a closet, kitchen counter or items in a room, it will automatically give the space you’re working on structure. And good organization adds an orderly and comfortable feel to your home!
Cleaning
This is the final step in the process! Once you’ve gotten rid of clutter and organized your space, you’ll have a much easier time cleaning it. (Just think how difficult it is to gain enough access to an item or surface to clean it when it’s covered with clutter or disorganized items.) Actual cleaning means using cleaning products and tools and combining them with some elbow grease. This is also the step where we suggest calling in Mini Maid to help you out. After all, after all that decluttering and organizing, you will definitely deserve a break! Whether your home needs dusting, mopping, sweeping, scrubbing, vacuuming, or a combination of all of these, our trained cleaning teams will handle it all!
