The Relationship Between Organizing and Cleaning
Organization and Action Steps to Decide Between Organizing and Cleaning
Where do cleaning and organizing intersect? Some people get the two confused. When you start your decluttering, you may see how it is tangled in with cleaning. The two benefit from one another. They coexist together to help your house run smoothly. Just as you budget your time and effort during the week, organizing and cleaning are also a skill you need to budget. Both cleaning and organizing are a life skill that must be acquired. Too many times, it does not come naturally. Look to The Uncluttered Life’s Declutter Deck® for tips and tricks about home organization.
Organization
There is no shame in outsourcing anything. That means hiring someone to help you clean or someone to help you organize. Or, you can learn to do it yourself by watching videos, Instagram, or reading books about the subject. No matter what, knowing how to do both is a great way to get in touch with your environment. Having control over your personal space is good for you both mentally and physically. Contact us at The Uncluttered Life if you are interested in getting help with organization.
Organizing is, by definition, clearing spaces, decluttering and evaluating what you do and do not want (“sparks joy”) and grouping like items together.
Cleaning, on the other hand, involves things like dusting, wiping things down with a cloth, vacuuming, and scrubbing the floor. There is a big difference between the two and it is important to know what needs to be done. Sometimes it’s one or the other and sometimes it’s both.
You can actually do both activities at the same time because they both benefit you and your home.
You can divide your house up into zones for organizing and decluttering projects.
The benefit of zones is that they teach you how to do the actual work, where to start, and how to maximize efficiency.
Action Steps
Clean and organize one zone at a time. Do not move on to the next zone until you have completely finished the zone you’re in.
Move from left to right, top to bottom, around the room in a circle until the zone is completely done.
If you need more flexibility in working through your zones, break the zones up by days. Do one zone each day. This will help you stay focused and not rush the work you’re doing.