Have you ever walked into your home and felt stressed just looking at the mess spread all over the place? You’re not alone. The average American spends 55 minutes every day searching for misplaced items—that’s almost 14 days each year lost to disorganization!
The good news is that cleaning a messy house doesn’t have to feel overwhelming. With the right steps and a simple plan, you can change your cluttered space into a clean, organized home.
This simple guide will show you practical steps to clean up a messy house, helping you get back your space, time, and peace of mind. Let’s get started!
Why Your House Gets Messy in the First Place
Understanding why your home becomes cluttered is the first step to fixing the problem. Most homes get messy because of daily habits and not having good systems in place.
When you don’t have proper storage solutions, items pile up on counters, tables, and floors. This makes even a clean house look messy.
Busy schedules also cause household messes. When you’re rushing from one activity to another, it’s easy to drop things and promise to put them away later.
Many people also have too much stuff. Research from UCLA found that many American families have a strange relationship with their stuff—they buy things to feel happy but then feel stressed by all the clutter these items create.
Without regular tidying, even small messes quickly grow into big cleaning projects.
Planning Your Attack on Mess
Success starts with a good plan. Random cleaning doesn’t work as well as a step-by-step approach.
Before you start cleaning, take 15 minutes to:
- Set realistic goals for your cleaning project
- Break down big tasks into smaller, easier chunks
- Create a list of rooms to clean, starting with the ones that bother you most
- Gather all your cleaning supplies so you won’t lose momentum
A decluttering checklist for each room helps you stay focused and track your progress.
Give yourself reasonable deadlines. Trying to clean your entire house in one day will leave you burned out and disappointed.
Pro Tip: Use the “15-Minute Rule”—set a timer and focus on one small area for just 15 minutes. You’ll be amazed at what you can accomplish, and this makes even big projects feel manageable.
Plan rewards for completing different stages of your cleaning project. Having something to look forward to makes the work more enjoyable.
Effective Decluttering Methods to Try
Several proven decluttering methods can help you clean a messy house more efficiently. These approaches provide structure to what might otherwise feel like chaos.
The Core 4 Method
This approach helps simplify the process:
- Clear out items from the target area
- Group similar things together
- Get rid of what’s unnecessary (be ruthless!)
- But what remains in proper storage
Real-life example: When Sarah from Portland used the Core 4 Method on her kitchen drawers, she found 37 takeout sauce packets and 12 extra measuring spoons. After sorting and getting rid of extras, her cooking became much easier because everything had its place.
The Four Box Method
With this technique, you sort items into four categories:
- Keep
- Donate
- Trash
- Relocate
Adding a recycling box makes this method better for the environment. Studies show that up to 80% of home clutter could be recycled instead of thrown in the trash.
The One In, One Out Rule
For every new item you bring home, an old one must go. This prevents the slow buildup of stuff that leads to clutter.
Example: When buying a new coffee mug, choose an old one to donate. When getting new running shoes, give away the worn pair to a textile recycling program.
The Minimalists’ 90/90 Rule
If you haven’t used something in the past 90 days and won’t use it in the next 90, it’s probably safe to let it go.
Swedish Death Cleaning
This method focuses on not leaving a burden on others. Beyond just being practical, Swedish Death Cleaning helps people feel better mentally—many people say they feel lighter and more focused in their daily lives after getting rid of extra stuff.
The Five Things Tidying Method
This simple strategy involves removing just five items from a room each time you enter it. Whether it’s five pieces of trash, five items that belong elsewhere, or five things to donate, this gentle method creates noticeable improvement over time without feeling overwhelming.
Room-by-Room Approach to Cleaning
Breaking down your cleaning project by room makes the process much easier. Each space has its cleaning challenges.
1. Kitchen Cleanup
Start with the heart of your home—a clean kitchen sets the tone for the rest of the house.
Begin by tackling the junk drawer. This small win can boost your motivation for bigger tasks.
Check for expired food in your pantry and refrigerator. Toss anything past its prime to free up valuable storage space.
Quick Tip: Use the “FIFO” method (First In, First Out) when putting away groceries. Place newer items behind older ones so you use things before they expire, reducing waste and saving money.
Clean the outside of your fridge to remove fingerprints and food splatters. This quick task makes a big difference in how your kitchen looks.
Group similar items together in your cabinets. This makes cooking much easier when everything has a logical place.
Clear and clean countertops to create a fresh workspace. Having empty counter space makes your kitchen feel instantly more organized.
2. Living Room Revival
Start by clearing flat surfaces like coffee tables and shelves. These areas tend to collect random items.
Use the “Everything Needs a Home” rule—make a specific place for items you use often. For example, a nice basket can hold all your remote controls, and a magazine rack keeps reading materials tidy.
Sort through DVDs, games, and remote controls. Keep only what you regularly use and organize the rest.
Go through your books and remove the ones you no longer read or want. Consider donating these to local libraries or schools.
Tidy throw blankets and pillows, storing extras away if you have too many out at once. A few decorative items look better than many.
Find proper homes for toys or hobby supplies, preferably out of sight.
3. Bedroom Transformation
Start by making your bed. This quick task gives you a clean slate and motivation to continue.
A study found that people who make their beds in the morning are 19% more likely to say they sleep well at night. This simple habit makes your room look better right away and might help your health in the long run.
Clean off your nightstands, removing anything that doesn’t belong there. Keep only essentials on these surfaces.
Next, tackle your closet, removing clothes you no longer wear or that don’t fit. The 90/90 Rule works well here.
Closet Tip: Create a “Maybe” section for clothes you’re unsure about. Hang these items with hangers facing backward. After wearing an item, replace it with the hanger facing forward. After 90 days, consider donating anything still hanging backward—you don’t reach for these pieces.
Check under your bed for forgotten items collecting dust. Either find proper homes for these things or throw them away.
Use separate hampers for different types of clothing. This prevents dirty clothes from piling up on floors or chairs.
4. Bathroom Cleanup
Start by throwing away expired toiletries and medicines. These items take up valuable space and may no longer be safe to use.
Bathroom Cabinet Check: Most skincare products work well for 6-12 months after opening. Look for the small jar symbol with a number and “M” on products to know when to replace them.
Group similar items together on your vanity. Keep daily essentials easy to reach and store less frequently used products away.
Keep only the towels and washcloths you regularly use. Donate extras or use old ones as cleaning rags.
Check under the sink for cleaning supplies and organize them logically. Throw away empty containers and combine duplicate products.
Consider adding baskets or shelves if you need more space. The right storage makes keeping your bathroom tidy much easier.
5. Laundry Room Reset
Clear out items that don’t belong in the laundry room. This space should be practical above all else.
Organize cleaning supplies and laundry products on shelves or in cabinets. Keep frequently used items at eye level.
Efficiency Tip: Create a container for lost socks to collect singles until their matches appear. After 30 days, use unclaimed socks as dusting mitts or donate them to textile recycling programs.
Remove random items that have been placed temporarily on shelves. These spaces should hold laundry essentials only.
Create a system for handling clean clothes to prevent them from sitting in baskets unfolded. Even a simple folding station can help.
Add hooks or a small rack for hanging items that need to air dry. This prevents these clothes from being draped over furniture throughout your home.
Maintaining Your Clean Home
Cleaning is only half the battle. The real challenge is keeping your house tidy over time through good habits and systems.
Try these four simple habits:
- The Two-Minute Rule: If a task takes less than two minutes (hanging up a coat, putting dishes in the dishwasher), do it right away
- Daily Reset: Spend 10 minutes each evening returning items to their proper places
- Weekly Power Hour: Set aside one hour each week for maintenance cleaning tasks
- Monthly Review: Check your systems and make adjustments as needed
Apps like Tody, Home Routines, or CleanMama offer cleaning schedules and satisfying check-off systems to keep you on track.
Create a plan for handling incoming paper and mail. Having a process for these items prevents piles from forming on counters and tables.
Get everyone in the household involved in keeping things tidy. When everyone helps, the work becomes much easier.
Trending Cleaning Methods in 2025
Cleaning approaches continue to evolve, with new methods becoming popular for their effectiveness and sustainability.
Swedish Death Cleaning has gained popularity for its practical philosophy. This approach focuses on not burdening others with your belongings after you’re gone.
Many people now follow expert guidance from organizing professionals like Marie Kondo and Kayleen Kelly. These experts offer structured approaches that simplify the decluttering process.
The “FlyLady” system has become popular again, with its focus on small, easy cleaning habits and breaking the home into smaller areas to clean. This works especially well for busy parents and people who find regular cleaning too overwhelming.
Online communities share valuable tips, such as cleaning as you go and using small trash cans placed throughout the home to catch clutter.
Digital decluttering has become as important as physical cleaning. Organizing digital photos, files, and emails now features in many cleaning plans.
Eco-friendly cleaning methods and products continue to grow in popularity. Many cleaning routines now include sustainable practices that reduce waste and harmful chemicals.
Final Thoughts
Remember that perfect homes exist only in magazines. The goal is creating a space that works for your life, not perfection.
Getting organized isn’t about making your home look perfect like in magazines—it’s about creating a space that helps you feel good and supports what’s important to you. Research from Princeton University shows that our brains work better in tidy spaces, helping us focus better and make clearer decisions.
Start small if you feel overwhelmed. Even cleaning one drawer or surface creates momentum that can carry you through bigger projects.
Be patient with yourself. A house that took months or years to become cluttered won’t transform overnight.
Celebrate each victory along the way. Every organized drawer and cleared surface represents progress toward your goal.
With these steps, you can create a more peaceful, organized home that supports the life you want to live.
What area of your home causes you the most stress? Which decluttering method sounds best for your situation? Share your thoughts in the comments below—your insights might be exactly what another reader needs to hear today!
The information in this article is based on sources available to the public. We try our best to make sure all details are accurate, but some information might change over time. If you have any updates or corrections, feel free to share them with us.
