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This Popular Organizing Advice Could Be Wrong

A woman organizes a closet.
New Africa/Shutterstock.com

You’ve probably heard cleaning advice suggesting you tackle one room at a time, but if you’ve taken this decluttering advice and found it overwhelming, you’re not alone. In fact, it might be a big organizing mistake.

Large, messier rooms can be incredibly frustrating to declutter and organize. Instead, try focusing on one specific space within a room to minimize overwhelm.

Homes and Gardens spoke Jill Koch, the Owner and Creator of Jill Comes Clean. Koch gave some incredible insight into productive organizing strategies that don’t leave you exhausted (and with a mess in the hallway). She explained it’s important to consider how large a room’s mess is and to focus on organizing small spaces rather than entire rooms.

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“Enter a room and pick one area,” Koch told Homes and Gardens. “In a closet, work on one shelf or section of clothing at a time; in a kitchen or bathroom, one drawer at a time. As you complete one area, move on to another as your time and motivation allow.”

When you throw out the pressure that you need to get a room 100% tidy before you can move on, you create an avenue for achievable decluttering progress. Having a room-cleaning strategy like this is a great way to get more done without burning out.

Abbey Ryan Abbey Ryan
Abbey Ryan is a storyteller, preferably of stories in written form. Across the 5 years of her professional writing career, her work has been featured in The Chicago Tribune, Amazon, The Medical News Today, and more. When she's not writing (which is rare), she's likely traveling, painting, or on the hunt for a good snack. Read Full Bio »
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