By Jackie Leffner
As professional organizers we like to be intentional about the words that we use. We often hear our clients say things like, “I have a house cleaner, so why is my house so unorganized?” or “I organized all of my movies, but it still looks messy.” These are key phrases for us to provide some education on the difference between decluttering and organizing and why we, at Meat and Potatoes Organizing, make sure to prioritize both when we are helping you on a project!
Now, time for our educational lesson of the day 😊 Definitions –
Decluttering – “To remove unnecessary items from (an untidy or overcrowded place).” This word primarily focuses on evaluating whether you use and love something or if it is something that can be gotten rid of because you no longer need it.
Organizing – “To arrange into a structured whole; order.” This is about finding the appropriate place for the items remaining in your home after decluttering. Organizing is only successful when you put into place functional systems that are easy to maintain for those that will be using it.
Cleaning – “The action of making something clean, especially the inside of a house.” This word primarily focuses on removing dust, germs, and dirt from your house. Cleaning involves dusting, spraying & wiping down counters, mopping, and vacuuming, etc.
Now, what we have found is that it is difficult to do any of these things without the others. Imagine trying to vacuum a closet that is overflowing with clothes or clean a laundry room with 16 different types of detergent and dryer sheets all over the floor. There is not always a 100% right solution for everyone, which is why we approach each project with an expert and a new vision – but we typically make sure to pull everything out, declutter, organize, and then clean. We want to make sure when we are done with a project, you feel like it is the most peaceful, organized space in your home. If you are tackling decluttering, organizing, and cleaning on your own – we have the same goal for you 😊 Once you are done – you should not only feel a sense of accomplishment, but also a sense of calm in that new organized space.
Often, we see clients that have tried to skip the first step – decluttering – because honestly, it is hard. It is hard to look at items that you have purchased or been gifted and decide that they no longer fit in your home, or you no longer love them – but it is a necessary step in the process. If we didn’t do that, we would all end up needing 10,000 square foot houses to store all of our items and that’s just not a reality for most of us 😊 When working with you, we acknowledge that decluttering is a difficult step and provide you with tools to help you work through each item. Each approach is a little bit different, but we make sure you are comfortable throughout the entire process. We make sure that if we can sell, donate, or recycle an item that you no longer need we turn to that before simply throwing it away.
The secret to organizing well and maintaining that organization is simple – have less to organize 😉 Feeling inspired to declutter, organize and clean, but not sure you’re the right person to do it – reach out to schedule your complimentary consultation with one of our professional organizers today! Meat and Potatoes can help you dream what your space will look like and walk you through the entire process! We would love to help spark joy in your everyday life by transforming your home into functional, beautiful, organized spaces, one area at a time.
