Q&A for How to Clean Your Room

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  • Question
    What's the best way to organize the books in my room?
    Ashley Moon, MA
    Professional Organizer
    Ashley Moon is the Founder and CEO of Creatively Neat, a virtual organizing and life coaching business based in Los Angeles, California. In addition to helping people organize their best life, she has a fabulous team of organizers ready to de-clutter your home or business. Ashley hosts workshops and speaking engagements at various venues and festivals. She has trained with Coach Approach and Heart Core for organizing and business coaching respectively. She has an MA in Human Development and Social Change from Pacific Oaks College.
    Professional Organizer
    Expert Answer
    I recommend displaying your favorite books or the ones you're currently reading on a bookshelf or other surface. Then, consider donating the books you're not actively reading. The odds of you looking at them again are pretty slim, and you can always easily get a book again if you end up wanting to read it in the future.
  • Question
    How can I make cleaning more fun?
    Ashley Moon, MA
    Professional Organizer
    Ashley Moon is the Founder and CEO of Creatively Neat, a virtual organizing and life coaching business based in Los Angeles, California. In addition to helping people organize their best life, she has a fabulous team of organizers ready to de-clutter your home or business. Ashley hosts workshops and speaking engagements at various venues and festivals. She has trained with Coach Approach and Heart Core for organizing and business coaching respectively. She has an MA in Human Development and Social Change from Pacific Oaks College.
    Professional Organizer
    Expert Answer
    Try to really activate all of your senses so the process is more engaging and enjoyable. Put on some music, light a nice smelling candle, and take time to touch the items in your room and be present with them.
  • Question
    How do I get rid of clutter?
    Ashley Moon, MA
    Professional Organizer
    Ashley Moon is the Founder and CEO of Creatively Neat, a virtual organizing and life coaching business based in Los Angeles, California. In addition to helping people organize their best life, she has a fabulous team of organizers ready to de-clutter your home or business. Ashley hosts workshops and speaking engagements at various venues and festivals. She has trained with Coach Approach and Heart Core for organizing and business coaching respectively. She has an MA in Human Development and Social Change from Pacific Oaks College.
    Professional Organizer
    Expert Answer
    It really comes down to three steps. The first step is to sort through all of your stuff and separate everything into categories. Then, go through each category one at a time and purge the things you don't want or need anymore. Finally, organize everything that's left by finding a good place for it.
  • Question
    I have tried games to motivate me to clean my room a lot of times, but it does not work and I get distracted very easily. What should I do?
    Michelle Driscoll, MPH
    Founder, Mulberry Maids
    Michelle Driscoll is the Owner of Mulberry Maids, which is based in Fort Collins, Colorado. With five years of experience, her business specializes in cleaning homes and small offices. She holds a Masters in Public Health from the Colorado School of Public Health. Additionally, Mulberry Maids has an A+ rating from the Better Business Bureau.
    Founder, Mulberry Maids
    Expert Answer
    Aim to break up the individual tasks - for example, spend time picking up all of your dirty clothes and washing them. At another time, try to go through your room to find things to donate, which will help to declutter. Tackling one task at a time will help you get things done without overwhelming yourself.
  • Question
    What do you do if you just have a lot of stuff and don't know where to put it?
    Community Answer
    Place it all into the center of the floor. Then sort it into piles. As you sort, decide what is useful and what produces a sense of joy for you, then donate or discard the remainder. You'll find plenty of space for it after sorting.
  • Question
    How do I decide on getting rid of things that clutter my room?
    Community Answer
    Do you love the thing? Does it make you happy when you look at it? Is it very useful or do you use it all the time? If yes, keep it. If no, chuck it. The space is leaves can be filled with something you do love.
  • Question
    I have a lot of stuff. Where is a good place to start to clean it?
    Community Answer
    Start with your clothes, making a pile and sorting through them. Then proceed to books, making a pile and sorting through them. Then toys (stuffed animals, etc.) and board games. After that, sort whatever else is left over. Set a deadline, don't stop until you've finished.
  • Question
    What should I do about the garbage?
    Community Answer
    Take a small trash bag (or, if you have a lot of stuff to throw out, take a big one) and keep it in your room to make it easier for you. It saves time. When you're done with it, throw it out. It's a good idea to have a little trash barrel for the room.
  • Question
    How can I tidy my bedroom if I have a lot of stuff in a very small bedroom?
    Community Answer
    Well, to begin, you should get rid of objects you don't need. Some ways to see if you really need what you have is to ask yourself if you've used it, would re-buy it, and if it has any meaning to you still. Only keeping items you have a purpose for will help in this situation. Then, you would have to find organizers to make the most of your space if you still are really cramped.
  • Question
    How can I clean my room if I cannot throw away anything?
    Community Answer
    You can clean your room without throwing away any of your possessions. If your room is cramped, you may need to move things out, clean, and then move the items back.
  • Question
    How do I clean my room if I have a lot of things and not much space?
    Community Answer
    Buy lots of containers and store your things in these. If you have a bed, put them under there or if you have a desk, put them under there. If you don't have any of those things or they are occupied, find a spot on the floor where you can stack them on top of each other to save space, they may not be pretty but you sure can save space. You can throw a pretty cloth or sheet over them to hide them nicely.
  • Question
    How do you alphabetize a double bookshelf with books in the front, and not-visible books at the back?
    Community Answer
    Separate your books into groups, such as comedy, science, texts, etc. Put all the small books in the front and all all big books at the back, in alphabetical order. That way you will see the top of the large books still and know where they are.
  • Question
    How can I get crayon off the wall?
    Littlehootin123456789
    Community Answer
    Mix very hot water with soap and a little rubbing alcohol. Dip a sponge in the solution and clean the walls.
  • Question
    What if I have no more space in my room? I have no other rooms to put items.
    Community Answer
    At this stage, it's time to clear out what you don't need. There is no point in living with so many objects that you don't have space to keep them, as this will drag down your energies and make cleaning hard work. Make a donation pile of things you're happy to give away because they've done their time at your house, say thank you to them for serving their purpose, then donate them.
  • Question
    Where do I put my hamster cage while cleaning my room? I am not allowed to put it on my desk.
    Community Answer
    If there is not enough space, try to put the hamster cage on the floor but not near the radiator. Or, consider placing it in a spare room until you're done. Then try to organize and tidy your whole room until you can put the hamster cage back in its usual place.
  • Question
    What if there is a dead (or alive) spider near my dirty stuff? I'm scared of spiders.
    Community Answer
    Try sweeping it up with a broom. This way you do not have to touch it. Then you can get to your dirty stuff.
  • Question
    How do you get and stay motivated?
    Emma Hall1
    Community Answer
    Put some music on, give yourself a reward, and tick things off your list as you go!
  • Question
    What if I have a lot of half-finished craft projects in my room? I don't want to throw them away.
    Littlehootin123456789
    Community Answer
    You can put them in a storage bin and put the bin somewhere like under your bed, in your closet, or on your bookshelf.
  • Question
    I have tidied my room five times in two weeks, any quick tips on how to reduce this? How often should we clean our rooms? Can it get serious if we don't?
    Community Answer
    It is suggested that you read the books by Marie Kondo about tidying up. These may well change the way you look at tidying up and help you to feel less frustrated. There are also other great books on such topics as Zen housekeeping and minimalist living that will help you to learn tricks for cleaning less and living more.
  • Question
    Where should I get rid of the dishes and trash I got rid of?
    Community Answer
    Dirty dishes go in the sink or dishwasher to clean. Put in your trash bin/local dumpster outside for pickup.
  • Question
    I have tidied my room. However, I cannot keep it tidy. What should I do?
    Community Answer
    Throughout the day don't do things you would normally do to make it dirty. Don't throw your clothes on the ground. Throw away trash. Put dishes in the kitchen. Put things beck after you use them. That way, you save yourself work when you decide to clean your room next time.
  • Question
    Instead of buying some boxes could I make my own and if I can, what should I make?
    Community Answer
    A quicker and easier option would be to source the boxes you need for free. Ask stores you know regularly receive shipments (e.g. supermarkets, fast food restaurants, department stores - anywhere you can think of) to hold their boxes for you, as most will crush the boxes as they unpack stock. If you need a lot of boxes you should ask a week or a few days in advance of when you need them to guarantee you get enough.
  • Question
    I'm a kid. How can I be tempted to clean my room?
    Hailee Meredith
    Community Answer
    Everyone is different and some people are tempted in many different ways. And, you will understand when your parent unlock that potential to clean your room. All you have to do is find out what motivates you the most and do it.
  • Question
    How do I clean up my charger area?
    Community Answer
    Consider using a power bar so you can have everything plugged into one place. When you're not charging anything, you can turn the power bar off. Keep your charging area near your electronics and clear of anything else. It may also be a good idea to label your cords so you do not get them confused.
  • Question
    What if my friends come over?
    Community Answer
    Tidy up your room, but make sure you know that they are coming over at least a week in advance!
  • Question
    My room is very small and I have gone through all of my "stuff" just like the Marie Kondo book says. I got rid of 3/4 of all my belongings, but there is still not enough room. What would you suggest?
    Poppybear071
    Community Answer
    Buy clear container storage boxes and label all of them. Put them under your bed, in your closet, at the top of your closet, and in any other place they will fit.
  • Question
    How do I keep it decorative and neat?
    Community Answer
    Find a style you like, and arrange your things according to that theme. If that doesn't work, try clearing out some things and arranging the rest by color. Bedrooms usually look good this way.
  • Question
    How can I reward myself healthily and within the house?
    Community Answer
    The easiest reward would be a marathon of your favorite movies or TV show. Another idea could be simply taking a nice, quiet nap while listening to your favorite music.
  • Question
    I cry when I have to clean my room. What should I do?
    Community Answer
    Figure out what's making you cry and address the issue. If cleaning your room is so daunting of a task that you start crying because it feels like you'll never finish, try cleaning by category. First, gather up all your dirty clothes and wash them, even if it takes multiple loads of wash to do them all. It'll make the task look less daunting. Then, put things away! If an item doesn't have a spot, designate it one and always put it there. You'll find yourself losing items less frequently. If your room keeps getting cluttered, discard things you no longer need.
  • Question
    What if there is a top part of my closet and I'm short? What do I do?
    Community Answer
    1. Stand on a chair. Usually this gives you enough height bonus to clean or retrieve an item from up there. 2. If you're too short to reach it without a chair, store items that you need but don't use often on it. This can be anything from camping gear to old artwork you've made. 3. If you have too much stuff to not use it, get rid of some things. Save things with emotional value for last, though. They'll slow the discarding process down. You'll find yourself with no need for that extra room.
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