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Deep-cleaning the house is a wonderful and frustrating experience for just about everybody. It starts with a blast of motivation but quickly shifts to exasperation from an overwhelming mess. In the end, cleaning can lead to an organized home and satisfied inhabitants. But a deep dive into your material possessions helps more than just the house or the people living in it. If done right, it can help the neighborhood.

 

Staying Motivated

The first step of cleaning the house is simple in theory—it’s getting started. However, a project as big as deep-cleaning a home is tough to start. Nearly everyone wants to do it but doesn’t want to sink time and energy into the project. Some are afraid they’ll find themselves stuck after they start. When starting to clean, everything has to be moved, including big furniture pieces. It’s about cleaning what’s visible and what’s hidden, so get ready to sweep up dust behind entertainment centers and beds.

That means the house will have to become messier before it gets cleaner. In that case, not everything should be tackled at once. It’s better to start small and organize shelf-by-shelf and keep in mind what would be best donated or kept. People could move items in need of sorting to other rooms or even outside if the weather permits. Still feel stuck? Habitat.org has so many tips to help you get started!

 

Donating Items

Donating old, unneeded things helps people clean out their space and declutter their lives, but it also assists people who may need those items more than others. It helps to think of objects not as useless, but as necessary for others. 

Humans are sentimental creatures, and most hold back on donating items they don’t use. This leads to extra clutter sitting in the backs of closets. To master the art of decluttering, it’s best to look beyond emotion and ask if it still has a purpose in the house or would be better off helping another. There are plenty of charities in need of donations. And people are not restricted to donating only the clothes in their closets—many stores will take dishes, appliances, furniture, toys, and almost anything else. If it’s in good enough condition to be donated, it will most likely make a difference in someone’s life.