Spring cleaning becomes less daunting when broken into two distinct tasks — decluttering and deep cleaning — with experts advising homeowners to tackle them separately and never simultaneously.
According to the report, the first step is reframing the scope of the job. Rather than committing to “spring clean my home,” the goal becomes something specific: “declutter the back half of my basement.” Large spaces like garages can be divided into quadrants. Every closet and storage area should be treated as its own separate project.
Decluttering always comes before deep cleaning. Once that sequence is set, the question becomes which method to use.
Methods That Actually Work
The KonMari method, developed by Marie Kondo, remains a popular framework. Empty a space completely, hold each item, and assign it to a “keep” or “not keep” pile based on whether it sparks joy. For items that are genuinely hard to assess, a third “I’m not sure” pile removes the pressure of an immediate decision.
Those undecided items go into a labeled box with the current date, then out of sight. If nothing from that box gets retrieved before next year’s clean, the decision is effectively made.
A lower-effort clothing audit involves hanging all items with the hook facing backward. Each time a piece is worn, the hanger gets flipped. After six to twelve months, unworn clothes become visible — though the report notes this method is better suited as a strategy for next year rather than an immediate fix.
For those in the second half of life, the report recommends labeling heirlooms with intended recipients’ names — a practice drawn from Swedish death cleaning. The underlying question it poses: why is this being kept, and who will have to deal with it later?
Selling, Donating, and Disposing
Once items are sorted, removal options vary by effort and return. Selling directly through platforms like eBay, Facebook Marketplace, Craigslist, NextDoor, and OfferUp yields the most cash but demands the most time. For electronics specifically, Swappa and Gazelle are flagged as reliable options.
Clothing resale splits into two tracks. Direct-to-buyer platforms — Poshmark, Depop, and Curtsy — maximize payout. Intermediary services like ThredUp and TheRealReal handle photography, listing, and shipping in exchange for a smaller cut.
Donation carries a potential tax deduction, though the report notes that local community options may also be available depending on location. The core trade-off throughout is consistent: more effort typically means more money, less effort means less return but faster removal.
The report’s underlying premise is that no single approach is correct. Someone who organizes without decluttering this season has still made progress. The aim is momentum over perfection — picking one space, finishing it, and deciding what comes next from there.
Photo by RDNE Stock project on Pexels
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