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How To Declutter Your Room Efficiently (For People Who Hate Cleaning)

The opinions expressed in this article are the writer’s own and do not reflect the views of Her Campus.
This article is written by a student writer from the Her Campus at Illinois chapter.

Whenever I attempted to declutter my room in the past, it always went down the same way. I would schedule a day to finally tidy up my disorderly chaotic space, successfully clean for about thirty minutes, get bored and start messing around with the newly found objects from cleaning and eventually give up. If I did end up successfully cleaning my space, it would just go back to being cluttered within the next week. If my process sounds anywhere similar to what you experience when cleaning, I would suggest to keep reading as I share some tips that help prevent me from becoming demotivated. 

tip 1: add some entertainment while cleaning.

Playing music and watching reality TV (especially Love Island) are my go-tos for when I am having a cleaning session, but if that isn’t really your style, other options could be listening to podcasts, audiobooks or even inviting a friend over can be ways to make cleaning a lot more fun, and make it harder to lose interest. 

TIP 2: Create a cleaning list.

It is easier to focus on a task when you know the steps you have to take to reach your goal. Instead of aimlessly trying to tidy up your room, try creating a list of all the chores you have to do in order to clean your room. This makes it easier for you to get back on track if you lose focus of what you are doing. 

TIP 3: TRY THE POMODORO METHOD.

This method is used often for studying, but it works well for chores as well! If you are finding it hard to get started on tackling a messy room, try to clean in 20-25 minute sessions at a time, with short, five minute breaks in-between. This can make a daunting task seem not as intimidating to start and it can keep you from losing motivation.

TIP 4: GIVE YOURSELF A REWARD!

Create a reward for yourself as an extra incentive to continue cleaning. This could be going out with friends, watching your favorite movie or enjoying your favorite treat. After working so hard, you will deserve it. This is another way to stay motivated and have something to look forward to while decluttering.

If you are anything like me, you may now be wondering, “Now how do I keep things tidy?” A tip that has saved me from having to spend hours on cleaning my room is to save 15-30 minutes every evening to tidy up your space. If you notice your space becoming a bit cluttered, this can help keep things from getting completely out of control in the future.

Arianna Winters

Illinois '25

Hi! I am a sophomore here at U of I and I'm studying psychology.