How to Clean and Organize Your Room

Co-authored by Michelle Driscoll, MPH and Janice Tieperman

Last Updated: June 24, 2024 Approved

Between dirty clothes, clutter, and other waste, cleaning your room might be a trouble in your to-do list. And you do not need to worry! The solution to simple, effective cleaning is breaking the task down into smaller chores. You’d be stunned at how much you can accomplish by switching up how you clean and organize.

Here are 14 pro tips and tricks to help you clean and organize your room.

1

Go through your clutter with the 4-box method.

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Set out 4 boxes or bags and label “keep,” “donate,” “store,” and “trash.” Keep items are pretty self-explanatory—these are items that you still actively need or want, and plan on storing in your room. In the donate pile, set aside any gently-used items that you don’t want or need anymore. Use the “store” pile for items that can be moved into long-term storage. Then, dedicate the “trash” box to any junk or clutter that’s just taking up space in your room.
- For instance, a pair of winter snow boots might go in the “store” pile, while old candy wrappers would go in the “trash” pile.

2

Wipe off any dusty surfaces.

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Go over all the surfaces in your room with a damp cloth. Focus especially on any dressers, mirrors, art pieces, or other stationary accessories in your living space.^{[1]
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- A damp cloth helps pick up the dust and wipe the surface clean.

3

Vacuum your bedroom floor.

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Focus on hard-to-reach places, like beneath your bed and behind different pieces of furniture. If you’d really like to go the extra mile, vacuum off your mattress, too.^{[3]
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4

Wash and change your sheets.

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Peel off your old sheets and blankets and toss them in the wash. Once they’re washed and dried, re-make your bed.^{[4]
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- Feel free to clean your old pillows and pillowcases, too.

5

Clean out your wardrobe.

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Go through each article of clothing and decide what you want to keep. If you like the clothing and it still fits well, keep it in your closet for another few seasons. If the garment is just taking up space, donate or toss it.^{[5]
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- Ideally, it’s a good idea to go through your wardrobe twice a year.

6

Organize your closet by color.

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Sort your clothes from light to dark. Hang up your clothes in similar color groupings, placing the lighter garments on the left and your darker garments on the right. This will make your closet a lot easier to navigate!^{[6]
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- Make the switch from plastic to velvet hangers. These take up less space, and prevent your clothes from slipping off.^{[7]
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7

Arrange the clothes in your drawers by size.

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Place smaller items in the top drawers and larger items toward the bottom. You can store your socks and underwear in the upper drawers, then keep folded shirts and bottoms in the lower drawers.^{[8]
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- Organize your clothes by type within each drawer so they're easy to find. For example, keep your socks and underwear separated if you're storing them in the same drawer.
- You can make your own cardboard dividers to help keep your underwear organized. Just hot-glue thin sections of cardboard together into diamond-shaped cubbies. Place the cubbies in your dresser drawer and slide your folded underwear into each cubby slot.^{[9]
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8

Opt for under-the-bed storage.

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Under-the-bed storage helps you maximize your bedroom space. Opt for rolling storage boxes, which are easy to pull out from under your bed. Storage baskets, color-coordinated plastic bins, and specialty drawers are also great options for keeping your belongings organized.^{[10]
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- Some underbed storage drawers are designed specifically for shoes.
- Other types of storage cater to children’s toys, folded clothes, and other odds and ends.

9

Store items at the foot of your bed.

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Invest in tables or bins that rest snugly at the foot of your bed. A chest offers extra storage space, while a small basket gives you some flexibility with your laundry. Above all, choose a storage item that best fits the demands of your living space.^{[11]
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- If you have a lot of extra shoes, a small shoe shelf could be a handy addition to the foot of your bed.

10

Eliminate clutter with storage ottomans.

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Some ottomans let you stash your belongings inside, while others come with built-in shelves. You can double certain types of ottomans as chairs or tables, too.^{[12]
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11

Hang up extra items on your walls.

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Your wall is a storage container all on its own! Arrange adhesive hooks and organizers along your wall—these are easy, efficient ways to both decorate your room and eliminate unwanted clutter.^{[13]
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- For instance, you might hang up and organize your scarves on your wall instead of leaving them floating around your room.
- You could organize your belts on different wall hooks.
- You might store your handbags and purses on wall hooks when you’re not using them.
Marie Kondo, Cleaning & Organization Expert

Smart storage can upgrade your space. "Clutter is caused by a failure to return things to where they belong. Therefore, storage should reduce the effort needed to put things away, not the effort needed to get them out."

12

Use your door for storage.

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Special hooks and organizers can transform your door into storage space. Screw towel hooks into your bedroom door as an easy, handy way to hold your old tote bags. To really maximize your space, hang up a wire organizer over your door, which can hold lots of things at once.^{[14]
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- For example, you might sort your favorite beauty products into different bags or shelves along your door.

13

Display your knick-knacks on a pegboard.

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Lean a large pegboard against an open section of your wall. Balance thin sheets of wood on pegs to create makeshift shelves, which can display colorful decor, sentimental pictures, or anything else you’d like to show off.^{[15]
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- The pegs create the support for your “shelf,” and the sheet of wood goes on top of the pegs.

14

Double your desk as a nightstand.

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Dedicate 1 side of the desk to a lamp, alarm clock, and space for a charging smartphone. To really make the most of your space, slide your chair or stool under the desk when you’re not using it.^{[16]
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Common Questions: Cleaning and Organizing Bedrooms

How can I clean and organize fast?

Start by picking up loose items on the floor or bed and put them back where they belong. Then, focus on tackling one area at a time: floor, bed, desk, closet, etc. For faster cleanup in the future, try to keep your space relatively decluttered. That way, you’ll only need to wipe down surfaces and vacuum to clean up.^{[18]
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How can you organize your room on a budget?

Reuse and repurpose things you already own to get organized. For example, shoeboxes make great dividers for dresser drawers. Buy cheap plastic bins and store items there. Then, label the bins and stack them neatly in your closet. Baskets and fabric storage bins are also cheap options to declutter and get organized.^{[19]
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How do I keep my room clean and organized?

Start by doing a deep cleaning. Then, make a cleaning schedule for yourself and stick to it. Decluttering, wiping down surfaces, vacuuming, and doing laundry weekly can help you stay on top of a lot of basic cleaning in just a few minutes. The more you stay on top of basic cleaning tasks, the faster it will go!^{[20]
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How do you organize your bedroom if you don't have a lot of space?

Use bookshelves and floating shelves to take advantage of vertical space. Under the bed storage is a great way to get organized without using any space at all. Hang a shoe organizer on the back of your closet door and stick command hooks on the wall for your belts, bags, scarves, and jewelry.^{[21]
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Dust off ceiling fan blades with an old pillowcase—that way, the dust will collect in the case instead of scattering around.^{[17]
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Tips from our Readers

The advice in this section is based on the lived experiences of wikiHow readers like you. If you have a helpful tip you’d like to share on wikiHow, please submit it in the field below.

Remove any distractions while you clean, and avoid using your phone when you take breaks, as it will make it harder for you to return to cleaning.
If you don't have a duster, wear a fluffy sock on your hand to dust surfaces like your TV, shelves, and windowsills.
Make it a fun game! Prop your hamper up on something and throw your clothes into it like a basketball hoop.
Open windows and/or use air freshener to make your room smell clean and refreshed.
Clean up your room everyday for 10-15 min so it stays clean and organized.

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