Many of us have accumulated a surprising amount of clutter in our homes over the years. If left unchecked, it can take over our living space.
Decluttering expert Marie Kondo’s philosophy of keeping only what brings joy can be inspiring for some people and intimidating for others, but even small changes can help you free up space.
And with a Which? Best buy vacuum cleaner or steam cleaner at your disposal you can make the tidy corners of your home look fresh and clean.
On this page we have set out a three-step plan to guide you through the process of decluttering your home. You’ll also find links to our expert product reviews guaranteed to help you upgrade your cleaning arsenal.
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Victoria Purcell, which one? Home content editor
‘Cleaning is something I’ve started doing little and often, because it can be quite overwhelming to tackle an entire room in one day. Once you’ve managed to eliminate some clutter, impose a few rules to prevent it from building up again. I try to subscribe to the “buy less, buy better” school of thought. For example, do I need four different hair styling products? Or can I spend a little more on one tool with multiple functions?
‘Which one? has a wealth of product reviews and advice to help you choose and maintain a reliable product that can help keep useless items out of your home.’
Step 1: Prioritize
Start with a clear plan and be prepared to be ruthless in your cleanup mission as you move from room to room.
Cleaning expert Delia Cannings, chair of the British Cleaning Council, says: ‘Make a list of what you want to keep and what you’re going to throw away, and check that everyone in the household is happy with what you’ve got rid of.
‘You can’t clean every room, so maybe start with one of the bedrooms or the bathroom. If you go through things one by one, you’ll be amazed at all the toiletries you come across that are outdated or that you never use.
‘A messy house can make you feel very stressed. Once you have restored space, order and peace, you can feel completely reborn again.’
If you’re looking to declutter and make some money at the same time, consider listing products on an online marketplace like eBay, Facebook Marketplace, or Vinted. But be careful when using these platforms – our piece on how to sell second hand online helps you sell safely and protect yourself from scammers.
If you are throwing away an item that is in poor condition (or one that is not suitable for passing on), please visit your local authority recycling depot to see if it is suitable for recycling.
No matter how well you take care of your gadgets and devices, everything has an expiration date. See our guide for Do you need to replace these everyday items?
Step 2: Organize
Once you’ve managed to remove items from your home that you no longer need, it’s time to turn your attention to organizing what’s left.
When thinking of ways to get rid of non-essentials, keep the following in mind:
- Use vertical space One of the best ways to make the most of space is to make use of your walls. Try investing in some vertical storage options, such as shelves, wall-mounted organizers or tall bookcases.
- Experiment with cube storage By hanging one or two cubes, you no longer have to drill into your walls. Plus, you can personalize this versatile furniture with baskets or fabric drawers for a neater look or a pop of color.
- Managing children’s items If you have children, adding some door hooks can help you keep robes or dress-up outfits off the floor. Wall playpens, baskets and hammocks can also be an option if you prefer not to trip over soft toys on the floor.
- Do not forget about the advantages of multifunctional furniture If your budget allows, consider incorporating multi-functional furniture into a smaller living space. For example, a sofa bed with built-in storage or a folding coffee table can be a game changer.
- Try self-storage If your house is really bursting at the seams, this may be an option to consider. See our manual how to get the most out of self-storage.
- Manage (or throw away) your cables The tangled wires snaking along your devices make any room look disorganized. Therefore, try using cable clips or sleeves to bundle them together and keep them out of sight. You can store rarely used cables in a labeled box so you don’t have to cram them into random drawers.
- Turn stacks of photos into beautiful books Save space at home by taking your precious photos and turning them into personalized photo books. Depending on the service you use, you can add image filters, captions, borders and more (see our guide to the best photo books)
- Convert DVDs to digital files Say goodbye to stacks of discs by making digital copies of your DVDs. Digitizing home videos also makes them easier to share with friends and family. We’ve explained the full process in our guide to how to convert DVD to MP4 for free.
For more storage tips, see our guide to smart storage ideas for your growing family. We also have advice about it ideas for children’s rooms and organization tips
Step 3: Repeat
Go from room to room, repeating the formula of throwing out nonessential items and organizing the items you keep.
If you are happy that your home is relatively uncluttered, you should do your best to keep it that way. Trying to carve out some time in your daily routine can help you control any clutter before it becomes overwhelming. You can also try the following:
- Enforcing a ‘one in, one out’ rule When you make a new purchase, try to get rid of something similar. Keeping this in mind will help prevent messes from building up again after all your hard work.
- Donating unwanted electrical appliances or clothing to charity Charity shops accept toys, clothes and books in good condition. Many also accept smaller electrical appliances (see also our guide at how to recycle electrical appliances)
- Involve the family (if you can) Save yourself some time and encourage everyone in your household to tackle the rooms with you.
- Choose new purchases wisely Our expert product reviews can help – get started with our vacuum cleaner reviews And steam cleaner reviews.
- Make cleaning up a little more fun Try playing some music through one smart speaker to boost your mood. You might appreciate a few too noise canceling headphones to drown out the hum of the vacuum cleaner.
If you are planning to replace your sofa, read our advice about it how to get off a couch. We also have tips for it how to throw away a mattress
Popular products for tidying up your home
Below we’ve shared links to our product reviews so you can get a Which? Best buy.
We’ve also included links to popular products based on the number of visits to our reviews over the past year. Popularity doesn’t guarantee quality, though, so you’ll have to check out our full reviews to see how each model scores.
To remind, we are editorially independent. We are not influenced by third parties and we do not accept free gifts from product manufacturers or retailers. We buy everything we test in stores where possible, just as you would, so you can trust our reviews.
You may not know that. Which one? is a non-profit organization. The money we make goes directly back into our testing and our efforts to protect consumers and make their lives simpler, fairer and safer.
Vacuum cleaners
Our best scoring vacuum cleaner: excellent cleaning on all surfaces and excellent at removing pet hair.
A powerful vacuum cleaner can help you tackle the accumulated dust in your home. If you’re in the market for a new model, keep in mind that going cordless can be useful for tricky jobs like vacuuming stairs.
Vacuum cleaners are essential to any clean-up effort, so check that yours is in good condition and clean it regularly by emptying the bag. If he’s having trouble sucking, take a look at our advice on How to repair a vacuum cleaner.
Popular vacuum cleaners on the Which? website includes:
Browse all our vacuum cleaner reviews.
Steam cleaners
Our best scoring steam cleaner: Easy to use and excels at removing dirt from crevices.
High temperatures produced by steam cleaners are intended to eliminate traces of dust and harmful bacteria without the need for harsh chemicals. And if you suffer from asthma or allergies that are exacerbated by dust mites, investing in a steam cleaner may be a wise move.
In addition to cleaning hard floors and carpets, bathrooms and curtains, you can also experiment with modes designed to clean your oven and stovetop (as long as you avoid the oven’s heating element).
Popular steam cleaners on Which? website includes:
Browse all our steam cleaner reviews.
Universal cleaning sprays
Our top-scoring cleaning spray: Cleans reflective surfaces without leaving streaks or drips.
A powerful cleaning spray can help you tackle bathroom grime and kitchen grease, leaving surfaces spotless. We tested sprays from well-known brands, including Dettol, Ecover, Flash and Method, as well as from supermarket brands.
Check out our guide to the best universal cleaning sprays.
Window vacuum cleaners
Our best scoring window vacuum cleaner: Long battery life and excellent vacuuming.
The best window vacuums are easy to use and effortlessly remove condensation from your windows. Our experts put the best-selling window vacuums from the likes of Beldray, Karcher, Titan and Tower to the test to find out which is the best option overall.
Discover our guide to the best window vacuum cleaners.
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