Organizing 101: This is NOT about cleaning!

I recently discovered that a well-known web site has lumped “cleaning and organizing” into one section. As a Professional Organizer, this concerns me. Although there may be a bit of cleaning off shelves that were once filled with useless knick-knacks, there’s a distinct difference between cleaning and organizing. In fact, if one is organized, cleaning is a lot easier and faster. In fact, studies show that up to 40% time can be saved on cleaning. Reason: Not having to move all the clutter to clean off counter tops, etc.

What is Cleaning? It is about dusting and vacuuming. It’s the act of making something clean; removing stains or spots.

What is Organizing? It is about arranging and putting items into and orderly, functional whole. Organizing is the critical step in preparing your house for regular cleaning. It is the process of eliminating the excess and finding a place for everything so that when it comes time to straighten up, you simply have to put the items where they belong…and putting the mail on the kitchen counter or the slew of newspapers in the front hall is not going to make it easy for you to clean up.

I’m interested in your thoughts. Does this make sense? How have you incorporated organizing into your home in order to spend less time cleaning and more time enjoying time with your family? Let me know.