Jillian Harris' 4-Step Method to Clearing Your "Cleaning Madness" | houses and gardens

If you're thinking of starting the new year with a deep clean, you're not alone. January is often seen as the month of renewal, starting with your home. While this is a famous time for organizing chaos, it can often be overwhelming to know where to begin. And the celebrities agree.

Canadian designer Jillian Harris, known for Love It or List It Vancouver and Extreme Makeover: Home Edition , agrees the process isn't easy, especially when you're doing a major cleanup. However, if you're armed with the right home organization ideas , you can achieve a clean home faster—and it'll likely look its best for longer. Start with the right method, she says.

"I love to organize, and although I initially thought I was a little crazy with that mentality, I thought there must be people like me." And for those confused by my ways, I want you to know let me know there's a crazy method and I'm going to share it with you," says Jillian Harris on her blog (opens in a new tab) . Here are your steps.

(Image credit: Getty Images)

1. Plan your cleaning

When Jillian shared her method, she had just moved into her new home, so she started decluttering her entire apartment. However, if you're not new to your home, it's best to start with the next step: planning .

"I like to plan everything, including cleaning. I use the Notes app on my iPhone for my cleaning checklist," she says. The designer assigns tasks to herself or her partner Justin Pasutto and ticks them off when they're done. "They disappear from your list, but they also repeat every week. Did you really think you could get rid of tasks that easily? Not in this house!

2. Organize

Whether you're organizing a living room, bedroom, or hallway , Jillian's method remains the same. She begins by taking baskets, bins, and storage bins, and separating the items in her drawers with smaller bins containing "random gifts."

"It's the perfect way to keep your home clean and tidy," says Jillian. "Anyway, he has a home."

(Image credit: The Container Store)

3. Take one step at a time

If you enjoy multitasking, chances are you carry this ideology into all aspects of life, including your home. However, Jillian says it's best to focus on one piece and take it one step at a time.

Whether it 's tidying up toys or cleaning windows , you should only start a new area when all rooms are completely finished. "Slow and steady wins the race," adds the designer.

4. Maintain your cleanse for 15 minutes

"If you can make it a habit to brush 15 minutes in the morning and 15 minutes at night every day, you'll be amazed at how much you can do," says Jillian. This simple cleaning hack can help you keep things organized between bigger cleans and make deeper cleans less overwhelming (when the time comes).

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