The ranch-style homes that line Avondale's tree-shaded streets weren't built with massive closets or open-concept storage solutions—most date back to the 1960s and 70s, when families simply owned less stuff. Fast forward to today, and those same charming homes are bursting at the seams with decades of accumulation, plus the seasonal gear Colorado living demands. Between ski equipment, hiking boots, and the endless rotation of clothing needed for our unpredictable Front Range weather, clutter creeps into every corner. Add in the fine dust that blows through during our dry winters and the cottonwood debris each spring, and you've got a perfect storm: surfaces covered in both belongings and grime that's impossible to clean properly without moving everything first.
Here's the truth most homeowners discover too late—starting a deep clean without decluttering first means you're just cleaning around your stuff, not actually getting your home clean. You'll waste time shifting piles from room to room, miss the hidden dust and allergens lurking behind that stack of magazines, and end up exhausted without much to show for it. The right approach flips the script: declutter systematically first, creating clear surfaces and open floors, then deep clean with purpose. This two-step method doesn't just make cleaning faster and more effective—it actually helps you maintain that fresh feeling longer because you're not just masking chaos with the scent of lemon cleaner.
Declutter First: The 40% Rule
Professional cleaners consistently report that homes with clear surfaces take 35–45% less time to clean thoroughly. That means a better result — or the same time spent going deeper on what matters.
Where to Start in a Avondale Home
The Kitchen Counter Problem
Avondale kitchens accumulate countertop appliances quickly: air fryers, Instant Pots, coffee systems, smoothie makers. The rule: if you don't use it at least weekly, it goes in a cabinet or out of the house. Goal: one clear strip of counter behind the sink and at least half of all counter space unoccupied.
The Bathroom Surface Audit
The average American bathroom has 17 items on the counter. Ideal is 3–5. Everything else goes in a drawer, medicine cabinet, or under-sink storage. This transforms a 15-minute bathroom clean into a 7-minute one.
Bedroom Floor Rules
Anything on a bedroom floor that isn't furniture is clutter. Under-bed storage with a flat lid surface is the best Avondale solution for extra storage without floor clutter.
The Flat Surface Principle
Every flat surface — dressers, nightstands, coffee tables, bookshelves — should have at most 3 objects on it. Everything else creates visual noise and collects dust.
Room-by-Room Declutter Plan
Kitchen (2–4 Hours)
- Pull everything out of one cabinet at a time
- Group: keep, donate, toss, relocate
- Apply the "last used" test: if unused in 12 months, it goes
- Tackle the junk drawer last
- Clear all countertops; return only daily-use items
Closets (1–2 Hours Each)
- Remove everything entirely
- Clean the empty closet
- Evaluate each item: does it fit, do you love it, have you used it in the last year?
- Return only what passes; bag the rest for donation
Living Areas (1–2 Hours)
- Remove all items not permanently belonging to that room
- Reduce decorative items to "gallery-worthy" only
- Cable management — loose cords are clutter and dust magnets
The Donation Schedule
In Avondale, these organizations accept household goods and furniture:
- Habitat for Humanity ReStore — large items and furniture
- Goodwill Industries — general donations
- Vietnam Veterans of America — furniture pickup by appointment in many markets
Maintaining It
The one-in-one-out rule: every time something new enters your home, something equivalent leaves. Applied consistently, this maintains your decluttered space without periodic purges.
Once you've decluttered, TotalCare Cleaning can give your Avondale home the deep clean it deserves. Call (888) 378-7451 to schedule.