Those classic ranch-style homes along Douglas Avenue hold a secret that every Urbandale homeowner discovers eventually: 1950s and 60s construction means generous closets that become black holes for forgotten belongings. Add Iowa's dramatic seasonal swings—from humid summers that breed dust mites to winters tracking in road salt and grit—and you've got layers of clutter hiding layers of actual dirt. When spring finally arrives and you're ready for that deep clean, you might open a hallway closet only to realize you can't actually reach the baseboards behind the tower of winter boots and holiday decorations. The problem intensifies in our older neighborhoods near Walker Johnston Park, where homes weren't built with modern storage solutions, forcing families to get creative with their stuff—usually by stacking it everywhere.
This is exactly why decluttering isn't just a nice-to-do before deep cleaning; it's essential. You can't properly clean what you can't access, and professional cleaners can't work magic around piles of magazines or countertops buried under mail. The right approach means tackling decluttering room by room before your scheduled deep clean, creating clear surfaces and open floors that allow thorough cleaning of every corner. When you remove the excess first, you're not just making cleaning possible—you're making it dramatically more effective, ensuring that Iowa humidity and seasonal allergens don't find hiding spots in forgotten clutter.
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 Urbandale Home
The Kitchen Counter Problem
Urbandale 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 Urbandale 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 Urbandale, 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 Urbandale home the deep clean it deserves. Call (888) 378-7451 to schedule.