Send me your favorite cleaning and organizing content
February 11, 2025 9:40 AM Subscribe
I really like watching content where people tidy or clean up a space. What are your favorite shows, YouTubers, and content creators who organize and clean up?
This can range from the more extreme (like the tv show Hoarders or @nottheworstcleaner on Instagram) to more mundane organizing and tidying (like Marie Kondo). Basically, I just find it very satisfying and interesting to watch folks take a chaotic space and make it clean and orderly.
I prefer watching the more functional aspects cleaning/organizing process (like talking about why using a particular product or technique) rather than interpersonal drama. For example, if I'm watching Hoarders I usually just fast-forward through the parts where folks are fighting.
This can range from the more extreme (like the tv show Hoarders or @nottheworstcleaner on Instagram) to more mundane organizing and tidying (like Marie Kondo). Basically, I just find it very satisfying and interesting to watch folks take a chaotic space and make it clean and orderly.
I prefer watching the more functional aspects cleaning/organizing process (like talking about why using a particular product or technique) rather than interpersonal drama. For example, if I'm watching Hoarders I usually just fast-forward through the parts where folks are fighting.
You should try Space Maker Method and The Carla Project. Both on YouTube and both have a laid back but effective approaches to decluttering and organizing. Basically no interpersonal drama. I love this type of content and these 2 are the most satisfying to watch in my opinion.
posted by Eyelash at 10:01 AM on February 11 [1 favorite]
posted by Eyelash at 10:01 AM on February 11 [1 favorite]
If the transformation aspect of Hoarders appeals to you you may enjoy a yt channel called Midwest Cleaning Magic. He does free and discount cleans for people who face challenges, and most of his videos are timelapse with voiceover. He does have a very snarky sense of humor (never directed at his clients at all), so that may not be for everyone, but he does seem like a genuinely good dude.
posted by anastasiav at 10:01 AM on February 11 [3 favorites]
posted by anastasiav at 10:01 AM on February 11 [3 favorites]
Aurikatariina! Free hoarders/squallor cleanings with an upbeat Finnish flavor.
posted by PardonMyFrench at 10:04 AM on February 11 [8 favorites]
posted by PardonMyFrench at 10:04 AM on February 11 [8 favorites]
I won't deny that Midwest Magic Cleaning has some very good videos, but Mack Leighty sexually harassed women at his previous job at Cracked (he wrote under the name John Cheese). I just couldn't watch him anymore once I found that out, particularly since he hasn't brought it up/clearly must be suppressing comments and is developing a large audience of mostly women. Sorry to be a bummer :(
posted by Eyelash at 10:09 AM on February 11 [10 favorites]
posted by Eyelash at 10:09 AM on February 11 [10 favorites]
Eyelash, I genuinely had no idea that was the same guy. Thanks for the additional info.
posted by anastasiav at 10:18 AM on February 11 [5 favorites]
posted by anastasiav at 10:18 AM on February 11 [5 favorites]
There a bunch of episodes on YT of the UK series How Clean Is Your House? from the early/mid 00's. Two sassy somewhat older ladies visit truly filthy houses (sometimes hoarders, sometimes people with issues who have just let things get awful) and work with/around them to get the places cleaned up as well as possible. Cleaning specialist Kim shows how to make things right and bacteria specialist Aggie shows the risks the people were living with.
This program stands out for the concerned aunt vibes of the two hosts, the hands-on lessons in what needs to be done and how to do it, the straight talk about dangerous unsanitary living is, and how problems are generally fixed with elbow grease and effort, as opposed to turning on the money hose. There is discussion of how things got so bad and some concern/polite scolding, but it's not at all a point & laugh/drama thing. They're just there to show how to straighten things out.
I find it very satisfying.
Here are some episodes you can sample via YT.
I don't think it's properly streaming anywhere else right now, at least not in the US
posted by DirtyOldTown at 10:24 AM on February 11 [3 favorites]
This program stands out for the concerned aunt vibes of the two hosts, the hands-on lessons in what needs to be done and how to do it, the straight talk about dangerous unsanitary living is, and how problems are generally fixed with elbow grease and effort, as opposed to turning on the money hose. There is discussion of how things got so bad and some concern/polite scolding, but it's not at all a point & laugh/drama thing. They're just there to show how to straighten things out.
I find it very satisfying.
Here are some episodes you can sample via YT.
I don't think it's properly streaming anywhere else right now, at least not in the US
posted by DirtyOldTown at 10:24 AM on February 11 [3 favorites]
Seconding eyelash on Space Maker Method and The Carla Project. Both very non-judgmental, too, which I like. Definitely more "how do we make this space more functional for YOU?"
posted by Ms Vegetable at 10:26 AM on February 11
posted by Ms Vegetable at 10:26 AM on February 11
You might like Swedish minimalist Benita Larsson.
posted by CiaoMela at 10:52 AM on February 11 [2 favorites]
posted by CiaoMela at 10:52 AM on February 11 [2 favorites]
Sort Your Life Out on BBC is super satisfying. I've used a VPN to watch it from the US if that's where you're located. They take everything out of people's houses, lay it out in a warehouse, declutter, then get it back in, reorganized and decorated!
posted by wsquared at 10:58 AM on February 11 [2 favorites]
posted by wsquared at 10:58 AM on February 11 [2 favorites]
The Home Edit scratched this itch for me but in a very produced way. I rankled at lots of it but found it conceptually thought provoking.
posted by knile at 11:20 AM on February 11 [1 favorite]
posted by knile at 11:20 AM on February 11 [1 favorite]
This is a little orthogonal to your question, but YouTube has hundreds of videos with the same positive and transformative organizational vibe as what you're looking for from landscapers who clean up neglected and overgrown sidewalks and pavements.
A few examples:
"She thought I was CRAZY til she REALIZED there's a SIDEWALK there" (53 min, 55 sec)
"Neighbors said there was no sidewalk here until they saw under the giant roll of grass" (50 min, 1 sec)
"The City wouldn't cut the sidewalk because they were SCARED of this Neighborhood... SO I DID!!!" (24 min, 36 sec)
"Cleaning up overgrown sidewalk grass that invades road corridors - Beautifully revived sidewalks" (46 min, 55 sec)
"NATURE Consumes Pedestrian Crossing Let’s Clean It Up" (23 min, 58 sec)
posted by mdonley at 11:30 AM on February 11 [2 favorites]
A few examples:
"She thought I was CRAZY til she REALIZED there's a SIDEWALK there" (53 min, 55 sec)
"Neighbors said there was no sidewalk here until they saw under the giant roll of grass" (50 min, 1 sec)
"The City wouldn't cut the sidewalk because they were SCARED of this Neighborhood... SO I DID!!!" (24 min, 36 sec)
"Cleaning up overgrown sidewalk grass that invades road corridors - Beautifully revived sidewalks" (46 min, 55 sec)
"NATURE Consumes Pedestrian Crossing Let’s Clean It Up" (23 min, 58 sec)
posted by mdonley at 11:30 AM on February 11 [2 favorites]
I really like Clean That Up for quick videos on how to clean efficiently.
posted by dorkydancer at 6:23 PM on February 11
posted by dorkydancer at 6:23 PM on February 11
I've been enjoying Not the Worst Cleaner on TikTok and Instagram. She's a Canadian blogger who does free cleanings for people struggling with mental and physical health challenges and has a very compassionate approach to talking about how mental health can make it hard to keep on top of housework. Plus a dose of snark aimed at judgmental commenters. She's done some collaborations with Auri linked above.
posted by capricorn at 6:47 AM on February 12
posted by capricorn at 6:47 AM on February 12
Oops, I just realized you mentioned her in your OP. Oh no, is TikTok downgrading my reading comprehension?
posted by capricorn at 6:49 AM on February 12
posted by capricorn at 6:49 AM on February 12
The YouTube channel Clean My Space by Melissa Maker is quite good.
posted by conrad53 at 9:02 AM on February 13
posted by conrad53 at 9:02 AM on February 13
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There's also an entire genre of commercial carpet cleaning videos that I occasionally lock into watching for hours at a stretch. These guys are my favourite.
posted by flabdablet at 10:01 AM on February 11 [9 favorites]