According to Meg Roberts, president of Molly Maid, clearing clutter should be the first order of business before any cleaning is done. She suggests carrying a laundry basket around the house to gather up shoes, toys, books and whatever other items you see strewn about. Making this a habit each day can save a ton of time in the long run. You might want to consider creating storage systems in the areas most prone to clutter since it will reduce the time you spend returning items to the various places they belong.