Using the right words to describe your skills and experience in your resume is essential, but how you use those words matters too. The verb 'clean up' can be a great example of this—you've made everything better and fixed the problem. So, if you're looking for a job in which problem-solving and system improvement will be major responsibilities, including this phrase in your resume can help employers see that these are skills you already possess.

But the term 'clean up' is too broad—it doesn't provide any specifics about what you did and could be used to describe anything from fixing a software bug to reorganizing an office filing system. Also, when writing about previous achievements, it's considered a good form to use the verb's past tense ('cleaned up').

One way to address this issue is to use power verbs—instead of saying 'clean up,' use better words like 'refined' or 'standardized.' These show off your specific accomplishments rather than vague responsibilities.

Power verbs give more detail about what you did, so the recruiter can better understand how valuable your achievements were. They also help convey confidence and professionalism— both of which make a good impression on a hiring manager.

I've compiled some synonyms you can use instead of Clean up on your resume, followed by real examples I've written for clients (feel free to use them!).

Resume Synonyms for Clean up:

Streamlined
Revamped
Sanitized
De-cluttered
Rectified
Restructured
Purged
Refashioned
Consolidated
Renovated
Modernized
Revitalized
Revised
Enhanced
Rehabilitated
Reviewed
Examined
Screened
Scrutinized
Checked
Liquidated
Abolished
Decimated
Demolished
Dissolved
Cleared
Clarified
Expunged
Refined
Simplified
Processed
Tabulated
Standardized
Catalogued
Classified
Systematized

How to replace Clean up with a stronger action verb:

Let's look at examples of how you can remove and replace the overused phrase, Clean up, with a stronger synonym and alternative that is more effective at highlighting your achievements.

Before: Weak example using Clean up

• Cleaned up infrastructure to reduce costs

⤸

After: Using a stronger synonym• Saved $7500+ in annual licensing costs by reducing hardware requirements for 11+ applications from nine servers to two. .

Replacing Clean up with Streamlined ▾

Before: Clean up

• Cleaned up the filing system for confidential client information

⤸

After: Streamlined• Streamlined the filing system for confidential client information, saving the team 10 hours a week in searching for necessary files.

To enhance this bullet point, I chose the verb 'Streamlined' to replace 'Cleaned up' as it suggests a greater level of efficiency in the candidate's role. In addition, I made the action more precise, detailing the amount of time saved weekly, showing a clear measure of the impact made.

Tip: I've prepared a ton of additional examples for you to give you inspiration. Please click on any of the following to expand and see real examples of how I've rewritten client bullet points.

Replacing Clean up with Revamped ▾

Before: Clean up

• Cleaned up outdated company procedures

⤸

After: Revamped• Revamped outdated company procedures, leading to a 30% increase in overall operational efficiency.

I replaced 'Cleaned up' with 'Revamped' to evoke a sense of transformation and renewal. The addition of a specific performance indicator — a 30% increase in operational efficiency — provides tangible evidence of the candidate's positive effect on the organization.

Replacing Clean up with Sanitized ▾

Before: Clean up

• Cleaned up data prior to migration into new system

⤸

After: Sanitized• Sanitized 10,000+ records for accuracy prior to migrating into the new CRM system, resulting in a 20% decrease in system errors.

I chose 'Sanitized' as it is more specific to data cleansing. I also spelled out the scale of the job and the quantifiable outcome of the candidate's work—Less system errors— to demonstrate the effectiveness of the clean-up.

Replacing Clean up with De-cluttered ▾

Before: Clean up

• Cleaned up the office workspace

⤸

After: De-cluttered• De-cluttered and reorganized the office workspace, improving staff productivity by 15%.

I used 'De-cluttered' to replace the generic 'Cleaned up', giving a precise sense of the role's work. I also incorporated a direct metric of the impact — a 15% improvement in productivity — which gives an exact indication of the candidate's value.

Replacing Clean up with Rectified ▾

Before: Clean up

• Cleaned up errors in financial reports

⤸

After: Rectified• Rectified discrepancies in quarterly financial reports, reducing audit findings by 50%.

By using 'Rectified', the bullet point signals more specific action undertaken. I also included quantitative value, highlighting a 50% drop in audit findings, to demonstrate the tangible effect of the candidate's action.

Replacing Clean up with Restructured ▾

Before: Clean up

• Cleaned up inefficient team organization

⤸

After: Restructured• Restructured the 20-member marketing team to better align with business objectives, increasing project completion rate by 35%.

I chose the verb 'Restructured' to show the specific changes made. Also, by specifying the team's size, and noting the increase in project completion rate, I provided a clear depiction of the candidate's impactful achievements.

Replacing Clean up with Purged ▾

Before: Clean up

• Cleaned up old corporate files

⤸

After: Purged• Purged and digitized 5 years' worth of old corporate files, freeing up 60% of physical storage space.

'Purged' pinpoints the action taken more aptly than 'Cleaned up'. Adding concrete details like the duration of files and the percentage of storage space freed up provides a more compelling snapshot of the candidate's accomplishment.

Replacing Clean up with Refashioned ▾

Before: Clean up

• Cleaned up company's outdated website

⤸

After: Refashioned• Refashioned the company's outdated website, leading to a 25% increase in page visits and a 20% upswing in conversions.

In substituting 'Cleaned up' with 'Refashioned', I imbued the bullet with an emphasis on transformation. Moreover, by highlighting the increase in site visits and conversions, the candidate's crucial role in improving traffic and customer engagement becomes evident.

Replacing Clean up with Consolidated ▾

Before: Clean up

• Cleaned up scattered client data

⤸

After: Consolidated• Consolidated scattered client data into a unified CRM, reducing client response time by 40%.

'Consolidated' is a more powerful word that indicates strategic coordination. By highlighting the significant reduction in client response time, it renders the impact of the candidate's work in numbers, making the bullet point more compelling.

Replacing Clean up with Renovated ▾

Before: Clean up

• Cleaned up the store layout

⤸

After: Renovated• Renovated the retail store layout leading to a 15% increase in overall sales and a 30% rise in customer footfall.

I picked 'Renovated' to replace 'Cleaned up' to give a sense of renewal and transformation. Including specific outcomes about an increase in sales and customer footfall communicates the value the candidate added to the business.

Replacing Clean up with Modernized ▾

Before: Clean up

• Cleaned up old marketing tactics

⤸

After: Modernized• Modernized digital marketing tactics that boosted marketing campaign's ROI by 60%.

I switched 'Cleaned up' with 'Modernized' to make the action more substantial. Adding a tangible metric, the improved ROI, underscores the effectiveness of the candidate’s marketing strategies.

Replacing Clean up with Revitalized ▾

Before: Clean up

• Cleaned up the team’s sloppy coding practices

⤸

After: Revitalized• Revitalized the team's coding practices, reducing the number of bugs by 65% and improving software reliability.

I opted for 'Revitalized' as an empowering substitute for 'Cleaned up'. Inserting metrics like a decreased bug rate and improved software reliability drives home the candidate's exceptional impact.

Replacing Clean up with Revised ▾

Before: Clean up

• Cleaned up the old curriculum

⤸

After: Revised• Revised an outdated curriculum, leading to a 20% rise in student grades and a 15% increase in college admissions.

'Revised' adds a greater sense of authority; it demonstrates that the candidate took proactive steps to update the curriculum. Highlighting substantial outcomes like improved student grades and increased college admissions makes the bullet point more compelling.

Replacing Clean up with Enhanced ▾

Before: Clean up

• Cleaned up the product design process

⤸

After: Enhanced• Enhanced the product design process, speeding up the time to market by 30% and improving product rating from 3.5 to 4.7 stars.

Choosing 'Enhanced' over 'Cleaned up' signals a significant improvement. The explicit mention of the exact percentage improvement in time to market, coupled with the leap in product rating, reinforces the candidate’s impact.

Replacing Clean up with Rehabilitated ▾

Before: Clean up

• Cleaned up the supply chain system

⤸

After: Rehabilitated• Rehabilitated the supply chain system decreasing procurement time by 45% and saving $1 million annually.

With 'Rehabilitated', the bullet point signals an overhaul of the system. Including hard numbers like reduced procurement time and the dollar amount saved per year solidifies this improvement.

How to use these synonyms in practice

We've put together an infographic to give you more examples of how to put this into practice. Note the use of strong action verbs instead of words like Clean up.

More resume bullet point samples that use strong synonyms

How to use Created on a resume:

• Created content and copy for social media channels (Twitter, Facebook and Instagram) and email newsletter; assessed customer response to create targeted messaging and inform future content; social media following grew 125%+ organically.

How to use Identified on a resume:

• Identified $5MM savings opportunity by developing cost reduction model and facilitating 20+ client stakeholder interviews across 5 different locations to define and collect business process key performance metrics.

How to use Optimized on a resume:

• Optimized budget allocation of the increased marketing spend of $10MM across 5 cities.

How to use Led on a resume:

• Led interview campaign with existing customers (300+ person survey, 40+ face-to-face discussions) to formulate requirements of a new product to help couples manage their expenses; outputs directly impacted product roadmap.

How to use Developed on a resume:

• Developed strategies to trade and manage risk on the trading book comprising 30+ indices; 2016 P&L: $8M.

How to use Crafted on a resume:

• Crafted strategic plan for a major client with revenues >$40B through insights from market trend analysis, organizational effectiveness diagnostic, and interviews with senior stakeholders.

Frequently Asked Questions

What is another word for Clean up on a resume?

You should vary up your language on your resume, instead of using Clean up over and over again. Good synonyms to use instead include:

Screened
Scrutinized
Systematized
Refined
Cleared
Examined

What is another way of saying Clean up on a resume?

You can say Screened, Systematized or Catalogued instead of Clean up.

Get a free resume review: Find out if your action verbs are strong enough.

As a next step, I'd recommend going through each of your resume's verbs and improving each one with stronger action verbs. The most effective way to do that is by uploading your resume to tool below. It'll tell you which parts of your resume need work, so you can improve them before a recruiter rejects you for them.

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