While most people don’t set out to live in a cluttered home, when our houses are filled with things we don’t use, it can over-complicate many aspects of our day-to-day lives. Clutter happens because most of us unintentionally hold on to stuff we no longer need. Clutter isn’t really a storage problem, it’s a decision-making problem. Every item in your home is something you had to decide to keep, and most of us never think to revisit that decision, so we just default to keeping things. Downsizing is the key — reducing your household inventory until the amount you own is actually manageable for the life you live. It doesn’t mean moving to a smaller home or trying to own as little as possible. When we keep less, we’re just not creating physical space, we’re freeing up time, energy and attention for the things we actually want to be doing. So where do you start? Here is a list of things organization experts say should go:
- • Excess (or duplicate) kitchen utensils and gadgets
- • Expired (or unused) spices, supplements, and pantry items
- • Water bottles and food storage containers
- • “Someday” fitness equipment and wellness items
Along with decluttering, you also want to make sure you don’t revert to the habit. Here are the things you should ask yourself before you buy:
- • Have I thought about it for at least 2 weeks?
- • Does it solve a genuine problem?
- • Do I already own something similar?
- • Is buying it worth giving up progress toward my next financial goal?
- • Where will it be in 5 years?
- • Do I have a place in mind to put it?
- • How long will I have to work in order to pay for it?
- • Can I be productive and happy without it?
- • What’s the cost of it per use?
- • Does it support my priorities?
- • Is this the best way for me to obtain it?
- • Is it a high-quality item with a reasonable price tag?
- • What’s my current mental state — Stress and boredom can all influence what feels necessary at the moment.
- • What’s the real reason I’m considering buying it?
Once you’ve conquered these items, you’re ready to downsize. Try using the “Post-It” method and give yourself one week. Pick any room to start and put a Post-It note on each item in the room. If you use an item in that room within one week, remove the Post-It note. At the end of one week, anything with a Post-It note should go through a more conscious deliberation.
