The average American home contains over 300,000 items, so is it any wonder people have a hard time deciding where to start? Some organizers believe in always starting at the same place (for Marie Kondo, it’s off-season shirts), but with my clients I’ve found that there is no one best place or right way to start. As Nietzsche said, “This is my way. What is your way? THE way does not exist.”
But for those needing inspiration on possible ways to organize your home, here are five decluttering tips that may work for you:
1. Month of Minimalism Competition. On the 1st of the month, get rid of one thing in your home. On the 2nd, get rid of two. If you continue this pattern every day for a month, you’ll have removed nearly 500 pieces of clutter! Do it with a friend or family member to keep motivation levels up. And remember that when “you describe an item of clothing by saying, ‘I would wear that’ or ‘I have worn that’ – these phrases suggest that you don’t actually wear it,” according to decluttering guide Outer Order, Inner Calm.
2. Red Dot Game. Put a sticker on everything you use for a month. Also keep a list of everything you want but can’t find. At the end of the month, think hard about whether the things without stickers deserve a place in your home or you’re better off removing them so there’s less clutter and you can actually find the things you need. As self-help guru Gretchen Rubin says, “Your first instinct should be to GET RID of stuff. If you don’t own it, you don’t have to organize it.”
3. Photo Test. Take a photo of the space you want to organize. Go into another room and look at the photo instead of the space itself. This can help you have fresh eyes when you want to declutter your home. (You can also try walking out of the room and then back in while thinking of yourself as a guest and trying to view the space from a first-time visitor’s perspective.)
4. 3 Questions of Clutter. Use the following decluttering checklist: Do I need it? Do I love it? Do I use it? If you don’t answer yes to at least one of those questions, it’s probably time to let it go. And check out the blog post What to Do with Unwanted Gifts if guilt is making you feel like you should keep something even after answering “no” to all three questions.
5. Decision Matrix. Similar to the Three Questions of Clutter, this decluttering trick is great for people who are more visual. For each item, ask yourself if you use it and if you love it. If the answer is yes to both questions, keep it. If the answer is no to both questions, donate it. And if you answer yes to one and no to one, spend a bit more time thinking if it is something that deserves to take up space in your home.
And if you’ve tried all of these decluttering methods and none work for you, that’s okay. As the dynamic duo behind The Home Edit says, “Even organizers need guidance. That’s right – even the most methodical, orderly, Type A people benefit from having an unbiased, objective, nonemotional party helping them down the path.” Be kind to yourself, and consider bringing in a professional organizer.