The biggest roadblock you will come across while decluttering your home is deciding whether to let go of or to keep certain stuff. Deciding what goes out of your house and what stays in requires a set of questions to be answered. And all your decluttering efforts can go in vain if you are unable to answer these questions to the best of your knowledge.
Imagine gathering every piece of electronic in your home with the intention of decluttering it. You find yourself looking at the pile of old laptops, mobile phones, charging cables, music system, old television sets, outdated digital cameras but you can’t figure out what’s clutter and what’s useful. You start picking these items one by one and find yourself feeling overwhelmed because you can’t decide whether to keep or discard it.
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Decluttering requires mental clarity and in order to make your home clutter-free, you need to answer a series of questions to make decisions that are in your best interest. Many people have the motivation and time to declutter but find themselves struggling when it comes to making decisions. Even I go through phases where I prepare myself to purge my home of unnecessary stuff and then find myself looking at things wondering if I really need to let go of them.
Over the years, I have realized that decluttering can become a lot easier if I have the answer to some basic questions. If you’re someone who needs a push while making decluttering decisions, here is a list of these questions that can be kept handy while you declutter your home:
1. Is this item worth holding on to?
Any item that holds you down or reminds you of bitter memories, it doesn’t deserve a place in your life. Get rid of gifts or things that remind you of a toxic relationship or a bad past. These things hamper your productivity and have the power to control your emotional wellbeing. Let go of it if your answer to this question is a ‘No’ or even a ‘Maybe’.
2. Do I see this item sitting in my home in future?
You have the power to visualize how you want your future to look like. Things that truly matter to you will find their way into your vision of the future, and the ones that don’t will be cut off.
So if you happen to come across an old pair of shoes or a kitchen tool or a book, ask yourself if you want it to be a part of your ideal home in future. If not, get rid of it without a second thought.
3. Does this item represent who I am or my personal style?
You’ll come across clothes that don’t match your personal style and books that don’t belong to the genre of your interest. You’ll find baking utensils that you haven’t used in years because you just don’t like baking. If an item doesn’t match your personal style or doesn’t represent who you are as a person, it’s a sign that you don’t love it and have no intention of using it in the future.
4. When did I last use this item?
If you can’t remember the last time that you actually used an item, it’s an indication that you don’t like using it. Even though this item can be useful and is in a perfectly working order, it may not be useful to you. Any item that you are sure you haven’t used in the last one year shouldn’t be kept in your home. This, of course, shouldn’t be a rule that you need to follow. But make sure that you are honest with yourself while answering this question because unused items are simply adding up to the clutter.
5. Do I love this thing?
You’ll find kitchen tools and utensils that you don’t like using and dresses that you don’t like wearing but can’t let go of because they were expensive. You might have been holding on to a lot of stuff out of guilt either because it was gifted by someone with love or took efforts. The rule of thumb in this case is simple. Anything that you don’t love should go out no matter how expensive it was or how much efforts it took to create or buy it. The fact that it doesn’t spark joy is reason enough to let go of it.
6. Is it possible to get it repaired?
You might have been holding on to a lot of broken, damaged or torn items with the intention of getting them repaired in future. But the fact is that you haven’t got it done yet and you are doing just fine.
Be honest with yourself. Are you willing to get these items repaired on priority? If yes, do it today itself. If not, get rid of it right now.
7. Does this item fit into my life today?
Things that were important to you in the past might not matter today. Clothes that you loved 5 years ago may have lost their importance because of a change in your personal style or body or fashion trends.
There might have been a time in the past when you loved painting but your current favourite hobby is playing guitar. Anything that doesn’t fit into your current lifestyle shall be discarded because it’s simply an object of clutter.
8. Why have I kept this item?
You might have been hanging on to things only because you intend to pass it down to your kids in future or because someone asked you to keep it until they need it. If you really want to regain your living space, ask the people on behalf of whom you have been keeping the stuff if they intend to take it back. If yes, tell them to take it right away. If not, get rid of it right now.
If you’ve been hanging on to sentimental stuff and find it hard to get rid of it, try to deal with your feelings and figure out if you really need these items. Invite a friend or a family member to help you sort through the sentimental items.
Asking myself these questions every time I declutter my home has made things a lot easier for me. If a majority of these questions suggest that I don’t need a particular item in my house, I make peace with the need to let go of it. It’s difficult at times to get rid of things even if they are of no use but I have learned to give myself space to deal with the loss.
Decluttering can get hard at times, but the benefits of it are truly incomparable. So now when the thought of decluttering crosses your mind, make sure that you keep these questions in mind to be able to make smarter decisions.