Comments on: declutter vs. unclutter

By: onepinetree

onepinetree — Sun, 08 Jan 2012 08:40:49 +0000

Love this discussion; Good lesson to learn about “un-” and “de-” in English.
As English learner, I try to check GOOGLE if the expression I am going to use is literally, dramatically “appropriate” ( not necessary “correct”). I have noticed that people are more likely to say “declutter my life”, instead of “unclutter my life.”

By: Kevin E. Taylor

Kevin E. Taylor — Wed, 26 Oct 2011 14:10:34 +0000

I am with Mary Alexander’s original response. My first book is an empowerment tome called UNCLUTTER (Cleanse Your Spirit and Claim Your Stuff) and for me, the UN vs. DE was used because UN went to UNLOCK, UNDO and UNNECESSARY! It was about removing the clutter that got into the house that needs to go and is not necessary to your life or healthy living. It’s about removing the stuff that can UNhinge your dreams and to do the work to UNearth your joy, which can be UNnerving! So I landed on and live in UNCLUTTER!

By: Catz

Catz — Thu, 14 Apr 2011 10:41:03 +0000

You made me think, Kate. Really interesting… If we say “the house is decluttered”, that sounds to me less permanent than “the house is uncluttered”. Decluttered means that it was once cluttered… however uncluttered does not assume that it was ever cluttered.

If something never has been cluttered in the past, it is more likely to return to that state than if was never cluttered.

Thanks :-)

By: erin

erin — Mon, 03 Jan 2011 04:58:11 +0000

i am so confused that from no on i am going to say “getting rid of clutter” hahaha i’m just kidding! but, now every time i say one or the other (i am not even sure which one i use after reading this, but i think it is declutter haha) i am going to wonder if i said the right one!

and THUMBS UP TO ARLENE!!

By: Arlene

Arlene — Wed, 03 Feb 2010 21:46:32 +0000

I think Julia up there needs to realize that her post added nothing to decreasing noise and clutter in our lives as well. She must have simplified her life to a level where she is now looking to find things about which to complain…

By: Christie

Christie — Mon, 01 Feb 2010 20:46:19 +0000

Oh, I just LOVE semantics. Which is what lead me right to this thread!
I wasn’t sure of the difference.
Personally, I like “unclutter”. Declutter reminds me of “de mess” this place is. Where unclutter to me is like un-doing the clutter or mess.
Great topic. ;-)
Thanks

By: logoscoaching

logoscoaching — Thu, 15 Oct 2009 15:30:44 +0000

declutter or unclutter – interesting question (of sorts) which I had not really thought about before.

Thinking on it now I would say I use declutter to describe the process and unclutter when the job is done!

all this discussion leads me to ask ~ who started using the declutter version in the first place?

By: Zee Marks

Zee Marks — Fri, 11 Sep 2009 12:27:27 +0000

I think declutter is synonymous to destress.

By: Carol

Carol — Tue, 01 Sep 2009 13:41:22 +0000

Actually I think they mean different things.

Declutter is a process, and does not necessarily imply the eradication of every last bit of clutter — you might choose to keep some knick knacks you like, for instance.

Unclutter sounds like one sweeping event, removing absolutely all clutter in a semi-permanent way.

But that’s just in my head. :-)

By: Rose

Rose — Mon, 31 Aug 2009 16:58:36 +0000

What a great question.. I kind of knw this but ignore it all the same.
Personally, I use ‘unclutter’ed as an adjective and declutter as a verb.

~Rose