“Owning less is far more beneficial than organizing more.” – Twitter / Facebook
We are a culture drowning in our possessions. We take in more and more (holiday, birthdays, sales, needs), but rarely find opportunity to discard of it. As a result, our homes fill up with so much stuff. And because we believe the best solution is to find organizational tools to manage all of it, we seek out bigger containers or more efficient organizational tips and tricks. But simply organizing our stuff (without removing it) is always only a temporary solution. By definition, organizing our possessions is an action that must be repeated over and over and over again.
At its heart, organizing is simply rearranging. And though we may find storage solutions today, we are quickly forced to find new ones as early as tomorrow. Additionally, organizing (without getting rid of our stuff and decluttering) has some other major shortcomings that are rarely considered:
- It doesn’t benefit anyone else. The possessions we rarely use sit on shelves in our basements, attics, and garages… even while some of our closest friends desperately need them.
- It doesn’t solve our debt problems. It never addresses the underlying issue that we just buy too much stuff. In fact, many times, the act of rearranging our stuff even costs us more as we purchase containers, storage units, or larger homes to house it.
- It doesn’t turn back our desire for more. The simple act of organizing our things into boxes, plastic bins, or extra closets doesn’t turn back our desire to purchase more things. The culture-driven inclination to find happiness in our possessions is rarely thwarted in any way through the process.
- It doesn’t force us to evaluate our lives. While rearranging our stuff may cause us to look at each of our possessions, it does not force us to evaluate them—especially if we are just putting them in boxes and closing the lids. On the other hand, removing possessions from our home forces questions of passion, values, and what’s truly most important to us.
- It accomplishes little in paving the way for other changes. Organizing may provide a temporary lift to our attitude. It clears a room and subsequently clears our mind, but rarely paves the way for healthy, major lifestyle changes. Our house is too small, our income is too little, and we still can’t find enough time in the day. We may have rearranged our stuff… but not our lives.
On the other hand, the act of getting rid of stuff from our home accomplishes many of those purposes. It is not a temporary solution that must be repeated. It is an action of permanence—once an item has been removed, it is removed completely. Whether we re-sell our possessions, donate them to charity, or give them to a friend, they are immediately put to use by those who need them.
Removing possessions begins to turn back our desire for more as we find freedom, happiness, and abundance in owning less. And removing ourselves from the all-consuming desire to own more creates opportunity for significant life change to take place.
If you’re struggling with how to get rid of stuff, you can:
1. Challenge yourself to remove the unneeded things in your home.
2. Rid yourself of the extra weight in a permanent manner.
3. Carry a trash bag from room-to-room.
4. See how big of a donation pile you can make.
5. Eliminate debt by selling what you no longer need.
It doesn’t matter so much how you remove them, as long as you do. For it is far better to de-own than to always be decluttering.
Caroline says
That is a very strict definition of organizing, but I always considered purging the unnecessary part of the organizing process, and I think many would agree. Minimalism, of course, has a different outcome in mind than simply organizing. I do appreciate the sentiment behind this post! The only gifts I received this Christmas: a selection of cheeses and a smartphone. Keeping it low ;)
Megyn @ Minimalist Mommi says
Sheer perfection! The only items I waiver on when getting rid of stuff are organizational tools, like boxes. I secretly adore a box for everything, so when I get rid of enough to not need a box, it’s a bit sad at first. However, I know in the long run, it will be much, much better! Thanks for the inspiration to get out of the box and enjoy the emptiness :)
Caroline says
I understand you completely. When I was purging things the last items to leave were the organizational tools!
Rachel says
I agree, completely and utterly.
sunny says
Well said, Megyn. I too love boxes and have yet to reach a point where I let a box go. I needed to hear your point about enjoying the emptiness. thanks! :)
Ellen says
I agree with Kate. I love the use of the word “release.” I like to think of releasing things into the world!
Kate a.k.a. The Secret Goddess says
We ended up releasing 6 paper grocery bags full of wonderful books for new families to enjoy and prosper from and the space cleared is so wonderful to be in <3
Nenon Andrade says
Great, Kate. Thank you for mentioning the books. I didn’t thing about them when I moved to a smaller place. There are many I kept cz I go on saying : ” I will… read…” Ha! Some for Years! . I’ll give them to used books stores
Kate a.k.a. The Secret Goddess says
Yeah, lots of what we released I’d had for years – it felt great to let go of them :)
Kate a.k.a. The Secret Goddess says
I completely agree!
I’ve found the more things I release (I personally prefer release to get rid of because get rid of reminds me of taking out the trash while I am releasing useful items for others to benefit from) the less I want to shop – it’s an exponential releasing if you will :)
Later today my son and I are planning on sorting through all the books in the office and releasing a vast amount of them – I am excited about my space and how renewed and refreshed it is soon going to feel to be in!
Jill Foley says
Love this! I’m going to try to replace the word declutter with de-own!
Andrea says
Exactly! We just did a big end-of-year clean out in our apartment and it feels so good. Spacious and energetically more open. There’s still more to do! Thank for the minimalist inspiration.
Dan says
I have only this week finished organising all my possessions. I have more in my ex’s flat which will create a challenge as I start getting it back, but I went from having my crap spread through three rooms of a four bedroom house to filling up one room with stuff I don’t want (literally – full!) and everything I want to keep fills two chests of drawers and two bookcases, in one room. I got rid of my bed too (currently residing in the bath until I find a buyer lol) so I have more space to move around in here, and I sleep on the floor. I’ve never been so pleased with the way my living space has looked :D
paul says
part of my year of not buying anything includes decluttering. i’ve already got an entire room full of stuff to donate/sell and i’ve only just started.
Becky Emerick says
A year of not buying anything sounds wonderful! How’s it going?
Too bad my kids’ feet keep growing and growing… :)
Kate says
This is so true! It’s interesting, though, how we use words differently. To me, organize means to put away and declutter means to get rid of. Clutter is stuff I don’t need regardless of whether it’s put away or out on a counter. So, I guess I do both. I’m getting rid of things I don’t want or need, and organizing the remaining things in ways that make them easier to use.
I really enjoy your blog – thank you for sharing your insights!
Michelle says
I wouldn’t have changed a thing you wrote. I rent a small studio and people are amazed how little stuff I have. I have what I need and thats it. I don’t have to work overtime to pay the iPod, WiFi, the extra remotes for those huge TV. I also dont need to work over time to pay it. it really clutters your mind and its so easy to sweep it away. Just get rid of it. My landlady says she need to get a extra job on the weekend. Yet she just bought a kindle, a brand new expensive vacuum. HuH? Im just amazed how people say they”need” it. I give up. LOL
Nenon Andrade says
Thank you Michelle.– I only read u today — Till recently, I was complaining about having to move to a small studio.Now I learned to like it, even being married. ! We lived in a house, then a 1 bedroom apartment, and then had to come to this small place. I’s cute! No clutter cz there’s no room. But I hadn’t realized that it is good!! And I liked to read you, cause I liked this place even more, and that I can happily give away with no need to purchase more stuff.
Donna says
Michelle, I just wanted to say, “EXACTLY!!!” to what you shared about people “having” to work 2 jobs to be able to afford all the junk that did not even exist in this world 5 years ago. It truly blows my mind.
J Woodrow says
I know I live in a 936 sq foot house with a hubby and 3 kids and ppl are amazed at how we do it?? You said exactly how I feel with possessions and clutter! Ultimately i believe ppl hide behind their possessions and its sad! Thx for your wisdom
Julie says
“I’m just amazed how people say they “need” it.”
You’ve hit the nail on the head.
The stuff I struggle to get rid of are all of the old things that come from family — grandma’s books, cookbooks, things that were my mom’s when she was a kid — those things are hard for me to part with. New stuff? Meh. Don’t care. It’s trying to determine what to keep and what to get rid of when it comes to the other “heirloom” items that gets me.