“If organizing your stuff worked, wouldn’t you be done by now?” —Courtney Carver
Organizing our things is important. It is helpful to know where things are stored and how to easily access them. But let’s be honest with ourselves, organizing is always only a temporary solution. We organize our things and find new storage solutions today… but are left again tomorrow, doing the exact same thing.
Finding better ways to organize our stuff holds some benefit, but that benefit is fleeting at best.
However, when we take the step of fully getting rid of stuff we do not need, we find permanent, longer-lasting benefits.
Minimizing possessions is an act of permanence because they are removed from our care entirely. It lays the groundwork for overcoming consumerism altogether. This step of intentionally living with less forces questions of values and purpose. And it provides the opportunity to live life pursuing our greatest passions.
Minimizing is always better than organizing. (tweet that)
How then do we accomplish this in our unique living space in a way that aligns with our lifestyle? We accomplish this room-by-room physically handling each and every item in our possession. And we learn to ask better questions.
In fact, almost all of decluttering comes down to asking ourselves only two questions:
1. Do I need this?
Discerning the difference between needs and wants has become almost a full-time job in our society. Advertisers routinely market items of comfort and luxury as items of need. I never knew I needed so much until somebody told me I did.
Almost all decluttering has to start somewhere. And every professional organizer will ask you to answer this question over and over again: Is this something I need to keep?
This is an important place to start because it provides a beginning framework within which to make better decisions. If we can identify the things we no longer need, we can begin to recognize the things that can be removed.
Of course, our human needs are actually quite slim: water, food, shelter, and clothing. It’s important to note we’re talking about more than mere survival here—nobody wants to just survive life, we want to make the most of it! What we’re talking about is realizing our fullest potential.
The deeper question then that we should be asking is, What items do I need to keep to realize my life’s full potential and purpose?
This question will get us further and provide an even more robust framework to make decisions about what to keep and what to remove. But even this falls a bit short.
Just because your answer is, “No, I don’t need this,” doesn’t mean you are going to remove it—or at least, not easily remove it. We all have things in our home that we know we don’t need. And yet, we choose to keep.
This, then, is where the second question becomes so helpful. And why it is even more important.
2. Why do I have this?
This question moves our thought process beyond functionality and into intentionality.
Ask yourself that question with everything you touch: Why do I own this? When you do, you will be surprised at the answers.
Case in point: Your closet. One of the first areas of my home that I chose to minimize was my wardrobe closet. When I did, I noticed all sorts of different styles and colors and fits—many of which I no longer wore.
And I am not alone in this—many of our closets are filled with items we no longer wear. Clearly, our over-filled closets have nothing to do with functionality. Instead, they have everything to do with intentionality.
Why do we own all these different articles of clothing and so much more than we need? Is it because we love them all or need that many shirts or shoes? No. We buy them because we are trying to keep up with changing fashions—the same changing styles that the fashion industry told us we needed to remain in style.
Additionally, when we look in our living rooms, we notice all kinds of decorations and knick-knacks cluttering our shelves. Why do we have them? Because we love them and they tell the story of our lives? Doubtful. Instead, we bought them because they were on sale, they matched the couch, or those built-in shelves needed something on them.
In each case, we buy things and keep them, not because they benefit our lives, but for some other intention. This realization makes the process of decluttering easier and it holds benefit for almost every item we own: Why do I own these CDs, that piece of furniture, these toys, these old electronics? Once we determine the why, we are better equipped to answer the What now?
Those two questions: “Do I need it?” and “Why do I have it?” form the basis for your best decluttering efforts going forward. They will prove to be enlightening and will open up new ideas about what items to keep and what items to remove.
And ultimately, isn’t that goal? To remove things entirely from our homes that we no longer need… so we can begin living the life that we want.
If you need more help on where to start, check out our Declutter Your Home Checklist.
About Joshua Becker
Professional organizers do serve a purpose. They help you stay on task getting there. People get overwhelmed when they have been in the consumer frame work for so long. They are like a hands on life coach that helps you work towards both the physical breakthrough as well as the mental blocks that impede you from pushing towards the goal of minimalism (if that’s your goal).
Organizing items is still a skill required regardless of how much you have. I have met minimalists who live in a pig sty because they have no idea how to designate a home for things, so you have to teach them. Sure the job is shorter because there is less mass to deal with but it’s still a skill.
This column was helpful to me. But, yes there is a but and a plea with it. But, what if your husband of many years is a true hoarder? The plea? Write about living with another who will not or cannot pursue travel this path.
I love the ideas you have on how to downsize-my issue is what to do with the new things that may still have a tag on it, never worn and may be un-returnable? I can box things up to go-but I hang on to them because I feel I don’t want to donate them to be sold again. HELP. Thanks
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Okay okay i get it. I have asked myself the ‘why do I have this question’ before too, actually often, and I always seem to justify why I have whatever CRAP i am questioning!!!!! Any solutions for that????
Iorganize things it really helps me, i need to know where that important document is etc, it stops me stressing, however when i was quite ill i couldn,t get things as straight as i would like, so i grouped things, ie, i,d put all my paperwork in one place and that way if i needed something at least i wouldn,t have to search the whole house, i like the idea keeping similar items together, like string, scissors, selotape, and tools, and yes i do have a junk drawer, once its full i clear it out, i put things there on a temporary basis but keep little things in there, like the odd battery or stamps and a pen, it only a small box but its handy, don,t like the idea instead of getting “rid” i am “passing it on”,
i dont keep things i don,t like anymore that fill me with negative thoughts, i have given 70% things away, and things creep back in, but i clear out often, once you have done this several times it get easier, so keep going and remember, you do what you think is right for your life, most things can be replaced if your not sure don,t do it, sometimes you have to make room for new things in life, blessings
love Jacqueline xx
So right Jaqualine !
Love your article.
The two questions I always ask myself when de-cluttering are:
‘Does this item represent my present or future self?’
and
‘Do I still have the time, energy, commitment and space to continue to care for this item?’
If not, out the door it goes.
Wow… this is AWESOME. Thank you.
I am down to the nitty, gritty of final items in my home that are on the “most suspect list” and have developed a new question to help myself purge those last items hanging on by my brains invisible super glue…
If I survived before this item, will I survive after its gone?
Yep… it’s outta here! Totally works!
Ooo, really like this question, I think I’ll find this very useful when faced with difficult items.
I still struggle to convince my husband…. I seem to be fine getting rid of stuff but my husband is happy to keep on buying things for our “empty” house….. Any suggestions?
Possibly you are pushing him out of his comfort zone. Maybe compromise together on a few beautiful pieces that will fill a couple empty spaces that bother him. Of course after agreeing where the zones are : )
That way you will both have appreciation for what remains.
Penultimate paragraph: the term “going forward” doesn’t add value. It’s verbal/written clutter! Perhaps a future topic?
Good questions to ask. I especially like the question of “Why do I need this?” because it makes us evaluate the heart and motive behind having that thing and if we truly value it.
I’d love to see pictures of your home to get a feel for how you’ve accomplished minimalism. Are there any photos like that on this site?
Oh, the WHY is SO important – something I’m only just realising! This year I’m not buying anything new for my wardrobe (check out theethicalwardrobe.com for my jouuuuurney) and I recently wrote about 7 of the more common reasons I used to shop for clothes. You can have a read here (http://theethicalwardrobe.com/2016/01/22/reasons-i-shop/), but spoiler alert: they’re all pretty crappy, and could all easily be channeled into something far more productive than mindless consumerism. It’s a big learning curve!
I’m actually pretty ruthless when it comes to letting go of stuff. If I don’t use it, I don’t keep it. Of course there are some exceptions. I do, however, think it’s silly to say we don’t need to organize. Even those with little still organize what we have. Heck, if you didn’t organize, this blog would have no dates, no order. Organization is still an essential part of living, minimalist or not.
Bethany,
I don’t know if you’ll see this, but I am a Mom of ten who’s been moving closer and closer to serious minimalism in the last few years. But even before that I kept less and less *stuff* for each child because I realized we honestly didn’t use it. A cozy baby carrier (like an Ergo), fewer diapers, clothes & blankets than ‘they’ say, etc. is *truly* all you’ll need. The rest just makes a Mom feel overwhelmed. Find a Mom with several children with whom you can pick her brain…she’ll likely tell you the same thing. Baby needs to be warm, fed, dry and loved. You’ll be surprised how little it takes to do those things. Congratulations! You’ll do great!
Thanks for the encouragement and insight Julie! And way to go being a mama of 10! That is amazing and inspirational all on its own! I have a pretty minimal amount of stuff for the babies, I didn’t even get a highchair until recently because it became to hard to hold my toddler and feed her while pregnant with baby number two. But I do want to work towards less even still. :)
I am 76 and in the middle of de cluttering from 4 generations of family. large home and istill have a lot to go through. I amreading your article with interest . it is a huge task but I will keeptrying when I can. thank you for your interesting articles. it is a large journey and decision time.
I have been doing this for years and have found out the older I get the less I need. This could be a life long process. Recouping the money it cost to buy stuff, I simply have two garage sales a year. I also give things away to people who I know will love them until they don’t and then they can pass them along. Some tips I have found to be useful in the process….1) Have a pitch-a-thon the day before trash and recycling pick up. 2) Spend a certain amount of time each day, week or month and get busy. Everything I have shed, not once have I ever missed it. 3) I pretend my house is like a hotel suite and it is very easy to clean. Hope these ideas help anyone who is ready to take the journey.
I too am shocked at how little I need or want. I got rid of my bedroom dresser because I didn’t need it anymore! Ironically my house has tons of built-ins, the hallway next to my bedroom has built-in drawer-sized compartments with doors so that is now my “dresser.”
The only stuff on the floors other than furniture in my rooms is my large plants in their containers. Even the furniture got pared down, I don’t own any end tables, coffee tables, or side tables. I got rid of tons of baskets and things I picked up when I was in Africa and that is decades worth of stuff – baskets, necklaces, clothing, fabrics, straw bags and totes, jewelry, cooking bowls and dishes, pottery. I kept 3-4 pieces that are more sentimental and donated the rest, and it was a ton of stuff. Probably would have fetched good money on Ebay or whatever, but I don’t sell stuff.
It’s very freeing not owning a ton of stuff.
There are some items I don’t “need”, but they remain because of the “why”. Like the two, somewhat abstract oil paintings done by my late father, an administrative law judge. The paintings not only bring me joy (to borrow from Marie Kondo) but also remind me that we have many layers, and that I must be open to even my own dimensions and contradictions. Thanks for another insightful read.
We are in the process of purging my son’s bedroom as we move him to another room. He’s 15 & is very OCD about his things. However I’m finding I’M the one having a hard time letting go! He’s tossing out stuff that I want to keep, for whatever reason. I remember the significance & he doesn’t recall it or doesn’t care now. So I’m torn between giving/throwing away things & keeping some things back, thinking he’ll probably want them in the future. Ideas?
Also, how do you decide what to sell & what to give away? I could use te cash, but there’s time involved w/selling things. Which is better?
He’s 15 years old. He’s old enough to decide whether to toss something. If he wants it again, it’ll be on him to acquire it (buy it, borrow it, talk you into buying it, whatever). That’s part of the lesson and learning process of chucking stuff out. How much have you missed for all the minimizing you’ve done? I can say out of bags and bags of stuff, I regretted maybe two items, and I got over those pretty quickly.
For all intents and purposes, your son is “adult” enough to make his own decisions about what he considers trash or no longer useful. Hell, I’d let a 4-year-old make their own decisions about tossing stuff.
ETA: What you shouldn’t do (and it’s clear you’re not doing it) is chuck his stuff without his permission. I’ve seen this on other minimalist blogs, it’s called “stealth minimizing” and it essentially consists of a minimalist making unilateral decisions to chuck their partner/spouse/relative’s belongings without their permission. I wouldn’t even do that with a child. Everybody has the right to offer input on their belongings. It’s disrespectful otherwise.
I guess it’s a real problem if one partner wants to unclutter and the other one doesn’t. I’m single so I don’t have that issue, but it just seems normal to discuss it first with the person who owns the stuff! If it impacts your relationship, discuss it. I know a couple in which the woman finally gave over an entire spare bedroom to her partner’s hoarding tendencies. He wasn’t allowed to hoard all over the house but he had his own “room” to do whatever he wanted.
After having lived as a minimalist now for a while, I doubt I could live with someone who wasn’t. It’s nice being single!
Thanks Joshua for another article that gives clarity in deciding what to keep and what to get rid of. Last year I got rid of one-third of my clothes but my closet still looks very full! I will make another pass through the closet with these two questions.
Fantastic article! I use similar questions when shopping – 1. Do I NEED this? and 2. Why do I NEED this?
This is a wonderful post! I have never thought to ask myself WHY I have something!!! I think this will really help me in the future. Like Bethany’s comment above, I have been decluttering for several years now. I’ve always loved antiques and had a knack for finding good things for practically nothing. Consequently, my house is overflowing. I’ve had several yard sales, donated to thrift stores, and given several carloads to a friends charity!!! I could have used the money myself, but sometimes it is just more important to let go.
I’m getting older and time is of the essence. I have no children and no one to want my things when I am gone. As a Christian, I believe God is changing my whole mindset. Things that I used to be sentimental about no longer even matter. Space and time are valuable commodities. I have pretty much gone through all the small stuff and am now needing to get rid of some furniture! The WHY question will help there, too.
Thanks again for this post.
Brenda, this was such a lovely comment. I agree…space and time.
Thank you, Terri! Blessings!!
Great post, Joshua We just went thru this …. its tough!!!!
I have too many items that still spark joy, as KonMari would say. I just donated away a small porcelain black-and-white harlequin, even though I liked it and it reminded me so pleasantly of the book “The Night Circus” whenever I looked at it. I knew why I had it, and it was a positive reason, but I didn’t need it.
I live in a small 3-bedroom home. So many of my things DO still spark joy, and I use them in rotation — lots of thrifted shoes and clothing that I wear for fun and fashion — but there’s not enough room to keep it all organized.
So I’m weeding out knick-knacks, even ones I still enjoy, because they aren’t functional, because I have too much of a good thing. (Art isn’t “useful” either, but stuff on the walls is somehow different from stuff on the shelves.)
This approach to decluttering is so simple and so effective.
I’m going to apply it to my To Do List: do I NEED to do this? Why?
I think I’ll feel better as I, (using your words) remove things TO DO entirely from MY LIFE that I no longer need TO DO… so I can begin living the life that I want FOR ME AND MY FAMILY.
Thank you, Josh, for a significant moment of clarity.
Q. Do I need this?
A. No
Q. Why do I have it?
A. Because it cost me money and I can’t get rid of it until I get some of that money back.
For 1 item this is not an issue. Multiply it by a thousand and a lot of time and effort is needed to realise a financial return from the disposal.
How do you manage that?
I’m personally not trying to think of what I’m giving/throwing away or I would keep it ALL. I think it’s priceless to have a decluttered space. There is so many benefits that I’m not thinking about what I gave away. Maybe this helps.
It’s a sunk cost, get over it. In typical fashion, capitalists always try to recoup sunk costs. Why is that? Everything has to be turned into a financial incentive or a way to exploit others. Why not simply let it go and let someone else enjoy it or use it? It’s just dead energy sitting in your house. Learn the lesson of not buying so much crap to begin with and just move on.
Yup…..totally agree
Steve, you might consider the cost of purging items “tuition” in the school of life. Another way I look at the items I have let go is that it is a form of tithing.
Or if you do happen to look at it like Marie Kondo, thank that object for teaching you that you no longer need it…
I agree. You’ll never recoup the full cost and it takes up space/energy dealing with it. In my minimalist reading there is a lot of mention about giving things away, helping others. Try it. I bet you will feel good knowing someone else is truly enjoying it!
It’s money spent vs. emotional burden, which would rather ease?
Oh, I struggle with that question of “because it cost money” and I am SO GRATEFUL to hear some ways to deal with this… thank you ALL sooo much!
A lot of good stuff here – you’ve obviously read (or share an insanely like mind) with Marie Kondo.
I’m not sure I agree with your point about organizing being temporary and minimizing being permanent. Organizing does last… it’s the process of giving things a place so that you recognize when something new is introduced and does not below. Minimizing may be permanent for the exact item you’ve throw away, but there are always opportunities for new items to make their way into your home. So I think BOTH organizing and minimizing are ongoing processes that you have to stay committed to. If Minimizing was permanent, you wouldn’t need to have this blog :)
Agree with this. It’s a process, not an end point. At the very least, the majority of people have to bring food into their house (unless one eats out all the time or has a dedicated off-site kitchen, like in an assisted living facility or on a ship or whatever).
I keep not only a “capsule” wardrobe but a “capsule” kitchen. I only buy enough produce for 3-4 days and use up what I have. I buy everything in bulk (I’m a plant based vegan, no animals) using my own linen bags and market tote bags (although the zero waste meatists apparently bring their own receptacles to transport dead animals home). Minimizing down to the bone without addressing decreasing trash just as much doesn’t seem very responsible.
Zero waste isn’t touched on enough by the minimalists. They focus on buying only that stuff you need but never mention trying to buy secondhand as much as possible. They also don’t address minimalist food/trash/composting enough. I’ve got my non-recyclable trash down to one quart jar a month. It’s not THAT hard to do.
I agree that organizing along with minimalizing is important. I have stuff/clutter setting about because it is being used but has no home. Its reasonable home is occupied by stuff which needs to leave the house. So my minimalizing is going through drawers and cupboards to get rid of unnecessary stuff and then accompanied by organizing – giving a home to the things I do use.
That’s exactly what I did. All those useable things find new homes it all make sense when reorganized. Your on the right track.
And this may seem extreme but I removed all my closet door so nothing can hide anymore. If it’s unsightly and was only used once during the year it’s out. This method has forced me to reorganize in a visually appealing way. Once those doors went a huge purge ensued. Now the closets are repainted a bright white and look fantastic showing off my items with style.
A fun idea! It really is easy to throw stuff in a cupboard and shut the door! Out of sight out of mind.
I have those two questions down to a t. The only question I seem to have now is “What else can I get rid of?”.
This is probably not healthy, but I do feel like some things are still holding me down.
I got rid of clothes, DVDs, household items, lamps, towels, makeup, pretty much anything that I haven’t been using anymore.
Will I ever be satisfied with how things are now or will I keep looking for things to get rid of?
Sonja, I think that decluttering is a journey, not a destination. Doubtless over time some things will become less important to you as you develop new interests and tastes and gravitate away from others. If you feel that there’s more to let go of, I don’t see that as unhealthy (unless it becomes a full-time pursuit!) I think of it as peeling an onion. It becomes apparent to me over time what else needs to go.
Regarding the WHY question: Such a common rationalization my husband and I use, in our attempts to declutter, is “I might need this someday, and then I’ll be mad that I got rid of it.” This is no longer a valid reason in my mind; if there’s not a definite present use, out it goes.
This is the same comment that comes up in our house all the time “one day, we might need this”
Ugh. So much stuff for “one day”
Yes that’s one I deal with often. If I do ever need an item like that I usually can’t find it! Electronics cords-what did they belong to, can I pitch them.
I have put £100 away incase I later “need” something that i have given away and I havent needed to use it , yet.
This post and comments really gave me all the right insights and the questions I need to ask myself. As I continue my decluttering journey that started a year ago with “2015 gone in 2015”, I was not seeing clearly what of my possessions needed to go and the essence of why. Thank you for clarity in simplifying my household and finding my retirement years true purpose.
Thanks so much for the article! I definitely agree with the two questions.
Great article. The why question is really a good one. I have three storage units I’m paying on and that is the big question WHY??
Maybe thinking about what else you could do with that money (storage isn’t cheap) will help motivate you to reduce it. Paying debt, saving for a house, building your retirement…a vacation! The options are endless!
Love this Joshua. I’ve never asked WHY?! I’m going to look at the items in my home differently and see if it helps me to let go of some more clutter :) Thanks!
The best most beneficial article for me that you have published. Thank You
When I start de-cluttering, I actually ask myself “When did I use it, last?” If I used it a while ago, I put it in a box and mark everything that is in it. Everything that I don’t pull out of the box within a certain period, I donate or trow out.
An interior decorator taught my sister two very helpful questions regarding decluttering:
1. Is it useful?
2. Is it beautiful?
Items that don’t answer with at least one “yes” shouldn’t be cluttering your home and your life.
The one exception: things with sentimental value, but even those need to be within reasonable balance. (Her suggestion: a max of 10% of one’s possessions.)
I really like the idea of applying a number to the sentimental items kept. I try to ask myself if these items are important or meaningful, and only when I answer “yes,” do they remain in my home. But, this can be difficult, as it is easy to justify why sentimental clutter may be important or meaningful. When I limited sentimental items to only those that would fit in my two memory boxes, the answers to my questions really did become clearer. Since I knew my space was limited, I could only keep the treasured few.
Great article!
I have been minimilizing what I own for the past 5 or 6 years. I am an artist/designer and also used to buy vintage/antiques for resale as a side business.
In the last couple years I have sold probably 50% of the inventory I owned and given truck load after truck load to thrifts stores and also many items to friends and family. The last couple years I have slowed down as I got married, adding all of my spouces stuff to the plate and now am pregnant with baby number two. I find myself daily challenged discovering what I actually need to take care of my children. Fighting feelings of insecurity that I am not giving my babies enough by providing x, y or z of what’s on the list. But even more then that, my greatest struggle has been deciding how to celebrate creativity and beauty without adding to consumerism and without living in bondage of not having anything nice. Perhaps you can shed some light on this issue as a fellow believer. How do we enjoy God’s beautiful creations and how do we create as an artist without adding to consumerism? I hope I am not being too vague. I could go off in so many directions but hopefully my comment makes sense and if you have time, I would love to hear your thoughts. :)
Hi Bethany! As a Christian also, I believe that art, music and dance was given to us as a way to glorify God. If you create art that glorifies Him, he will provide for you on so many levels. Every morning before your feet even hit the floor, place your day in His almighty, capable hands…and everything…all the little details will fall into place. Just always remember that your art should glorify God. He loves you and your family so much!!! :)
Thank you Judy! I need to work on surrendering my days to Him more. I believe art is meant to glorify Him too. My struggle is more of wanting to create art that helps people on some level as opposed to just creating objects that people lust over to make themselves or their homes more fullfilling in some way. Does that make sense?
Bethany,
Society/ marketing/ Consumerism make us believe that in order to be a good parent, you need this and this. It starts when you are pregnant, reading magazines and their adds. Want to be the perfect parent, you NEED this…. Except that there is no such thing as the perfect parent and that we don’t need half of those things.
I have 3 children (last one just turned one year old, and I realize that I barely really used half of the things I bought while I was pregnant from baby number one or just after she was born. What your children need is just a warm home and the love and time of their parents… I never heard of any adult complaining that he/she didn’t have enough toys while they were children (at least not in our modern society)…
Yes, yes, yes!
Fantastic. All of these insights are helping in our journey to declutter and simplify.
I hadn’t thought of (or heard) the “why” question of having things – I LOVE it! I’m going to look around with that question in mind …
Great post, Joshua. I really like how you clarified in your first point that there are some things we keep that we don’t need because we want to do more in life than merely survive. I also liked your why question. Getting to the root of why we own the things we own will help us determine what we should do with it.
The more and more I ask myself these questions, the clearer the answers become.
Whats interesting the more stuff I get rid of, the more my own personal style shows through, and the more confident I become in it.
The kids are happier, the house cleaner (minus the renos!) and less time we all spend cleaning and tidying. Though it seems never ending. I do one pass, and I’m ready for another. Simplifying is like peeling an onion, layers upon layers!
xx
These two questions need to be answered by a BRAVE heart, ready to change, remove, declutter and simplify life.
Does it make me smile and say ‘ahhh …’?
If that were my criteria (and it seems to be), I’d keep everything. But seriously, the day my 10-yr-old granddaughter wore my circa 1969 bathing suit to the (same) pool…what a cool feeling!
love it!
“Why do I have this?” is probably the question I ask myself about items in my house on a daily basis. I try to do a little clean up every day weather its a drawer or a room.
It’s such a good question, isn’t it. In my mind it makes minimalism so much easier to embrace. If everything was functional only, it would feel too militant to me. I love beautiful things too, just in small doses :)
I love this! I think you mentioned these on the Uncluttered webinar I listened to this morning. I was clearing out a cedar chest that has a lot of memorabilia from my grandmother, my childhood and my first wedding (now divorced and remarried)! As I heard your question “Why do I have this?” It really made me reflect and let go of some things I didn’t think I could. I don’t need a dozen handmade items from my grandmother, a few will do. Thank you so much for your blog and for the Uncluttered course!
Simple questions can lead to such self-reflection! And, these questions can be applied to many areas of life. I recently wrote a post about how I apply similar questions to purchases. If we evaluate an item’s value, function, importance, and meaning, this will help guide us in determining whether the object should enter or remain in our lives.