“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.
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!!