Decluttering Basics Part One

I have been steeped in the decluttering and minimalism world for a while, so I know a lot of the basics and underlying concepts. But I sometimes forget that isn’t true of everybody, and so people reading might want an intro to those basics.

Not that I am holding myself up as the best example! I’ve had a lot of stops and starts, but that makes me more aware of some of the issues people come up against when decluttering.

The Resources page here on MoreThanCrumbs is an overview of some of the books, blogs, and other media that inspire me. But that is a lot of info. Here are some basics.

• In most industrialized countries, companies market goods to you on a continual basis. Billboards, website ads, ads on vehicles, ads on buildings, and of course on any social media you use – advertising is everywhere. Billions of dollars are being spent to get you to buy. So it’s not surprising that you somehow ended up with more stuff than you have room for, or use on a regular basis, or really find useful or beautiful. We are constantly being told that a thing will make us happy, attractive, and well-liked, or make our life easier.
• This is important because decluttering is most effective when you don’t buy more things that you might need to declutter later. I’m not saying never buy anything, just think about why you’re buying something.
• Decluttering is hard because it requires you to think about every item you’re considering getting rid of. That can be mentally tiring and lead to decision fatigue. Tracy McCubbin talks about this in her book Making Space, Clutter Free: The Last Book on DeCluttering You’ll Ever Need. So don’t feel bad if it isn’t easy for you!
• Don’t get rid of someone else’s stuff. While it can be tempting if you believe your spouse or parent has too much and will never clean it up, work on your items. If your spouse or parent is endangering themselves or others with hoarding, check the resource page under Mental Health. Otherwise, hands off.
• The above doesn’t apply to inherited items though! It’s yours now, even if you still call it “Dad’s car” or “Grandma’s platter”.
• So get started with the easy stuff. Probably not sentimental items or gifts. It might be clothing, towels and sheets, knick-knacks, or kitchen items. A category of items that are easy for one person to get rid of may be difficult for another. Pick a corner of a room, or a kind of item. Prepare yourself with a trash bag, donate box, and space for keep items. Go through items and ask if you still want it. Do you use it? Would you buy it again? Do you have too many of the same item and can let go of this one?
• One easy way: a sweep. Walk around the house with a garbage bag to grab items that are broken or empty. Some examples are pens that won’t write or expired food. Recycle or shred old mail – or just some of it if there is a lot!

I hope these basics are a helpful to you. Let me know in the comments if you have any particular questions!

Featured Image: “To do list” by freestocks.org is marked with CC0 1.0