Questions to ask yourself when decluttering your home

Jun 9

✨ Decluttering your home has so many benefits, and it reduces stress and anxiety. When your home is cluttered, it can be overwhelming. Although we know the importance of having a clutter-free environment, it can be really hard to make decisions on what to keep and what to let go. When your home has less stuff, it’s easier to clean and maintain. You’ll be able to focus better, and your home will feel so much better. ✨

Are you ready to start the process and you’re feeling stuck? You can use this list of categories and questions to guide you in making decisions. You may find that your answers lead you right to the decision of holding on or letting go.

Questions to ask yourself when decluttering

Use it
❓Have I used it in the past year?
❓Will I used it in the next year?
❓How often do I use it?
❓Can I live without it?
❓Am I afraid I’ll need it in the future?

Need it
❓Do I need it?
❓Have I needed it?
❓Will it be important to me in the future?
❓Does it fit my current lifestyle?
❓How easy is it to keep tidy if I hold onto it?

Like it
❓Do I love it?
❓Does it add value to my life?
❓Is it meaningful to me?
❓Can I borrow one instead?

Similar items
❓Do I have one already?
❓Do I have something like it?
❓Does it serve a different purpose than what I have?
❓Is there something that I can use instead of this?

Sentimental
❓Is the memory enough?
❓Can I take a photo and hold onto the memory?
❓Does it take up space that’s causing me stress?

Expired
❓Has it expired?
❓Is it still usable?
❓Has it lost its’ effectiveness?
❓Is it easy to replace?

Damaged
❓Is it broken or torn?
❓Can it easily be fixed?
❓Can it easily be replaced?
❓Does this work?

Buying again
❓Would I buy it again if I was shopping right now?
❓Would I spend money on it again?
❓Do I have a place to put it?
❓Did I remember that I had this?
❓Am I saving this just in case?

Guilt
❓ Am I holding onto it because someone gave it to me?
❓ Would someone else get more use out of it?
❓ If I was moving to a new home, do I want to take it with me?

✅ Once you’ve reflected on the item, you can make a decision about what to do with it. But, are you still stuck!?! If so, you can take a baby step on possibly getting the item out. If you have an item that you want to let go but you’re not quite ready, then I suggest that you put it on a shelf in the garage. It will be out of the house and close to making its way to the donation center. If you decide that you really want to keep it, then you can bring it back into the home. If it’s still there in 3-6 months, then you may just be ready to pass it on.

Don’t forget my friends… decluttering is a process that you should do often. If you stay on top of your belongings, then they’re less likely to pile up!