What questions help you with organizing and decluttering?

October 23, 2018 7:38 AM

When you're decluttering, organizing, or prioritizing, what questions do you use?

Decluttering and organizing books sometimes recommend questions like:

When's the last time I used this?
Do I already have one of these?
Does this spark joy?

And, of course, the Getting Things Done system uses questions like:

Is it actionable?
What's the next step?


What questions help you declutter, get organized, and set priorities?

Thanks!

posted by kristi to Grab Bag (37 answers total)

The Minimalists suggest that you can get rid of anything you can replace in twenty minutes for less than twenty dollars.

So, Can I replace this in twenty minutes for less than twenty dollars?

Also, this will need to be adjusted to your level of woo, but I read something once that said you should ask if things have "negative energy." I interpret that this way: if I have something that my mother gave me, but every time I look at it, what I remember is that she and I had a big fight related to it or that she criticized me in some way, then I get rid of it because I don't need that negative energy (or memory) in my life.
posted by FencingGal at 7:43 AM on October 23, 2018 [10 favorites]

Best answer: One thing that helps me is "Where is this things home?"

We buy a lot of cheap crap and decorations, and while we have lots of storage space, each item needs a "home" so that it doesn't just clutter around.

We aren't the best at this.

Then, step two, is "Is this shelf accessible / presentable / organized"? If not, it's time to move some stuff to another home, or get rid of it.
posted by bbqturtle at 7:43 AM on October 23, 2018 [5 favorites]

Is this beautiful or useful?

This one is mostly for clothes: Can I imagine any situation in which this would be the best thing in my closet? Is this dress/shirt/cardigan ever my *favorite*?
posted by mskyle at 7:51 AM on October 23, 2018 [7 favorites]

Best answer: For random things: where would I look for this first? (then put it there)

For a big project: what do I want these things to do? (look pretty, be quick to access, be sorted so I can find the damn thing, just be fewer things).
posted by london explorer girl at 7:57 AM on October 23, 2018 [2 favorites]

Best answer: I usually just ask "Is this making my life better?" It kind of conflates all the questions about the last time you used it, is it beautiful or useful, does it spark joy, etc. Also, it's not exactly a question I ask, but I bear in mind the notion that many things can be a psychological burden to have around, especially things you're keeping for the sake of nostalgia. So I try to be aware of whether I might actually feel freer without it.
posted by HotToddy at 7:57 AM on October 23, 2018 [6 favorites]

Prioritizing tasks: what is due next, and how much time will it take? Mix your day/ time with big tasks due soon and small tasks you can get done quickly, depending on your deadlines, current attention span and mental capacity. For example, do you find yourself ready for the day to end with 30 minutes left? Do all your odds and ends, filing and email inbox clearing then.

Speaking of email inbox: I know people who have minimal inboxes where they only keep items in the To Do category, and everything else is archived away or deleted. (This person is not me; instead, I am the person who hoards semi-junk emails in case I ever find the need to review semi-related industry news from last month/ year, or some other flimsy justification I give myself.)

If you enjoy buying new items but have little space or need for additional items, try to stick with One In, One Out. Or if you're really trying to minimize things and disincentivize getting new things, try One In, Two Out.
posted by filthy light thief at 8:00 AM on October 23, 2018

If I haven't used this in a while, will I ever use it again? And if I do get rid of it and do need it again, can I get it on eBay?
posted by The Deej at 8:04 AM on October 23, 2018

Can I throw this out without my husband noticing? And I say that only about things I own I don't throw his stuff out in anyway. But I can put a bunch of my items together to go to Goodwill & he will go through the box & pull out items of my clothing put them back in my drawers, because they're still good (well yes I'm not giving Goodwill trash) or save a broken wooden spoon out of the bin even though we have three others for no good reason other than well you can still sort of use it.
posted by wwax at 8:10 AM on October 23, 2018 [4 favorites]

Best answer: Previously.
posted by jon1270 at 8:10 AM on October 23, 2018 [1 favorite]

Can any of my friends use this? Would it be valuable to someone if I give it to a thrift store? I find it easier to get rid of something that I deep down know is no longer needed if I can gift it to someone that will find it genuinely useful than just throwing it out.
posted by Candleman at 8:11 AM on October 23, 2018

Will I realistically ever need this again?
What will happen if I do need it and don’t have it?

For documents-
Will anyone ever ask for this piece of paper?
What will happen if they ask for it and I don’t have it?
posted by RichardHenryYarbo at 8:40 AM on October 23, 2018 [7 favorites]

If I saw this thing sitting on the curbside, would I pick it up? If I saw this thing for $5 at a thrift store, would I buy it? If I saw this thing for $20 at a thrift store, would I buy it? If the answer is no, then GRO. (Get rid of)
posted by oxisos at 8:45 AM on October 23, 2018 [4 favorites]

Does its utility justify the amount of space it takes up (incl. visually, whether it dominates)?
posted by ipsative at 8:45 AM on October 23, 2018 [1 favorite]

What do I really need/want? How many of this specific thing do I really need/want? If I decide that, ideally, I would have ten t-shirts and two pairs of jeans in my dresser drawers, that helps me clear out the extra t-shirts and jeans that are worn out/aren't flattering because I know I have enough without them, and it also keeps me from buying extra t-shirts or jeans that I don't need, as I don't get to buy more until the number of wearable jeans and t-shirts I have on hand dips below two and ten. I do that throughout my wardrobe, for everything from socks to dresses to purses to shoes, and I also sometimes do it for other organizational things. I have an email inbox rule of "ten emails or less". I buy my table settings in sets of eight.

Do I use this? Do I have any reasonable expectation of ever using this? Do I have the other things I need to use with it so that I can use it? My rule is that I should be able to make several outfits out of every item in my wardrobe, that every piece needs to go with at least two or three other pieces. If I have nothing that looks right with a particular piece, then I need to consider whether it's worthwhile to acquire things that will go with it, or toss the piece. Several years ago I weeded out all the extra dishes/glassware that didn't go with my sets of (everyday) stoneware and (company) porcelain china dishes. It was a wrench, because those extra pieces were nice things in themselves and I liked them, but I didn't use them because they didn't look right with my dishes. But once it was done, I was so glad I'd done it. Now all my tableware works well together and I can enjoy it so much more now that my cupboards aren't so overcrowded and it's easy to see and access what I have.

If it's not usable as is, can I alter it or fix it so that it will be usable? It's helpful to ask yourself why you don't like a particular thing, because if you know specifically why you don't like something, maybe you can then fix that thing. Some glue or paint or other minor changes can work wonders. I've found even changing the buttons or the hemline on an item of clothing can make me like it. Last spring I cut a long-sleeved t-shirt with worn elbows down into a cap sleeve t-shirt, and I wore that t-shirt a lot over the summer. I've also made skirts out of unflattering or dated dresses.
posted by orange swan at 8:56 AM on October 23, 2018 [2 favorites]

Can I replace its sentimental value in my life with a photo?
posted by asperity at 9:03 AM on October 23, 2018 [6 favorites]

I like A Slob Comes Clean's questions, though I modify them slightly:

1a. Will I ever need this?
1b. If I needed this, would it ever occur to me that I had it?
2. If so, where would I look for it?
posted by teremala at 9:30 AM on October 23, 2018 [13 favorites]

Best answer: - Would a picture of this give me over 50% as much joy as the thing does?
- Could someone else make better use of this thing than I could?
- How many of this thing do I have? Is this in the Top Ten (i.e. I don't think i would ever have an occasion to wear my 14th favorite sweater)
- Do you own this [clothing] aspirationally, or do you wear it in the life you have now? (like I had some burning man stuff I kept around and at some point had to be like "I will not be going back, so will I ever wear this again?)
- Is this book a special book or is it just one you liked reading but don't really need to have in a print copy?
posted by jessamyn at 9:37 AM on October 23, 2018 [5 favorites]

For limiting the inflow of NEW items:

1) What's wrong with the one I already have?
2) If the answer to #1 is "I don't already own one", then: I'm x years old, how have I managed so far without this item?

If the answer to either question is unsatisfactory, I don't buy. It gets easier the older I get.
posted by eeek at 10:16 AM on October 23, 2018 [3 favorites]

Specifically for clothing, I ask myself if I've worn the item at least once in the past year. If no, it goes.
posted by fso at 10:33 AM on October 23, 2018

I'm even stricter with clothes and ask myself, "would I ever wear this the day after I've done laundry?" In other words, you should (in an ideal world) keep only clothes you love enough that you would put them on when everything is clean.
posted by LeeLanded at 10:34 AM on October 23, 2018 [18 favorites]

It's super-general, but I start with "what are my goals?" and then "does this item actively move me closer to that goal?"

I've also told myself that by hanging on to something that I haven't used in N years, I'm depriving someone at a thrift store from getting really excited for having found it. Not to guilt-trip myself, but to remember that finding a fun surprise is a joy, and that's a gift I can give to a stranger.
posted by Wild_Eep at 10:50 AM on October 23, 2018 [5 favorites]

How hard would it be to replace this? If I couldn't replace it, what's the worst thing that's reasonably likely to result?

I live in a small apartment, so: how does the space this takes up compare to its utility?
posted by praemunire at 11:03 AM on October 23, 2018 [2 favorites]

For decluttering, one of my questions is “if I were moving right now, would I resent having to pack up and transport this thing?”
posted by obfuscation at 11:15 AM on October 23, 2018 [5 favorites]

Preparing for my second house move this year (not fun), I ask myself - "if this was broken/lost - would I replace it?". Unfortunately, I mostly answer myself - "Well, no, but it's just sitting there, I already spent the money, it might be useful, I quite like it...".

It's not easy, I had to replace a thing I donated a couple of years ago, and gave myself a really hard time about it. Ridiculous really, one thing out of all of the things I've jettisoned in recent house moves/downsizing.

Agree the best thing is to try and avoid new things. I've also had success with the "one thing in / one thing out" approach.

This may sound weird, but sometimes I just can't see what is cluttered and what isn't. I took a photo of my little home office for some reason and was horrified at how cluttered it looked despite having worked in there for hours that day and not really noticing! I think it's a way of stepping back and seeing things with fresh eyes, which really helps.
posted by ElasticParrot at 11:30 AM on October 23, 2018 [2 favorites]

For any papers/business cards/etc., I ask "Is this online somewhere?" or "Can I digitize this?"
posted by helloimjennsco at 11:41 AM on October 23, 2018

Best answer: Previously from me.
posted by jgirl at 11:50 AM on October 23, 2018

One I use often is: is this thing itself important to me, or is the the memories this thing is associated with? This is especially true with articles of clothing that might not fit anymore or aren't in great condition but were important to me at some point in my life. If I don't think I'll wear it again but want to hang onto the memories associated with it, I take a photo or journal about it before giving it away.
posted by dapati at 11:53 AM on October 23, 2018 [2 favorites]

How much space is it taking up? Is it worth storing? How much money would I spend if I had to pay to store it?
posted by functionequalsform at 3:31 PM on October 23, 2018 [1 favorite]

Best answer: "Am I using this space correctly?" really helped.

TBH, I could never successfully declutter until we had a water leak in spring. Suddenly I was extremely motivated :D
posted by Calzephyr at 3:58 PM on October 23, 2018 [1 favorite]

Am I willing to pay the tax it will cost me in time, maintenance and space to own this thing over time?
How many times have I looked at this thing and/or moved it, cleaned it or forgotten about it without using it once. If more than 10x....time to go.
Does this thing qualify for belonging to the true minimum of stuff I need to function day to day?
Do I have any love, respect or appreciation for the fact this thing exists in my life?
posted by diode at 4:13 PM on October 23, 2018 [1 favorite]

Did the person who gave me this item WANT me to feel out of control and overwhelmed because of clutter? Of course not. So it's ok to re-home it.
posted by pseudostrabismus at 4:52 PM on October 23, 2018 [5 favorites]

Best answer: For discrete categories of things, such as all the shoes or all the makeup:

What happens if I put all of these in one place, and divide the pile into a "better" half and a "not as good" half? Could I get by with just the "better" half?
posted by Former Congressional Representative Lenny Lemming at 7:11 PM on October 23, 2018 [5 favorites]

Best answer: Speaking of "not as good" - after tossing some things that I mistakenly thought would be trivial to replace, I've had to revise my approach to the replacement question. Especially because a lot of the stuff manufactured now doesn't last as long as it used to. So, some of these are variations on a similar theme:

- "Can I replace this item with something that's as good as this, quality-wise or utility-wise?"
- "Is this item or equivalent even still being produced?"
- Re: books/movies/etc: "Is this title/edition with the same content/illustrations/footnotes/etc readily available from an online retailer or from my library?"
- "Will keeping and/or fixing this thing save me more time/headaches/costs/labor in the long run than tossing it for a new replacement that won't last as long?"
- "Does this item have special characteristics that are hard to find?"
- "Does this item provide some sort of insurance against [event]?"
- "Is it safer to have this around than not?"
- "Is it still safe to use this item? Has this item been recalled? Do I need to cut the plug off before recycling?" (check old appliances, esp things like heaters; it's amazing what kinds of recall notices still pop up online even for manufacturers that don't exist anymore)
- "Is there someone in this photo -- or someone related to the person in this photo -- who would like to have it?"

My folks had a box of old locksets (still new in boxes) that were literally decades old and sitting in a cabinet taking up valuable space. I was going to donate them because, hey, easy to just buy new sets if needed, right? But I am really glad I didn't, because apparently they are better quality locks than the ones sold now by Lowes etc and, more importantly, I found out the hard way that the newer locks don't fit in some of the house doors/gates (some are metal). So it was definitely worth saving them; I guess worst case scenario would have been getting help from a locksmith and/or replacing the doors/gates which would have been a much bigger expense.

I recycled/donated some cassette players/decks but I've kept two specific machines that were used to record a bunch of old tapes, so that I (theoretically) wouldn't have to worry about messing around with tape playback speed. I've been using them to play the tapes and digitizing them.
posted by rangefinder 1.4 at 11:02 PM on October 23, 2018 [1 favorite]

It's always helpful getting a second opinion - do you have a no-nonsense, minimalist friend who can help you run through your stuff? I am that friend, myself, and I help my friends play what they have started calling "non-negotiable." They pick up a thing, they say why they want to keep it, and I play devil's advocate, asking them, is this a non-negotiable? Often times, just holding up the object and having to think about defending it for a minute or so makes them realize that they really don't care for it. Having a friend help makes it fun and also helps jump over the ennui hump.

What I use, myself, is the "moving" test. I've moved quite a lot, and so one of my top priorities when buying/considering things is, would I leave this behind if I had to move away tomorrow? I don't think anyone likes moving, and every time I've done it, I've really felt that it's the one time that you really feel the weight and strain (in all senses of the word) of what it's like to just own so many useless things. It can be an aspect of "non-negotiable" above - when you pick up - or try to pick up - the object, think about what it's like having to package it up and carry it somewhere.
posted by facehugger at 3:59 AM on October 27, 2018 [1 favorite]

Response by poster: These are all fantastic - thank you!

I am abashed that I didn't find the previouslies. Thanks for pointing those out!

I marked best answer on the ones that resonated with me particularly, and where I am right now with a decluttering project, but they're all great. (I don't struggle with the clothes stuff, so much, but I bet those answers will be great for others reading this thread.)

Thanks, everyone!
posted by kristi at 10:38 AM on October 27, 2018

Response by poster: Also, jgirl, your comment specifically on that previously is the answer that stayed with me the most after I'd read all the answers, so thank you especially for that.
posted by kristi at 11:55 AM on October 27, 2018 [1 favorite]

Best answer: I'm at home between jobs, putting my house in order literally and figuratively. This is a very helpful Ask, and I'm grateful for the answers. They're all good!

I've also had this one open in my browser for weeks, and I keeping going back to it:
Did your home's level of homemaking while you were growing up matter? - and so one of the questions in mind this week is "How does this work with the level of housecleaning I (we) want to maintain?" That's why the family had a meeting last week, and we all picked the Halloween decoration that we liked best, and the rest went in a box at the curb that was picked up within an hour. I loved not having to pull spiderwebbing out of bushes on a rainy November day, and I have more room in our only storage closet under the stairs. We're going to do the same at Christmas. Some things are sentimental because we've had them for a long time, not because they're actually meaningful.

Other questions that I don't see here:
"Is this me, or the me that I want to be?" The me that I want to be crochets like I could blanket the whole world - but the real me likes mostly to buy yarn, stash it in an ottoman, and only crochets at family holiday get-togethers because apparently reading novels is rude. So I kept only enough for the next three holidays - cowls I will actually crochet in one sitting - and donated the rest at a swap, along with those crochet porn books.

And from a friend who is a life coach: "Plan for Regular Peagood, not Super Peagood." Super Peagood wants to sand and oil the teak tables and lamps and restore them all to an adult level of glamour. Regular Peagood found comparables on Facebook Marketplace, and will buy those and work on maintenance rather than restoration - and sell the old ones that I've had for a decade that don't owe me anything letting someone with more follow-through do that work and recouping some of the money.
posted by peagood at 1:36 PM on November 1, 2018 [5 favorites]