10 Questions to Ask Yourself to Help You Declutter

Do you struggle to declutter your home, even though you know it’s full of stuff you don’t need? I would frequently declutter, but never felt like I’d quite done enough! I realized that I was keeping so many things because they felt sentimental, even though I didn’t use them, or sometimes even really like them! If you are sentimental like me, you probably also struggle with knowing what items to declutter. I created this list of questions to ask yourself while decluttering to help you stay focused on only keeping items that add value to your life!

Already done your decluttering process? Check out my list of 10 Questions to Ask Yourself Before You Buy Anything to help maintain your clutter-free space!

Minimalism and the Benefits of Owning Less

I have felt burdened by the amount of possessions I own for a long time. I never really understood why I felt to stressed out by my stuff until I discovered the concept of minimalism. Seeing examples of people living with less made me realize how overwhelming it is to live surrounded by mess and clutter. Minimalism is basically reducing your possessions to only those that add value to your life or that serve a purpose. Clearing the clutter in your home is supposed to clear your mind and reduce stress. Having less possessions around stressing you out and taking up your time and energy gives you the freedom to focus on the things in your life that are really important to you.

I am very sentimental when it comes to objects, so I know that I will never be minimal to the true extent of being a minimalist. My hope with minimalism is to declutter my home to a place where I feel stress-free in my space. Minimalism is more of a mindset than an end goal, so it is something I think everyone can benefit from! Minimalism teaches us to be mindful of what stuff we decide to bring into our homes. It teaches us to understand what adds value to our lives and what we want to focus our energy on.

If you’ve been following along with my health journey, you’ll know that decluttering is one of the steps I’m taking to help increase my energy levels. You can read more about what I’m doing to improve my energy in my February Health Update.

10 Questions to Ask Yourself When You’re Struggling to Declutter

1. How long has it been since I last used this?

If you can’t remember when you last used something, or if you haven’t used it in years, it’s probably safe to let it go.

2. How many times have I used this in the last year?

If you have used the item in the last year, think about how many times you used it. This question is especially helpful when decluttering your clothes. Think about how often you wear each item. If you have items that you only wear on very specific occasions, think about whether the space they take up is worth it for something you only wear once a year.

3. Will I use this enough in the future to justify keeping it?

Sometimes we outgrow things or our styles change. You may have things that you used a lot in the past that you just don’t see yourself using much in the future. It’s time to donate these things so someone else can enjoy them as much as you used to!

4. Do I want this item to be part of my future?

Think about what you want your ideal home or wardrobe to look like. Sometimes we hold on to items just because they are familiar. Let go of items that are holding you back. This question is especially helpful when you are moving to a new home or space. Think about whether each item will have a space or purpose in your new home.

5. Do I actually like this item?

Sometimes we hold onto things simply because they’ve always been there. We walk by the same décor and furniture every day and forget to stop and think about whether we really like the things that take up space in our home. It’s okay to let go of functional things just because you don’t like them.

6. Does this item bring me joy?

This question comes straight out of Marie Kondo’s book, The Life Changing Magic of Tidying Up. I take a lot of inspiration from Marie Kondo in my own decluttering process. The concept is that your home should be full of only the items that spark joy to you. If you want to learn more about Marie’s decluttering process, you can find her book here.

7. Why am I keeping this?

Sometimes it really helps to understand why you feel like you need to keep certain items. Evaluating your reasoning will help you let go of things that you are keeping for the wrong reasons. If you are keeping things out of guilt, having them around is probably adding to the stress of your clutter. A lot of the time we feel guilty getting rid of things that were gifted to us. Whoever gave you that gift wouldn’t want their gift to feel like a burden! It’s okay to let it go. If you are keeping something you’ve never used with the hope that one day you will be the kind of person to use it, let it go. If you ever become that person you can buy a new one.

8. Would I repurchase this item if it got lost or broken?

When you are really struggling with whether or not to part with an item, it helps to imagine what you would do if something happened to it. If you wouldn’t replace it, then you probably don’t need it now.

9. Does this item serve a purpose? Do I have another item I like better that serves the same purpose?

For certain areas of your home, it helps to be really practical. Let go of items that aren’t serving a purpose for you. If you have multiple items that serve the same purpose, pick your favorite and declutter the rest.

10. Does this item add value to my life?

For the items that are not necessarily there to serve a specific purpose, such as sentimental items, think about whether they are adding value to your life. Saving too many sentimental items may take away the value that they bring to your life. Pair down your sentimental items to a level where you can enjoy them all and feel their true value.

Already done your decluttering process? Check out my list of 10 Questions to Ask Yourself Before You Buy Anything to help maintain your clutter-free space!