Clutter tends to build gradually. Something is left on the counter one day, something else gets shoved into a drawer the next. You slowly accumulate clothes you no longer wear and rarely used items while rearranging other things to make everything fit. Eventually, you wake up and feel like your home is too crowded… but you’re not quite sure why.
What’s difficult about decluttering isn’t always getting rid of things. It’s making the tough decisions about what no longer deserves space in your home and what still does.
Which is why I think asking yourself the right questions is better than just telling yourself you need to “get rid of stuff.”
Trying to declutter your home with a vague goal of throwing things away can leave you feeling overwhelmed, sentimental, or distracted. But when you take the time to ask yourself the right questions, it becomes much easier to sort through your belongings. You quickly learn what you actually use versus what you’ve been keeping out of habit, guilt, fear, or the false hope that you’ll find a use for it someday.
And decluttering doesn’t have to wait until spring cleaning or the start of a new year. You can ask these ten questions whenever your living space no longer supports the season of life you’re currently in.
10 Questions to Ask Before You Declutter
1. Do I Actually Use This?
This might be one of the simplest decluttering questions to ask. When you hold an item in your hand, force yourself to think about whether or not you actually use it.
Do not think about whether you used to love it five years ago. Do not hold onto things you might use someday. Do not keep everything you spent good money on.
Ask yourself whether you actually use it today.
This works best with clothes, kitchen gadgets, craft supplies, decor, and other items that can easily accumulate without you noticing. Be brutally honest with yourself about things you find shoved into drawers, closets, cabinets, or decoration boxes.
If you haven’t used it in years, ask yourself why you’re still giving it a space in your home. There’s a reason you haven’t used it. An object that you don’t use still provides information.
Of course, some things can be worth keeping regardless of whether you use them or not. Maybe it’s a souvenir from a loved one, or maybe it’s an item you use seasonally. The key is figuring out why you haven’t used it and evaluating whether that reason is valid.
If you’re holding onto duplicates of items you use, ask yourself if you really need seven mugs or seven spatulas. Keep your favorite, the one you use most, and let the rest go. You free up space without feeling like you had to get rid of anything.
Read also: 7 Vital Things You Need to Add to Your Declutter List
2. Would I Buy This Again Today?
If you’re struggling to decide whether you should keep something, chances are you once used it often or once truly loved it. But times change. Tastes change. You change. This question asks you to separate your present self from your past decisions.
Hold the object in your hands and imagine you see it while you’re shopping. Would you buy it today? Knowing everything you know now, would you spend your hard earned money on it?
If the answer is no (and many times it will be), figure out why. Maybe you don’t like it as much as you once did. Maybe it didn’t hold up. Maybe you found it wasn’t as useful as you thought. Or maybe you bought it because it was on sale, someone told you to, or you thought you should like it.
Change is allowed. And just because you once spent money on something doesn’t mean you have to keep it in your home forever. Your current self is more important than who you used to be.
Read also: Want a Tidy Home? Here Are 10 Smart Decluttering Tips
3. Does This Item Support the Life I’m Living Now?
Believe it or not, your junk drawer, basement, closets, and other random hiding spots for clutter should have some sort of relationship to your current life. Most of the time, clutter builds when we accumulate items that no longer support who we are or who we want to be.
Are you keeping clothes for an office job you no longer have? Sports equipment for hobbies you no longer have time for? School supplies for children who have since gone to college? Ingredients for meals you no longer enjoy cooking? Fitness equipment for goals you no longer want to pursue?
Your current situation doesn’t mean you can never keep items for the future. But if you find yourself keeping things with no practical use and no foreseeable use, ask yourself if they truly support the life you want to live… or if you’re just keeping them out of guilt or fear of letting go of your past self.
Just because you were an athlete once doesn’t mean your home needs to be a sports museum. Everything in your home shouldn’t have a use… but your lifestyle should have some connection to the items you intentionally decide to keep.
Read also: 10 Simple Ways to Declutter Your Life
4. Am I Keeping This Because I Love It or Because I Feel Guilty?
There’s a lot of guilt that can come with decluttering. Perhaps you got something as a gift and would feel guilty getting rid of it. Maybe it was expensive and throwing it away would feel like admitting you wasted money. Maybe it used to belong to someone you loved and you hold onto things because you feel like you’d be saying something about your relationship if you got rid of it.
But the object and the relationship you have with that person are two different things. You can love someone and not want their junk in your home. You can cherish a gift and recognize it no longer serves a purpose in your life.
Ask yourself if getting rid of the item would cause you more guilt than happiness. Would it make your home easier or harder to maintain? Does it serve a purpose or is it just taking up room? Memories and relationships do not have to be tied to your physical belongings.
Letting go of some sentimental clutter isn’t about becoming cold. It’s about figuring out what you love versus what you feel.
5. Do I Have Something Else That Does the Same Job?
Duplicates are clutter killers. Kitchen gadgets, coats, shoes, bags, towels, cleaning supplies. They add up quickly and before you know it you have three paper towel holders and five sets of cookie cutters.
Look around you. Do you have multiple items that serve nearly the same purpose? Next time you’re decluttering, evaluate your duplicates.
Which one do you like more? Which one do you use more often? If you were forced to only keep one, which would you keep?
You don’t have to live your life in extreme minimalism. But when you own multiples of the same thing, make sure you have a good reason for keeping them all. Would you really use that fifth coffee mug if your other four were broken? Doubles are nice. Triples and more are probably just eating away at your space.
6. Am I Keeping This for a Real Future Need or a “Maybe”?
Let me ask you a question. Do you have that extra cord that goes with every electronic device you’ve ever owned because “you never know when you’ll need it?” Or the clothes you keep because you “might fit into them one day?”
“That maybe” is the enemy of decluttering. “Maybe” you’ll enjoy scrapbooking again someday. Maybe you’ll get that promotion and need professional clothes. Maybe your kids will suddenly become interested in learning how to knit RIGHT WHEN YOU HAVE ALL THE EXTRA MATERIALS.
Life is unpredictable, yes. But when you use “maybe” as an excuse to keep everything, you’ll never get rid of anything. You’d be surprised how many “just in case” items you own.
Take a mental note of how often you use the items you tell yourself you’re keeping for later. How many of those “maybe” moments actually happen?
When you ask yourself if you’re keeping something for a legitimate reason or just a maybe, you force yourself to be honest about the possibility it will become useful again.
7. Does This Make My Home Easier or Harder to Maintain?
It’s possible for something to be useful and still clutter your home. When you ask this question, think about whether your belongings make your home easier or harder to clean.
Decorative items are cute when you have them on tables, shelves, and countertops. But what happens when you have too many? Closets become useless when you pack them so tight you struggle to find what you’re looking for. Kitchen cabinets with countless dishes you never use again take up space and make it harder to get to the ones you use regularly. Storage boxes full of junk you hope to use someday take away from space you could use to expand your closet or upgrade your furniture.
Your things should work for you. When you have too much junk, your home becomes harder to clean and maintain because you have more stuff to tidy up.
When you purge unnecessary items from your home, you’ll notice your daily tasks become easier. Putting things away takes less time because you have less stuff. Cleaning doesn’t take as long. Rooms feel more spacious without you having to rearrange your entire house.
8. Does This Belong in My Current Space?
An item can be perfectly good but simply not have a home in your house anymore. Maybe you downsize to a smaller apartment. Maybe you got a bigger couch set and your end table no longer fits. Maybe your kitchen is now your office so you have no use for all your mugs.
Take a look at your space as a whole when you’re decluttering. Maybe that awesome oversized wall hanging wouldn’t look bad hanging in your old house, but it clashes with your new decor. Perhaps your table reminds you of your grandma, but it makes it hard to move around the kitchen. You may have collections that are dear to you, but they’re eating away valuable storage.
Your things should fit with your space. Not the other way around.
9. Does This Give Me Something Valuable in Return for the Space It Takes?
Everything you own takes up space. Even if it’s hidden away in a box or tucked into the back of your closet. Your things should be giving you something in return for the space they take.
Whether it’s utility, beauty, comfort, memories, convenience, or enjoyment. Items shouldn’t just sit in your home because you used to need them. If it’s not something you want to display, does it serve a purpose?
This is especially useful for bigger items. Furniture can eat away at a lot of your space while serving you very little. Remember storage boxes? They can take up a lot of room in your closets or attic.
Contrary to popular belief, getting rid of clutter doesn’t mean maximizing the empty space in your home. It means making room for things that add value to your life.
10. What Would I Rather Make Room For?
This might be the most important question on the list. It changes your entire mindset when it comes to decluttering. Instead of focusing on what you’re losing by throwing something away, think of what you’re gaining.
What will you enjoy about not having this item in your home anymore? Do you want your bedroom to feel more calming? Want to be able to see your counters so you can actually cook in your kitchen? Want your kids to have more room to play? Want your home office to feel more inviting while you work?
When you know what you want to replace your clutter with, you’ll have an easier time figuring out what to keep. Instead of throwing stuff away because everyone tells you you’ll be happier with less. Allow yourself to hold onto the things that add value to your life because they support the life you love living.
How to Use These Questions When You’re Overwhelmed
A cluttered home can make you feel anxious. And forcing yourself to declutter when you’re already stressed out will only lead to… well, more clutter.
If you’re like me, you tend to overthink things. Try picking one SMALL area of your home to declutter. One drawer, one shelf, one cabinet, one corner of your closet. Don’t look at your entire room just yet.
Go through each item one by one and run through these questions in your head. You don’t need to ask each question. Some questions will make your decision obvious. If you’re on the fence about something, place it into a “to decide” area and come back to it later.
The point is to keep moving. You don’t want to analyze every single item you own for fifteen minutes at a time. That defeats the purpose of decluttering because you’ll constantly feel distracted and overwhelmed.
Trust me, once you start you’ll feel motivated to continue picking away at your clutter.
Do Not Declutter to Someone Else’s Ideals of a Perfect Home
How much junk you own is completely subjective. Some people feel happiest when living a minimal lifestyle. Others like to have books, collections, decor, craft supplies, and reminders of the past littered throughout their home.
Decluttering isn’t about living up to someone else’s idea of perfection. It’s about asking yourself if the stuff you own is working for you or against you.
If your home feels good to you, you don’t clutter because someone made a YouTube video telling you having less is more.
But if your home no longer feels manageable. If you struggle to keep it clean because you own too much stuff. If you constantly feel overwhelmed with the never ending piles of stuff that make your house feel more like a storage unit. Then it’s time to ask yourself some questions.
Your goal shouldn’t be bragging about how few items you own on Instagram. Your goal should be creating a home that works for you.
What To Do With Items You Decide to Remove
Getting rid of clutter is only half the battle. Once you decide you don’t want something in your home anymore, do NOT create a new pile that sits in the corner and collects dust.
Throw it away. Donate it. Sell it. Give it to a friend. But decide what you’re going to do with it as soon as you decide you don’t want it anymore.
I’m guilty of this too. Start sorting through your junk and you’ll quickly accumulate a pile of things to donate, sell, and toss. Just don’t let that “donate” pile grow so large that you don’t know where to start.
Sell things that have value. But don’t turn your decluttering project into a second job. Unless you want it to be and you have the time. Many people get trapped selling everything thinking they can make a few bucks here and there. Ask yourself if it’s worth your time.
Donating is great, but don’t dump every broken item you no longer want on local donation centers. Throw those away. Donate things that can actually benefit someone else. Part of letting go of clutter is making sure it goes somewhere else that will be just as appreciative to have it as you were when you bought it.
How to Keep the Clutter From Coming Back
Once you declutter your home, you’ll notice a dramatic difference. But keeping your home clutter free requires a few habits.
One of the best things you can do is become intentional about what you bring into your home. Ask yourself where you’ll keep it, how often you’ll use it, and do you already own something that does the same thing? Will you actually use it or are you buying it because you want it?
Small reset days can also help prevent your home from getting cluttered again. You don’t have to clean your entire house top to bottom. Spend ten minutes putting things back where they belong. Clear your countertops. Donate clothes that no longer fit that you’ve been hiding in your drawers. Deal with mail or trinkets that tend to pile up on your table.
You’ll still have cluttered days (we all do). But with these small habits, you can quickly clean and reset your home when you begin to feel overwhelmed.
Decluttering Helps You Live With Purpose
That feeling you get when you declutter can be overwhelming. Part happiness, part anxiety. When you purge things out of your home, you’re letting go of more than just an object.
Maybe it was money you spent and you hate wasting. Maybe it reminds you of your childhood and you don’t want to let that go. Maybe you’ve told yourself you’ll use it someday and throwing it away feels like you’re giving up on your goals.
Whatever the reason is that makes getting rid of junk so emotional, don’t pressure yourself into getting rid of items that truly matter.
The point of decluttering isn’t throwing everything out and living a life void of anything that has attachments. An intentional home should have purpose for the things you choose to keep.
Once you learn how to ask yourself the right questions when decluttering, you can redesign your home to contain only the things that:
Make your daily tasks easier.
Remind you of the people you love.
Support the hobbies you enjoy.
Fill your home with beauty.
Make you happy to walk into your rooms.
Everything else is clutter. And it can go.
Conclusion
Decluttering isn’t just for spring cleaning or whenever the new year rolls around. Everyone has seasons of life when they start to feel like their home is no longer working for them.
You change jobs, change families, change sizes, change routines. And whenever that happens, you may find yourself needing a reset. These ten questions can help you decide what gets to stay and what you would rather do without.
Ask yourself if you use it, if it serves a purpose, if it matches the life you’re currently living, if you’re keeping it out of guilt, or if there’s something else you’d rather spend your space on.
And most importantly, remember that the point of decluttering isn’t an empty home. Don’t remove stuff with the mindset that you deserve to live with less. Get rid of items because you WANT more for your home.
More space to play with your kids. Or to spread out clothes while you fold them.
More room to work from home. Or to display the decorations you love.
Empty space doesn’t benefit anyone. But when you live with less clutter, your home can actually support you the way you need it to.
FAQ
What questions should I ask myself when decluttering?
The first question I recommend asking yourself is, “Do I actually use this?” From there, you can figure out if you keep it out of guilt, whether you have something that does the same thing, or if it’s time to give it away.
What should I get rid of when decluttering?
Start with items you no longer use. Things that are duplicates, don’t fix or heal the longer you keep them, or serve no purpose to your current lifestyle. If you feel attached to getting rid of something, ask yourself why. Allow yourself to keep things that make you happy or have valuable sentimental value.
What do I do with all my clutter?
If you decide you don’t want something in your home anymore, decide what happens to it next. Can you donate it? Sell it? Throw it away? The longer you let it sit, the more clutter you’ll have. Better to start fresh than try to fit junk you don’t need on top of junk you no longer want.
How often should you declutter?
Declutter whenever you feel like you have too much stuff. Or when your home starts to feel unmanageable. You can declutter your entire home every month if you want. But for most people, doing small daily resets is enough to keep on top of things.
How do I declutter if I feel overwhelmed?
Pick one small section of your home to start. One drawer, one shelf, one closet corner. Clear out the junk and sort through it before you tackle anything else. You don’t have to declutter everything in one day.
How do I stop clutter from building back up?
Ask yourself if you really need new things before you buy them. And regularly do little resets to keep on top of your clutter. If you feel overwhelmed, start small by putting things back where they belong. Clear your countertops, wipe down your tables, hide those wires. Before you know it your house will look decluttered again.
Should I throw away sentimental items when decluttering?
Not necessarily. If it’s something that means a lot to you, ask yourself why you feel attached to keeping it. If it’s holding significant sentimental value or you truly love it, you don’t have to get rid of it. However, if it’s an item that once meant a lot to you but no longer does, it might be time to let it go.
Keep items that are important to you and find other ways to display the things that aren’t. You can toss the item’s packaging, throw away broken decorations, or keep photos of your children’s artwork rather than every single piece they’ve ever made.
Will I regret decluttering?
You might. There will be things you wish you kept. But there will also be things you’re gladly getting rid of that you’ve been holding onto for way too long. Like I said before, don’t rush yourself into getting rid of things. If you don’t know, set it aside. Let it sit for a few weeks and decide if you still want to keep it.
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