14 Essential Decluttering Questions You Need to Ask Yourself

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Now you might be thinking – what are decluttering questions and what’s so special about them!

Well, decluttering your home is no fun. It can be a difficult and stressful task – emotionally, mentally, and physically. What makes it so hard at times is that decluttering isn’t just about your material possessions, it’s also about your emotional baggage and unfinished business.

Regardless of your desire to simplify your home and life, your attachment to your possessions can make it difficult or nearly impossible to let them go.

Part of the challenge is that we tend to ask ourselves the wrong decluttering questions when deciding what to keep and what to let go. We often ask: “Would I be able to use it some day? Did someone special (I care about) give this to me? Should I let this item go when I paid a lot of money for this?” Instead of asking those, use this list of essential and helpful decluttering questions to help you with clearing out clutter more effectively.

Essential Decluttering Questions You Need to Ask to Help You Declutter Effectively:

If you are struggling with decluttering, these questions will help you determine if an item is worth the time, space, and energy it takes up in your home and in your life. If you decide to keep something instead, you will also know why you are keeping it.

1. Do I Use It On a Regular Basis (daily/weekly/monthly)?

This is the most important decluttering question you need to be asking yourself. When was the last time you used something? Nothing helps you quicker than asking yourself if you really use something, and adding a time frame to this question helps you figure out if you do or not. Items not used for a whole year are not likely to be used in the next year either. If it’s something you use only once a year or occasionally, is it something that you could borrow from a friend or rent?

It often happens that we buy and use an item for quite a while, and then our needs change and it is no longer quite as useful to us anymore. That’s when the item begins to collect dust in a corner – becoming clutter.

If you have stuff in your home that are not used anymore, or you no longer need that to serve any purpose, you need to get rid of them. If something is nice to look at but doesn’t get used at all, you should let it go because it’s clutter.

No matter how carefully and neatly a thing is stored, if you never use it and have no plans to use it in the near future, why keep it? So, be honest with yourself as to whether you actually use it. And if you don’t, let it go.

2. Is It Something I Love & Enjoy?

The whole purpose of decluttering is to surround yourself with the things you need and love. If there are things, particularly decorative items or clothes that you don’t like or enjoy anymore, you should get rid of them and make room for the things you love.

It’s easy to keep things in your home that you don’t like just because over the time you get used to them, and don’t even notice them anymore. Take time to look around carefully and see which items don’t make you feel good about them. And then, put those in your decluttering list and get rid of them.

3. Do I Have More Than One of The Same or Similar Items?

Owning duplicate items or multiple items that do the same function is a quick way to add clutter to your home. If you have a few of a particular item, such as clothes, shoes, or kitchen tools, that’s a good thing since you have choices, variety, and appropriate things for different occasions. However, when you start to accumulate too many of a particular item that you really don’t need, it becomes an overwhelming pile of clutter taking up your physical spaces and creating mess.

Anything in your home that you have a large selection of should be questioned and evaluated.

4. Does It Add Value To My Life?

This is one of my favorite decluttering questions to ask. It is powerful, because it forces us to think about an item in terms of worth. Sometimes we buy or collect items thinking it will give us some kind of joy. But often it turns out that we derive no pleasure from using or looking at that item after a while. There are days when we don’t even notice that it exists.

If you have stuff in your home that doesn’t improve your life or make it easier, but you still have to store it, clean it, organize it, or maintain it, then it’s time to let it go. You don’t need to hold on to that thing any longer.

5. Is It Something Broken or Ripped? Does It Work?

If you have something that is broken, or doesn’t work, or you don’t have all the pieces together to make it work such as kid’s toys or kitchen items, you can be confident that it’s clutter and needs to be gone.

Sometimes some items may be worth fixing. If it’s something that can’t be fixed or you don’t bother to repair, you should get rid of it.

6. Do I Really Have Space For This Thing In My Home?

Items without a home are what tend to create clutter around your home because they have nowhere to go. You could have some really awesome stuff but if it doesn’t have a proper place in your home, you need to let it go.

This kind of clutter is tough to get rid of as you may feel somehow attached to that item. You may love something and hate to let it go. However, the fact is that if it sits out collecting dust or becomes a tripping hazard for you and others, it just doesn’t belong in your home anymore.

Sometimes you have to let things go since you only have so much space available, and you want to create a cozy and peaceful environment in your home. If you can’t easily make room for something in your home, it just doesn’t belong there.

7. Would I Keep This Thing If I Were Moving?

While moving from one place to another, you get to know the true importance of an item you own.

Try imagining yourself in this scenario when decluttering an area of your home and see how it makes you feel or affects your decision. You might find you are willing to let go of a few more items than normal.

8. Does This Item Have A Lot of Sentimental Value Attached To It?

This is one of the important decluttering questions you need to ask. Getting rid of things that have a lot of sentimental value is really hard, and I am not saying to let go of all the things that hold a special place in your heart. However, you must set some kind of limit about how many sentimental items you should keep in your home. The numbers will be different for everyone. But setting limits makes it easier to be more intentional about what to keep and what to let go.

Remember that choosing to keep too many special items creates more clutter and lessens the importance and significance of each item. But choosing to keep only the most special and meaningful ones means you can organize, display, and value them more.

If you feel like you need the object to remember the special moment, but you just don’t have the space anymore, take photos! Taking pictures of your sentimental items is a great way to remember them and the memories they hold, without actually keeping the items in your home.

That way, you will still have the memories to cherish but with less clutter!

9. Would I Buy This Item Again If I Lost It or Didn’t Own It?

Sometimes random things come into our homes ( sometimes we buy them and sometimes they are freebies) and we just keep them, regardless of if we use or love them. A great way to know if an item is worth keeping is to ask yourself if you would buy it (again) if you were shopping right now or if you had lost it.

Be honest with yourself, and determine if you are ready to spend the money it would cost you again.

10. Can I Make Do Without This Thing?

We can get by with a lot less than what we usually own. Just ask yourself if you really need it. If it’s something you can live without, let it go. You don’t need to throw away all your stuff right away if you have the space to organize and store it. But if you don’t have the space, or would just like to own less stuff or make room for something meaningful and useful, ask yourself if you can make do without this item.

A great way to test this out is to put the item in a trash bag and hide it in your closet. Then see if during the next two months or so, you find yourself needing it. If not, it’s probably safe to get rid of it!

11. Does This Trigger Stress or Evoke Negative Emotions?

You may have some great stuff that you love and use sometimes, but it requires great care, too, to maintain the item. The mere thought of caring for it causes stress and anxiety. If you feel it’s too much to maintain, and an easier option for that is available, then it’s better to let it go.

Further, if an item evokes a negative emotion such as guilt, regret, or sadness when you see, use, or think about it, it’s probably not something that should stay in your home.

You may like to read: What are Negative Emotions and How to Control Them?

12. Is There a Better Way I Could Use The Space Once This Item Is Gone?

Sometimes we keep an item by default because we have got used to its presence. If you are unsure about keeping an item, imagine other ways you could use the space it’s taking up.

Maybe you could use its space for something you love and value. Or maybe you would simply leave the space empty and enjoy the white space you have created in your home.

13. Am I Holding Onto This Thing Because of Guilt or Obligation?

Guilt or sense of obligation is a major reason we hold onto a few things because no one wants to be that person who throws away a gift from someone they care about. You may also feel that it’s wasteful, or you might have a hard time parting with sentimental items or gifts.

Remember, your home should reflect your values, priorities, and personality – filled with the things that serve you and your family and add value to your life. If you feel obligated to keep an item you don’t use or love, you are not being fair and kind to yourself. You shouldn’t hold onto that just because it was a gift from someone special while that’s been around long enough and hasn’t gotten much use.

14. Could Someone Else Use This Item Better And Appreciate This More?

If you are struggling to let go of something, think of someone else who could use this item and benefit from it. Rather than sitting in your home unused or unloved, imagine the value it could add to someone else’s life. When you think of someone else who could actually use the item you are about to get rid of and will find joy in it, it makes the decluttering process a lot easier.

For me, I am much more willing to part with something if I know it would be a blessing to someone else!

Parting Words:

When you feel stuck in your decluttering process, ask these key decluttering questions about each of your items. Answering these helpful questions honestly will give you the push you need to succeed in your decluttering process.

No amount of organizers, cute boxes, and storage solutions can fix your problem if you simply have too much stuff for your space. So, use this list of questions to help you with your decluttering so you can get rid of the unnecessary, unwanted, and unloved stuff in order to simplify your life and make room for what matters most.