We will undoubtedly acquire a variety of items over the course of our lives. For many items and areas, it is best to go through them on occasion, keeping only what is necessary and useful.
Decluttering certain items too quickly comes with a cost. Moving too quickly to discard certain items can have unintended consequences that undermine the benefits of a better-organized space.
Rushing through this process can lead to feelings of regret and increased emotional stress, leaving you feeling overwhelmed rather than relieved. A more gradual approach in specific areas will allow you to better assess your priorities and promote long-term change without negative consequences.
Decluttering is an exciting process that allows you to simplify your life and become less encumbered. But even if the desire to get rid of everything has taken hold of you, it is critical that you keep specific items that you may need in the future or that you will regret later.
Staple Wardrobe Pieces
Classic wardrobe items like wool peacoats, blazers, and leather loafers come back into style every few years. Many of these items go beyond trends and can be mixed and matched with a variety of other styles throughout the year. Decluttering these items too quickly will result in unnecessary repurchases at a later date.
Before you discard staple wardrobe items, evaluate their overall condition. If they show signs of wear, you can often have them repaired because of their quality materials. It can also be helpful to store them for a few seasons. Once you bring them out again, they may spark renewed interest. This will also allow you to evaluate their condition or fit with a fresher perspective.
Important Documents
It can be helpful to go through your filing cabinet every so often to get rid of unnecessary papers that are extraneous. During this process, it is essential that you do not get rid of vital documents like birth certificates, social security information, marriage certificates, wills, deeds, medical information, and tax documents. These items may be needed to verify your information at a future date, and replacing them can be laborious and time-consuming.
Review your paperwork carefully and sort them into categories like “Keep”, “Archive”, and “Shred”. Use labeled folders and/or filing cabinets to keep your most important documents organized. It is also helpful to create digital copies so you will always have an accessible backup.
Sentimental Items
While these pieces may lack intrinsic value, sentimental items include anything with emotional weight, such as a meaningful photo, document, or letter. Although you might not feel the same emotional connection to these things as you did in the past, getting rid of them could cause you to lose a memory you will come to regret.
Instead of decluttering these items, look for a practical organization method that will keep them together and safe while not getting in your way. A designated “memory box” will allow you to revisit them later, with fresh eyes, to see if they still have emotional resonance or significance to you. It can also be beneficial to photograph the item so that you always have a digital copy, even if you do not intend to keep the physical item.
High-Value Items
Expensive items like jewelry or electronics might retain financial or functional advantages even if you don’t use them regularly. Before you declutter items like this, assess if they can be sold, used for parts, repaired, or gifted. You can also use a trial separation method, which consists of putting them into a container with a label and a date. If you have not used them or decided what to do with them in a few months to a year, it might be time to get rid of them.
Irreplaceable Collections
Irreplaceable collections, such as limited edition books, family heirlooms, and vintage vinyls, are difficult to replace and can hold emotional value, if not for you, then for someone else in your family. These collections frequently take up a lot of space and collect dust, but decluttering them too quickly can lead to future regret, especially if their sentimental or financial value is not immediately obvious.
A practical approach to large collections that you are unsure about keeping is to store them somewhere until you decide what you want to do. Investigate the items to determine their value if you decide to sell them. Speak with members of your family to see if anyone else wants these items before discarding them. You can also keep these items and rotate them with others so that when you do bring them out again, you enjoy their presence.
Household Paper Items
Household paper supplies, like notebooks, sticky notes, toilet paper, napkins, and paper towels, can accumulate quickly, especially if you have been lucky enough to shop a sale. But getting rid of these items too quickly can lead to frustration when you need a specific item for an essential task.
Instead of tossing them out when you feel overwhelmed by the excess, consider organizing them into categories so that you can store and access them easier when you need them. If you have more of a specific item than you will ever need, consider donating it to places like schools or community centers that use these items on a regular basis.
Seasonal Kitchen Accessories
When the joy of minimizing overtakes you, you might be willing to get rid of those Christmas cookie cutters, turkey basters, or egg dye kits. Though it feels freeing in the moment, it will leave you scrambling when the holiday or season arrives. These items are often pivotal in creating seasonal meals and events that are unforgettable.
Rather than discarding these items permanently, make a container to hold these seasonal items and store them until you need them. If your kitchen has limited space, store them in a long-term storage area such as a closet or garage. All this considered, it does make sense to give away, pass down, or regift seasonal kitchen items that have not been used in a long time.
Someone Else’s Things
It can be tempting to get rid of someone else’s belongings when they leave them in your area or if they have no meaning to you, but decluttering these items too quickly can lead to miscommunication and hurt feelings. Handling other people’s belongings requires a respectful attitude and process.
Begin by discussing the items to determine their value to the other person. Even if decluttering is necessary, it is vital that you get their input to allow them to process their things at their own pace. If space is an issue, offer to help with organization or find appropriate solutions. Patience and communication are essential in avoiding conflict and making the decluttering process feel collaborative rather than intrusive.
Towels
Towels are an easy target when you are looking for items to declutter because they are so bulky. Old towels are ratty and discolored, but spare towels are incredibly useful to have around. Even if they are past their usefulness in the bathroom, they are excellent to handle spills, leaks, and pet messes.
Before you discard them, consider if you can repurpose them as rags, support for fragile moving items, or gym towels. A good rule of thumb if you have limited linen closet space is to keep at least two towels for the use of each person in the household and store extra towels in another place, just to ensure that you aren’t caught short when an emergency occurs.
Spare Parts
Spare parts, like screws, cables, and appliance components, might seem unnecessary, but decluttering them without consideration of future use can lead to inconvenience and additional expense. Even if they have remained unused for many years, these items will be a lifesaver if you want to maintain and repair items like electronics, furniture, and household appliances.
The key to using spare parts rather than purchasing new ones is to be aware of their existence and location. Put spare parts in containers with like items and label them. It can be helpful to go through these items periodically to make sure that you don’t have spare parts for items you no longer have.
Toiletries
It is easy to accumulate spare toiletries because you don’t completely use what you have or you want to experiment with a new option. Decluttering your extra toiletries too quickly can lead to wasting money on future purchases. These items can still have value for future use and lead to less waste because you are buying less.
A practical approach is to go through your toiletries and keep, categorize, and store items that are not expired. You might be able to use them for guests or if you run out of your regular items unexpectedly.
