7 things to always ask yourself when decluttering

Wondering where to get started with decluttering? You’re in the right place – and you’re not alone. Before you start downsizing your possessions, try these simple prompts to help you make the right choices.

Asking yourself the hard questions during the decluttering process will keep you on track. Whatever decluttering method you’re using, we’ve all been at that point in a declutter where it feels like you wish you’d never started. Or you get distracted with side quests – reading teenage diaries or trying on clothes you forget you owned. But don’t let your impetus be derailed by these things.

I spoke with some of the best decluttering and organisation experts to get their insider tips and asked them what questions they make their clients ask themselves.

Helen Sanderson, known as The Clutter Therapist, is a psychotherapist, professional organiser, interior designer and author of The Secret Life of Clutter. She says, ‘I believe that clutter is decisions not made! Therefore, reflecting on a good question will help you make those decisions and liberate yourself from clutter.’ So what questions should we be asking ourselves?

1. Why do you want to declutter and organise your home?

Being really focused on your objective is important when you start decluttering. Goals will keep you motivated and accountable throughout the whole process.

Sue Spencer runs A Life More Organised, a home organisation and decluttering service, and she is KonMarie trained. Sue says, ‘Before diving in, it’s important to get to the heart of why you’re decluttering. Is it to create a calmer environment, free up space for a hobby, or prepare for a life change like moving or welcoming a new family member?’

Having a vision of what you want life to be like post declutter is the order of the day here – and keeping that positive feeling going as you eliminate clutter from your life.

‘Decluttering is not easy, especially if you tend to hold on to a lot. So what really helps is to have a clear vision of what your goal is, and part of this is to identify the positive consequences of completing your project,’ agrees Helen Sanderson from The Clutter Therapist.

2. What’s working at the moment?

Despite deciding you need a declutter, it’s worthwhile in the process to pat yourself on the back for things that are working in your life.

‘Building on existing successes is a powerful way to make decluttering feel manageable. Instead of focusing on what’s wrong, identify systems or spaces that are functioning well and replicate that success in other areas,’ says Sue from A Life More Organised. ‘Understanding what’s currently working in your home means you can build on habits or systems you’re already using, rather than introducing something completely new that might not suit your lifestyle.’

You might look at other people’s Instagram-friendly shoe display, or their kitchen cupboards and marvel. But is that really right for the way you live your life, or is what you have right now working well for you? You might find adding a new storage solution will actually make it harder to stay organised.

‘I often use this question when helping clients declutter kitchens and wardrobes,’ says Sue from A Life More Organised. ‘For instance, if someone already has a well-organised spice rack but struggles with their pantry, we might use similar strategies, like grouping similar items or using clear containers, to improve the pantry while keeping consistency in their organising style.’

3. Do I use this item?

As you start the process of streamlining your home, asking yourself very simple questions will help you move through the process without becoming too overwhelmed. Considering if you actually use each item – try to remember when you last used it – is a simple but effective question to contemplate.

‘This is a fundamental question in the decluttering process and helps create meaningful change in your space and lifestyle,’ says Helen Sanderson, aka The Clutter Therapist. ‘[This is] because it forces you to confront the reality of how you interact with your possessions, rather than holding onto things based on theoretical future use.

‘It also helps separate items you are keeping out of sentiment from those that serve a genuine purpose in our daily lives and identifies redundant items,’ says Helen.

You may fall into a trap of holding on to things you don’t use but convince yourself you might one day need – a particular pain point in my personal decluttering journey. But this mindset won’t actually help you – so be as brutal as you can be. ‘By keeping only what we actively use, we create spaces that support our current lifestyle rather than past or imagined future needs,’ reassures Helen.

‘If an item isn’t part of your routine or serving a practical purpose, it may be time to let it go,’ says Gemma Bray, organisation influencer and founder of The Organised Mum Method. ‘For example, clothes that haven’t been worn in over a year or kitchen gadgets gathering dust could be donated to free up valuable space.’

4. Is this holding me back?

Clutter in your life can be seriously debilitating. It can prevent you from feeling relaxed at home and it may prevent you from feeling able to host friends and family. So during a decluttering session, really consider if items are benefitting you or holding you back in the long term.

‘Many people avoid decluttering because they feel it will be unpleasant and keep worrying about the negative consequences, such as maybe letting go of things they might later regret,’ says The Clutter Therapist, Helen Sanderson.

‘To counter this and help motivate you, think about and write down all the negative impacts that clutter has on you. This might include all that time spent looking for things, not having space to do things that are important to you… holding onto a past you, that holds you back from growing into your potential.’

You might find it easier to start with less sentimental items – paperwork or linen and towels, for example – when using this question and practice the method before moving on to tackling emotional clutter.

5. Am I holding onto this item out of guilt?

When moving on to more personal items, you might find guilt creeping in. Can you face getting rid of your children’s artwork, or the postcard a relative sent you in the 90s?

‘Guilt is a powerful emotion, and it can dictate so many of our belongings we hold onto,’ says Kate Edmonson, professional organiser and owner of Home Edited. ‘We can hold onto a gifted or sentimental item out of guilt. They can often come with a sense of obligation rather than appreciation.’

Remind yourself it’s OK to reduce your possessions and while you’re grateful for items bestowed upon you, parting ways with them doesn’t mean you don’t care.

‘It’s important to remember that the memory isn’t tied to the object itself,’ says Gemma Bray, aka The Organised Mum. ‘If you’ve inherited a piece you don’t connect with or received a gift that doesn’t suit your style, it’s okay to let it go – perhaps after taking a photo as a keepsake.’

‘A gifted item we do not want or need can be donated and sentimental items can be reduced. These items can trigger deep emotions when detoxing your home, so be sure to go where your energy lies and utilise quick win categories to gain momentum,’ advises Kate from Home Edited.

6. Do you love it?

‘As a KonMari Consultant, this is one of the key questions I ask my clients,’ says A Life More Organised’s Sue. ‘It encourages people to go beyond practical considerations, such as whether an item is useful or expensive, and instead focus on how it makes them feel. The goal is to connect with your belongings on an emotional level, identifying what truly sparks joy.’

This question can really help if you have a lot of the same items – mugs perhaps, or pairs of trainers. But really any item you have multiples of, it’s a good way to rationalise your collection.

‘Focusing on your favourites, the ones that bring you the most happiness, makes it easier to decide what to keep,’ says Sue from A Life More Organised.

7. What are you going to do with the items you discard?

During a declutter, I often fall into the trap of making piles of things that should be donated – and then never actually donating them. Knowing how to get rid of items after a declutter and making plans for the possessions you’re eliminating, it will ensure you don’t have the same issue.

‘It’s worth having your ‘exit plan’ in place before you start decluttering, as this will help you to remove the items that you declutter from your home straight away so you can make the most of the space you’ve created,’ says Sue from A Life More Organised.

‘Work out which charity shops you’ll drop off at. If you’re planning to sell items, sign up to the apps/websites and give yourself a timeframe to list, sell and post the items. Research trade-in apps like World of Books for books and Mazuma Mobile for tech.’ Selling secondhand furniture and other items can also be a valuable income stream after a good declutter.

One question to ask when speed decluttering

Speed decluttering, if you don’t know, is the process of doing a decluttered within a timed window. It then feels more manageable.

The key question to ask yourself during a speed declutter is: ‘Do I love it, need it, or use it?,’ says Kate Edmondson from Home Edited. ‘If the answer is no to all three, it’s likely time to let it go.’

What questions can you ask to encourage someone else to declutter?

Speaking from extensive personal experience here: decluttering your own things is one matter, but encouraging someone else to declutter is a different matter entirely.

‘Asking thoughtful and reflective questions is a great way to encourage someone to detox without feeling pressured or overwhelmed,’ says Kate from Home Edited. She suggests asking the following questions:

• When was the last time you used this?
• Do you have multiple versions of the same thing?
• Does this item add value?
• Would someone else get more use out of this? Could you donate it to charity?

Is there a question you use that has helped you to declutter?