Just like finding the right eating method or exercise regimen, finding the right decluttering motto can be the key to keeping your home clutter-free. Many find an admonition by William Morris helpful when deciding what to keep and get rid of: “Have nothing in your houses that you do not know to be useful or believe to be beautiful.” But this popular decluttering criterion could actually become a pitfall if you’re not careful.
Things that we “believe to be beautiful” may not present too much of a problem. While beauty is subjective, of course, beautiful is a pretty strong word and should help weed out most decorative or sentimental items that an owner only feels so-so about. “Know to be useful,” on the other hand, can trip us up. Much of our clutter, in fact, is due to the notion that whatever it is, we’ll use it or even need it someday.
If we want to be strict about having a home full of only things we actually need in our lives right now, we need to let go of the mentality that something might be useful someday, or to somebody else, or any other number of “just in case” considerations.
Here are some things that could fit that clutter-enabling mold. If anything below strikes your conscience, consider this list permission to let it go without guilt.
- Curtain rods
- Baby gear over five years old
- Hand-me-down clothing over five years old (except for a small number of cherished pieces)
- Extra serving platters
- Leftover party decorations
- Used party decorations
- Nearly consumed craft supplies that aren’t being used
- Crayon pieces
- Toilet paper rolls
- Egg cartons
- Empty shoe boxes for storage
- Small appliance boxes in case you need to return or sell the item
- Electronics boxes in case you need to return or sell the item
- Old chargers
- Old headphones
- Old, never-used cell phones
- Old, never-used laptops
- Old, never-used digital cameras
- Extra plant pots
- Too many extra towels for big clean-ups
- An over-abundance of mugs
- Small condiment packets
- Outdated manuals or books on a particular subject
- Magazines you’re saving for art projects
- An overflowing collection of plastic grocery bags
- Toiletry samples
- Hobby supplies for a hobby you no longer pursue
- Toys your children have outgrown
- Broken objects you plan to fix
- More than two sets of linens per bed (weather-specific linens excepted)
- Blankets in excess of one per family member and two extras for guests
- Optional wheels for small in-home storage units or cabinets
- Jars
- Too many reusable grocery bags or totes
- Travel mugs
- Water bottles
- Unused cleaning tools and/or supplies
- Reference books
Including an addendum to the “know to be useful” phrase can help you detect if you’re keeping too much. Think of it this way: “Do I know this to be useful in my actual life these days?”
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