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How to Declutter Your Home With Just One Word!

Writer's picture: infoorganizeraz911infoorganizeraz911

So many of us want to achieve that perfect clutter-free and organized home. But when we start that journey to organization we often find ourselves overwhelmed by a sea of possessions we have accumulated over the years and the daunting task of sorting through all of it. We get overwhelmed by what seems like a multitude of decisions needing to be made, and the feeling that we'll never be able to reach that "ideal" organized space we dream of.


But what if the key to decluttering and organization could be achieved using one simple word? What word is so powerful and transformative that you could organize your entire home just by uttering it? What is that all powerful and transformative word you ask?...


In this blog, I will show you how you can declutter and organize your entire home by unraveling the profound impact of asking yourself one simple question:.. WHY?


Deciding What to Keep, Toss, or Donate

The first step to decluttering and building more organization in your home is understanding the reasons behind our clutter. Why did we accumulate the things we have? Why are we holding onto items even though we don't use them anymore? Why do we consider these items special or sentimental? Why are we avoiding putting it away? By digging into and exploring the "whys" of the emotional connections we have to our belongings, we can begin to recognize what is important to keep and what we can let go of.


So let's dive right in!


1) "Why" did we accumulate the things we have in the first place?

We accumulate our possessions for a multitude of reasons and from a multitude of sources. Understanding the underlying reasons and sources of our "stuff" can help us make more intentional choices that will help us prevent those items from becoming clutter in our homes.




Inherited Items - Sometimes our "why" for holding on to things is out of a sense of obligation. When we inherit items, we feel a certain responsibility to keep the item forever. We feel we would be disrespecting the person who willed it to us. Just because you inherit something, doesn't mean you have to keep it if you don't have a real use for it.






Gifted Items - Another reason "why" we keep certain items that we aren't using, is because the items were a gift. But here's the thing... gifts are never meant to be lifelong obligations. That gift might have been perfect for you the day you received it. But as time goes on that perfect gift may not be as helpful (or useful) as it was when you first received it. If a gift is no longer useful, donate it so someone else CAN get good use out of it. Think about it this way... If you gave someone a gift in the past but they no longer have a use for it now, would you expect them to keep it forever just because it was a gift from you?




Impulse Items - Why did we buy it? Was it because we wanted it or did we need it? If it's something we just wanted at the time (like an impulse item) would we still have the desire to purchase it again? Many factors can influence why we buy items on impulse. It could be that we were having a stressful day experiencing a lot of set backs. Buying something new is a way a lot of us cope with the stress. The irony of this is that impulse purchases that we use to relieve our stress only end up causing greater (long-term) stress with the clutter it creates. So it's probably best to try other alternative stress reducing techniques.



2) "Why" do we hold on to items if we don't use them anymore?



One common reason people give for holding on to possessions long after they are of any use, is simply because they paid good money for it. This is commonly refered to as the "Sunk Cost Fallacy" phenomenon. The Sunk Cost Fallacy is our tendency to let our past purchases affect our reasoning about what we keep moving forward. There seems to be a definite reluctance to part with items simply because they were a financial investment.



Sometimes we keep expensive items simply because they worked really well for us in the past, (even though they no longer fit our lives in the present). So again, ask yourself "why" doesn't that item work as well for you anymore?


It could be that:

  • The circumstances in our lives may have changed.

  • Our family dynamic may have changed.

  • Our priorities might have changed.


Life is constantly changing and evolving. What you enjoyed doing in your 20s, may not be as enjoyable for you now that you're in your 40s. As time changes, people change.


There are also the expensive items we purchased on an impulse but then realize (over time) those items were never right for us at all. So the idea of letting it go of those items becomes entangled with the belief that we have to keep them forever simply to "pay" for the mistake of purchasing them to begin with. It's like we're punishing ourselves for a simple purchasing mistake!

Just because you paid good money for something,

doesn't mean you have to be a prisoner to it!


If it was a great purchase back in the day but you don't need it now, give it to someone who could get good use out of it now. If it was an impulse purchase you made by mistake back in the day, forgive yourself and LET IT GO!


Breaking free from this mindset is a crucial step in decluttering and creating organization in our homes. Prioritize what's happening in the present over the purchases you made in the past, and release yourself from the burden of items that no longer serve you.


Now I would be remiss if I didn't also address the other reason "why" people hold on to items they haven't used in a very long time. I'm talking about the "I might need it someday" excuse people give for holding on to items they haven't used in years.


The fear of needing items in the future can often bring the decluttering process to a halt. People become overwhelmed thinking about all of the potential future scenarios where a particular item might suddenly become indispensable. Overcoming this fear requires understanding that the likelihood of needing an item (that has not been used in a very long time) is minimal, and that the benefits of a decluttered, organized space far outweigh the perceived security of holding onto unnecessary or rarely used items.


3) "Why" do we consider items special or sentimental?



One of the most popular excuses I hear when it comes to "why" we keep certain items is because it has sentimental value. But "why" do those items have sentimental value? Where do we find the balance between cherishing true sentimental value and practicality?



Start by asking yourself, is it the item that's special, or the memory it represents that's special? You might be surprised to discover that more often than not, we tend to keep sentimental items because of the memory attached to the item and NOT because we truly love the item itself. Somehow we feel that if we let the item go, the special memory will vanish with it. If you find that you're keeping an item simply because of the memory it represents, consider taking a photo of the item (as a rememberance) instead of keeping the item itself.




But if the item itself is truly special, please, please, PLEASE don't store it away in some box in a dark corner of your closet, attic, basement, or garage. Honor that cherished item by displaying it out in the open in a place that you will see it and can enjoy it daily!



Side Story:

I once had a client who inherited a lot of vintage costume jewelry from her grandmothers and aunts. The jewelry was not something my client would normally wear so she stored the jewelry in a box in her closet. When I came across that box while helping her organize her closet, I challenged her to do something special with the jewelry instead of just storing it away in the corner of her closet. What she did truly blew me away! She contracted a local artist to create a decorative cross out of all of the costume jewelry. The photo (at right) is what she had created from the sentimental jewelry items she inherited. It now hangs on the wall in her family room and has become quite the "conversation piece" when she has company over.




4) "Why" do we avoid putting it away


"Why" do we avoid putting certain items back in their designated places? Addressing the reasons behind why we procrastinate or avoid certain tasks is key to the organizing process.


So many times we blame simple procrastination for not putting something away. But it's rarely procrastination that is the problem. There's usually a different reason for avoiding a certain task. Here's where asking yourself "why" can be so enlightening.


  1. Why am I not putting this back?

Maybe the task takes too much time and effort. If this is the case, look for ways to make the task faster and easier to do. Try to streamline the process.

2. Why am I avoiding doing this?

Perhaps the task itself too difficult or too frustrating to do. Maybe the area you need to move it to is difficut to reach or requires a lot of physical effort to put it away. Consider finding a new location for that item that is easier to reach and less physically demanding to get to.

3. Why don't I like doing this task?

If the task itself is something you really don't like doing, try to make the task faster and more appealing to do.


Answering these questions can help you find the real reason why you're avoiding putting something away.


Side Story:

For the longest time, I struggled with putting my clothes away after I did my laundry. I didn't seem to have a problem hanging my clothes in the closet, I just had a problem with the clothes that needed to go in my dresser. So I asked myself WHY? Why was I having such a hard time getting my clothes back into my dresser? Well... I realized that I simply HATED folding clothes. So instead of folding my clothes to put them away, I would simply just leave them piled on my bed or thrown over a chair in the corner of my bedroom. This resulted in a perpetual MESS in my bedroom. So in order to keep my room neat and organized, I decided to hang ALL of my clothes and eliminate folding any of them altogether. I even found bins that I could just throw all of my undergarments and socks into too. Now my bedroom & closet are neat and organized, and I even converted my dresser into a vanity!



Here's the video I made about transforming my dresser into a vanity!


The word "why" has the power to transform our homes into a decluttered and beautifully organized living space. By continually questioning our habits, attachments, and motivations, we learn what is needed to create a home that supports our daily lives. Embrace the simplicity of asking "why" as you declutter and organize your home, and witness the truly profound changes it can bring.


Now armed with the powerful question "why," it's time to take the next step toward a clutter-free home. Your mission, should you choose to accept it, is to pick one area of your home that has been silently nagging at you for decluttering and organizing attention. Ask yourself "why" as you sort through your possessions, so you can make better decisions, and work towards reclaiming a clutter-free space.


Please share your own journeys, aha moments, or even challenges in the comments below as you discover your own "whys". I hope the power of "why" will guide you to a more organized, intentional, and joyful home. Remember, the journey to decluttering and organizing is different for everyone, but each and every small step makes a huge difference!


Happy decluttering!

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2 Comments


Emily Miller-Fitzgibbons
Emily Miller-Fitzgibbons
Jan 18

Wow, I loved reading this. You brought up some very insightful points that I never thought about before. Thank you for sharing!

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infoorganizeraz911
infoorganizeraz911
Jan 18
Replying to

Thank you for taking the time to comment! I'm so glad you found it helpful.😊

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