Decluttering can be a source of stress for many people, whether their home has boxes of stuff stored up to the ceiling or just a few too many items sitting on a shelf. I found decluttering stressful in the past because I would constantly wonder if I was making the wrong decision letting certain items go and, if you think about it, when decluttering is stressful and clutter itself is stressful, it can be so easy to feel paralyzed and instead do nothing.
Despite there being many approaches to decluttering a home, it's a task that can often feel like too much, leaving a person to wonder if decluttering is really all it cracks up to be.
To answer whether decluttering is truly worth it and if it helps improve the state of your home, I spoke to a few professional organizers. Here's what they had to say.
Is decluttering worth it?
After talking to three professional organizers about whether decluttering is worth it, they all came to the same conclusion: yes.
Jennifer Truesdale, certified professional organizer and founder of STR8N UP professional organizing services in Charleston, says, "Decluttering is ALWAYS worth it! A simple definition of clutter is postponed decisions: the art of decluttering is making decisions on things that have been holding you back whether it be from moving forward and cleaning up your physical and digital spaces or clearing your mental clutter and making decisions that will move you forward to what is more important to you in your life.
When you declutter your home — even spaces you never want to declutter — and the stuff that fills it, it can result in a less stressful environment, ease daily functioning, create a more productive environment, sometimes create an increasingly safer feeling environment, and grant you a generally clearer state of mind."
If you ever feel anxious and stressed for no apparent reason when you enter certain parts of your home, it may be because the cluttered external environment doesn't align with what your body and mind need from a space. Taking the time to mindfully declutter and see the benefits of decluttering allows us to address the external state of our homes while tapping into our needs to better understand our relationship with physical possessions.
Will I regret letting go of my possessions?
Letting things go when decluttering is no easy task. After all, it's not impossible to declutter too much or give away items that you'll later regret. But if you approach decluttering in the right way and start small, this is far less likely to happen.
Mary Jo Contello, certified professional organizer and owner of Organized By MJ, says, "I try to encourage people to start by getting rid of items they no longer use, need or love, and to evaluate the sense of attachment they hold to items creating friction. For example, let's say you have a rain suit that cost $20 and you haven't used it in years. You may find that easy to let go of as it isn't a giant amount of money and the rain suit can be replaced relatively easily. But if you're looking at an $100 sleeping bag, the decision will likely be more difficult as it costs more to replace."
Taking time to rationalize what you're keeping and letting go of can be an incredibly helpful way to guide your decluttering.
It's worth it, but only if it's down with a clear head
Jennifer highlighted the importance of decluttering only when you've got a clear head: "When you are planning to start the process of decluttering, you should always start from a clear state of mind and not from a point of frustration towards the clutter. Starting from frustration will cause you to make rash decisions and can result in some possible regrets after decluttering. Have a plan for how you want to start and what your end goal is and keeping that end goal in mind will help you to make clear decisions to reach that goal."
What your end goal looks like may differ from the end goal of someone else, but some of the most common end goals for decluttering include:
- To have more space in your home
- To spend more time focusing on friends and family instead of stuff
- To let go of items from the past which make you feel negative
- To live a more streamlined, minimalist lifestyle
- To make your home easier to clean and maintain
- To better align with the vision of your future self
Once you take time to get clear on your "why" - why you want to declutter in the first place — the process of decluttering in itself will become much easier. Keep this "why" in mind throughout the process, and if you're still struggling to declutter, remember you can ask for help or take it one space at a time. Decluttering doesn't have to happen all at once, and you don't have to declutter ruthlessly: if you need more time to make decisions, give yourself that.
Linda Samuels, certified professional organizer and founder of Oh, So Organized!, says, "When you’re editing and letting go of stuff, decision fatigue can affect the process. Decision fatigue happens when exhaustion occurs from making too many choices for an extended time period. The brain effectively gets foggy. By taking frequent breaks, hydrating, getting fresh air, or having a snack, you can combat fatigue, reduce regret, and maintain good decision-making quality. When you’re refreshed, return to the letting-go process."
I like to place any items I'm on the fence about parting within a box for a couple of weeks to see how life feels without them before completely letting go, and it really helps me to solidify my decision-making. This is known as the box and banish decluttering method technique.
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FAQs
Will decluttering make me feel good about my space?
If you truly love, appreciate and use everything in your life, decluttering your space might not be necessary. But if you're spending significant time thinking about whether to declutter, you will more than likely reap some benefits from undertaking the process.
Linda Samuels, certified professional organizer and founder of Oh, So Organized!, says, "Countless clients of mine have experienced the positive effects of decluttering their space. Before decluttering, they said, “There is so much clutter in my home that I can’t think.” Or, “I have so much clutter in my home that I can’t find anything.” But after decluttering, they feel relief, as if a weight has been lifted. They are more energetic, productive, and optimistic about their space."
So, in conclusion, yes, decluttering can and often will make a person feel good!
