What is the First Thing to Declutter?

When we approach a new client, we often discuss which direction they would prefer to go. Some of our clients prefer to use the KonMari Method®. If this method works for our client, then we start with clothing. The KonMari Method® moves in a sequence. This sequence is: Clothes, books, papers, konomo (miscellaneous Items) and finally, sentimental Items. The rationale behind this method is that there is an order to decluttering, and decluttering must be done in this correct order. The order allows for decluttering categories of items rather than going room by room.

The order of organizing is important. Here’s why:

According to the KonMari Method® it is important not only to tidy or declutter by category, but it is also important to declutter in the correct order. The reason for this makes sense. Haphazard decluttering can make it more difficult in the long run to get your home organized. For example, have you ever run across old photos while trying to declutter your home? Failing to stick to an order takes you off track as soon as these sentimental items come up. You may spend hours going through photos or things that have sentimental meaning, and suddenly, your entire day has been consumed. This is a very common distraction, maybe a blunder, and illustrates the importance of decluttering in a methodical order. By the time a client gets to sentimental items, he or she has honed their skillset of discarding items. This makes discarding the sentimental category easier. Clothing is an ideal first category for practicing this skill, while photos and other sentimental items are the epitome of what you should not declutter until you have perfected this ability. 

The discarding process is important.

Whether our client follows the KonMari Method® or not, one of the most important things to do at the very beginning is start the discarding process. Discarding serves two purposes. First, it helps us to see what we want to keep and what we want to let go. Secondly, it allows us to ultimately have less to contend with when it becomes time to find a home for our things. One characteristic of people who never seem to finish the decluttering process is that they attempt to store everything without getting rid of anything first. When things are put away, a home will look neat on the surface (superficial), but if the storage units are filled with unnecessary items, it will be almost impossible to keep them organized. This will inevitably lead to a relapse and the entire process will need to be repeated.

We are currently working with a client who prefers to declutter by room. 

When we first started working together, we asked her what area made sense to declutter first. She said her den area since that is where she spends most of her time. It had become a dumping ground, so we started there. Our intention was not to force her to follow a sequence but rather help her decide which area would make the most difference in her life to keep her motivated. Overwhelming her with the clothing category, in our opinion, would have been a mistake. She talked repeatedly about her overstuffed closet, and almost dreaded going into it. For that reason, we helped her hone her decluttering skill in an area of her home that made the most sense to her. After just a few weeks, she was very happy with the progress she had made. During our sessions, we were able to move from the den into other areas of her home.

The key to success in tidying is to finish discarding first.  

We encourage our clients to only store things once they have decided what to keep and what to discard. This provides an accurate grasp of how much actually will need to be stored. Why purchase storage solutions to store unnecessary and unwanted items? These items will eventually be tossed, and money will have been wasted. Letting go of as much as possible makes for less stress in the end when we are deciding how to put away all that is left from the decluttering process.

Thinking about where to store things, or worrying about whether our client can fit everything in will only serve to distract from the job of discarding. The client will never finish, and our services will have been retained for nothing. We want our clients to succeed the first time rather than wasting time, money, and effort. So instead, consider any storage solutions made during the discarding process as temporary and focus instead on sorting the next category (or room). This is the secret to getting the job done quickly.

It’s important to make decisions quickly during decluttering.

One important thing to remember during the decluttering process is that it is important to make decisions quickly. Lingering over an item, or many items, will prolong the process of getting started and decluttering. Yes, it is difficult to let go of items, especially at the beginning. It is a hard process because, at the beginning, everything seems important. We get that.

To declutter easily, and get the hang of it, we suggest focusing on “low hanging fruit.” What this entails is getting two trash bags, one for donations, and one for trash. People know what works for them, and what doesn’t. Often, they intuitively know what needs to be thrown away or donated. They just need a little push to get the decluttering process going. They need some handholding at the beginning, maybe an assignment that is easy to accomplish.  

Getting stuck is part of the decluttering process.

Once the clients become more comfortable decluttering and letting go of seemingly meaningless items, items that do have importance begin to emerge. We also encourage our clients who are getting started to make a pile (small pile) of items they want to discuss with us. If they question whether they should hold on to something, or let it go, we tell them to put it in the pile. With the help of our experienced decluttering experts, we can work through this (small) pile very quickly. Getting “stuck” is part of the process of decluttering. However, letting go is the goal, whether working through the KonMari Method® or by area or room. Once the letting go process has begun, it is easier to move more quickly and let go of more and more. By letting go of things that no longer serve us, the organization process of storing items becomes much easier.