Here’s a question for you to ask as you work through the decluttering process. Pick up each item and ask, “what does it do?”
This isn’t the standard question most people ask. “Do I want this?” or “do I need this?” are the probably the most common. But those questions typically presuppose that you already know what it does.
The thing is, you can want or need things for all sorts of different reasons. You can want things because you own them, and there’s a feeling of loss involved in getting rid of them. Or you can think you need things because you never actually know when a random item will come in handy, and you don’t want to get rid of it “just in case.”
But asking, “what does it do?” cuts through a fair bit of that. And there are several ways you can answer that question.
If it’s something that doesn’t strictly have a function (a decorative garden gnome, for example, doesn’t really “do” anything), there’s no compelling reason that you need to hang onto it. You’re welcome to decide if you want to keep or discard it, depending on whether or not it makes you happy or not.
If it does something, and you know what it does, then you can make a rational decision about whether what it does is something you need. The odds of you finding a use for it in the future are also at least a little bit higher, as you would likely know how to use it.
But if it does something, but you can’t explain what it does (or even what it might do), the odds of you finding a use for it – or being able to use it even if you did – drop dramatically. What are the odds that you’re going to suddenly discover a need for which this item will be the solution? And since we tend to categorize our stuff by function (medicine cabinet, sporting goods, etc.), where would something of unknown use go that it could be quickly found?
You’ll probably always have some stuff that’s at least a little bit unclear. A box of misc. screws, a plastic holder with misc. buttons, etc. But it’s one thing to have a small bin of miscellaneous stuff. It’s a different thing entirely to have a whole room full of stuff that you can’t positively identify, and that you’re keeping “just in case.”
If you’re the sort of person who struggles with this, it might be challenging to deal with the stuff you currently have – but it’s not hard to make sure you don’t have as many problems in the future.
As things come into your home, along with the misc. bits & bobs that you might not need now but that you do want to hang onto, you just need to take steps now to make sure you can identify the miscellaneous items later.
Since most of these things are smaller items, a Sharpie marker, a roll of masking tape, and some Ziploc baggies – all of which you likely already have – are a great solution to this problem. Toss the items in the bag, write a clear description on the masking tape, and attach it to the bag. “Gaskets for Klean Kanteen water bottle.” “IKEA Kallax shelf wall attachment brackets.” Etcetera. For things like cords & cables, you can write it on the tape and fold the tape in half around the cable.
That way when you’re going through your stuff in the future, you can pull out those wall attachment brackets, realize you don’t have the water bottle or the shelf anymore, and discard them with confidence. Or if you decide to donate that shelf or water bottle, you can send along the accessories or items to the next owner.
It’s all about using your space for what currently has value to you, rather than just warehousing “just in case” stuff.
And of course once you make decisions about what does and doesn’t have value to you, we’re happy to show up and haul off everything that doesn’t fit in your life – and help it find a fit in somebody else’s. Happy decluttering!