Why You Should Declutter Before You Organize

Why You Should Declutter Before You Organize

People love to be organized. Or at least they talk like they want to be organized. It comes as part of the desire to better manage our homes and lives.

We believe being more organized will free up our time and money for more creative and inspirational pursuits. And it’s an open invitation for bringing positive energy into our homes.

There’s a huge market for organizational tools, methods, and materials. You can buy baskets, bins, shelving, and fancy boxes for a multitude of uses and to fit any décor.

Even with all the resources available to us, many continue to struggle with getting organized.

The problem is not so much the desire, but the method. The thing keeping most people from getting organized is clutter. They are trying to make sense of all the stuff they have collected over time including items they never used, no longer use or just don't need.

They get stuck on where to put things as they try to decide whether to keep an item or not. Then they try to create logical order or system so everything looks and feels neat and tidy.

They are focused on organizing, but trying to declutter as they go. You’ve probably done the same. We all have.

It’s exhausting, frustrating, and probably the least productive method for getting organized. The most efficient method for creating an organized environment is to declutter before you organize.

Decluttering and organizing have somehow become one and the same in most people’s minds. But they are two different tasks requiring slightly different effort and skills.

And one just sounds less distasteful than the other.

Why People Would Rather Organize Than Declutter

Many people find organizing more appealing than decluttering for several reasons. One common motivation is the sense of accomplishment that organizing provides. When you arrange your belongings all nice and neat, it feels like a quick win.

Clothes go in the closet, books on the shelf, Grandma’s handmade gifts in a plastic bin. Then everything is shoved out of sight. You can see the results right away.

If you have the space, you can put everything away in a logical, orderly, easy to locate manner. It all looks so tidy.

If you have limited space, the task of organizing becomes more challenging. You may resort to using any available box or bin or closet shelf. Then you label and store and call it “good.”

You know where everything is, sort of. And it’s out of the way.

In either scenario, gratification for getting the job done is enhanced by the visual appeal of uncluttered space.

Another reason is the psychological comfort that comes with keeping things. How often have you held onto items because they have sentimental value? Or perhaps you are a “I might need them someday person.”

Organizing allows you to keep the items you are attached to even if they serve no purpose. You still feel like you were productive because everything is put away…somewhere.

Lastly, organizing often feels more creative and, therefore, more enjoyable. Organizing has become such a big business you can find organization supplies everywhere in every color, size, shape, and material.

It can become part of your decorating scheme.  

There’s a certain satisfaction in finding a place for everything. For many, discovering and using attractive storage solutions that create visually pleasing results is the best part of the job.

Decluttering, on the other hand, involves facing chaos head-on which can be overwhelming.

Why People Find Decluttering So Distasteful

Decluttering appears to be a challenging job with negative connotations. For one, it often feels more like housework or a chore than organizing does.

Decluttering requires rolling up your sleeves and dealing with the mess head-on. If the clutter is extremely bad, it becomes daunting. And most of us face it with an all or nothing attitude.

There is usually more physical labor involved in decluttering. The sorting, cleaning, and hauling items away can be exhausting.

That alone makes decluttering unappealing to many.

While decluttering can involve more physical labor, it definitely requires more mental and emotional effort.  You are forced to make decisions about what to keep and what to toss, sell or donate.

Decision fatigue is real, and the more choices we must make, the more draining the process becomes. This is especially challenging when items have sentimental value or when you’re unsure if you might need it in the future.

These decisions are often time-consuming as you weigh the reasons for keeping or letting go of items.

The decision-making process involves guilt which plays a significant role in why people avoid decluttering. You might feel guilty about letting go of items that were gifts (you don’t want to hurt someone’s feelings), items you purchased but never used (such a waste of money), or items that hold special memories (especially if connected to someone you love).

There’s also a sense of wastefulness in discarding things that are still usable, even if we no longer need them.

This guilt can make the process of decluttering depressing, leading you to put it off again and again.

Why Decluttering is Important Before You Begin Organizing

Decluttering is a crucial first step before organizing for several reasons. First, decluttering means you have less to organize. It’s simple math—the fewer items you have, the less you need to find space for.

This makes the organizing process much smoother and more effective. By tackling decluttering first, you’re setting yourself up for success, ensuring that your organizing efforts aren’t wasted on items you don’t need or want.

You only organize the things you keep and use. There's no sense in organizing items you never use.

Waiting to organize after you have decluttered a space saves time. The less you have, the less you have to put away. It's also easier and quicker it is to find the proper place for everything.

There will be less shuffling from one shelf, closet or storage bin to another. Organizing becomes a more streamlined and efficient process when you’re not bogged down by making declutter decisions.

Plus, with fewer items to manage, you’ll spend less time maintaining your organized space when the work is all done.

Decluttering before organizing saves you money in a couple of ways. When you declutter, you’re left with only what you need and want.

That means you only buy storage solutions or organizational tools for things you actually need and use.

It also keeps you from purchasing items you already have or things you thought you wanted but realized you never used.

And there’s the possibility of getting rid of enough clutter to eliminate the need for buying more storage tubs or shelving units at all. That’s money saved, right there.

Finally, it is important to mention that decluttering also reduces stress and frustration. Clutter can be overwhelming and mentally exhausting, leading to a sense of chaos in your home.

Trying to organize clutter is a fulltime job that is seldom finished. You’re constantly moving stuff around to get it out of the way.

Then you become frustrated when you can’t find what you’re looking for.  Decluttering allows you to create a system for storing items in the right place so you can easily find what it is you need.

Declutter First, Then Organize and Enjoy

Decluttering can be overwhelming, leading people to choose organizing as the more motivating task. By decluttering first you create a more manageable project, making it easier to get started and feel in control of the process.

You’ll save time, money, and frustration.

Most of the hard work will be done – the decision-making, the physical work – freeing you up to develop and use creative ideas for your organizational systems.

You will find more space storage. And plenty of room to invite positive energy into your life and home.

For a country living perspective on the decluttering craze, check out this article.

https://www.ruralwriter.com/blog/Decluttering-From-a-Country-Perspective