Home Organization 101: Purging

Today I’m bringing you Part 2 of the Home Organization 101 Series! If you missed Part 1: Tools, make sure and get caught up. Today we’re talking purging. One of the first steps in organizing any area of your home is to simply get. rid. of. stuff. Whether you donate it, sell it, or throw it away, purging is all about removing stuff from our lives and our homes.

People often get overwhelmed at the thought of getting rid of their things. It makes sense! There’s an immense amount of decision-making involved, and it’s often about things that hold sentimental value or that we feel we should hold onto for one reason or another. So read on for three different approaches to purging in the form of three simple questions you can ask yourself when organizing.

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1. Does it spark joy?

Many of you may be familiar with Marie Kondo’s book, The Life-Changing Magic of Tidying Up. I read it last year, and here’s what I said about it in a previous post:

I really enjoyed the practical points of this book and how Marie has many organizing tips, tricks, and rules that are opposite of what so many books and Pinterest articles teach. Her method centers on the idea of our objects sparking joy… and if they don’t, then get rid of them! I found this incredibly helpful as I am known to keep things “just in case” or out of guilt. But with her method I found it easy to get rid of belongings that in reality are just stressing me out. My one qualm with this book is how she personifies objects and asserts that they have feelings and that we should thank them. Gets a little too weird for me, but if you read it for her practical approach and ignore that stuff it’s a very helpful guide.

So as you can see, Kondo’s method of asking the question, “Does this object spark joy in me?” to decide if you’re going to keep it or not can be a helpful tool in getting rid of your stuff.

2. Have you used it in the past six months?

Another popular approach to purging is to get rid of things that you haven’t used in the last six months, under the assumption that if you don’t use it that often you don’t really need it. I find this approach extra helpful when it comes to my closet. Chances are that if I haven’t worn something in the previous six months (seasonal, holiday, and specialty pieces aside), that I probably won’t wear it in the future. Or I at least won’t be wearing it enough to justify it taking up precious closet space!

3. Do you miss it after six months?

The final method that I find helpful is for those of us who are a bit more gun-shy when it comes to getting rid of our things. If you are still not sure if you should get rid of something, put it in a box, label it, and put it away in a closet or under the bed, and set a reminder for six months in the future. When the six months is up and if you haven’t opened the box or needed anything in it, donate the box without opening it.

So next time you head to your closets, drawers, or if you’re like us, junk boxes from your previous move, ask yourself these questions to simplify the purging process. Comment below if you have any other sure-fire methods for getting rid of stuff!

Feeling like you need more organization inspiration and motivation? Check out my free email course—‘5 Days to an Organized Home.’ 

This free five day course includes a focus on five different areas of the home, with tips, must-have organization tools, and daily “Put it Into Action” steps you can take in your own home.

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My hope is that you’ll walk away from the course feeling empowered and encouraged in your organizing endeavors, and that the tips and tricks I share will help you create a home that is both cozy and functional!

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