Decluttering can be challenging, but it’s a great way to make your home feel more comfortable and spacious. Especially with many homeowners spending more time inside, it becomes easier to notice the need to reduce. Maybe you want to organize something or change the purpose of a room. Often, the best place to start is with decluttering. But getting rid of things isn’t always easy. For Chicago homeowners who want to reduce, here are some key questions they can ask themselves to help move the process along:

What is my end goal?

Establishing a clear end goal creates a great framework and motivation for decluttering. Is your goal to drastically reduce your belongings or just to get rid of a few things and improve your organization? Once you know what you hope to achieve, it makes the process much easier. Rather than focusing so much on the individual items, you can continue to bring yourself back to that end goal.

When was the last time I used this?

We often hold on to things thinking we’ll need them down the line. If there’s something you can’t decide if you should keep or get rid of, considering the last time you used the item can help. Rather than thinking of a time you might need it in the future, think of how often you’ve used it in the past. Is it something you could get by without? Many homeowners run into this with kitchen tools, for example. They have a tool or appliance for everything, but hardly ever use them. When going through these things, ask yourself if there are other things you already own that could serve a similar purpose.

Do I enjoy it?

You’ve probably heard of The Life-Changing Magic of Tidying Up and its famous question “does it spark joy?”. While you can come up with the phrasing of this question for yourself, the idea can be a great way to simplify the decluttering process. Why hold on to something that doesn’t bring you some joy. This is especially true with clothing. Whatever you’re working on decluttering though, pausing to ask yourself if an object makes you happy or not can make the decision to keep or discard it a bit easier.

Could it serve a better purpose elsewhere?

Decluttering doesn’t just mean throwing things away. Homeowners can often donate a great deal of the things they no longer need. If you have working appliances or clothes in good condition, it can be helpful to realize these things might go to better use elsewhere. Rather than feeling like you’re just trashing things you once found valuable, seeing that they may be appreciated by someone else can help you part with them.

What are your decluttering tips? Are there any questions that help you simplify the decluttering process? I’d love to hear your thoughts!