Not Ready for Konmari? Six Places to Declutter Right Now!

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If you’ve been following the blog for the last few months, you know I’ve been working through Marie Kondo’s method (a.k.a. the Konmari Method) to declutter my home. I recently finished the first category, clothing. I still have four categories to go: books, papers, komono (miscellany), and mementos.

In response to my most recent post, part 5 of the clothing saga, my friend Becca left this very thought-provoking comment:

“I was wondering if you had any tips on where to start with this method in other aspects? I’m not quite at the point where I can go through clothes right now since I’m in such a transitional time with my body but I love sorting through things and getting rid of stuff that is unnecessary. Any tips on where to start other than clothing?”

The reason most of the general advice says to do clothing first is because A. most of us have closets jam packed with clothes we don’t wear, and B. clothing is the easiest thing to sort through, declutter, and get fast results with. You don’t have to start with your clothing to begin your decluttering journey, however. There are a lot of other good methods for getting rid of clutter that don’t rely on starting with your closet.

I began learning various methods of decluttering my home long before I read The Lifechanging Magic of Tidying Up. I’ve written about dealing with my Room of Crap – which is still a Room of Crap, by the way, since I haven’t gotten to komono yet.

The first book I ever read about decluttering was Unclutter Your Life in One Week by Erin Rooney Doland. I credit this book with getting me started with my decluttering journey when I read it years ago, and it’s just as relevant today. I’d recommend it if you’re serious about simplifying your space, or if you’re like me and enjoy reading these sorts of self help books.

Anyway, on to the practical advice.

Six Places to Start Decluttering Now

1. Hot Spots

Let’s start with the places that will make the most noticeable difference. The best places to start decluttering, if you ignore your clothing, are your “hot spots”. These are the spots in your home that attract clutter the fastest. You can determine where these hot spots are by walking around your home and making a note of which places seem to always be covered in crap, no matter how often your clear them off.

In my house, the biggest hot spot is the dining room table. We almost always enter through the garage, and my hands are always full of a baby, an overflowing purse (that doubles as a diaper bag and trash can), kid’s crafts, grocery bags, and other paraphernalia. This stuff is always dumped onto the table because it’s right there, and I need to put things down fast. (And I know I can just “get to it later”.) Other hot spots in my house are the kitchen counter and the dresser in my bedroom.

I find that hot spots are the trickiest places to keep uncluttered because you and/or your family are trained to drop things there. It is easier to alter your system for collecting and organizing the clutter than changing everyone’s habits. If everyone takes off their shoes and leaves them by the door, and never takes them upstairs to their rooms to be put away, can you put a shoe rack or bin by the door to store the shoes instead? If everyone dumps their keys and papers on the kitchen counter when they walk in, try creating a kitchen command center with specific places to store keys and incoming papers.

2. Stagnant Spaces

Stagnant Spaces are the out of sight out of mind places that accumulate clutter over time and then sit, untouched. They still bother you unconsciously, though, because in the back of your mind you know it’s still there. (This is, at its core, why decluttering your space is good for decluttering your mind.)

Your stagnant spaces may be more difficult to determine at first glance than your hot spots. You tend to realize you have them once you open the drawer or cupboard. Some stagnant spaces you have may or may not include: a kitchen junk drawer, a little used drawer in your dresser, the shelf or floor of your closet, or even the shelves/cupboards of any large piece of furniture.

In my house some of the stagnant spaces are the drawer of my nightstand (where I tend to throw errant bookmarks, journals, hand lotions, and other random things), the cupboard under the microwave (don’t even ask what’s in there), and of course, I have the Room of Crap, which is one giant clutter bomb.

Once you have these spots nicely decluttered, you may not feel the desire to throw more random crap in it. It will look too nice to clutter up!

3. The Kitchen

Most people spend a lot of time in their kitchens, and they can accumulate quite a bit of clutter. Kitchens can be home to several hot spots and stagnant spaces. There may be a lot of unused dishes, utensils, and cookware. In addition you may have expired medications or vitamins in your kitchen.

Throw out any food that’s gone bad or is long past its expiration date. Here is a handy link with a list of food storage periods. Certain grains, such as brown rice and flax seed, can go rancid if not stored properly, so check on those if you don’t use them often.

Do you have dishware you don’t use that you are saving in case Queen Elizabeth II comes for tea? I hate to break it to you, but it’s not happening. Consider bringing those dishes out and using them to serve your dinner on tonight. I’m firmly of the opinion that nice things are meant to be used and enjoyed, not moldering away in a cabinet somewhere – and if you don’t want to use them, someone else will. If you haven’t used your nice dishes or silverware even on holidays, you may want to consider selling them or giving them away.

Do you have a full set of dishes or glasses but never ever use them all? Consider that you don’t need to keep the entire set. Keep as many as you need for daily use (and perhaps a few extras for when you have company) and part with the rest.

Do you have duplicates of kitchen gadgets that you never use? Or worse, unitaskers you never use? (Like all those egg devices that never end up working as well as they do in the commercials.) Do yourself a favor and donate them. Reclaim your valuable kitchen storage real estate.

Note: you don’t have to get rid of something just because you don’t use it if it’s a sentimental item. If Grandma’s lovely serving platter brings you joy, by all means keep it if you have room for it. Consider serving dinner on that lovely platter family style at your table, or find a place to display it properly.

4. Books

I talked about decluttering books in my Room of Crap part 3 post. I had a few major epiphanies when I went through all my boxes of old books.

You have spent a long time and a lot of money collecting that long book series, but take a look at it with new eyes. You may just realize that you will never read it again and don’t want it taking up space. If you haven’t read a book in several years and have no immediate plans to re-read it, then consider parting with it.

Another question to ask yourself is, can you easily borrow a copy of it from the library if you do decide to read it again? Remember that your local library is a valuable resource. These days you can borrow e-books from the library as well.

Think twice before decluttering any books that you are sentimentally attached to or are irreplaceable. In the heat of a decluttering moment it may seem like a good idea to get rid of a book just because you haven’tn read it in a few years, but you may come to regret doing so. If a book is sentimental, set it aside for now.

5. Papers

Papers are, in my opinion, the most annoying thing to declutter. Alas, every so often it needs to be done. Shred any tax documents that are over seven years old. Recycle old manuals or warranties. You may not even have the appliance in question anymore, and you can find most manuals online.

If, during your decluttering spree, you come across anything sentimental, such as old notes or letters, set them aside to deal with at a later time.

6. Your Main Living Space

I find too much visual clutter distracting and anxiety-inducing. Decluttering my main living space helps me feel more calm and at ease in my home.

Reduce the clutter on any display areas. If you have a lot of books displayed, perhaps you could relocate some to a bookshelf somewhere else and only keep your favorites in view. Do the same with any mementos, tchotchkes, photos, etc. You can also use this as an opportunity to refresh your decor. Switch things up with decor you currently display in other rooms.

If your living room is a constant drop ground for stuff that should go elsewhere, set a bin at the stairs to collect things to go upstairs (or in another room). Take it up with you whenever you go upstairs so the items can be returned to their homes.

Are you storing a hundred DVD’s you know you’ll never watch again? Consider donating them. The same goes for old video games and CD’s. (You can borrow DVD’s from the library, did you know that?)

Bonus: Wait to Deal With Sentimental Items

Notice how I keep saying that if you come across anything sentimental, to set it aside? That’s right. If, during your decluttering spree, you come across old photographs, letters, school artwork, or anything else that might provoke strong emotion: DO NOT ENGAGE! 

There is a reason Marie Kondo designates mementos as the last category in her method. Sentimental clutter will bog. you. down. What you think will be just a “short trip down memory lane” will suck up too much of your valuable time. It will take you completely out of your decluttering groove. One minute you are sorting through old papers, the next you’ve come across a box of old photographs and now it’s hours later and time to make dinner and you still haven’t finished going through the papers.

I recommend taking a box or tub and designating it for sentimental items. As you declutter your home, feel free to put aside anything sentimental you come across that you’re not immediately sure what to do with or that will take a long time to go through (like a box of old photos) in the box. This advice will serve you well whether you are doing the Konmari Method or just plain random decluttering.

Once you have finished decluttering the more pressing areas in your home – and have become more practiced at decluttering – you can set aside a chunk of time when you are in a neutral frame of mind to tackle this box of mementos.

I hope this post has given you the motivation you need to get some decluttering done! Don’t forget to check out the books I linked at the beginning of the post. They are valuable resources with a lot of detailed information.

Leave a comment below: what is your style for getting rid of clutter in your home? Do you prefer an organized method, or do you just tackle random areas? Do you have trouble dealing with sentimental clutter?

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Resources:

Helpful books to help inspire, motivate, and give you a framework for decluttering

The Lifechanging Magic of Tidying Up by Marie Kondo

Unclutter Your Life in One Week by Erin Rooney Doland

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