Understanding the Distinction between Decluttering and Organizing: Enhance Home Organization

Q: "I'm struggling to toss out items. I worry about losing something essential since I've accidentally discarded necessary items before."

It's normal to feel uneasiness or guilt about disposing of items, particularly if you've unintentionally thrown away something useful in the past. This usually happens due to over-decluttering and lack of proper organization.

The terms "decluttering" and "organizing" are frequently used interchangeably, but they have different meanings. Decluttering refers to the process of clearing out the stuff, which is usually a quick and simple task that yields instant results. In contrast, organizing is an after-decluttering activity, aiming to efficiently arrange the remaining items according to your current life stage. Organizing is a more time-consuming activity that demands regular upkeep.

Decluttering normally works best during our 20s and 30s, but its effectiveness diminishes as we age into our 40s, 50s, and 60s, given that we accumulate items we cherish and frequently use over time. Thus, the need for decluttering decreases.

It appears you have made decluttering your main strategy for maintaining a clean home, which might have worked well in the past. When you feel overwhelmed, you resort to decluttering, but you risk discarding useful items, reducing the relief decluttering once offered you. This is referred to as over-decluttering.

Instead of decluttering, consider organizing. Organization is more than just storing everything in pretty containers. It revolves around questioning what you require in your current life phase, how much of it you need, and where you should store it.

Although it might seem counterproductive, you may discover in the course of organizing that you need to buy additional items, particularly if you've recently transitioned to a different stage of life or if you're cohabitating with other adults.

The content of this article was inspired by the ADDitude ADHD Experts webinar titled, "Your Organized Home: Functional Organization for Your Life Phase Right Now" featuring Lisa Woodruff. The webinar was aired on July 19, 2023.

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