Decluttering Methods of Minimalist Masters – Decluttering Series #3

Fed up

Are you finally fed up with the amount of clutter in your home and ready to make a change? Do you wonder what life would be like if you could reclaim your space and make it neat and organized? Then, let us get started. All decluttering methods require getting rid of stuff. However, parting with possessions can be emotionally overwhelming. Fortunately, there are tons of creative ways to make the process easier. Top professional organizers have developed systems for breaking the process down and making it seem more bearable. Keep reading to learn the decluttering methods of minimalist masters.

Joshua Becker

Joshua Becker is my favorite minimalist master. While his family’s story is not unlike mine, he took it all the way! One day I was looking for ideas and basic support for the way I was feeling about not wanting so much stuff and I stumbled upon his website. If I aspired to be anyone but myself, it would be close to what he’s doing.

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KonMari Method

Let’s start with one of the latest and very popular decluttering methods. The author of The Life-Changing Magic of Tidying Up, Marie Kondo is considered by many to be a decluttering guru. Kondo’s method involves focusing on what to keep, rather than what to toss. The core principles involve categorizing your items, and then taking the time to sort through each category with the mindful intention of keeping only the ones that bring you joy. If you’re a collector of glassware, place all of your pieces on the table or counter. Pick up and inspect each, carefully determining which ones you love for their unique characteristics or sentimentality. Then, box up the rest to donate or sell. She has some other organizing hacks I like and have also seen on Pinterest.

While Marie Kondo has some good points in her book, such as the ones I mention above, she’s a little over the top for me. I don’t subscribe to the ideology that things have feelings and we should treat them as such. Additionally, I am a realist and know that people can’t always finish projects in one day.

365 Less Things

Colleen Madsen of, 365 Less Things, has a brilliant approach to paring down possessions and is why I’ve added her site to the list of decluttering methods. She decided at the beginning of 2010 to make minimalism her resolution by giving away or selling one item each day for the entire year. Madsen documents both the physical results of the project and the psychological aspects on her blog.

Minimalist Game

If you want to take the daily give-away approach a step further, consider playing the Minimalist Game, the brainchild of Joshua Fields Millburn and Ryan Nicodemus of the popular blog, The Minimalists. The game requires you to start on the first day of the month and to get rid of the number of items that corresponds with each date. Giving away one thing on the first day is easy, but can you come up with 31 to part with at month’s end? Those who stick with it will have a home with 496 pieces of clutter. Making it a challenging competition with friends or family ups the stakes.

Making Room for Happiness

Then there is me, Susie Glennan. In my 2014 psychology class, the professor and I talked about time management, organizing, clutter, and relationships. As we spoke of the psychological reasons behind each of these things, I had an epiphany and started writing Making Room for Happiness: Tips for Clearing Clutter.  I researched these topics for the class while learning how to research and write reviews of psychology studies. Using this education and a lifetime of learning about organizing and conquering clutter, I wrote about three types of clutter: physical, emotional, and mental. (This book is undergoing a revision. Watch for the relaunch!)

You could say I started decluttering and working on living a minimalist lifestyle back in the 1980’s. However, as time moved on I had children and a revolving door of clutter – declutter evolved. There has to be a constant decision and a process to enable you to release those things that weigh you down. You can read more about it here: The Queen of Purge and check out my book Making Room for Happiness: Tips for Clearing Clutter on Amazon or here: The Busy Woman.

These are just some of the creative decluttering methods to help you begin the process. Other popular strategies include 5-Minute Decluttering Tips from Zen Habits, Project 333 or the Packing Party. Pick one that resonates with you and go make progress!

Until next time…

Cheers!

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