Sorting and categorizing items is a crucial step in the decluttering process as it helps you make more informed decisions about what to keep, donate, recycle, or discard. Here’s a systematic approach to sort and categorize items while decluttering:
How to sort & categorise items
By sorting and categorizing your belongings, you gain clarity about what’s essential to you and can create a more organized and clutter-free living space. Remember to maintain these habits and regularly reassess your possessions to prevent clutter from accumulating again.
Four-Box Method
- Designate Sorting Areas: Set up designated sorting areas in your home. Use separate spaces or containers for each category, such as “Keep,” “Donate/Sell,” “Recycle,” and “Trash.”
- One Area at a Time: Focus on decluttering one area or room at a time. This prevents you from feeling overwhelmed and allows you to complete the task systematically.
- Start with a Small Section: Begin by decluttering a small section within the chosen area. For example, start with a single drawer, a shelf, or a countertop.
- Empty the Space: Take everything out of the area you’re decluttering and place the items in the sorting areas you’ve designated.
- Create Categories: As you go through the items, create specific categories based on their use, condition, and importance. Common categories include:
- Keep: Items that you need, use regularly, or have sentimental value.
- Donate/Sell: Items in good condition that you no longer need but can benefit others or be sold.
- Recycle: Items made of recyclable materials that you no longer need or can’t be donated/sold.
- Trash: Items that are broken, damaged, or no longer usable.
- Be Objective: Be honest and objective when categorizing items. Ask yourself if you genuinely need or use the item and if it aligns with your current lifestyle.
- Make Quick Decisions: To avoid getting stuck on individual items, set a time limit for making decisions about each item. If you’re undecided, place the item in a separate “Undecided” box and revisit it later.
- Handle Sentimental Items Carefully: Sentimental items can be emotionally challenging to declutter. Consider their true significance and whether they bring you joy or burden. Keep only the most meaningful ones.
- Declutter Digital Items: Don’t forget to declutter your digital space, including files, photos, and emails. Organize and delete unnecessary digital clutter to free up storage space.
- Dispose Responsibly: Properly dispose of items in the “Recycle” and “Trash” categories following your local waste management guidelines.
- Donate or Sell: Once you’ve sorted the items for donation or sale, arrange for them to be donated to charities or sold through appropriate channels.
- Organize the “Keep” Category: Once you’ve decluttered and categorized everything, organize the items you’ve chosen to keep. Use storage solutions to keep things tidy and accessible.
Alternative methods to sort & categorise your items
KonMari Method
Marie Kondo, a Japanese organizing consultant, introduced the KonMari method, which is a unique and popular approach to decluttering and organizing. The KonMari method focuses on tidying by category rather than by location and emphasizes keeping only items that “spark joy.” In the KonMari method, you declutter by category, not by room or area. The five main categories are: clothing, books, papers, komono (miscellaneous items), and sentimental items. By addressing each category all at once, you can see the full extent of your belongings and make better decisions about what to keep.
The Minimalist Game
The Minimalist Game is a decluttering challenge where you get rid of a specific number of items over the course of a month. On the first day, you remove one item, on the second day, two items, and so on. By the end of the month, you’ll have decluttered hundreds of items from your home.
Room-By-Room Decluttering
This approach involves tackling one room at a time and decluttering it thoroughly before moving on to the next space. It provides a structured way to focus on specific areas and maintain a sense of accomplishment as you complete each room.
Reverse Hanger Technique
For decluttering clothes, start by hanging all your clothes with the hangers facing the same direction. After wearing an item, return it to the closet with the hanger facing the opposite direction. After a set period (e.g., six months), you’ll easily identify which clothes you haven’t worn, making it easier to declutter unworn items.
ABC Method
This method is useful for decluttering items in a specific category, such as books, papers, or belongings in a storage space. Sort items alphabetically, making it easier to evaluate and make decisions about each item.
Digital Decluttering Techniques
For digital clutter, you can use techniques like the “One-in-One-out” rule, where you delete an old file or email whenever you add a new one. Additionally, you can organize files into folders and use cloud storage to keep your digital space tidy.
SWOT Analysis
Borrowing from business management, you can use a SWOT (Strengths, Weaknesses, Opportunities, Threats) analysis for decluttering. Assess each item’s value and purpose, considering its positive and negative aspects to determine whether it stays or goes.
The Pomodoro Technique
If you find decluttering overwhelming, use the Pomodoro Technique to break the process into short, focused intervals. Set a timer for 25 minutes, work on decluttering, and then take a 5-minute break. Repeat as needed.