I know that you’re wondering how to decide what to get rid of when decluttering because the most common thing I hear from people is: “I just can’t decide what to keep and what to get rid of.“

Let me just say this – I’ve been there, and it makes complete sense. If deciding felt easy, you’d have done it already.

I’ve been getting so many comments on my Facebook page lately from people who are completely stuck at this exact point. One person put it perfectly: “I can’t decide what to get rid of.” Another asked in full caps: “HOW DO YOU KNOW WHAT TO THROW AWAY?!”

I see you. Both of you.

So let’s talk about why this happens and what actually helps.

At its core, decluttering and organising are actually pretty simple. Remove what you no longer need, love or use, and give everything that stays a proper home. That’s it. Simple in theory – but simple doesn’t mean easy, and there are a few things that make it feel a lot harder than it should be.

Here’s why you’re finding it difficult and how to decide what to get rid of when decluttering, once and for all.

 

You’ve attached meaning to your stuff

 

A lot of the time, it’s not really about the object. It’s about what the object represents and the emotions it brings up. The craft supplies you spent a fortune on when you were going to finally commit to a hobby. The clothes that still have the tags on. The gifts you never liked but feel guilty about. Each one carries a little bit of weight, and when you’re surrounded by hundreds of those decisions, no wonder you freeze.

You don’t have to make peace with every single item in one afternoon. That’s too much to ask of yourself.

 

You’re trying to do it all at once

 

Most people decide to declutter with the intention of sorting the whole house. Your brain looks at the scale of it and quietly goes “no way” – and suddenly you’re making a cup of tea and watching Netflix instead.

 

Decluttering works better in small, focused sessions. The corner behind the sofa. The bag of random stuff you removed from your car last month. The drawer that’s been driving you nuts. One shelf. One rail of clothes. Small wins build momentum, and momentum is what gets the whole house done over time.

 

You don’t have a framework for deciding

 

Without a clear way to make decisions, you’ll pick something up, think about it for too long, put it back down, and move on. Then do the same with the next thing. And the next.

A simple set of questions I always come back to: Why do I have this? Does it add value to my life right now? And if I’m still stuck – Could I live without it?

Not whether you might need it someday, not whether it was expensive, not whether someone gave it to you. Does it actually earn its place?

If you’re using it, loving it, or genuinely need it – it stays. If it’s been sitting there untouched, making you feel worse every time you look at it – that’s your answer.

 

Guilt is getting in the way

 

This one is HUGE. So many people hold onto things purely out of guilt. Gifts, inherited items, things bought in a moment of optimism. Keeping something out of guilt doesn’t honour the person who gave it to you, and it doesn’t serve you either. It just takes up space and makes you feel worse every time you see it.

You’re allowed to let things go. That’s not being ungrateful or wasteful – that’s taking care of your home and your headspace. You don’t need permission from anyone else. I will say this, though – if you’re holding onto a family heirloom you don’t want or love, and there are other family members it would mean something to, it’s worth a quick phone call before you do anything with it. That one conversation could free you of the burden for good.

 

So where do you actually start?

 

That really depends on the level of clutter you’re dealing with.

If things are really overwhelming – no clear surfaces, no floor space, no obvious path through – start with a bin bag and a five-minute timer. Begin at the door and pick up as much rubbish as you can before the timer goes off. You’ll be amazed at what a difference five minutes makes. 

Repeat this throughout the day, and you’ll gradually start to create space to move and breathe again. Once you have that, you’ll be in a much better position to start making decisions about the things that aren’t rubbish. 

Trying to declutter properly when there’s nowhere to set things out or sort through them is really hard – so the first job is simply making a start and clearing some space. Keep the momentum going and repeat the process until it starts to shift.

If you’re dealing with more everyday household clutter and a backlog of unmade decisions, start with the easy wins. Pick one small area – not a room, not a wardrobe, just one small area – and give yourself 20 minutes. Your bedside table, the pile sat on top of the microwave, the jackets on the back of the door. Use the questions above, be honest with yourself, and don’t aim for perfect. Just aim for a little bit better than it was before.

As you work through things, sort as you go – keep, donate, bin – and think about where items actually belong based on how and where you use them. Containment is key to stopping things spilling out and getting messy again, but hold off on buying storage until you know exactly what you’re keeping and how much of it there is. Baskets and boxes need to be big enough to hold everything comfortably, with no overspill.

 

Something to give you a helping hand

 

If you want a bit more structure to get you started, I’ve created a free Declutter Kickstart Guide that walks you through exactly how to begin, even when you feel completely stuck. It’s straightforward, practical, and gives you a clear starting point rather than leaving you staring at a pile wondering where to begin.

You can grab it here: The Declutter Kickstart Guide 

Sometimes you just need someone to show you where the door is. The rest follows.