If you're familiar with Marie Kondo and her ruthless brand of decluttering, you might be familiar with the notion that you have to ask yourself when deciding to keep something or throw it away if it “sparks joy.” Essentially, that means only keep and storing items that bring joy to you. If it no longer makes you happy, it's time to get rid of it. Honestly, that's not for everyone. You might feel emotionally drained afterwards, but most of the time you really might not have such strong feelings towards your things. Joy isn't the only reason you make a purchase, so it's not impossible to assume that joy won't be the reason you decide to keep it.
We've put together a couple of questions for you to ask yourself when you start organising:
- Do I use this? This one shouldn't take too long to think about—either you use it or you don't. Just remember, this question is not, “will I maybe use this one day?”
- Is this item extra? How many chopping boards do you really need? What about all those kitchen scissors? Do you really use all those wooden spoons? Take a look at what you need and use on a regular basis. Maybe you should consider borrowing items from friends and family for those special occasions.
- Would I buy this today? This is a really helpful question when looking at your more decorative items. Ask yourself if you'd still love it today and if it still suits your style.
- Does this help to make my life easier? There are some things that you don't really need but you do use regularly and make things simpler, like a rice maker. You could just cook your rice on the stove, but the rice maker will make any meal a lot easier. If you're going to keep anything, make sure it's useful to you.