Published: May 01, 2023

Why Putting Away Is Not the Same As Decluttering

In today’s world, minimalism and decluttering have become increasingly popular, with many people striving to simplify their lives and reduce the amount of stuff they own. While organizing and putting things away can certainly make your home look neater, it’s important to recognize that it’s not the same as decluttering. In fact, simply putting things away without actually decluttering can actually make the problem worse in the long run.

Reasons Why Putting Away Is Not the Same As Decluttering

It Doesn’t Address the Root of the Problem

If you’re constantly finding yourself overwhelmed with stuff, simply putting things away won’t solve the root of the problem. Instead, you need to address why you have so much stuff in the first place. Are you holding onto things for sentimental reasons? Do you have a hard time letting go of things that you might need someday? These are important questions to ask yourself if you want to truly declutter your space.

It Can Make It Harder to Find What You Need

When you simply put things away without decluttering, you’re essentially just shuffling your belongings around. While it might look neater at first, you’re not actually doing anything to make it easier to find what you need when you need it. In fact, if you’re just cramming things into drawers and closets, it can make locating what you’re looking for even harder.

It’s Not Sustainable

Putting things away without decluttering is a short-term solution at best. Eventually, you’re going to run out of space to store things, and you’ll be right back where you started. On the other hand, if you take the time to declutter and get rid of things you don’t need, you’ll create more space in your home and make it easier to maintain over the long term.

Four Tips for Effective Decluttering

Take It One Step at a Time

Decluttering can feel overwhelming, especially if you have a lot of stuff. Instead of trying to tackle your entire home at once, break it down into smaller, more manageable tasks. For example, start with one room or even just one drawer.

Sort Items Into Categories

When you’re decluttering, sorting your items into categories can be helpful. For example, you might have a pile for things you want to keep, a pile for things to donate or sell, and a pile for things to throw away.

Be Ruthless

When you’re deciding what to keep and what to get rid of, be honest with yourself. Do you really need that old T-shirt from college? Are you really going to read that book again? Remember, the goal is to create a more streamlined, simplified home.

Consider the Environmental Impact

If you’re getting rid of items, consider the environmental impact of where they’re going. Can you donate them to a local charity or sell them online? If you’re throwing things away, try to recycle or dispose of them properly.

While putting things away can make your home look neater in the short term, it’s not the same as decluttering. To truly simplify your life and create a more peaceful, organized home, you need to take the time to go through your belongings and get rid of the things you no longer need. By doing so, you’ll not only create more physical space in your home, but also more mental space in your mind. For more information, visit UNITS Moving and Portable Storage of Southeast Michigan or call (734) 821-4854.