This is part of my series on Decluttering Mental Models.

Many decluttering experts give very simple answers to the question of “What if I need this later?” But the honest answer is complicated and depends on the item and your particular situation.

Instead of giving you some simple answer, let me give you ten things to consider:

Consideration #1: If you need this item in a year, will it occur to you that you already have one?

Let’s say you’re debating whether to keep the gravy boat from Grandma Granger. You’ve never used it, but you might need it in the future.

It’s useful to imagine yourself a year from now hosting Thanksgiving dinner and actually needing that gravy boat. At that time, will you remember that you have this item packed away in some back closet? Will you take the time to pull it out and clean it?

Or will you forget all about it?

(I got this idea from Decluttering at the Speed of Life! by Dana K. White.)

Consideration #2: How much money do you have?

If you have to re-buy something in a year, will you have enough money to do so?

(Many decluttering experts scoff at this, but a chunk of America is poor.)

Consideration #3: Do you already have one of these?

When we declutter, we often discover duplicates and triplicates of various items. How many containers of garlic salt do I really need? How many copies of Crucial Conversations do I need? (I have no idea how I ended up with two copies sitting on my bookcase.)

Consideration #4: How expensive is this to replace?

Spatulas cost very little to replace. KitchenAid mixers cost a lot more. All things being equal, declutter the inexpensive stuff first.

Consideration #5: How hard is it to replace this?

Family heirlooms are irreplaceable. A bread maker may be expensive, but it’s easy to find a replacement.

Consideration #6: How much space does it take?

Couches take a ton of room. A dozen necklaces from Grandma occupy far less space. All things being equal, get rid of the big stuff first.

Consideration #7: When is the last time you used this item?

A good rule of thumb says that if you haven’t used something for three months, it’ll be another three months before you use it again. So start decluttering the stuff you haven’t used in over a year.

Note: Exceptions to this exist, like with seasonal clothing. Use good judgment.

Consideration #8: You’ll re-buy 5% of what you declutter

When you declutter and downsize, you’ll inevitably get rid of a few things and have to re-buy them later. Will you be OK with re-purchasing 5% of the things you get rid of? Is it worth having the clutter gone right now? Is it worth having that space reclaimed right now?

Consideration #9: How bad is the clutter?

Does clutter cover every kitchen counter and make it impossible to prepare food? Or are you looking to get rid of few things in a couple of cupboards?

The more clutter you have, the more you need to start getting rid of stuff.

Consideration #10: Is this part of a hobby?

I love reading books, buying them, and checking them out from the public library. Books are my hobby. As a result, I keep a lot more books than the average person.

In every other area of my life, I’m more of a minimalist. I limit my clothes and exercise equipment and regularly use what I have.

So before you get rid of something, consider whether it’s part of a current hobby. Be less strict about decluttering stuff for your hobby. And beware of aspirational identities and future hobbies.


More Decluttering Mental Models:

Top 10 Favorites

  1. How I answer the question: “What if I need this later?”
  2. “The Container strategy” will simplify your decluttering
  3. Selling clothes is for suckers (unless you earn $15/hour)
  4. Wait 48 hours before buying stuff
  5. 21 questions to ask before you buy
  6. The radical way to measure wealth, part 1 and part 2
  7. We’re trained to be dissatisfied with what we have (and how to fix this)
  8. Clear clutter by zoning your home
  9. How screen time kills your motivation to declutter
  10. Dear car dealers: I don't want a "free" T-shirt with your logo

Get started

  1. Clear clutter by zoning your home
  2. How I answer the question: “What if I need this later?”
  3. “The Container strategy” will simplify your decluttering
  4. Hold each item and ask, “Does this spark joy?”
  5. When the “Does this Spark Joy?” fails you, ask these 6 questions
  6. Create your “Discard by Feb. 2022” box
  7. Decluttering yearbooks? Ask these 8 questions first

Shopping

  1. 21 questions to ask before you buy
  2. Wait 48 hours before buying stuff - version 1 and version 2
  3. How a grocery shopping list saves me time, money, and pounds

Manage your clothes

  1. Selling clothes is for suckers (unless you can earn $15/hour)
  2. Dear Dude with too many T-shirts: no one wants to buy them—just recycle/trash them
  3. Don't be like my friend Giorgio with his 400 Hawaiian shirts
  4. None of my clothes "spark joy"—so what do i get rid of?

Happiness & satisfaction

  1. Limit pleasurable things so they don’t lose their novelty
  2. We’re trained to be dissatisfied with what we have (and how to fix this)
  3. Craving never stops and my potato chip addiction
  4. Reminder: happiness levels stay consistent

Get motivated

  1. Want to boost your motivation to declutter? Immerse yourself in decluttering videos, podcasts, & books!
  2. How screen time kills your motivation to declutter
  3. Imagine your ideal home… Imagine all the clutter is gone…
  4. Feeling unmotivated? Declutter with a 5-minute time box

Manage your money

  1. The radical way to measure wealth, part 1 and part 2
  2. Save money by controlling aspirational identities
  3. I wasted so much money starting projects (and how I fixed it)

Manage consumption spirals

  1. How consumption spirals work
  2. Buying a house led to an enormous consumption spiral
  3. How craving completeness drives my consumption

Shift your Paradigm

  1. Change your environment, change your consumption
  2. 3 thought experiments to adopt a decluttering mindset
  3. Your home is not a storage unit for other people's crap!
  4. Before you buy stuff, do this little mental exercise
  5. Less space, less stuff
  6. That’s right, you and I pay for the privilege of seeing viagra ads
  7. Your home is an expensive container for your stuff. What’s your cost per sqft?

Manage your emotions

  1. Can you tolerate boredom?
  2. Fill the void with a long term goal

Control the Clutter

  1. Dear car dealers: I don't want a "free" T-shirt with your logo