To Declutter Faster, Start with What You Need

Decluttering can be tough work. But it’s always worth the effort. If you have been struggling to find momentum, I hope this tip will encourage you to find some today.

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Recent videos:

It’s Not That Possessions Won’t Make You Happy, They Keep Us from Things that Do

8 Strategies to Complain Less

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Most popular videos:

7 Daily Habits for a Clutter-Free Home: Declutter for Good

Top 10 Things to Declutter Right Now

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You can read more tips in my book, The Minimalist Home.

Read hundreds of articles on decluttering and owning less on the Becoming Minimalist blog.

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[yaririvera]

I just took 4 days off from work so I can declutter my apartment, so this video has been perfect!!!

[baddognobiscuit]

I moved from my 2.5 storey home to a small 1 bedroom apt. I imagined what I wanted my new place to look like, kept those things, and got rid of the rest. In the end the only thing I really missed was my garden. My things didn't matter.

[melissac.]

Here’s one idea that probably doesn’t come up too often. Make your home safe and accessible in terms of navigating through it on a daily basis. This idea only occurred to me when my husband and I got old and infirm. Nowadays, I make sure that our home has:
* clear sight lines
* clear pathways (also, we may use walkers or scooters in
future, EMTs may need access)
* clear doorways
* no trip hazards
* rounded furniture — and less of it
* grab bars and tub stick-ons in the bathroom, non-skid floor
mat near the tub
* good lighting — LED ceiling fixtures (no ladders), and
motion-sensor night lights — indoors and outdoors)
* no candles
* few decorative pillows or knickknacks, minimal seasonal
decor (only quality, beautiful items that make you happy)
* safe heaters (Dyson)
* cleared tabletops (so we don’t accidentally knock things off,
and so we can hold onto the tables if need be as we walk by)
* few area rugs (trip hazards)
* easy-to-clean window treatments (ladder-free cleaning)
* fewer possessions so we no longer need to use our highest
shelves or the basement or the garage for storage (unsafe)
* etc., etc.
These ideas keep our minimalist home tidy and safe for ourselves and our guests. Our estate will be easier for our surviving relatives to process when we’re gone.

[giennefarcais]

So I was planning to move to a new house. I packed all my belongings and for the last three weeks lived with the barest minimum of clothes, kitchen items, etc. - just enough to get by each day. Life was simple and easy. The last night before the movers were set to come, I disconnected the tv and the computer. And with no distractions, I turned back to my writing, which brings me JOY - and which I had scarcely done it in the past months as I house-hunted and cleaned and prepared to move. Thank God the move has fallen through. I know now what I can live without and what was draining my life away. I hope never to go back to those things and behaviors.

[thebarky]

The question “ what do I need” is a game changer for decluttering…. Thank you for another wonderful video!

[twiggie]

I'm already a minimalist, but am always looking to maintain my clear space - especially as a parent!! Thanks for always posting good, helpful content! God bless!

[AhmetKaan]

*“You can’t go back and change the beginning, but you can start where you are and change the ending...”*
*―C. S. Lewis*

I may not know you personally, but I believe in you my friend! 🙏

[anig]

💡💡💡I think I have a good idea!😌
whenever I feel like buying something or wanting to get something back I look at my photo album which has all the photos showing everything I got rid of, everything I gave and with of course the weight and dimensions of things that no longer weigh me. and then I remember all the time it took me to achieve this result🙂🙋🏻‍♀️

[ayewards]

"What do you want to keep?" is the wallpaper on my phone. Stuff, relationships, hobbies...it applies to everything.

[lisa-pjss]

i love this concept. an idea that works well for my personality is i like to completely empty a space before i declutter, whether it's a drawer or a closet, so that i am starting with a blank slate. i am less likely to 'reclutter' the space once i see how nice it looks uncluttered.

[jeffmcilroy]

I’ve really been struggling getting started on a major purge. I’ve never thought of minimizing by just thinking about what I need.. this is going to help me SO MUCH.. thank you!

[kathypaige]

This is a brilliant approach! Makes so much sense, not sure why I haven't heard it before. Thank you!

[thomashughes]

My daughter had asked me what I needed for Father's Day, and I said, "Nothing". The end. ❤️

[BrendaAnderson]

Spot on!!! I am going to declutter this way from now on! Thank you!

[suegreenland]

It's like choosing what you like to eat from a buffet and ignoring other foods though you paid for the whole buffet.

[Ken_Mags]

sir, I want to shake your hand. I love your channel with no ads ☺
cheers from 🇵🇭

[TheDriftwoodlover]

You are the best — succinct and to the point. I value how well you distill your messages to the important points. Thank you!!

[Jessinblackandwhite]

We are remodeling our kitchen so all of its contents are in a different room. Before I put things back in, I’ll ask myself this question. Thank you for your videos!

[brianhall]

I've been following you mr. Becker for last 2 years I was already a pretty disciplined but have followed a lot of your suggestions on decluttering and got rid of many things that I never used or had too much of made it easier to clean and enjoy life and enjoy the things that really matter in life thanks for your videos they're great motivator thanks again

[sgueymard]

A daily dose of Joshua Becker is my best anxiety treatment.