How to Own Less Stuff: 11 Decluttering Hacks

1. Keep what you actually want

What matters is not having the least things possible, but rather focusing on things that bring you joy and are essential to you. It is about structuring your life and your possessions in ways that actually improve it.

Look at the objects in your house through the lens of emotion – do you have a positive emotional response to this thing?

Another thing to look for is a purpose. Everything you own should make your life easier and support your current and future goals and lifestyle.

2. The one in at least one out method

Once you get your home to a place where you want it to stay or you just want less crap coming into your house, this rule is such a lifesaver.

When you bring something into your house, something else of that category has to go out of your house – a new book replaces an old book, a new shirt replaces an old shirt.

This also forces you to shop more mindfully, because you know it is going to cost you something in return.

3. Take care of your stuff

This is valid for big things and small things alike. Maintaining your car and keeping it clean and working will make it more valuable when you decide to sell it in the future.

Making the most out of the phone you already have instead of constantly upgrading will save you so much money, as well.

It could even just be washing your clothes differently so that they last longer, or repairing shoes and pants instead of getting new ones. Whether it is something expensive or really cheap, there is no reason to replace it unnecessarily.

4. Practice intentional shopping

When you want to bring something new into your house, check in with yourself.

Is this a planned purchase or an impulse buy? Would I pay full price for this item? Will my life change if I do not buy this thing and is that change worth the money? Do I have a space where I know this thing will go? How often am I going to use this thing?

More stuff is not always the answer, sometimes it is best to borrow or find a creative alternative.

5. Curate your home

Often when we go to buy stuff, we will have this ideal self, ideal house, ideal life in mind. However, it is important to remember that the reality is often very different, and our purchases should reflect and suit our reality.

I used to have a gorgeous leather couch, but now that I have two kids, it is not a functional member of our household, so we got one that fits us better.

We have to make decisions that will serve our family and our actual lifestyle best, even if it goes against our imagined self.

6. Make decluttering a habit

Decluttering is not a one-time thing but something you have to keep doing regularly. Keep a box around, do whatever it takes, but continually get rid of stuff so that it does not build up and stress you out. Make getting rid of things you have not used in a while part of your daily routine.

7. Avoid back-up clutter

As a frugal person, I used to fall into this trap a lot. You keep that backup pair of shoes just in case your feet grow, extra mugs in case 17 people happen to come over, shirts and pants in case you go up or down in size.

Whether it is in your kitchen or in your closet, you probably know what those “just in case” items are. So ask yourself, has that “case” happened in the last year? And if not, it may be time to get rid of that thing.

8. Find your uniform

Most people wear 20% of their clothes 80% of the time, so finding out what that 20% is for you and not buying the other 80% anymore can literally save you thousands of dollars.

Both my wife and I have consolidated our closets over the last couple of years. I mostly just wear black now, which is the most practical. I have found a pair of jeans that fit me well, and I wear the same kind of shirts almost daily.

Next time you go to pick out your clothes in the closet, see which ones you always skip past and try to curate those you always grab and enjoy wearing.

9. Experiences over stuff

Whether as a gift or for yourself, prioritize investing in things that will create memories, rather than just another item that will gather dust in your home or your closet.

My wife gave me a pizza oven a couple of years ago, and that has given us a lot of pizza parties and great memories.

Instead of doing jewelry for different anniversaries and birthdays, we go on a little trip, go out or spend a night in.

We do things together and enjoy each other’s company, and those turn out to be the most important moments in life when I look back.

10. Keep a wish list

Most of the best purchases of my life have come from delayed gratification. When I want to buy something on Amazon or any store online, I put it in the cart, and give myself some time to think about it, which normally leads to me totally forgetting that I even wanted that thing.

This prevents random impulse purchases that will not improve my life from entering my home. Ask your friends’ or family’s opinion, think about it thoroughly, and if it is still relevant, you can always buy it tomorrow, next week or in a month.

11. Regularly review the stuff that you have

As you review what you own and ask yourself if it is still relevant to your life, you will start to realize how little stuff actually improves your life. This will lead you to want to get new stuff less, and focus more on the things that truly matter in life.

How to own less stuff

Do you still own too much stuff? How are you dealing with it? Share in the comments!