Purging: 6 Tips From Our Favorite Pro Organizers

Our mission as professional organizers is to help people live a life of connection, not collection. This Earth Day, let's celebrate together by reducing consumption. Thoughtfully purging is a great way to reduce your carbon footprint, and it’s an essential step in organizing any space. When a home is ready for a refresh, most of the time that means getting rid of things that no longer suit your lifestyle. Oftentimes, it also means finding lots of goodies that you forgot even existed!

When working with clients I always tell them that I don’t want to focus on what you can get rid of. Instead, I flip the script by asking, “what do you want to keep?” It changes the dialogue completely.

There are different ways to go about purging, and they largely depend on what and why you’re decluttering in the first place. I asked our Life in Jeneral Partners to take a deep dive into the art of purging: the most effective methods, how to go about it in different scenarios, and the nitty gritty of why it’s hard to let go of our possessions.

No matter how you go about it, remember to give yourself grace. What you’re doing is hard work, but you will be so happy that you did it. Take our partners’ tips below and keep them in mind as you go!

• I find it necessary to take small breaks during the purging process, especially if you feel more emotionally attached to your things. Sometimes it can be exhausting choosing what to keep, donate and trash. If you’re on the fence about an item, create a 'maybe' bin. Then, once all the purging is complete and there has been a lunch break or just pause in process, revisit the 'maybe' bin again.

  - Katherine Oldham, Katherine Oldham (based in Orange County, CA)

Photo by Katherine Oldham

• In order to create organizational systems that work (and last!), a deep evaluation of what is currently taking space in your home is necessary. To maintain an organized house, you must first let go of the things that are stopping you from living your best life. When you declutter and donate the things that are no longer serving you, you invite opportunity, possibility, and a home you deserve and love into your realm. Getting organized is a journey, and decluttering is the most important step to creating an organized lifestyle. Never organize what you can declutter.

  - Karen Windholz, Sort Toss Repeat (based in Greater Northern VA)

Photo by Sort Tess Repeat

• Children’s items can be a real challenge to purge. When purging the many hundreds of assignments and artwork they bring home from school, ask yourself, “In 30 years will this be a blessing, or a burden?” Only keep those things that are truly special. Does it show off your child’s personality, make you laugh, or is something they worked hard for? If so, keep it! If not, time to recycle.

  - Susie Salinas, Systems by Susie (based in Annapolis, MD)

Photo by Systems by Susie

• When clients are on the fence about keeping or tossing something, I swear by my Declutter Therapy Tool! Ask yourself these questions and write out the answers: 

  • Have you used this item in the last 6 months?

  • Does this item offer you serenity? How/why?

  • Does this item serve you or make you feel good? How/why? 

  • Did you forget this item existed until now? Is it expired?

  • Does this item make your space feel stuffed? How/why?

  • Could someone else benefit from owning this item?
    

  If you said yes to the first 3, keep it! If you said yes to the last 3, get rid of it!

  - Hannah Goetz, Hannah Goetz Organizing (based in Austin, TX)

Photo by Hannah Goetz Organizing

• Here are my DOs and DON’Ts of purging:

  • DO take pictures of sentimental items that you don’t want to keep around, but feel bad getting rid of. 

  • DO transfer photos and videos to digital platforms, even if you want to keep the physical copies. 

  • DON’T get rid of it if you aren’t ready. If you are struggling to purge, make a section of stuff you cannot decide about and revisit it at a later date after you’ve given yourself time to think on it.

  • DON’T keep something solely because of its price you spent on it!

  - Jessica Steckler, Organized to Thrive (based in Tacoma/Greater Seattle, WA)

Photo by Organized To Thrive

• My purging method is simple...just get rid of your CRAP! Anything:

  • Cheap

  • Repetitive

  • Aggravating

  • Past its prime

 - Lisa Eckerle, Sort Support (based in Indianapolis, IN)

Photo by Sort Support

This Earth Day, begin your journey to thoughtful purging! When you incorporate purging into your routine, you have the time to donate, recycle, and re-sell your unwanted items.

To see if one of our amazing partners services your city, click here. They are truly the best of the best! If you want to apply to be a member of our partnership program, click here. We are accepting applicants in key cities until April 30!!