Still You, Just Lighter: Busting the Top 3 Decluttering Myths

When people think of decluttering they often associate it with certain lifestyles, personality traits or values and think ‘That isn’t me.’ But actually, decluttering can benefit almost everyone in midlife. That’s because we all have accumulated more than we need over the years! I love busting the decluttering myths out there – because I know that decluttering is an equal-opportunity game-changer. I will die on this hill, just try me! I come across so many false assumptions about decluttering in my work as a Professional Organizer and on social media feeds. I decided it would make a good blog topic. So in this post, let’s bust a few common decluttering myths that might be holding you back from finally starting. Spoiler alert: you can declutter and still be exactly who you are!

Myth #1: “Decluttering means becoming a minimalist”

This decluttering myth is one of the worst out there, and it comes up a lot on my own social media accounts so I’m addressing it first!

Folks are sometimes confused by my content and accuse me of being a hypocrite because I advocate for decluttering and share new things I’ve bought – both on the same account. Here’s what I tell them when they accuse me of mixed-messages:

Decluttering and minimalism are separate and distinct. If you want to live a minimalist lifestyle, of course you will need to declutter. But decluttering is not always about purging everything you own. In fact, it is shedding what you don’t need to make space for the things that matter. And sometimes that means making space to infuse new things into your life!I worked for Nordstrom for 30 years. Spoiler Alert: I love clothes! I will always be looking to infuse some newness into my wardrobe. It brings me joy. And that said, when something new comes in, there is usually an opportunity for something old to come out. So yes, I have a large wardrobe, and I shop often, and my closet is decluttered. If that sounds like an oxymoron to you, I invite you to shift your mindset.

Myth #2: “You can’t declutter and be a sentimental person”

Once again – I beg to differ! Forgive me for once again using myself as an example to bust this decluttering myth. But this one also hits close to home for me. Because I am a sentimental person. I have thousands of (digitized) pictures, letters from high school & college, items from my grandparents and creations my kids made when they were young. So how can I keep all this stuff and claim to be an expert on decluttering?

One word: curate. I don’t keep everything in those categories. Rather, I curate a few choice items that mean the most to me. I kept letters from my high school and college friends, but ditched the box of notes I passed in class (do kids still do that?) I digitized the best family photos and let go of the prints and the huge, heavy albums they were kept in. I tossed 90% of the art my young kids made, but chose to keep the ones that were functional so I could use them and encounter the cuteness on a daily basis! I said goodbye to the collection of figurines that my grandfather has from his military travels through Asia but kept the beautiful jade chess set he carved himself.

You can keep things for sentiment and still live a decluttered life. It’s all about shedding the stuff that isn’t as important so you can have room to appreciate the stuff that is!

Myth #3: Decluttering is a wasteful practice, especially if you care about the environment

This decluttering myth is for those of us who are a generation or two removed from the Great Depression and WWII. We were taught not to waste anything. If it’s perfectly good, you shouldn’t get rid of it. On top of that add the mounting awareness of the state of our landfills and it may seem like decluttering does not really align with your values because it is wasteful and hurts the environment.

I can see how people come to that conclusion. But if you dig a little deeper it doesn’t really check out. There is no law stating that once something comes into your possession you must own it forever. You are not required to keep things you don’t use just because they are usable. There are plenty of donation options that bestow a second chapter on the thing you no longer need.

And yes, there is a lot to find troubling about the state of our landfills. But unfortunately all of the stuff in your house that you’re keeping because you’re ‘saving it from the landfill’ will go to the landfill eventually. What you are doing is merely delaying its arrival.

Donating the things you no longer use and throwing your trash in the garbage do not make you  a wasteful person who doesn’t care about the environment. Decluttering means you are a responsible steward of your home and your mental health. So give yourself some grace.

Declutter On Your Own Terms

Leave those decluttering myths in the rearview, friends! Decluttering isn’t about becoming a minimalist or giving up what you love – it’s about making space for the things that matter. You don’t have to change who you are to create a more intentional, curated life. You just have to get honest about what’s adding value to your life — and let go of what’s not.