Consider this list of useful methods I aspire to use when organizing, optimizing, and decluttering my home and workspaces:
DISCARDING
Consider true replacement cost: if an item is rarely used, will never be needed urgently, and is not hard to get (i.e., you can easily order it online or go get it at a store if you ever need it) then the true replacement cost is the probability that you’ll need it times the price of rebuying it. If the replacement cost is low, consider giving it away or discarding it since you’re truly losing little by doing so. For instance, a $100 item that you only have a 5% chance of needing has a true replacement cost of only $5.
Photograph then discard: there are some things we keep just because of the memories associated with them (for instance, an old playbill from a show we loved). In these cases, consider taking a photograph of the item with your phone and placing that photograph in a backed-up folder “memories” on your computer (so you know where to find it), then throwing away the actual object. This also works really well for paper documents that you are unlikely to need but are tempted to hang onto due to some bit of information on them. Obviously, don’t throw away papers if the original copy is needed for legal reasons. I like to photograph instructions for devices I buy so that I feel comfortable throwing them away (or simply checking to see if the instructions are also available online).
Discard your least favorite: if you have many of one item, consider discarding the ones you like least (e.g., if you have more cups than you need, get rid of the ones that you least enjoy drinking out of).
Discard non-consumable duplicates: rarely do you need more than one of a (non-consumable) thing so consider giving away or discarding any duplicates.
Discard junk immediately: when you pick up your mail from your mailbox, immediately discard letters you don’t want rather than bringing them into your home. When you get a bunch of swag or party favors, immediately throw away anything that isn’t valuable to you.
Discard what’s rarely used: if you haven’t used something in a year and have no concrete plans to use it in the next year, strongly consider giving it away. Exceptions include items that are reserved for emergencies (e.g. a flashlight) and items that generates positive emotions (e.g. a reminder of a wonderful trip you took).
Consider the hidden costs of ownership: remember that having stuff has an inherent cost. When you own something it takes up space, it adds visual clutter, it has to be moved whenever you move, it can break, and it can get in the way. It’s easy to forget these costs and therefore keep more stuff than you really should.
OPTIMIZING
Optimize shelves: things used often should be kept at the front of shelves, things rarely used placed at the back. Tall items can also be good to keep in back since you can still see what they are if stuff is in front of them.
Optimize cabinets: things used often should be kept between waist and head height, things rarely used should be placed in the areas down below and up above that are harder to reach.
Heavy items should be low: don’t put heavy things up high as it can be difficult (or even dangerous) to get them down.
Optimize commonly used space: some parts of a home or office are used a lot, whereas others, people rarely spend time in. It’s much more important to declutter, organize, and optimize the active areas than the passive ones. Any clutter in the active zones will have a greater impact on the people who use that space.
Be consistent: pick a specific place where you always put commonly used items (e.g. your phone and keys go on the left side of your table as soon as you get home from work). That way, you don’t spend time looking for them. Complete consistency will quickly turn into an effortless habit, whereas even a few deviations can cause the habit to break. Consider having a special basket to put your keys or wallet in daily, and always putting your shoes in the same place. Where you put commonly used items should not feel like a choice.
Keep running lists of what’s needed: have a continuous shopping list (e.g., on the fridge or your phone) so that when you run out of an item, you immediately add it, and when you purchase the items, you immediately remove it.
Color code or label things that are easily confused: if you find yourself having to check three different boxes or three different files regularly because you aren’t sure which one contains what, simply add color-coding or labels.
Expanding: it’s easy to add more space (e.g. new shelves on the kitchen wall for your tea collection, a hanging shoe rack in the closet) that also keeps things more organized.
GROUPING
Group similar things: related items should be placed together so that it’s easy to remember where to find any item in the group (e.g., put shirts together, put tools together, etc.)
Group by weather: consider having different drawers for clothing from different seasons, so that you don’t have to sort through various cold-weather clothes every time you’re looking for a light summer shirt. Alternatively, you can store off-season clothes in the back of a closet until they are in season.
Group by task: when there are items that tend to be used together (even if they are not that similar to each other), put them in the same place. For instance, if you only use your kindle at the gym, consider putting it with your gym shoes rather than with electronics.
Group oddballs: if you have a lot of unusual items that are not similar to any other items, consider placing them all together. Then you’ll know where to find the things that don’t fit into a group.
Use appropriately sized containers: things look a lot neater and are more organized when in containers, especially when they have the right size for the objects they contain. For instance, a tiny plastic bag works well for paperclips, a larger box works well for batteries, a large tin works well for change, etc.
DECLUTTERING
Declutter for your mind: even when clutter does not harm efficiency, it can have negative psychological effects (e.g. making a space feel less comfortable or cozy to be in, or making you more distractible in that space). If you work at a desk all day, try keeping the space that is immediately visible to you clutter-free (even if there is lots of clutter to the left and right, or even if you have to create a cluttered closet to achieve a clutter-free desk). Then see if you feel better about being in that space.
Hire someone to clean: if you can afford it, don’t especially enjoy cleaning, and don’t mind having someone clean your place, hire someone to come clean every week or two. It’s often worth it.
Everything should have a home: objects that don’t belong in any particular place tend to float around and make clutter because your brain doesn’t know what else to do with them. Assign a specific place for each type of object in advance (especially ones that don’t have an obvious place) so that you know where things belong without having to give it an extra thought.
Apply the Boy Scout Rule: the Scouts have a rule to leave spaces (usually campsites) cleaner than when they got there. Build a habit of immediately doing small bits of tidying when you interact with disorganized spaces. This is important to counteract the tendency for things to get messier and more disorganized automatically. The Boy Scout Rule is your counterbalance to this entropic force. In other words, things will grow more cluttered unless decluttering is part of your routine.
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