Decluttering involves a series of associated steps. I use Japanese housekeeping as a framework here, which is intricately associated with Shinto (an indigenous Japanese religion) that has spanned centuries. Often referred to as the Japanese 5S system, derived from five Japanese words (seiri, seiton, seiso, seiketsu, and shitsuke), it is a structured approach to creating a clean, organized, and efficient workspace. The English translation is sorting, organizing, cleaning, standardizing, and sustaining a clean and clutter-free environment. Key principles include regular decluttering, maintaining a minimalist mindset, and prioritizing daily cleaning rituals. This philosophy combines aesthetics and fosters a sense of order in one’s living space.

I shall focus only on the first step, which is sorting. In the past, I simply used the principle of throwing away items that I doubted were useful. (The quote “When in doubt, throw it out.” is often attributed to Jeremy Jackson, an American actor and singer). As a screening question to sort, though, this was rather broad. Hence, the lack of specificity has not been very helpful to me as both a hoarder and an incorrigible sentimentalist. 

In lieu, I have recently adopted Laura Price, founder and creative director at The Home Organisation, a golden rule for decluttering. Laura advises asking three questions about every item being sorted. These questions are: (1) Do you love it? (2) Do you want it? (3) Do you need it? If you can’t answer yes to at least one of these, she advises that it’s time for the item to go.