Most People Declutter These First. That’s the Problem.

Is there ever a time you shouldn’t declutter something?

Absolutely… especially when you’re just getting started.

In the beginning, it’s hard to know what to keep and what to let go of. Emotions run high. You start down memory lane, or you get stuck spinning your wheels, working hard but seeing no visual progress.

It’s frustrating. And before you know it, you’ve quit before you ever really began.

When you’re starting out, you need instant gratification. That quick win gives you the momentum to keep going. It’s like a snowball, you’ve got to pack it tight before it starts rolling.

Decluttering is a skill. Like any skill, it takes time to build. Until your mindset and confidence catch up, give yourself some grace.

To help you get started, I’ve put together a list of 10 things not to declutter right away, even if you’re feeling motivated. These are the kinds of items that can stall your momentum before it even starts.

1 – Things you use (or enjoy) regularly 

So often we read blog posts and watch decluttering videos and we think we must get rid of something because someone else told us to get rid of it.  Here’s the thing though, if you use it or you enjoy it, keep it – without the guilt.  

For example, I love my crockpot. It takes up a decent amount of space in our kitchen storage. I have an Instant Pot too, which technically has a crockpot function (although I don’t love it).  The crock pot gets used weekly, and it makes my life easier. I will never, ever declutter it.  

That’s the thing about successfully decluttering.  It’s not about what you get rid of.  It’s about keeping the things that serve you and letting go of the things that don’t serve you any longer. 

2 – Your family’s stuff (without their knowledge) 

I made the mistake when I first started decluttering to try and get rid of my husband’s stuff and my kids’ stuff.  I was “clutter-blind” to my own stuff.  

After a while, I made a new rule for myself to follow:  If I was aggravated with the mess or clutter in our home, I would force myself to find something of my own to declutter.  It helped me see that I still had things to get rid of, and it gave my family more time to watch me build that skill, a skill they would eventually learn.  

3 – Sentimental items 

You will eventually need to go through heirlooms, items of deep sentimental value, and things that bring out deep emotional responses, but you shouldn’t start here. 

Start with the easier stuff.  Get the practice you need with the entire mindset shift that comes with decluttering, and only then will you have the skill to get through the harder items.  

For now, ignore: 

• Children’s artwork 
• Children’s schoolwork 
• Clothing with strong emotional ties (wedding dresses, baby clothes, etc.) 
• Journals / personal writing 
• Your own childhood toys
• Collections 
• Family heirlooms  
• Gifts you are emotionally tied to (even if you don’t use them) 
• Letters
• Greeting cards 

The above items don’t have to be avoided forever; just don’t start there. There are systems for preserving and saving the things that truly matter to you. However, if you are just getting started with decluttering, you don’t want to start with these sentimental items.  Save them for when you are more well-practiced. 

4 – Photos

Like sentimental items, photos can be hard.  You probably have a whole bunch of photos you don’t really want and would even be easy to sort, but whenever you go down memory lane, you are prolonging your time and energy in the decluttering process.  

Get a whole bunch of quick wins first before you do the more time-sucking decluttering tasks. 

5 – Paper Clutter: A tricky thing not to declutter early on

You need to go through the paper, but don’t start there.  Paper clutter can be tedious. You also don’t want to be hurried and frustrated and then let go of paper you should be saving. 

Meanwhile, if you want to get rid of paper, start by stopping the inflow of unnecessary paper clutter.  

Get the junk mail under control. Stop subscriptions.  Come up with a system to file what you have incoming, but do not try to organize and file all the old paper that’s been piling up for years.  It’s a recipe for disaster. 

6 – Digital clutter 

Digital clutter is like paper clutter, just more hidden.  Chances are, you have years and years and years of photos, files, and documents piled up in your phone or on your computer. 

Going through the digital clutter is essential at some point – even if you plan to just hit “Delete All” or pay for storage. However, it takes time and commitment. If you want more immediate clutter-free results, start with the easy stuff. 

7 – Storage areas: One of the hardest areas not to declutter too soon 

Our garages and basements are often like storage units.  Maybe you even have a storage unit.  Don’t start in these areas! 

While it can feel good to make huge progress and take carloads of stuff away from these areas to the local donation center, the immediate impact often isn’t felt in your home. 

Clear your counters. Create space in your drawers that you (frustratingly) open every day.  Clean out your fridge (you do look into it daily).  

Create pockets of space in the areas of your home you see and use every day.  This is where the immediate impact is felt.  

Then, after some practice, start tackling single categories of items in your storage spaces. 

8 – Your kids’ toys 

I will be the first admit it, when I started clearing out, I had toddlers, and I did more than my fair share of “sneaky decluttering”. Were the kids down for a nap? Grab a trash bag! 

However, this was not the best use of my initial decluttering efforts, and I strongly discourage you from starting here.  

Just like you shouldn’t start with your spouse’s stuff, you shouldn’t start with your kids’ toys. 

Give your kids a chance to learn from your decluttering efforts.  Our kids often want to be like us, so show them that you are learning how to do hard things, too. 

Talk about your struggles with decluttering out loud. They will learn from the challenges you overcome. 

It takes time, but eventually, your kids will pick up the skill. 

9 – Holiday decorations (outside of the season) 

If it’s Christmas time, great, go through your Christmas decorations.  However, if they are stored away right now, I wouldn’t start with them.  

As each season approaches, grab all the items you use for that holiday, even the ones you ignore each season, and start going through them.  This is an easy time to get rid of them, while you are in the mindset of what you want and don’t want to make space for going forward.  

10 – Expensive items you regret buying 

Inevitably, as you start clearing out from the piles and clutter, you will come across stuff you know you should declutter, but it was expensive, so letting go hurts.  

As you come across these items in the initial stages of decluttering, it’s OK to give pause if you aren’t ready. Decluttering takes practice, and you don’t want to feel like a failure before you’ve even gained momentum. 

There are ways to recoup some costs from our clutter (like selling your clutter on Facebook Marketplace), but it takes time and effort.  Your goal, right now, is to build momentum! 

Things NOT to declutter… yet

Decluttering doesn’t have to be all or nothing. You don’t need to start with the hardest stuff to make progress. In fact, you shouldn’t. 

Start small. Start where it’s easy. Let those quick wins build your confidence. The more you practice, the more clarity you’ll gain, and when the time comes to tackle the tougher areas, you’ll be ready. 

There’s no shame in holding off on the tough stuff. In fact, most people quit because they start with the wrong things to declutter. Start where you can win. Save these things not to declutter for later, when your mindset and momentum are stronger.