How To Declutter Without Feeling Guilty (6 Helpful Mindsets)

When decluttering your space, do you often feel guilty about letting things go? Do you wish you can say goodbye more easily to your stuff so you can move on to live a clutter-free life?

If so, this post is for you.

First let me share my own experience with you.

When I first started decluttering to prepare for our move from Asia to the US, I felt so much guilt as I struggled to let things go.

Most of our things were still in good (if not great) condition, but because it was not worth the money to ship things that were easily replaceable, it was only reasonable to get rid of them.

However it was hard, we eventually got rid of more than 95% of our possession. If you are interested in how we did it, you can read it here.

During my ‘extreme declutter’ journey, I discovered several ways to deal with guilt. Some important mindsets have stayed with me after my move, and have become quite useful whenever I declutter.

If you find yourself feeling guilty when decluttering your home, then the following mindset might help you overcome this challenge.

Why do you feel guilty when decluttering?

Decluttering guilt often comes from different reasons, and it helps to understand them.

Firstly, there’s the feeling of wastefulness. You might associate the value of your possessions to the money you spent on them, and tossing them out can seem like squandering your hard-earned cash.

Secondly, there’s emotional attachment. Think about that coffee mug that’s been your faithful companion at the office or the T-shirt that holds cherished memories of your first date with your spouse. Even if these items aren’t particularly valuable, parting with them feels like losing a piece of your past.

Lastly, there’s the fear of regret. You worry that you might make a wrong decision in the heat of decluttering and come to regret it later on.

Understanding the source of your decluttering guilt is the first step to easing it. Once you’ve identified your reason, you can adopt the right mindset to help you let go of that guilt and declutter with confidence.

Mindsets to help you overcome the guilty feeling when decluttering

Here are 6 mindsets that can help you overcome feeling guilty when decluttering. They are simple, yet effective.

Let’s take a look:

Mindset #1: Your bank account balance won’t change again when you get rid of clutter

One common misconception about decluttering is that it is equivalent to throwing money away. After all, when you get rid of something that you’ve paid for, it can be hard to see it as anything other than a waste.

I once saw a YouTuber use an exaggerated way to show her audience why decluttering is not ‘throwing money away’:

She logged into her online bank account and printed out her savings balance before decluttering.

After tidying up and throwing the clutter in the trash, she then again checked her balance. It’s a no brainer that her balance did not change because of her decluttering task.

It’s important to remember that your money was already spent when you first purchased the item (it’s called sunk cost). Getting rid of the item will not further a decrease your bank account balance.

In fact, decluttering can actually help you save money in the long run.

How?

When your home is cluttered, it can be difficult to find things when you need them. This can lead to spending money on duplicate items.

By decluttering your home, you can avoid these unnecessary expenses and keep your hard-earned money in your pocket.

Mindset #2: Focus on Your Current Self, Not Your Future Self

When there is an item in our home that we hardly(or never) use, we often tend to hold onto it because we think we might need or want it in the future.

But the truth is, your future self is not going to be the same person as your current self. As you grow and mature with age, you will have different tastes in style, pick up new hobbies along the way, and might lose interest in things that you currently love.

So what may be important to you now, may not be so important down the road.

It’s important to focus on what brings joy to your life in the present moment, rather than what you think you may need in the future.

Mindset #3: Be Thankful for What Those Things Have Done for You

If you’re having trouble letting go of something because it holds sentimental value, try to be thankful for what that thing has done for you.

When I heard about this idea, I thought it was very bizarre. After all, why talk to a lifeless object that doesn’t reply to you?

As I started to get more decluttering experience, it became clear that expressing gratitude for items I decide to throw away is like giving thanks and affirmation back towards my past self.

Mindset #4Memories Are in Our Hearts, Not in Things

It’s easy to hold onto things because they remind us of a certain time or place in our lives.

But here’s the thing: memories stay in our hearts, not in material possessions.

I used to be hesitant to get rid of my son’s old toys and artworks because I worried I would have nothing to remind me of his childhood. However, after I understood that memories are not in ‘things’, I was able to let go more easily.

And we have this wonderful modern technology that helps us record life’s important moments: cellphone camera. That way, you can keep those memories close by without taking up unnecessary space in your home.

So instead of hanging onto physical reminders of those memories, try keeping a photo album or scrapbook instead.

Mindset #5: We Can’t Turn Back Time, But We Can Learn From Our Mistakes

We’ve all made purchase mistakes before—we buy something and then later realize that we had no use for it whatsoever.

Mistakes are made in the moment of purchase, but if we keep them around and keep reminding ourselves of them, we can’t move forward.

The important thing is not to dwell on those mistakes but to learn from them so that we don’t make them again in the future.

Instead of beating yourself up over wasted money, use those mistakes as learning opportunities and pledge to do better next time around.

Mindset #6: Don’t Punish Yourself by Keeping Things You Regret Buying

Oftentimes when we declutter our homes, we come across things that we regret buying but continue to keep out of guilt.

Maybe it was an impulsive purchase or maybe we were peer pressured into buying something we didn’t really want or need—regardless of the circumstances surrounding the purchase, hanging onto those items is not going to change anything.

So do yourself a favor and get rid of those items as soon as possible so that you can move on with your life—guilt-free!

Conclusion:

There’s no need to feel guilty about getting rid of clutter from your home!

If anything, getting rid of things that no longer bring joy into your life will only make more room for things that will make you happy— both physically and mentally.

So next time you’re feeling guilty about getting rid of something , remember these mindsets and let those things go!