The clutter that isn’t really clutter
Naming what’s unfinished, undecided, or waiting
You know how it feels like clutter just shows up?
Like you didn’t do anything, but suddenly the laundry is back on the chair again.
That’s not because you failed.
It’s because you live in your house.
Stuff comes in. Energy runs out. Life keeps moving.
That’s normal.
Most clutter isn’t bad.
It’s just things that haven’t landed yet.
And when there are too many of those at once, everything feels heavier.
So instead of trying to fix all of it, it helps to notice what kind of undecided you’re dealing with.
Not to judge it.
Just to understand it.
As you read, don’t look for everything.
Just notice the one that shows up most in your space right now.
Here are some very common ones.
The just-in-case stuff
This is the stuff you keep because you might need it.
Not because you’ve needed it.
Because letting it go feels risky.
Most of us have more of this than we realize.
And keeping all of it rarely makes us feel prepared.
It usually just makes the space feel full.
The halfway-home stuff
This is the stuff that’s on its way home.
Laundry that’s folded.
Mail that’s stacked.
Groceries that made it inside but not all the way put away.
This isn’t a mess.
It’s proof you started.
These things don’t need fixing.
They just need a moment when you have one.
The not-yet stuff
This is the stuff you fully intend to deal with.
Just… not right now.
Returns.
Clothes that don’t fit.
Things you keep meaning to decide about.
The problem isn’t that you haven’t done it yet.
It’s that seeing it every day keeps reminding you that you haven’t.
The comfort extras
This is the stuff you keep because it feels safe to have around.
You don’t use all of it.
But knowing it’s there feels reassuring.
Sometimes it really does comfort you.
Sometimes it just takes up space without giving much back.
Both are okay to notice.
The too-many backups
This is when you have more than you realized.
Not because you’re wasteful.
Because it was easier to buy another than to check first.
Most of us don’t need fewer things.
We need to know what we already have.
The old tech
Cords.
Chargers.
Devices you’re not even sure what they go to anymore.
You keep them because they might matter.
And when you’re not sure what they’re for, they tend to stay in the way.
The memory stuff that doesn’t feel good
This is the stuff tied to memories you don’t actually want to revisit.
You don’t keep it because it makes you happy.
You keep it because getting rid of it feels wrong.
It’s okay to admit when something isn’t serving you anymore.
The I’ll-deal-with-it-later places
Drawers.
Bins.
Boxes.
These aren’t failures.
They’re where decisions went when you were tired.
They usually don’t need a big cleanout.
They just need fewer things added to them.
The old hobbies
Supplies for projects you once loved.
You didn’t quit.
Your life just changed.
It’s okay to let your space reflect who you are now.
The guilt stuff
Things you keep because you feel like you should.
Because someone gave it to you.
Because it was expensive.
Because letting go feels ungrateful.
Keeping it doesn’t resolve the guilt.
It just stores it.
You don’t have to fix any of this today.
Just noticing it helps.
Because once you understand what’s happening, it stops feeling like a personal failure.
Some of what’s around you is temporary.
Some of it has been waiting a long time.
Both count.
And every time you notice one thing instead of feeling overwhelmed by everything, that’s progress.
One thing named.
One decision quieter.
The space breathes a little easier.
You have moved us to action. My husband and I are going to print out the types of clutter and eliminate one item from each category every week.
This prompted me to sort through our storage closet and the bags of clothes I pulled from my closet and I ended up taking 3 full
boxes to Goodwill.