Step Zero: Declutter

Before you even think about buying bins, labeling shelves, or color-coordinating your closet, there’s one essential step you have to take first: declutter.

Every major organizing method starts here. The Home Edit calls it “editing” your belongings. Marie Kondo famously wrote about discarding what doesn’t "spark joy”. Nikki Boyd, author of Beautifully Organized, acknowledges that while decluttering can feel daunting, it’s the step that gives you the greatest sense of accomplishment.

At Real Organized, we go a step further: decluttering isn’t just step one — it’s step zero. It’s the foundation of every organized home. Once step zero is done, we promise: it only gets easier from here.

Why Decluttering Comes First

It’s tempting to jump straight into organizing, but doing so without decluttering first is like putting away groceries that are expired. You’ll spend more time and energy managing things that no longer serve you.

Decluttering gives you clarity — it helps you see what you truly love and need versus what’s simply taking up precious real estate in your home. Once you pare down, everything else falls into place: storage solutions fit better, systems make more sense, and maintaining them becomes effortless. Resist the urge to skip this step. Decluttering now will save you time later — and help you create a home that’s lighter, simpler, and easier to maintain.

Criteria for Items to Keep

Marie Kondo discovered that decluttering isn’t really about what you let go of — it’s about what you consciously choose to keep. Here’s how we decide:

1. You love it: If it makes you happy to use it, see it, wear it, hear it, taste it, or hold it — keep it.

2. You need it and use it regularly: If you’ve used it within the last six months (and it’s not seasonal, like a winter coat or holiday décor), it earns its place.

3. You’re emotionally attached to it and have space: Keepsakes matter, but they need boundaries. Try limiting yourself to one or two memory boxes. When they’re full, something has to come out before something new comes in.

The above are my general guidelines, but below I have two additions: rules for hard and fast discards as well as special considerations for closets. I know the latter can be particularly difficult. 

Hard and Fast Discard Rules

1. Expired items.

2. Ripped, broken, or incomplete items.

3. Items whose purpose is unknown.

These are easy wins that you don’t have to belabor. If an item meets any one of these criteria, let it go.

Special Considerations: Closets

Closets can be the hardest — and most rewarding — spaces to declutter. When deciding what stays, be honest with yourself and ask:

1. Have I worn this in the last year?

2. Does it fit?

3. Does it make me feel good to wear it?

4. Would I buy it again today?

If the answer is “no” to any of the above, then say goodbye.

Tips and Tricks to Keep You On Track:

1. Create keep, donate, and trash stations: Use boxes, laundry hampers, or clearly marked floor zones. This structure keeps the process organized and helps you see progress in real time.

2. Make it enjoyable: Play a podcast, listen to an audiobook, watch a TV show, or play some music. This is a great time to do fun things you love to help you enjoy the decluttering process.

3. Make quick decisions: Do not dwell or overthink. Take no more than 3 to 5 seconds per item to decide whether to keep, donate, or trash.

4. Set Manageable Goals: Don’t plan to declutter your entire home in a day. Choose specific spaces — your bathroom cabinet, a bedroom drawer, or the hallway closet. Bite-sized progress keeps motivation high and burnout low.

5. Remove trash and donations immediately: Take the trash out as soon as you’re done. For donations, drop them off that day or, at minimum, move them to your car or by the door. Don’t let them linger — that’s just clutter in disguise.

The Real Organized Way

Decluttering isn’t about chasing minimalism or perfection. It’s about creating a home that you love and works for your real life — one that feels lighter, calmer, and easier to manage.

Once you complete Step Zero, you’ll find that organizing isn’t a chore — it’s the fun part.