More Magic Little Words (that help you get organized)

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More Magic Little Words (that help you get organized)

I once wrote a post called Those Magic Little Words (that help you get organized).

The point of it was that there are lots of organizing methods, and different ways of describing them — what I call “magic little words”. And the BEST method, or catchphrase, is the one that works for YOU.

Just because I’m no longer in business doesn’t mean I’ve retired from being interested in effective ways to get organized! (Once an organizer always an organizer.)

So, after you’ve read (or re-read) my previous post, I hope you enjoy this compilation of some of the more recent methods — or new ways to describe age-old methods — in case you need a fresh perspective.

Hushing the House

Aka Quieting the House, or Backwards Decluttering, this method (by this name) apparently started here: How + Why to Quiet Your House.

The idea is that you move all the items in a room to a staging area so you can clean and experience the de-cluttered room. Then you move the things back that you still need or want.

Here’s another example I Tried the “Hushing the House” Method on My Cluttered Dining Room

This method is compatible with my old post about 10 Easy Steps to a Clutter-Free Office.

Quiet Luxury

This is an interior design trend that aims to provide a serene atmosphere with neutral colors and elegant, but simple and functional, pieces.

I was asked to contribute to this article, never having heard of “quiet luxury” before. But it wasn’t hard for me to come up with some tips for “reducing visual noise” by decluttering!

5-Year Rule

The idea is this: If you haven’t used something in the past five years, it’s unlikely it will be used in the future. Therefore, it can be discarded, donated, or given away.

It’s not for memorabilia; it’s more for clothing, electronics, sports equipment, gardening tools, kitchenware, toys, etc.

What is the 5-Year Rule for Decluttering? (5 Reasons It Could Work For You)

The Moving Out Mindset

This method is, indeed, “powerful and motivating” as claimed in this article. But it’s not new, innovative, or unique except for the fact that sometimes multiple people really do come up with the same ideas, unaware of each other’s existence.

In fact, it reminds me of my old post about Home Staging to Stay, Not to Sell.

The idea is that you pretend you are moving and declutter, downsize, and clean as if you were.

Gather and Shop

This is just another way of saying: 1) gather like items together, then 2) decide which ones you want to keep. It’s the Sort/Purge part of the S.P.A.C.E. methodology.

Here’s a Instagram Reel that uses spatulas as an example. Similarly, I’ve heard (and used) “shop from your own wardrobe”. This is a useful way to realize how much you already have and extend the life of good items by combining them in ways you hadn’t considered before.

The Three Feet Rules for Downsizing

Rule #1: Look within three feet of where you spend time in your home every day. (The things that are within arm’s reach are probably things you use every day.)

Rule #2: If you haven’t come within three feet of an item in your home within the past two years it probably doesn’t need to come with you to your new place.

For more on this method click here.

The Didn’t Know Rule

This one is from The Minimalists. (And from the brains of countless professional organizers.) They understand what I’m calling “magic little words” and have come up with several of them. In fact I just noticed they are offering a free ebook called 16 Rules for living with less. (Read, then scroll past, “The Didn’t Know Rule” on this page.)

The rule: If you find something you didn’t know you owned, you can give yourself permission to let it go.

Here’s an example from Apartment Therapy: I Tried the “Didn’t Know” Rule and Decluttered So Much in 10 Minutes

DOOM Boxes

Awhile back ago I started hearing about DOOM boxes all of a sudden, as if everyone already knew what they were. I learned that DOOM is an acronym for Didn’t Organize Only Moved.

Oh, that. LOL. Even organizers occasionally sweep clutter into a box when company is suddenly coming. Ideally, they revisit the box sooner than later and put everything where it belongs.

I googled it and found this surprisingly good AI Overview:

The term “doom box” originated on TikTok and is an acronym for “didn’t organize, only moved”. It describes a temporary storage space for clutter that doesn’t have a clear place to go, such as a junk drawer, paperwork pile, or underbed storage. Doom boxes can be a convenient way to clear space, and some people may have multiple doom boxes, doom bags, or even doom rooms. The term can also describe the feeling of dread and overwhelm that comes with dealing with these collections.

Some reasons for clutter include: Anxiety or depression, Major life events, Clinging to sentimental items, Too much stuff, and Too little space. People with ADHD may be more likely to have a doom box as a way to cope with symptoms of disorganization and executive dysfunction.

This isn’t so much a method of organizing as it is, I think, a situation that is more easily avoided if named, defined, and acknowledged.

Bird by Bird

This one caught my attention because, like the author of this becomingminimalist guest post, I’m a fan of Anne Lamott’s book on writing, Bird by Bird. This method encourages you to think of decluttering as a journey at take it a step at a time. “As you finish with that first step, the next one will become apparent. Just trust the process and resist temptation to look too far ahead.”

Although I’ve never applied the phrase “Bird by Bird” to organizing, I’ve often said that organizing is a process, not an event. Similarly, I’ve written, “Think of your big project as a new hobby.”

The Poop Test

And — just in time for me to finish this post — there’s a new technique in town!

It goes like this: If it had poop on it, would you wash it off or throw it away?

I heard it first in our private NAPO chat (thanks, Lauren!), followed by a social media meme (Naomi), and this article, which, all told, make it a definite new “thing”: Sorry, Marie Kondo. This ADHD influencer’s ‘poop method’ for decluttering is brilliant and hilarious.

I shit you not! (Pun intended.)

Hey, whatever works!

Clutter Flow Charts

I suppose it would be foolish of me to not plug my own favorite decluttering method in this post:

Go With the Flow! The Clutter Flow Chart Workbook

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