Unjumbl
Keep or toss? 15 questions to ask about any item
"Should I keep this?" is a hard question because it has no clear answer. A better question has one: you can check a fact, or you can picture a small scene. Here are 15 you can use while you declutter, grouped by what each one tests.
Why a concrete question works better
"Do I need this?" and "Might I use it someday?" are both easy to answer with "maybe," and "maybe" means the item goes back on the shelf. A concrete question asks about something you can recall or imagine: the last time you used it, what you would do if it broke, whether you would hand it to a friend today. Those have answers, even when the answer is awkward.
Questions about use
- 1.When's the last time I actually reached for this? If you can't remember, that is an answer.
- 2.Have I told myself "I'll use this someday" before, and how long ago?
- 3.If I needed this next week, could I easily borrow or buy it again?
Questions about value
- 4.If I saw this exact item in a shop today, would I buy it again?
- 5.If it broke or wore out tomorrow, would I replace it, or feel relieved?
- 6.Do I already have something else that does this job just as well?
Questions about who you are now
- 7.Does this fit who I am today, or who I was before?
- 8.Does it belong to a hobby or project I'm no longer doing?
Questions about guilt
- 9.Am I keeping this because I love it, or because it feels wasteful to let go?
- 10.Did someone give it to me, and am I keeping it for them rather than for me?
- 11.It cost a lot. Would I still keep it if it had been free?
Questions about space
- 12.Do I know where this belongs, or would I have to invent a place for it?
- 13.Is where this lives right now more hassle than the item is worth?
Questions for letting go
- 14.Would I feel good handing this to a friend today, as it is?
- 15.Is it still in good enough shape for someone else to use?
You don't need all 15 for every item
Pick two or three that fit what you're holding. Here is a starting point:
| What you're holding | Try questions |
|---|---|
| Clothes | 4 (buy it again), 7 (who I am now), 14 (hand it to a friend) |
| Kitchen gadgets and tools | 1 (last used), 6 (I already have another), 13 (hassle to store) |
| Paper and mail | 3 (could I get it again), 12 (where it belongs) |
| Gifts and keepsakes | 9 (love vs. waste), 10 (keeping it for them), 14 (hand it to a friend) |
| Hobby supplies | 2 ("someday"), 8 (a project I dropped), 3 (borrow or rebuy) |
| Things that cost a lot | 11 (if it had been free), 5 (replace it or feel relieved) |
What to do with the answers
- Mostly "yes, I'd keep it": keep it, and give it a place to live now.
- Mostly "no": ask question 15. If it's in good shape, donate it. If it isn't, it's trash or recycling.
- Truly can't tell: put it in a "maybe" box, write a date a few weeks out, and move on. If you haven't needed anything from the box by then, donate it without opening it.
Whatever you decide, finish the zone by taking the donate and trash bags out of the room. For a way to cut a whole room into small sessions, see how to declutter a room in 15-minute zones.
Want the question asked for you?
Unjumbl is a declutter app that turns a photo of a messy room into a plan of small 15-minute zones. For any item you're unsure about, it asks a concrete question like these instead of "keep or toss?"