Hi! I’m Sayaka Minami, a Japanese minimalist, and a professional organizer.

The year 2023 is coming to an end.
You may be thinking of getting rid of unnecessary things by the end of this year for a fresh start, but you are wondering where to start.
In this episode, I’ll show you step-by-step strategies for throwing things away. By following these steps, you can surely tidy up your house smoothly.

Step 1. Items that should clearly be thrown away

Let’s start with the obvious one.
Start by throwing away things that are no longer useful, but you own them without realizing it.

✔︎ Expired food
✔︎ Receipts that don’t need to be kept
✔︎ Appliances that are broken, but are stored in your garage

Step 2. Overstocking

You may need to have some stock of food and daily consumable goods, but do you overstock unnecessary things?

✔︎ Too many paper products, such as paper bags, old newspapers, cardboard boxes
✔︎ Disposable cutlery that you don’t plan to use
✔︎ Empty bottles and boxes that you “think” can be used for something

Step 3. Items with the same purpose

You don’t need to keep too many items with the same purpose.

✔︎ Clothes that are similar in color and design
✔︎ More than two trash cans in one room
✔︎ More than two tongs or whisks each

Step 4. Out of your taste

Don’t you have things you purchased, but notice that they are hard to use, or are they not what you envisioned?
This step makes you rethink what your ideal is.

✔︎ Ill-fitting Clothes
✔︎ “Life Hack” items that you never use
✔︎ Things stuck to your refrigerator

Step 5. Too many mementos

This is the final step.
It is worth keeping things that you have sentimental value towards.
However, not necessary to keep every single item due to guilt.

✔︎ Graduation albums that you have never opened
✔︎ Artwork and drawings were done by children
✔︎ Souvenirs from trips

 
Surprisingly, we often keep things based on feelings, not on logic.
It is beneficial to objectively judge whether it is really necessary to keep an item or not.
When you live in a less cluttered house, your daily life will surely become more comfortable.
Let’s take good care of our own lives, and start fresh in 2024.

Author
* * *

Minimalist & Professional Organizer
SAYAKA MINAMI
About / Instagram / Professional Organization Service