The 5-second trick to help you remove clutter for good

The secret to decluttering has nothing to do with hiring a guru - by Livia Gamble

Getty Images

Throwing out your junk has become more of a process than it needs to be.

According to research from The Ohio State University’s Fisher College of Business, the secret to decluttering has nothing to do with hiring a guru and everything to do with how you think about your possessions.

Co-author and associate professor of marketing Rebecca Reczek said: "What people really don’t want to give up is the memories associated with the items.

"We found that people are more willing to give up these possessions if we offer them a way to keep the memory and the identity associated with that memory."

Brooke Lark/Unsplash

Researchers recruited 729 students and split them into two groups. At the end of the semester, they held a donation drive. Signs for one group said: “Don’t Pack up Your Sentimental Clutter… Just Keep a Photo of It, Then Donate.”

The other group was told: “Don’t Pack Up Your Sentimental Clutter, Just Collect the Items, Then Donate.”

The group who were instructed to take a photo of their items ended up donating more.

Speaking about the results, Reczek said, “It is not terribly surprising that we can keep the same memories alive just by taking a photo of these possessions, but it is not a natural behaviour. It is something we have to train ourselves to do.”

While we’re sure there’s a limit to the types of items this would work on, when it comes decluttering the small stuff, this tip is worth a shot.