Why Ditching The 'Keep' Box When Decluttering Can Help Simplify Your Space

If you're looking up tips to simplify your space, you've probably come across the 'keep' box. Most common strategies to declutter your home include a designated place to sort the items you want to keep during the tidying process. On the surface, it makes sense: You pick up an item, decide if you want to keep, donate, trash, or sell it, and put it in the appropriate box. But chances are, things in the keep box linger for days, weeks, even months (no judgment). The solution? Ditch the 'keep' box and put the possessions you want to keep back on the shelf right away.

The 'keep' box itself isn't the problem; it's how we treat it. Often, items that land in this box fall into one of three categories: Things we truly want to keep and use, sentimental items that don't have a home, or things we just aren't sure about and don't know what else to do with them. This turns the 'keep' box into a holding zone that you tell yourself you'll tackle some other time because right now, it's easier to procrastinate on where to store those precious, decades-old photo albums or whether you really need that second (or fifth) reusable water bottle. But by eliminating the 'keep' box entirely, you have to make decluttering decisions as you go, making it easy to deal with overwhelming clutter and simplify your space.

Without a 'keep' box, you might be tempted to grab a 'limbo box' and use it for regret-free decluttering. But the truth is, taking action the moment you make the decision — i.e., sort the item into the trash, sell, or donate box, or put it away immediately — is simpler. If you're not sure whether to keep or donate an item, use these two questions to decide: If you actually use it, and where your instinctively look first when searching for it.

For example, let's say you've gathered up all the reusable water bottles and discovered each family member has at least two. You're trying to cut down on your environmental footprint, so yes, you do use the bottles. The first place you would go to look for them is the kitchen cabinet where your kids' lunch boxes are stored. But what if you open the cabinet and there are already plenty of water bottles there? Instead of jamming them all in there, closing the door, and saying you'll deal with it later, take a moment to consider what's in the cabinet. Which bottles do you actually reach for? Prioritize space for those you love and use, and donate the rest. This is the key to simplifying your space without leaving boxes of clutter to deal with later.

The process is similar for sentimental items. However, if you decide to keep a memento but don't want to display it right now, add it to a memory box. This keeps the item safely stored until you're ready.