Before you click “add to cart” on another set of matching bins, one professional organizer would like a word. @tayaorganizes, who says she has been organizing homes for more than 13 years, has a short, blunt message for anyone who thinks decluttering starts with a shopping trip.
“So I don’t want to be a hater,” she begins, before explaining that she is a professional organizer with 13-plus years of experience. Then she gets to the point. “Please, please, please stop listening to these influencers say, here are the best products you need to declutter.”
Her list of must-have supplies is exactly one item long. “You don’t need to buy anything to declutter other than trash bags, period,” she says.
And she has a theory about why so many people online are pushing bins, baskets and gadgets. “Anything other than that, they’re getting an affiliate commission,” she says. “Period. Sorry. Not sorry.”
In her caption, she lays out the thinking behind the rant. “You do NOT need to buy bins, baskets, containers, or organizing products to start decluttering,” she writes. “In fact, buying more stuff before you declutter can defeat the whole purpose.”
She does expand her shopping list slightly there. All you really need, she writes, is trash bags, “a plan,” and “time to make decisions and let things go.” Her rule of thumb is short enough to stick on the fridge: “Declutter FIRST. Organize what’s left.”
@tayaorganizes
What an Affiliate Commission Really Means
When someone online shares a link to a product and earns money if you buy through it, that is called an affiliate link. The person receives a small percentage of the sale, usually at no extra cost to you. It is a common and legal way for content creators to earn income, and in the United States, the Federal Trade Commission requires them to clearly disclose those paid relationships.
There is nothing wrong with buying a product someone recommends. But it helps to know when a recommendation comes with a paycheck attached. If a video about decluttering spends most of its time on things to buy, it is worth asking whether you need them at all, or whether they will simply become more things to declutter later.
How to Declutter With Nothing but Bags
Her approach is refreshingly simple, and it works in any room. Here is how to put it into practice.
Use different bags for different jobs. Use dark trash bags for true garbage and clear or light-colored bags for donations. That way, nobody accidentally hauls the donation bag to the curb, or the trash to the thrift store.
Make a plan before you start. Pick one small area, such as a single drawer, one shelf, or the coat closet, rather than an entire room. Finishing a small space builds momentum.
Set a timer. Twenty or thirty minutes is enough for one session. Knowing there is an end point makes it easier to begin, and easier to make quick decisions.
Ask simple questions. Have I used this in the past year? Would I buy it again today? Do I already have something that does the same job? If the honest answer is no, it goes in a bag.
Take donations out the same day. Bags of donations that sit in the hallway for weeks have a way of getting unpacked. Load them into the car right away, or schedule a charity pickup.
Be kind to yourself with sentimental items. Letters, photographs and family keepsakes take longer. Save them for last, once you have built up your decision-making muscles on easier things.
When Bins Finally Make Sense
Her caption is clear that organizing products are not the enemy. They just come second. “Once you know what you’re actually keeping,” she writes, “then you can decide whether you even need organizing products.”
That order matters for a practical reason. People who buy containers first often discover they bought the wrong size or the wrong number, or that the bins end up full of things they never needed to keep in the first place. After decluttering, many people find they need far fewer containers than they expected, and sometimes none at all.
When you do get to the organizing stage, start with what you already have. Shoeboxes, sturdy shipping boxes, baskets from around the house, and empty jars can all hold things neatly while you figure out what works. Measure your shelves and drawers before you buy anything, and buy only for a space you have already cleared.
Group like items together so you can see what you have, and keep the things you use most often at eye level and within easy reach. Items you rarely need can go higher up or further back.
Finally, give every category a limit. If the linen closet holds three shelves of towels and sheets, that is the limit. When something new comes in, something old goes out.
The Cheapest Supply Is Also the Best
A box of trash bags costs a few dollars and is probably already under your sink. The real investment, as she describes it, is the time and willingness to let things go. That part cannot be bought, no matter how pretty the bins look on a screen.
For anyone feeling overwhelmed by a crowded closet or a garage that has not seen a car in years, the advice from @tayaorganizes is a relief. You do not need to spend a dime to get started. Grab a bag, pick a drawer, and begin.
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