Most decluttering advice starts with the same grim instruction: take everything out, and decide what to throw away. Shannon Torrens tried the opposite. She calls it backwards decluttering, and she did it at home with her mom Kathy sitting by to weigh in.
The idea is refreshingly simple. Instead of choosing what to remove, she pulls out only the clothes she loves to wear and leaves everything she has not worn hanging right where it is. What is left in the closet, she says, is what is left to decide about.
How Backwards Decluttering Works
Here is the method, as she explained it in the video:
- Go through your closet and pull out the things you love to wear.
- Leave everything you have not worn hanging where it is.
- Look at what is left. That is your decluttering pile, or at least the group you need to question.
It sounds almost too easy, but the psychology is smart. Traditional decluttering asks you to defend each item: do I need this? Could I wear this someday? That is exhausting, and it almost always ends with a “maybe” pile that goes right back in the closet. Backwards decluttering flips the question. You are choosing what you love, which feels much more positive, and anything you did not choose has to make its case.
What She Pulled Out
Shannon picked a few pieces and explained her thinking. One was something she does not get a chance to wear often, but she loves it, so she took it. That is a useful rule of its own: a special piece that makes you happy can stay even if it only comes out a few times a year, provided you truly love it and have a place to wear it.
Then came the tricky one. She pulled out something she bought at a thrift store a while ago and has never worn. Here is where Kathy weighed in with some simple wisdom: if you do not love it and you cannot really wear it, then get rid of it.
That one line is worth printing and taping inside your closet door. Two conditions, and both have to fail: you do not love it, and you cannot really wear it. If either is true, there may be a reason to keep it. If both are true, it is a clear answer.
The Thrift Store Trap
That unworn thrifted piece is something many of us can relate to. A low price makes it easy to say yes at the store, since it is only a few dollars. But a cheap item you never wear still takes up space, and it sends a message every time you see it. A few things to ask when you shop secondhand:
- Can I name three things in my closet it goes with?
- Do I need to alter or repair it, and will I really do that?
- Would I buy it at full price? If not, the low price might be the only reason.
- Does it fit today, not someday?
Why It Helps to Have Mom Along
Shannon invited her mom into the process, and it is a good idea if you can manage it. A second opinion is honest in a way that your own mind is not. A trusted friend or family member can say what you cannot: that the cardigan is not you, or that you have not worn that dress since the last time you thought about it. Just be sure to choose someone who respects your style and will not pressure you to toss things you love, and remember that the final choice is yours.
Try It Yourself This Weekend
If you want to give backwards decluttering a try, here is how to set it up so it goes smoothly:
- Pick one section to start, such as your tops or your coats, rather than the whole house.
- Have a basket or a bed ready for the “love it” pieces so you can see them together.
- Be honest. Love means you reach for it, not that you think it should be your style.
- Leave the rest hanging for a set period. Some people turn all hangers backwards and flip them as they wear items, so after a few months the unflipped ones are obvious.
- When the time is up, donate or sell what you did not wear. Check the condition first, and bag things that are in good shape separately from those that are worn out.
- Put the donation bag in your car right away, so it does not become new clutter by your door.
The hanger trick is one that organizers often suggest, and it works nicely with the idea. The point of both methods is to let your own habits give you the answer, rather than guilt or hope.
Why It Works
Many organizing experts say the same thing: most of us wear only a handful of favorites over and over. Backwards decluttering takes that habit seriously. If you already reach for the same few pieces, why not build your closet around them?
It will not solve every storage problem. Sentimental pieces and special-occasion clothing may need their own approach. But as a way to get started without the dread, it is hard to beat, and Shannon’s example shows it can even be a nice thing to do with your mom.
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