Decluttering takes commitment. There's little point in making it halfway through a task if you don't intend on seeing it through until the end. While yes, it's sometimes easier to break up a big project into smaller, more manageable tasks, desperate times call for desperate measures. If you're contending with lots of clutter, you'll need to take a more ruthless approach.
Are you the type to lose the will to live before you've finished sorting through that closet, drawer, or cabinet? If the answer is yes, then you'll want to know about this "out in the open" decluttering method. This approach might be a drastic closet organization idea, but after researching it, I think it may be the best way to commit to a deep declutter without giving up, and experts say it's a great way to tackle overpacked closets.
That's not to say this method can't be used elsewhere in the home, either. It's also a great technique to help you start decluttering your pantry, cabinets, or even entire rooms. To find out more about how it works and where to use it, we caught up with some professional organizers to gather their insights, and here's what they had to say.
What is the "Out in the Open" Decluttering Method?
The "out in the open" method is a concept that comes courtesy of Netflix's The Minimalists. Put simply, it's a way of decluttering ruthlessly that involves removing everything from the space you plan to declutter before organizing through it.
"It's a super simple but eye-opening way to declutter," explains Di Ter Avest, owner of Di is Organized and author of the book Organize Yourself Healthy, available at Amazon. "You take everything from a space — like your closet, a drawer, or even a whole room — and just lay it all out in the open. The idea is that when you see all your stuff spread out in front of you, it's a lot easier to figure out what you actually need and what's just taking up space."
Whether it's taking all your paperwork off a shelf, all your clothes out of a closet, or all your food out of a pantry, this committed approach won't only ensure you see the task through, but it will prevent you from missing anything that could be hiding at the back, too.
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Why is the "Out in the Open" Method an Effective Technique?
According to the experts, the "out in the open" method is a great way to encourage you to part with stuff since it works on the shock factor. "There's something about seeing all your belongings in one big pile that really makes you think, 'Do I really need all of this?'" says Di. "It's like a reality check." She adds that when everything's out in the open, it minimizes avoidance behaviors. "You have to face it, which makes it way easier to make decisions and actually declutter."
Eliana Coca, owner of EC House Cleaning, also finds the "Out in the Open" method highly effective for decluttering homes. "When all items in a space are visible at once, my clients gain a true sense of how much excess they have accumulated and are able to make better decisions about what to keep or remove," she says. "Anything unused in the past year is an easy candidate for removal. We start with one drawer or one corner of a room at a time so the amount of clutter seems more manageable."
It's a decluttering trick that reminds Di of Marie Kondo's "KonMari" method since both encourage you to pull everything out of a specific space to really see what you own. "It's about creating that' wow, I have a lot of stuff" moment, which can be a powerful motivator for decluttering," she explains. That said, while both of these ideas make you to take stock of your belongings, the decision-making process is different. "Marie Kondo is more about joy and emotional resonance, while the Minimalists' approach is about practicality and just living with less," notes Di.
How Should you Apply the "Out in the Open" Method?
The experts agree that this method works brilliantly for decluttering clothes since it's easy for the amount of clothes we have to go unnoticed when they're shut away in a closet, or for items to get lost at the back. It's also a great technique when clearing out cabinets, cupboards, or any contained area that we often overlook.
To maximize your efforts, Di suggests using a timer. "If going through everything at once when you dump everything out sounds a bit overwhelming, set a timer," she says. "Give yourself, say, 30 minutes to tackle part of it. It makes the whole process feel more manageable and keeps you from getting stuck in decision-making mode."
"Before and after photos provide motivation for my clients to maintain decluttered spaces," adds Eliana. "I encourage doing quick scans of problem areas and removing one item per day to prevent buildup again. And remember, consistency is key - an uncluttered, well-organized home reduces stress and wasted time searching for misplaced items."
You could also pair this technique with other decluttering tricks, such as the 90/90 rule. "The Minimalists also have this rule where you ask yourself if you've used something in the last 90 days or if you'll use it in the next 90," Di explains. "If the answer is no, it's probably time to let it go. This rule works great when you've got everything laid out in front of you."
However you decide to use this method from The Minimalists, make sure you stay focussed on the task at hand and don't let yourself fall victim to overwhelm. If it helps you to remove everything from the area you're working with and then package it up into separate boxes that you tackle on different days, that's fine too. Decluttering isn't a one-size-fits-all activity, after all.
