The Two Causes of Clutter
According to Marie Kondo, there are only two possible causes of clutter:
It takes too much effort to put things away
It’s unclear where things belong
When you need something, you will make the effort to get it out. Unfortunately, if it takes too much effort to put things back, they might never return to their rightful place.
Similarly, if you have to decide where something goes, you are more likely to leave it out.
Consider this when deciding where to store things. Don’t spend too much time thinking about who does what, where, and when. You might be surprised by how much you have unconsciously adjusted your behavior to your things. This is especially true for smaller homes.
Once you have a simple storage plan, putting things away will become instinctive, and clutter will naturally decrease. However, if you start storing before you have eliminated excess, you are likely to rebound to a cluttered state. It’s easier to decide where things belong once you have reduced your possessions.
“When you are choosing what to keep, ask your heart, when you are choosing where to store something, ask your house.” - Marie Kondo
