Every few months, the closet under my stairs gets packed with stuff, drawers won’t close properly, and my closet becomes a hot mess. Despite the need, I have found decluttering overwhelming and am guilty of putting it off. Then when fall rolls around, suddenly my house is stuffed to the brim and we're stuck inside it for months on end.
That's why when one of our professional organizers told me about the ‘Didn’t Know‘ cluttering method last year, where you get rid of anything you didn’t know, or forgot you had, I felt confident to give it a go – and it didn't disappoint.
I gave this method a whirl in my home for two weeks, and it was so effective, I've continued using it for the last year, and I find the cusp of seasonal weather changes from the heat of summer to the chill of fall is the perfect time to put this decluttering tip into play. It's permanently changed how I deal with clutter in my home.
Testing the ‘Didn’t Know’ decluttering method at home
The Didn‘t Know decluttering method does very much what it says on the tin. Pick an area, start decluttering and if you didn’t know you had an item, or forgot you had it, get rid of it by donating, selling, or recycling, using the pile decluttering method to sort items accordingly.
As the seasons change and the holidays approach, a cluttered home can feel overwhelming. It's time for a reset, and the Didn't Know decluttering method is the perfect way to get started. By clearing out the items you forgot you even had, you can create a fresh, calm space that’s ready for entertaining, decorating, and relaxing this fall and winter.
Content editor and resident decluttering method tester Chiana Dickson explains, 'We spend a lot more time inside our homes in fall and winter than we do in spring and summer, not to mention that the days are shorter and we get less natural light. As a result, it is easy to feel less energetic and more anxious or stressed.
'I see streamlining during this seasonal change as more important than spring cleaning, as you are clearing out some of the mess and clutter that may otherwise compound these low moods, making your home somewhere relaxing through winter hibernation.
'Even low-lift tasks to relax when your house is a mess, such as clearing visual clutter in the living room or tidying a bedroom, can be an instant mood boost when Seasonal Affective Disorder season arrives.'
I decided to identify five high-impact areas of my home, meaning I use them daily or often enough for it to bother me when it's disorganized, and test the Didn't Know method on them. Here's how it went.
1. Coat storage
Under-stair storage areas are a prime contender for seasonal tidy, and I used the Didn't Know method on mine. I was shocked by how much stuff I'd been unnecessarily holding on to.
I wore a coat for the first time recently to watch a women's soccer game nearby. What I was most shocked by was not the weaker team thrashing the stronger team, but the fact that I found three almost-identical padded, longline coats in our under-stairs storage space.
As a result of piling newer purchases on top of my peg without clearing the old ones out, I had ended up somehow duplicating my padded coat collection. What a costly duplication and total waste of money!
However, I tried the Didn't Know method here and immediately knew I had to get rid of the two green coats I didn't realize I had. They're now on sale on Vinted, and given that they're in great shape, I'm sure someone else is going to make great use of them, and my coat storage space is now much less cluttered.
Whilst I was at it, I put some of my out-of-season clothes away for longer-term storage, including light summer and denim jackets. I like keeping them in vacuum storage bags, available in multiple sizes at Walmart, which reduces the storage space needed. It's especially good for voluminous coats.
Verdict: 10/10 for guilt-free decluttering, and a lesson learned to check what I already have before I buy anything else to temper the colder weather.
2. My nail polish drawer
I wear nail polish every day, and will do for the rest of my life. It’s an obsession that began in high school and it’s the hill I’m willing to grow old and die on. And after trying gels, acrylics, stick-ons and professional mani-pedis, I've realized nothing lasts as long as my own polish process in the comfort of my home.
Over the years, my collection has waxed and waned and usually I put off decluttering until I want to scream every Saturday morning when I sit down to do my nails for the week ahead.
And then, I get overwhelmed when I have to declutter it, dithering on what to get rid of in case I fancy the color or regret it next season, even though I am firmly a creature of habit, usually sticking to shades of pink, red or blue.
So this was a key space I tackled with the Didn't Know decluttering method. I timed how long it took me to sort through the drawer, and it was a grand total of three minutes, 35 seconds.
I couldn’t believe how easy it was to get rid of things when decluttering was distilled down into one simple parameter: If I didn’t know I had it, I got rid of it! Now my collection is streamlined with plenty of space for new dark and moody fall special editions I have spotted from my favorite nail polish brands. Decluttering was definitely worth it, and this would work just as well for decluttering a makeup collection, too.
Verdict for drawers: 10/10 for ease and optimizing this space.
All prices correct at time of writing.
Use clear, small plastic trays like this set to organize small drawers – or bigger drawers for that matter. Grouping your items together into categories helps keep your initial tidying efforts easier to maintain in the longer term.
3. My closet
I generally take good care of my clothes and belongings, meaning they last for years. I have seasonal collections of clothes I rotate in my custom-built closet, which is a good closet decluttering tip. But I purposefully had my closet custom-made to only have 20 inches of hanging space.
I didn’t want to be excessive with my possessions and knew keeping my hanging space compact would make me declutter, donate or sell my clothes regularly, as well as curb my desire to buy too many new clothes.
But when I worked hard to lose 30 lbs a couple of years ago, it incited a flurry of gleeful shopping.
Organizing my clothes was a must, so one Sunday morning, I bit the bullet and tried the Didn't Know decluttering method in this space. It took just 10 minutes and I removed 17 hangers of clothing from my rail, which I will either sell on Vinted or donate to charity.
There were brand new items with labels on that I bought 12 months earlier and had never worn, and were well and truly forgotten about, as well as a black dress I truly didn’t know I had. I also separated 10 summer items for seasonal storage and six items that were only fit for the trash.
I usually carry a lot of guilt about the money I spent on clothes, so that has gotten in my way when decluttering before – something professional organizers say is a decluttering mistake. This time, I let it go and decluttered my small closet so easily, without worrying about if I’d one day where it again, or feeling bruised about the cost of my purchase.
In fact, it was so easy that I nipped across to my daughter's room and quickly cleared out items I had forgotten she had. The most common crossover was the items I bought her when she was wearing a smaller size; she never wore them, and we both promptly forgot they were there, taking up space in her compact closet.
Verdict: 10/10 for ease, impact, and speed.
I use velvet hangers like these because they are non-slip and help to reduce visual clutter, especially in small closets like mine. They last a long time – I've had my set for more than a decade – and they still look lovely.
4. Our ‘junk’ drawer
A tidy deVOL Kitchen with hidden pull out section in the drawers.
Every house has one, if not more of the infamous ‘junk’ drawer. Stuffed with rogue wires, batteries, DIY items, and in my case, old vacuum attachments for appliances I owned four house moves and three vacuums ago. This one was deeply satisfying to bin things from and was completed in just a few minutes.
Lucky for me, my husband loves getting rid of ‘stuff’ so he got stuck it to the next two drawers in our storage sideboard, and we gleefully had a trash bag full of stuff at the end of it.
Verdict: 8/10. This one took a bit longer and we also couldn't immediately bin wires we didn't recognize as we had to make sure we didn't actually need it! It still worked smoothly; we just needed more time than the other areas.
Use adjustable drawer dividers to dedicate drawer space to particular categories. This works across the household from the bathroom to the kitchen and beyond.
5. My nightstand
When I downgraded my nightstand to a modern, navy, matte petite one, it was with the good intention of cutting down how much ‘stuff’ I keep in there. But here I was again with it crammed to the hilt with random things, including wires, trinket trays, remote controls, and medicine.
I set a timer and set to work. It took me just two minutes and 23 seconds to declutter my nightstand, as shown above. Another winner for the Didn’t Know decluttering method!
I reused old plastic containers from my kitchen, ones I had previously placed in this drawer to make sure things stay tidy. I was also pleasantly surprised to see that following my declutter, there was room to store the four books in my reading pile, so they don’t have to take up valuable surface space on my nightstand.
Verdict: 10/10
What to shop
Vacuum storage bags are ideal for seasonal storage, keeping clothes and household linens safe from pests and moisture, without them taking up valuable storage real estate.
Go through that stash of oven trays and various cooking items causing a cabinet tsunami, and install an organizing hero like this to prevent it all going sideways as hosting season kicks in.
Get ahead of the festivities and check what decor you have stashed in the garage, basement, or attic. No doubt you'll be able to clear out a bunch of old items you didn't know you still had. Keep the rest safe with a dedicated bauble storage box.
This bestselling decluttering book from the queen of streamlined living, Marie Kondo, is a must-read. Why not settle in on a cozy night, pull on your comfiest throw, and have a read of this New York Times bestseller. It's packed with easy-to-follow advice.
These under-bed storage bags on wheels are easy to pull out, and maintain good ventilation for items to prevent mold or musty bedroom smells. Pack away out-of-season clothes and bedding for a streamlined closet and linen cabinet ahead of hosting.
Make better use of vertical storage to save space on shelves by using stacking drawers in pantries to store snacks and packet goods. These clear bins will help you remember and know what you have, to avoid costly duplicates gathering silently in hidden bins.
Measuring 8 x 10 x 11 inches, these handwoven water hyacinth baskets are ideal for creating drop zones, tidying up shelves, and organizing your cabinets. Stick a few in the entryway so each person in your household can corral winter gloves and more.
The conclusion for me is the Didn't Know decluttering trend is a 10/10 overall, especially for those who, like me, feel guilt about the money they’ve spent on things and worry it’s a waste to get rid of stuff – even if it is not being used.
I love how quick and effortless the didn’t know decluttering method is, both physically and emotionally, with the simple rule of letting go of stuff you didn’t know or forgot you had a being a parameter for decluttering that is a real game changer. It feels particularly fitting at the turn of a new season and a whole shift in the way I use the key areas of my home, or the clothes and accessories I will wear and use for the next few months.
I honestly don’t think I’ll ever need another decluttering method again, and I urge you to give it a go this fall.
Next, see how the 90/90 decluttering rule changed the mindset of our writer and why the Chaos Decluttering Method is great for small spaces.
You must confirm your public display name before commenting
Please logout and then login again, you will then be prompted to enter your display name.