'Holding on to Less Frees Us' – I Used the Law of Least Regret to Easily Declutter My House, and Pros Agree It Also Curbs Future Clutter

Deciding what to keep and what to let go of is one of the hardest parts of decluttering. Every item seems to carry emotional weight, and it’s easy to get stuck wondering if you’ll regret letting it go or regret keeping it and losing space.

That’s why I started using the Law of Least Regret, which is a useful parameter to streamline by. Simply consider which option you’ll regret least in the future: Keeping the item and living with the clutter, or decluttering it and losing the item?

Here's why the experts love this decluttering method, and where they use it the most for more successful decluttering sessions.

What Is the Law of Least Regret When It Comes to Decluttering?

Deciding what to declutter is one of the hardest parts of the process, and many of us find it easier to create a maybe pile that ends up back in home storage anyway. With the law of least regret, you have a better starting point for debating those items you are holding onto, 'just in case'.

To help make more secure decisions, consider the item and think of your life in five years – which decision are you likely to regret the least? Keeping the item and having it take up space in your home and heart? Or getting rid of the item and no longer having direct access to it?

For Cathy Orr, professional home organizer and co-founder of The Uncluttered Life, this approach is a great way to detach from material goods while avoiding decluttering regret. It's therefore perfect for tackling bigger chores such as decluttering sentimental items.

'I have found that material things will be missed much less than our relationships with ourselves and others,' she shares. 'People think that if they give something away, they are giving away the memory or the person. Nothing could be further from the truth.

'Memories live inside of us. Therefore, it’s best to let go of things others will not want as opposed to keeping everything to pass on or give to our family and friends. They won’t want what we saved.'

This approach can best be seen in methods such as Swedish death cleaning, Cathy continues. 'In five years, I would be happy that I didn’t burden other people with decisions I didn’t make. This is the philosophy behind Swedish Death Cleaning.

'Holding on to less frees us. Don’t hang on just to pass on an item that will eventually end up in a donation. There is no better time than the present to make peace with our possessions. It’s okay to let go now rather than burdening someone else in the future.'

Growing accustomed to this line of thinking can also make it easier to stop clutter before it starts in the future, too. When shopping, for example, ask yourself what you will regret least in the future: The money spent or leaving the item behind. It makes the approach one of the best ways to live with less without being a minimalist.

I Tried the Law of Least Regret to Declutter

I am at a point in life where I am starting to think more seriously about my next big steps, meaning that decluttering in my 20s has become less about maintaining my home and more about planning for a changing future. As such, it is increasingly important that I ditch maybe piles and declutter.

That's why I tried the Law of Least Regret decluttering method in my home and found that it made it easier to overcome decision fatigue. Using this rule as the litmus test for whether an object stayed or went helped me to be more reflective and honest about what I have in my home.

I used it to target one nuisance that's spread out across my home: Decorative tchotchkes I hardly use. I gave myself half an hour on a weekend, so that I wouldn't rush, and would also have the time to physically remove the item from my house.

What I found while trialling this helpful method was how easy it made letting go of items I previously held only because they were gifts, or because social media made me feel like I ‘had’ to own them.

My piles of completely untouched coffee table books, for example, were the first to go. I could see myself regretting holding onto them and having to pack or get rid of them when moving home soon, more than I would regret letting go of them now and maybe having to replace them if I really missed them that much.

This rule was so effective in fact, that I cleared significant surface space in my bedroom and living room, and now, it's easier to relax across my home. Not to mention that selling a few of the items on online marketplaces put a little extra money in my pocket.

Putting items into perspective by looking so far into the future gave me an immediate sense of relief, while making my home easier to manage.

Perhaps where it is most effective for me right now, however, is preventing future clutter. When shopping, especially for larger ticket items, I find myself asking what I will regret more within the next five years: Leaving it in the store now and not having this exact item, or committing to this item now and having to deal with it when I want to move home (or even move country). The question usually answers itself.

My Verdict: It is certainly a more ruthless way to declutter, and it is a fantastic way to protect your future self from tough decisions and logistical nightmares. It's a 10/10, for sure, and I will be using it moving forward.

What to Shop

Meet the Expert

Cathy Orr

Cathy is a cofounder of The Uncluttered Life and the Declutter Deck. She is also a certified master in the KonMari method.

This method can involve making a lot of big decisions quickly. To avoid feeling overwhelmed, consider the smart ways to set yourself up for a successful decluttering session so you don't end up with decluttering resentment.

If you liked this easy rule, our testers also swear by the Didn't Know method. If you didn't know or remember you had a particular item, it's OK to let it go now. Plus, the 20/20 rule can make a decluttering decision much easier.