Have you ever placed an item on the stairs so you don't forget it on your way to work? Or popped a letter on your dining table that you really need to deal with? This use of visual cues in inconvenient places is exactly the concept behind the Overly Inconvenient Decluttering Method.
Here, professional organizers explain this decluttering method in more detail, including who it will work best for, how to use it, and the key potential drawbacks to consider.
What is the Overly Inconvenient Decluttering method
As Tracy McCubbin, professional organizer, CEO and founder of dClutterfly, explains, the whole point of the Overly Inconvenient Decluttering method is to inconvenience yourself as much as possible – hence the name.
'The Overly Inconvenient Decluttering method involves deliberately placing items you're not sure if you want, need, or use in a spot where they will be in the way of your daily routine,' she says. 'This method forces you to confront these items and make a decision about whether to declutter them based on the fact that they are in your way and making your life inconvenient.'
This works by creating productive discomfort, adds Di Ter Avest, professional organizer and founder of Diisorganized, which is why it's a decluttering strategy minimalists swear by.
'You can't easily ignore a box that's blocking the hallway or a bag of clothes sitting on your chair,' Di says. 'You're reminded to take action every time you see it. That constant visual nudge might prompt quicker decision-making.'
Who is the Overly Inconvenient Decluttering Method best for?
Putting items in a place where you'll always see them is a brilliant way to ensure you don't delay your decision-making.
According to Di, the Overly Inconvenient Decluttering Method will be most effective for people who already enjoy the benefits of a tidy home but need an extra push to follow through.
'It can work well for those who are motivated by visible reminders, or who procrastinate on housework or small tasks like dropping donations off,' she says. It can also help you more quickly decide what to do with items you are decluttering, including donating or selling.
Tracy agrees, advising that this visual cue system, much like the Post-it method, will work for people who pride themselves on having 'a place for everything and everything in its place' type home, 'so that if an item is out of place, they will deal with it right away.'
Drawbacks of the Overly Inconvenient Decluttering Method
For homes which don't already look carefully curated like this one, the Overly Inconvenient Decluttering method can actually help clutter accumulate.
As we've already touched on, this method really won't work for everyone, and that's ok. But it is crucial to recognize before giving it a go whether it will help or hinder your space.
'If a home is already cluttered or disorganized, this method can backfire,' warns Di. 'Instead of standing out, the “inconvenient” items can blend in, leading to what I call clutter blindness. In those cases, it may just add to the mess and make the space less functional.
'For these homes, I recommend a more structured approach – like setting up a single, designated “outbox” area and scheduling a specific day each week to clear it out – so the system stays manageable and doesn’t create more chaos.'
This is widely known as the 'outbox' decluttering method, and using something like the Large Capacity Woven Storage Basket available at Wayfair will ensure you've got plenty of space for any items you need to sort out or get rid of for good.
To Tracy, in reality, the Overly Inconvenient Decluttering Method just feels like an extra step when it comes to decluttering, which delays decision-making and creates the hazard of having to be careful not to trip on things you place in your own way.
'Based on almost 20 years of being a professional declutterer, I’m not sure this method does work,' she advises. 'I have worked with clients whose backseats of their cars are filled with donations that they have been driving around for three months – highly inconvenient when having passengers in your car, but yet donations still don’t get dropped off.
'In my mind, all clutter is inconveniently placed, so I’m not sure how putting an old sweater on the bottom stair to the second floor will make the decision to let go any easier.
'Also, if you’re going to all the trouble to move an item to an inconvenient place, why not just decide then and there if you can let go of it, and move it straight to the donate pile. Adding another step to the process seems like it would slow the whole process down,' and may even make it more difficult to overcome decision fatigue.
If you do think this method will work for you, though, that's completely fine, too. The key, says Ben Soreff, professional organizer at House to Home Organizing, is not dwelling too long on the decision-making. After all, doing so is one of the things organized people never do.
'By placing items "in your way" and where they don't belong, you are creating clutter, so don't wait too long to decide what to do with it,' he says.
That's why it's time to ditch your maybe piles and get ruthless with your decluttering – no matter how inconvenient it may be.
What to shop
Prevent delaying your decision-making by keeping an up-to-date to-do list, and enjoying the satisfaction of ticking off tasks as and when you complete them.
Collate items using the 'outbox' decluttering method in a stylish woven storage basket like this, which won't cause an eyesore in your home.
Rather than letting mail pile up in inconvenient places, sort it the minute it comes through the door with this fun, statement holder.
Does your item spark joy? If not, according to renowned home organizer, Marie Kondo, declutter it without a second thought – there's no need to inconvenience yourself beforehand.
If you're someone who struggles with motivation when it comes to decluttering, using a Pomodoro timer like this to break the task into 25-minute chunks can effortlessly speed up the decision-making process.
This decorative yet functional storage basket is ideal for carrying items to and from your car and the donation center, with strong integrated handles and a weight limit of five pounds.
Meet our experts
After becoming a wife and a mother, Di quickly learned the importance of organization and regular decluttering. Since, she has helped hundreds of clients rethink their relationship with clutter, including which decluttering methods actually work for different people, and which really don't.
Tracy has been professionally decluttering and organizing since 2006, providing hands-on experience to her clients for over 20 years.
Did you know you can use the traits of your birth month to declutter your home?
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