I'm a Professional Organizer, and Vision Board Decluttering Unlocks Easier Streamlining Sessions All Year

Vision Board Decluttering helps you get clear on your ideal lifestyle before you start decluttering, so your decisions are guided by vision rather than guilt or obligation.

As a professional organizer, it's a method I highly recommend, as the process of streamlining can often feel overwhelming, leaving people feeling stuck in the decision-making process. Using a vision board for the task helps you discover what truly sparks joy for you, not what you think you should want.

I've been hosting Vision Board Decluttering parties for years, and I've found that this process gives people awareness about what they want before they consciously know it. This decluttering method meets you in that space between not-yet-knowing and knowing. Here's how to tap into the technique.

What Is Vision Board Decluttering?

In the KonMari Method, before you declutter a single item, you're asked to envision your ideal lifestyle. In Japan, they call this kurashi, which means imagining what a perfect day looks like in your world. A vision board is a powerful way to do exactly that.

When deciding what to declutter, rather than starting with 'what should I get rid of?, you start with 'what kind of life do I want to live?' When you get clear on that vision first, the decluttering decisions become much easier. You're not just eliminating things. You're making room for the life you actually want.

A vision board creates a touchstone you can return to throughout the year when making decisions about what to keep, what to let go, and what to bring into your home. And it helps you move from reactive tidying to intentional living.

For example, years ago, I put a picture of a backlit microphone on my vision board. I had no idea why. I had a fear of public speaking. Today, I'm a paid trainer and public speaker. My deeper wisdom knew before my conscious mind was ready. This is what vision boards can do when you trust them.

Creating Your Decluttering Vision Board

There are two ways you can create a vision board for your home and set yourself up for successful decluttering sessions in 2026: Physical and Digital.

I prefer the tactile experience of physical vision boarding because it allows you to flip through magazines and let images find you, rather than searching for something specific. Digital vision boards work well if you prefer screens or want something you can access on your phone.

The format matters less than the approach. Trusting your intuitive pulls rather than your logical mind, and protecting what emerges.

Creating a vision board in a community adds another layer: Shared witnessing. When others hold your vision with tenderness and care, it takes root more deeply. You also see how uniquely each person's vision unfolds, which permits you to trust your own pulls. Working together or body doubling can also be a fantastic way to feel motivated to declutter.

For Physical Vision Boards

• Prime your intuition first. As with value-based decluttering, before you flip through a single magazine, spend some time journaling on these prompts:
  • What does a perfect ordinary day look like for you? Walk through it from morning to night.
  • How do you want to feel this year? What qualities do you want to embody?
  • What do you want more of in your life? What do you want less of?
    What are the important things in your life that you want to protect?
• Gather your materials. For physical boards: A stack of magazines, catalogs, or old books you're ready to release; poster board or large paper; glue stick and scissors; a comfortable space to spread out.
• Flip and rip. Let the images find you. Flip through magazines without hunting for anything specific. When something sparks, whether it's a photo, a word, or a color, rip it out. Don't question it. Don't analyze it. Just collect. This is about receiving, not searching.
• Sort and notice. Spread out everything you've collected. Look for patterns, but don't force them. Notice what surprises you. You might be living a busy life and find your images are all calm and serene. Trust what emerges.
• Arrange and create. Follow your intuition for placement. Some people use mostly photos, some prefer words, and some draw. There's no right way, only your way. A simple list can work too. Write down words, phrases, and descriptions of scenes that appeal to you. This is essentially what the journaling prompts accomplish.
• Protect your vision. Keep your board somewhere private, ideally your 'power spot', as Marie Kondo calls it. That place in your home that feels most sacred to you. This could be your home office, or a cozy nook where you go to relax, for example.

For Digital Vision Boards

The key to keeping the discovery aspect intact when searching digitally is to search for feelings, words, and categories rather than specific objects. Search 'serenity' or adventure', 'creativity' or 'connection', rather than 'beach house' or 'new car'. You can also search around different pillars of life: Love, friendship, creativity, rest, work, spirituality, and community. This keeps you open to surprise rather than hunting for things you've already decided you want.

A folder of images on your phone or computer, gathered over time, that you review periodically, can also work as a quick vision board for decluttering.

Essential Tools

For physical decluttering vision boards:

• Any magazines you have around the house, catalogs you've received, or old books you're ready to release (this is decluttering in action!). You can also find vision board books designed for cutting up on Amazon if you have nothing at home.
• Poster board, from Target, or large paper. I like standard foam board from any craft store.
• A good glue stick, such as Elmers, from Target.
• Comfortable scissors, also from Target.

For digital decluttering vision boards:

• A canvas to build your board: Canva, Milanote, Adobe Express, or Google Slides
• Image sources to search: Unsplash, Pexels, Pinterest, or Google Images

What to Avoid

• Don't overthink your choices. The whole point is to trust your intuitive pulls and avoid decision fatigue rather than use your logical mind. If you find yourself analyzing why you're drawn to an image, you've moved out of the creative flow.
• Don't share your vision board with everyone. Your vision is a delicate seed. Not everyone in your life will hold it with care. Keep it somewhere private and be selective about who you show it to.
• Avoid goal-driven searching. If you're making a digital board, search for feelings and qualities rather than specific objects. And avoid algorithm-driven platforms that feed you more of what you've already seen. You want fresh discovery, not confirmation of your past.
• Don't skip the journaling. The prompts aren't busywork. They prime your intuition so the image-gathering process is richer and is a great mindset shift to help prevent clutter, too.

Why it Works

Vision comes before decluttering success – this is the heart of the KonMari approach, and it's the method we use inside KonMari Club, Marie Kondo's official membership community.

When you're clear on how you want to feel in your home, whether that's calm, creative, or connected, every decluttering decision becomes easier. Instead of asking, 'Should I keep this?', you ask, 'Does this support the life I'm creating?'

The vision board becomes a filter for decisions throughout the year. When you're deciding whether to keep something, you can ask: 'Does this fit the life on my board?' When you're tempted to buy something new, you can check: 'Does this align with my vision?' When your space feels cluttered again, you can return to the board and remember what you're making room for.

Inside KonMari Club, members revisit their vision throughout the year across 12 life areas, which is why the transformation sticks; the vision isn't a one-time exercise, it's a living guide you return to again and again.

The same benefit can be had from your decluttering vision board.

What to Shop

Tidying isn't just about having less stuff. It's about creating space for the life you actually want.

A vision board makes that life tangible and gives you something to move toward, not just away from.

Just be sure to avoid some of the most common Kon Mari tidying mistakes to really reduce stress.