‘I’ve never felt more free’ – 5 Reddit minimalism decluttering tricks guaranteed to change how you think about your stuff

Minimalism can often be difficult to achieve in a home, especially if you have a busy routine, a rowdy family, or find it hard to part with your most-loved belongings.

Luckily, there are plenty of Reddit minimalism tricks here to save the day. Tried and tested by real people, these r/minimalism decluttering hacks and conversations can fundamentally alter your relationship with your stuff, and they are only the tip of the iceberg.

Here, we break down the five best organizing habits for a more minimalist home that the subreddit has to offer.

Reddit minimalism decluttering tricks

The r/minimalism subreddit is full to the brim of inspiring tricks and conversations to help you embrace minimalism in a busy household. The best bit? They are all used by real, busy people, so we know they are bound to work to stay on top of clutter with ease.

1. Avoid window shopping

A large part of minimalism is stopping clutter before it starts. For user paschconfoi this means cutting out window shopping – a topic that many commenters agreed on.

As they hilariously wrote, ‘Need anything from IKEA? No. No, I do not. Please stop asking. Nothing tests your minimalist resolve like a well-meaning friend offering to take you to IKEA “just to look.” [...] You leave with a drawer organizer, three plants, and a sudden existential crisis. We’re not built for impulse bins. Stay strong, comrades.’

To help avoid impulse shopping, professional organizer Aprille Loney of Perfectly Organized OKC, suggests avoiding window shopping like these Reddit users, and asking yourself a few basic questions with the ETC method before you spend any money:

• Do I need this item now? If you can delay purchasing the item for a few days, you may find that you don’t actually want or need the item as badly as you thought you did in the moment. If, after several days, you find you still want the item, then go ahead! [A physical wishlist, from Walmart to note down aspirational items, can help you keep tabs on things without the digital availability of a bookmark on your phone].
• Will my life improve if I buy this item? If the answer is yes, consider how it will improve your life. If the answer is no, you need to consider whether it is worth your time and money.
• How long will I use this item? If you find that the answer to this question is once or twice, consider if it is even necessary to have the item at all.

2. Shed ‘just in case’

To be a minimalist, you have to be more ruthless when decluttering, and that means shedding items you are holding onto ‘in case’. As User Nikki_85 shared, ‘“just in case” turned my home into a storage unit for imaginary versions of myself. Letting go was terrifying, but I’ve never felt more free.’

Fellow commenters agreed that letting go of these items can be daunting, however, many shared their success stories. User howling-greenie, for example, comforted another user by sharing, ‘I got rid of every single cable I was not currently using, and I haven’t needed a single one, and it's been a year or two now. If I do need one, I can usually get a cable for like $10-15 from Walmart or Amazon in two days or so, no biggie.’

This approach is not too dissimilar to the 20/20 decluttering rule, which can help you to immediately cut clutter without any decluttering regrets. The idea is that you get rid of anything that you can replace for under $20 in less than 20 days. It is a great way to quickly achieve minimalism and push through the fear of making a mistake.

If you are unsure, consider trying the expiration decluttering method. Box items up in a cardboard box, available at Walmart, and write an 'expiration' date on the side with a Sharpie (also at Walmart). If the date comes and goes, and you are yet to think about or use any of the items in the box, they can safely be decluttered.

3. What is sentimental to you is junk to another

Decluttering sentimental items when it feels hard to let go is a massive barrier to minimalism. However, as user iamthebugwan wrote, what is sentimental to one person is often junk to another.

They shared, ‘About a year ago, my mother gave me all my baby and childhood things that she had saved. I am talking boxes of grade school crafts and art projects, five or more photo albums, plus hundreds more loose photos. I have held onto this stuff thinking that I should – it's sentimental, right? But I am sick of looking at it, sick of it taking up room.

‘I just spent the better part of my afternoon going through it all and tossing 90% of it. It took me this long to go through because I felt like I was tossing out memories. But then I realized that these are her memories, not my memories. I don't remember making these finger paintings, I don't remember this camping trip when I was four.’

Although sentimental items are one of those things that it feels illegal to declutter, it instantly lifted a weight from this user's shoulders, and reframing sentimental items in this way can have an instant effect on your ‘stuff’. They didn’t have to get rid of everything, either, to maintain their minimalist aspirations. ‘I did save a few things that made me smile and the best of the photos, but the rest is an emotional burden.’

For those sentimental items that you want to keep, consider setting up a memory box to keep them neat. This Sterilite gasket box from Walmart is weather-resistant and ideal for keeping precious items safe.

4. The less you have, the less you want

There is a common misconception that those with less must want more to be able to ‘catch up’ to others. However, many minimalists on Reddit find the opposite, embracing the underconsumption trend instead.

User Capable_Lychee_3859 admitted, ‘As soon as I quit running after new clothes, gadgets, and happenings, I knew: I was missing less, not more. I have what I need. That's not common. That's serenity.’

Leading-Confusion536 agreed, adding, ‘Absolutely. It's not just money we spend, but so much energy thinking, wanting, researching, buying, picking up, unpacking, returning, storing... and decluttering. The more you stop wanting new stuff all the time, the more serenity and contentness. More time, more peace, more money.’

While this mindset shift to prevent clutter can prove more difficult to implement, Renee Green Tate, home organizer and owner of Savvy Sloth Strategies, suggests starting small and only shopping when you’re completely out of something. ‘So many folks overbuy or buy before there is space to store the new item. I recommend picking your favorite item from each category and only using that until it's completely gone. Everything else should be stored in a backstock bin [a woven wicker basket, from Target, is a good solution to keep them neat] that you "shop" in when things run out. This keeps your spaces clear and curated, helping to eliminate mental clutter.’

5. ‘Pack’ a walk-away bag

User Cosmic_Swan6208 asked, ‘Let’s say you had to walk away from everything – your home, your job, your routine – and start fresh. No storage, no returns, no second bag. Just one. Think backpacking, but it's your whole life in there. What would make the cut?’

We want to be clear here, we are not suggesting you pack up everything you own and get rid of it à la The Minimalist’s packing party decluttering method. Rather, this Reddit conversation can prove a useful thought exercise to help you decide what to declutter.

The user shared, for example, ‘For me, it’s a mix of practical and sentimental,’ listing their laptop and charger, their passport, a notebook and pen, and a few comfort items. ‘Everything else – furniture, books, decorations – turns out to be more replaceable than I thought,’ they concluded.

What to shop

Meet the experts

Aprille Loney

Aprille is an experienced organizer specialising in decluttering and downsizing, helping clients cut back on non-essential clutter for a less stressful home.

Renee Green Tate

In 2022, Renee decided to shift her focus to progress over perfection, using structured systems to lighten the load. Now, she helps busy professionals, aspiring brands, and entrepreneurs simplify their lives with thoughtful systems, practical strategies and an intentional approach.

Reddit isn’t just good for decluttering hacks. We have rounded up a whole host of cleaning tips from users, too, such as the products Reddit users swear by for shower limescale, and even the worst cleaning tips on Reddit, so you know what to avoid.