Maybe Box – A Simple and Effective Decluttering Hack
In this post: When you are decluttering, what do you do with things you don’t know if you should keep? Read this post to learn how a “Maybe Box” can help clear the clutter.
Have you ever started decluttering an area, and you’re cruising right along until you stumble across something you don’t know what to do with? You stare at it for a minute. Maybe reminisce about good memories with it. You don’t really need it anymore, but you aren’t sure you want to get rid of it. What do you do?
- You could stall out and decide you are done decluttering for the day. Which means you might not come back to this area to declutter for a long time. (Not the right answer)
- You could use a decluttering hack called the “Maybe Box.” (ding, ding, ding!!)
This scenario can play out with sentimental items, or non-sentimental items that you might “need” someday. It could be the pants you forgot you had in the back of the closet, but you might want to wear them again someday. Or a kitchen gadget you might need someday.
When you are just getting started decluttering, it is easy to get hung up on items and slow down your progress.
What is a Maybe Box?
A “Maybe Box” is a decluttering trick to help you get rid of clutter quickly. I also call it a “Wait and See Box.” This box is for items you aren’t sure if you are ready to let go of. They don’t always have to be sentimental items. They could be things you spent money on and never used, so you feel guilty getting rid of them.
Place these items in the maybe box, so you can continue decluttering and making decisions about what you want to keep and what you want to get rid of. You can come back to the Maybe Box at a later time, and determine if you missed the items at all.
How to Use a Maybe Box
As you declutter, collect the items you aren’t sure about in a box. Write a date on the box 1-6 months in the future (ideally, no more than 6 months). You can also add this date to your calendar, so you remember to come back to it.
Put the box in a place out of the way, but somewhere you won’t forget about it (like the garage or your car trunk).
You don’t want to hold onto the Maybe Box too long, but 6 months gives you time in case the things you are debating are seasonal items you only use part of the year.
When you come back to the box in a few months and realize you haven’t needed the items or thought about them in that time, there is a good chance you can safely get rid of them.
After doing this a few times, you will have some decluttering practice under your belt, and you should find more confidence in your decisions as you declutter. You might be able to check the Maybe Box in a shorter timeframe or skip it altogether.
As you declutter, you’ll start asking yourself questions like, “If I forgot I had these pants, do I really need to keep them?” or “I never buy pineapple, so why should I store this pineapple slicer.” Your response will likely be “I don’t need them!”
Using a Maybe Box with Kids
This can also be helpful when helping kids declutter. If they aren’t sure they want to get rid of a certain toy, but you are pretty confident they never play with it, you can teach them this process of using a Maybe Box. If they are older, don’t just do it for them without saying anything. Teach them how to make decluttering decisions.
The conversation can go something like this:
Mom: “Tommy, I haven’t seen you play with your train set in a long time, is it okay if we get rid of it?”
Tommy: “No way! I love playing trains!” Tommy then proceeds to play with it for 2 minutes before getting bored.
Mom: “Let’s stick the trains in your closet for a few months and see if you still want them. If you haven’t played with them by then, we can find someone else that might enjoy them more.”
Tommy: “Okay, but I’m going to want them.”
This is a similar conversation I have had with my own kids, and they almost always say they are ready to get rid of the toys after a couple months.
Occasionally, we’ve held onto things a little longer, but by the next time we declutter, they are ready to let go. They love the idea of someone else enjoying something they used to love too. (Kind of like Toy Story 😉)
And just like the grown-up examples, my kids have also got better at making their own decluttering decisions without the Maybe Box.
The “Maybe Box” Pitfall
A word of caution for using a Maybe Box….don’t put too much in it. If you find you are just moving ALL of your items to the Maybe Box, it has now become a DOOM Box (DOOM = Didn’t Organize, Only Moved). While a DOOM Box has its place to be helpful in the right circumstances, when you are working to get rid of clutter in your home, you are just postponing the decluttering process if it all ends up in the box.
Give the Maybe Box a Try When You Declutter
As you declutter, I definitely recommend giving the Maybe Box a try. It can help you stay on track as you declutter your home, and as you work on building your decluttering decision-making muscles.
What about you? Have you tried a “Maybe Box”? Are you willing to give it a try?
More Decluttering Posts You’ll Love:
- How to use a Donation Box to get rid of Clutter
- Where to Start Decluttering
- How to Stay Focused When Decluttering
