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You are here: Home / At Home / Decluttering Your Home / Decluttering with Your Spouse: What to do when you’re “Differently Organized”

October 27, 2017 by Angela

Decluttering with Your Spouse: What to do when you’re “Differently Organized”

Decluttering with your spouse can be one of the most frustrating aspects of decluttering your home. Here’s how our family has been working to collaborate in a shared space.

Decluttering with your spouse

Some of the links in this post are affiliate links, meaning, at no additional cost to you, I may earn a small commission if you choose to make a purchase. Thank you for supporting the blog in this way!

“Perhaps this person is not disorganized, but differently organized. In other words, there is a method behind the madness that works for him or her though its logic may escape you.” (p. 37)

– Julie Morgenstern, Organizing from the Inside Out


Decluttering with Your Spouse when They are Differently Organized

Can I admit something? Something that may be really obvious to you?

Facing clutter with your spouse or partner is hard…especially when you think it’s clutter and your spouse doesn’t.

Trying to declutter and organize with someone who is differently organized in a way that is affirming of both your needs is time consuming and requires a lot of patience – from both parties.

  • It’s easier to ignore the clutter.
  • It’s easier to just let your loved one do their thing without getting involved.
  • It’s easier to just stop talking about it altogether. Pick your battles right?

But what if…

  • What if you could use the “area of shame” in a way that served both of you?
  • What if the “clutter” could bring you together?
  • What if the “clutter” could increase your intimacy?
What if your clutter could bring you and your spouse together rather than apart? Click To Tweet


“Organizing together is a rare opportunity to learn how the other person thinks, to share goals and dreams, to discover what’s truly important to the other person. You may be surprised by what you find out.” (p. 42)

– Julie Morgenstern, Organizing from the Inside Out


I read Organizing from the Inside Out this past month and have had some aha moments while decluttering with my husband. My husband and I have had some tense conversations these past few weeks, especially after my first Facebook Live in the basement. I started reading it after our tense conversations and she affirmed what my husband already tried explaining to me – his way of keeping his stuff is not going to look how I want it to look.

The way I want the basement to look, is not going to work for him. The way he wants to use the basement, is not going to work for me.

So what’s a family to do?

10 Step decluttering process

Communication and Collaboration when Decluttering with a Spouse

My husband is more than willing to plan the space around our family’s needs, so it’s just a matter of us coming up with a strategy that works for all of us.

Initially we thought about splitting the basement in half and we would each be able to have “dominion” over our half of the space. That might work, but after talking some more, we realized that that solution wasn’t the best solution. It didn’t foster communication or compromise.

We don’t have it all figured out yet – but we do know:

  • we need space for a punching bag
  • we need a dedicated work space for our middle son
  • we need a dedicated space for our kids to do artwork and projects downstairs
  • space for music
  • space for laundry
  • space for painting
  • space for computer work
  • space for seasonal items
  • storage space for artwork and future projects that my husband wants to do
  • space for tools

I’m actually not sure how we’re going to have all of those activities happening at once down there (it’s a large space – but not that large!), but we’re going to figure it out together.

Are you and your spouse differently organized? My husband and I are! Here's how we're working together: http://wp.me/p5MGhA-134 Click To Tweet

Asking each other questions, asking ourselves questions, and patiently listening with the intention to grow in our understanding of how the other works.

Will it be hard? Definitely. Will it be worth it? Undoubtedly.

YOU MIGHT ALSO LIKE:

Decluttering with my Husband: 3 Things NOT to say

5 Steps to Decluttering an Overwhelming Space

Do you have a loved one that is “differently organized” than you? Are you willing and ready to have a conversation about your frustrations and hopes? Let me know in the comments!

PIN IT FOR LATER:

Decluttering with your spouse

 

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About Angela

Wife. Mom to three boys. Writer. Reader. Aspiring Minimalist. Lover of chocolate and fitness. She loves blogging about the ways she is finding success in simplifying life one step at a time. Her mantra is "Progress, not Perfection."

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Comments

  1. Melinda says

    October 27, 2017 at 12:27 pm

    “differently organized.”- Thank you!! Now I finally have a name for what ailed me, and 2 of my former husbands!

    • Angela says

      October 27, 2017 at 8:30 pm

      It’s a helpful term isn’t it? She says that as long as 1. the person can find everything they need when they need it and 2. if they are comfortable in the space then the person is not disorganized, but differently organized.

  2. Terri Webster Schrandt says

    October 29, 2017 at 9:01 pm

    What a great post! (Over the Moon!)…my hubby has hoarding tendencies, so I have to catch him in the right frame of mind for decluttering. It’s a process!

    • Angela says

      October 30, 2017 at 1:58 pm

      It certainly is Terri! I think most of us have “hoarding” tendencies in one area or another, and learning how to live with and compromise is challenging but rewarding too! I hope it brings you closer together. 🙂

  3. shelley says

    November 2, 2017 at 9:53 am

    Thanks so much for sharing at #Over the Moon. We look forward to seeing what you’ll share with us next week.

  4. Leslie says

    November 2, 2017 at 6:55 pm

    Yes, my husband and I are definitely ‘differently organized.’ I have to keep his office door shut because it just drives me completely nuts. But it’s his space. I probably exert too much control over our shared spaces, though, so thank you for the reminder to work together instead.

    • Angela says

      November 15, 2017 at 10:05 pm

      That’s smart Leslie. It has definitely been a good thing working together, but it’s not easy! I have to keep reminding myself – progress, not perfection

  5. April J Harris says

    November 4, 2017 at 12:44 pm

    Thank you for sharing so honestly, Angela! I’m not sure my husband and I are differently organized, but we do struggle with clutter. Your hints will help us too, even though we are both working towards a similar goal. Thank you so much for sharing this valuable post with us at the Hearth and Soul Link Party. Pinning and sharing. Hope you are having a lovely weekend.

    • Angela says

      November 15, 2017 at 10:06 pm

      Thank you April. That’s awesome that you and your husband are working together towards your goal!

  6. Create With Joy says

    November 5, 2017 at 6:09 pm

    This describes my hubby and I to a tee! Congrats – you’re one of our featured guests at Inspire Me Monday at Create With Joy!

    • Angela says

      November 15, 2017 at 10:07 pm

      Thank you so much!

  7. Marilyn Lesniak says

    November 5, 2017 at 8:29 pm

    Congratulations! Your post was my Most Clicked at #OverTheMoon this week. Visit me on Sunday evening and to see your feature! Don’t forget your badge. I invite you to leave more links to be shared and commented upon. https://www.marilynstreats.com. Please be sure to leave your link number or post title so we can be sure to visit!

  8. Lisa/Syncopated Mama says

    November 8, 2017 at 12:58 am

    My husband and I are soooo differently organized! Thanks for sharing this with us — I chose it for my feature! #FridayFrivolity

    • Angela says

      November 15, 2017 at 10:07 pm

      Thank you Lisa! Good to know we’re not alone! 🙂

  9. Lisa Pomerantz says

    November 11, 2017 at 8:42 pm

    Now I at least know what to call it! TY! <3 #dreamteam xoxo

Hi Friend! I’m Angela

Welcome to my blog where I write about simplifying life in small, manageable steps and creating healthy habits. You'll find inspiration, practical tips and community here for the decluttering you're doing in your own life. (whether that's physical, mental, or emotional clutter) Thanks so much for stopping by! Read More…

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