Why ask why?

iStock.com/Dilok Klaisataporn

Let's say you've decided to tackle a decluttering project. You’re feeling ready to pare down and purge things that you no longer need and use. Yay for you!

Before you do anything else, start by asking yourself why you feel the need to declutter this particular area.

This and other ‘why’ questions can be incredibly helpful decluttering tools since ‘why' questions reveal purpose, the reason something exists or is done the way it's done.

Asking 'why' questions provide opportunities to create awareness, build understanding, and gain valuable insights around your behaviors. When you consider reasons behind why you do what you do, you are better equipped to face challenging projects, push through resistance you might be experiencing, and discover ideas on how to move forward or what to do next.

Here are a few ‘why’ questions to explore:

-Why do I need/have this?
-Why did I buy this in the first place?
-Why am I keeping this?
-Why is this here?
-Why do I do things this way?
-Why does this bother me?
-Why am I struggling with this decision?

Instead of answering with an "I don't know" or a "because I said so," challenge yourself to dive deeper into why you do the things you do. Be curious! Your answers might surprise you. And if your answer truly is, “I don’t know why,” then you probably have a good candidate for the donation pile.

If you need some help with the process, I'm equipped with more why questions than you can shake a stick at and I'd be honored to help.