Decluttering has been a hot topic for some time now – so much so that there’s no end of books, methods and products to help us along. I should know, as the homes & household advice editor, I declutter regularly and have tried some of the most popular methods, including the Ski Slope method, Swedish Death Cleaning and the Minimalism Game.
But while we’re gradually working through the clutter in our homes, it’s easy to get carried away and remove something you later regret – particularly if you’re trying to rush things! According to the 2025 Good Housekeeping Decluttering survey, almost a third (32%) regretted decluttering something. While the regrets spanned over a wide range of items, there were some repeat offenders that caught our eye. So if you’re kicking yourself, you’re not alone.
There’s enough obstacles already when it comes to decluttering without the fear of regret once you’ve seen the task through. So, we’re going to explore some of the biggest regrets our survey revealed and how to avoid them – so you can declutter without second-guessing your decisions.
1. Clothing
Clothing was the number one regret from our panel. Many regretted giving away clothing that later came back into fashion, while others wished they’d hung on to clothing that would now fit after changing dress sizes.
When I asked around the team to see if there were any regrets after decluttering clothing, I was met with a resounding yes.
Joanne Finney, our resident books director, admitted: ‘There’s the chunky biker boots I bought as a uni student – yes, they did rub my heels, but they’d look so perfect now with a floaty dress to toughen it up. There’s also a bright purple rollneck I owned in my 30s that did great things for my boobs; I can’t remember why I got rid of it, but I miss it weekly. Possibly the thing I regret most of all, though, is an original black and white Biba dress that was my mum’s first and is probably now worth a fortune. I’d like to say I’ve learned from my ruthless decluttering, but just this week I sold a floral blouse on Vinted that I’m already missing!’
When decluttering clothing, the key is to take your time and consider the true value of each item. Think about when you last wore it, or whether you even knew it was there before you started decluttering. While you might want to hang on to every item ‘just in case’ it comes back into fashion, or it might fit again in the future, this is never a sure thing, and it’s taking up precious space for something you could be wearing regularly in the interim.
I always advise decluttering clothes that no longer fit. It can make you feel bad about your body and acts as a constant reminder while it’s stored. Just think: would someone else value this more? This can always help to let go. But don’t rush yourself and ruthlessly chuck items into a bin bag – while that will quickly make space, it’s a recipe for regret.
Wardobe declutter kit
CrazyGadget 32 Litre Large Plastic Storage Container
2. Sentimental items
While some people miss the clothing they declutter for practical reasons, for some it holds sentimental value, too. This was the case for our features editor Bethan Rose Jenkins, after she decluttered her nana’s white cowboy boots: ‘I had them for years as a kid, but they were too big for me and I eventually cleared them away as a teenager. I thought it was silly to keep something that didn’t fit only for fancy dress purposes. Not only have they come back in fashion and would now fit me, but I’ve since lost my nana and would love to have them again for the sentimental value.’
Sentimental items came second for the biggest regrets, with childhood toys, letters and keepsakes listed as frequent examples. The list also included items from late parents (including photos) and wedding-related memorabilia, such as the seating plan, or a dress a grandmother wore.
Our deputy chief sub-editor Vicky Deacon has sentimental regrets, too: ‘I found my old art toolbox from my schooldays at my parents’ house – full of memories and covered in ‘I love Duran Duran’ doodles. I had no need for it at the time and it was still in good condition, so I cleaned off all the doodles and freecycled it. I’ve since taken up painting again and really wish I’d kept it – so much so that I still don’t have the heart to buy a new one!’
Sentimental items are some of the hardest to declutter because of the memories and emotional ties they hold. I always recommend decluttering these last, so you’re better versed with decluttering and judging the value of things.
When sorting through sentimental items, decide what ones mean the most first, so you know what you’re definitely going to keep. For the rest, take a moment to consider why it wasn’t at the top of your list. Does it no longer hold the value that it once did, or perhaps you have better memories of the same event/person stored elsewhere? If you really struggle to make decisions on these items, it can help to have a second person there to give an outside perspective. But don’t throw away sentimental items without first considering their true value, and don’t throw away anything you’re uncomfortable with letting go.
3. Unexpectedly useful items
What stops you decluttering? It’s often the little voice in the back of your mind that says ‘But what if…?’ We worry the item might come in handy, even though it may not have been used before. If you’re on a hot decluttering streak, it’s easy to ignore that voice preemptively and make a snap decision on items that may well come in use down the line.
For our panel, this included the likes of kitchen tools, craft materials and household goods. Vacuum cleaner accessories and plant pots were mentioned as something we declutter too hastily, too.
I’ve experienced this for myself when I played the Minimalism Game. I counted 14 glass ramekins in my kitchen cabinet (leftovers from store-bought desserts), which I was happy to recycle to make up my daily declutter numbers. However, just a few weeks later, I happened to need a glass ramekin when I was basting a chicken. I found another bowl for the job, but I did kick myself.
When I decluttered my bedroom drawers, I also decided to remove my face masks, as they hadn’t seen use since the pandemic. Thankfully, they hadn’t quite left the house when I realised I needed to wear one while removing mould from the bathroom ceiling.
You shouldn’t hang on to everything you decide to declutter ‘just in case’, but you should consider alternative uses for the item and ways in which it might be needed. Again, pausing to think about what you’re removing can save you from regrets later. This problem can’t be avoided completely – there’s always the chance you might need something you’ve removed later on, but cases of this will be few and far between, and the extra space you’ll gain is worth it.
Kitchen cupboard storage
Mutool Stackable Can Rack
CLEARSPACE Plastic Storage Bins (4 Pack)
Amazon Basics Stackable Storage Shelves
Joseph Joseph Undershelf Spice Rack
Vtopmart Set of 24 Airtight Food Storage Containers
MR.SIGA 4 Pack Airtight Food Storage Container Set
4. Valuables
Sometimes, we declutter things without realising their full financial value. For our panel, records, albums and vintage items have all been decluttered, which would have appreciated in value.
This resonated with Simon Cocks, our technology editor, who recalls, ‘I bought a Fujifilm XF10 compact camera during lockdown for £250 new, and then sold it in 2023 thinking phone cameras were now good enough.
‘I don’t know what I was thinking – I’d shot more than 1,000 photos on that camera and love its size and style. It was such a great camera for travel, too (and definitely still better than smartphone cameras that have come out since!). After I sold it, compact cameras started to become trendy with Gen Z. Now, the same camera costs around £700 on the secondhand market! I’ll probably never rebuy it and could have got a lot more for it!”
The key learning from this is, once again, taking your time as you declutter and considering whether you’re taking the right course of action for each item. Ask yourself: are you giving away something that could appreciate in value? Where would be the best place to sell it if so? It might be worth looking up similar items online to see what they’re worth (including the price history) for guidance.
This is easier said than done when working through a large project, but it’s worth doing to avoid regrets with high-ticket items. Of course, there’s no telling whether something will definitely be worth more in the future, but you can be wary of the categories that tend to go up in value, such as records and vintage items, and take that into account while you declutter.
5. Books and media
Books and media took the final spot, with our panel listing books, magazines and university notes as examples of what they’ve regretted decluttering.
This won’t be referring to everyday books and papers – more so those that hold sentimental value and/or cannot be easily replaced. For instance, it could refer to early editions of books, which hold more value (both financial and emotional) than others. So this one could be seen as crossing over a couple of the above categories, depending on the item in question.
For instance, 90% of the books I own are everyday copies that are widely available online, so I wouldn’t have much trouble decluttering them and I wouldn’t worry about regretting it later. But a few of my books have been passed down to me by my nan. Not only did they belong to her, but they’re early-edition Good Housekeeping cookbooks, so I find the recipes and the history very interesting. I’d never declutter books like these, but if I had an abundance of them, I can see where people would struggle. It was a difficult area to sort through when I tried Swedish Death Cleaning.
When sorting through precious books, I’d refer back to the advice on sentimental items. If there’s no sentimental attachment, check the availability of the item before you declutter it, so you’re aware that once it’s gone, it’s gone.
Should you decide to keep your books, make sure they’re stored out of direct sunlight to prevent the cover from bleaching. These books are valuable, and you don’t want them taking damage.
