Cleaning up clutter of any kind, but especially communications clutter, can be difficult. Here are 9 questions to help you decide whether to keep, sort or toss.

When it was on the air, I loved watching a TLC show called "Clean Sweep," focusing on helping people with too much clutter. The show hosts and organizational experts would help individuals rid their personal spaces (bedrooms, garages, offices, etc.) of their physical, and eventually, their emotional clutter, replacing it with a clean, designed and decorated space.

To begin, the organizational expert, Peter Walsh, would give the participant 30 minutes to approach the items cluttering the space and decide if he/she would keep, sort or toss them. At the end of the 30 minutes, most participants had large piles for 'keep' and 'sort' and only a few items in the 'toss' pile. Over the next few hours, Walsh would repeat the keep, sort or toss process in a detailed manner, forcing the participants to talk through attachments to items, reasons/justifications for keeping and unpacking emotional baggage that might be keeping him/her from moving on (Walsh has a master's degree with a specialty in educational psychology). Oftentimes through this process, Walsh would help participants see that they had irrational attachments to inanimate objects.

Don’t we all have those attachments? It might be an attachment to a tchotchke, a ritual or a method. Over the years, those attachments grow and can produce clutter – physical, emotional and spiritual! Walsh’s process of keep, sort or toss has served as a good mantra for me when I approach clutter. I use it repeatedly as a means to sort through everything – from my thoughts and feelings to my inbox and office desk. Recently, while visiting a client who was undergoing a major church building renovation, I noticed a bulletin board in the dumpster. It had been tossed! (This was a surprise to see since so many churches hold onto their bulletin boards.) But, I was glad someone thought through whether or not it was worth keeping and decided to part with the antiquated form of communication.

How do you decide whether to keep, sort or toss? Whether it’s a piece of furniture, a piece of artwork, or even ... wait for it ... communications clutter, ask yourself: 

  • Do I use this on a regular basis?
  • How valuable is this to me?
  • Is it irreplaceable?
  • Is it useful/effective/serving its purpose?
  • Would it be better used by someone else?
  • What will happen if it's removed?
  • Am I only keeping this because I don't want to waste money?
  • Am I holding onto this for sentimental value?
  • Do I have a similar item that serves the same purpose?

If your church is considering taking a look at your communications clutter, Fishhook can help. Through our Communications Assessment and First-Time Guest Experience review, we can guide you through what to keep, sort or toss. Learn more here.