Packing Party Decluttering Method -Packing Up to Pare Down

Join me on this episode of The Simple Joy Show as I delve into the daring world of the Packing Party Decluttering Method.

This unique decluttering approach, popularised by Ryan Nicodemus of The Minimalists, challenges you to pack up your entire home as if moving out, only using what you truly need over the following weeks.

Discover the transformative power of this method, its ability to fast-track your journey to minimalism, and its suitability for those craving major life changes.

Whether you’re considering a bold move in your decluttering journey or simply curious about this unconventional approach, this episode provides insights into making significant lifestyle shifts towards simplicity and joy. 

Stay tuned for more episodes of my podcast, The Simple Joy Show, where we share tips on living a simpler life every Friday.

USEFUL LINKS:

Join the 30 Day Decluttering Challenge: https://hub.simplejoy.co.uk/challenge

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How to Get Started Decluttering When Overwhelmed PDF: https://hub.simplejoy.co.uk/overwhelmed

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Facebook Group: The Simple Living Society: www.facebook.com/groups/thesimplelivingsociety

Introduction to the Packing Party DECLUTTERING Method

Hayley Forster [00:00:00]:
Hello, everybody, and welcome to another episode of The Simple Joy Show. I’m your host Hayley and today, we’re unpacking (quite literally) the Packing Party decluttering method. This method was popularised by Ryan Nicodemus of The Minimalists. It’s unconventional. It’s quite daring, but it’s potentially transformative. So if you’re up for a challenge or you’re just curious about this unique approach. You’re in the right place.

Hayley Forster [00:03:26]:
So without further ado, let’s dive into this week’s episode.

Understanding the Packing Party DECLUTTERING Method

Hayley Forster [00:04:17]:
I’m going to be discussing another decluttering method from The Minimalists, which is called the Packing Party decluttering method. It’s quite an extreme method for decluttering your home and I’ll be honest, it’s probably more likely used if you’re already planning on moving to a new house or you’re going to be doing some big renovations perhaps. Because it does take a ton of preparation and a ton of work, but it actually can be really quite effective.

The Process

Just imagine you’re gonna be packing all of your belongings as if you’re moving out. We’re talking clothes, kitchenware, decorations, everything, the lot, and it all goes into boxes. Then over the next few weeks or months – I think the time frame that the minimalists give is 3 months. You only take out what you need, when you need it. And the idea is that at the end of 3 months, whatever remains in the boxes is potentially unnecessary clutter and perhaps could be sold or donated. Now as always, there’s pros and cons to each of these methods.

Pros of the Packing Party DECLUTTERING Method

Hayley Forster [00:05:29]:
So I’ll talk through the pros first of all.

Fast Track to Minimalism

Now this method is a real fast track to minimalism. It’s an incredibly fast route to discover what you truly need and what you use on a day to day basis. It’s a real eye opener, and it just shows you how much stuff you own, but you don’t actually use. Which I’m pretty positive is a lot. Things that are out of sight are generally out of mind, so you likely won’t even miss what’s in those boxes.

Opportunity for a Complete Reset

Another pro is that it offers an opportunity for a complete reset of your living environment. That can be particularly appealing if you’re craving a drastic change if you know that you just need to have a complete overhaul or you’re looking for a fresh start. It’s a fantastic method if you already happen to be moving or you’re planning on moving in the next year or so. You can literally do it as you move home. As you arrive at your new home, only take the things out of the boxes that you need to use instead of unpacking everything right away.

Hayley Forster [00:06:35]:
Obviously, you would be living out of boxes for a little bit longer than you probably would have hoped, but at least you would know that you’re unpacking the right things at the right time.

Ideal for Major Life Transformations

So, yeah, it is ideal for major life transformations. If you’re moving, you’re remodeling, or you’re really just looking to turn over a new leaf and of a complete overhaul, this method actually really acts as a catalyst for those significant life changes. It pushes you to reevaluate your lifestyle, your possessions. So if you’re in that phase of life, then this could be a fantastic method for you to dive into.

Cons of the Packing Party Method

Practical Challenges

Now onto the cons of the Packing Party decluttering method. The first one that comes to mind is obviously the practical challenges around it. The logistics of packing everything in your house is really daunting.

Hayley Forster [00:07:26]:
It requires time. energy and space to store those packed boxes. So for me, this method probably doesn’t make a lot of sense to do unless you’re already packing for a move or you are looking to overhaul. Because not only is it gonna take a significant amount of your time and your energy and space, there’s also the additional cost of purchasing boxes. I think all of us underestimate how much is stored in our home until we start to pack things away and we realize how much space it takes up.

Hayley Forster [00:08:34]:
I remember when I moved from Northumberland down to West Yorkshire. I remember unpacking my pantry, and I got everything in my pantry in 4 massive boxes. It was just unreal because I just didn’t quite grasp how much was in that pantry until I put it in there. And that was 1 cupboard in my kitchen. It really, really surprised me. So I think we all underestimate how much we’ve got stored in different locations in our house.

Emotional Impact

Hayley Forster [00:09:16]:
Another con is that it can have quite an emotional impact and it can be quite emotionally taxing. That’s because the sight of your belongings in boxes and living in an unsettled state can be really stressful. For someone like me who I’m a big advocate of having a home that you feel comfortable in, the thought of living out of boxes for 3 months actually fills me with dread. It’s not something that I would feel comfortable and relaxed with. I worry that I would just be spending most of my time looking for things and then end up in more of a mess. So it’s not suitable for everyone.

Impractical for Certain Situations

If you’ve got a young family or you live with others, it can be quite impractical or perhaps even disruptive as well. So you’ve got to think about how it would work with your routines.

Doesn’t Address Seasonal Items

Hayley Forster [00:10:17]:
The last con that I can think of is that it doesn’t really work well for any seasonal items. Some people may class those types of things as clutter, but I don’t. There are things in your life that you’re not gonna use constantly, but, actually, they are really useful or you enjoy having them. And, obviously, if you’re doing a packing party for a period of 3 months, you’re not gonna capture all of those items in your home that you use once in a blue moon, but still need. So you would have to think about how to process those separately. It’s not just a case of picking up those boxes and taking them all to the charity shop.

Who Benefits from the Packing Party DECLUTTERING Method?

Hayley Forster [00:11:25]:
So who would benefit from the packing party decluttering method? I think that this method is ideal for those of you who enjoy bold all in experiences. So if you’re feeling stuck in your decluttering journey, you just don’t know where to turn, you need a powerful push, you need a big change, or maybe that just perhaps you’re curious about how minimalism might from your space and your life. The packing party could be just what you need. Or if you’re gonna be going through the moving process in the next few months anyway, it could be an ideal opportunity to give this method a go.

Final Thoughts

Hayley Forster [00:12:04]:
But just remember, decluttering is a personal journey. Whether you choose the Packing Party decluttering method or you want to go for a more gradual approach, what matters the most is that you’re taking steps towards a lifestyle that brings you joy and simplicity. But that doesn’t add to that level of stress that you’re trying to get away from. If you’ve ever tried a Packing Party or you’re planning to, I’d love to hear about your experience. Please share your stories with us, sharing the #simplejoyshow or pop into my Facebook group, The Simple Living Society. The link is in the shownotes. Thanks for listening, and remember, every step towards decluttering, no matter how small or how big it is, is a step towards a more joyful and intentional life. See you next week. Take care.

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