# 165: The 15 Best Questions to Ask Yourself to Make Decluttering Easy Page: https://stenobird.com/podcast/paring-down-realistic-minimalism-decluttering-intentional-living-6661207/165-the-15-best-questions-to-ask-yourself-to-make-decluttering-easy Text version: https://stenobird.com/podcast/paring-down-realistic-minimalism-decluttering-intentional-living-6661207/165-the-15-best-questions-to-ask-yourself-to-make-decluttering-easy.md Podcast: [Paring Down: Realistic minimalism, decluttering, & intentional living](https://stenobird.com/podcast/paring-down-realistic-minimalism-decluttering-intentional-living-6661207) Published: 2026-06-02T09:00:00+00:00 Episode link: https://traffic.megaphone.fm/CTL2762804889.mp3 Audio file: https://traffic.megaphone.fm/CTL2762804889.mp3 Processing state: not_requested JSON: https://stenobird.com/v1/public/podcasts/paring-down-realistic-minimalism-decluttering-intentional-living-6661207/episodes/165-the-15-best-questions-to-ask-yourself-to-make-decluttering-easy Duration seconds: 2942 ## Resource It's much easier to declutter when we filter our choices through certain questions, so I've compiled the best 15 questions to ask yourself when decluttering. Some are famous ("Does this spark joy?") and some are recent viral sensations ("If this had poop on it, would you wash it off or throw it away?"), but I break down why they work (and circumstances when they don't). Choose your favorites from this list and let them help you part with your clutter! Thank you to the listener who requested this episode! Such a great idea to get these helpful questions all in one place. MENTIONED THIS EPISODE: Brand New Freebie: 15 Questions to Ask Yourself When Decluttering Freebie: 20 Decluttering Roadblocks (with specific advice for each) Freebie: Know Your Why Worksheet The Minimalist Home - book by Joshua Becker Ep 123: How Minimalism Can Change Your Life with Joshua Becker Ep 153: 20 Things I'm Decluttering Before Moving to Finland Ep 79: Decluttering Before You Move (or Mock Move) Ep 75: Minimalism Hot Takes Ep 50: The Guilt & Fear of Decluttering Gifts PARING DOWN (SHANNON LEYKO): Sign up for my newsletter! ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠The L.E.S.S. Express⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ Website: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠www.shannonleyko.com⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ Instagram: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠@shannonleyko⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ TikTok: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠@shannon_leyko⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ Youtube: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://www.youtube.com/@shannonleyko⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ Facebook: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠www.facebook.com/shannonleyko.paringdown⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ Substack: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Blog & Additional Support (free trial!)⁠⁠⁠⁠… ## Actions - request_transcript: `POST https://stenobird.com/v1/public/podcasts/paring-down-realistic-minimalism-decluttering-intentional-living-6661207/episodes/165-the-15-best-questions-to-ask-yourself-to-make-decluttering-easy/transcription-requests` — Idempotently request low-priority transcript generation for this episode. - read_markdown: `GET https://stenobird.com/podcast/paring-down-realistic-minimalism-decluttering-intentional-living-6661207/165-the-15-best-questions-to-ask-yourself-to-make-decluttering-easy.md` — Read the agent-friendly Markdown representation of this episode resource. A page view does not enqueue transcription. Agents should invoke `request_transcript` explicitly when they need this episode processed. ## Transcript Full transcripts are not published on public pages unless there is a clear rights basis.