Peace of Mind Organizing

The hotel room theory of decluttering

21 October 2011

I’m writing this from my room at a Comfort Suites. It’s not exactly a luxurious room. But as I was sitting here on the little couch that makes this room a “suite” (that and the half wall that separates the couch from the bed), I started thinking about why I love hotel rooms.

I think it’s because in a hotel room, I have everything I need and nothing more. I packed only the clothes I needed for this two-night trip. I packed my toiletries. I packed my computer and my iPad and even a snack or two. And that’s it. If I wanted to, I could put everything away (more or less).

The room itself comes with amenities. There’s a TV and a desk. And a little microwave and fridge. There’s plenty of lighting. I can control the heat. What more could I ask for? I know! Someone to come in each day and make the bed, vacuum, and clean the bathroom.

The downside, of course, is that it’s not particularly homey. And living in a hotel isn’t particularly financially sustainable. So unless I win the lottery and move into the Ritz, I’ll probably live in a house or an apartment.

But maybe I can apply my love of hotel rooms to my home. If my home contained just the things I need and use, along with some decorative items that made me really happy, it might be more pleasing to me. As it is, in addition to the items I need and use, I have stuff I might need, as well as (truth be told) stuff I haven’t gotten around to throwing away.

If my home were more like the nice aspects of a hotel room, I’d probably be more comfortable. There’d be less to clean and care for. Everything could be easily put away. There’d be no daily maid, but maybe I could get a regular housekeeper.

So next time I turn my eye to decluttering, I’m going to think about how to make it more like a hotel room. But it won’t be a Comfort Suites room. I’ll make it a Four Seasons.

Tagged with: decluttering, order

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