Right now, it seems like everyone is obsessively cleaning out their closets and drawers, getting rid of clothes and junk, thanks in no small part to the advice and guidance of organizational expert Marie Kondo.

Her hit Netflix series Tidying Up with Marie Kondo teaches viewers how to part ways with excess.

The essence of Kondo's cleanse is to first evaluate each item and determine if it “sparks joy.” If it doesn’t, you must thank it for its service, and get rid of it.

Then, when only your most joy-giving belongings remain, she encourages viewers to put every item in a place where it’s visible, accessible, and easy to grab and put back.

But did you know these popular decluttering tactics can also apply to your association’s website, which may be littered with outdated content? With Kondo in mind, here are four lessons for decluttering an association website:

Tackle Categories, Not Rooms

Kondo’s first rule is to tidy up by category—deal with every single one of your books, for example. Otherwise, they’ll continue to creep from room to room, and you’ll never rein in the clutter.

Same goes for your content. Focus on your messaging across your entire website—things like tone, word count, and call-to-action statements, or you might focus solely on images. Are they bold and compelling? Do they convey powerful visuals to tell a story?

If you only tidy up the “about us” or “events” page, you've still got clutter to deal with across the rest of your website.

This type of categorical focus can be challenging for associations because they may have website pages organized by different departments. This means that "content owners" or "section owners" can unintentionally promote a siloed structure, and as a result, a fragmented user experience. Tidying by category requires cross-collaboration across association business units, which is a more strategic and unified approach.

Respect Your Belongings

Most associations come to my digital agency, Bean Creative, with websites that resemble junk drawers. Homepages and sections that have become catch-all buckets. Often organizations don’t have a proper location or map to place content, or worse, departments compete to make their content the most visible.

Kondo asks viewers to consider their clothing’s feelings: Are they happy being balled up in a drawer or crowded into a closet filled with clothes and hangers?

Similarly, consider your web content’s feelings. Are hardworking communications really thrilled to be squished on to a cluttered page or layout? Could your messages be totally miserable and missing the mark due to outdated copy or small, grainy photos?

There should be no sacred cows in the content decluttering process. Thank that old press release, say goodbye, and set it free.

Nostalgia Is the Enemy

Maybe that well-worn cardigan does spark joy. But can you say the same about that press release on your website from 2011?

When decluttering, it's easy to get hung up on what you'll be left with. This is where hard data can be your guide. Start by looking at the top content visitors view, or content you think should shine but is currently hidden. There should be no sacred cows in the content decluttering process. Thank that old press release, say goodbye, and set it free.

For many associations, anecdotes can be fatal to progress. There’s always that vocal board member or respected volunteer who doubles down on a pet project or singular pain point that isn't backed by data. This voice could very well derail the entire decluttering initiative, or worse, create new projects not based on data. That’s why it’s important to always look to the data to guide your next steps and avoid wrong turns.

Fall in Love With Your Belongings

Once you’ve cleared away all the clutter, you can put your best self forward, whether that's a chic dress or spectacular infographics.

Culling your dull messages lets other good content see the light of day, especially when you tweak your layouts to have a combination of bite-sized messages (e.g., Buzzfeed-style lists or slideshows) and long-form articles. You’re looking to create content freshness and variation, giving each piece some breathing room.

So, what are the results of taking a Marie Kondo approach to your website? First, you'll identify holes in your messaging, which will help sort content, imagery, and communications with decisions that fall into place. Second, keeping your site up-to-date and tidy is so much easier when you have curated your belongings and assigned a clear value to content pieces. And, of course, treating your most essential content with respect will make it look better. So, what are you waiting for? Happy cleaning!