The 20/20 rule is a genius invention by Joshua Fields Millburn and Ryan Nicodemus from The Minimalists. This simple rule is if you can replace something you are decluttering in less than 20 minutes for less than $20, you can declutter it.
And during our last book tour, we made sure we didn't pack anything just in case. Then we tested our hypothesis: the 20/20 Rule. Anything we get rid of that we truly need, we can replace for less than $20 in less than 20 minutes from our current location.
1. Take the 12-12-12 challenge. The rules are simple: locate 12 items to throw away, 12 to donate, and 12 to be returned to their proper home. That's it.
This by-the-numbers decluttering strategy is simple: Only take up 80% of any given space in your home with stuff, and leave the other 20% empty. Generally, that means getting rid of about 20% of the items in your house to ensure your home is comfortable and has a feeling of spaciousness.
Have you used that item in the last 90 days? If you haven't, will you use it in the next 90? If not, then it's okay to let go.
According to a survey by the Simplicity Institute, an organization that surveyed 2,500 people across various countries who self-identified themselves as living with fewer possessions, 87 percent of respondents indicated they were happier now than when they owned more possessions.
The 333 Rule for Clothes (Project 333): This popular minimalist challenge involves selecting 33 items of clothing (excluding essentials like underwear, sleepwear, and workout gear) and wearing only those items for three consecutive months.
The idea behind Project 333 is simple: Wear only 33 articles of clothing for the next 3 months. All clothing, accessories, jewelry, outerwear, and shoes count towards your number. Exceptions include wedding rings, underwear, sleepwear, in-home loungewear, and workout clothing.
🎉 💡 How to Use the 5-Second Rule: ✔️ Pick an area to declutter (closet, kitchen, drawers—anywhere!) ✔️ Pick up one item at a time. ✔️ Decide in 5 seconds: Keep, Donate, or Trash.
No one item in the 50% is used 3% of the time. Any collection of items from within the 50% are used 3% of the time. So if you have ten shirts, then five are used 97% of the time and the other five are used 3% of the time.
Ltd., said that the one-touch rule involves handling an item only once. “Rather than picking something up and setting it down temporarily, you place it immediately in its designated spot. This habit minimises clutter, and helps maintain organisation, and prevents items from piling up,” he said.
Coined by pro organizer Kayleen Kelly, the “Core 4 Method” breaks the decluttering process into four simple steps: clear out, categorize, cut out, and contain. In essence, it's designed to take the stress and overwhelm out of the organizing process.
It tricks us into clinging to possessions or experiences simply because we've invested time, money, or effort in them, even if they no longer bring us joy or serve a purpose. This focus on the past cost prevents us from decluttering effectively and achieving a simpler life.
What Is the 90/90 Rule? Created by Joshua Fields Millburn and Ryan Nicodemus of The Minimalists, the 90/90 rule is a decluttering process that requires you to ask yourself two questions about objects you're not sure about: Have you used it in the past 90 days? And if not, will you use it in the 90 days ahead?
Simply, a minimalist wears their favorite clothes every day. Most days I wear jeans, a teeshirt, and a pair of boots. Or, when I feel like it, I wear a crisp white button-up shirt, jeans, a blazer, colorful socks, and a clean pair of dress shoes. (I avoid logos because I refuse to be a walking billboard.)
“No decorative object smaller than a cantaloupe.” Oklahoma City designer Valerie Helgeson recommends giving your pieces elbow room. “This creates negative space, which is actually a positive,” she said. “It gives the eye and mind a break.”
Start small and simplify. Beginning the decluttering process by starting small and focusing on one area at a time can be a highly effective strategy to prevent overwhelm, maintain motivation, and achieve tangible progress in organizing your living space.
Focus on one room or even one section within a room (e.g., kitchen cabinets), and complete that area thoroughly before moving on to the next space. Keep reading to learn helpful methods to declutter your home room by room.
The 333 method is essentially a bite-sized version of a capsule wardrobe. You choose three tops, three bottoms, and three shoes, and challenge yourself to create as many outfit combinations as possible with your selections.
Four Box Method
For this home decluttering method, you'll need four boxes labeled with the following categories: Trash, Storage, Put Away, and Give Away/Sell. Starting one room at a time, sort items into the appropriate boxes.
Start Small and Simple. One way to gain momentum in the paring down process is to start with the easy things. Begin boxing up items that don't hold much emotional attachment. Doing so will lead to a sense of accomplishment and provide motivation for you to keep going when the decision-making becomes tougher.
There are some simple rules to manage your expenses. One such interesting rule is the 33–33–33 rule which asks you to break your in-hand income into three equal parts — 33% of the income goes towards essential expenses or needs, 33% for non-essential expenses or wants, and 33% to savings and investing.