The five-year decluttering rule says that if you haven't used an item in five years, you probably don't need to keep it in your home. While this rule may not work for keepsakes, like your grandmother's wedding china, it is a great rule to use for decluttering your closet.
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.
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.
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. Thus far, this hypothesis has become a theory that has held true 100% of the time.
What Is the 90/90 Rule? Here's the gist: When you come upon an object you're unsure about decluttering, ask yourself two questions: Did you use it in the past 90 days? If not, will you use it in the next 90 days? If your answer is “no” to both questions, away it goes.
The 333 method philosophy revolves around one simple rule: you choose 33 items to wear for 3 months. This includes clothing, accessories, outerwear and shoes, but excludes essentials like underwear, sleepwear or workout gear.
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.
In this TikTok video, Kelly, who's known for her decluttering methods, like the Core 4 Method, and tips, explains that the three-second rule helps people make “quick and confident decisions when they are decluttering.” When applying her method to an item, you decide in three seconds to either “yes, you keep it” or “no, ...
Always declutter first!! Here's why. #1 It is impossible to effectively clean your home without dealing with your clutter first. If you eliminate the clutter, your home will instantly look cleaner.
What is the first thing you should do when decluttering? Not all clutter is trash, but starting with the clutter that is might be a sensible place to start. Clear counters of old mail, shipping boxes, and other items that can be tossed. Doing this room-by-room will give you a clean slate to start actually organizing.
Clutter can affect our anxiety levels, sleep, and ability to focus. It can also make us less productive, triggering coping and avoidance strategies that make us more likely to snack on junk and watch TV shows (including ones about other people decluttering their lives).
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.
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.
“The entryway into one's home should be the first space you organize above all others, whether that is a foyer, long hallway, or just an entrance area,” according to Jane Stoller, founder of Organized Jane and author of “Decluttering for Dummies.”
For that reason, someone with hoarding disorder accumulates a lot of stuff, to the point that it impacts their day to day life. Clutter, on the other hand, refers to things around the home that are disorganized and don't have a place, notes the International OCD Foundation.
“Kerri Richardson's new book, What Your Clutter Is Trying to Tell You helps you clear the clutter in your life by figuring out why it's in your life to begin with. It not only helps you eliminate physical clutter, but emotional and mental blockages, too, creating space for your soul to be energized!
People with depression can often find themselves living in messy spaces. This is because feelings of hopelessness, low energy, and lack of motivation can make it hard to keep on top of everyday tasks, such as tidying.