Letting go of things can be difficult, but once you get rid of the unnecessary stuff you will be left with items that are useful and make you happy. If you need some guidance on what’s worth keeping, here are 5 organizing rules to test out in your own home:
The 20/20 Rule
We often hold onto things because we think we may need them someday. If you can replace an item for less than $20 in less than 20 minutes, say goodbye. You’ll be amazed at the space those ‘just in case’ items free up.
10 Percent Method
This method will help you cut down on the number of like items. Pull out a group of things, like your dish towels, so you can see them all. Make it a goal to reduce the collection by 10 percent.
One-In-One-Out
For every new item you bring into your home, one must go out. This is not about keeping a specific number of things, but eliminating the opportunity to add clutter.
90/90 Rule
Ask yourself if you’ve used an item within the last 90 days, and if you will use it in the next 90 days. If the answer is no, it goes. This will help you decide how necessary an item actually is.
The Ex Test
This will help you determine how important something really is to you. Would you contact a dreaded ex to get the item back? No? Then it’s not that important!
Implement one or all of these rules – whatever works for you, and say bye bye to the clutter.