The 20/20 Rule: How to Make Quicker Decluttering Decisions
Are you hindered by decision fatigue when it comes to removing unnecessary items from your home?
If that’s you, then the 20/20 rule may help make your decision-making easier and faster…
The 20/20 Rule: How to Make Quicker Decluttering Decisions
What is The 20/20 Rule?
The 20/20 Rule, which originated from The Minimalists, is a guideline that suggests if you can replace an item in 20 minutes or less and for less than $20, then you should consider decluttering it.
Essentially, items that you may think you need, but never use, can easily be decluttered because if you find that you do need them, they can easily be replaced for cheap.
The rule, however, isn’t used to consider which items to replace; the idea is that you won’t be replacing these items and that they should be easier to get rid of, etc.
20/20 Rule Examples
Here are a few examples of the 20/20 rule:
- Kids’ Toys: If you find that your children have some cheap toys under $20 that they no longer use and can be decluttered quickly, consider removing them.
- Kitchen Appliances: Any kitchen gadget you thought would be useful, like a chopper or fancy slicer that you never use, may be a good idea to declutter.
- Toiletries/Makeup: Makeup and cheap beauty products that are collecting dust can be removed, and if you feel interested enough to buy them again, you can rest assured that you can easily replace those items.
How to Make Quicker Decisions With The 20/20 Rule
When decluttering your home using the 20/20 Rule, it’s important to remember that this is helping you to get rid of items more effectively by reframing your ideas about your things.
You may be putting high value on your stuff since you’ve had it for a while, but in reality, if these things fall into the 20/20 rule, they don’t need to be kept as “just in case” items and aren’t as valuable as you thought.
Placing that monetary value ($20 or less) can also make it easier in your mind to let these things go.
It can be painful to get rid of things that we ultimately paid for but didn’t use all that much…
However, it is very freeing to remove your unneeded stuff and make room for a clutter-free living space that brings you peace!
Focus on the benefits you’ll get from cleaning up your space and how much better you’ll feel.
If you’re really on the fence about certain items, the box rule is a great way to save items for a “maybe” box and reassess in about a month or so.
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