The hardest part of decluttering is usually making decisions. What if I need this? What if I miss it? How many do I need to keep? What categories should I downsize?
There are many little tricks for an easier decision-making process, one of which is the 90/90 rule.
What is the 90/90 rule for the decluttering process?
The 90/90 rule for decluttering is simple. When you arrive at an item, and you can’t decide if you should get rid of it or keep it, you just need to ask yourself two questions:
Have I used this in the last 90 days?
Do I plan to use it in the next 90 days?
If the answer to both is no, you’re probably good to ditch it.
You can make different rules.
If 90 days isn’t your sweet spot, that’s okay! Maybe you’re a bit more mercenary with it–like a 30/30 rule. Or maybe you want to do six months, or a year, or a season.
You decide how to use tools like this to your best advantage.
Who invented the 90/90 rule?
The 90/90 rule was developed by Joshua Fields Millburn and Ryan Nicodemus of The Minimalists. They’re decluttering hack/tip/rule/game/challenge geniuses.
If you’re stuck in your decluttering process, I definitely recommend hopping over to see what else they’re cooking with, like the monthly Mins Game!
Alternatives to the 90/90 rule.
The 90/90 rule is just one little trick in a whole box of them. Let’s talk about some others!
The 20/20 rule.
This rule (also from The Minimalists) states that if you can replace an item within 20 minutes for under 20 dollars, you can get rid of it. This helps to minimize the “just in case” argument.
The one in, one out rule.
For every new item that comes into your house, one must leave. Ideally, both items are in the same category. If you get a new pair of boots, you let go of an old pair of boots.
I like to recommend the “one in, two out” method for more passive decluttering. It’s a slow, steady way to minimize the items in your house.
The joy spark test.
Marie Kondo’s famous “Does it spark joy?” catchphrase encapsulates this rule. If you pick up an item and don’t feel joy from it, you pass it on.
There are exceptions, of course, like for necessary and utilitarian items.
The container rule.
Developed by FlyLady, the container rule is simple–assign a category of items to a specific container. When that container is full, you don’t expand the storage place–you remove items.
This gives you a clear idea of how much stuff you’re allowed to keep.
For example, the Funko Pop collection gets one shelf. If they can’t fit, you don’t clear another shelf–you choose your favorites and minimize a not-favorite.
Take out the guesswork: 100 items to declutter right now.
Thanks for reading this blog post! As a reward, you get a free checklist of 100 easy items to declutter from your house:
