Ask Yourself These Two Questions Before You Leave Anything “just in Case”
Like many things, decluttering requires you to consider both theoretical and practical aspects. Yes, at some point you will have to get out there and physically start throwing things away and organizing what you keep, but you will also have to do a little work on yourself and yourself.
I don’t want to sound like wow, but there is an element of visualization and self-discovery that comes into play. For example, some of the most popular decluttering techniques require you to visualize your ideal space, so when you start decluttering, you’re always closer to creating that vision. The deep thinking doesn’t end when you get to work: you should also think intellectually about your choice to keep or get rid of each individual item. Try asking yourself just two simple questions about each item.
Rule 20/20
This approach, like the ” packing party ” decluttering method,comes from the Minimalist organizational gurus . It’s called the 20/20 Rule, and to use it, you need to ask yourself two simple questions when deciding whether to keep or get rid of an item. This is especially important when you think you’ve found something that you should keep “just in case” you need it sometime in the future.
First ask yourself, “Can I replace this item for less than $20?” Then ask yourself, “Can I replace it in less than 20 minutes?”
If the answer to these questions is yes, you can afford to get rid of the item. A good example is, say, a lighter. If you’re not someone who regularly lights candles or smokes, you may never use a lighter, but it can easily seem like a “just in case” item. You can explain that you need it in case someone comes over with a cigar or in case you throw a birthday party. But in reality this won’t happen. And if that’s the case, then the few dollars you spend on another one at the street corner store will pay for the space you save by getting rid of the original one.
Why does it work
If this sounds familiar, that’s because the 20/20 rule isn’t the only example of a simple two-question quiz you can ask yourself while decluttering. When following the Decluttering at the Speed of Life method , you must ask yourself, “If I needed this item, where would I look for it?” If you can’t answer this question, you ask yourself, “If I needed this item, would I think I already had it?” Those “just in case” items you keep are usually used so rarely that you don’t even remember you have them at all, let alone that you have a specific place to store them.
Some people (including me, for the sake of transparency) find decluttering difficult due to the obsession with these “just in case” things. I can rationalize keeping something on the basis that I might need it one day, but the truth is that I never do. This is where two questions come in: these are objective yes or no questions that take the sentimentality and guesswork out of deciding whether something is worth saving. They take the emotions out and give you a backup plan (spend less than $20 without hurting yourself) in case you ever really need something, so you don’t have to get stuck worrying about the future and can just throw everything away to the wind. subject and move on.