Don't keep anything that you think you MIGHT use later.
Hanging on to things in case you might need them not only adds to clutter but the more you have the more likely you are to lose it among all the other items you also might use later.
Keeping items actually costs you, a lot.
Best to not hang on to things that you think it would be a waste to buy it again. Believe it or not there’s a cost to keeping something. You need to think about where to store it, give up the actual storage space, or take up precious empty space. Then you’ll need to spend time organizing it and then remembering where you put if and when you need it. Give yourself permission to buy it again if you need it later.
Touch it once motto.
Tons of clutter comes from holding onto things that need action. Try using the “touch it once” motto. For example, standing by the trash can with a handful of mail as you sort it, toss the spam, deal with important mail on the spot and file it away.
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Useful, Favorite, Necessary
Ask yourself is it useful is it you favorite and is it necessary. When sorting through your towels for instance it will be easier to keep your favorite and toss out the well-worn ones or mixing bowls, sorting out the most useful and getting rid of the off one use sizes will help you de clutter.
Does it spark joy?
Marie Kondo has become a cultural standard-bearer of a movement to declutter and minimalist living. Her famous moto is having people ask themselves if each belonging in their possession sparks joy. If it works for you this is a great way to declutter your whole home.
Letting go of gifts.
This Is a hard one. I find that I appreciate the thoughtfulness shown in getting and giving you something and don’t want to dishonor the gift or the giver by letting it go. But if the gift itself is something you don’t need or enjoy, it’s okay to let it go, guilt-free. It’s good to remember its the transaction of love and care that makes the gift meaningful and has been taken to heart.
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One In - One Out.
For every new thing you buy you take one thing out. It helps keeps your storage-math straight: You shouldn’t accumulate one single “extra” thing if you truly stick to this rule
Use the 1 Year Rule.
The 1 year rule has you ask yourself if you’ve used the item in the last year and if you will use it in the year to come. If the answer is to both is no, out it goes. The actual time of 1 year is flexible, you can adjust it to whatever suits your lifestyle, but the framework helps you decide whether an item is as necessary as you might think.
Ask yourself if you'd buy it now.
Asking yourself, “If I were shopping now, would I buy this?” If so keep it, if not it's time to let it go. This will help you cull your collection of things down to only what’s serving you now.
The Hanger Trick.
Commit to a specific period of time, say three months, and get rid of anything you haven’t reached for and worn within that time span. If all your hangers hook over the bar right now, flip the hanger so it hooks from behind when you hang every worn-it-already garment back up. At the end of your time period, donate what hasn’t been turned around.
