If you are someone who holds on to everything, brace yourself. A professional organizer who goes by @thedeclutter.co says a lot of people need a little tough love when it comes to decluttering, and she has six ruthless rules to help you get a bit brutal with your belongings. Her promise is that it will help you more than you expect.
Her rules are direct, funny and surprisingly kind underneath. Here they are, along with some ways to put each one into practice.
@thedeclutter.co
Rule One: No More Maybes
This is her famous line. Her clients tell her they can hear her voice in their heads, because she tells them that if something is not a clear yes, it is a no. She demonstrated with her own phone case. She picked it up, thought she used it a while back, did not really love it anymore, and had not used it in over a year. All of those maybes, she explains, are just decisions you are putting off. Stop delaying the inevitable and let it go.
Try it: Pick up an item and ask yourself whether you love it or need it right now. If you have to think about it, the answer is probably no.
Rule Two: Stop Organizing Your Clutter
She sees this all the time. People organize everything in the house and expect it to make the home feel calmer, but it can make things worse. Her advice is to declutter first and organize second. Imagine buying a pile of bins at the store, bringing them home and shoving everything into them. They overflow, and you step back and think you are organized, but you are not. Just because you have space does not mean you need to fill it.
Try it: Before buying a single container, remove what you do not need. Then measure what remains and buy storage that fits.
Rule Three: Set a Timer for 30 Minutes
When you first start, the job feels huge. So she says to set a timer for 30 minutes, pick a space and go. When the timer rings, you are done for the day. You can pick it up again tomorrow. She promises that 30 minutes makes a real dent in a house, and that the momentum will make you want to keep going.
Try it: Choose one drawer, shelf or corner, and stop when the timer goes off, even if you feel like going longer. Stopping on time makes it easier to come back.
Rule Four: Every Room Needs Rules and Boundaries
This rule means you do not get to throw things into a room, close the door and call it a day. Each room should have a purpose. Only food belongs in the pantry. Only office items belong in the home office. A room is not a drop zone for random objects. That way, when you walk in with something, you know where it goes, and if it is not in its designated spot, you will think about where it should go.
Try it: Walk through your house and name the purpose of each room and closet. Take out anything that does not fit that purpose.
Rule Five: Guilt Is Not a Storage Unit
She admits this one may sound a little heartless, but she believes many people need to hear it. Stop keeping things out of guilt. If someone gave you a gift and you have never used it, you do not have to keep it. If something sentimental is not something you would pass along to your kids or truly love, it is time to come up with another solution, like a photo of the item.
Try it: Keep a small box for truly meaningful gifts. Thank the giver in your heart, and let the rest go to someone who will use them.
Rule Six: One In, One Out
This rule is straightforward. If you bring something into the house, something else has to leave. She started doing it at home over two years ago, and her daughter now follows the rule on her own. When the little one wants to buy a toy at Target, she knows she must choose a toy she has not played with in a while to give away. The same goes for adults. If you bring home a new shirt or dress, go through your closet and remove something you have not worn recently.
Try it: Keep a donation bag in your closet. When you buy something new, put an old item in the bag right away.
Why Tough Love Works
Many of us hold on to things because of fear. We worry that we might need an item one day, or that letting go means we are wasteful or unkind. Her rules push back on those fears with simple tests. They give you a quick way to decide, a time limit that keeps things manageable and a habit that stops clutter from returning.
You do not have to follow all six rules at once. Pick one this week. Maybe you will try the 30-minute timer on your kitchen drawers, or the one-in-one-out rule for your next shopping trip. As she says, go do something today that will make your house feel lighter and calmer. You will thank yourself later.