DOES your home seem to attract clutter like a magnet? If so, good news: there’s a simple rule that can make staying organized easier.
Home experts swear by the 20/20 Rule, and once you’ve learned it, you’ll never struggle to say “goodbye” to unnecessary items.
The experts at Homes and Gardens explained how the simple guideline works, and how you can apply the 20/20 Rule in your own home.
Professional organizer Susan Santoro told the outlet what the numbers in the simple rule stand for.
“Go through each and every item and for those you’re struggling with, ask yourself these two questions,” Santoro said.
“Can I replace this item for $20 or less? Can I replace this item in 20 minutes or less?” she asked.
READ MORE HOME TIPS
If the answer to both, questions is yes, go ahead and dispose of the item.
It will be easy and cost-effective to replace, so you can safely donate it, sell it, or throw it away.
However, if you answer “yes” to only one of the questions, give it some extra thought. Is there a scenario where you’d want to keep the item just in case?
If so, you might decide to hold on to the item – at least until the next time you do a pass through the house and ask these 20/20 questions again.
Of course, there’s also a chance you might answer “no” to both questions.
If a product would be difficult or expensive to replace, hold on to it, and rest assured that you won’t feel pressure to replace it in the future.
“Making decisions on what to keep and what to let go can be difficult (and emotional, in some cases),” the pros at Homes and Gardens wrote.
“Having set time and distance guidelines in place enables you to look at the situation more pragmatically, and speed up the decision-making process,” they added.
Items that get a “yes” in both halves of the 20/20 test are often small, common items – in other words, the pieces that make up much of your clutter.
You can actually prevent clutter in the first place by adapting the 20/20 Rule for your shopping trips.
Before you buy an item, think about the things already in your home.
Is there anything there that can serve the same purpose – and if not, how soon will you be considering throwing out the item you’re about to buy?
