Imagine you’re cooking dinner, but instead of random ingredients, you have a clear plan. That’s what Tina Priestly, CEO of Ready, Set, Refresh, says about organizing your space. Like recipes, organizing systems often rely on numbers to make decluttering more straightforward.
There are several methods to help you get started:
1. The 80/20 rule: Keep only 80% of items in a given space, leaving 20% empty for easy access.
2. The 90/90 rule: Ask yourself if you’ve used an item in the last 90 days and will use it in the next 90. If not, let it go.
3. The 12-12-12 challenge: Find 12 items to throw away, donate, or put back in their proper place in one session.
4. The 4-box method: Label four boxes (trash, donate, keep, or relocate) and make quick decisions about each item.
Other essential methods include:
* The Core 4 method: Clear out, categorize, cut out, and contain items to organize your space effectively.
* The 2-minute rule: If a task can be completed in two minutes or less, do it immediately.
* The 1-3-5 rule: Sort tasks into large, medium, and small categories and tackle them accordingly.
The 1-in, 1-out rule is also helpful for keeping your space tidy by removing one item for each new one that comes in. This principle works best for everyday items like socks and mugs.
By applying these simple yet effective strategies, you can simplify your space and make organizing a breeze.
Source: https://www.washingtonpost.com/home/2025/11/06/organizing-systems-for-minimalism