The Minimalists’ 5 Favorite Decluttering Rules

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[dougmoring]

Three stages of life: (1) Desiring things. (2) Acquiring things. (3) Disposing of things.

[Magdalena]

As a mom of 5 kids the decluttering question I use is “would I clean poop off of this?” ( I got this gem from a fellow minimalist mom) and come to find out there’s not a lot Im willing to clean poop off of lol

[kamloopscruiser]

1: Spontaneous combustion rule. 0:49
2: 20-20 rule 2:50
3: seasonality or the 90-90 rule 3:54
4: wait for it rule aka the 30-30 rule take 30 hours to 30 days to decide 6:08
5: emergency items rule. 11:42

[cbsdaigle]

One of my own rules .. when going to any store (other than grocery) I don't get a cart. I carry what I need. If there's a sale and I'm drawn to it, I'm immediately limited in what I can carry. I've had employees offer to get me a cart but I always refuse. It helps me keep my perspective with my limitations to arm length in carrying items as well as the weight. I tell ya, things get heavier the longer you carry them.

[BoreasCastel]

I think a key is to acknowledge that holding onto things comes at a price. Before I was just thinking about the loss of items. Now I visualize a clean, well-organized space and a less-burdened mind and ask if holding onto something is worth what it will take from that.

[kimberlygray]

I do a no-spend random month, and in those months if I think I need something I go ahead and shop for it online and out it in my "cart" until the month is over. More than half the time, i decide I can live without it anyway.

[lofestruck]

When T.K. spoke he made a good point. Would've enjoyed hearing more from his view during this discussion.

[richardgehring]

Wait For It Rule - T.K. made the best point regarding holding off criticism/constructive feedback/contention for 24 hours. Josh, please note that he did not say "tomorrow", he said "24 hours". "And when I speak on it, I want the wait to come from my conviction & my clarity of thought and not from my body language alone" THIS IS SO POWERFUL

[DavidDavisDH]

My rules are pretty simple, when I go grocery shopping I only get what is on my list and I get the store brand most times. Another tip is to look up and down, a lot of times they put the more expensive prices at eye level.

[lorenl]

Kudos to you both as I have been a minimalistic person for years and didn't even realize it until I actually realized what minimalism actually was!!! I don't even own a couch for several years now and I have not had cable TV or a home phone for over 10 years now :)- I am 51 years old with no friends, no relationship, never married and never owned a house and I am completely content as I look at my younger brother who works 15 hour days to support a wife who has never worked and he is supporting a 40 year old home with a $4k a month mortgage full of stuff and is completely miserble because he lives his life so that he can keep up with the Jones' so he can impress people on Facebook!!!! I don't have anything and I am completely content!!! :)-

[joanson]

Keep the shirt! It gave me a sigh of relief. Looks great on the black background. And your blue eyes are glowing.

[kcowgirl]

This single podcast has helped me more than multiple hours watching other podcasts. Thanks. I've liked and subscribed. I'm in the process of moving, but was stuck with decluttering anyway. Perfect timing.

[amybatzlaff]

I just happened upon you guys on facebook and i have to tell you i love it! It's all so thought provoking. It really has been making me think about alot of things in a different light. I hate clutter but my house is full of clutter. I'm alreafy looking around at things i don't need. Am looking forward to listening to more. You guys are great!

[sleeplessinchicago]

Completely agree with the idea of waiting as the great policy for responding to impulses and so many other events in our lives, like conflicts and relationships.

[sarahslan]

Before buying something new I ask myself if I will still love this item in a year’s time or is it more likely to end up in the ‘declutter’ pile. I also employ the moment of doubt rule, especially to clothing. If I pick something up and find myself wondering whether I should or shouldn’t get it or if it will suit me, I don’t buy it. That doubt means I don’t fully appreciate it, so is a mediocre choice that will inevitably lead to me discarding it in future.

[susansmithey]

Just what I need to hear this morning! There’s some conflict issues that I’ve left unaddressed for too long. I’m realizing now these issues are “blocking “ some joy in my life. I’m going to finally address these matters today.

[larryzaborowski]

My 2 cents - Purge anyone, or anything, that brings more sadness than joy. Have what you need, need what you have. Purge everything else. On a side note - do these guys have the same mother - or share the same brain? They could finish each others sentences. 😮

[anielyantra]

Two Items I want to relate; 1. Every time I listen to your 'rules' it amazes me how I or anyone else could come up with their version of the very same rules. 2. It impresses my how spiritually applicable each one of the 'rules' really is. Barefoot shoes, carnivore diet, and minimalism...I'm set!
Oh! I forgot the bicycle!

[heidimeigs]

I’ve been thinking about minimalism a lot lately in relation to me. I’m not looking to only have X # of possessions. I’m trying to get to the point where I don’t have things/clothes I never use. I’m not going to live in a …..to me….cold, sterile, vacant space. I’ve made huge progress but am not quite through thinning stuff out. I’m not going to wear the same thing every day for a week, or a month. I’ve reduced my wardrobe a lot. I don’t buy clothes for a life I don’t and never will live. I don’t have pieces of clothing that some fashion maven says I must have. My wardrobe perfectly fits my life. I like to have nice, pretty things around me, but no longer have stuff crammed into closets or in boxes that haven’t been opened in yrs. I don’t keep “family” things that were passed down because I think I have to. I am much less emotionally attached to stuff. So…..I’m not a minimalist in a strict sense, I’m just an old woman who got tired of having too much stuff. 🤷🏻‍♀️

[TheDomainNameGuy]

The best way to downsize and declutter is to pretend to prepare to live in a car with only the boot or trunk as storage etc by using

The 3 plastic storage tub method

1 tub for clothes
1 tub for food
1 tub for everything else

And that's all a person needs and that way all the things that you have not placed in the 3 tubs are the things a person bought that they wanted but didn't need