6 Minimalist Hacks to Curate an Uncluttered Home

Last week, in my Google feed, multiple articles emerged that outlined minimalist hacks. The hacks, while helpful, all held an unusual similarity.

Each hack hinged on numbers.

Six, in total, graced my screen in seven days. Some of these number-based, minimalist hacks were novel, others better-known. Nevertheless, they left me thinking.

Why, I wondered, is “decluttering by number” trending?

Do tools involving numbers make the declutterer feel more equipped, more ready to create the clutter-free home that, until now, they've only dreamed of?

While there's a place for deciding what “sparks joy” or decluttering based on intuition, numbers involve reason and create clear, measurable guidelines. For some, numerical guidelines speed up the decision making-process. And facilitate finally letting go.

Here are six number-based, minimalist hacks.

As to whether or not they are the missing piece to your decluttering journey, that's for you to decide…

1. The 20/20 Rule

The first minimalist hack comes from Joshua Fields Millburn and Ryan Nicodemus of The Minimalists. When on the fence about decluttering an item, this rule suggests letting it go if…

You can replace it for less than $20.
And you can replace it in less than 20 minutes.

I've found this hack especially useful for decluttering smaller items or just-in-case items. Should I let go of that fuchsia lipstick I wore once to my brother's wedding? What about those multiple spatulas? Or those rarely used coffee mugs? Run the question through the 20/20 Rule and the answer is… a unanimous yes.

Millburn writes, “This theory likely works 99% of the time for 99% of all items and 99% of all people—including you.”

In my experience, you rarely need to replace the things you decide to relinquish. Once you let go, you realize that you need much less than you thought you did to be happy. And, you see you've outgrown most of those items anyway.

Run it through the 20/20 Rule, and if it passes, then let it go. You won't miss what you didn't actually need.

Read the full article here!

Julia Ubbenga is a freelance journalist whose teachings on minimalism, simplicity, and intentional living have reached over 1M people worldwide through her blog. Julia also practices what she preaches in her Kansas City home. She resides with her husband, two extremely lively young daughters, three-year-old son, and baby girl. You can also find her on Facebook.