Lisa Galek is a freelance writer and editor based in Cleveland, Ohio. Her writing has appeared in Cleveland Magazine, Scholastic Science World, Refinery29, and The Buckeye Flame. She lives with her husband and three very clever daughters.
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A move can certainly put things in perspective. When my family bought our new home a few years ago, I spent days packing up cluttered closets, disorganized drawers, messy shelves, and overflowing toy bins. Did I really own all this stuff? Had I really bought all this stuff? And —oh my God —was it all coming with me?
I promised myself the new house would be different.
After we settled in, I started researching decluttering techniques online. I came across the concept of minimalism —the idea of living with less —and specifically the 20/20 rulecreated byThe Minimalists,Joshua Fields Millburnand Ryan Nicodemus. When strugglingto make decluttering decisions, the 20/20 rule says you should consider letting go of an item if:
- You can replace itfor less than $20.
- And you can replace it in less than 20 minutes.
Does the 20/20 rule solve every decluttering dilemma? No. But it’s ideal for small items, and those were causing me the most trouble. I started going through my overstuffed spaces, finding lots of everyday objects I could do without (and quickly replace in an emergency):
- Ten coffee mugs? I don’t even drink coffee.
- Books. I’m in two book clubs, but even I’m not going to crack open “The DaVinci Code” again.
- Makeup. Like that pinkish lipstick I wore to my niece’s wedding last summer. Yikes.
- Duplicate kitchen items. How many potato peelers does one household need?
- Toys. My three daughters had 80 Barbie dolls. 80! Time to downsize, girls.
- Clothes. Goodbye, ill-fitting red turtleneck I thought I might wear to a Christmas party!
- Small appliances. Reader, I still had an original George Foreman Grill.
Once I stopped saving hundreds of small items “just in case,” my home instantly became cleaner and more manageable. I also discovered I really didn’t need all the extra stuff. Instead, I could donate it to people who could use it. And if I did, one day, require an emergency pair of chandelier earrings, I knew I could replace them pretty quickly for a fairly low cost.
How the 20/20 Helped Me
The 20/20 rule also helped me resist the urge to keep collecting more and more, and that saved me a lot of money. Before, every shopping trip to Target involved buying things on a whim —like a cute wine bottle opener or a watering can shaped like a baby elephant. Now, I know I have the items I need at home, so I’m not tempted to make impulse purchases I’ll regret later.
But what I love most about the 20/20 rule is its practicality. I tried the KonMari method. I actually held a hammer in my hand, trying to decide if it “sparked joy.” Honestly, it was just too wishy-washy for me. The 20/20 rule has allowed me to set time and distance guidelines: “I don’t think I’ll need this blue nail polish anymore, but I know I can get a new bottle for about $6 at the drugstore five minutes from my house if I do.” Simple. Measurable. Lovely.
You’re probably wondering if I’ve ever had to replace anything. The answer is: rarely. We did try functioning with only one spatula in the house for about a year before I broke down and bought a second one. Having just one official flipper during Sunday morning pancakes wasn’t cutting it.
If you’re struggling to get organized, you can always buy more storage solutions —or you can minimize your things and better enjoy the space you already have. For me, the 20/20 rule means extra stuff no longer takes up space in my home or my head. And that’s the best decluttering of all.
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