Decluttering Guide: 90/90 Rule to Declutter Like a Pro Now

Inside: If you are serious about decluttering your home and creating a space you can truly enjoy. I highly recommend this decluttering guide, which incorporates the 90/90 rule from The Minimalist.

I came across the concept of minimalism in the spring of 2020, and that was when I started decluttering my home. 

It was one of the best decisions I’ve ever made. Now I am at the point where all I do is maintain my house, and cleaning my home takes very little time.

There are many ways to declutter your home, and I recommend finding one that works for you and doesn’t overwhelm you. 

Here, I will discuss the 90/90 minimalism rule, as outlined by The Minimalist.

What is the 90/90 rule?

The 90/90 minimalist rule was developed by Joshua Fields Millburn and Ryan Nicodemus, also known as The Minimalists. The 90/90 minimalism rule is very simple. Take a clothing item or any item and ask yourself these two questions,

1. “Have you used this item in the last 90 days?”
2. “Will you use it in the next 90 days?”

If the answer is “no” to both, consider letting the item go.  

There are numerous benefits to decluttering your home and keeping only the items you use and love.

These benefits include reduced time spent on cleaning, decreased stress and anxiety, and increased productivity.

For these reasons and many more, it’s essential to start decluttering your home now.

Benefits of the 90/90 decluttering rule

• Easy to apply in many areas in your home- the 90/90 decluttering rule can be used in almost all areas in your home, like your kitchen, closet, bedroom, and bathroom. The only area where the 90/90 rule can’t be applied is with food items or medicine.

• Makes the decision of what to declutter easier- decluttering is not an easy process for some. Still, by applying the 90/90 decluttering rule, you can help determine which items to declutter that you have not used and are unlikely to use in the next 90 days.

• It is practical and can help you declutter in a short amount of time- when you apply the 90/90 decluttering rule, you are asking yourself two questions, which will take you less time to declutter.

• Make considerable progress with decluttering- if you want to create a clutter-free home quickly, applying this rule will help you get rid of a lot of items in no time. It changes your mindset from “What if I need it?” to “Do I use it?

Related posts

Decluttering Tips: 14 Surprising Things Making Your Home Look Cluttered

10 Simple Ways to Ease Into a Minimalist Lifestyle

10 Things I Wish I’d Known Before I Started Decluttering

How to apply the 90/90 rule while decluttering your items

Now that you understand the 90/90 decluttering rule and its benefits, let’s explore how to apply this rule to items in your home.

Clothing items

Select a clothing item, such as workout leggings. Have you worn them in the last ninety days? Do you plan to wear them in the next ninety days? If not, go ahead and declutter it. 

When sorting through your clothes, including workout gear, be realistic about what you truly need. 

If you own ten pairs of leggings but only work out three times a week, you don’t need ten. It’s a good idea to declutter your least favorite items and those you haven’t used in the past 90 days.

You can also do this with shoes, purses, and jewelry. Be honest about what you use and need, and discard the rest.

Kitchen appliances

We have appliances we bought, thinking they would make our lives a little easier. 

For example, a George Foreman grill.

You got it and only used it once. It is just sitting on your kitchen counter. This item is safe to let go of. You have not used it in the last ninety days and will more than likely not use it in the next ninety. 

The same goes for juicers, blenders, or oven makers. Decluttering unused kitchen appliances frees up space for the items you do use.

Skincare and make-up items

As we age, our skincare concerns will change. We need different skincare products to address our evolving needs. 

We do our research, get a product, and it may or may not suit our skin. If you did not enjoy the product, these items are safe to let go. 

Once you find a skincare routine that works for your skin type, stick with that routine. The same goes for makeup: if you do not use it or like it, go ahead and declutter it. 

Also, throw away expired skincare and makeup items.

Home decorations

This can include wall decorations, counter decorations, or seasonal decorations. Keep decorations to a minimum to reduce cleaning time. Remove decorations that make your walls and counters look messy and cluttered. 

Ask yourself the two questions to decide what to keep and what to let go of.

Also, go through your throw blankets and pillows. Keep your favorites and discard the rest. I suggest keeping two throw blankets per family and decluttering the others.

Tips to make the 90/90 decluttering rule easier for you

• Work in one area at a time—it’s essential to focus on one space before moving to the next. For example, start with your kitchen drawers. When you’re finished, move on to the kitchen cabinets, then the counters. Focusing on one area at a time allows you to start and finish in smaller sessions, helping you avoid feeling overwhelmed during the decluttering process.

• Set a timer for 30 minutes to stay focused—put on some music if you’d like, set a timer for at least 30 minutes, and start decluttering. Take a five-minute break, then begin another 30-minute decluttering session. Using a timer for at least 30 minutes helps you stay focused while decluttering. You’ll be surprised at how much you can accomplish in these sessions when you set a timer.

• Take photos before and after decluttering — capture a before shot before you start cleaning out a space, and an after shot once you’re finished. These photos will motivate you and provide a visual record of the clutter you’ve cleared from your home.

• Have a “maybe” box-if you’re struggling to decide whether to keep an item, put it in a “maybe” box. If you don’t look for that item within thirty days, it’s time to let it go. Once the maybe box is full, take it to the donation center.

• Declutter regularly — you didn’t accumulate all your items in one year, so it will take some time to declutter your entire house. I suggest focusing on one area of your home each month to prevent feeling overwhelmed and quitting. If you declutter consistently, you will have a clutter-free home by this time next year.

Create good habits to maintain a clutter-free home

Once you begin decluttering your home, it’s essential to adopt new habits to maintain a clutter-free environment. 

These habits will help limit new items from entering and make cleaning simpler.

• Change your spending habits—many of the items in your home come from the way you shop. When shopping, be more mindful of what you’re purchasing. Try a low-buy or no-buy challenge for a few months to prevent bringing new items into your home.

• Every item has a home—each thing in your home should always have a designated place. It’s home. All your shoes belong on the shoe rack, car keys in a drawer, work bag in the closet, and toys inside a bin, etc. If an item doesn’t have a designated home, make space for it or consider decluttering.

• Daily reset– every evening after dinner, perform a daily reset in your home. In your kitchen, put away all clean dishes and wipe down the counters and dining table. In the living room, put away the remote, fix your throw pillows, and pick up everything off the ground. The same applies to your bedroom. Creating a daily reset helps keep your space tidier and makes cleaning easier. It also feels great waking up to a clean, organized space.

• Keep a donation box inside your home-whenever you come across an item you haven’t used or don’t enjoy, place it in the box. After doing laundry and before putting clothes away, if you don’t like how they fit or if they’re not your style, put them back in the box. The same applies to kids’ clothes; when they outgrow them or no longer fit, place those clothes in the donation box. Once the box is full, take it to the donation center. Then, grab another box to continue collecting items for donation.

These two books helped me change my spending habits and live a more intentional life. 

Final thoughts

Decluttering and keeping a tidy home helps create a cozy space. It allows you to spend more time doing what you enjoy instead of wasting time organizing your belongings. 

Don’t wait for a new year, a new season, or tomorrow—start using the 90/90 decluttering rule today. 

Please share in the comments which part of your home you plan to declutter.