A Simple Rule to Stay Minimalist: One Out, One In
There are some affiliate links below, but they are all products I highly recommend. For more info, view my disclosure here.
What is the one out one in rule, and how do you even get started with it? It’s surprisingly simple! Read on to see how it can help you manage your possessions.
In the United States, we live in a culture where more is often seen as better. We are told that more possessions will make us happier and lead to success. But this isn’t always the case. People who choose to live with less have discovered many benefits to their lifestyle – like being able to spend time doing things they love and having more time for their loved ones.
Minimalism can be difficult to stick with, but it’s a great way to live if you learn how to trust your instincts and priorities. If you’re not careful, though, you can start accumulating more clutter again. The easiest way to avoid that is by following the one out one in rule.
About One Out One In
The rule is simple: one thing must leave your home before you can bring another in. This keeps your home balanced and prevents you from becoming overwhelmed by clutter. Some people prefer to do things in reverse, bringing new items into their homes only after they’ve gotten rid of older ones.
Generally, both approaches to decluttering work – removing items and purchasing new ones. However, I like to take a proactive stance by deciding to remove something and treat myself with a new purchase once I have brought in an item.
The Benefits of One Out One In
This system helps you maintain your progress on decluttering by helping you remove possessions quickly and easily. This is the hardest part of the process, as it requires removing years’ worth of items.
By deciding to sell or donate an item before buying something new, you can better assess your priorities and make more purposeful decisions. This knowledge will help you save yourself money, time, and cut down on stress in the future.
Put It into Practice
When making purchases, it is often helpful to consider what you will use the item for and whether or not you already have something that can fulfill that need. For example, if you are considering buying a new dress, think about whether or not you will wear it to an event, to work, or if you want it just because it’s adorable (totally valid reasoning, btw!). That will help you decide what item to take out.
The technique of categorizing possessions can be used in a variety of ways. Viewing your belongings as categories often helps you to identify the areas where you tend to have problems.
Like I know I have an issue with buying shirts without trying them on and then forgetting to return ones I don’t like, so this tactic helps keep it manageable for me.
If you are a clothes lover, it is important to follow the one out one in rule when adding new apparel items to your closet. This is also true for those who love shoes, slippers, toys for the kids, or anything else. Choose your top three triggers and try to maintain a balance between what you currently have and any future purchases.
When getting ready to take one out, determine if it’s in good enough condition to sell or donate. If it’s pretty beat up, into the trash it goes!
It’s important to take one out either before bringing an item in, or to do it right away. Otherwise you run the risk of never taking that item out and just accumulating *stuff* which is what we’re trying to avoid in the first place!
What is living a minimalist lifestyle, and why is it good for you? It helps you to be more organized, more productive and happier. If you follow the one in one out rule in your daily life, you’ll soon see that your clutter will not build up and you will feel content with your things.
