One Positive Action

The One-In-One-Out Rule:

It’s easy to accumulate things without realizing it. Over time, all of the little additions begin to pile up, and we accumulate more and more junk that ends up packed in a box in a store room. The "one-in-one-out" rule is a simple, effective way to stop that from happening. By adopting this rule, you can keep your space feeling organized without having to constantly purge everything in sight.

The beauty of the one-in-one-out rule is that it forces you to be intentional with the things you bring into your home. Every new item has to earn its place by pushing something out. This process not only helps prevent clutter from building up, but it also encourages you to reassess what you really need, maybe even help you save a buck or two on walking past that isle of knick-nacks that you don’t really need.

Start by applying the rule whenever you buy something new or receive a gift. As you bring an item into your space, ask yourself, “What’s going out?” and find one item to toss and/or donate to make room for the new addition to the house. By making this a regular habit, you’ll keep only the things that matter to you the most and avoid the build up of just ‘things’ in your space.

You might not have anything new today, but make a pledge to yourself, for the next 30 days, adopt the one-in-one out rule. For every new item that comes into your space, make sure something else leaves. It could be a small item or a bigger one, it doesn’t matter. What matters is that you're actively creating space and preventing that all consuming clutter from taking over. The more you make this a habit, the lighter and more organized your home will feel.