If you looked around for any decluttering advice, you’ve heard about the “one in, one out” rule. The idea is simple: every time you bring something new into your home, you get rid of something old. It’s a great concept for keeping clutter at bay, but here’s the catch—it only really works if you’re trying to maintain your current space, not make a big change.
Think of it this way: if your home is already overflowing with stuff, simply swapping one item for another won’t actually create more space or make your home feel less cluttered. You’ll just be trading one object for another.
The “one-in, one-out” rule is like trying to keep a leaky boat afloat by bailing out water at the same rate it’s coming in. It works for a while to keep you from sinking, but it won’t actually solve the problem of the leak. To truly fix the boat, you need a different strategy—like patching the hole.
When it works:
- You’ve decluttered and are happy with the current state of your space.
When it doesn’t work:
- You’re feeling overwhelmed by the amount of stuff you have.
- You’re trying to make a drastic change to your space.
In short, the one-in, one-out rule is a good maintenance tool, but it’s not a magic solution for every clutter problem. Before you start, think about what you’re trying to achieve with your space.
Suzanne | Founder of Happily Decluttered | Helping you reclaim your space through expert in-home and virtual decluttering | Learn More | Read the blog | Author of: Finding Your Happily Decluttered – Available on Amazon | Follow: Facebook | Instagram.