This post is an updated version of one I originally published in June of 2014.
As part of my summer blogging schedule, I’ll be sharing a handful of my favorite posts from past years in attempts to give myself a bit of a break, and re-share some goodies from my archives!
When it comes to the stuff in our homes, the 80/20 rule can probably be applied to almost everything.
The 80/20 rule states that we use and wear 20% of our things about 80% of the time.
This means that we rarely ever use and wear the other 80%… and we probably wouldn’t miss itall thatmuch. But don’t worry, I’m not going to persuade you to purge it all. 🙂
I know in my own life, I often wear my favorite few articles of clothing on a very regular basis while so many other items go unworn month after month.
I often use the same kitchen utensils and small appliances while so many others simply take up space in my drawers and cabinets.
The kids play with their same favorite toys and request their same favorite books almost every day, while all the other toys and books sit around waiting for the kids to get bored and try something new.
Even when it comes to meal planning, I often end upplanning the same few meals that we all love over and over again
I don’t necessarily think there’s anything wrong with this — it’s normal to have favorite outfits, favorite movies, favorite toys, favorite books, and favorites foods.
However, Ido think there is A LOT we can learn by taking a closer look at the 20% of things we regularly use — and then utilize that information to help us declutter and simplify our lives.
Let me give a few examples from my own life:
CLOTHES:
I really don’t enjoy shopping so I don’t have a massive amount of clothing — but even still, I find that I end up wearing the same handful of shirts and pants over and over again. And based on my experiences working with clientswho DO love shopping, I can attest to the fact that although they often have a lot more clothing than I do, they almost always have specific items (around 20% of their wardrobe) that they wear on a much more regular basis.
I think some purging is healthy — especially if I haven’t worn an item in years, if it doesn’t fit, or if it’s out of style. However, Idefinitely don’t plan on purging 80% of my closet any time soon (and I don’t expectyou to either.) Instead, I try totake note of the 20% of clothing Iwear on a regular basis and ask myself WHY Iwear it so often. Is it especially comfortable? Do I feel great wearing it? Is it a certain brand or style that fits my body extremely well? Does the color flatter me? Does it easily coordinate with many other pieces in my closet?
Whatever it is, I think about that the next time I’mshopping for clothes. Even if I find a fabulous deal (or get freebie hand-outs from friends) I’ve decided it’snot worth cluttering up my closet with items Iwon’t love wearing or feel great in.
UPDATE: I just shared a ton more about my non-minimalistic Capsule wardrobe.
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KITCHEN ITEMS:
Ever since we renovated our kitchen, I’ve been blessed with TONS of kitchen storage! And while I do still have a couple empty drawers and shelves, it was surprisingly easy to fill up most of my precious storage!
Almost everything in my kitchen is used at some point during the year, but if I’m REALLY honest with myself, I could probably get rid of about half (or more) of my serving platters, various kitchen utensils, mixing bowls, storage containers, etc.
Yes, they often come in handy those few times each year when we entertain for an especially large group of people, but they go unused the rest of the year. And I know that if I just got rid of them, I would be able to make due without them for those bigger gatherings. But I have the space, so I keep them!
Again, I honestly don’t think it’s the end of the world to hang onto items I don’t use every single day (as long as I have a “home” for the items). However, since I know there are items I’m not using in my kitchen, I purposely don’t buy any other kitchen items.
I can confidently say that it has been AGES since I’ve purchased any kitchen itemsbecause I know that I’m not even fully utilizing everything I have. Even if I see something I really want, I stop and think about how often I’ll actually use it and question if I have something else that could be used instead.
This thought process has stopped me from bringing in more needless kitchen gadgets that I don’t need— and it has helped me repurpose some of the items I already had in my kitchen.
TOYS:
We have a lot of toys, books, games, arts, crafts, and other “kid things”… and we continue to get more!
We continually purge toys with every birthday and holiday, and honestly, the kids never miss any of it. As long as I don’t get rid of their favorites (see list below) everyone is happy!
- Dressup clothes
- Mega Blocks and other building blocks
- Toy cars, trucks, diggers, planes trains, etc.
- The play kitchen
- Craft Supplies
- Bike, scooter, sand toys, and other outside toys
I could go on and on with various examples from my own life — but I think you get the idea.So often, we only use, need, and love a fraction of what we own.
I honestly do NOT think we need to purge everything we don’t use — there is definitely a good argument for hanging onto those items we need every so often. However, as you can see from my examples above, there is still some good in recognizing that 80/20 rule in our own lives.
Recognizing the 80/20 rule in my own home and life has helped me to pinpointthe 20% of items I love, use, and wear all the time (and then restrain from buying more items that don’t fit what I love, use, and wear).
It has also given me the motivation to repurpose some of the other items I wasn’t using as regularly.
And finally, it has allowed me more freedom to purge any items I know I will never use or wear (even if they are in perfect condition and still in style).
Just knowing what my 20% is helps me to simplify and to be more organized — and I think it could do the same for you. Even if you never purge any of your 80%, just knowing and realizing your 20% will help you cut back on those super great deals and other impulse purchases that add so much clutter to our homes (and make future organizing projects seem that much more overwhelming).
The next time you get dressed, the next time you pull an appliance out of your kitchen cabinets, and the next time your kids pull out their favorite toys… take note. Realize those items you use and love regularly — as well as the ones you don’t!
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