The buffet in my dining room pulls double duty — especially when I’m entertaining. It houses all the essentials I need for a meal with family and friends, such as tablecloths, chargers, dinner plates, and glasses. And it’s also full of serveware items and linens that we don’t use (and maybe not ever).
Created by professional organizer Kayleen Kelly, the three-second rule for decluttering requires you to decide in three seconds if you’ll keep or get rid of an item. If you hesitate for more than three seconds, then the item stays.
Lately, I’ve noticed that even non-dining room items have ended up stuffed inside it. Open a cabinet door and beware of tumbling books, picture-hanging supplies, and even an extension cord. It was time to tackle the buffet table and dedicate some time to reorganizing to remove the junk that didn’t belong.
I didn’t want to spend much time on this project, although the overwhelm was already creeping in about the anticipated time it would take to go through and overhaul everything completely. Then I came across professional organizer Kayleen Kelly’s three-second rule for decluttering, and I knew this would be the best technique for me.
In this TikTok video, Kelly, who’s known for her decluttering methods, like the Core 4 Method, and tips, explains that the three-second rule helps people make “quick and confident decisions when they are decluttering.” When applying her method to an item, you decide in three seconds to either “yes, you keep it” or “no, it goes.” She says that if you hesitate for more than three seconds, then the item stays, which takes the pressure off of you to discard items immediately.
I applied her three-second rule to each item in my buffet. First, I pulled everything out like she suggested to see everything. With my son’s help, we emptied every last item of the dining room buffet cabinets and drawers. I placed the entire lot of dinner party essentials on my floor and resisted the urge to start grabbing and stuffing items back in.
I went piece by piece. There were items that I immediately placed in the “no pile,” but some items gave me pause, such as holiday napkins and glasses. I still liked them, but I only used them once a year. Kelly’s advice was to keep it if I hesitated, so I was glad I didn’t have to toss my beloved holiday mugs and cherry red dessert plates. During this process, I realized I needed a designated spot for my holiday items, so I began grouping them on one cabinet shelf. I came across six cheese spreaders and decided to discard two mismatched ones and keep a set of four matching ones. I found some unused, discolored serving utensils in the back of a drawer and quickly placed them in the no pile.
After I had gone through every item, I had a box of items to donate or discard, a collection of items I planned to keep, and a small stash of items that needed to be returned to their rightful place in my home. The lone extension cord was returned to its rightful place in the basem*nt with other extension cord friends.
Last, I returned all of my “yes” items to the buffet. I was amazed at how tidy everything looked and how much extra room I had on the shelves and in the drawers. This whole process took less than an hour, most likely because I couldn’t waste any time. I only had three seconds to decide if I was keeping or tossing an item!
My Final Thoughts
I loved this technique because it took the guilt of not getting rid of enough and made it OK for me to keep an item if I hesitated. The best part of applying this technique was the result of an organized dining room buffet and a feeling of accomplishment for discarding, and celebrating the relief of keeping items that I loved.
In this TikTok video, Kelly, who's known for her decluttering methods, like the Core 4 Method, and tips, explains that the three-second rule helps people make “quick and confident decisions when they are decluttering.” When applying her method to an item, you decide in three seconds to either “yes, you keep it” or “no, ...
What Is the “3-Second Rule” for Decluttering? Created by professional organizer Kayleen Kelly, the three-second rule for decluttering requires you to decide in three seconds if you'll keep or get rid of an item. If you hesitate for more than three seconds, then the item stays.
It's kind of like a NASA countdown. So whenever you're stuck on a decision, you literally count down from five to one. So five, four, three, two, one.And then by the end of those five seconds, you decide what you want to do with that item.
Take it room by room: Start decluttering one room at a time to avoid feeling overwhelmed. Focus on a specific area before moving on to the next. Sort methodically: Divide items into categories (keep, donate, sell, discard) and work through each category systematically to prevent decision fatigue.
The Core 4 Organizing Method, created by professional organizer Kayleen Kelly, breaks down the daunting task of decluttering and organizing into 4 simple steps: Clear Out, Categorize, Cut Out, and Contain.
For a house that is already organized and has been decluttered previously, it might only take a day or two. On the other hand, a very messy or very large house could take up to a month of steady work to declutter, especially if you are new to decluttering.
Created by Joshua Fields Millburn and Ryan Nicodemus of The Minimalists, the 90/90 rule has you ask yourself two questions about objects you're not sure you need to keep: Have you used it in the past 90 days?And if not, will you use it in the 90 days ahead?
When applied to our homes, the 80/20 rule suggests that we roughly use 20% of what we own around 80% of the time. The remaining amount serves little purpose, taking up space and mostly just gathering dust. 'The 20% that is used frequently makes sense to have out and easily accessible to use,' says Amy Youngblood.
The 333 decluttering method simplifies wardrobes by limiting you to 33 items for 3 months. It reduces stress and promotes sustainability. It encourages selecting versatile, essential clothing, fostering minimalist habits, and mindful consumption, while also applying these principles broadly.
Simply by dealing with an item immediately, whether it is your shoes, incoming mail, or your used coffee mug, less clutter will be created. One touch, one movement, equals less effort overall. This rule can also be applied when you are purging, editing, and organizing.
Be ruthless by picking out just a few items to keep that are your most favorite, and consider parting with the rest. Give yourself grace as you go through sentimental items. You won't be able to do it all at once, and it may take several sessions to decide which difficult items to keep or let go.
The OHIO method means making a decision on every item we touch. Choose a box, any box – keep, donate, discard. But please “close the loop” and finish it off, at least cognitively. Picking an item up and putting it back down without deciding its fate, means going around in circles, or churning our stuff.
Start by clearing off your bathroom counters, emptying drawers and completely cleaning out linen closets in or near your bathrooms. Some experts recommend decluttering multiple bathrooms at once to really get an idea how much excess you have. You may have enough soap to last you for two years and not even know it!
Start by choosing a room, closet, corner, or drawer and follow four simple steps: Clear out, categorize, cut out, and contain. First, you'll clear out the space you've chosen so you can start with a blank canvas. Then, group every item by category, cutting out (or donating) items you don't need to keep.
Simply by dealing with an item immediately, whether it is your shoes, incoming mail, or your used coffee mug, less clutter will be created. One touch, one movement, equals less effort overall. This rule can also be applied when you are purging, editing, and organizing.
Then we tested our hypothesis: the 20/20 Rule. Anything we get rid of that we truly need, we can replace for less than $20 in less than 20 minutes from our current location. Thus far, this hypothesis has become a theory that has held true 100% of the time.
Introduction: My name is Lidia Grady, I am a thankful, fine, glamorous, lucky, lively, pleasant, shiny person who loves writing and wants to share my knowledge and understanding with you.
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