I Tested the 80/20 Rule to Declutter My House—See What Worked (and What Didn’t)

I’ve been on an organizational journey this year to help declutter my home, trying an array of methods from the 15-minute daily clean (still a favorite) to the two-box and room-by-room decluttering strategies. But there’s still—ahem—plenty of room for improvement in my crowded house, so I spent this weekend testing out the 80/20 organizational method to see if it would help move the needle in some of my tough to declutter spots. (My bookshelves and kitchen cupboards seem to become re-cluttered overnight!)

Here’s the scoop on this decluttering method, including its benefits and drawbacks—plus tips from a professional organizer on how to make this strategy work for you.

What Is the 80/20 Rule for Organizing?

This by-the-numbers decluttering strategy is simple: Only take up 80% of any given space in your home with stuff, and leave the other 20% empty. Generally, that means getting rid of about 20% of the items in your house to ensure your home is comfortable and has a feeling of spaciousness.

“Space between things is my motto for living an organized life!” says Katrina Teeple, founder and CEO of Operation Organization. “Using the 80/20 organizing method will help you achieve the 20% of space in your home that allows for clutter-free living and easier maintenance.”

How to Declutter to Reach the 80/20 Goal

Unlike some other organizational methods, there isn’t a set strategy to get this one done, but there are a few steps you can try to help make this happen. “I love the 80/20 approach to decluttering because it gives a simple plan with a simple boundary to hold yourself accountable,” Teeple says.

Pick the right spot to start

“The easiest way to approach it is by starting with a category, cabinet, or drawer in your home and literally having a donation bag or box right there to start editing,” Teeple suggests. I started with my coffee mug collection, and pulled out everything onto the counter. For every four “must-keeps” I put back into my cupboard, I pulled out one to give away.

Tackle more than one area

While getting one spot in good shape is great, Teeple likes to encourage her clients to keep the momentum going. “I like to challenge people to get rid of 20% of a new area in their home for five days straight. It gets you into the flow and seeing rapid results.”

Arrange things for a nice aesthetic

No, you’re not going to just leave a whole shelf blank—unless you like that really sparse vibe. Instead, leave a little breathing room around what’s left. Space out your items in your cupboards or on your shelves—or just add a little plant to a bookshelf if you feel it’s too empty, Teeple suggests.

Teeple says you might need to adjust your mindset to enjoy that new sense of space. “Your home doesn’t need to be stuffed with stuff to feel comfortable,” Teeple says. “Try the idea of living with less as a luxurious feeling.”

What We Loved (and Didn’t) About the 80/20 Rule for Decluttering

No one decluttering method works for everyone, and there are some definite pluses (and a significant drawback) to the 80/20 routine.

It’s great for decluttering duplicate items

While you can use the 80/20 rule to address any type of clutter, I found that it made the most sense in spots where you have multiples, like coffee mugs, t-shirts, and books. Going through them with an eye to remove two out of every 10 (or one out of every five) items helps you see that you probably have way more of that item than you need. And yes, even by clearing out 20% of my mug collection, we still had more than enough mugs to manage our hot-beverage needs, even when we have guests.

It’s not so great for decluttering your junk drawer or collections

This probably isn’t the best strategy for cleaning out your junk drawer. Sure, we all have some excess to cut in our junk drawers (hello, old disposable chopsticks!), but it probably doesn’t amount to 20% of the items there. (I found that too many of the things—like rubber bands, matches, and a pen—definitely needed to stay.)

Even areas with “collections” weren’t all suited to the 80/20 method. For instance, I did have a few duplicates in my spice drawer that could be consolidated or tossed, but there weren’t many spices that I could get rid of outright.

It did make my home look more spacious—and easier to maintain

Once we cleared out 20% of the mugs, for instance, there was plenty of space in the cupboard above the coffee maker to set up our teas and hot-beverage accessories in a more aesthetic, coffee-bar way. And it put an end to the dangerous game of Jenga we regularly played, trying to squeeze all the coffee mugs into the cupboard. Finding new homes for the countertop clutter also drastically cut down on the time needed to clean the counters after cooking.

“Not needing to have so many things in each category of your life will significantly lighten your mental load as well as your household workload,” Teeple says.

The 80/20 rule can be used for more than just your stuff

You may think of the 80/20 method only in terms of clearing your cabinets, but Teeple suggests using it for your calendar as well. (Genius, in my opinion!) “Making an effort to not live at full capacity is self-care in my opinion. A little space between appointments in your calendar goes a long way.”

As someone who tends to overstuff her to-do list with things that need to get done—and then gets bummed out when I only make it halfway through the list—the idea of arranging my schedule so only 80% f my time is accounted for could be a real game changer. (Impact TBD!)