Outer Order, Inner Calm: Declutter and Organize to Make More Room for Happiness

by Gretchen Rubin

If you want a golden rule that will fit everybody, this is it: Have nothing in your houses that you do not know to be useful, or believe to be beautiful.

When trying to decide the fate of a possession, ask yourself: Do I need it? Do I love it? Do I use it?

But if you don’t need it, love it, or use it, you should probably get rid of it.

Every item should have a specific home.

Outer order isn’t a matter of having less or having more; it’s a matter of wanting what we have.

But if a person’s clutter affects only that person, don’t interfere unless asked.

OFFICE SUPPLIES AREN’T USEFUL IF THEY AREN’T USED.

ASK YOURSELF, “I’VE INHERITED THIS ITEM, BUT DO I WANT TO KEEP IT?”

IF YOU’RE A QUESTIONER: Questioners focus on the reasons for their actions, so remind yourself of the time, space, and serenity you’ll gain by clearing clutter. Questioners often raise questions like “Why make the bed if we’ll just mess it up again”? The more you see the justifications for your efforts, the more easily you’ll follow through.

If you haven’t used that thing since you acquired it, it’s unlikely you’ll start now.

This strategy won’t work for everyone, but some people (like me) find it soothing to clear clutter. The gentle activity, the action of putting things in their proper places, and the visual gratification of seeing order emerge from a mess combine to give a big boost.

Even if we can’t create or maintain perfect order, it’s still worth trying to make things better.

Don’t save mementos that hold no memories for you; don’t keep a keepsake unless you value it.

Do any task that can be finished in less than one minute, without delay.

Most of us have a long list of unpleasant chores that aren’t urgent, so we just keep postponing them. Over time, this procrastination drains us. To tackle this problem, try scheduling a “power hour.” Make a list of all the tasks you’d like to accomplish, and once a week, for just one hour, steadily work on these chores.

As Mary Poppins famously says, “In every job that must be done, there is an element of fun. You find the fun and—snap! The job’s a game.”

CHOOSE THE BIGGER LIFE.

Outer order is a challenge to impose and it’s a chore to maintain. Nevertheless, for most of us, it’s worth the effort.

TOP TEN TIPS FOR CREATING OUTER ORDER Everyone has a different list, of course. From my observations, these ten tips are the ones people find most useful: 1 |Make your bed. 2 |Follow the “one-minute rule”—anything you can do in less than one minute, do without delay. 3 |Have a weekly “power hour”—make a list of tasks you’d like to accomplish and spend one hour, once a week, tackling the items on the list. 4 |Make it fun to get the job done. 5 |Don’t let yourself fall into “empty.” 6 |Don’t put things down, put them away. 7 |Don’t stockpile; that is, don’t store more of an item than you can realistically use. 8 |Keep mementos that are small in size and few in number. 9 |Keep things organized, but not overly organized. 10 |If you can’t find something, clean up.