I Tried the 90/90 Decluttering Rule, and It Helped Me Finally Let Go of Old Clothes (2024)

If I've learned one thing over the years, it’s that I am at my most effective and my most efficient when I operate under strict guidelines. This is never more true than when I’m attempting to declutter.

After testing out the SIMPLE method to organize my fridge and loving the results, I decided to try out another popular decluttering technique. The newest method I'm testing in my cluttered home is called the 90/90 rule.

If you’re like me and haven’t heard of this one before, the 90/90 rule is credited to Joshua Fields Millburn and Ryan Nicodemus of The Minimalists.Much like other wildly popular decluttering methods, this one involves asking yourself two very simple, straightforward questions:

• Have you used this item in the past ninety days?
• If not, will you use it in the next ninety?

With this in mind, I decided to tackle one of my closets with the 90/90 rule and see how I fared.

First Things First, Set the Groundwork

While the 90/90 rule earned its name by taking stock of the past and upcoming ninety days, Millburn and Nicodemus are the first to tell you on their site that the number itself isn’t the important part. Though it's a good guideline, the timeframe should adjust based on where you're decluttering.

For instance, if you’re using this method on your fridge, your window might be much smaller. If you’re cleaning out your guest room or linen closet, you might need to think seasonally.

Whatever you decide, it’s helpful to set your window before you start and stick to it.

Start By Assessing Your Items

Because I decided to attack one of my closets with this rule, ninety was the right number for the first question. Ninety days ago was early November, when the weather here was about the same as it is now. But, ninety days from now is May, and that hopefully will bring some editing of my spring and summer wardrobe.

Hopefully, what I’m wearing in November and February won’t be necessary in May—although, to be honest, I live in a famously gray and dreary city, so you really never know.

Regardless, I decided to assess whether or not I’ve worn each item this season, and if I think I’ll wear it again before the weather turns. Because of this, I realized the 90/90 rule is the perfect way to organize a space mid-season.

Usually, this is a job I save for the shoulder months, but doing it now helped me approach things far more realistically. "Will I wear this anytime soon?" is a much easier question to ask than "Will I want to wear this next winter?"

Remove Everything and Replace Only What You Use

No matter what rule I use when decluttering a messy space, my first step is always to remove every item, clear out the offending closet or cabinet, and wipe it down.

Once the closet itself is clean, then I turn to my piles, sift through what has to go, and replace what stays.

That’s exactly what I did here—the best thing about the 90/90 rule is that you can probably answer the question in a split second. You know if you’ve used something recently, and you know if you’ll use it again soon.

It’s quick, efficient, and helped me break some irrational emotional bonds to items of clothing I’ve been hanging onto simply because "I might!"

The End Result

I only did one closet, and it’s where I tend to keep my athletic wear, sweats, intimates, and some storage for seasonal items. After one round of the 90/90 rule, I’d filled a pretty sizeable reusable shopping bag for donation, and the things I planned to keep were far more organized.

As I replaced each item, I also asked myself—will I wear it again soon? This helped me put things back in a more useful spot, with items I don't wear as often further back.

Here’s where I would usually have a "but…" and I have to be honest, I don’t have one. I loved how straightforward this method was, and I’m planning to test it out on my kids’ wardrobes next.

I think my top tip is that the shorter the self-imposed window, the more effective I think you’ll be—but again, it all depends on what you’re clearing out and how honest with yourself you’re prepared to be.