Sometimes you hear an idea that just sounds too good to be true. Is it possible you can declutter your life with one simple rule? I’m not sure because I have just begun to explore this idea. But it is too good not to share it. You may be the person who is overwhelmed with clutter in your life or you may be the person who clutter mildly agitates. On either end of the spectrum, this simple idea may be one of the keys to help you take the next step toward a decluttered life.
A friend of mine recently challenged me to consider the One-Minute Rule. Here is how it works.
One-Minute Rule
Credit goes to Gretchen Rubin for popularizing the concept of the one-minute rule. Here it is in a nutshell:
I must do any task that can be finished in one minute. Hang up my coat, read a letter and toss it, fill in a form, answer an email, note down a citation, pick up my phone messages, file a paper, put a dish in the dishwasher, replenish the diaper supply by the changing table, put the magazines away…and so on.
Because the tasks are so quick, it isn’t too hard to make myself follow the rule—but it has big results.1
…push yourself to do any chore that takes less than one minute. Throw away the junk mail, put the peanut-butter jar back in the cabinet, close the cabinet door, put your dirty socks in the hamper, hang up your wet towel.2
Thank you Gretchen! What a simple, yet profound, way to look at the tasks you need to do or should do today.
Getting Practical
If you are not careful, you kick your shoes off at the door and that is where they land. You get hot and pull off your socks but they never make it to the dirty clothes hamper. You put your plate in the sink rather than simply rinse it. You leave a cup on the table. You grab a tool to use but fail to return it to its home. Why? Because there is something in your mind more pressing. And, at times, there may be. It could be just a bad habit. Not always though – it could be legit to leave it until later. Usually though, cluttering is more of a habit than a necessity.
Confession time…for me this includes areas of growth and failure. Growth first: it is so easy to take something off and not hang it up immediately; instead, stick it on the end of the bed to be hung up later. If I’m not careful, I have multiple outfits at the end of the bed. Thankfully, I’ve seen growth here. At night before going to bed, my goal is to take the extra minute, if I did not do it earlier, and get the banister cleaned off before climbing into bed. If not, long-term it takes longer, clothes get more wrinkled, and I have to live with clutter at the end of the bed.
What are my failure areas where I need to grow? Paperwork on my desk. Stuff that makes it into the car but not out of it. Shoes by the bed. Class notes and folders – which is part of the paperwork problem. Virtual paperwork – emails!
Do you struggle like me? For you, is it easier to sit something down rather than take the extra 60 seconds to place it where it belongs? Is it easier to pass a less-than-one-minute project rather than take the extra 60 seconds to get it done.
That’s where the one-minute rule should help. Take the extra minute and get it where it belongs rather than skip over it. One minute now can save you many minutes later – along with frustration, distraction, and discouragement. What you’ll find is that there it much less clutter all over your living space and life.
Maybe Your One-Minute Looks Different
Once my friend put me onto this idea, I read through various articles and suggestions online. I discovered that some people use different standards rather than one minute. Some people use two minutes or five or even thirty. I’m not sure how practical thirty is for me, because my schedule tends to be very tight. But possibly you can get started with one minute and then work up to other times. We are not talking specific Bible commands here; therefore, you can tweak this any way you want.
What is the biblical principle?
I’ve thought of many verses that I could drop into this space; however, most of them are out of context. But does the Bible have anything to say about clutter? Not really – although many biblical wisdom principles do apply. There is though two ideas that may be helpful to us.
First, “To him that knows to do good and does it not, to him it is sin” (James 4:17). Living clutter-free is not a command. Although, clutter may keep us from following other biblical commands where we are to serve, love, and be kind to others. The clutter may hinder us from doing what is good. In that way, the clutter may encourage sin in our lives.
Second, this may fall under simple love of neighbor. Is our clutter unloving to those that live or work around us? The second great commandment is to love your neighbor as yourself (Matt 22:39). In Philippians, Paul wrote, “Let each of you look out not only for his own interests, but also for the interests of others” (Phil 2:4). Is it possible that our clutter is not considering those that live around us?
How does this help?
Essentially, this helps you stay above the clutter which can, at times, be overwhelming and, at times, be unloving. As piles grow, it slows down progress. Clutter distracts. If you are not careful, your mind gets as cluttered as the space around you.
To be honest, I know it takes more than just one rule. In fact, a lifetime of habits are hard to break if you are a clutterer. This is a start though. I am here with you on the starting blocks. I’ve seen growth over the years in one area, now I need to apply that principle or rule to other areas as well.
Do you want to join me? I am early in this journey and have much progress to make. I’ll look forward to hearing how well you did soon. If you have a suggestion or comment, please drop it below. Possibly you can help me and others grow as well.
Great article! I had someone recommended to me once to pick up one thing to put away everytime I pass through a room of the house. It adds up by the end of the day as a work at home mom! I love the one minute rule, little things add up.
I wonder what my life would be like if we used the same theory to get rid of the clutter in our heads. Forgiving those we keep holding anger towards, Trusting God when our minds are off with worry, Giving to God our pain with the loss of a loved one, or when a family or friend hurts you deeply. Ever time we walk through a room of grief, guilt, anger, worry, unforgiveness etc., we clean it up by putting it where it belongs, at the foot of the cross, then in it’s place find that scripture that reminds us that he did all those things for us. Saved us, forgave us, took our pain, shame and guilt. And by His Grace, not of our own doing. He asks us to do that. Bring those things to him. And it is a daily job, just like the dish to the sink job is. Then hopefully as each clutter creeps up in our daily walks we give it to him a little more quickly and walk a little more lighter in Him. Bringing him Glory. I will work on it.