1 in 1 out ruleThis is a favorite organizing tip that I, and so many other professional organizers use. The 1 in 1 out rule states that when you bring an item into your home, you remove an existing item. The 1 in 1 out rule is a good way to prevent clutter.

To make a more significant impact, try removing 2 or more items for every 1 new item that comes into your home. This concept will consistently reduce the number of things you own and free up space, and it rings true for every purchase.

Consider the 1 in 1 out rule every time you purchase something.  Actually, you are thinking about this rule before you even make a purchase.  Typically, when you create a list of supplies, you check your inventory to see what products you need to replenish.  If a product is running low, you put that item on the list. If an item is broken, or no longer functions as designed, you put that item on the list.

Consumable products such as food, paper products and other disposable products are a good example of implementing the 1 in 1 out rule. If you think about it, it makes sense.  Consumable products are items you use up so you need to replenish your supply. You are removing an item, or items by consuming them, or using up the contents of the package.  The next step is to remove the package from your home by recycling, or putting it in the trash bin.

Broken items, as mentioned above, is another example of the 1 in 1 out rule. The caveat to this rule is to remove the broken item from your home in the form of recycling it, or trashing it when you get a replacement item. Diligence is the key to staying in lock step with this rule to prevent an accumulation of clutter.