So there’s a rule in the world of productivity called the 1-3-5 rule. The 1-3-5 rule is all about breaking down your task list by size of the task. You are supposed to break down your to-do list into 1 big task, 3 medium tasks, and 5 small tasks. Breaking the list apart this way makes it manageable and gives you an accomplished energy boost when things are done. AND, by the end of the day, you have finished 9 tasks!
I like being productive, but I also sometimes feel that having too much stuff is what is actually making my list longer and overwhelming! So, I made the productivity rule work for me in another way.
The formula is still based on a 1-3-5 number system, but instead of tasks, it’s space and items!
So here’s how it works:
1 small area to declutter
Choose one small but overwhelming area to tackle. It can be a drawer, shelf, basket, or bin. It could even be half of a room or hallway or even a countertop. I love working in small bits because I can get the whole area done in a short period of time – and as I have been saying a lot lately, if you are consistent, you will notice a huge change, even just working one shelf at a time!
3 things to TOSS!
Toss them and don’t look back! Don’t even think about them anymore! They’re gone! I am sure you can find at least a few things that can’t be recycled or that are broken and are not worth fixing. Just toss them!
5 things to DONATE!
No matter how small the area is that you have chosen to declutter, find 5 things to donate! Depending on how many items are in the space you chose to declutter, 5 items may feel like a lot, but trust me! Pick out the entire 5! Be honest with yourself about all the items in the space you are working on. If you are struggling to get rid of 5 items, ask yourself if you have used the item in the last six months. Ask yourself how likely you are to use the item in the next six months. Ask yourself how much the item costs to replace. Consider how easy it is to get items from the space you’re decluttering. Is it easy to open the drawer? It’s only 5 items! Dig deep and get to 5 items!
When all is said and done, you got rid of 8 items. Again, like the productivity task list, it’s not making monumental waves in the total number of items you still have or the number of tasks you need to do. It’s about steady progress and setting up a system that you can follow so that you can get some of it gone! Of course, if you are bringing in 100 items every week and only getting rid of 40 items in your five day week, then it’s a bit off balance. But everything adds up! Stay focused and do the 1-3-5 rule every day. Focusing on one small area to declutter could take only 10-20 minutes of your day! That’s not even 4% of your total day!!!!!
To give you even more motivation: on Monday, take a picture of five areas that you will tackle through the week. Work through the week, completing one set of the rule each day. On Friday, go around and take another picture of each of the five areas now that they are done. It might not be monumental, but I guarantee the spaces have improved. I also bet that you are feeling better and lighter after getting rid of 40 items!!!!!
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