Try The Poop Rule If You Need To Declutter – It’s Brilliant
It’s called the “Poop Rule”. And it’s about time to use it.
Fall is here, and with each new season, a lot of people like to clean. And not just in the Spring. My best friend still swaps out the spring and summer wardrobe, for the fall and winter wardrobe each year. And we live in Las Vegas, so it really doesn’t change too much. But, she say, “less clutter.”
Swapping out clothes is one aspect of decluttering. And decluttering is real, my friends – especially as we get older. I mean how much stuff can one person have? My dad used to say, it’s just stuff. “Keep what’s really important, but in the end, it’s just stuff.”
The ‘Poop Rule’ Is A Great Way To Declutter
Have you heard of the “Poop Rule” for decluttering? Well here it is: You pick something up in your hands. Now, imagine there was poop on it, and ask yourself, “Would I wash this, or just throw it away?”
The video went viral on TikTok after a woman with ADHD heard about it from a therapist. She has trouble organizing, and it is supposed to make it easier to let go of stuff you don’t really need.
The technique is very simple: Pick something up in your hands and pretend there’s poop on it. But you really have to try to visualize the poop. Then ask yourself, “If there really was poop on this, would I wash it or just throw it away?”
If it’s something you’d wash, then keep it. If it’s something you wouldn’t, then throw it out. Or donate it since it really isn’t covered in poop.
The Poop Rule Is A Yucky Version Of Marie Kondo’s ‘Spark Joy’
Remember when Marie Kondo said, if something doesn’t spark joy, get rid of it? The same thing, only visually more powerful.
Becka Karle, known as @adhdorganized on TikTok, says the “Poop Rule” works well for her, because she is a very visual and literal person. A few have commented that Marie Kondo’s method never worked for them, but that the poop rule has.
Personally, I’m now going to treat everything I own with the Poop Rule. It simplifies the decision to keep or toss. And like my dad said – it’s just stuff.