When it comes to organising and cleaning our homes one issue keeps coming up, and that’s what to do with all the stuff. The stuff being the masses of objects, clothes and general clutter we accumulate over our lives that leave us unable to close our wardrobes, cupboards or drawers. It makes our homes feel messy and unmanaged, even overwhelming. And the real kicker is, we don’t even use half of this stuff.
If you look at the area in your home you wish to declutter, be it the kitchen pantry, your wardrobe or all the boxes under your bed, and try to think about which of the items you actually use (and I mean regularly use, not once in a blue moon) you’ll realise how much space truly is being wasted.
Now accessing your worldly possessions in this manner may seem easier said than done, but for an easy way to reframe your mindset to make decluttering a doddle I suggest trying the 80/20 method. At least that's what I tried to help get a handle on my bulging wardrobe.
What is the 80/20 decluttering method?
Also referred to as the Pareto Principle, the idea is simple. The theory goes that people use 20% of what they own 80% of the time. With the other 80% sitting there relatively dormant, collecting dust and hogging space. Now this idea may not apply to everyone, but chances are if you’re currently struggling to declutter your home or attempting a more minimalist style- than it probably does.
I reckon we’re all guilty of it in at least one or two areas of the home. Think about how many mugs you own, but do you still find yourself always reaching for the same one? Or maybe it’s your shoe collection, buying new ones in the hopes you’ll mix up your style, but then you inevitably find yourself wearing the same comfy reliables.
The hope with this rule is that once you honestly fully acknowledge the 80/20 divide you’ll be able to part ways with more stuff, realising how much of your possessions really are just clutter. So I put it to the test on my own wardrobe to see how it tackled it.
How I used the 80/20 method on my wardrobe clutter
With the seasons starting to shift, it felt like the perfect time to tackle my wardrobe using the 80/20 rule. Looking at last season’s clothes it made it much easier to be honest about what I actually wore and what had just been taking up space.
I found the method worked best by starting with the “safe” 20%: the pieces I reach for again and again, without thinking. Once I’d pulled those out, everything left behind was suddenly much easier to judge more critically. Now I could start to see the neglected space wasters. A huge chunk of my jumper collection had been sitting untouched- bulky, space-hogging items I clearly wasn’t wearing. So, into the donation pile they went.
The biggest culprit though, and I feel like I won’t be alone in this, was my jeans. Like most people, I’ve built up a collection over time. Different styles, colours, sizes, all bought with good intentions. But if I’m being honest I already knew, I only wear one pair. The rest? Had long since been marked as either uncomfortable or just not my style anymore.
Letting go of five pairs of jeans wasn’t easy. It felt wasteful, and I worried I’d regret it. But spoiler alert: I didn’t. Having them in my wardrobe hadn’t made me any more likely to wear them, as I’d already subconsciously written them off. All they were doing was taking up space, which I can now use more intentionally (even if that does mean eventually investing in a new favourite pair in another colour- sorry, minimalists, I’m fashion first).
That said, the method isn’t perfect. It doesn’t always account for life’s practicalities. For example, while I definitely have a go-to white T-shirt, I still need a couple of backups for when it’s in the wash. The key is to be realistic, this isn’t about being ruthless, it’s about being honest and realistic.
What I really liked about the 80/20 rule is that, while it can feel a bit wasteful at first, it actually encourages better habits in the long run. It completely changed how I look at my wardrobe. I’m now far more aware of my preferences, which makes me less likely to fall into “just in case” or impulse purchases. In that sense, it’s not just about decluttering, it’s about preventing the clutter from building up again in the first place.
My verdict
The 80/20 decluttering method turned out to be far more effective than I expected. Once I got past the initial hesitation (and mild guilt), it made cutting through the clutter feel surprisingly straightforward. It’s not a perfect system, you still need a bit of common sense, but it’s a great reality check for anyone clinging to clothes they simply don’t wear. More than anything, it changed how I think about what I own, and what I buy next. While it can be used for a ruthless clear-out, I like it more as a mindset shift- and one I’ll actually stick to.
