I tried the 90/90 decluttering rule, and its simplicity has made me love minimalism – this easy method is great ahead of guests

If you had asked me a year ago where I’d place myself on the scale of ‘minimalist’ to ‘hoarder’, I’d have been on the fence, firmly in the middle. But after trying out the 90/90 decluttering rule, I’ve concluded that when it comes to material possessions, simplicity is key.

This decluttering hack challenges you to go through your possessions while asking yourself two simple questions: ‘Have you used that item in the last 90 days? If you haven’t, will you use it in the next 90?’ If the answer’s ‘no’, then it’s time to let it go.

It's the perfect time of year to test it out, as the next 90 days will bring you immense joy and social gatherings, but also a lot of extra stuff, making it easy to be overwhelmed by clutter.

After spotting this decluttering tip on social media, I decided to use it to help me clear out my wardrobe. Little did I know it would make me reconsider the way I shop for and declutter my clothes for the foreseeable future.

Here's what implementing this framework has taught me and why an expert says this rule won’t be right for everyone, but it could be just the thing for minimalists.

Using the 90/90 decluttering rule ahead of the holidays – and what happened when I tried it

The 90/90 decluttering rule, or the 90/90 Minimalism Rule as it's sometimes referred to, is the brainchild of American authors Joshua Fields Millburn and Ryan Nicodemus – AKA The Minimalists. Their book, Everything That Remains, remains a number one bestseller on Amazon, and Love People Use Things was a New York Times bestseller.

As the duo states on their website, rules can be restrictive. But they are often helpful when it comes to change, or letting go of possessions that no longer bring you joy.

Jamie Hord, founder of Horderly Professional Organizing, agrees. ‘To make decluttering your life easier, it's important to ask yourself not only the right questions, but the hard questions,' Hord says. 'This will challenge you and put things into perspective. The 90/90 decluttering rule gives you a timeline to follow easily.’

You might be wondering when the best time of the year is to declutter. And in Hord’s opinion, there is no time like the present. ‘The end of a season and the beginning of a new one is a great time to implement this rule, as many items are used seasonally and can help you better consider if items were used that season or not.’

Key areas to focus on ahead of the holidays

The beauty of the 90/90 rule is that it can be applied to any area of your home, especially as you prepare for the busy holiday season.

Here are three areas Punteha van Terheyden, serial hoster and Head of Solved, says are worth focusing your time and energy on right now:

• Holiday decorations: Punteha says, 'Before you get out all the holiday boxes, consider applying the 90/90 rule to last year's decor. The great thing with these methods is that you can adapt them to suit you and be practical. It's unlikely you've had Christmas decor out in the last 90 days, so instead, consider if you used all of your festive decorations in the last 90 days of 2024? Will you use them now in the last 90 days of 2025? This is the perfect time to let go of broken ornaments, tangled lights, or decorations that no longer fit your style. I store baubles in a dedicated bag, available at Amazon, to avoid damage and disappointment. Having a finite amount of storage space is a clever decluttering trick I use all over my home to limit the volume of items I make excuses to keep.'
• Pantry: The holidays are a time for lots of baking and cooking. Punteha, who hosts friends and family often during the holidays, says, 'Use the 90/90 rule to declutter your pantry of any ingredients or items you haven't used recently, such as expired spices, stale flour, or old holiday cookie cutters. This will make meal prep and holiday baking a breeze and be a well-timed expiration sweep. Check your appliances too, as any trays or pans with chipped non-stick coating are a toxic hazard not to be used. I was horrified to find my air fryer's coating was all damaged, so I recently invested in one of the best non-toxic air fryers for the health of my family and any guests who come to stay during this busy time.'
• Guest rooms: If you're expecting visitors, apply the rule to your guest room. Punteha says, 'Have the items in that spare closet been used in the last 90 days? Will they be in the next 90? This is a great way to make space for luggage and give your guests a tidy, welcoming space whilst also getting rid of items you've probably stashed in unused rooms and long-since forgotten about.' Punteha adds that a caveat to this might be summer bedding that will get more use, just not in the 90 days. 'Store these in vacuum storage bags, available at Amazon, to reduce their volume and keep them free from pests and dust.'

What happened when I tried the 90/90 decluttering rule

1. I have more clothes than I need

I'm always searching for new and ingenious hacks to help me declutter my bedroom. For example, the 5-minute cleaning challenge is great for bursts of speedy tidying. While the capsule decluttering trick can help you maintain a capsule closet.

However, the 90/90 decluttering rule has not only helped me say goodbye to my 'doom pile' or 'floordrobe', but it's also enabled me to let go of the items that no longer serve a purpose.

Buying clothes used to be one of my favorite pastimes. But after going through my wardrobe and making a pile of the clothes I haven’t worn in the past 90 days and have no intention to wear in the next three months, it cemented the fact that I have more clothes than one person could need. And this is especially the case now that I work from home 75% of the time.

Due to my home-based role, I often wear many of the same sorts of clothes on repeat. From T-shirts and jumpers to gymwear and loungewear. While I haven't gotten rid of all my smart formal wear, I have managed to part with bundles of shirts, trousers, and more formal blazers I was keeping for the sake of it.

2. Not everything in the sale is a ‘bargain’

Sale shopping always gives me a bit of a buzz. Who doesn't want to buy an item of clothing for 25% less than its original RRP? This is especially true in the latter part of the year, where Black Friday sales hit retailers both online and in-store.

Personally speaking, a sale bargain is a surefire way to get an endorphin hit.

But after using the 90/90 decluttering challenge, I noticed a handful of the sale items I had bought had only been worn once – and in some cases, they hadn’t been worn at all! After realizing this, I’ll be making a conscious effort to only buy items that I need (and would have paid full price for). Do not aimlessly shop during big sale events such as Cyber Monday or the New Year sales just because items are discounted.

Personally speaking, being stricter on sales shopping has been one of the best closet decluttering tips for my wardrobe. Shopping more mindfully during sale season has kept my wardrobe from spiraling out of control. It's also helped me find and fall in love with clothing I've already got.

You can easily pair this decluttering trick with a three-month clothes-buying ban to really stop clutter in your space.

3. I value quality over quantity

The older I get and the more I learn about the impact that fast fashion has on the world, the less I want to shop. Nowadays, when I shop, I prefer to fill my home (and closet) with more sustainable fabrics and quality-led materials that will last and last.

After using this rule, one of the most valuable decluttering lessons I’ve learned is that I value quality over quantity. I don’t want ‘stuff’ for the sake of it. Instead, I’ve learned that less is more.

‘The 90/90 decluttering rule can be great for people trying to achieve the goal of minimalism,’ Hord adds, much like the 30/30 decluttering rule. ‘I believe this is a great way to think of your items and if they are actually useful or beneficial in your life.’ If they're not, it's time to let them go.

What to shop

For more closet organization ideas, discover the expert-approved tips for keeping your wardrobe neat.

Or, if you’re considering adopting the less-is-more approach in your home, discover the decluttering strategies minimalists swear by, such as biophilic decluttering.