TikTok's 3 Second Rule Will Add A Little Excitement To Your Home Organization

Let's face it: Decluttering is no one's idea of a good time. But it's necessary to avoid becoming an accidental hoarder (oops!) and have some semblance of organization in your home. However, no one said you couldn't have some fun along the way. That's precisely what Kayleen Kelly, a professional organizer and chronic clutter expert, advocates with her revolutionary 3-second rule on TikTok. According to this rule, you have exactly three seconds to decide if a particular item belongs in the 'yes' pile or is destined for donation. You can circle back on items you aren't too sure about.

Sounds pretty hurried, right? But this method adds a little excitement to your home organization because it doesn't give you time to ponder your decisions or draw out the clearing process, which often makes the exercise tedious and unproductive. It also removes declutter regret by allowing you to keep things you aren't sure about donating yet due to sentimental attachment (or the perpetual what-ifs). When asked about the rule's effectiveness, the TikToker told Newsweek, "This technique has proved to work very, very well. It allows people to focus on the things they are ready to get rid of." In case you're interested in trying this rule out, here's how you can do it.

Begin by picking a room to make decluttering less overwhelming. Get rid of things that don't belong there. For instance, if you're starting with your bedroom, remove any exercise equipment, handyman tools, or dirty dishes you have around. Also, taking out the trash before you start organizing items is a good practice. Now, bring out the items in your closet and categorize your garments. Simply put, separate the clothing into neat piles depending on what's inside your wardrobe. Jeans, dresses, t-shirts, office wear, designer labels, and accessories will all have their respective sections.

Start going through the items individually and deciding if they're worth keeping or if you should discard them. The only rule to this exciting game? Don't take more than three seconds to make a decision. In case you hesitate with any item, toss it in the 'yes' pile and keep going. You can even set a 15-minute timer to stay focused on the task. After you're done, if you feel like you haven't taken out many items, you can go through them again to filter out items you can do without. Finally, organize your closet neatly before moving on to the next room. While this rule will work wonders for your home, make sure you start with a room including the least sentimental objects to kickstart the decluttering process. Also, try putting the donation bag in your car immediately to avoid falling into the infamous second-guess trap.