Lifestyle influencer Amanda Johnson, known for her real-world grandma wisdom on home and life hacks, has released an unorthodox method of decluttering that is generating a lot of buzz online. She nicknames it the “disgust rule.” This creative new method compels a person to evaluate all of your stuff on whether or not you would wince at the thought of having to clean it.
In the final analysis, this rule has proved popular as an environmental value protective tool. It assists individuals with relinquishing things that have emotional value. Yo Johnson considers her great-grandmother’s china particularly valuable because of its frequent use. We know it’s difficult to give up the things stuffed with memories, too. Her approach is designed to help you break past those sentimental strings that can really lace the decluttering journey with a lot of complication.
Diane N Quintana, an educator and professional organizer, lays out the traits of visually-minded folks in this Intro to Visual Thinking for Social Change. She thinks it’s hard for these people to release stuff. They just seem to put more emphasis on aesthetics versus functionality. Whatever orientation Johnson’s new disgust rule creates will ultimately redound to the benefit of millions in comparable situations.
The process is straightforward. Johnson asks herself if she would feel disgusted cleaning a particular item. If the answer is yes, she treats that as a green light to move on. Johnson discovered this self-questioning process to be extremely powerful. She was able to release items like clothing she no longer wore, board games and puzzles that had never been used, and party decorations she’d kept “just in case.”
Johnson knows that on the face of it, her question sounds ridiculous. She believes it serves an important purpose in directing her decisions on how to care for her things.
“If it weighs me down or stinks up my space, it’s gotta go. Simple as that!” – Amanda Johnson
In a recent interview with the Washington Post, Johnson detailed her experience putting the rule to use. She discussed the evolution it has created in her journey of having a clutter-free, calm home.
“The easiest way to declutter your home,” – Amanda Johnson