Introducing the 550 Rule

5 months and/or $50.00

Over the years, I’ve accumulated soooooooo much stuff. Junk. Clothes. Sit around things. Guitars. Computers. Stuff!

Many times in my life, I’ve tried to pare down. Many times in my life, I’ve tried to help friends pare down. Throughout all of this, I’ve developed what I call the 550 Rule.

What is the 550 Rule?

It’s a simple rule I apply to anything and everything in an effort to reduce clutter.

Here’s how it works…

Take an item — any item. First, ask yourself:

Have I thought about this item in the last 5 months?

If the answer is no, throw it out! [recycle]

If the answer is yes, then ask yourself:

If I recycled this item today and tomorrow had to repurchase, would it cost less than $50?

If the answer is yes, throw it out! [recycle]

If the answer is no, keep the item and reevaluate in 5 months.

That’s it — the 550 Rule.

If you find yourself following this rule, please let me know. I would like to hear how the 550 Rule works for you.