Did you know the 1% rule for organizing banishes the stress of the task? Pro organizers reveal how completing 1 tiny task 'creates a big internal shift'

If the thought of organizing your home feels overwhelming, you’re not alone. With countless tasks to keep up with daily, it can be easy to give up organizing and let the mess build up.

That’s where the 1% rule can be a straightforward but seriously effective tidying rule. Our professional organizers say tackling just 1% of your home to feel at least 1% better, will help you create lasting change without feeling exhausted.

Here, our experts explain how the 1% rule decluttering tip can help you transform your space, one simple step at a time.

The 1% rule

The 1% rule, popularized by home blogger and organizer Holly Blakey of @breathing.room.home on Instagram, means doing just one small thing to make your home (and your head) feel 1% better.

It can also be used on simple tasks such as making a bed or loading a dishwasher, helping you to embrace the practice of slow decluttering.

Holly shared in her Instagram caption this is 'a simple action that triggers a change in your head. [...] Simplifying small victories creates a big internal shift.’

It has become a decluttering method that the professionals love, too. Professional home organizer Angela O’Brien, founder of Your Space Reclaimed shares, ‘I do think the 1% rule can be very beneficial for many people who might feel overwhelmed by the clutter in their home. Tackling one small drawer in a kitchen or one simple corner of a closet that is visible to you regularly throughout the day provides several benefits.

‘Organizing a small and simple area feels doable so you may be more likely to start the task and finish it! You might feel mentally energized by the successful completion of the task. Doing this regularly, you will start to see more visible progress, further motivating you to continue your organizing journey.’

A good way to build up these daily cleaning habits for a tidier home is to use a habit tracker, such as this daily, weekly, and monthly habit tracker pad from Etsy, which can help you visualize your achievements to encourage you to carry on.

You can use the 1% rule to hack your brain to make chores easier, as breaking tasks down into smaller chunks makes your to-do lists less overwhelming.

How to use the 1% rule

To make the 1% rule work for you and avoid decluttering when you feel overwhelmed, Angela suggests, ‘Keep it simple, especially at first. Choose an easy but visible area that won't involve emotional decluttering decisions. Save those for later, after you have built up your organizing muscle.’

As you start to feel more confident and less stressed, then you can move on to larger projects, Angela says. ‘You might even choose a category to work on rather than a space, like electronic chargers or pens. Keep your session between 10-30 minutes. Once done, take a second and revel in what you did. Appreciate the work you have just done! You have just simplified your day in some way! Bravo!’

It's similar to The Minimalists' ‘No-Pile’ rule that I use to reset my home when the mess builds up. The main difference is the 1% rule focuses on even smaller messes, such as putting one single item away like a coat that has been hanging on a chair for a week, rather than tackling a whole chunk of items, such as decluttering countertops.

Who will benefit the most from the 1% rule?

The 1% rule benefits anyone who is tidying when feeling overwhelmed to help alleviate tidying anxiety. Angela continues, ‘Certainly, those who feel overwhelmed by their clutter, whether it is the entire house or just a specific room or project may benefit the most.

‘People with ADHD might also benefit,’ she adds, making the 1% rule a great system to create an ADHD-friendly home. Angela continues, ‘People with ADHD tend to hyper-focus when working on an entire project, running the risk of biting off more than they can chew in one sitting. Burning out after having taken apart an entire closet and now too tired to put it all away can discourage one from doing any more organizing in the future.’

Meet the experts

Angela O'Brien

Angela O’Brien is a professional organizer and Founder of Your Space Reclaimed based in Dallas, Texas. She specializes in helping families with special needs children to organize their spaces and is a Certified Enneagram Coach through Cloverleaf. She has also completed a Professional Organizer Certificate Course at the International Association of Professionals (IAP College).

Holly Blakey

Holly founded Breathing Room to help homeowners take even the tiniest steps towards a more restful home. She helps teach clients and followers about the transformative power of organizing for individuals and families, helping them to find balance.

FAQs

What is the one-touch rule for avoiding clutter?

The one-touch rule for clutter suggests that you always put an item back away in its home while you have it in your hand, rather than putting it down and putting it away later, hence only touching it once.

Once you have started to feel the difference the 1% rule has made to your home and your mind, then you can start to expand your practice, trying the 1-3-5 decluttering method where you do one big task, three medium tasks, and five tiny tasks.