12 Easy Rules To Own Less Stuff

Summary

This video script offers 12 simple rules to help viewers own less and live more, focusing on the joy and essentialism in possessions. It promotes the 'one in, one out' method to control the influx of new items, digital organization with tools like One Password, and the importance of maintaining and curating belongings. The speaker also emphasizes intentional shopping, avoiding backup clutter, finding a personal style uniform, prioritizing experiences over material goods, and practicing delayed gratification with wish lists. Regular reviews of possessions are suggested to declutter and enhance the quality of life.

Takeaways

• 😀 Owning less can improve your life by focusing on items that spark joy and are essential to your lifestyle.
• 🔍 Practice the KonMari method of asking if an item sparks joy and contributes positively to your life.
• 📦 Adopt essentialism to keep only items that serve a purpose and contribute to a better life.
• 🛍️ Implement the 'one in, one out' rule to maintain a balance and prevent unnecessary accumulation of items.
• 🔒 Use password managers like 1Password to securely organize and protect your digital life.
• 🚗 Take care of your possessions to maintain their value and prevent the need for frequent replacements.
• 🛒 Practice intentional shopping by asking key questions before making purchases to avoid impulse buying.
• 🏠 Curate your home with items that match your actual life and needs, not just an idealized version.
• 🗑️ Make decluttering a regular habit to prevent buildup and stress, and integrate it into your routine.
• 👕 Identify and stick to a 'uniform' of clothing that you wear most often to simplify your wardrobe.
• 🎁 Prioritize experiences over material possessions for gifts and personal enjoyment for lasting memories.
• 📝 Keep a wish list and practice delayed gratification to avoid unnecessary purchases and make more thoughtful decisions.
• 🔄 Regularly review your possessions to assess their value and necessity in your life.

Q & A

What is the main message of the video script?

The main message is about the benefits of owning less and providing 12 simple rules to help achieve a more minimalist lifestyle.

What does the script suggest as the first step to owning less?

The first step is to keep only what you actually want, focusing on items that spark joy and are essential to your life.

What is the concept of 'one in, one out' mentioned in the script?

The 'one in, one out' rule suggests that for every new item brought into your home, an old item must be removed, helping to maintain a minimalist lifestyle.

How does the script recommend managing digital passwords securely?

The script recommends using a password manager called 'One Password' to securely manage and store different passwords for various online accounts.

What is the importance of taking care of your belongings according to the script?

Taking care of your belongings can increase their longevity, save money, and contribute to owning fewer items by avoiding unnecessary replacements.

What is the term for the practice of buying only what you need and planning purchases?

The term is 'intentional shopping,' which involves asking yourself key questions before making a purchase to ensure it's necessary and valuable.

How does the script define 'curating your home'?

Curating your home means making purchases that match your actual lifestyle and needs, rather than buying items based on an idealized vision of your life.

What habit is suggested to make decluttering a regular part of life?

The habit of making decluttering a routine, such as going through items in your home every month or couple of months, is suggested to prevent buildup and stress.

What is the term used in the script to describe the tendency to keep extra items 'just in case'?

The term used is 'backup clutter,' which refers to keeping extra items for potential future needs that may never actually arise.

How does the script suggest finding a personal clothing uniform?

The script suggests identifying the 20% of clothes you wear 80% of the time and focusing on those, while avoiding impulse purchases of the other 80%.

What is the alternative to accumulating stuff that the script promotes for gift-giving and personal purchases?

The script promotes giving and investing in experiences over stuff, as experiences create more lasting memories and value than material items.

What is the suggested method for avoiding impulse online purchases?

The method suggested is to add items to a wish list and review them after a period of time, often leading to a realization that the item is not needed.

How often should you review the items you own according to the script?

The script suggests regularly reviewing the items you own, asking if they have been used or brought value in the past 6 months to a year.

Outlines

00:00

🌟 Embracing Minimalism: The Power of Owning Less

The speaker introduces the concept of minimalism and its impact on their life, proposing 12 simple rules to own less and live more. The focus is on keeping possessions that spark joy and are essential, using the principles of 'KonMari' and 'essentialism'. The first rule is to keep only what you truly want, asking yourself if an item brings joy, has been used recently, or is essential to daily life. If not, it's time to let go. The 'one in, at least one out' method is introduced as an effective way to maintain a minimalist lifestyle by ensuring that for every new item brought into the home, another must be discarded.

05:01

🛡️ Digital Organization and Security with One Password

The speaker discusses the importance of digital organization and security, recommending the use of 'One Password' to manage and secure online accounts. They share their personal experience with using a single password across multiple accounts and the risks involved, such as the potential for a security breach affecting all accounts. The benefits of One Password, including its encryption and automatic password generation, are highlighted. The speaker also mentions a special offer for their audience, emphasizing the product's role in simplifying digital life and enhancing security.

10:03

💰 Financial and Environmental Benefits of Taking Care of Possessions

The speaker emphasizes the financial and environmental benefits of taking care of one's possessions, such as maintaining a car or phone to increase its resale value or longevity. They suggest repairing items instead of replacing them and practicing intentional shopping by asking critical questions before making a purchase. The idea is to avoid impulse buying and ensure that new items have a designated place in the home, reducing clutter and unnecessary accumulation of stuff.

🏡 Curating a Home that Reflects Your Actual Life

The speaker talks about the importance of curating a home that reflects one's actual life rather than an idealized version. They share a personal anecdote about replacing a leather couch with a more functional one after having children. The focus is on making purchases that serve the family's needs and not just aesthetic desires. They also discuss the importance of making decluttering a habit, suggesting regular decluttering sessions to prevent the buildup of unnecessary items.

🎁 Prioritizing Experiences Over Material Gifts

The speaker advocates for giving experiences over material gifts, sharing how this approach has transformed holiday and gift-giving traditions in their family. They argue that experiences create lasting memories and are more valuable than physical items. The speaker also suggests keeping a wish list for potential purchases to practice delayed gratification, which can prevent impulse buying and lead to more thoughtful and satisfying acquisitions.

🗑️ Regularly Reviewing and Decluttering to Live Intentionally

In the final paragraph, the speaker stresses the importance of regularly reviewing and decluttering possessions to identify items that no longer add value to one's life. They suggest asking whether an item has been used or brought joy in the past six months to a year. By doing so, one can train their brain to desire less stuff and focus on what truly matters, leading to a more intentional and fulfilling lifestyle.

Keywords

💡Minimalism

Minimalism is a lifestyle that emphasizes the importance of owning fewer material possessions and focusing on what truly adds value to one's life. In the video, the theme of minimalism is central as the speaker discusses the benefits of owning less and provides strategies for decluttering and maintaining a minimalist lifestyle.

💡Joy

The concept of 'joy' in the script refers to the positive emotional response one has to their possessions. The speaker suggests that items should 'spark joy' and be essential to one's life, which is a criterion for deciding what to keep in a minimalist lifestyle. For instance, the script mentions asking if each item brings joy and serves a purpose.

💡Essentialism

Essentialism is the practice of keeping only those things that are absolutely necessary and serve a purpose. It is a key principle in the video where the speaker talks about the idea of 'less but better,' encouraging viewers to own only those possessions that are needed and contribute positively to their lives.

💡Decluttering

Decluttering is the process of removing unnecessary items from one's living space. The video script discusses making decluttering a habit to prevent the buildup of unused items and to maintain a minimalist lifestyle. It is a continuous practice that helps in managing possessions effectively.

💡One in, one out

The 'one in, one out' rule is a strategy mentioned in the video for controlling the influx of new items into one's home. It suggests that for every new item brought into the home, an old item must be removed. This rule helps in maintaining a balance and preventing an accumulation of unnecessary possessions.

💡Intentional shopping

Intentional shopping is the practice of making conscious decisions about purchases rather than buying impulsively. The script encourages viewers to ask themselves key questions before making a purchase to ensure that new items are necessary and will be used, which aligns with the minimalist approach.

💡Curating

Curating, in the context of the video, refers to the careful selection and arrangement of possessions to reflect one's actual lifestyle rather than an idealized version. The speaker uses the example of choosing a functional couch over an aesthetic one to illustrate the importance of curating possessions that suit one's real needs.

💡Backup clutter

Backup clutter refers to the accumulation of items kept 'just in case' they might be needed in the future. The video script warns against this common trap and suggests evaluating the necessity of these backup items, as they often contribute to unnecessary clutter.

💡Uniform

In the script, 'uniform' refers to a consistent set of clothing items that one wears most frequently, which can simplify decision-making and reduce the need for an extensive wardrobe. The speaker shares their personal experience of identifying and sticking to a uniform to minimize unnecessary clothing purchases.

💡Experiences over stuff

The concept of valuing experiences over material possessions is highlighted in the video, suggesting that memorable moments and quality time with loved ones are more valuable than physical items. The speaker shares personal anecdotes about choosing experiences as gifts and for personal enjoyment.

💡Wish list

A wish list, as discussed in the video, is a tool for delaying gratification and preventing impulsive purchases. The speaker recommends adding desired items to a wish list and revisiting the list after a period of time to assess whether the items are still wanted, which can lead to more thoughtful purchasing decisions.

Highlights

Owning less can improve your life by focusing on possessions that spark joy and are essential.

The concept of 'things that spark joy' involves evaluating each item for its emotional significance.

Essentialism promotes keeping only items that serve a purpose and contribute positively to life.

The 'one in, one out' method helps maintain a balance by ensuring something leaves when something new enters.

Using a password manager like 1Password can secure digital possessions and simplify online security.

Taking care of possessions like cars and phones by maintaining them can increase their value and lifespan.

Intentional shopping involves asking key questions before making a purchase to avoid unnecessary acquisitions.

Curating your home to reflect your actual life can prevent buying items that don't align with your needs.

Making decluttering a habit by regularly reviewing and removing items that no longer serve a purpose.

Avoiding 'backup clutter' by assessing the necessity of items kept 'just in case' scenarios.

Finding a personal 'uniform' of clothing that you enjoy wearing can reduce impulse buying of unnecessary items.

Focusing on experiences over material possessions for gifts and personal enjoyment creates lasting memories.

Keeping a wish list and delaying purchases can prevent impulsive buying and promote thoughtful consumption.

Regularly reviewing owned items to assess their continued value and relevance in your life.

The importance of spending time with loved ones over acquiring more material items for happiness.

The video's recommendation of subscribing for more content on decluttering and minimalism.

The speaker's personal struggles with minimalism and the ongoing process of simplifying possessions.

Transcripts

having less stuff will absolutely change

your life I can confidently say that

because it's changed mine in fact I just

had to make that mess uh for this intro

and clean that up right now I want to

give you 12 simple rules that have

helped me own less crap and can

hopefully help you as well first if

you're not quite convinced you should

check out these reasons why you should

own less stuff you can pause if you want

to see them but now rule number one keep

what you actually want first off it's

not just about getting rid of things

right it's about understanding and

focusing on keeping things that actually

spark joy in your life and are essential

to you not having the least amount of

things possible that you can count and

keep track of it's about structuring

your life and your possessions in ways

that actually improve it if you look at

mariea she has this idea of things that

spark Joy where you go around your house

and with each thing that you pick up you

ask does this spark Joy do I have a

positive emotional response to this

thing then there is this concept of

essentialism this is where you only keep

things that serves a purpose it's this

idea of less but better where you want

everything in your life and every

possession that you have to be something

that you actually need and makes your

life easier or better in some way this

is our donation then so as you're

sorting through your possessions ask

yourself a couple of questions does this

item bring me joy have I used it in the

last 6 months or the last year is it

essential to my daily life does it make

me happy or make my life easier or does

it make me money if the answer to any of

those questions is no then it's probably

time to let go of those things you want

to remember that everything that you own

should support your current and future

goals and lifestyle and not just be

stuff that you have because you wanted

it at some point in the past the one in

at least one out method this rule is

really simple but also super effective

for once you get your home to a place

where you want it to stay or you just

want like less crap coming into your

house you apply this rule that when you

bring something into your house

something else has to go out of your

house it is simple but it really really

works you buy a book you get get rid of

a book you buy a cup or a new shirt or

whatever and you have to get rid of

something else and when you do that it

makes buying things much more important

cuz you know it's going to cost you

something in return there's not only the

monetary exchange but you're going to

have to find something in your house to

get rid of you end up buying less stuff

you have less crap in your home you're

welcome don't lose your crap okay so

this doesn't actually help you own less

stuff but it does help give you some

peace of mind and stay organized

digitally how I do this is using uh

something called one password I've been

using this for years it's a complete

Game Changer as far as like and

simplifying things go and that's why I

have partnered with them to sponsor this

video I literally used to have one

password that went to everything that I

had online it I I was so dumb it turns

out there's people in black hoods who

are trying to steal your stuff and if

they get into one thing and everything

else is the same password they get into

everything not good so over a year ago

somebody recommended that I start using

one password to protect myself and my

family and and my business and I got to

tell you Uncle Kevin you were so right

now you might be thinking oh why don't I

just use like Google password manager

key JS because if somebody hacks your

Google account they get all of your crap

however if they hack one password um

they can't actually see your stuff so

they just get like a blob of encrypted

information and they like it would take

like a thousand years to be able to

uncode all of your passwords so you just

have to make one strong password that

maybe gets written down on a piece of

paper and puts in the safe so you don't

forget it and then you can keep

everything secure when you sign up for a

new account it generates this ginormous

password automatically saves it then you

can protect all your logins your credit

cards your secure passwords your secure

notes you can do it across multiple

different devices so Mac PC phone

Android right now they're offering my

audience 25% off individual and family

plans click the link in the description

you can sign up and get a free trial

honestly I am such a big fan of this

I've been using it for a really long

time don't let the guys in hoods get you

check out one password let's get back to

it take care of your stuff this applies

to so many things if you look at the big

things like your car investing time

energy money into keeping it clean

repairing things before they break just

trying to be really cautious with it

when you go to sell it in the future

it'll have more value and end up saving

you a decent amount of money the same

thing can happen with phones where

instead of always getting the new

upgrade wanting to have the newest piece

of technology just use whatever phone

you have until it literally doesn't work

anymore can save you a lot of money and

in turn help you buy less stuff whether

that's literally washing your clothes

differently so that they last longer

repairing shoes and pants instead of

just replacing them whether it's

something cheap which we kind of have

this mindset of well it was cheap I'll

just get a new one it's not a big deal

or whether it was something expensive

just take care of your stuff practice

intentional shopping this will help you

really bring less stuff into your home

when you ask these couple of questions

was this a planned purchase or is it

just an Impulse buy would I pay full

price for this item or am I just buying

it because it's on sale will my life

change at all if I do not buy this thing

and is that change worth the money do I

have a space where I know this thing

will go or is it just going to land on

my kitchen table and be super annoying

and then I won't get rid of it and it'll

just sit there for days and weeks until

I finally decide where it goes and then

I don't actually end up using it how

often am I going to use this thing if

it's something that you're not going to

use all that often maybe see if you can

borrow it from a friend or buy it at a

thrift store and then donate it

afterwards more stuff isn't always the

answer curate your home a lot of times

when we go to buy stuff we will have

this ideal self in mind it's this idea

of what we want our house to look like

what we want our life to look like but

maybe it doesn't actually look like that

for instance I used to have a leather

couch that was given to me for a work

project now that we have two kids um we

realized that while this looks cool it

is not a functional member of our

household so for the first time ever we

bought a new piece of

furniture this couch well this might not

be as aesthetic as our other one was as

a now family with a toddler who likes to

climb on things this is way more

functional for our home so every time

you're buying something you got to ask

is this something that I I want my life

to be like or is this something that my

actual life is like we have to make a

lot of different decisions now that we

have kids on things that aren't

necessarily what we want our house to

look like but they serve our family the

best make decluttering a habit

decluttering and kind of going down this

journey of minimalism it's not a

one-time thing you don't do it for a

weekend and then never worried about

again it's important to constantly once

a month once every couple months go

through and declutter stuff in your

house keep a box around do whatever it

takes but continually get rid of stuff

slowly so that it doesn't build up and

stress you out and then you freak out

make it part of your daily routine so

when you see stuff that you haven't used

in a while you instantly get rid of it

so that it doesn't clutter up your

life by the way if you've been enjoying

this and getting any value it mean a ton

if you would subscribe it's totally free

and I won't clutter up your inbox avoid

backup clutter which is the common trap

of the frugalist or frugal people what

are they called frugalist Fugler

brugal person I if you're anything like

me and you're really into saving money

then this can be a huge trap that you

fall into where you keep that backup

pair of shoes just in case your feet

grow you keep the extra mugs that you

bought at a thrift store in case 17

people happen to come over you keep the

shirts and the pants in case you go up

or down in size you have all this backup

stuff for just in case X Y or Z happens

you probably know what those things are

that you have whether it's in your

kitchen or your closet so you got to ask

yourself have I used this thing in the

last year has that just in case thing

that backup plan actually happened in

the last year and if not it might be

time to get rid of that thing or like a

lot of stuff I don't know how much you

have find your uniform both me and

Meredith have been doing this over the

past couple years so we actually just

Consolidated closets cuz we got rid of

so much stuff So eventually I will

actually organize and keep all my gear

here but in the meantime most people

wear 20% of their clothes 80% of the

time and this can literally save you

thousands of dollars to find what that

20% is for you and then not buy the

other 80% of crap that you just impulse

buy constantly for me I wear these cut

shirts pretty much every single day I

mostly just wear black now because you

can't see when you like spill coffee on

it and stuff for pants I found a pair of

jeans that fit me really well

everybody's going to be different not

everybody wants to wear just all black

all the time but if you have a problem

shopping next time you go to pick out

your clothes in the closet see which

ones you're skipping past constantly and

just try to curate the ones that you

actually enjoy wearing that way every

time you grab clothes it's your favorite

clothes I'm also wearing a Cuts hoodie

if you guys do want to check them out

there's a link in the description with

15% off I really enjoy them they're

super high quality and I never really

have to replace them not a sponsor but I

really enjoy them uh his affiliate link

down below you guys can check it out

anyways experiences over

stuff that was not a good idea this has

literally changed every holiday and gift

giving in general in most of my family

where we have been focusing on giving

experiences over stuff and even for

ourselves investing in experiences over

stuff because personally we remember

going out and spending time with friends

or family way more than having an extra

sweater or like whatever you randomly

get people as a gift and if it is going

to be a gift it should be a gift that

gives experiences like my wife gave me a

pizza oven a couple years ago and that

has given us a lot of pizza parties and

great memories instead of doing jewelry

or whatever for different anniversaries

and birthdays we go on a little trip or

we go out somewhere Loc we'll spend a

night in we'll do Pottery together we'll

do things that aren't just a thing it is

time together to enjoy each other to get

you know each other better to have a

laugh I think for me if I look back over

the most important moments of my life

they weren't when I got stuff they were

when I spent time with the people that I

care about keep a wish list and then

check it twice and ask yourself were you

naughty or nice no we should I I I got

to edit that out most of the best

purchases of my life have come from

delayed gratification and that's from

this habit that's turned into a rule of

keeping things on a wish list when I

want to buy something on Amazon or any

store online I just put it in the cart

and then I think about it for 3 days and

then I think about it for 30 days and

then I totally forgot that I was ever

going to buy that thing and it doesn't

end up in my house or I write it down in

my calendar ask my wife's opinion ask a

friend's opinion and instead of

instantly buying stuff but just practice

this I can buy it tonight I can buy it

tomorrow I can buy it next week that

will literally stop you from buying like

half the stuff that you buy online

regularly review the stuff that you have

the more often you review the stuff that

you own and ask have I used this thing

in the past 6 months or a year or does

this still you know bring value to my

life you will start to realize how

little stuff actually improves your life

and you'll start to like train your

brain to not want stuff as much if

you're constantly decluttering stuff and

asking that question of you know does

this bring me joy you will train your

brain to realize the things that truly

matter and the the fake things that I

don't know how I got this that that were

given to you on on a set like 2 years

ago and you just haven't gotten rid of

because you've been thinking about

getting a real plant but you never

actually got the real plant cuz then

you'd have to water it but it's cool

background I still struggle with a lot

of this guys if you enjoyed this video

then YouTube believes that you will like

this video so give it a click it's a

pretty good one but I do say so myself I

assume so anyways and thanks for

watching