Use the 30–30 Rule

This is part of Stewie's Guide to Ruthlessly Declutter Your Clothes Today.

Let me tell you about how I ended up with three copies of Crucial Conversations.

The first one came from a work training. My employer bought copies for the whole team, and I dutifully added mine to my overflowing bookshelves. The second one? I picked it up at a thrift store, forgetting I already owned the first. And the third? That one came from Grandpa Bill’s book collection after he passed away. Apparently, I had forgotten—again—that I already had a copy of Crucial Conversations.

So, when I finally sat down to declutter my non-fiction books, I was genuinely surprised to find not one, not two, but three identical copies staring back at me.

I immediately tossed two into the donation pile. Easy decision. But the third? That one was trickier.

I didn’t want to read it again, not really. But should I donate all of them? That felt like too much. Keeping just one seemed reasonable, right? I mean, I had already made progress!

Still, I hesitated.

And then, I asked myself a simple question, “If I ever needed this book again, how hard would it be to replace?”

The answer? Not hard at all. I could buy a new copy, download it on Kindle, or borrow it from the library. Crucial Conversations wasn’t some rare, out-of-print gem—it was as easy to find as a cup of coffee.

So, I let it go.

And that’s when I learned something important: many things in life are just… replaceable.

The 30–30 Rule: A Game Changer for Decluttering

So, how do you know if something is easily replaceable?

Enter the 30–30 rule: If an item costs less than $30 and can be replaced in 30 minutes or less, it’s not worth keeping.

It’s that simple.

Think about it. My socks? Replaceable. My undershirts? Replaceable. That stack of old ballcaps I never wear but weirdly feel attached to? Yep, replaceable.

Once I started applying this rule, I realized something: I was holding onto things as if they were one-of-a-kind treasures when, in reality, they were nothing special.

Why We Struggle to Let Go

For me, this shift was a big deal because, deep down, my little brain loves to believe that everything is scarce.

Maybe you’ve felt this too—that tiny pang of fear when you think about getting rid of something, as if you might desperately need it the moment it’s gone. Those old T-shirts, that random kitchen gadget, those half-empty notebooks… What if?

But here’s the truth: most of what we hold onto isn’t rare. It’s just familiar.

And once I started reminding myself, “Hey, if you ever actually need this again, you can just buy one,” it became so much easier to let go.

A Closet, A Bookshelf, A Life with Room to Breathe

Decluttering isn’t just about getting rid of things—it’s about trusting that you have enough.

It’s about walking into your closet and seeing clothes you actually wear instead of a pile of “maybe someday” outfits. It’s about scanning your bookshelf and feeling excited about the books you own, instead of weighed down by ones you’re keeping out of obligation.

It’s about knowing that you’re not losing anything when you let go—you’re making space for what actually matters.

So the next time you’re hesitating over an item, try the 30–30 rule. Ask yourself, “Is this easily replaceable?”

If the answer is yes, set it free.

Because life is too short to hold onto things you don’t need—especially when they’re so easy to replace.

Next steps…