The Minimalists are Emmy-nominated Netflix stars and New York Times–bestselling authors Joshua Fields Millburn and Ryan Nicodemus. Alongside their podcast cohost, T.K. Coleman, this simple-living trio helps millions of people eliminate clutter and live meaningfully with less. Learn More.

Do I Want to Keep This?

By Joshua Fields Millburn

Even as a decade-long minimalist, I still need to cull my excess from time to time.

I’ve been going through my clothes this week, even those that fit into the 90/90 Rule, and I’ve been asking myself, “Do I want to keep this?”

I hold an item in my hand.
Do I really want to keep this?

If the answer is “Hell yeah!,” then I place it back in my closet. But if the answer is “I’m not sure,” then I must wear the item within the next seven days.

If it’s not one of my favorite pieces of clothes after wearing it once, then I donate it. The jackets, shirts, and pants I once enjoyed may not add value to my life anymore, but maybe they can be someone else’s favorites now.