Skip to main content Tom's Guide Tom's Guide Search Tom's Guide View Profile Newsletters Best Picks Entertainment Prime Day Deals LIVE Prime Day TV Deals Walmart Deals Prime Day Laptop Deals Switch 2 Restock Best laptops Wordle Today Best Mattress Recommended reading The decluttering hack that will help you break up with your clutter 5 things you should declutter in spring, according to professional home organizers 5 tips to achieve a clutter-free yard — with advice from a garden expert Experts recommend the 'anti-wrinkle method' for stress-free suitcase packing, and I'll never go back Home Office 5 expert tips on how to declutter your home office — reduce stress and boost your focus I'm about to move — and this TikTok packing hack just saved me hours I finally tried the 5x5 speed cleaning method — and it really paid off Experts recommend the 'ifs and buts' rule to declutter your wardrobe this summer — here's how it works Grace Dean 10 July 2025 Two simple words to help you clear out your clutter When you purchase through links on our site, we may earn an affiliate commission. Here’s how it works. (Image credit: Shutterstock) Decluttering my wardrobe is one of those household chores I love to avoid. But, as summer hits, it becomes an inevitability that I'm going to have to face my clothes to find the ones I want to wear. It's really hard to ignore the clutter when I'm scooping clothes out of the way to try and find the pair of shorts that I hope still fit, or the sandals that have disappeared into the abyss of my very full wardrobe. And while I've tried a lot of decluttering methods over the years, most recently the 'poop rule' helped me sort out a lot of clutter throughout my home, it didn't quite work for my clothes. You may like The decluttering hack that will help you break up with your clutter 5 things you should declutter in spring, according to professional home organizers 5 tips to achieve a clutter-free yard — with advice from a garden expert So, as I attempt to fold up and pack away winter clothing and unpack the summer clothes ready to see the light of day for another year, I've found an expert recommended rule that may save us all from clutter-filled woes. What is the 'ifs and buts' rule? (Image credit: Shutterstock) You may have heard of the classic idiom 'no ifs, no buts', which is a pretty common way of saying you don't want to hear any excuses to something you've said. And, when it comes to decluttering your clothes, Paul Gray, an expert at Chums, introduces the 'ifs and buts' rule, which means: "When you pick up an item, ask yourself why you don't want to keep it." If you find yourself making excuses for your clothing using either 'ifs and buts', then you shouldn't keep it. Sign up to get the BEST of Tom's Guide direct to your inbox. Get instant access to breaking news, the hottest reviews, great deals and helpful tips. Contact me with news and offers from other Future brandsReceive email from us on behalf of our trusted partners or sponsorsBy submitting your information you agree to the Terms & Conditions and Privacy Policy and are aged 16 or over. "Get rid of any 'ifs and buts' items and replace them with items that properly serve the purpose you need them to".Paul Gray, expert at Chums For example, you pull a pair of shorts out of your wardrobe ready for summer and you find yourself saying: "I really love the way these shorts look on me, but I don't like the color". Or maybe there's a pair of heels you always look at and say: "I'd love to wear these shoes, if they were a bit lower in the heel". And when you use this clever 'ifs and buts' rule, you'll end up figuring out what is surplus in your wardrobe and what you're realistically never going to wear because the same excuse continues to arise. Paul then advises: "Get rid of any 'ifs and buts' items and replace them with items that properly serve the purpose you need them to". It's not just about decluttering, but about doing it with purpose. Then, you can streamline your wardrobe and fill it with items you can't find any excuse not to wear. Other handy decluttering rules (Image credit: Shutterstock) As I briefly mentioned, the 'poop rule' is one of my favorite methods for decluttering my home, but it doesn't translate into tidying out my wardrobe. And while there's been other decluttering methods that I'm a big fan of, like KonMari, Swedish death cleaning or '27 Fling Boogie', when it comes to finding ways to tidy up, I don't think you can ever have enough helpful tools. Luckily, Paul also has some other rules you can follow. Take the '20/20 rule', for example. For this, he says: "If the item can be replaced within 20 minutes for less than £20, get rid of it". This one's specifically for small, everyday items that you might keep around your home 'just in case'. The idea is that if it's easily replaceable and you're not using it, it's not worth the clutter it's creating in your home waiting for that 'what if' moment. Or, there's the 'six-month trial', which Paul explains: "Put items you're not sure into a box or bag and store them away somewhere. If you haven't missed them in six months' time, there's no need to keep them". I'm a huge fan of this one in particular because it prompts you to be more mindful of the items you keep around you, as well as reducing those regretful thoughts you can have once something has been discarded or donated. If you know for a fact it's not something you use or miss when you place it into the six-month trial, you know it's not serving a purpose in your home. And then, you can enjoy a tidy house and a tidy mind. More from Tom's Guide 'The poop rule' is trending — here's why this gross decluttering hack actually works I finally tried the 'House Hushing' method to declutter my kitchen — here's what happened 7 ways to declutter your kitchen like a minimalist See more Home How-Tos Social Links Navigation Grace is a freelance journalist working across homes, lifestyle, gaming and entertainment. You'll find her writing for Tom's Guide, TechRadar, Space.com, and other sites. If she's not rearranging her furniture, decluttering her home, or relaxing in front of the latest streaming series, she'll be typing fervently about any of her much-loved hobbies and interests. To aid her writing, she loves to head down internet rabbit holes for an unprecedented amount of time. 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