Do You Use the One-Box Rule?
Do You Use the One-Box Rule?
Here it is, one month after the holidays and gift-giving. Did anyone receive a gift that they really couldn’t use right now, or that they already had too many of? One example that comes to my mind is kitchen towels. How often do we take a kitchen towel to someone else as a house-warming gift? Or send one to/receive one from a friend or relative as a gift because we know … it could be useful and is easy to mail.
Don’t get me wrong. I love new kitchen towels! But, in the spirit of minimalism, I refuse to let my collection of kitchen towels expand beyond one drawer. Coffee mugs are another example. How often do we give/receive coffee mugs, just to give ‘something?’
The same idea can apply to socks, T-shirts, caps, etc.
Last Fall, I read about the One-Box Rule that Joshua Becker had implemented in his own home. The activity is as follows:
- Pick a box or basket. (I use a file box with a lid).
- Place it somewhere accessible; a closet is perfect.
- The moment it fills up with clothes you haven’t worn in a year, games you no longer play, gadgets you no longer use or decorations you no longer love, take it to your favorite charity!
- Grab a new box and start again.
According to Becker, this system is both practical and symbolic. This visual symbol reminds you to let go, stands as an invitation to give and builds a habit of mindfulness.
I like to apply this same idea to new items that I receive and don’t really have immediate use for. I place them in a file box (with lid, so they are not so tempting to pull out), in a closet. On a day in the not-too-distant future, if I find I need that item, or find that I need to “re-gift” the item for someone else, I don’t have to rush out and buy something new. You may want to try this for a month. It may be more motivating than you think!
“If you measure something, you can understand it. If you understand it, you can control it, and if you can control it, you can improve it.” The same holds true in your monthly budgeting.
The reality is that it is nearly impossible to complete & follow a monthly budget without improving your overall financial position. There are several reasons for this, so I would challenge you to do this.
First, just developing a budget for yourself will raise your awareness of what you have for revenue or income sources and then also boost your cognizance of how much you are spending each month. Next, you will come to grips with the reality of one of three facts. Either you need to boost your income sources, reduce your outgoing expenditures or, thank goodness, if you have more income than expenses, you can then save some money. Of course, this is fantastic! You just need to determine where you will store or invest those extra funds each month…