The 1-4-1 rule

I love rules. I just love them. I get such a rush after following a rule to a T. No matter if it is the honor code of the voluntary HOA or a federal law of the United States. I try my best to follow each. Not because I have to but again because I love rules.

In my humble opinion, rules make life easier, safer and better. So there is absolutely no reason to break them. And if that were not enough - for the cherry on top -following rules instill discipline. Let me give you a personal example.

About a year into our marriage, my husband and I were re-organizing our closet space. Very quickly we realized that it wasn't so much of an issue of organization as it was one of accumulating. We just had too many things, a lot of which we didn't even remember we had. I had read somewhere that if you have something in your closet that you haven't worn in more than 6 months you should give it away and that is what we did. 2 huge trash bags full of clothes.

We both realized we needed to change our shopping habits. The 'Only if you need it' rule was not really working because if the desire is strong enough you can make a want a need with some pretty crazy ideas. We decided we needed a new rule and so we made the 1-4-1 rule.

It is a simple rule - If you buy one thing you have to give one thing away, preferably of the same kind - a shirt for a shirt, a dress for a dress, a pair of shoes for a pair of shoes and so on.

Now our closet only contains things that we really like, because it came at the cost of something else we really liked. It helps keep our wallets in our pockets because most of the time we can't think of anything we want to give away. And when we do feel like something new we can take pleasure in the thought that we will give someone in need something we really like.

If you are reading this and find yourself lost in your own closet or drowning in your kids toys, the 1-4-1 rule might help. It sure helps us. You have to keep the rule though.

So, once again, a rule saves the day.

RULES RULE!