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Good Housekeeping writer Laura Millar tested the “two-foot rule,” which starts decluttering with a small, high-use area rather than a whole room. She cleared space in her closet and bathroom cabinet; professional organizers say choosing a spot that causes daily friction can make the results more useful and the task easier to begin.
Good Housekeeping writer Laura Millar tested the “two-foot rule,” a decluttering approach that focuses on one small, frequently used area at a time, and cleared clutter from her shoe storage and bathroom cabinet. The method is intended to make organizing feel manageable by replacing the goal of clearing an entire room with a defined task, though the report describes one person’s experience rather than a measured study of results.
Millar said she chose the approach because the prospect of sorting an entire room often left her feeling overwhelmed and putting the task off. The rule asks people to begin with roughly 24 inches of space in a spot they use regularly. In practice, the measurement is approximate: organizer Caroline Solomon advised following the area where clutter is already apparent rather than using a tape measure.
Millar first tackled an overcrowded shoe area in her closet. She removed the shoes, sorted the summer pairs by whether she had used them, donated some sandals and flip-flops, and stored the remaining warm-weather shoes in a box in the hallway closet. That left more room for fall and winter footwear, according to her account.
She then cleared one section of a bathroom vanity mirror cabinet where items had been at risk of falling out. Millar said she discarded some expired medication and gave away unopened products she did not expect to use. The report does not give a count of items removed or quantify the space saved; its stated outcome is that the areas felt more organized and easier to use.
A Smaller Task With Daily Payoff
The approach reframes decluttering as a way to address a specific inconvenience, not as a demand to overhaul a home. Organizers interviewed by Good Housekeeping said the most useful starting point is often a small space that creates repeated friction: a counter where someone makes coffee, an entryway where keys are dropped, or a section of a vanity used each morning.
Elsa Elbert of Composed Living said a cleared high-use area can have an immediate effect on a daily routine and may motivate someone to continue. That is an expert’s explanation of why the method may help, not evidence that every person will respond the same way. For readers who postpone large chores, the practical takeaway is to set a limited finish line and see whether completing it makes the space easier to use.
The method also emphasizes completing one small zone before expanding the project. That limit can help keep a short task from becoming an unplanned, whole-room reorganization. It does not solve broader storage constraints by itself, and the report offers no comparison with other organizing methods.
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How the Rule Defines a Starting Point
The two-foot rule, as presented in the Good Housekeeping report, is a strategy for starting small and choosing deliberately. The area can be about two feet wide, but the core idea is to focus on a concentrated section rather than treating an entire room as one job. Examples offered by Elbert include a coffee-making portion of a kitchen counter, an entryway drop-off spot, and a frequently used part of a bathroom vanity.
The organizers’ advice is to look for routine trouble spots: places where someone repeatedly moves objects aside, searches for an item, or puts things down because they lack a home. Solomon suggested beginning with an easier, lower-stakes area, such as an entryway table, before taking on more intimidating surfaces. Once the area is selected, Elbert recommends removing its contents and returning only what supports the area’s purpose.
Solomon also advised deciding what will happen to items that leave the space, such as placing suitable belongings in a donation bin. The report’s examples are a journalist’s personal trial and professional organizers’ recommendations; they are not a formal test of effectiveness.
““You’re creating order at the point of greatest use first.””
— Elsa Elbert of Composed Living, as quoted by Good Housekeeping
What the Personal Test Cannot Show
The report documents one writer’s experience and does not establish how often the method works for other households or whether it produces lasting changes. It provides no measured before-and-after data, comparison with another organizing strategy, or follow-up on whether the cleared areas stayed organized.
It is also unclear how much space Millar cleared or how many items she donated, discarded, or relocated. The article presents organizers’ advice about motivation and high-use areas, but does not cite research measuring those effects. Readers should treat the rule as a practical suggestion, not a proven or universally effective system.
A Practical Test at Home
The report does not announce a follow-up study or a next formal milestone. For anyone trying the method, the suggested next step is to choose one small area that repeatedly interrupts a routine, remove its contents, and return only items that belong there. Finish that zone before deciding whether to move on to another.
Items removed from the area still need a destination. The organizers recommend arranging donation or storage plans rather than letting the cleared items form a new pile elsewhere. Whether the method helps in a particular home will depend on the clutter, available storage, and the person’s routines; the supplied report does not assess those factors beyond Millar’s examples.
Key Questions
What is the two-foot rule?
It is a decluttering approach that starts with a small, roughly 24-inch area instead of an entire room. The measurement is approximate; the focus is on setting a limited task.
Where should someone start?
Choose a small area used often or one that creates repeated inconvenience, such as a cluttered entryway spot, a kitchen counter section, or a bathroom vanity area. Organizers quoted in the report suggest starting with an easier zone if the task feels overwhelming.
What did the Good Housekeeping writer clear?
Laura Millar sorted an overcrowded shoe area, donated some sandals and flip-flops, and stored other summer shoes elsewhere. She also cleared one section of a bathroom cabinet, discarding expired medication and giving away some unopened products.
Does the report prove the rule works for everyone?
No. The article describes one writer’s personal trial and includes advice from professional organizers. It does not report a formal study, measured results, or long-term follow-up.
Source: goodhousekeeping.com
