As a minimalist myself and a declutter coach who works with people that have way more stuff than they can handle, one of the first things I recommend people to declutter are duplicates.
Have two frying pans that are roughly the same size? Declutter one.
Have two pairs of headphones? Declutter one.
Have two pairs of shoes that you use for the same purpose (like running)? Declutter one.
However, there are some types of items that make sense to have more than one of. And some items I may actually recommend you buy so you do have a duplicate of it.
Here, I'll cover 5 specific exceptions to the "no duplicates" rule and at the end, there are 6 questions you can use to think it through for yourself if it makes sense to keep a duplicate and when to let them go for the sake of more space and more peace.
5 Exceptions to the Rule
1. Chapstick
I can never have enough chapstick. I keep one in my purse, one in my bedside table, one by my front door, and one in each bathroom. When I need chapstick, I don't want to have to traipse across the house or wait until I get home, I want it at my fingertips.
Here is the trick to keeping it minimal: Only keep one in each place where you use it, with perhaps an extra stick or two with your other toiletry backups.
If you have so many you keep loosing them or finding 4 in your purse at one time, it's time to pair down. Well, and rather than throwing them away, I'd recommend you just move all the extras to your toiletry backups stash and then wait to buy more until you are out. If you don't use chapstick often, then you may only want to have one or two sicks in your home at a time. But, if you are like me, don't over declutter and then regret not having a stick when you need it.
It's okay to have 7+ like me BECAUSE you actually do use them all.
2. Pens
While I have more than one black pen and I recommend you should too, I want to preface this by shouting from the rooftops, "Ya'll have too many pens!"
When I declutter with clients, I find most people have a cup of pens by the front door, a cup of pens on the kitchen counter, a kitchen junk drawer strewn with pens, a cup of pens in the living room, a cup of pens on the office desk, a desk drawer full pens, at least 5 more pens strewn across each bedroom, and each backpack and purse each holding 3 or more pens. You do not need THAT many duplicates in this category. I promise.
Here is the trick to keeping it minimal: Only keep one pen in each place where you use it (such as a backpack, purse, or bedside drawer) with one pen cup or visible container in a place you reach for pens often, and one small drawer or hidden storage container for backup pens.
If you have so many pens that you keep loosing them or finding them shoved in random places (like in between the couch cushions) then it's time to pair down. And, if you have a LOAD of pens that you don't really like, then consider throwing them all away or donating them to a local non-profit and then buying yourself one nice pack of pens you love. The more expensive the better because then you will take good care of them and won't loose them as easily. If you don't really need backup pens, you may be able to get away with as little as one or two pens, simply moving it from place to place as needed. But, if you are like me, you like to have pens a bit more handy.
Duplicates are great IF you can easily find them.
3. Items you use in the AM & PM daily
A great organization and time saving hack is to keep all your morning bathroom hygiene items in one basket and all your night routine ones in another. That way you can hide it in a drawer or under the sink and then pull it out, use them all, and then hide it away again.
In this situation (or one like it - you could use a system like this for anything, not just toiletry items), it makes sense to have duplicates. For example, you could have a toothbrush, toothpaste, and your favorite face oil in each basket as they are things you use both in the morning and at night. And as they are items you use multiple times every single day, you'll use them up fairly quickly and can reach into the other basket when you run out before you have to make a run to the store.
Here is the trick to keeping it minimal: Only keep duplicates of your favorite items. If you are setting up this system for the first time and you have a brand new lotion you are not sure you love yet, don't buy a second for your other basket until you know you love it. Otherwise you may end up with two bottles of a lotion you don't even end up using.
I find that people tend to have a ton of duplicates of items they never use (like mini hotel travel lotion bottles), but don't have duplicates of things they use every day (like their favorite face oil).
It's good to have duplicates of things if it makes your life easier, ESPECIALLY if you use them multiple times a day.
4. Consumables you use multiple times a week
Similar to the last point, it's fine to have duplicates of any consumable you use frequently, because eventually you will get through it. You can keep backups in a storage area or closet so you can buy in bulk and save a few extra bucks, or simply to make yourself feel at ease knowing you always have more.
Here is the trick to keeping it minimal: It only counts as a consumable if you are actually using it up. Soap is a consumable, but if you only use liquid hand soap and you have a stash of bar soap, than for you, that is not a consumable. Donate those bars of sopa to a non-profit or gift it to a friend who will use it.
Also, get creative about where you store your back up consumables. I recently started "storing" a backup of my shampoo and conditioner in my guest shower. That way they don't take up space in a cupboard or drawer, AND there is always shampoo and conditioner available when I have guests over. WIN WIN!
There is nothing wrong with having duplicates of things you use often IF you have the space to store them without forfeiting your peace of mind.
5. Things different people need to use often or at the same time
Most people don't live alone. I'm guessing you don't. So another important type of duplicate to have are items that different people in your house use frequently or need to use at the same time.
Like I mentioned earlier, I find that families tend to have a ton of duplicates of items they never use (like 12 varieties of screwdrivers), but don't have duplicates of things they use every day (like a good pair of scissors or that favorite SPF of sunscreen).
If there is an item you notice people keep having to wait to use or an items that moves all over the house and no one knows where the last person left it, it might be time to invest in a second (or even third) one.
Here is the trick to keeping it minimal: Ask yourself and your family when decluttering, "How many people in this house use this item on a daily or weekly basis?" and "Can everyone find it when they need it?" You may think an item is a commonly used item and therefore justify keeping many duplicates of it. However what your household uses overtime will change and you may end up being able to not just donate the extras, but the last one as well.
Remember, there is no point in having duplicates if no one can find it in the first place. Give each item a logical home and tell each person where each item belongs. Label if you must.
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As you went through that list of 5 exceptions to the "no duplicates" rule, you probably noticed there is a lot more than 5 exceptions. ANY item you and/or your household uses frequently is a possible candidate for keeping duplicates.
Now, here are a few questions to help you determine if an item you are sorting should have duplicates or not:
To Have Duplicates or to Not Have Duplicates?
Do I (or others in my household) use this item multiple times a daily or week?
Is this item consumable? (also consider, "How often do you use this item up?")
Do I (or others in my household) want access to this item in multiple places without having to move it around?
Do I feel better knowing I have multiples of this?
Is this my favorite version of this item? (Or is there another version that maybe I should have duplicates of instead of this one?)
Do I have space to store duplicates without sacrificing my organization or peace?
If you answer yes to 3 or more of these questions, it's safe to say that items is a good candidate to have duplicates of. However, carefully consider the last question. Because even if it makes perfect sense to have duplicates of an item, if having to store those duplicates will create more clutter and chaos, then it probably isn't worth it, at least, not in your present clutter situation and space.
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Let me know one item in the comments that you think you might BUY because of reading this. Minimalism isn't just about decluttering, it's also about choosing to invest it quality items you truly love and use. Let me know! ⬇️
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