I Tried the “Circle Rule” to Declutter My Disastrous Kitchen, and Can’t Believe What Happened

Many of the ways I clean my home come from processes I’ve internalized and practiced unconsciously, whether I learned them from my mom, or have just been doing things that way for decades. For example, I’ve always put a wet paper towel over the emptied contents of my vacuum cleaner because that’s what my mom always did to keep the dust and dirt from flying around. Often, it’s only when I come across different ways of doing things that I realize my way isn’t the only way.

This is what happened recently when I read about the “Circle Rule,” which involves moving in ever-widening circles when approaching a task, from finding a parking spot to cleaning a room. Start small and work outwards. 

I was intrigued by this advice, which came from the writer’s father, in part because in some ways it’s the exact opposite of my usual method of cleaning the kitchen: the “Outside-In” method, which involves starting with the circumference of a mess and working my way inward. This method makes the mess smaller and smaller as I continue working. I start by clearing the table and wiping it, then I’ll turn to the pots and pans on the stove, and finish by scrubbing the sink. However, I love trying out new strategies, and often end up incorporating them into my own daily life. 

Facing a kitchen disaster after a recent camping trip, I decided to give the “Circle Rule” a shot when cleaning up the mess. Rather than clearing off the table as I usually would, I began with the dish drainer. Clearing this one spot out by putting the dry dishes away set the ball rolling on getting the nearby dishes washed. Next, I started in one spot on the very cluttered kitchen counter, putting away items and working my way in the prescribed ever-widening circle. 

So, how did it go? Well, the kitchen got cleaned up (eventually), and I learned something about myself: I thrive on the visual reward of making a mess smaller. The “Circle Rule” did not give me those incremental dopamine hits that I get when I use the “Outside-In” method. Even when addressing one small spot, the kitchen as a whole still felt messy, so I didn’t feel like I was making much progress as I worked. In addition, probably because I didn’t feel like I was making much progress, I kept getting distracted and the project took longer than necessary. 

I’m still glad I tried the “Circle Rule,” and I look forward to implementing it next time I’m looking for my water bottle or Kindle! I’m also thankful for the insight it gave me about how much I do rely on visual reinforcement to complete tasks efficiently. I’ll be looking for smart ways to put this information to use around the house as well. 

Although trying the “Circle Rule” didn’t end in me gushing over a new cleaning method to pull out when I need it, being open to others’ ways of doing things was still incredibly valuable. And I learned something new about myself, which is always a win!

Would you try the “Circle Rule” to clean your kitchen? Let us know in the comments below!