HOT TIP // The Corkscrew Test 2.0

If we’ve followed the corkscrew test in our kitchens, we’ve culled those objects that only serve one, hyper-specific purpose.

The corkscrew test is just three simple questions, adapted from Sam Bennett's work at The Organized Artist:

  • Is there an alternative to the tool that would work just as well?

  • Do you do that job so frequently that your life would be markedly easier with that specific tool?

  • Is the tool challenging to store or to keep clean?

For me, a corkscrew is worth keeping because there’s no truly great alternative, I open wine frequently enough to warrant having it, and it’s ridiculously  easy to keep in working order. An avocado tool doesn’t pass, because a knife works fine and is much more versatile.

We can apply this test to other domains in our home. Let’s examine our closets for hyper-specific uses and see if each item passes the corkscrew test 2.0:

  • Is there an alternative to the article of clothing that would work just as well?

  • Do we have occasion to wear that item  so frequently that life would be markedly easier with it?

  • Is the item challenging to wear, to store, to keep in working order, to keep clean?

I’ve used this test to donate:

  • A flimsy dress that was appropriate only for a very casual winter occasion that I’d more likely choose to attend in a warm sweater and pants because of, you know, winter

  • One dry-clean only black cardigan that wasn’t significantly different from my machine washable black cardigan

  • A pair of work pants that only looked good with heels (which I don’t ever wear to work)

  • A clutch that wasn’t formal enough for special occasions, but not convenient enough (e.g. had no strap, small capacity) for everyday use

This test a great way to do an initial closet declutter, but it also makes sense when we’re weeding our belongings to align our homes with our current lives. If an outfit has a very specific use, and our lives have evolved past that use, the outfit can go.  

When our clothing is versatile, then we don’t feel like we have a closet filled with clothes and nothing to wear, and we don’t feel like we have to go out and buy new stuff.