--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: If you want a golden rule that will fit…" description: "\"If you want a golden rule that will fit everything, this is it: Have nothing in your houses that you do not know to be useful or believe to be beautifu..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/63c/william-morris-4229_golden-rule_if-you-want-a-golden-rule-that-will-fit_2361859.jpg" --- # If you want a golden rule that will fit everything, this… ![“If you want a golden rule that will fit everything, this is it: Have nothing in your houses that you do not know to be useful or believe to be beautiful.” quote by William Morris](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/63c/william-morris-4229_golden-rule_if-you-want-a-golden-rule-that-will-fit_2361859.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/63c/william-morris-4229_golden-rule_if-you-want-a-golden-rule-that-will-fit_2361859.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/63c/william-morris-4229_golden-rule_if-you-want-a-golden-rule-that-will-fit_2361859.jpg) > “If you want a golden rule that will fit everything, this is it: Have nothing in your houses that you do not know to be useful or believe to be beautiful.” [William Morris](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-morris/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Only keep items that are useful or beautiful. **In simple terms:** Own only useful or beautiful things. Key Takeaway Simplify possessions. Themes minimalism beauty utility Mood reflective inspirational Type personal philosophical When to use this quote - home organization - decluttering - design choices Key Concepts aesthetics functionality consumerism Questions to Reflect On - What defines usefulness for you? - How does beauty influence your belongings? A Different Perspective Subjective definitions of usefulness and beauty vary. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Golden rule](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/golden-rule/) ## Related quotes > [“Have nothing in your house you do not know to be useful or believe to be beautiful.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-morris/have-nothing-in-your-house-you-do-not-know-to-be-useful-or-believe-to/) [William Morris](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-morris/) > [Have nothing in your house that you do not know to be useful, or believe to be beautiful.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-morris/have-nothing-in-your-house-that-you-do-not-know-to-be-useful-or/) [William Morris](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-morris/) > [“Have nothing in your house that you do not know to be useful, or believe to be beautiful"- 1834”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-morris/have-nothing-in-your-house-that-you-do-not-know-to-be-useful-or-3/) [William Morris](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-morris/) > [Women do act their part when they do make their ordered houses know them.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/james-sheridan-knowles/women-do-act-their-part-when-they-do-make-their-ordered-houses-know/) [James Sheridan Knowles](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/james-sheridan-knowles/) > [“And modern houses don't have passages, either, for children to play and run about in, and for dogs, umbrellas, coats and satchels. And don't…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/marguerite-duras/and-modern-houses-don-t-have-passages-either-for-children-to-play-and/) [Marguerite Duras](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/marguerite-duras/) > [I tend not to trust people who live in very tidy houses. I know that on the surface there is nothing wrong with a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jack-dee/i-tend-not-to-trust-people-who-live-in-very-tidy-houses-i-know-that/) [Jack Dee](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jack-dee/) > [The things that you know more about than you want to know are very useful.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-stone/the-things-that-you-know-more-about-than-you-want-to-know-are-very/) [Robert Stone](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-stone/) > [“This is what it is to learn programming. 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If someone were addressing your point, what tone, what overall approach…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/barry-eisler/the-most-important-guideline-when-it-comes-to-argument-is-the-golden/) [Barry Eisler](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/barry-eisler/) ## More by William Morris > [I can't enter into politico-social subjects with any interest, for on the whole, I see that things are in a muddle, and I have…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-morris/i-can-t-enter-into-politico-social-subjects-with-any-interest-for-on/) [William Morris](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-morris/) > [...If our houses, or clothes, our household furniture and utensils are not works of art, they are either wretched makeshifts, or, what is worse,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-morris/if-our-houses-or-clothes-our-household-furniture-and-utensils-are-not/) [William Morris](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-morris/) > [“Do not be deceived by the outside appearance of order in our plutocratic society. It fares with it as it does with the older…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-morris/do-not-be-deceived-by-the-outside-appearance-of-order-in-our/) [William Morris](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-morris/) > [I do not want art for a few any more than education for a few, or freedom for a few.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-morris/i-do-not-want-art-for-a-few-any-more-than-education-for-a-few-or/) [William Morris](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-morris/) > [I half wish that I had not been born with a sense of romance and beauty in this accursed age.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-morris/i-half-wish-that-i-had-not-been-born-with-a-sense-of-romance-and/) [William Morris](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-morris/) > [In Prison Wearily, drearily, Half the day long, Flap the great banners High over the stone; Strangely and eerily Sounds the wind's song, Bending…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-morris/in-prison-wearily-drearily-half-the-day-long-flap-the-great-banners/) [William Morris](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-morris/) > [Free men must live simple lives and have simple pleasures.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-morris/free-men-must-live-simple-lives-and-have-simple-pleasures/) [William Morris](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-morris/) > [“Now let us go, love, down the winding stair, With fingers intertwined...”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-morris/now-let-us-go-love-down-the-winding-stair-with-fingers-intertwined/) [William Morris](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-morris/) > [Between complete socialism and communism there is no difference whatever in my mind.Communism is in fact the completion of socialism; when that ceases to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-morris/between-complete-socialism-and-communism-there-is-no-difference/) [William Morris](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-morris/) > [“October O love, turn from the changing sea and gaze, Down these grey slopes, upon the year grown old, A-dying 'mid the autumn-scented haze…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-morris/october-o-love-turn-from-the-changing-sea-and-gaze-down-these-grey/) [William Morris](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-morris/) > [The wind is not helpless for any man's need, Nor falleth the rain but for thistle and weed.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-morris/the-wind-is-not-helpless-for-any-man-s-need-nor-falleth-the-rain-but/) [William Morris](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-morris/) > [“Have nothing in your house you do not know to be useful or believe to be beautiful.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-morris/have-nothing-in-your-house-you-do-not-know-to-be-useful-or-believe-to/) [William Morris](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-morris/) > [Simplicity of life, even the barest, is not a misery, but the very foundation of refinement.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-morris/simplicity-of-life-even-the-barest-is-not-a-misery-but-the-very/) [William Morris](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-morris/) > [I pondered all these things, and how men fight and lose the battle, and the thing that they fought for comes about in spite…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-morris/i-pondered-all-these-things-and-how-men-fight-and-lose-the-battle-and/) [William Morris](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-morris/) > [Happy as we are, times may alter; we may be bitten with some impulse towards change, and many things may seem too wonderful for…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-morris/happy-as-we-are-times-may-alter-we-may-be-bitten-with-some-impulse/) [William Morris](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-morris/) [Explore all 114 William Morris quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-morris/) ## More Golden rule quotes > [“The next time believers tell you that 'separation of church and state' does not appear in our founding document, tell them to stop using…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dan-barker/the-next-time-believers-tell-you-that-separation-of-church-and-state/) [Dan Barker](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dan-barker/) > [Let everyone regulate his conduct... by the golden rule of doing to others as in similar circumstances we would have them do to us,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-wilberforce/let-everyone-regulate-his-conduct-by-the-golden-rule-of-doing-to/) [William Wilberforce](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-wilberforce/) > [“THEY NEVER TAUGHT MARCUS GARVEY IN OUR SCHOOL CHRISTOPHER COLUMBUS IS THEIR GOLDEN RULE”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jay-z/they-never-taught-marcus-garvey-in-our-school-christopher-columbus-is/) [Jay-Z](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jay-z/) > [The most important guideline when it comes to argument is the golden rule. If someone were addressing your point, what tone, what overall approach…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/barry-eisler/the-most-important-guideline-when-it-comes-to-argument-is-the-golden/) [Barry Eisler](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/barry-eisler/) > [I consider that the Golden Rule requires that if I like a program I must share it with other people who like it. Software…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/richard-stallman/i-consider-that-the-golden-rule-requires-that-if-i-like-a-program-i/) [Richard Stallman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/richard-stallman/) > [The golden rule in the arts, as far as I am concerned, is that all rules are meant to be broken.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-kenna/the-golden-rule-in-the-arts-as-far-as-i-am-concerned-is-that-all/) [Michael Kenna](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-kenna/) > [I have become convinced, through my studies, that the only way to achieve a safe, just and viable world is to live by the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/karen-armstrong/i-have-become-convinced-through-my-studies-that-the-only-way-to/) [Karen Armstrong](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/karen-armstrong/) > [If we don't manage to implement the Golden Rule globally, so that we treat all peoples, wherever and whoever they may be, as though…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/karen-armstrong/if-we-don-t-manage-to-implement-the-golden-rule-globally-so-that-we/) [Karen Armstrong](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/karen-armstrong/) > [There's one golden rule to keep before you: laugh about everything and don't bother yourself about the others!](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anne-frank/there-s-one-golden-rule-to-keep-before-you-laugh-about-everything-and/) [Anne Frank](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anne-frank/) > [The Golden Rule of Relationships: Never hold on to someone who doesn't want to be held](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/punkinhead-abhishek/the-golden-rule-of-relationships-never-hold-on-to-someone-who-doesn-t/) [Punkinhead Abhishek](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/punkinhead-abhishek/) > [Avoid doing what you would blame others for doing.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/thales/avoid-doing-what-you-would-blame-others-for-doing/) [Thales](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/thales/) > [“Unfortunately we treat others as we treat ourselves. We should try being genuinely kind to ourselves and the rest will come naturally, like a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/erica-goros/unfortunately-we-treat-others-as-we-treat-ourselves-we-should-try/) [Erica Goros](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/erica-goros/) > [“It’s often said that cleaning your house is like polishing yourself. I think that this is a golden rule. It isn’t just dust and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/fumio-sasaki/it-s-often-said-that-cleaning-your-house-is-like-polishing-yourself-i/) [Fumio Sasaki](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/fumio-sasaki/) > [When I'm faced with difficult times, I actually usually remember the golden rule: Do unto others as you would have them do unto you.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sam-rasoul/when-i-m-faced-with-difficult-times-i-actually-usually-remember-the/) [Sam Rasoul](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sam-rasoul/) > [“...The Presidential election has given me less anxiety than I myself could have imagined. The next administration will be a troublesome one, to whomsoever…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-adams/the-presidential-election-has-given-me-less-anxiety-than-i-myself/) [John Adams](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-adams/) [Browse all 336 Golden rule quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/golden-rule/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "If you want a golden rule that will fit everything, this is it: Have nothing in your houses that you do not know to be useful or believe to be beautiful.", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "William Morris" }, "isPartOf": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website" }, "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-morris/if-you-want-a-golden-rule-that-will-fit-everything-this-is-it-have/", "about": { "@type": "Thing", "name": "Golden rule" }, "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-morris/if-you-want-a-golden-rule-that-will-fit-everything-this-is-it-have/#quotation", "image": { "@type": "ImageObject", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/63c/william-morris-4229_golden-rule_if-you-want-a-golden-rule-that-will-fit_2361859.jpg", "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/63c/william-morris-4229_golden-rule_if-you-want-a-golden-rule-that-will-fit_2361859.jpg", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/63c/william-morris-4229_golden-rule_if-you-want-a-golden-rule-that-will-fit_2361859.jpg", "width": 1080, "height": 1080, "caption": "“If you want a golden rule that will fit everything, this is it: Have nothing in your houses that you do not…” — William Morris", "creditText": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "creator": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization" } } }, { "@type": "BreadcrumbList", "itemListElement": [ { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 1, "name": "Home", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 2, "name": "Quotes", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 3, "name": "William Morris", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-morris/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 4, "name": "If you want a golden rule...", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-morris/if-you-want-a-golden-rule-that-will-fit-everything-this-is-it-have/" } ], "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-morris/if-you-want-a-golden-rule-that-will-fit-everything-this-is-it-have/#breadcrumb" }, { "@type": "WebSite", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website", "name": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/", "publisher": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization" } }, { "@type": "Organization", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization", "name": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/", "logo": { "@type": "ImageObject", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/wp-content/themes/sq/assets/icons/icon-512.png", "width": 512, "height": 512 } } ] } ```