Letting go can be difficult, so here are my top 3 strategies for editing your belongings.

#1 Pareto’s Principle.
While you might not be able to pronounce his name properly, this turn of the century Italian economist developed what we commonly refer to today as the 80:20 rule. Vilfredo Pareto determined that what we invest versus the return we get is unbalanced. Applied to our homes, it would appear that 80% of our things are used only 20% of the time. In simpler terms, this means that out of all of your t-shirts in your dresser drawers, over half of them (80%) are only worn less than half (20%) of the time. The flip side of that equation is that you’re wearing a very small percentage (20%) of your t-shirts the majority (80%) of the time. Sounds like it’s time to declutter some of those unworn shirts!
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#2 One-In-One-Out Rule.
To avoid unnecessary overstock, you’ve got to have a plan to subtract whenever you add. We’re great with toilet paper – we buy lots, but we use lots, so the toilet paper supply never gets out of hand. However, when we’re buying things that aren’t consumable, those items tend to pile up. Consider purses. Although you might love purses (and bags of all sorts), it’s unnecessary to have ALL the bags. So, when buying a new bag, you must let go of an old one. Using the one-in-one-out principle helps us to establish healthy buying habits, which in turn reduces the potential for clutter. If you’ve got an excessive amount, then multiply this rule to read One-In-Three-Out until you can get your stash down to an appropriate level.

#3 Expiration Date.
As you continue on your decluttering journey, you’ll stumble upon items you think you might need one day. While this mindset has proven useful in past decades, it has followed Pareto’s Principle more than we’d like to admit: of the 80-100% of the things we keep for a delayed and unknown need, only 0-20% might ever get used. The replacement light bulbs that come with every strand of holiday lights, or extra buttons that come with your new cardigan. The dull hack saw you salvaged from a garage sale or the door knobs that came out of your renovated property. Maybe it’s the fancy table linens for the parties you never throw or extra sets of glass punch cups. You’re keeping these things because you THINK you’ll use them, but so far you haven’t. In fact, instead of using the old things, you actually just pick up what you need for less than $25 when you need it. Be honest with yourself. It’s time to let these things go. But if you don’t believe me, then place these items in a box with an expiration date clearly marked on the side. Once that date arrives, you’ll have no regrets donating those items because you KNOW you never actually needed them.
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What are your favorite strategies for cutting the clutter? Share them below in the comments!

This post originally appeared on The Good Life.

Who doesn’t love pouring over Pinterest’s images of a perfect pantry or savvy storage area? All those items neatly tucked into the color-coordinated bins that just ring with harmony. If only we could make our storage spaces look just as tidy?

But who really has a place that gorgeous?!

I’ve worked behind the scenes with a well-known blogger and learned a few secrets along the way. Have you noticed that their “after” pictures often have a few extra staging elements like fresh flowers or cut fruit, and a few less real-life elements like half-empty cereal boxes and make-up stained towels? It’s true! Bloggers KNOW which photos trend best, so they edit their shots just like they would edit their posts. They deliver the most beautiful, most desired content; not necessarily the most functional or realistic.

And now that you know, don’t be mad. Like every author, they are creating beautiful images in word and photo that encourage your imagination to bloom to greater heights. Rather, get excited. These behind-the-scenes truths translate into room for imperfection in real life and grace for yourself.
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So now that you’ve seen the lovely linen closet, realized that the photo was a bit of blogger magic (with the reality tucked just out of lens’ reach), it’s time to evaluate your own space.

What items have you stashed on the shelves that don’t really belong there? What kind of blogger photo magic can you conjure up yourself just by returning the stow-aways? What things belong there but should be moved down a shelf or closer to their point of use? Finally, what categories of items do you have that could be neatly tucked away into a few containers to keep them organized?

This is where the real magic begins. The secret to creating a beautiful storage solution is to use bins that are the proper size for what you wish to contain.

Using your handy dandy measuring tape, get a rough estimate of how big of a bin you’ll need by measuring the length, width, and height of the category of items in front of you. Next, measure the available space on your shelf, or under the cabinet, or wherever you’re planning to place your items. These are your minimum and maximum container sizes.

​Next, go to your basket and bin stash. We all have one. It’s the place where bins go to die…ahem….I mean: earn inches of dust before we decide it’s time to donate them. No judgment. 

When we edit and reorganize closets for our clients, we come across two kinds of people: ones that organize by type and ones that organize by outfit.

​The “typers” are SO much easier to organize for because the process of reloading the closet requires so little thought. Short sleeves with short sleeves, pants with pants, sweaters with sweaters. (I personally like to organize my closet by type because it helps me to get the clean laundry off my bed and back where it belongs!)

However, the “typers” always run into one major problem that the “outfitters” avoid — overstock. They’ve fallen into the trap of buying random pieces because they liked the feel, shape, pattern, you name it, but they rarely have plans to put their new found pieces into use beyond the full-length mirror. So the pieces sit. And collect dust. And our “typers” are burdened by the fact that although their closet is well-stocked with beautiful pieces, they’ve still got nothing to wear.

If you’re a “typer” (like me), don’t fret. There’s a proven solution for loving your wardrobe AND sorting it by type. You simply must define your outfit possibilities.

Start by snagging your favorite top and asking yourself a lot of questions. Which bottoms work best? Would it look better with a skirt or does it belong with trousers? Do you even own the trousers in the right color and cut to pull that top off? Asking questions means being brutally honest. Your pieces are guilty of not belonging until proven otherwise, so be merciless if you really want to create a closet you love.

Try on everything to ensure that each outfit works in reality, not just in theory. As you edit, you’ll naturally develop a pile of pieces that simply don’t match anything else in your closet. You could totally donate all of those right off the bat (…nobody is going to be mad about that brand new blouse with tags ending up on a rack at Goodwill for a FRACTION of the original cost). You could also take one more pass through the pile and decide if any of those pieces could be put to use if you invested in one more foundation piece. (A foundation piece is like the bottom brick of a tall building — it matches with everything else and is used frequently. Foundation pieces typically include the classic black pant or white collared shirt.)

Bottom line is the “outfitters” have a leg up on “typers” when it comes to getting dressed and feeling great. You don’t have to organize your closet like theirs, but you should always take the time to think like them to ensure a winning wardrobe.

Looking for fashion inspiration? Check out The Simply Becca Facebook page where Becca is constantly posting the greatest deals on fashionable pieces!

This post originally appeared on The Good Life.

Tip 1: Check for Mates
Waiting until the last minute to find out that your favorite pair of gloves doesn’t have a match is awful. It’s even worse when it’s your kid’s favorite set. Save yourself some drama, and check for mates ahead of time. You’ll also want to make sure you’ve got a hat and scarf for everyone in the home. Sure, you won’t use them every time you venture out, but keeping them together will spare you the pain and suffering when you need them most.

Tip 2: Store at the Door
There is nothing more frustrating than having to run back through the house to find your leather driving gloves that you think you left on the kitchen counter. Instead, keep them in a bin near the door. I LOVE the three drawer container from Sterilite available at Amazon, Walmart, and Target. It tucks nicely into a narrow coat closet and can be rolled around when you temporarily need it elsewhere. The drawers can be labeled to hold items for each family member or by size. We use two of our drawers for “Adult Cold Weather” and “Child Cold Weather.” (Here's the label maker our coaches use if you're interested in making ALL KINDS of labels!)

Tip 3: Prep for Wet
When snow actually shows up, it’s helpful to have a few beach towels in reserve. Lay these on the floor near the entrance so that snowy friends can peel their accessories off in one central location. This will also help to contain any mud that gets tracked in….because we all know the upstate is infamous for red clay. Storing these towels in the third drawer of that Sterilite container is just plain genius. Your pets and floors will thank you for such considerate preparation. It’s also a great idea to invest in a boot tray OR repurpose an unloved cookie sheet to contain those wet boots to one central area. If you’ve got a collapsible garment rack or a door casing that can hold a few hangers, you’re even more of a winner. Simply lay a dry towel below to catch any drips while your wet stuff hangs to dry.

Tip 4: Keep the Dryer Free
Kids love coming and going in the cooler temps, particularly when that white stuff is coming down. Help them to stay warm by tossing their wet accessories in the dryer between trips. Yes, I know, some of you are cringing. I cringed too….because only my clean stuff belongs in the dryer! However, a dry happy kiddo is more valuable than a dryer. To help alleviate my fears of “contamination,” the next “clean” load that goes through the washer/dryer system is the winter coats and snow bibs. If the dryer is going to have anything in it from drying unclean winter gear, at least it’s only getting onto my freshly laundered winter gear. (Side note: I’ve never actually had anything gross transfer, but I thought I’d throw it out there just in case anyone is worried like myself!)

Tip 5: Wash and Restock
This last tip is the most often neglected. Don’t forget that in order for an organizational system to be successful, it must come full circle. After the winter accessories have been used (and washed, if necessary), return them to their rightful place. Everything, including those winter accessories, should have a home. While it may just be temporary, like in a Sterilite drawer system for winter, it deserves a resting place. Homes for accessories allow everyone to find exactly what they need when they need it. And winter is no time to doddle, because, baby, it’s cold outside!

This post originally appeared on The Good Life.

The temps are FINALLY on the rise, flu season is making an exit, and the days are getting longer.
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As happens every year, you’re on the brink of full scale spring cleaning. While some are thinking about the trash bags they’ll need, you’re seeing dollar signs. In fact, you’re one of half a million Americans preparing for a yard sale this spring (source). Follow these top five tips to ensure your sale will be a success!

Be Picky
Don’t hold onto EVERYTHING just in case it could generate some cash. Opened beauty products, old exercise equipment, and fabric do not sell well. In fact, you’re better off donating them and getting a tax deductible receipt. Gently used clothing (including a few pairs of shoes and handbags), tools, and appliances traditionally sell well! Since no one likes feeling overwhelmed, curate a sense of calm, happiness, and a dash of demand by limiting your yard sale to your best items. Showcase them with enough space in between so that they’re easily viewed and watch the buyers flock! Tables that are piled high with dozens of similar items just feel like drudgery. Only a select few, dedicated souls would take the time necessary to find that needle in a haystack. Make your sale for the masses, not for the select few.

Price to Sell (as You Go)
As you begin collecting items for your big sale, keep a Sharpie and pad of round pricing stickers with you. By pricing your items as you pull them, you’ll save yourself a ton of prep time the week before your sale. If you’re unsure of how much to price an item, pretend the item doesn’t belong to you and ask yourself how much you’d pay for it on someone else’s front lawn? It comes with NO return policy or warranty. You don’t know how much it’s been used, or what kind of life it has left. Even if you have a general idea of what the retail price was, the item is at most worth just 30% of that original value. That should help you aim for rock bottom prices.

The key to making a profit with your yard sale is quantity of sales over price per sale. While you might have a few items in the $5 or $10 range, realize that most yard sale hunters are trained to find bargains. Overpricing, or not pricing your items at all, can lead to immediate disinterest.

Sort Your Items
Create a storage area in your attic, spare bedroom, basement, garage, or shed to stash your items as you find them in your home. Organizing them by category (and pricing them as you go) will save you loads of time when you set up. (And since everyone is short on time, this step is a MUST.) Keep furniture items with wall décor; kitchen items with entertaining pieces; and technology with other technology.

Set the Scene
There is nothing more exciting to me than a well organized sale! When ALL the kitchen gadgets are in one place and clothing in another, I’m able to find the items I’m looking for in record time. Subconsciously, I’m also willing to pay a higher price for items that are easy for me to find. Use the categories you created for your storage area to neatly define your front lawn with bright signs. Easy-to-walk-through aisles with enough space will entice your shoppers to keep shopping. Finally, make sure your “checkout” area is easily accessible, covered from the sun (or rain), and ready for a line. Selling extra items like coffee and cupcakes is a great way to draw a crowd, and again, keep your shoppers looking for just a little longer.

Ensure Easy Tear Down
Decide NOW where the remaining items will go once your sale is over. Plan to load them directly into your car for drop-off to your nearest Goodwill, or create a zone for later pick-up by another agency.


What are your tried and true tips for a successful yard sale? Share your experiences in the comments below!

This post originally appeared on The Good Life.

​Decluttering is never easy, but it may feel extra hard when it comes to your closet. For many people, clothes are extra difficult to part with because not only do they hold sentimental value, they also, just maybe, can be worn to that fancy cocktail event or costume party that you know you'll be invited to in the near future.

Though you may not want to donate that glittery dress you wore to senior prom, when you finally do you'll feel a sense of relief and be able to create a closet that is organized and full of versatile clothes.

When cleaning out your closet you should take all of your clothing and accessories out. It will make you truly sort through everything and categorize it based on what you want to keep and what you want to give away.

Sort each item into 3 categories: keep, sell or donate, and toss. Remember, if you haven't worn a piece in ages and don't feel confident wearing it, it's time to part ways. This flowchart by AEO will help you figure out what you actually want to keep.

​If you want to take your closet cleaning endeavor to the next level, try creating a capsule wardrobe. A capsule wardrobe is a small, curated collection of your favorite pieces of clothing. The pieces should be versatile so that you can mix and match them.

Each season, you can create a new capsule wardrobe that's more fitting to the weather. Learn more about creating a capsule wardrobe here and use the worksheet below to help you plan your closet!

Big thanks to Alexandira Heinz with American Eagle Outfitters for reaching out to Upstate Clutter Coach to feature these amazing charts + worksheets! Have fun shopping everyone!

Isn’t it obvious? You clicked on this link just to confirm what you already know.

​The problem with too much stuff is that it DOESN’T FIT.

But sometimes, we try to force it.

Like when we pack for vacation, we erroneously pack too much. If one of our bags has some extra room, we pack even more. A recent survey found that 55% of us don’t even wear everything we’ve packed. So why do we do it?

We like options. We like being in control. We like the freedom of determining what we want, when we want it, and how we want it. We like to look like we’ve got it altogether, even when we’re going through hard times. Stuff, oodles of stuff, gives us that opportunity.

But how is that freedom affecting us?

For starters, we are burdened with heavier bags. We take solace in Sky Cap and dish out the extra bucks for overweight luggage. As long as we have access to everything we could possibly need, we’re happy to accommodate.
When we need something out of the bags, we comfort ourselves that the extra time spent digging through the excess isn’t that big of a loss. But the loss adds up.

And so does the stress.

When we can’t locate what we need, when we need it because of ALL the options we insist we have, something has to give. Usually it’s our attitudes. It’s easy to go from carefree to ticked-off in a matter of minutes when something we need can’t be found.

My heart starts racing just thinking about the lost shoe in the sea of too many.

Suitcases aren’t the only over-stuffed containers in our lives.

Cars, homes, purses, cubicles, offices, drawers, closets --- they’re all bursting because we’ve tried to force too much into them.

​Find a large, flat area so that you have room for both your gift and your creative juices. You can use a table, the floor, or even the top of your washer/dryer (a personal favorite of mine).
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Large or odd-shaped items fit perfectly into bags, easily disguised with a bit of tissue paper. Flimsy items (like clothing) are best wrapped when placed in gift boxes first. There are many ways to wrap, but I've pulled together a couple of how-to videos to help you on your way. 

• Folding on the Diagonal (uses less paper; perfect if you are at the end of a roll and don't want to do a patch-job)
• Folding on the Center (how your mom taught ya)
• Getting the Perfect Corners (hint: double sided tape is your best friend)
• Filling a Gift Bag (only two sheets of tissue paper....TWO!)

​Special Note: I did NOT include the video of how to do a patch-job with multiple sheets of paper. This is NOT a best practice, albeit a creative one. The best way to avoid this situation from the start is to make sure you cut your paper large enough to encompass the entire gift (unless you’re trying to save paper and using the Diagonal Method above). If you’re gifting your lovely spouse a new water-saving toilet, then it MAY be acceptable to employ the patch-job as long as you also use the words, “Honey, this gift is going to help us save money every day! In keeping with that money-saving theme, I used up all the scrap wrapping paper from years past, because I love you.” This is appropriate, based on personal experience.

It starts small with a night stand or an entry way table. Eventually, clutter crowds out kitchen counters, cabinet shelves, table tops, and closet floors. Clutter can even take over beds, chairs, sofas, and floors if you're not on the lookout. 

​If that's true, then up to 80% of the clothes in your closet, dresser, and, dare I say, on the floors might be CLUTTER.

So should we just grab some trash bags and start filling donation boxes? No. No, please, for the love of organization, don't do that!
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​Instead, let's analyze your possessions and your space. Let's go on a treasure hunt as we sort and identify all the things you need, use, and love. Let's set up organizational and storage systems so that you can efficiently access (and return) those treasured items. Then we'll consider what's left. If you've got room for the things you MIGHT need one day and REALLY want to hold on to and POSSIBLY will serve their intended purpose two decades from now, then we'll find an appropriate way to access those items as well.