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The Rule of Three

The Rule of Three

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I walk you through one of my foundational systems for getting organized: The Rule of Three. I explain why decluttering is a marathon, not a sprint, and how chasing a “done” to‑do list is unrealistic. Instead, I focus on building systems that make every new project manageable.

I introduce the Rule of Three: Creating a garbage pile, a donate pile, and a keep pile, and I add a crucial fourth ingredient—time. Without a proper block of time, even the best system will leave you frustrated. I share how I like using different colored garbage bags for each category so everything stays visually clear and easy to manage, and I stress the importance of emptying a space completely before organizing it.

Later in the episode, I’m joined by Sarah Burke from the Women in Media Podcast Network. Sarah lives in a Toronto condo and lives with ADHD, so we explore how micro decluttering—tiny, focused projects and functional zones—can make decluttering feel possible instead of overwhelming. I wrap up by assigning light homework: go buy three different colored boxes of garbage bags so you’re ready to use the Rule of Three anywhere in your home.

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