I’m just over the moon to share some big news with you today: I have a new book coming out next month! It’s called Lightly: How to Live a Simple, Serene, and Stress-free Life, and will be published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt on February 26. 
 
 If you ever feel like life is weighing you down—like the stuff in your home, the to-dos in your schedule, the worries in your heart are too much—this book is for you. 
 
 Over the last few years, our hyper-connected, image-obsessed culture has added new pressure to our lives. Social media has put us all in the spotlight, with the expectation to buy more, do more, know more, and show more than ever.… {Read more} 

 KID'S STUFF 
 
 It's not just a few toys on the floor - it's the constant, ever-rising daily tide of toys, clothes, accessories, and even artwork. "Kid clutter makes parents anxious because it is so difficult to clean up and to find a space to keep it, so it worsens the feeling of being out of control - a feeling that so many parents already have around raising kids, when things aren't going smoothly," says psychologist and author Dr. Susan Bartell. 
 
 The overflowing toy box also can be a Pandora's box of triggers. "It also makes parents feel like the house is never clean; that others will judge them negatively, and so they judge themselves harshly because they aren't more 'perfect' at housekeeping.Parents also question how they are spending their money when they see so much clutter - that they have spent such a fortune on SO much stuff that their kids aren't using, which is a waste of money. Finally, it is emotionally draining to sort through the clutter in search of wanted items." 
 
 But kids' stuff can be one of the easier categories for decluttering, according to Dr. Bartell: "A recent study by SpareFoot.com found that one-third of parents believe they could get rid of more than 50% of their child's toys without them noticing!" 

 KID'S STUFF 
 
 It's not just a few toys on the floor - it's the constant, ever-rising daily tide of toys, clothes, accessories, and even artwork. "Kid clutter makes parents anxious because it is so difficult to clean up and to find a space to keep it, so it worsens the feeling of being out of control - a feeling that so many parents already have around raising kids, when things aren't going smoothly," says psychologist and author Dr. Susan Bartell. 
 
 The overflowing toy box also can be a Pandora's box of triggers. "It also makes parents feel like the house is never clean; that others will judge them negatively, and so they judge themselves harshly because they aren't more 'perfect' at housekeeping.Parents also question how they are spending their money when they see so much clutter - that they have spent such a fortune on SO much stuff that their kids aren't using, which is a waste of money. Finally, it is emotionally draining to sort through the clutter in search of wanted items." 
 
 But kids' stuff can be one of the easier categories for decluttering, according to Dr. Bartell: "A recent study by SpareFoot.com found that one-third of parents believe they could get rid of more than 50% of their child's toys without them noticing!"
– Bummed and not sure why? Your home decor might be bringing you down. The Houston Chronicle has a list of 13 things you might want to tweak. A sampling: Family heirlooms: "We hold onto heirlooms/gifts even though we don't like or enjoy them because we feel guilty giving them away," says a psychologist. They clutter up the house and take away space you could be using for things you actually like. Heavy drapes: "Light and airy" drapes create a similar feeling in people, while heavy drapes can be suffocating, says a holistic design expert. Plus, they get dusty fast. Childhood mementos: While some are precious, we often end up holding on to too many of these old memories, which can be an emotional drag. "Facing up to the fact that a former treasure no longer holds its old magic is to acknowledge that we ourselves have changed," says an expert. Old books: Keep only those you really love, and let go of the rest, says an expert. The more you keep, the more emotionally draining it is to eventually go through them. Supplies for that hobby you never really got into: We keep these as a form of guilt, says Francine Jay, author of the Miss Minimalist blog, but failing to get rid of them if you're not going to use them just creates a vicious "cycle of guilt and anxiety." Broken items: You plan to fix them someday, but someday never comes. A feng shui expert says you'd be happier if you just threw them away. Old collections: Sure, you put a lot of time into your vintage record collection, but once you're not into it anymore, keeping it around will just make you feel bad. To help yourself feel like you won't lose that connection to your former self, save one piece that represents the whole collection and get rid of the rest, says a psychiatrist. Click for the complete list.