The new year is prime time for decluttering. As people take down holiday decor, figure out where to store it, and decide where new gifts should go, many are also resolving to get more organized.Decluttering is not easy, but organization expert Dana K. White shares practical advice that can make the process far more successful.She says the key to finally cracking the decluttering code was learning to let go of perfectly good items. - YouTube www.youtube.com "If you try to declutter but struggle, here's the realization I had to come to: decluttering means getting rid of perfectly good stuff," she writes in the caption of a recent video on YouTube. "Instead of trying to make myself think something is bad, I have decluttering strategies that help me let go of good things that don't fit in my home."She calls it a "major mindset shift" that "will free you to make the progress in your home that you've been wanting to make if you find yourself stuck in the process of decluttering or at the thought of decluttering."White explains that while letting go of perfectly good items can be a difficult mindset shift, it pays off in a big way."I used to think that decluttering was getting rid of things that were not good or things I didn't need or things that were not useful," she says. "But that is actually not the heart of decluttering."Instead, she had to redefine what clutter really was. - YouTube www.youtube.com "Clutter is anything that consistently gets out of control in my home," she says. "That means what is clutter to me isn't necessarily clutter to you. If it is something that is actually important enough to me that I keep it under control, then I don't have to consider that clutter."White says she noticed this most clearly when it came to clothing."With clothing—it was a huge mind-blowing moment for me to realize clothing could be clutter," she says. "I didn't know it because the phrase that came out of my mouth and into my brain was: 'But clothing is useful. But clothing is something that we have to have.' Clothing was out of control. I had so many clothes in my house that we could go way too long without having to do laundry. Therefore, the dirty clothes piles were out of control, ridiculously high. And that was clothing being out of control." - YouTube www.youtube.com White calls herself a "functionalist," judging clutter by whether items fit in their space and are easy to access."I don't consider myself a minimalist," she explains. "My goal is not to have the least amount that I can possibly have. I don't consider myself a maximalist, like how much can I possibly keep. I consider myself a functionalist—it allows me to still like an item and get rid of perfectly good stuff."On Reddit, people embarking on their own decluttering journeys shared how White's advice helped them."Yes that totally resonates with me and it was liberating as I purged glassware that I don't use. But now I'm still working on selecting my favorite coffee cups. Argh," one Redditor commented. Another shared, "It's easy for me to let go knowing it's going to someone else who might need or want to use it more than I ever had."Another declutterer wrote, "If you do not use it, just pitch it or give it away. You will never get your purchase value back. It does nobody any good sitting in a box in the garage for ten years."

It can feel nearly impossible to get around all of the things society tells young adults they should be striving for, but everyone doesn't want the same things. Many adults have fallen into the trap of collective thinking based on societal indications of success. Some of those adults have decided to leave a few wise words for the generations coming up behind them.In an effort to ensure that young people don't make the same mistakes, adults on Reddit are sharing "adult goals" that are actually overrated. Everyone doesn't need or even wants to be a "hashtag boss babe." Some people are perfectly happy knitting hats for cats without attempting to turn it into a side hustle for extra cash. Overwhelmingly, warn young people against making hobbies into a side business Relaxed moment by the window with a thoughtful gaze.Photo credit: Canva"Turning every single hobby into a 'side hustle.' The Internet has convinced us that if you’re good at something, you must monetize it. No, Sarah, I don’t want to start an Etsy shop for my paintings. I just want to be mediocre at something for fun without checking my profit margins or SEO. Not everything needs to be a business," Reddit user JulMayoooo responds to the question, "What's the most overrated 'adult goal' people chase" on the AskReddit forum."The best way to ruin your favorite hobby is to try to turn it into your side hustle. Now it’s not that fun thing that you look forward to doing, now it’s work and you have forever ruined something that used to bring you joy," v4v4v4v4 agrees. People remind others that it's fine to be mediocre at your job Friendly conversation in a bright office setting.Photo credit: Canva"The idea that you need to be passionate about your career and do what you love. Sometimes a job is just a paycheck that funds the life you actually want to live. There’s nothing wrong with being mediocre at work if you’re thriving elsewhere," viedoklis writes."I think it should be more acceptable for white collar jobs especially to just be a means to an end, rather than a sort of 'life passion'. As long as you do the job competently and take it seriously then you should be free to enjoy your life outside of work and pay your bills in peace," I-love-you-Dr-Zaius says.GeneralLeeFrank shares, "I think people get stuck in this idea that we all have to chase the job that relates to our personal interests. I think sometimes it just doesn't work that way. It's an easy way to burn out and hate what you used to love." Understanding the Parent-Teen Connection: A Digital Moment.Photo credit: CanvaRelationships shouldn't be a goal, but a "pleasant outcome""I think there are things that shouldn’t be a “goal” at all but just a pleasant outcome, like getting married or being in a relationship or having kids. People that are dogmatic about stuff like this and kind of force it usually create a disaster," Ancient_Surprise_198 tells others."100% agree, so many couples that get married because it's the next step then get a kid and talk divorce in the span of like 3 to 5 years. You don't have to do things because they were presented has a life goal, that's how you end up 25 divorced and resentful but still attached for life at that person because you had a kid," fafarex says.Others debunk the overrated goal of being your own boss Photo credit: Canva"'Being your own boss.' People look at owners of already successful businesses and think that is what starting your own business i like. Unless you are already rich and are able to just pay other people to do all the work, starting and owning your own business means you spend every waking hour working to keep your business afloat," EnycmaPie reveals."Couldn't agree more. When i started my business i was not earning no money for the first 6-7 months. Then it was constant work, no days off. I wasn't working physically everyday (Independent house builder) but there was always phone calls or emails to be had. Sometimes i do think that a good paying job would be better," Wise-Pay-8993 shares. Older man talking to younger man.Photo credit: Canva Owning a home doesn't have to be the goal."Buying a house. Would be nice if you can but it doesn’t make you a failure if you can’t. Especially in this economy," ryanorion16 writes."I used to own a house and now rent. I actually prefer renting for various reasons. My parents thought it was throwing money down the toilet until I told them how much my mortgage was, how much I got from the sale of the house after 10 years, and all the unexpected expenses that popped up as a homeowner," canteatsandwiches agrees.

When we bring a new pet into the family, the last thing we want to think about is saying our final goodbyes to them. But life expectancies being what they are means the vast majority of pet owners will have to let go of their furry family members at some point. Either old age or terminal illness will force difficult decisions about when "it's time" for a dog or a cat, and determining if or when to euthanize can feel like an impossible choice. Popular foster dog mom Isabel Klee found herself in a position of having to make that choice with a foster dog she had only been caring for for a short time. Zero came to her as a 12-year-old dog with medical and behavioral issues, and when it became clear that medical treatment and loads of love weren't enough to keep him from suffering, Klee decided the kindest course of action was to give Zero a loving family to hold him as he crossed "the rainbow bridge." @simonsits Two days ago, as our final act of love, Zero officially became part of our family ❤️ @Muddy Paws Rescue @Animal Care Centers of NYC Klee received a lot of understanding and empathy, but also some criticism for putting Zero down, which prompted some discussion on the topic of when and how to determine when euthanasia is the right choice. Euthanasia literally means "good death," though people often use other terminology like "putting down" or "putting to sleep" to describe the process of conscientiously ending an animal's life to save them from suffering. Our pets don't have the cognitive abilities to understand why they are experiencing pain or confusion and they don't have the ability to tell us what they are experiencing. So how do we know when it's time to make the choice to give them a painless end? We asked veterinarians and people who work with end-of-life care for animals to weigh in. Animals aren't able to tell us exactly how they are feeling.Photo credit: Canva Prioritize the pet's quality of lifeDr. Bethany Hsia is a veterinarian and co-founder of CodaPet, a network of vets offering compassionate in-home euthanasia. She tells Upworthy that the primary consideration should always be a pet's quality of life and offers a "quality of life scale" to help owners objectively assess various aspects of their pet's daily life, such as pain, hunger, hydration, hygiene, happiness, and mobility.Hsia says vets often see owners waiting until the animal is in severe pain or distress before deciding to euthanize, often due to emotional attachment. "Veterinarians are trained to guide owners toward the most humane decision without directly imposing it," she says, offering five approaches vets might use to help empower and support owners to arrive at the decision themselves, rather than feeling pressured:1. First of all, a vet might say, "How many good days would you say your pet has had this week compared to bad days?" or "When the bad days start to outnumber the good days, that's often a sign that their quality of life is significantly impacted.” 2. Second, a vet may emphasize pain management limitations by saying, "We've tried increasing the pain medication, but it doesn't seem to be providing lasting relief anymore, and we're reaching the maximum safe dosage" or "At this point, any further increase in medication would likely cause more side effects than benefits.”3. Third, a vet may highlight basic needs by saying, "Is he still eating and drinking adequately on his own?" or "Are you finding it increasingly difficult to keep him clean and comfortable?” 4. Fourth, a vet might describe the next phase of a disease by saying, “Given the progression of cancer, we anticipate that his condition will continue to worsen, and he will likely experience more discomfort in the coming weeks.” 5. Finally, a vet may discuss the "Gift of Euthanasia." While not directly saying it is time, a vet might gently introduce the concept of euthanasia as a final act of kindness. The most compassionate thing we can do for our pets is to prevent them from experiencing further pain and suffering. Vets often share clues that "it's time."Photo credit: Canva Don't wait for their worst dayDr. Elizabeth Benson, veterinarian and founder of Paws into Grace, a Southern California-based company that specializes in end-of-life pet care, says that vets also help by ruling out things that are treatable. "For example, if a pet is vomiting and having anorexia, rule out pancreatitis or simple gastroenteritis," she says. "These are treatable diseases that can affect older pets. These diseases are very different from cancer that can present with the same clinical symptoms.”"If I have a diagnosis and we know that something isn't treatable, then it goes into quality of life,” says Dr. Benson. “Is their physical health deteriorating and not responding to care? Is their social emotional health compromised? Are they in pain? Are there red flags that can have an acute crisis and we should intervene to prevent suffering? All of these things should be considered when deciding if it’s time.”“Many times, we have pet parents who cancel their euthanasia appointment because they think the pet is recovering one day, only to later have an emergency situation where the pet is suffering and actively dying in their presence, unassisted by a veterinarian,” adds Dr. Benson. “As hard as it is to make the decision to euthanize a pet during this time, we encourage owners to let their pets be at peace while they are having a good day in order to minimize suffering and avoid an emergency.” A little early is better than too late.Photo credit: Canva Don't overemphasize eating or not eating"Many owners become reluctant to euthanize their pet because they are still eating," says Dr. Ray Spragley of Zen Dog Veterinary Care. "Eating is necessary for survival and most pet's will eat unless they are very nauseous or extremely weak. If their pet cannot walk and is in pain but still eating their quality of life is not good. Owners should think about their pet's pain levels, overall independence, and ability to partake in things they enjoy. In many pets they will not have overt disease but due to age related decline they may have cognitive dysfunction (Dementia). If mentally they are not able to process what is going on around them and are confused that also constitutes a poor quality of life. Signs of pain pet owners should look for are excessive panting, shivering, sensitivity to touch, and aggression."As a companion animal death doula, Kate LaSala, owner of Rescued By Training LLC shares similar advice:"When assessing quality of life, it’s not just 'is he still eating?' Quality of life isn’t just about physical health but whether the animal still enjoys daily activities. Can they eat, drink, move and interact with family and their environment in a meaningful way? Are there things that still bring joy to them every day? Are they having more good days than bad days?It can also help to understand the difference between pain and suffering when making end-of-life decisions. Pain can often be managed but suffering is not only physical but psychological.I coach clients to look for behavior changes, like a pet that is confused, anxious, chronically uncomfortable, or unable to perform basic functions like breathing, walking, moving, eating, grooming, or relieving themselves. Even if their pain is 'under control' they are likely suffering if they cannot perform basic functions without struggling or assistance." - YouTube www.youtube.com Start thinking about end-of-life details earlyLisa Franzetta is also an animal end-of-life doula and a doctor of acupuncture and integrative medicine who treats animals at a holistic veterinary practice in the San Francisco Bay Area. She recommends pet owners pay attention to the signs their animal is well and happy before they decline: "Ideally, I encourage companion animal guardians to start the process of end-of-life decision making before their animal is very sick, if they have this opportunity. If pet parents tell me their animal is feeling great–I ask them to describe how their animal shows them this. Are they eating their favorite food with gusto? Enjoying their daily walks? Seeking out snuggles and playtime?By having these mental notes about our animals at their happiest, it can be easier to track when, closer to end-of-life, our beloved animals are no longer able to experience their greatest joys.Conversely, if a pet parent relays that they think their animal is uncomfortable, stressed, or otherwise not thriving, I ask for details about how they show this. Does a dog who always loved walks now refuse to get out of bed? Does a formerly social cat now hide under the bed much of the day? I will also ask if their animal seems to have more good days than bad days, and help them see when there might be a shift occurring, if an ailing pet is now having more bad days than good ones.Similarly, if the medication or treatment required to sustain an animal’s life is very stressful for the animal and/or their guardian, I like to share that this is also a quality of life factor worthy of consideration. For instance, if veterinary treatment requires frequent vet visits which are terrifying to a very anxious dog; or if a cat who formerly followed you around your home now hides from you to avoid daily medications–these factors are very reasonable to consider as part of assessing your animal’s quality of life."Ultimately, end-of-life decisions boil down to what is kindest and most humane for our pet companions. Experts agree that quality of life is key, and that erring on the side of too early is better than too late. As hard as it is to let them go, a peaceful, painless passing is often the best gift we can give to thank our animal family members for the joy and love they shared with us throughout their lives.

"Gramnesia" is a term coined by Gen Xers and Millennials to poke fun at the way their parents seem to suddenly forget how truly difficult it is to raise young children once they've entered their grandparent era. This leads to some pretty perplexing memories, like zero tantrums and no issues with sugar, all of which the now-adult children don't remember, because it didn't quite happen that way.Recently, a woman named Ally Glasgow (@allyglasgow) shared a perfect example of this sometimes mind-boggling phenomenon, explaining how she and her mom had entirely different memories of potty training."[My mom] said, 'All of you were potty trained by two. All four girls.' And I'm like... I just don't feel like we were... I mean maybe?" Glasgow says in a TikTok video.An even bigger "gramnesia" moment came while Glasgow was driving her mom to the airport, when she suggested that Glasgow "instill into your kids that when they wake up, they shouldn't talk until a certain time."Perplexed, Glasgow asked, "Mom, what do you mean they don't talk?" Her mom finally acquiesced, adding, "Maybe they could whisper."As though any parent in all of history has ever successfully instilled a rule like that. Maybe in Victorian times, but still. Do we really want to go back to that in this instance? @allyglasgow God bless ya Laura ♬ original sound - allyglasgow Glasgow's video inspired others to share their own equally funny "gramnesia" moments in an act of lighthearted solidarity:"My mom has completely made up an entirely different childhood in her head lmao and when I call her out she gets SO MAD.""Sometimes I wonder if my parents have ever actually met a child.""My son has eczema and my mom says none of her kids ever had it but I literally have had eczema my entire life ?""My mom says I was speaking sentences by 9 months old. No I was not. There's no way."Bilizz GIFfrom Bilizz GIFs "My parents both SWEAR that I was sleeping through the night at 3 weeks old and didn't need to wake up to feed or anything. So like okay you starved me???""My mom comments on my kids eating unhealthy as if I didn't grow up eating cereal, ramen, frozen meals, etc every single day because she didn't cook for us, like what?""My parents swear I was walking at 6 months old. Once I had kids I was like there is no physical way that is possible. They still swear it happened.""My MIL had four boys and she tried to convince me that they didn't make much noise. lol okay ??"Baby Celebration GIFfrom Baby GIFs "My mom said 'kids need routine and structure' to me once but we were homeschooled and only did school when she felt like it.""My mom said my sisters and I never snacked ?""My mom claims we never threw tantrums. Huh?! I remember throwing tantrums ?"Toddler Tantrum GIFfrom Toddler GIFs "I can't remember details from when my kids were babies…and they are currently 3. You're telling me our parents remember tiny details from 35 years ago?!"Bottom line: "gramnesia" is very real and, apparently, very universal. But maybe, in this instance, we can give grandparents some slack. Parenting is hard no matter what generation you hail from. Who knows? Many of us might also use rose-colored glasses as a coping mechanism at some point.

We love watching a dynamic gymnastics floor routine. There’s something so special about seeing these incredible athletes combine music, movement, and elite skills that makes it so darn fun to watch. Fresh from her appearance in Season 34 of Dancing with the Stars, Jordan Chiles hit the mat for her senior year at UCLA. The Olympic gold medalist put together a floor routine with some incredible bops that had her teammates dancing along on the sideline. Video from the Best of the West Quad at the University of Washington went viral on Instagram, and it’s easy to see why. As soon as we heard the first beat of Whitney Houston’s I Wanna Dance with Somebody, we knew we were in for a treat. View this post on Instagram A post shared by ucla gymnastics (@uclagymnastics) Jordan Chiles Dazzled on the Mat UCLA Gymnastics shared the clip of Jordan Chiles’ routine, complete with music from Whitney Houston, Janet Jackson, and Stevie Wonder. Jordan was 100% in the zone, and the crowd erupted during her performance. There was no doubt that her time on DWTS helped her dominate on Saturday. She led her team to a huge season start. “Jordan Chiles’ new floor routine for 2026 will absolutely remind you that she is still 100% THAT GIRL – Olympic gold medalist, NCAA champion and #dwts finalist!” The video’s caption reads. “Her friends on the side following along the routine is so heartwarming. This is INCREDIBLE, I love Jordan,” a fan wrote. Fans definitely noticed the influence DWTS had on Jordan Chiles. “Well done!I can tell she incorporated some of the skills, moves & techniques she learned/performed at DWTS,” a fan wrote. “Didn’t think she could get any more perfect, but I can see small details that have made her an even better dancer since DWTS. Soooo good!” Another person added. This story’s featured image is by Katharine Lotze/Getty Images.