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An Apartment Therapy writer reports donating 47 items after trying the one-touch rule, a closet-sorting method shared by moving expert Sarah Balducci. The approach allows each item to be sorted once into keep, seasonal storage or donation, without a “maybe” pile; the account is a personal experience, not a controlled test.
An Apartment Therapy writer says she donated 47 items after using a one-touch rule to sort her fall wardrobe during a two-hour closet cleanout. The method, attributed to moving expert Sarah Balducci of BMS Moving & Storage, calls for deciding once whether each item should stay, go into seasonal storage or be donated, rather than setting it aside for later.
The writer began after spending nearly 20 minutes looking for jeans in a crowded closet. She set up three destinations for clothing: items to keep in the closet, off-season pieces to store and clothing to donate. She worked through the closet in small batches, starting with the top rail, and made a decision as she picked up each item.
By the end of the afternoon session, she said, the donation pile contained 47 items. Those included pants she had kept in the hope that they might fit again and duplicate clothes. The cleanout also turned up a favorite sweater that had been hidden beneath a coat.
The writer said she initially used piles, then switched to bags and bins. She described treating each piece as “lava-hot” to prompt a quick choice. Her account does not provide an independently verified inventory of the donated items or say whether they were ultimately given to a charity, sold or otherwise disposed of.
A Clearer Route Through Closet Clutter
The account offers a practical example of how a defined sorting process can reduce repeated handling and indecision. For people whose cleanouts stall because of a large “maybe” pile, the three-outcome rule sets a boundary: keep, store or donate. That structure may make the task feel more manageable, though one person’s result does not establish that the method will work the same way for everyone.
The reported total also gives readers a concrete measure of the writer’s own cleanout, but it should not be read as a benchmark or expected result. The value of the story is in the process described: work in short batches, give each item a destination and avoid reopening settled decisions.
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A Moving-Day Sorting Method at Home
Balducci shared the rule with the writer as a technique movers use to help clients downsize before a move. In the reported version, each item is picked up once and placed directly into one of three categories. There is no holding area for undecided belongings, which is intended to prevent people from revisiting the same item repeatedly.
Balducci also recommends sorting in sessions of no more than two hours and using seasonal rotation for clothing that is not currently needed. The writer adapted the advice for a fall wardrobe rather than a move, setting aside off-season clothes for storage while keeping current-season pieces accessible. The article describes a single personal trial, not a formal evaluation of organizing methods.
“The one touch rule”
— Sarah Balducci, moving expert at BMS Moving & Storage, as quoted by Apartment Therapy
What the 47-Item Result Shows
The reported 47 items are the writer’s account of her donation pile; the source material does not provide an independent count or details about what happened to the items afterward. It also does not compare the method with another approach or track whether the closet remained organized over time.
There is no evidence in the account that a two-hour session or this particular result is typical. The writer describes a personal experience and says the method made the task feel shorter and more manageable. Whether the approach suits people with different closets, schedules or attachments to belongings remains a matter of individual experience.
Seasonal Rotation After the Cleanout
The writer’s next practical step is to keep off-season clothing in storage and make current-season pieces easier to reach. Balducci’s advice, as relayed in the article, is to use seasonal rotation and keep sorting sessions limited to two hours or less. The source does not report a follow-up cleanout or say whether the writer plans to apply the rule to other areas of the home.
For readers trying the method, the account suggests preparing the three destinations before starting and working in small batches. It does not set a required donation target; the 47-item figure reflects only the writer’s closet and decisions.
Key Questions
What is the one-touch rule for decluttering?
As described in the report, pick up each item once and place it directly into one of three categories: keep, seasonal storage or donate. The method does not include a “maybe” pile.
How many items did the writer donate?
The Apartment Therapy writer said her donation pile contained 47 items after a two-hour session. The article presents this as her personal count.
Who recommended the method?
Sarah Balducci of BMS Moving & Storage shared the rule with the writer as a method movers use to help clients sort belongings before moving.
How long does the method recommend sorting?
Balducci recommends keeping a sorting session to no more than two hours, according to the report. The writer’s own session lasted two hours.
Does the report prove the method works for everyone?
No. It describes one person’s experience, not a controlled test or a comparison with other decluttering methods. The writer said the process felt more manageable, but results may differ.
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