A job offer took me 9,000 miles away from home. I sold almost everything I owned and finally learned how to declutter.

Courtesy of Allison Kimsey

For years, I clutched bag after bag of clothes, home goods, makeup, or, most often, shoes, as I whispered to myself, "It's OK; it was on sale." All it took was one glimpse of a sale rack, a neon clearance sticker, or an overflowing bargain bin. Chasing this high led me to overstuffed closets and — I hate to admit this now — over 100 pairs of shoes.