PODCAST · leisure
Wannabe Clutter Free | Declutter, Simplify, Find Freedom
by Deanna Yates | Professional Organizer, Decluttering Coach, Wannabe Minimalist
Ready to finally calm the overwhelm and create a home and life you actually enjoy? The Wannabe Clutter Free podcast is here to help you clear the clutter, simplify your routines, and find freedom in the life you’re building.I’m Deanna Yates, a busy mom who knows what it’s like to juggle family, career, and the never-ending piles of stuff. From selling 80% of what we owned to travel with our toddler, to managing the daily chaos of running a home with a school-aged kid, I’ve learned that living with less isn’t about deprivation. It’s about creating more space, more peace, and more joy.Each week, I share real-life stories, simple decluttering strategies, and mindset shifts that make it easier to let go of what’s weighing you down. You’ll also hear from inspiring guests who share practical tips and fresh perspectives on minimalism, home organization, intentional living, and building habits that last.If you’re tired of feeling buried in clutter and crave
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313
The 12 Minute Method That Quiets Any Room with Myquillyn Smith
Your house isn't cluttered. It's loud.That single reframe changed how I look at my own home, and it comes from Myquillyn Smith, known online as The Nester.Myquillyn has spent over twenty years helping women create homes they actually want to use. She's the author of Cozy Minimalist Home and House Rules, and her new book House Hushing is out now.Here's what makes her different. She's a decorator, not a decluttering coach. She is not going to tell you to give up everything beautiful. She's going to show you how to turn the volume down first and let the room tell you what it actually needs.In this episode she walks through backwards decluttering, her method that takes about twelve minutes a room and requires zero hard decisions up front. You clear the visible layer, you live in the quiet room for 48 hours, and then you only bring back what you genuinely missed. No willpower required. The room does the convincing.We also get into why we fill up whatever space we're given, what to do about the closets you're not touching yet, and how to hush a kid's room without breaking their trust.And I got honest with her about where my own home is right now, in a hard season, drifting. What she said back to me is the reason I'm keeping this episode close.In this episode:Why "loud" lands when "cluttered" doesn'tThe photo trick that cures house blindness instantlyAll the steps of backwards declutteringWhy the 48 hour wait does the deciding for youStuff threshold vs clutter thresholdWhen to finally open the closed storageHosting without keeping every extra just in caseHow to hush a kid's space collaborativelyExperiencing a season through your five senses instead of storing decor eleven months a yearYour quick win from Myquillyn: clear off your coffee table and let it be naked.Connect with Myquillyn: Website: thenester.com Instagram: @thenester House Hushing is available everywhere books are sold.Show notes: wannabeclutterfree.com/323Come say hi on Instagram @wannabeclutterfree and tell me which room you're hushing first.Happy decluttering.Our Sponsors:* Check out Omaha Steaks and use my code BEEF for a great deal: https://www.omahasteaks.comAdvertising Inquiries: https://redcircle.com/brandsPrivacy & Opt-Out: https://redcircle.com/privacy
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312
The 20 Day Declutter Plan I Never Wanted to Make (Ep 322)
I host a decluttering podcast, and my house is full.Not messy. Full. And I know exactly how it happened, because I have done it before.Our landlord is selling our house. My husband is in surgery the day this episode goes live. My mom is in another round of chemo. My daughter just went back to school and does not know about the move yet.I did not choose any of this. So I am choosing the one thing I still control.For the next 20 days, I am radically simplifying every single thing I own. Not my husband's. Not my daughter's. Mine.This is not the plan I wanted to make. It is the one I have. And I would love for you to make it with me.In this episode I share:Why my home quietly filled back up after I sold 85 to 90 percent of what we ownedThe reason I am not touching anyone else's belongings, and why going first works better than askingMy five rules for the 20 days, including why the maybe box has to goThe four phase plan: the warm up, the drift zone, papers and pixels, and the hard thingsMy goal of 500 items in 20 days, or 25 items a day if you want it simpleThe reframe that changed everything for me the week I found out we had to moveI have been told you are not supposed to share until you are through to the other side. I cannot do that.So I am showing you the whole thing, in real time, starting today.Want the tracker? DM the keyword 20 on Instagram https://www.instagram.com/wannabeclutterfree and I will send you the 500 Item Declutter Challenge tracker so you can count right alongside me.Before you do anything else today: find five things that are yours. Just five. Put them in a bag by the door. That is day one, and you are already in it.Next week I am talking with Myquillyn Smith, The Nester, about her new book House Hushing. I recorded that conversation standing in the middle of this very full house, and I asked her things I would not have asked a year ago.Full show notes: wannabeclutterfree.com/322Follow along daily: @WannabeClutterFreeListen and subscribe: Apple Podcasts | Spotify | YouTubeGo to https://OmahaSteaks.com and use promo code BEEF at checkout for $35 off. Minimum purchase may apply. Our Sponsors:* Check out Omaha Steaks and use my code BEEF for a great deal: https://www.omahasteaks.comAdvertising Inquiries: https://redcircle.com/brandsPrivacy & Opt-Out: https://redcircle.com/privacy
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311
How to Reclaim Time and Live Clutter Free with Megan Sumrell (Ep 321)
You have decluttered your closets. But have you decluttered your calendar?In this episode, Deanna sits down with Megan Sumrell, time management expert and founder of The Pink Bee, to talk about why reclaiming your time is the piece of living clutter free that most people skip. Megan spent over 20 years in corporate IT before she realized traditional time management systems were never built for women's lives, and she has spent the years since building something that actually works.In this episode you'll learn:Why living clutter free has to include your calendar, not just your closetsThe single biggest time thief most women never noticeHow to set up your phone so you're only interrupted for what actually mattersWhy invisible work is real work, and how to make it visible to your familyWhy a to-do list is not a plan, and what to build insteadHow a decluttered home and a decluttered schedule work togetherWhy rest is not a reward, it's requiredIf your schedule feels just as cluttered as your closet used to, press play.Connect with Megan Sumrell:Podcast: Work + Life HarmonyApp: The Pink Bee (App Store & Google Play, free training inside)Instagram: @megansumrellConnect with Deanna:Instagram: @wannabeclutterfreeShow notes: wannabeclutterfree.com/321Go to https://OmahaSteaks.com and use promo code BEEF at checkout for $35 off. Minimum purchase may apply. Our Sponsors:* Check out Omaha Steaks and use my code BEEF for a great deal: https://www.omahasteaks.comAdvertising Inquiries: https://redcircle.com/brandsPrivacy & Opt-Out: https://redcircle.com/privacy
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5 Steps to Stop Being Your Family's Human Calendar (Ep 320)
Who has soccer at 5:15? Did the permission slip go back? Is there anything defrostable for dinner? Are we out of milk again?If every one of those answers lives in your head and nowhere else, you do not have an organization problem. You have a bottleneck problem, and the bottleneck is you.In this episode I am sharing the session I presented at the Chaos to Calm Summit on building a family command center. It is one of my favorite things I have ever taught, because it is not about being more organized. It is about not being the only person in your house who knows what is going on.We cover both versions, physical and digital, so you can build the one that actually fits your family instead of the one that looks good on Pinterest. I walk you through the components every command center needs, the extras that solve specific problems like the school paper avalanche, and the five steps to get yours set up this week. And with the school year and every activity schedule coming back at once, this is the week to do it.In this episode:Why a family command center works as the brain of your home, and what it actually fixesThe three components every command center needs, physical or digitalThe one physical addition that finally solves permission slips and school papersWhy location matters more than how pretty it looksWhy I love my Skylight calendar, and the three features to look for in any digital systemHow color coding creates instant ownership so nobody has to ask youWhy I use a hybrid of physical and digital, and where each one earns its keepThe five setup steps, including the fifteen minute weekly sync that holds the whole thing togetherThree bonus tips to make it stick past week twoYour next step: Pick one component. Just one. Set it up today.Grab my free Doable Dozen guide with the 12 tasks I run every week to keep our home running, including my Daily Magic Five: https://wannabeclutterfree.com/doabledozenWant the rest of the Chaos to Calm Summit? All 35 sessions are available here: https://wannabeclutterfree.com/summitNext week I am talking with Megan Sumrell about time management, and it is the perfect follow-up to this one.If this episode helped, would you tap follow and leave a quick rating? It genuinely helps other tired moms find the show.Connect with me on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/wannabeclutterfree/Full show notes: https://wannabeclutterfree.com/podcastGo to https://OmahaSteaks.com and use promo code BEEF at checkout for $35 off. Minimum purchase may apply. Our Sponsors:* Check out Omaha Steaks and use my code BEEF for a great deal: https://www.omahasteaks.comAdvertising Inquiries: https://redcircle.com/brandsPrivacy & Opt-Out: https://redcircle.com/privacy
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Why Your Routines Never Stick & The 3-Word Fix with Monica Packer (Ep 319)
If you struggle to stick to your routines, create new habits, or find perfectionism running your life, this episode is for you.I'm sitting down with Monica Packer, host of the top-rated About Progress podcast and author of the upcoming book Sticky Habits, for a conversation that completely reframes why habits feel so hard for busy moms.Monica opens up about her own journey with perfectionism, and then walks us through something surprising: almost every popular habit book was written by and tested on lives that look nothing like a mother's. Most of us carry an insane amount of invisible labor every day. So when the standard advice doesn't stick, we blame ourselves, when really the method was never built for us.Here's what we get into:Why perfectionism is really a misplacement of identity, and what it quietly costs usThe invisible labor research that explains why habit advice keeps failing womenHow to redefine consistency so it's actually possible on your worst daysThe four qualities that make a habit stickyMonica's simple WTA formula (When, Then, After) for habits that finally holdThis is warm, validating, and full of the kind of slow, messy, sustainable growth we love around here. It pairs perfectly with the decluttering work you're already doing.The thing Monica most wants you to know? You can change. Everyone can.Resources mentioned: About Progress podcast Sticky Habits by Monica Packer, pre-order at stickyhabitsbook.com Fair Play by Eve RodskyConnect with Monica: Instagram: @aboutprogress Book and bonuses: stickyhabitsbook.comLet's connect: Instagram: @wannabeclutterfree Show notes: wannabeclutterfree.com/319If this episode helped you breathe a little easier, share it with a friend who's been beating herself up about her habits, and leave a quick review so more moms can find us.Our Sponsors:* Check out Omaha Steaks and use my code BEEF for a great deal: https://www.omahasteaks.comAdvertising Inquiries: https://redcircle.com/brandsPrivacy & Opt-Out: https://redcircle.com/privacy
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How a 5 Minute Daily Tidy Beats One Big Weekend Declutter (Ep 318)
You have probably said it at least once: “I’ll do the whole house this weekend.” And then Saturday came, and you either didn’t start, or you started and made things worse, or you finished and watched it fill right back up within a week. Today I’m explaining exactly what’s happening, and introducing the habit that finally breaks it.The Lightning Tidy is five minutes a day. Same time, same routine, every day. I’m walking you through the neuroscience of why it works when every other approach hasn’t, including a deep dive into what happens in your brain with every unfinished task in your home, why large sessions create decision fatigue before you even begin, and why the Lightning Tidy is specifically designed to work for ADHD brains in a way that conventional tidying advice never has.I’m also sharing what comes next: the weekly Mighty Tidy, a 30-minute deep dive into one specific area of your home, and why the daily Lightning Tidy is the thing that makes the Mighty Tidy actually possible.In this episode you’ll learn:The Zeigarnik effect: why every pile of clutter is an open loop draining your brainHow unfinished goals degrade cognitive performance (2011 Masicampo & Baumeister research)Decision fatigue and why the Lightning Tidy bypasses it completelyTask initiation aversion and why it hits ADHD brains differentlyExactly what a Lightning Tidy looks like (with the family math that makes it powerful)Peggybacking: how to attach the Lightning Tidy to something you already doThe identity-based habit shift from James Clear’s Atomic HabitsThe 66-day research on habit automaticity (and why it’s less daunting than it sounds)The Mighty Tidy: 30 minutes once a week for real decluttering progressMentioned in this episode:Atomic Habits by James ClearEffortless Home: DAILY Edition: wannabeclutterfree.com/effortless-home-dailyNext week: Monica Packer joins me to talk about habits. If you listened to this thinking, great, but I can’t keep habits, that episode is for you. Subscribe so you don’t miss it.After that: the next solo episode goes deep into the neuroscience of why your cluttered home is affecting your mental health at a biological level. It’s some of the most important context I’ve ever shared on this podcast.Our Sponsors:* Check out Omaha Steaks and use my code BEEF for a great deal: https://www.omahasteaks.comAdvertising Inquiries: https://redcircle.com/brandsPrivacy & Opt-Out: https://redcircle.com/privacy
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The Shocking Reason Your Home is Cluttered & the 30-Day Fix with Ashlee Piper (Ep 317)
Have you ever decluttered your home only to watch it slowly fill right back up? This episode is for you.Ashlee Piper is a sustainability expert, speaker, and author who has been featured on the Today Show, Good Morning America, and CNN, and in Vogue, the New York Times, and Newsweek. She created the No New Things Challenge in 2013. What started as a personal 30-day experiment turned into nearly two years of not buying anything new. The result? She saved over $36,000, paid off $22,000 in debt, reclaimed her time, and completely rewired her relationship with shopping. Her new book, No New Things: A Radically Simple 30-Day Guide to Saving Money, the Planet, and Your Sanity, guides readers through the same challenge.In this conversation, Ashlee and Deanna dig into what she calls conditioned consumerism, the history of how post-WWII America reprogrammed an entire society from resourceful people into reflexive shoppers, and how that programming is the real reason your home keeps filling up no matter how many times you declutter.In this episode you will learn:Why the urge to buy new things is not a personal failing but a historical and marketing constructThe SUPER System: five ways to get your needs met without buying anything newHow to use a trigger-tracking journal to discover the real emotions driving your shopping impulsesThe 2-7 minute rule and why riding it out changes everythingHow the challenge builds creativity, community, and connection as unexpected side effectsWhy Ashlee says women are the most powerful purchasing cohort on the planet and what that means for your householdPick up No New Things wherever books are sold. You can also find it secondhand at ThriftBooks.Find Ashlee on Instagram: @ashleepiperLearn more at: ashleepiper.comFull show notes: wannabeclutterfree.com/317Our Sponsors:* Check out Omaha Steaks and use my code BEEF for a great deal: https://www.omahasteaks.comAdvertising Inquiries: https://redcircle.com/brandsPrivacy & Opt-Out: https://redcircle.com/privacy
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The Hidden Digital Clutter Draining Your Day and the 15-Minute Fix (Ep 316)
Have you ever spent a Saturday morning deep cleaning your entire house, and by noon you still feel exhausted, overwhelmed, and a little annoyed at everything? Your house looks great. You should feel amazing. But you don’t.That’s not you being a perfectionist. It’s the sneaky kind of clutter that almost nobody in the decluttering world ever talks about.Calendar clutter (or the mental load of keeping everything running)In this episode I’m bringing it to light and giving you a real system to clear it. You’ll learn the two distinct forms calendar clutter takes (an overbooked calendar full of other people’s priorities, and the quieter weight of undone decisions with no home), the weekly capture method that gets everything out of your head and onto paper, and why protected blank space is not wasted time, it’s the time that makes everything else work.This is the finale of my four-part series on the invisible weight of clutter, the stuff that doesn’t pile up on your counters but piles up in your mind instead.In this episode you’ll learn:Why a clean house doesn’t always feel like a calm houseThe two kinds of calendar clutter (most people only ever deal with one)How to build a “vision filter” so you stop saying yes out of guiltThe weekly capture method for clearing undone decisions out of your headWhy blank space on your calendar is not wasted spaceA simple script for saying no without feeling like a flakeMentioned in this episode:Effortless Home: DAILY Edition (use code EPISODE316 for $10 dollars off, 48 hours only): https://wannabeclutterfree.com/dailyFair Play by Eve Rodsky: https://amzn.to/4wpuSwFNiksen: Embracing the Dutch Art of Doing Nothing: https://amzn.to/4weJL4EOur Sponsors:* Check out Omaha Steaks and use my code BEEF for a great deal: https://www.omahasteaks.comAdvertising Inquiries: https://redcircle.com/brandsPrivacy & Opt-Out: https://redcircle.com/privacy
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How to Declutter With Kids Without the Power Struggles with Dana K. White (Ep 315)
Your kid won't get rid of anything. You know their room has too much stuff. But every time you try to do something about it, it turns into a battle. What if you never had to be the bad guy again?Dana K. White is the creator of the No Mess Decluttering Method, the blogger behind A Slob Comes Clean, and the Wall Street Journal bestselling author of Decluttering at the Speed of Life. She has spent 17 years teaching overwhelmed, messy people how to get their homes under control without shame or perfection. And now she has taken everything she knows and put it into her very first children's book, Winnie's Pile of Pillows.In this episode, Dana shares how to use a picture book as an actual decluttering tool, why her container concept works even better on kids than it does on adults, and how to get through a decluttering session with your child without convincing them of anything. This one will change how you approach your kid's stuff.Covered in this episode:How to use Winnie's Pile of Pillows as more than a bedtime storyWhy the container concept makes the space the bad guy instead of youThe five-minute pickup test that tells you if your child has too many toysWhat to say when your kid insists they need to keep everythingHow to declutter with your child without starting a power struggleWhy you should never start with your kid's roomThe age when kids can really start to grasp the concept of having enoughHow to pass on a no-shame, no-guilt relationship with stuff to your kidsIf you are fighting the toy clutter battle and losing, this episode is for you. Hit play, grab the book, and go find that trash bag.LEARN MOREWinnie's Pile of Pillows by Dana K. White: https://amzn.to/4afYyDHA Slob Comes Clean: https://www.aslobcomesclean.comLenora and Her Super Duper Messy Room by Deanna Yates: https://amzn.to/4gDSp89Show notes: https://www.wannabeclutterfree.com/315CONNECTDana K. White on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/aslobcomesclean/Deanna Yates on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/wannabeclutterfree/LISTENApple Podcasts: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/wannabe-clutter-free-declutter-simplify-find-freedom/id1485473251Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/1ATUIVONi0kyoVUKOQV4OT?si=f555de5388164b10YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@wannabeclutterfreeOur Sponsors:* Check out Omaha Steaks and use my code BEEF for a great deal: https://www.omahasteaks.comAdvertising Inquiries: https://redcircle.com/brandsPrivacy & Opt-Out: https://redcircle.com/privacy
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Digital Declutter: Clean Up Your Email, Phone, and Brain for Good (Ep 314)
Digital clutter doesn’t pile up on your counter, but it absolutely piles up in your brain. Every unread email, every unused app, every notification going off every eight minutes is quietly draining your focus and your energy. In this episode I’m giving you three moves for your inbox, three moves for your phone, and a simple weekly habit that keeps all of it under control going forward. In this episode you’ll learn: The one reframe that changes how you think about email forever How to cut your inbox in half this week without losing anything important The 30-day app audit (and why you don’t have to fully delete things to get them out of your way) The Favorites list trick that lets you protect your peace without missing important calls The three-habit digital maintenance system that takes under 15 minutes a week Resources mentioned: Unroll.me (mass email unsubscribe tool) Clean Email (email management tool) Digital Declutter Challenge course: https://www.wannabeclutterfree.com/digital-declutter-challenge If this episode resonated with you, share it with one person who needs to hear it. Subscribe so you never miss an episode, and if you have two minutes, leaving a review on Apple Podcasts makes a real difference. TIMESTAMPS 00:00 Introduction to Digital Clutter 00:29 Understanding the Impact of Email Clutter 03:44 Reframing Your Email Inbox 05:03 Unsubscribing and Archiving Emails 07:45 The Archive Bomb: Cleaning Out Old Emails 11:49 Organizing Your Email Folders 14:30 Addressing Phone Clutter 16:42 The 30-Day App Audit 18:29 Resetting Notifications for Clarity 21:31 Creating a Favorites List for Important Contacts 22:29 Simplifying Your Phone's Home Screen 24:14 Establishing a Digital Maintenance Habit Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices
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Digital Declutter: Clean Up Your Email, Phone, and Brain for Good (Ep 314)
Digital clutter doesn’t pile up on your counter, but it absolutely piles up in your brain. Every unread email, every unused app, every notification going off every eight minutes is quietly draining your focus and your energy. In this episode I’m giving you three moves for your inbox, three moves for your phone, and a simple weekly habit that keeps all of it under control going forward. In this episode you’ll learn: The one reframe that changes how you think about email forever How to cut your inbox in half this week without losing anything important The 30-day app audit (and why you don’t have to fully delete things to get them out of your way) The Favorites list trick that lets you protect your peace without missing important calls The three-habit digital maintenance system that takes under 15 minutes a week Resources mentioned: Unroll.me (mass email unsubscribe tool) Clean Email (email management tool) Digital Declutter Challenge course: https://www.wannabeclutterfree.com/digital-declutter-challenge If this episode resonated with you, share it with one person who needs to hear it. Subscribe so you never miss an episode, and if you have two minutes, leaving a review on Apple Podcasts makes a real difference. TIMESTAMPS 00:00 Introduction to Digital Clutter 00:29 Understanding the Impact of Email Clutter 03:44 Reframing Your Email Inbox 05:03 Unsubscribing and Archiving Emails 07:45 The Archive Bomb: Cleaning Out Old Emails 11:49 Organizing Your Email Folders 14:30 Addressing Phone Clutter 16:42 The 30-Day App Audit 18:29 Resetting Notifications for Clarity 21:31 Creating a Favorites List for Important Contacts 22:29 Simplifying Your Phone's Home Screen 24:14 Establishing a Digital Maintenance Habit Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices Our Sponsors:* Check out Omaha Steaks and use my code BEEF for a great deal: https://www.omahasteaks.comAdvertising Inquiries: https://redcircle.com/brandsPrivacy & Opt-Out: https://redcircle.com/privacy
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302
Declutter for Real Life: Flexible Minimalism Tips for Families with Desirae Endres (Ep 313)
Have you ever looked at a "minimalist" home on Instagram and thought, well, that is never going to be me. My kids alone would destroy that in four minutes? Or convinced yourself that your clutter-free journey isn't working because your house just doesn't look the part? You are not alone. And this conversation is for you. **************** RESOURCES Get the transcripts and more at wannabeclutterfree.com/313 Episode with Joshua Becker The Minimalists Documentary Previous episode with Desirae Connect with Desirae: Minimal-ish Website Minimal-ish on Instagram Minimalish Podcast: Search "Minimalish" wherever you listen Follow Deanna Yates, the host of Wannabe Clutter Free on: Instagram Website Effortless Home: DAILY Edition - 5 Steps to Run Your Home Like Magic **************** Desirae Endres is the host of the Minimalish podcast, and her decluttering journey started in 2018 when she sat down as a brand new mom and watched a documentary that completely changed the way she thought about her stuff, her home, and her identity. Since then she has built an entire community around the idea of "minimal-ish" living, not a perfect aesthetic, not a stark white capsule home, just a real and intentional life with less in the way. In this episode, Desirae gets honest about the postpartum anxiety that made her desperate for a calmer home, what it felt like when her husband said their house no longer looked minimal-ish, and the beautiful shift she had about what this whole journey is actually for. We also dig into how to get your kids involved in decluttering without it turning into a battle, and the single most powerful thing you can do to raise kids who genuinely understand how to let go. EPISODE HIGHLIGHTS: What "minimal-ish" means and why it has nothing to do with how your home looks The real connection between clutter and mental health Why letting go of stuff is really about letting go of past versions of yourself How to involve your kids in decluttering without forcing it What age kids can meaningfully participate (and when it is okay to just do it yourself) The one thing you can do today that quietly teaches your kids to let go TIMESTAMPS: 0:00 Introduction 2:59 Desirae's origin story: the documentary that changed everything 5:37 Why changing your nature is harder than changing what you own 9:21 How decluttering helped manage postpartum anxiety 11:37 Letting go of clothes and letting go of past versions of yourself 15:02 Baby stuff, the "what if" fear, and letting go anyway 20:20 Feeling like an imposter when your home does not look minimal 22:45 The minimalist aesthetic vs. the minimalist mindset 24:56 Accepting certain areas of clutter in your current season 32:43 Teaching kids to declutter: where to start 37:21 The power of narrating your own decluttering out loud 43:28 What age should kids start participating? 47:07 What Desirae wishes someone had told her at the very beginning 49:13 Decluttering as a gateway to bigger life changes 50:09 Rapid fire questions **************** Music: Fresh Lift by Shane Ivers - https://www.silvermansound.com **************** We’d love to hear how you’re applying the strategies discussed in this episode. Share your stories and tips with us on social media (@wannabeclutterfree). Don’t forget to subscribe for more insightful episodes designed to make your busy life a bit easier. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices
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301
Declutter for Real Life: Flexible Minimalism Tips for Families with Desirae Endres (Ep 313)
Have you ever looked at a "minimalist" home on Instagram and thought, well, that is never going to be me. My kids alone would destroy that in four minutes? Or convinced yourself that your clutter-free journey isn't working because your house just doesn't look the part? You are not alone. And this conversation is for you. **************** RESOURCES Get the transcripts and more at wannabeclutterfree.com/313 Episode with Joshua Becker The Minimalists Documentary Previous episode with Desirae Connect with Desirae: Minimal-ish Website Minimal-ish on Instagram Minimalish Podcast: Search "Minimalish" wherever you listen Follow Deanna Yates, the host of Wannabe Clutter Free on: Instagram Website Effortless Home: DAILY Edition - 5 Steps to Run Your Home Like Magic **************** Desirae Endres is the host of the Minimalish podcast, and her decluttering journey started in 2018 when she sat down as a brand new mom and watched a documentary that completely changed the way she thought about her stuff, her home, and her identity. Since then she has built an entire community around the idea of "minimal-ish" living, not a perfect aesthetic, not a stark white capsule home, just a real and intentional life with less in the way. In this episode, Desirae gets honest about the postpartum anxiety that made her desperate for a calmer home, what it felt like when her husband said their house no longer looked minimal-ish, and the beautiful shift she had about what this whole journey is actually for. We also dig into how to get your kids involved in decluttering without it turning into a battle, and the single most powerful thing you can do to raise kids who genuinely understand how to let go. EPISODE HIGHLIGHTS: What "minimal-ish" means and why it has nothing to do with how your home looks The real connection between clutter and mental health Why letting go of stuff is really about letting go of past versions of yourself How to involve your kids in decluttering without forcing it What age kids can meaningfully participate (and when it is okay to just do it yourself) The one thing you can do today that quietly teaches your kids to let go TIMESTAMPS: 0:00 Introduction 2:59 Desirae's origin story: the documentary that changed everything 5:37 Why changing your nature is harder than changing what you own 9:21 How decluttering helped manage postpartum anxiety 11:37 Letting go of clothes and letting go of past versions of yourself 15:02 Baby stuff, the "what if" fear, and letting go anyway 20:20 Feeling like an imposter when your home does not look minimal 22:45 The minimalist aesthetic vs. the minimalist mindset 24:56 Accepting certain areas of clutter in your current season 32:43 Teaching kids to declutter: where to start 37:21 The power of narrating your own decluttering out loud 43:28 What age should kids start participating? 47:07 What Desirae wishes someone had told her at the very beginning 49:13 Decluttering as a gateway to bigger life changes 50:09 Rapid fire questions **************** Music: Fresh Lift by Shane Ivers - https://www.silvermansound.com **************** We’d love to hear how you’re applying the strategies discussed in this episode. Share your stories and tips with us on social media (@wannabeclutterfree). Don’t forget to subscribe for more insightful episodes designed to make your busy life a bit easier. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices Our Sponsors:* Check out Omaha Steaks and use my code BEEF for a great deal: https://www.omahasteaks.comAdvertising Inquiries: https://redcircle.com/brandsPrivacy & Opt-Out: https://redcircle.com/privacy
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300
The Paper Clutter System That Took Me From 6 Piles to Zero (Ep 312)
Paper doesn't ask permission. It just shows up in your mailbox, your kids' backpacks, and somehow on every flat surface in your home. And if the piles keep coming back no matter how many times you deal with them, it's not a discipline problem. It's a system problem. In this episode I'm sharing the exact system I use to keep paper from taking over, including what to do with everything that comes in, how to handle the stuff that's been piling up for months, and two bonus sections for the things nobody talks about: your kids' school papers and the one document organizer every family needs. In this episode you'll learn: Why paper piles keep coming back (it's not what you think) The Paper JAM System: three categories, every piece of paper, no exceptions How to set up a weekly processing routine that takes under 30 minutes The landing spot rule that stops paper from spreading during the week A simple system for kids' artwork and school papers that doesn't require keeping everything What an Emergency Binder is and the one document it cannot be missing Mentioned in this episode: Catalog Choice (opt out of paper catalogs for free) Digitized in a Day (go fully paperless) Episode 310: Your Phone Has 10,000 Photos Episode 314: Digital Declutter Ep 232: How Simplifying Your Home Can Improve Your Finances with Jill Sirianni Ep 174 Learning How To Spend Guilt-Free in a Clutter Free Home with Alli Williams Ep 243: Declutter Your Finances: Breaking Free from the Debt Cycle Without Budgeting Burnout with Germaine Foley Ep 260: Simplify Your Family Budget: The 5-Account System That Changes Everything with Brittany Flammer If this episode resonated with you, share it with one person who needs to hear it. Subscribe so you never miss an episode, and if you have two minutes, leaving a review on Apple Podcasts makes a real difference. TIMESTAMPS 00:00 The Sneaky Clutter: Paper Invasion 01:47 Understanding the Paper Pile Problem 06:55 The Paper Jam System: Sorting Made Easy 16:26 Establishing a Weekly Processing Routine 23:16 Managing Kids' School Papers 27:18 Creating an Emergency Binder 30:16 Going Digital: The Future of Paper Management Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices
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299
The Paper Clutter System That Took Me From 6 Piles to Zero (Ep 312)
Paper doesn't ask permission. It just shows up in your mailbox, your kids' backpacks, and somehow on every flat surface in your home. And if the piles keep coming back no matter how many times you deal with them, it's not a discipline problem. It's a system problem. In this episode I'm sharing the exact system I use to keep paper from taking over, including what to do with everything that comes in, how to handle the stuff that's been piling up for months, and two bonus sections for the things nobody talks about: your kids' school papers and the one document organizer every family needs. In this episode you'll learn: Why paper piles keep coming back (it's not what you think) The Paper JAM System: three categories, every piece of paper, no exceptions How to set up a weekly processing routine that takes under 30 minutes The landing spot rule that stops paper from spreading during the week A simple system for kids' artwork and school papers that doesn't require keeping everything What an Emergency Binder is and the one document it cannot be missing Mentioned in this episode: Catalog Choice (opt out of paper catalogs for free) Digitized in a Day (go fully paperless) Episode 310: Your Phone Has 10,000 Photos Episode 314: Digital Declutter Ep 232: How Simplifying Your Home Can Improve Your Finances with Jill Sirianni Ep 174 Learning How To Spend Guilt-Free in a Clutter Free Home with Alli Williams Ep 243: Declutter Your Finances: Breaking Free from the Debt Cycle Without Budgeting Burnout with Germaine Foley Ep 260: Simplify Your Family Budget: The 5-Account System That Changes Everything with Brittany Flammer If this episode resonated with you, share it with one person who needs to hear it. Subscribe so you never miss an episode, and if you have two minutes, leaving a review on Apple Podcasts makes a real difference. TIMESTAMPS 00:00 The Sneaky Clutter: Paper Invasion 01:47 Understanding the Paper Pile Problem 06:55 The Paper Jam System: Sorting Made Easy 16:26 Establishing a Weekly Processing Routine 23:16 Managing Kids' School Papers 27:18 Creating an Emergency Binder 30:16 Going Digital: The Future of Paper Management Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices Our Sponsors:* Check out Omaha Steaks and use my code BEEF for a great deal: https://www.omahasteaks.comAdvertising Inquiries: https://redcircle.com/brandsPrivacy & Opt-Out: https://redcircle.com/privacy
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298
Why Your Schedule Will Never Work Until You Fix Your Home with Lori Oberbroeckling (Ep 311)
Time management expert and Secrets of Supermom host Lori Oberbroeckling joins Deanna to talk about why energy runs out before time does, how clutter quietly sabotages your best-laid plans, and the small routine changes that actually stick. **************** RESOURCES Snag your ticket to Supermom Summer Camp Get the transcripts and more at wannabeclutterfree.com/311 Connect with Lori: Secrets of Supermom Website Secrets of Supermom Instagram Follow Deanna Yates, the host of Wannabe Clutter Free on: Instagram Website Effortless Home: DAILY Edition - 5 Steps to Run Your Home Like Magic **************** You bought the planner. You made the schedule. You had a whole plan. And then a super busy day happened. Sound familiar? This week Deanna sits down with Lori Oberbroeckling, a working mom of four, corporate project management leader, and host of the Secrets of Supermom Show. Lori has spent years helping busy, ambitious moms figure out why their best systems keep falling apart. Spoiler: it is almost never the plan. In this episode, Lori introduces her framework of energy bleeds, energy blocks, and energy boosts, and explains why your home environment plays a much bigger role in your daily productivity than most time management advice will ever admit. When your physical space is draining you before you even start your to-do list, even a perfect schedule cannot save you. Lori also shares the moment she and Deanna both recognized in themselves: we think we need a better planner, when really we need more energy boosts built into our days first. If you have ever felt like you are doing all the right things and still ending every day depleted, this episode is going to reframe everything. EPISODE HIGHLIGHTS: Why a cluttered, chaotic home is an energy bleed that quietly tanks your whole day How to do a simple time and energy audit to figure out where your energy is actually going What to do when you hate a task but still have to do it Why routines fall apart and the one question to ask before you try to build one The small change that helped Lori's family of six stop tripping over shoes How to get your family actually on board with new home routines TIMESTAMPS: 00:00 Introduction to Lori Oberbroeckling 03:05 Why home environment matters to your schedule 08:25 Energy bleeds, blocks, and boosts explained 10:01 What to do when you have to do an energy bleed task 16:18 How to find your energy boosts when you do not know what they are 20:24 Flying trapeze and other energy boost revelations 21:32 Why routines fall apart and how to build ones that stick 24:11 Small changes that create big impact for the whole family 26:58 Getting family buy-in with carrots, not sticks 29:28 Why the planner is not the problem 32:27 Where to start when everything feels out of control 34:26 Rapid fire: what clutter free means, what is making Lori happy, and one takeaway **************** Music: Fresh Lift by Shane Ivers - https://www.silvermansound.com **************** We’d love to hear how you’re applying the strategies discussed in this episode. Share your stories and tips with us on social media (@wannabeclutterfree). Don’t forget to subscribe for more insightful episodes designed to make your busy life a bit easier. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices
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297
Why Your Schedule Will Never Work Until You Fix Your Home with Lori Oberbroeckling (Ep 311)
Time management expert and Secrets of Supermom host Lori Oberbroeckling joins Deanna to talk about why energy runs out before time does, how clutter quietly sabotages your best-laid plans, and the small routine changes that actually stick. **************** RESOURCES Snag your ticket to Supermom Summer Camp Get the transcripts and more at wannabeclutterfree.com/311 Connect with Lori: Secrets of Supermom Website Secrets of Supermom Instagram Follow Deanna Yates, the host of Wannabe Clutter Free on: Instagram Website Effortless Home: DAILY Edition - 5 Steps to Run Your Home Like Magic **************** You bought the planner. You made the schedule. You had a whole plan. And then a super busy day happened. Sound familiar? This week Deanna sits down with Lori Oberbroeckling, a working mom of four, corporate project management leader, and host of the Secrets of Supermom Show. Lori has spent years helping busy, ambitious moms figure out why their best systems keep falling apart. Spoiler: it is almost never the plan. In this episode, Lori introduces her framework of energy bleeds, energy blocks, and energy boosts, and explains why your home environment plays a much bigger role in your daily productivity than most time management advice will ever admit. When your physical space is draining you before you even start your to-do list, even a perfect schedule cannot save you. Lori also shares the moment she and Deanna both recognized in themselves: we think we need a better planner, when really we need more energy boosts built into our days first. If you have ever felt like you are doing all the right things and still ending every day depleted, this episode is going to reframe everything. EPISODE HIGHLIGHTS: Why a cluttered, chaotic home is an energy bleed that quietly tanks your whole day How to do a simple time and energy audit to figure out where your energy is actually going What to do when you hate a task but still have to do it Why routines fall apart and the one question to ask before you try to build one The small change that helped Lori's family of six stop tripping over shoes How to get your family actually on board with new home routines TIMESTAMPS: 00:00 Introduction to Lori Oberbroeckling 03:05 Why home environment matters to your schedule 08:25 Energy bleeds, blocks, and boosts explained 10:01 What to do when you have to do an energy bleed task 16:18 How to find your energy boosts when you do not know what they are 20:24 Flying trapeze and other energy boost revelations 21:32 Why routines fall apart and how to build ones that stick 24:11 Small changes that create big impact for the whole family 26:58 Getting family buy-in with carrots, not sticks 29:28 Why the planner is not the problem 32:27 Where to start when everything feels out of control 34:26 Rapid fire: what clutter free means, what is making Lori happy, and one takeaway **************** Music: Fresh Lift by Shane Ivers - https://www.silvermansound.com **************** We’d love to hear how you’re applying the strategies discussed in this episode. Share your stories and tips with us on social media (@wannabeclutterfree). Don’t forget to subscribe for more insightful episodes designed to make your busy life a bit easier. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices Our Sponsors:* Check out Omaha Steaks and use my code BEEF for a great deal: https://www.omahasteaks.comAdvertising Inquiries: https://redcircle.com/brandsPrivacy & Opt-Out: https://redcircle.com/privacy
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296
How to Declutter Thousands of Photos Without Losing Your Mind (Wannabe Clutter Free Ep 310)
Digital clutter doesn’t feel as obvious as a cluttered closet. But if you’ve ever had that pit-in-your-stomach moment of not being able to find a photo that matters, you know this isn’t small. In this episode I’m breaking down the three phases of getting your photos in order (Declutter, Organize, Maintain), the two specific starting points that build momentum without making any hard decisions, and the triple backup system that means you’ll never lose a photo again. In this episode you’ll learn: Why photo clutter is an emotional problem, not a storage problem The three-phase framework: Declutter, Organize, Maintain The burst photos trick that eliminates hundreds of photos in 20 minutes The calendar method for going through your entire catalog one day at a time The triple backup system that keeps your photos safe forever Resources mentioned: Snag Photo Freedom Formula ($37) Instagram @WannabeClutterFree Episode 304: The 15-Minute Declutter Method This episode is Part 5 of a series. Start with Episode 304 if you haven’t already. Next episode: The Paper Clutter System That Took Me From 6 Piles to Zero If this episode resonated with you, share it with one person who needs to hear it. Subscribe so you never miss an episode, and if you have two minutes, leaving a review on Apple Podcasts makes a real difference. TIMESTAMPS 02:03 The Invisible Weight of Digital Clutter 04:56 Understanding the Emotional Impact of Photo Clutter' 07:30 Framework for Organizing Photos 09:54 Three Phases of Photo Management 12:31 Practical Tips for Decluttering Photos 15:41 Maintaining Your Photo Organization 18:24 Quick Wins for Photo Organization 20:45The Calendar Method for Photo Management Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices
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295
How to Declutter Thousands of Photos Without Losing Your Mind (Wannabe Clutter Free Ep 310)
Digital clutter doesn’t feel as obvious as a cluttered closet. But if you’ve ever had that pit-in-your-stomach moment of not being able to find a photo that matters, you know this isn’t small. In this episode I’m breaking down the three phases of getting your photos in order (Declutter, Organize, Maintain), the two specific starting points that build momentum without making any hard decisions, and the triple backup system that means you’ll never lose a photo again. In this episode you’ll learn: Why photo clutter is an emotional problem, not a storage problem The three-phase framework: Declutter, Organize, Maintain The burst photos trick that eliminates hundreds of photos in 20 minutes The calendar method for going through your entire catalog one day at a time The triple backup system that keeps your photos safe forever Resources mentioned: Snag Photo Freedom Formula ($37) Instagram @WannabeClutterFree Episode 304: The 15-Minute Declutter Method This episode is Part 5 of a series. Start with Episode 304 if you haven’t already. Next episode: The Paper Clutter System That Took Me From 6 Piles to Zero If this episode resonated with you, share it with one person who needs to hear it. Subscribe so you never miss an episode, and if you have two minutes, leaving a review on Apple Podcasts makes a real difference. TIMESTAMPS 02:03 The Invisible Weight of Digital Clutter 04:56 Understanding the Emotional Impact of Photo Clutter' 07:30 Framework for Organizing Photos 09:54 Three Phases of Photo Management 12:31 Practical Tips for Decluttering Photos 15:41 Maintaining Your Photo Organization 18:24 Quick Wins for Photo Organization 20:45The Calendar Method for Photo Management Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices Our Sponsors:* Check out Omaha Steaks and use my code BEEF for a great deal: https://www.omahasteaks.comAdvertising Inquiries: https://redcircle.com/brandsPrivacy & Opt-Out: https://redcircle.com/privacy
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294
The Real Reason Your Kids Aren't Helping Around the House (And How to Fix It) with Katie Kimball (Ep 309)
Your kids are more capable than you think. Katie Kimball, creator of Kids Cook Real Food and founder of the LifeSkillsNow summer camp, shares the practical systems that take kids from passengers to contributors -- and why cooking is the gateway to all of it. **************** RESOURCES Snag your ticket to the FREE #LifeSkillsNow Family Workshops Get the transcripts and more at wannabeclutterfree.com/309 Connect with Katie: Raising Healthy Families Website Follow Deanna Yates, the host of Wannabe Clutter Free on: Instagram Website Effortless Home: Run your home in less than 20 minutes a day **************** What if the key to a calmer home (and a lighter mental load) was already walking around your house asking for snacks? In this episode, Deanna Yates sits down with Katie Kimball of Raising Healthy Families, a former classroom teacher, two-time TEDx speaker, and mom of four. Katie created Kids Cook Real Food (named the best online cooking class for kids by the Wall Street Journal) and runs LifeSkillsNow, a virtual summer camp that teaches kids everything from cooking and budgeting to entrepreneurship and mending their own clothes. This conversation is all about kids as contributors, not passengers. Katie shares how her teaching background shaped the way she thinks about agency, choice, and raising the bar for what kids can actually do. She talks through the moment she realized her mental and physical load didn't have to fall entirely on her, the summer she intentionally taught her kids to cook, and the chore system her family is still using ten years later. You'll also hear why Katie calls cooking the gateway life skill, how the skills gap happened across generations, and the three-part framework she uses to help any parent hand something off to their kid in a way that actually sticks. If you have ever stood in your kitchen thinking it would be faster to just do it yourself, this episode is for you. EPISODE HIGHLIGHTS: The summer everything changed: how Katie went from "forgetting the faces of the children she was feeding" to building a family system that actually works What her classroom teaching taught her about agency, choice, and why raising the bar is always a good idea Why teenagers need even more autonomy than young kids -- and how she built Teens Cook Real Food around that The story of her 14-year-old vacuuming on a day off with no one asking him to Cooking as the gateway life skill: why starting in the kitchen spills over into everything else The three-part framework for handing something off to your kid: teach the skill, find the motivation, set the expectation TIMESTAMPS: 00:00 -- Katie's Parenting and Cooking Journey 04:37 -- What Teaching Taught Her About How Kids Learn 07:31 -- Raising the Bar: Kids Are More Capable Than We Think 10:33 -- Teaching Teens: Why Choice Is Everything 13:14 -- Cooking as a Pathway to Empathy 19:20 -- The Long Game: What It Looks Like When It Works 22:27 -- The Life Skills Gap: What Kids Are Missing 30:05 -- Values, Vertical Transmission, and Family Culture 32:36 -- Cooking Is the Gateway Life Skill 36:50 -- LifeSkillsNow Summer Camp and Where to Start **************** Music: Fresh Lift by Shane Ivers - https://www.silvermansound.com **************** We’d love to hear how you’re applying the strategies discussed in this episode. Share your stories and tips with us on social media (@wannabeclutterfree). Don’t forget to subscribe for more insightful episodes designed to make your busy life a bit easier. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices
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293
The Real Reason Your Kids Aren't Helping Around the House (And How to Fix It) with Katie Kimball (Ep 309)
Your kids are more capable than you think. Katie Kimball, creator of Kids Cook Real Food and founder of the LifeSkillsNow summer camp, shares the practical systems that take kids from passengers to contributors -- and why cooking is the gateway to all of it. **************** RESOURCES Snag your ticket to the FREE #LifeSkillsNow Family Workshops Get the transcripts and more at wannabeclutterfree.com/309 Connect with Katie: Raising Healthy Families Website Follow Deanna Yates, the host of Wannabe Clutter Free on: Instagram Website Effortless Home: Run your home in less than 20 minutes a day **************** What if the key to a calmer home (and a lighter mental load) was already walking around your house asking for snacks? In this episode, Deanna Yates sits down with Katie Kimball of Raising Healthy Families, a former classroom teacher, two-time TEDx speaker, and mom of four. Katie created Kids Cook Real Food (named the best online cooking class for kids by the Wall Street Journal) and runs LifeSkillsNow, a virtual summer camp that teaches kids everything from cooking and budgeting to entrepreneurship and mending their own clothes. This conversation is all about kids as contributors, not passengers. Katie shares how her teaching background shaped the way she thinks about agency, choice, and raising the bar for what kids can actually do. She talks through the moment she realized her mental and physical load didn't have to fall entirely on her, the summer she intentionally taught her kids to cook, and the chore system her family is still using ten years later. You'll also hear why Katie calls cooking the gateway life skill, how the skills gap happened across generations, and the three-part framework she uses to help any parent hand something off to their kid in a way that actually sticks. If you have ever stood in your kitchen thinking it would be faster to just do it yourself, this episode is for you. EPISODE HIGHLIGHTS: The summer everything changed: how Katie went from "forgetting the faces of the children she was feeding" to building a family system that actually works What her classroom teaching taught her about agency, choice, and why raising the bar is always a good idea Why teenagers need even more autonomy than young kids -- and how she built Teens Cook Real Food around that The story of her 14-year-old vacuuming on a day off with no one asking him to Cooking as the gateway life skill: why starting in the kitchen spills over into everything else The three-part framework for handing something off to your kid: teach the skill, find the motivation, set the expectation TIMESTAMPS: 00:00 -- Katie's Parenting and Cooking Journey 04:37 -- What Teaching Taught Her About How Kids Learn 07:31 -- Raising the Bar: Kids Are More Capable Than We Think 10:33 -- Teaching Teens: Why Choice Is Everything 13:14 -- Cooking as a Pathway to Empathy 19:20 -- The Long Game: What It Looks Like When It Works 22:27 -- The Life Skills Gap: What Kids Are Missing 30:05 -- Values, Vertical Transmission, and Family Culture 32:36 -- Cooking Is the Gateway Life Skill 36:50 -- LifeSkillsNow Summer Camp and Where to Start **************** Music: Fresh Lift by Shane Ivers - https://www.silvermansound.com **************** We’d love to hear how you’re applying the strategies discussed in this episode. Share your stories and tips with us on social media (@wannabeclutterfree). Don’t forget to subscribe for more insightful episodes designed to make your busy life a bit easier. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices Our Sponsors:* Check out Omaha Steaks and use my code BEEF for a great deal: https://www.omahasteaks.comAdvertising Inquiries: https://redcircle.com/brandsPrivacy & Opt-Out: https://redcircle.com/privacy
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292
The Nightly 10-Minute Declutter Routine Every Busy Mom Needs (Ep 308)
You can declutter your entire home and still end up right back where you started. I know because I’ve lived it. This episode is the piece that makes everything permanent. I’m teaching you the closing shift, the exit bin, and why stacking habits beats scheduling them every time. In this episode you’ll learn: Why I went from owning almost nothing to filling up a house, and what finally broke the cycle The restaurant-inspired closing shift my family does every night What the Lightning Tidy is and how to make it fun for your whole family Why the one-in-one-out rule doesn’t work (and what to do instead) The habit stacking trick that makes routines stick forever Resources mentioned: Effortless Home Course ($27) Instagram @WannabeClutterFree Episode 304: The 15-Minute Declutter Method Episode 305: The Joy Anchor Method Episode 306: The Motivation Cliff If this episode resonated with you, share it with one person who needs to hear it. Subscribe so you never miss an episode, and if you have two minutes, leaving a review on Apple Podcasts makes a real difference. TIMESTAMPS 00:00 Introduction to Clutter-Free Living 02:18 The Journey to Minimalism 04:45 Establishing a Daily Routine 07:13 The Closing Shift Explained 09:44 The Exit Bin Strategy 12:28 Habit Stacking for Success 14:23 The Invisible Weight of Clutter 21:03 Looking Ahead: Future Topics Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices
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291
The Nightly 10-Minute Declutter Routine Every Busy Mom Needs (Ep 308)
You can declutter your entire home and still end up right back where you started. I know because I’ve lived it. This episode is the piece that makes everything permanent. I’m teaching you the closing shift, the exit bin, and why stacking habits beats scheduling them every time. In this episode you’ll learn: Why I went from owning almost nothing to filling up a house, and what finally broke the cycle The restaurant-inspired closing shift my family does every night What the Lightning Tidy is and how to make it fun for your whole family Why the one-in-one-out rule doesn’t work (and what to do instead) The habit stacking trick that makes routines stick forever Resources mentioned: Effortless Home Course ($27) Instagram @WannabeClutterFree Episode 304: The 15-Minute Declutter Method Episode 305: The Joy Anchor Method Episode 306: The Motivation Cliff If this episode resonated with you, share it with one person who needs to hear it. Subscribe so you never miss an episode, and if you have two minutes, leaving a review on Apple Podcasts makes a real difference. TIMESTAMPS 00:00 Introduction to Clutter-Free Living 02:18 The Journey to Minimalism 04:45 Establishing a Daily Routine 07:13 The Closing Shift Explained 09:44 The Exit Bin Strategy 12:28 Habit Stacking for Success 14:23 The Invisible Weight of Clutter 21:03 Looking Ahead: Future Topics Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices Our Sponsors:* Check out Omaha Steaks and use my code BEEF for a great deal: https://www.omahasteaks.comAdvertising Inquiries: https://redcircle.com/brandsPrivacy & Opt-Out: https://redcircle.com/privacy
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290
The Science of Why Your Spaces Shape You (And How to Take Back Control) with Leidy Klotz | Ep. 307
Behavioral scientist Leidy Klotz reveals how your home feeds or starves three core psychological needs, why clutter blocks connection, and how to make your spaces actually work for your family. **************** RESOURCES Get the transcripts and more at wannabeclutterfree.com/307 Connect with Leidy: In a Good Place by Leidy Klotz: Available wherever you get your books Subtract by Leidy Klotz Leidy's website: leidyklotz.com Follow Deanna Yates, the host of Wannabe Clutter Free on: Instagram Website Effortless Home: Run your home in less than 20 minutes a day **************** What if the reason you feel stuck, distracted, or disconnected at home has less to do with your habits and more to do with your spaces? Leidy Klotz, an engineering professor at the University of Virginia, is the author of Subtract and his brand-new book In a Good Place. He has spent over a decade studying the relationship between our physical environments and our psychological well-being, and today he is breaking it all down for us. This conversation changed how I think about my home. We are not just talking about decluttering (although we do get into that). We are talking about why our spaces either feed or starve our deepest needs, and what we can do about it. In this episode you will learn: The three core psychological needs your home either supports or works against How clutter literally gets between you and the people you love Why you use your spaces the same way every day (and a simple research-backed way to break out of it) The renovation trap: when updating your home actually makes it less meaningful How to involve your kids in decisions about your home (and why it changes everything) The beautiful story of Josie's Way and what it teaches us about legacy and space Content note: Leidy shares openly about his daughter Josie, who passed away unexpectedly at four years old. Her story is woven throughout this conversation and is both heartbreaking and deeply beautiful. Time Stamps: 00:00 Introduction and Leidy's background 05:40 The intersection of environment and behavior 11:24 The three core psychological needs: agency, growth, and connection 17:25 Agency and connection in the home (plus tips for renters) 20:30 How clutter literally blocks connection 26:50 Behavioral changes through environmental cues 32:23 The family that moved dinner outside 36:06 Functional fixedness: why adults are worse at this than kids 40:42 Nostalgia, the renovation trap, and protecting what matters 50:57 Josie's Way: remembering through spaces and stories **************** Music: Fresh Lift by Shane Ivers - https://www.silvermansound.com **************** We’d love to hear how you’re applying the strategies discussed in this episode. Share your stories and tips with us on social media (@wannabeclutterfree). Don’t forget to subscribe for more insightful episodes designed to make your busy life a bit easier. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices
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289
The Science of Why Your Spaces Shape You (And How to Take Back Control) with Leidy Klotz | Ep. 307
Behavioral scientist Leidy Klotz reveals how your home feeds or starves three core psychological needs, why clutter blocks connection, and how to make your spaces actually work for your family. **************** RESOURCES Get the transcripts and more at wannabeclutterfree.com/307 Connect with Leidy: In a Good Place by Leidy Klotz: Available wherever you get your books Subtract by Leidy Klotz Leidy's website: leidyklotz.com Follow Deanna Yates, the host of Wannabe Clutter Free on: Instagram Website Effortless Home: Run your home in less than 20 minutes a day **************** What if the reason you feel stuck, distracted, or disconnected at home has less to do with your habits and more to do with your spaces? Leidy Klotz, an engineering professor at the University of Virginia, is the author of Subtract and his brand-new book In a Good Place. He has spent over a decade studying the relationship between our physical environments and our psychological well-being, and today he is breaking it all down for us. This conversation changed how I think about my home. We are not just talking about decluttering (although we do get into that). We are talking about why our spaces either feed or starve our deepest needs, and what we can do about it. In this episode you will learn: The three core psychological needs your home either supports or works against How clutter literally gets between you and the people you love Why you use your spaces the same way every day (and a simple research-backed way to break out of it) The renovation trap: when updating your home actually makes it less meaningful How to involve your kids in decisions about your home (and why it changes everything) The beautiful story of Josie's Way and what it teaches us about legacy and space Content note: Leidy shares openly about his daughter Josie, who passed away unexpectedly at four years old. Her story is woven throughout this conversation and is both heartbreaking and deeply beautiful. Time Stamps: 00:00 Introduction and Leidy's background 05:40 The intersection of environment and behavior 11:24 The three core psychological needs: agency, growth, and connection 17:25 Agency and connection in the home (plus tips for renters) 20:30 How clutter literally blocks connection 26:50 Behavioral changes through environmental cues 32:23 The family that moved dinner outside 36:06 Functional fixedness: why adults are worse at this than kids 40:42 Nostalgia, the renovation trap, and protecting what matters 50:57 Josie's Way: remembering through spaces and stories **************** Music: Fresh Lift by Shane Ivers - https://www.silvermansound.com **************** We’d love to hear how you’re applying the strategies discussed in this episode. Share your stories and tips with us on social media (@wannabeclutterfree). Don’t forget to subscribe for more insightful episodes designed to make your busy life a bit easier. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices Our Sponsors:* Check out Omaha Steaks and use my code BEEF for a great deal: https://www.omahasteaks.comAdvertising Inquiries: https://redcircle.com/brandsPrivacy & Opt-Out: https://redcircle.com/privacy
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288
Why You Quit Decluttering After One Week and 3 Tools to Fix It | Wannabe Clutter Free Ep. 306
You started decluttering. It felt amazing. And then somewhere around day 7, your house felt just as cluttered as when you started, even though you know you did the work. That moment has a name. I call it the motivation cliff, and in this episode I'm explaining exactly why it happens and what to do about it. In this episode you'll learn: What the recalibration dip is and why your brain makes progress invisible The one metric that your brain can't trick you on How to make decluttering enjoyable enough to actually sustain The identity shift that turns you from a starter into a finisher Why motivation follows action, not the other way around This episode is Part 3 of a series. Start with Episode 304 (the 15-minute declutter method) and Episode 305 (the Joy Anchor Method for sentimental items) if you haven't already. Comment HOME on my latest Instagram post (@wannabeclutterfree) and I'll send you the link to Effortless Home. Resources mentioned: Effortless Home 19 for $19 Ultimate Decluttering Bundle (includes the 500 Item Challenge tracker) Decluttering Playlist on Spotify Episode 304: The 15-Minute Declutter Method Episode 305: The Joy Anchor Method If this episode resonated with you, share it with one person who needs to hear it. Subscribe so you never miss an episode, and if you have two minutes, leaving a review on Apple Podcasts makes a real difference. TIMESTAMPS 00:00 Why the decluttering quit day hits around day 7 01:16 What the motivation cliff is and how to recognize it 04:01 The recalibration dip explained 08:37 Tool 1: Count items out the door, not how your home looks 13:04 Tool 2: Joy during the process, not after it 19:11 Tool 3: Finish what you start, even if it’s small 24:04 How Effortless Home and the 500 Item Challenge tracker can help 28:35 What’s coming next in the series Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices
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287
Why You Quit Decluttering After One Week and 3 Tools to Fix It | Wannabe Clutter Free Ep. 306
You started decluttering. It felt amazing. And then somewhere around day 7, your house felt just as cluttered as when you started, even though you know you did the work. That moment has a name. I call it the motivation cliff, and in this episode I'm explaining exactly why it happens and what to do about it. In this episode you'll learn: What the recalibration dip is and why your brain makes progress invisible The one metric that your brain can't trick you on How to make decluttering enjoyable enough to actually sustain The identity shift that turns you from a starter into a finisher Why motivation follows action, not the other way around This episode is Part 3 of a series. Start with Episode 304 (the 15-minute declutter method) and Episode 305 (the Joy Anchor Method for sentimental items) if you haven't already. Comment HOME on my latest Instagram post (@wannabeclutterfree) and I'll send you the link to Effortless Home. Resources mentioned: Effortless Home 19 for $19 Ultimate Decluttering Bundle (includes the 500 Item Challenge tracker) Decluttering Playlist on Spotify Episode 304: The 15-Minute Declutter Method Episode 305: The Joy Anchor Method If this episode resonated with you, share it with one person who needs to hear it. Subscribe so you never miss an episode, and if you have two minutes, leaving a review on Apple Podcasts makes a real difference. TIMESTAMPS 00:00 Why the decluttering quit day hits around day 7 01:16 What the motivation cliff is and how to recognize it 04:01 The recalibration dip explained 08:37 Tool 1: Count items out the door, not how your home looks 13:04 Tool 2: Joy during the process, not after it 19:11 Tool 3: Finish what you start, even if it’s small 24:04 How Effortless Home and the 500 Item Challenge tracker can help 28:35 What’s coming next in the series Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices Our Sponsors:* Check out Omaha Steaks and use my code BEEF for a great deal: https://www.omahasteaks.comAdvertising Inquiries: https://redcircle.com/brandsPrivacy & Opt-Out: https://redcircle.com/privacy
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286
How to Declutter Sentimental Items Without Guilt (The Joy Anchor Method) Ep 305
If you’ve ever held onto something not because you need it but because of what it means to you, this episode is for you. I’m teaching you the Joy Anchor Method, a simple way to keep what matters and let go of what’s weighing you down. What you’ll learn: the reframe that makes it easier to know what sentimental items to keep the step-by-step method for handling sentimental collections How to use the Photo Bridge for items you can’t keep but can’t release A simple question I asked my client to help her get unstuck Comment PHOTOS on my latest Instagram post (@wannabeclutterfree) to get the link to Photo Freedom Formula. Next episode: The Motivation Cliff – Why You Quit Decluttering at Day 7 (And How to Not) Resources mentioned: Photo Freedom Formula Course Instagram @WannabeClutterFree If this episode resonated with you, share it with one person who needs to hear it. Subscribe so you never miss an episode, and if you have two minutes, leaving a review on Apple Podcasts makes a real difference. TIMESTAMPS 00:00 The Emotional Weight of Sentimental Clutter 03:01 Understanding the Joy Anchor Method 10:34 Implementing the Joy Anchor Method 21:30 Creating a Photo Bridge for Memories 31:34 Navigating the Motivation Cliff Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices
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285
How to Declutter Sentimental Items Without Guilt (The Joy Anchor Method) Ep 305
If you’ve ever held onto something not because you need it but because of what it means to you, this episode is for you. I’m teaching you the Joy Anchor Method, a simple way to keep what matters and let go of what’s weighing you down. What you’ll learn: the reframe that makes it easier to know what sentimental items to keep the step-by-step method for handling sentimental collections How to use the Photo Bridge for items you can’t keep but can’t release A simple question I asked my client to help her get unstuck Comment PHOTOS on my latest Instagram post (@wannabeclutterfree) to get the link to Photo Freedom Formula. Next episode: The Motivation Cliff – Why You Quit Decluttering at Day 7 (And How to Not) Resources mentioned: Photo Freedom Formula Course Instagram @WannabeClutterFree If this episode resonated with you, share it with one person who needs to hear it. Subscribe so you never miss an episode, and if you have two minutes, leaving a review on Apple Podcasts makes a real difference. TIMESTAMPS 00:00 The Emotional Weight of Sentimental Clutter 03:01 Understanding the Joy Anchor Method 10:34 Implementing the Joy Anchor Method 21:30 Creating a Photo Bridge for Memories 31:34 Navigating the Motivation Cliff Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices Our Sponsors:* Check out Omaha Steaks and use my code BEEF for a great deal: https://www.omahasteaks.comAdvertising Inquiries: https://redcircle.com/brandsPrivacy & Opt-Out: https://redcircle.com/privacy
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284
How to Declutter When You Don't Know Where to Start (15-Minute Method) Ep 304
If you’ve ever said “I want to declutter but I don’t know where to start,” this episode is your answer. I’m breaking down the sequencing mistake that makes decluttering feel impossible, the 15-minute pulse check method you can use in any room today, and a reframe that changed how I think about letting go. Plus, I’ll tell you about Effortless Home, my room-by-room system for busy families who want a clutter free home without the weekend overhaul. What you’ll learn: Why starting with the hardest room is the #1 reason people quit The 15-minute pulse check method (three categories, one timer, done) How to reframe “letting go” so it feels like a gain, not a loss The room-by-room system inside Effortless Home Next episode: How to Declutter Sentimental Items Without Guilt (The Joy Anchor Method) Resources mentioned: Effortless Home Course ($27) Instagram @WannabeClutterFree If this episode resonated with you, share it with one person who needs to hear it. Subscribe so you never miss an episode, and if you have two minutes, leaving a review on Apple Podcasts makes a real difference. TIMESTAMPS 00:00: Introduction to Decluttering 00:23: Identifying the Problem - "You have a sequencing problem." 01:41: Where most people go wrong with decluttering 4:29: Step One - Where to Start for Decluttering Success 07:23: Step Two - 15 Minute Pulse Check 08:51: The Sorting Categories to Get You Moving Quickly 15:41: The Mindset Shift that Flips Decluttering Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices
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283
How to Declutter When You Don't Know Where to Start (15-Minute Method) Ep 304
If you’ve ever said “I want to declutter but I don’t know where to start,” this episode is your answer. I’m breaking down the sequencing mistake that makes decluttering feel impossible, the 15-minute pulse check method you can use in any room today, and a reframe that changed how I think about letting go. Plus, I’ll tell you about Effortless Home, my room-by-room system for busy families who want a clutter free home without the weekend overhaul. What you’ll learn: Why starting with the hardest room is the #1 reason people quit The 15-minute pulse check method (three categories, one timer, done) How to reframe “letting go” so it feels like a gain, not a loss The room-by-room system inside Effortless Home Next episode: How to Declutter Sentimental Items Without Guilt (The Joy Anchor Method) Resources mentioned: Effortless Home Course ($27) Instagram @WannabeClutterFree If this episode resonated with you, share it with one person who needs to hear it. Subscribe so you never miss an episode, and if you have two minutes, leaving a review on Apple Podcasts makes a real difference. TIMESTAMPS 00:00: Introduction to Decluttering 00:23: Identifying the Problem - "You have a sequencing problem." 01:41: Where most people go wrong with decluttering 4:29: Step One - Where to Start for Decluttering Success 07:23: Step Two - 15 Minute Pulse Check 08:51: The Sorting Categories to Get You Moving Quickly 15:41: The Mindset Shift that Flips Decluttering Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices Our Sponsors:* Check out Omaha Steaks and use my code BEEF for a great deal: https://www.omahasteaks.comAdvertising Inquiries: https://redcircle.com/brandsPrivacy & Opt-Out: https://redcircle.com/privacy
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282
Why Routines Are the Secret to Making Room for Joy (Ep 303)
Do you feel like you're constantly managing your home instead of enjoying it? Like no matter how much you declutter, the chaos just keeps coming back? In this solo episode, Deanna breaks down why routines are the missing piece and how building the right ones can completely change the way your home feels. Resources mentioned: Effortless Home Course ($27): comment HOME on any Instagram post at @WannabeClutterFree and Deanna will send the link straight to your DMs, or grab it in the show notes Finish by Jon Acuff Join the email list to be the first to hear about something exciting coming soon Links: Effortless Home Course Join the Email List Instagram @WannabeClutterFree In this episode you'll learn: Why decluttering without routines is like mopping the floor with dirty water The real reason your mental energy is gone by 4pm (hint: it's not laziness) Why most routines fail on day two and what Jon Acuff calls "the day after perfect" The STICK framework: five steps to building routines that actually last Why fewer things in your home makes your routines easier to stick to If this episode resonated with you, share it with one person who needs to hear it. Subscribe so you never miss an episode, and if you have two minutes, leaving a review on Apple Podcasts makes a real difference. TIMESTAMPS 00:00 — Introduction 02:15 — Why decluttering without routines doesn't work 05:00 — Decision fatigue and why your brain is exhausted by 4pm 09:30 — Jon Acuff's "the day after perfect" and why day two is the danger zone 13:00 — The STICK framework: five steps to routines that last 20:00 — Why decluttering and routines work together 22:30 — Effortless Home + how to get the link 24:00 — Something exciting is coming soon Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices
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281
Why Routines Are the Secret to Making Room for Joy (Ep 303)
Do you feel like you're constantly managing your home instead of enjoying it? Like no matter how much you declutter, the chaos just keeps coming back? In this solo episode, Deanna breaks down why routines are the missing piece and how building the right ones can completely change the way your home feels. Resources mentioned: Effortless Home Course ($27): comment HOME on any Instagram post at @WannabeClutterFree and Deanna will send the link straight to your DMs, or grab it in the show notes Finish by Jon Acuff Join the email list to be the first to hear about something exciting coming soon Links: Effortless Home Course Join the Email List Instagram @WannabeClutterFree In this episode you'll learn: Why decluttering without routines is like mopping the floor with dirty water The real reason your mental energy is gone by 4pm (hint: it's not laziness) Why most routines fail on day two and what Jon Acuff calls "the day after perfect" The STICK framework: five steps to building routines that actually last Why fewer things in your home makes your routines easier to stick to If this episode resonated with you, share it with one person who needs to hear it. Subscribe so you never miss an episode, and if you have two minutes, leaving a review on Apple Podcasts makes a real difference. TIMESTAMPS 00:00 — Introduction 02:15 — Why decluttering without routines doesn't work 05:00 — Decision fatigue and why your brain is exhausted by 4pm 09:30 — Jon Acuff's "the day after perfect" and why day two is the danger zone 13:00 — The STICK framework: five steps to routines that last 20:00 — Why decluttering and routines work together 22:30 — Effortless Home + how to get the link 24:00 — Something exciting is coming soon Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices Our Sponsors:* Check out Omaha Steaks and use my code BEEF for a great deal: https://www.omahasteaks.comAdvertising Inquiries: https://redcircle.com/brandsPrivacy & Opt-Out: https://redcircle.com/privacy
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280
Discover the Secrets to an Organized and Joyful Home with Ea Fuqua and Meg DeLong (Ep 302)
Professional organizers and sisters Meg DeLong and Ea Fuqua share practical, sustainable strategies for organizing your home based on function and intention rather than perfection. Discover how to create spaces that support your lifestyle and embrace real-life solutions without pressure. **************** RESOURCES Get all the links and resources at wannabeclutterfree.com/302 Tidy Up Book on Amazon IKEA Storage Solutions Connect with Meg & Ea: The Tidy Home Nashville Instagram Facebook Pinterest TikTok Follow Deanna Yates, the host of Wannabe Clutter Free on: Instagram Website Get my children's book: Lenora and Her Super Duper Messy Room **************** What does it actually look like when a professional organizer walks through your front door for the first time? Spoiler: it probably doesn't look like what you're imagining — and it definitely doesn't require a Pinterest-perfect pantry. Meg DeLong and Ea Fuqua are sisters and the founders of The Tidy Home Nashville. In nearly seven years of professional organizing, they've seen it all. And their message? Refreshingly real. Function first. Perfection never. And for the love of all things tidy, stop organizing your fridge. They also just released their first book, Tidying Up, and today they're breaking it all down for us. In this episode, you'll learn: What actually happens during a first consultation (everyone hides stuff in closets, yes, everyone) Why organization has to fit how you actually live, not how you think you should live The fridge organizing myth and why they're unapologetically anti-fridge How to create systems that grow and shift with your family over time Why the junk drawer is the best place to start (every. single. time.) What Tidying Up is really for (hint: it's not for people who already have it together) How to get your whole household on board without becoming the organization police Their evolution from perfection → function → intentionality, and what that means for your home Time Stamps: 00:00 - Meet Meg & Ea: sisters, professional organizers, and the story behind The Tidy Home Nashville 01:33 - What a first consultation actually looks like (and why you don't need to pre-clean) 09:20 - Function over pretty: building systems that fit how you actually live 22:30 - Why big decluttering sessions backfire — and what to do instead 32:07 - Their new book Tidying Up: room-by-room, no perfection required 44:30 - The anti-fridge stance + intentional living as an organizing philosophy 55:55 - Getting the whole family on board + where to find Meg & Ea **************** Music: Fresh Lift by Shane Ivers - https://www.silvermansound.com **************** We’d love to hear how you’re applying the strategies discussed in this episode. Share your stories and tips with us on social media (@wannabeclutterfree). Don’t forget to subscribe for more insightful episodes designed to make your busy life a bit easier. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices
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279
Discover the Secrets to an Organized and Joyful Home with Ea Fuqua and Meg DeLong (Ep 302)
Professional organizers and sisters Meg DeLong and Ea Fuqua share practical, sustainable strategies for organizing your home based on function and intention rather than perfection. Discover how to create spaces that support your lifestyle and embrace real-life solutions without pressure. **************** RESOURCES Get all the links and resources at wannabeclutterfree.com/302 Tidy Up Book on Amazon IKEA Storage Solutions Connect with Meg & Ea: The Tidy Home Nashville Instagram Facebook Pinterest TikTok Follow Deanna Yates, the host of Wannabe Clutter Free on: Instagram Website Get my children's book: Lenora and Her Super Duper Messy Room **************** What does it actually look like when a professional organizer walks through your front door for the first time? Spoiler: it probably doesn't look like what you're imagining — and it definitely doesn't require a Pinterest-perfect pantry. Meg DeLong and Ea Fuqua are sisters and the founders of The Tidy Home Nashville. In nearly seven years of professional organizing, they've seen it all. And their message? Refreshingly real. Function first. Perfection never. And for the love of all things tidy, stop organizing your fridge. They also just released their first book, Tidying Up, and today they're breaking it all down for us. In this episode, you'll learn: What actually happens during a first consultation (everyone hides stuff in closets, yes, everyone) Why organization has to fit how you actually live, not how you think you should live The fridge organizing myth and why they're unapologetically anti-fridge How to create systems that grow and shift with your family over time Why the junk drawer is the best place to start (every. single. time.) What Tidying Up is really for (hint: it's not for people who already have it together) How to get your whole household on board without becoming the organization police Their evolution from perfection → function → intentionality, and what that means for your home Time Stamps: 00:00 - Meet Meg & Ea: sisters, professional organizers, and the story behind The Tidy Home Nashville 01:33 - What a first consultation actually looks like (and why you don't need to pre-clean) 09:20 - Function over pretty: building systems that fit how you actually live 22:30 - Why big decluttering sessions backfire — and what to do instead 32:07 - Their new book Tidying Up: room-by-room, no perfection required 44:30 - The anti-fridge stance + intentional living as an organizing philosophy 55:55 - Getting the whole family on board + where to find Meg & Ea **************** Music: Fresh Lift by Shane Ivers - https://www.silvermansound.com **************** We’d love to hear how you’re applying the strategies discussed in this episode. Share your stories and tips with us on social media (@wannabeclutterfree). Don’t forget to subscribe for more insightful episodes designed to make your busy life a bit easier. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices Our Sponsors:* Check out Omaha Steaks and use my code BEEF for a great deal: https://www.omahasteaks.comAdvertising Inquiries: https://redcircle.com/brandsPrivacy & Opt-Out: https://redcircle.com/privacy
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278
The Art of Bending Time: How to Beat Burnout and Get More Done with Michelle Niemeyer (Ep 301)
Feeling burned out and stretched too thin? Former attorney turned burnout expert Michelle Niemeyer shares her "bending time" framework to help you find clarity, fill your energy reserves, and get more done in less time without losing yourself in the process. **************** RESOURCES Get all the links and resources at wannabeclutterfree.com/301 Connect with Michelle Niemeyer: Michelle's Website Instagram Free clarity meditation: text CLARITY to 33777 Follow Deanna Yates, the host of Wannabe Clutter Free on: Instagram Website Get my children's book: Lenora and Her Super Duper Messy Room **************** What if the reason you can't get it all done isn't a time problem but an energy problem? Michelle Niemeyer is a speaker, consultant, and former attorney who burned out after 20+ years in law. That burnout led to an autoimmune diagnosis and became the wake-up call that changed everything. She shares The Art of Bending Time, a framework that helps you expand what you can accomplish by getting clear on what matters, cutting the junk, and filling your energy reserves. The conversation also explores burnout warning signs, why women struggle with guilt around self-care, and how families can function as a team. In this episode, you'll learn: The burnout sign Michelle ignored for years that eventually made her body shut down How one dad doubled his sales in a single week by changing just one thing about his morning The simple clarity exercise that reveals what actually fills your cup (most people have never done this) Why the phrase "work-life balance" might be the very thing keeping you stuck and overwhelmed What 80 unused boats on a Miami dock taught Michelle about the clutter we're killing ourselves to maintain Time Stamps: 0:00 Introduction 1:20 Who is Michelle Niemeyer and what she does 2:16 What is "bending time" and how it works 3:54 The 80/20 rule and why we waste time on busy work 5:51 Flow state and why physical health matters for productivity 7:11 Why "work-life balance" can actually be destructive 9:25 Signs of burnout: Michelle's personal story 13:56 The clarity exercise: finding what lights you up 17:47 How to weave your "sparks" into daily life 21:06 The power of small moments of connection 26:31 Why women feel guilty taking time for themselves 27:30 Treating your family like a team 33:51 Burnout to autoimmune disease: Michelle's health wake-up call 38:45 Bending time revisited: cutting junk, expanding capacity 41:38 Stop chasing a lifestyle that doesn't light you up 43:29 The boat dock story: things we own but never use **************** Music: Fresh Lift by Shane Ivers - https://www.silvermansound.com **************** We’d love to hear how you’re applying the strategies discussed in this episode. Share your stories and tips with us on social media (@wannabeclutterfree). Don’t forget to subscribe for more insightful episodes designed to make your busy life a bit easier. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices
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277
The Art of Bending Time: How to Beat Burnout and Get More Done with Michelle Niemeyer (Ep 301)
Feeling burned out and stretched too thin? Former attorney turned burnout expert Michelle Niemeyer shares her "bending time" framework to help you find clarity, fill your energy reserves, and get more done in less time without losing yourself in the process. **************** RESOURCES Get all the links and resources at wannabeclutterfree.com/301 Connect with Michelle Niemeyer: Michelle's Website Instagram Free clarity meditation: text CLARITY to 33777 Follow Deanna Yates, the host of Wannabe Clutter Free on: Instagram Website Get my children's book: Lenora and Her Super Duper Messy Room **************** What if the reason you can't get it all done isn't a time problem but an energy problem? Michelle Niemeyer is a speaker, consultant, and former attorney who burned out after 20+ years in law. That burnout led to an autoimmune diagnosis and became the wake-up call that changed everything. She shares The Art of Bending Time, a framework that helps you expand what you can accomplish by getting clear on what matters, cutting the junk, and filling your energy reserves. The conversation also explores burnout warning signs, why women struggle with guilt around self-care, and how families can function as a team. In this episode, you'll learn: The burnout sign Michelle ignored for years that eventually made her body shut down How one dad doubled his sales in a single week by changing just one thing about his morning The simple clarity exercise that reveals what actually fills your cup (most people have never done this) Why the phrase "work-life balance" might be the very thing keeping you stuck and overwhelmed What 80 unused boats on a Miami dock taught Michelle about the clutter we're killing ourselves to maintain Time Stamps: 0:00 Introduction 1:20 Who is Michelle Niemeyer and what she does 2:16 What is "bending time" and how it works 3:54 The 80/20 rule and why we waste time on busy work 5:51 Flow state and why physical health matters for productivity 7:11 Why "work-life balance" can actually be destructive 9:25 Signs of burnout: Michelle's personal story 13:56 The clarity exercise: finding what lights you up 17:47 How to weave your "sparks" into daily life 21:06 The power of small moments of connection 26:31 Why women feel guilty taking time for themselves 27:30 Treating your family like a team 33:51 Burnout to autoimmune disease: Michelle's health wake-up call 38:45 Bending time revisited: cutting junk, expanding capacity 41:38 Stop chasing a lifestyle that doesn't light you up 43:29 The boat dock story: things we own but never use **************** Music: Fresh Lift by Shane Ivers - https://www.silvermansound.com **************** We’d love to hear how you’re applying the strategies discussed in this episode. Share your stories and tips with us on social media (@wannabeclutterfree). Don’t forget to subscribe for more insightful episodes designed to make your busy life a bit easier. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices Our Sponsors:* Check out Omaha Steaks and use my code BEEF for a great deal: https://www.omahasteaks.comAdvertising Inquiries: https://redcircle.com/brandsPrivacy & Opt-Out: https://redcircle.com/privacy
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276
Decluttering: A Hidden Political Revolution? (Ep 300)
Your clutter isn't a personal failing. It's the intended result of a system that profits from your overwhelm. Episode 300 is about opting out -- and taking back your power. Resources Mentioned: No New Things by Ashlee Piper "Sit Still Look Pretty" by Daya Wannabe Clutter Free on Instagram (30-day declutter series) Deanna's Best Decluttering Resources Three hundred episodes. When I started this show, I thought decluttering was about getting rid of stuff. And it is. But it's not only that. The more I've done this work, the more I've realized the stuff was never really the problem. The problem is what keeps creating the stuff. For episode 300, I finally go there. Your clutter is not an accident. It is not a personal failing. It is, in significant part, the intended result of a trillion-dollar industry that profits from your overwhelm, your insecurity, and your desire to feel better right now. Desire is manufactured. Algorithms aren't showing you what you love -- they're showing you what you're most likely to buy. The "treat yourself" culture is a sales strategy. And the chaos that keeps you too exhausted to pay attention? Worth money to the people selling it. But here's where it gets good: once you see it, you can't unsee it. And that's where your power starts. Buying less is not deprivation. It's defection. Every time you walk past a sale and keep walking, you are opting out of a system that is counting on you not to. Every purchase is a vote for the kind of world you want to live in. In this episode I cover: Why clutter keeps coming back no matter how often you declutter How desire gets manufactured (and the Stanley cup is a perfect example) The $44 billion self-storage industry and what it says about all of us Why voting with your dollars is one of the most direct forms of civic participation The mental clutter side: what short-form content is doing to your sense of enough 5 low-lift ways to start opting out this week If this episode resonated with you, share it with one person who needs to hear it. Text it to a friend who's been drowning in stuff and can't figure out why. The message that clutter is not your fault (and that you have more power than you think) deserves to reach more people. You're how it gets there. Subscribe so you never miss an episode, and if you have two minutes, leaving a review on Apple Podcasts makes a real difference. Thank you for 300 episodes. TIMESTAMPS 0:00 -- Welcome + 300 episodes milestone 2:38 -- The story that changed how I see everything (the Amazon tab moment) 5:46 -- How desire is manufactured (ads, algorithms, "treat yourself" culture) 9:36 -- Why your overwhelm is worth money to someone 11:27 -- No New Things by Ashlee Piper + the reframe 12:42 -- Not buying is not deprivation. It's voting with your dollars 16:10 -- Feeling smaller and disconnected -- and what's still in your control 18:36 -- Mental clutter: what short-form content is doing to your sense of enough 19:57 -- The highlight reel fallacy 22:17 -- 5 practical experiments to start opting out 26:24 -- The hole in the boat: why decluttering without stopping the inflow never works 27:30 -- 300 episodes: what I actually believe 28:37 -- My one ask for episode 300 Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices
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275
Decluttering: A Hidden Political Revolution? (Ep 300)
Your clutter isn't a personal failing. It's the intended result of a system that profits from your overwhelm. Episode 300 is about opting out -- and taking back your power. Resources Mentioned: No New Things by Ashlee Piper "Sit Still Look Pretty" by Daya Wannabe Clutter Free on Instagram (30-day declutter series) Deanna's Best Decluttering Resources Three hundred episodes. When I started this show, I thought decluttering was about getting rid of stuff. And it is. But it's not only that. The more I've done this work, the more I've realized the stuff was never really the problem. The problem is what keeps creating the stuff. For episode 300, I finally go there. Your clutter is not an accident. It is not a personal failing. It is, in significant part, the intended result of a trillion-dollar industry that profits from your overwhelm, your insecurity, and your desire to feel better right now. Desire is manufactured. Algorithms aren't showing you what you love -- they're showing you what you're most likely to buy. The "treat yourself" culture is a sales strategy. And the chaos that keeps you too exhausted to pay attention? Worth money to the people selling it. But here's where it gets good: once you see it, you can't unsee it. And that's where your power starts. Buying less is not deprivation. It's defection. Every time you walk past a sale and keep walking, you are opting out of a system that is counting on you not to. Every purchase is a vote for the kind of world you want to live in. In this episode I cover: Why clutter keeps coming back no matter how often you declutter How desire gets manufactured (and the Stanley cup is a perfect example) The $44 billion self-storage industry and what it says about all of us Why voting with your dollars is one of the most direct forms of civic participation The mental clutter side: what short-form content is doing to your sense of enough 5 low-lift ways to start opting out this week If this episode resonated with you, share it with one person who needs to hear it. Text it to a friend who's been drowning in stuff and can't figure out why. The message that clutter is not your fault (and that you have more power than you think) deserves to reach more people. You're how it gets there. Subscribe so you never miss an episode, and if you have two minutes, leaving a review on Apple Podcasts makes a real difference. Thank you for 300 episodes. TIMESTAMPS 0:00 -- Welcome + 300 episodes milestone 2:38 -- The story that changed how I see everything (the Amazon tab moment) 5:46 -- How desire is manufactured (ads, algorithms, "treat yourself" culture) 9:36 -- Why your overwhelm is worth money to someone 11:27 -- No New Things by Ashlee Piper + the reframe 12:42 -- Not buying is not deprivation. It's voting with your dollars 16:10 -- Feeling smaller and disconnected -- and what's still in your control 18:36 -- Mental clutter: what short-form content is doing to your sense of enough 19:57 -- The highlight reel fallacy 22:17 -- 5 practical experiments to start opting out 26:24 -- The hole in the boat: why decluttering without stopping the inflow never works 27:30 -- 300 episodes: what I actually believe 28:37 -- My one ask for episode 300 Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices Our Sponsors:* Check out Omaha Steaks and use my code BEEF for a great deal: https://www.omahasteaks.comAdvertising Inquiries: https://redcircle.com/brandsPrivacy & Opt-Out: https://redcircle.com/privacy
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274
Meal Planning Made Simple: How a Mom of 5 Feeds Her Family Without the Stress with Melissa Griffiths (Ep 299)
How do you get dinner on the table every night without losing your mind? Melissa Griffiths shares her monthly meal planning system, how to get kids helping in the kitchen, and how to lighten the mental load around food. **************** RESOURCES Get all the links and resources at wannabeclutterfree.com/299 Pro tip from Melissa: Add "-AI" to your recipe searches to filter out AI-generated recipes! Connect with Melissa Griffiths: Melissa's Website Instagram Follow Deanna Yates, the host of Wannabe Clutter Free on: Instagram Website Get my children's book: Lenora and Her Super Duper Messy Room **************** What if meal planning didn't have to feel like another thing on your endless to-do list? Melissa Griffiths is the founder of Bless This Mess, a food blog she has been growing for over 13 years to help busy moms put simple, nourishing meals on the table. As a mom of five who recently moved her family from Utah to Vermont, Melissa knows what it takes to feed a family through every season of chaos. In this conversation, Melissa shares her monthly meal planning system, including the master list method and how theme nights can take the decision fatigue out of dinner. We dive into getting kids involved in the kitchen and her "launch list" concept for life skills she wants her kids to have before they leave home. Then the conversation takes an unexpected turn. Melissa opens up about her family's cross-country move after losing a family business, what it was like to downsize by two-thirds, and how to ask your partner for real help with the mental load. Whether you are drowning in dinnertime decisions or just want a simpler approach to feeding your family, this episode will leave you with practical strategies and a fresh perspective. In this episode, you will learn: The master list method for monthly meal planning How to get kids involved without it becoming a chore for mom How to handle picky eaters without shame or food battles Why smaller spaces can actually simplify your life How to ask for help and share the mental load Time Stamps: 0:00 Introduction 1:54 Meet Melissa Griffiths 6:23 The monthly meal planning system and master list method 9:12 Theme nights and delegating meal choices to kids 15:49 Getting kids involved in the kitchen without the guilt 20:03 The "launch list" of life skills for kids 23:43 Moving from Utah to Vermont after heartbreak 26:12 Downsizing by two-thirds and why smaller is simpler 35:35 The mental load and sharing invisible labor 42:25 Handling picky eaters with grace **************** Music: Fresh Lift by Shane Ivers - https://www.silvermansound.com **************** We’d love to hear how you’re applying the strategies discussed in this episode. Share your stories and tips with us on social media (@wannabeclutterfree). Don’t forget to subscribe for more insightful episodes designed to make your busy life a bit easier. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices
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273
Meal Planning Made Simple: How a Mom of 5 Feeds Her Family Without the Stress with Melissa Griffiths (Ep 299)
How do you get dinner on the table every night without losing your mind? Melissa Griffiths shares her monthly meal planning system, how to get kids helping in the kitchen, and how to lighten the mental load around food. **************** RESOURCES Get all the links and resources at wannabeclutterfree.com/299 Pro tip from Melissa: Add "-AI" to your recipe searches to filter out AI-generated recipes! Connect with Melissa Griffiths: Melissa's Website Instagram Follow Deanna Yates, the host of Wannabe Clutter Free on: Instagram Website Get my children's book: Lenora and Her Super Duper Messy Room **************** What if meal planning didn't have to feel like another thing on your endless to-do list? Melissa Griffiths is the founder of Bless This Mess, a food blog she has been growing for over 13 years to help busy moms put simple, nourishing meals on the table. As a mom of five who recently moved her family from Utah to Vermont, Melissa knows what it takes to feed a family through every season of chaos. In this conversation, Melissa shares her monthly meal planning system, including the master list method and how theme nights can take the decision fatigue out of dinner. We dive into getting kids involved in the kitchen and her "launch list" concept for life skills she wants her kids to have before they leave home. Then the conversation takes an unexpected turn. Melissa opens up about her family's cross-country move after losing a family business, what it was like to downsize by two-thirds, and how to ask your partner for real help with the mental load. Whether you are drowning in dinnertime decisions or just want a simpler approach to feeding your family, this episode will leave you with practical strategies and a fresh perspective. In this episode, you will learn: The master list method for monthly meal planning How to get kids involved without it becoming a chore for mom How to handle picky eaters without shame or food battles Why smaller spaces can actually simplify your life How to ask for help and share the mental load Time Stamps: 0:00 Introduction 1:54 Meet Melissa Griffiths 6:23 The monthly meal planning system and master list method 9:12 Theme nights and delegating meal choices to kids 15:49 Getting kids involved in the kitchen without the guilt 20:03 The "launch list" of life skills for kids 23:43 Moving from Utah to Vermont after heartbreak 26:12 Downsizing by two-thirds and why smaller is simpler 35:35 The mental load and sharing invisible labor 42:25 Handling picky eaters with grace **************** Music: Fresh Lift by Shane Ivers - https://www.silvermansound.com **************** We’d love to hear how you’re applying the strategies discussed in this episode. Share your stories and tips with us on social media (@wannabeclutterfree). Don’t forget to subscribe for more insightful episodes designed to make your busy life a bit easier. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices Our Sponsors:* Check out Omaha Steaks and use my code BEEF for a great deal: https://www.omahasteaks.comAdvertising Inquiries: https://redcircle.com/brandsPrivacy & Opt-Out: https://redcircle.com/privacy
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272
Make Downsizing Easier: Helping Your Parents Transition Smoothly with Amy Slenkere-Smith
After losing both in-laws within months of each other, life coach Amy Slenker-Smith shares what she learned helping them downsize and the conversations she wishes more families would start sooner. **************** RESOURCES Get all the links and resources at wannabeclutterfree.com/298 Connect with Amy Slenker-Smith: Amy's Website Instagram Follow Deanna Yates, the host of Wannabe Clutter Free on: Instagram Website Get my children's book: Lenora and Her Super Duper Messy Room **************** Are you dreading the day you'll have to clear out your parents' home while grieving? In this powerful episode, Amy Slenker-Smith shares her deeply personal experience of losing both in-laws within two and a half months of each other, and what she learned helping them downsize years before. Amy walked her in-laws through a massive transition: from 3,400 square feet to a 1,200 square foot apartment. Because of that work, clearing their belongings after they passed took just 3-4 days instead of months. She's sharing exactly how you can give that same gift to YOUR family. In this episode, you'll learn: Why proper downsizing takes 1-2 years (and what to do if you're already in crisis mode) The first thing to abandon when your timeline is short (hint: it's selling) How the "category by category" method makes decisions easier Why the things your family wants are NOT what you'd expect How to start conversations even when parents won't talk about "someday" The phrase "I'll let my kids deal with it" and why it's so devastating Whether you're in the sandwich generation juggling kids and aging parents, starting to think about your own legacy, or already facing a home cleanout, this conversation offers both practical strategies and emotional permission to begin. Amy's reminder that "more is caught than taught" offers a hopeful path: even if your parents won't budge, you can still lead by example in your own home. Timestamps: 0:00 Intro 1:36 Amy's background 6:05 Losing both in-laws within months 10:47 Why hospice is a gift 14:07 The first downsize: 3,400 to 1,200 sq ft 22:43 Why you need more time than you think 26:36 Tips for tight timelines 29:58 Category by category (17 side tables!) 35:53 What your family actually wants 43:30 "I don't want to do this to my kids" 57:05 How to start the conversation 1:00:35 Rapid fire questions **************** Music: Fresh Lift by Shane Ivers - https://www.silvermansound.com **************** We’d love to hear how you’re applying the strategies discussed in this episode. Share your stories and tips with us on social media (@wannabeclutterfree). Don’t forget to subscribe for more insightful episodes designed to make your busy life a bit easier. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices
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271
Make Downsizing Easier: Helping Your Parents Transition Smoothly with Amy Slenkere-Smith
After losing both in-laws within months of each other, life coach Amy Slenker-Smith shares what she learned helping them downsize and the conversations she wishes more families would start sooner. **************** RESOURCES Get all the links and resources at wannabeclutterfree.com/298 Connect with Amy Slenker-Smith: Amy's Website Instagram Follow Deanna Yates, the host of Wannabe Clutter Free on: Instagram Website Get my children's book: Lenora and Her Super Duper Messy Room **************** Are you dreading the day you'll have to clear out your parents' home while grieving? In this powerful episode, Amy Slenker-Smith shares her deeply personal experience of losing both in-laws within two and a half months of each other, and what she learned helping them downsize years before. Amy walked her in-laws through a massive transition: from 3,400 square feet to a 1,200 square foot apartment. Because of that work, clearing their belongings after they passed took just 3-4 days instead of months. She's sharing exactly how you can give that same gift to YOUR family. In this episode, you'll learn: Why proper downsizing takes 1-2 years (and what to do if you're already in crisis mode) The first thing to abandon when your timeline is short (hint: it's selling) How the "category by category" method makes decisions easier Why the things your family wants are NOT what you'd expect How to start conversations even when parents won't talk about "someday" The phrase "I'll let my kids deal with it" and why it's so devastating Whether you're in the sandwich generation juggling kids and aging parents, starting to think about your own legacy, or already facing a home cleanout, this conversation offers both practical strategies and emotional permission to begin. Amy's reminder that "more is caught than taught" offers a hopeful path: even if your parents won't budge, you can still lead by example in your own home. Timestamps: 0:00 Intro 1:36 Amy's background 6:05 Losing both in-laws within months 10:47 Why hospice is a gift 14:07 The first downsize: 3,400 to 1,200 sq ft 22:43 Why you need more time than you think 26:36 Tips for tight timelines 29:58 Category by category (17 side tables!) 35:53 What your family actually wants 43:30 "I don't want to do this to my kids" 57:05 How to start the conversation 1:00:35 Rapid fire questions **************** Music: Fresh Lift by Shane Ivers - https://www.silvermansound.com **************** We’d love to hear how you’re applying the strategies discussed in this episode. Share your stories and tips with us on social media (@wannabeclutterfree). Don’t forget to subscribe for more insightful episodes designed to make your busy life a bit easier. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices Our Sponsors:* Check out Omaha Steaks and use my code BEEF for a great deal: https://www.omahasteaks.comAdvertising Inquiries: https://redcircle.com/brandsPrivacy & Opt-Out: https://redcircle.com/privacy
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270
Decluttering Skincare Routines: A Dermatologist's Guide to Simplifying Your Teen's Routine with Dr. Angela Casey (Ep 297)
Your teen's bathroom doesn't need 20 products. Double board certified dermatologist and mom of three Dr. Angela Casey breaks down the only steps tweens and teens actually need, the ingredients to avoid, and why simplifying skincare is one of the best habits you can give your kids. **************** RESOURCES Get all the links and resources at wannabeclutterfree.com/297 Atomic Habits by James Clear Episode 292 with Tracy McCubbin - https://wannabeclutterfree.com/292 Connect with Dr. Angela Casey: Dr. Angela's Website Instagram Follow Deanna Yates, the host of Wannabe Clutter Free on: Instagram Website Get my children's book: Lenora and Her Super Duper Messy Room **************** What if the secret to a clutter-free bathroom and healthier skin for your teen came down to doing less, not more? Deanna Yates sits down with Dr. Angela Casey, a double board certified dermatologist, Mohs surgeon, and mom of three teen and tween daughters, to talk about why skincare is healthcare and how families can simplify their routines for better results. Dr. Casey is also the founder of Bright Girl, a dermatologist-created skincare line designed specifically for young skin. Whether you're a mom trying to guide your teen through the overwhelming world of skincare or looking to simplify your own routine, this conversation will help you cut through the noise and focus on what actually works. Plus, Deanna shares a personal connection to skin cancer prevention that makes this episode hit close to home. In This Episode, You'll Learn: the truth behind the Sephora kids trend the only steps tweens actually need morning and night the popular ingredients (like retinols and exfoliating scrubs) that can actually harm developing skin how to tackle bathroom clutter some shocking statistics about skin cancer and prevention Timestamps: 0:00 Introduction 2:09 Meet Dr. Angela Casey 4:35 The Sephora kids trend: good or bad? 7:17 The bare basics every tween needs morning and night 8:30 Ingredients tweens and teens should avoid 10:45 What "clean beauty" actually means (hint: nothing official) 16:56 Decluttering the bathroom through simpler routines 18:26 Why too many products can make skin worse 20:29 The three-month rule for testing skincare 25:32 How to know if your products work well together 28:36 Makeup advice for tweens and teens 35:32 Habit stacking your sunscreen 36:14 Skin cancer statistics every parent needs to hear 43:48 How to respond when your teen brings home a trending product 50:19 Where to find Dr. Angela and Bright Girl **************** Music: Fresh Lift by Shane Ivers - https://www.silvermansound.com **************** We’d love to hear how you’re applying the strategies discussed in this episode. Share your stories and tips with us on social media (@wannabeclutterfree). Don’t forget to subscribe for more insightful episodes designed to make your busy life a bit easier. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices
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269
Decluttering Skincare Routines: A Dermatologist's Guide to Simplifying Your Teen's Routine with Dr. Angela Casey (Ep 297)
Your teen's bathroom doesn't need 20 products. Double board certified dermatologist and mom of three Dr. Angela Casey breaks down the only steps tweens and teens actually need, the ingredients to avoid, and why simplifying skincare is one of the best habits you can give your kids. **************** RESOURCES Get all the links and resources at wannabeclutterfree.com/297 Atomic Habits by James Clear Episode 292 with Tracy McCubbin - https://wannabeclutterfree.com/292 Connect with Dr. Angela Casey: Dr. Angela's Website Instagram Follow Deanna Yates, the host of Wannabe Clutter Free on: Instagram Website Get my children's book: Lenora and Her Super Duper Messy Room **************** What if the secret to a clutter-free bathroom and healthier skin for your teen came down to doing less, not more? Deanna Yates sits down with Dr. Angela Casey, a double board certified dermatologist, Mohs surgeon, and mom of three teen and tween daughters, to talk about why skincare is healthcare and how families can simplify their routines for better results. Dr. Casey is also the founder of Bright Girl, a dermatologist-created skincare line designed specifically for young skin. Whether you're a mom trying to guide your teen through the overwhelming world of skincare or looking to simplify your own routine, this conversation will help you cut through the noise and focus on what actually works. Plus, Deanna shares a personal connection to skin cancer prevention that makes this episode hit close to home. In This Episode, You'll Learn: the truth behind the Sephora kids trend the only steps tweens actually need morning and night the popular ingredients (like retinols and exfoliating scrubs) that can actually harm developing skin how to tackle bathroom clutter some shocking statistics about skin cancer and prevention Timestamps: 0:00 Introduction 2:09 Meet Dr. Angela Casey 4:35 The Sephora kids trend: good or bad? 7:17 The bare basics every tween needs morning and night 8:30 Ingredients tweens and teens should avoid 10:45 What "clean beauty" actually means (hint: nothing official) 16:56 Decluttering the bathroom through simpler routines 18:26 Why too many products can make skin worse 20:29 The three-month rule for testing skincare 25:32 How to know if your products work well together 28:36 Makeup advice for tweens and teens 35:32 Habit stacking your sunscreen 36:14 Skin cancer statistics every parent needs to hear 43:48 How to respond when your teen brings home a trending product 50:19 Where to find Dr. Angela and Bright Girl **************** Music: Fresh Lift by Shane Ivers - https://www.silvermansound.com **************** We’d love to hear how you’re applying the strategies discussed in this episode. Share your stories and tips with us on social media (@wannabeclutterfree). Don’t forget to subscribe for more insightful episodes designed to make your busy life a bit easier. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices Our Sponsors:* Check out Omaha Steaks and use my code BEEF for a great deal: https://www.omahasteaks.comAdvertising Inquiries: https://redcircle.com/brandsPrivacy & Opt-Out: https://redcircle.com/privacy
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268
Less Stuff, More Life: How a Bestselling Minimalist Actually Lives with Shira Gill (Ep 296)
What does minimalism actually look like for a busy family in a small home? Bestselling author Shira Gill shares her 15-minute win strategy, the simple question she asks before buying anything, and how to stop clutter from creeping back in. **************** RESOURCES Get all the links and resources at wannabeclutterfree.com/296 Shira's Books: LifeStyled, Organized Living, and Minimalista The #30Wears Movement by Livia Firth No New Things by Ashlee Piper - https://www.ashleepiper.com/ Connect with Shira Gill: Shira's Website Instagram Follow Deanna Yates, the host of Wannabe Clutter Free on: Instagram Website Get my children's book: Lenora and Her Super Duper Messy Room **************** What if the key to a clutter-free home isn't following someone else's formula, but creating one that fits your real life? Shira Gill is the bestselling author of Minimalista, Organized Living, and LifeStyled, and has spent 15+ years helping families declutter and simplify. Her work has been featured by Good Morning America, Oprah Daily, Architectural Digest, and The New York Times. Together we dig into what minimalism looks like in a busy household (Shira raises two teens in a 1,200-square-foot bungalow with almost no storage). We explore why everything you bring through the front door becomes your responsibility, why organizing systems should be simple enough for a five-year-old, and her 15-minute win strategy for anyone too overwhelmed to start. Shira also shares how she handles sentimental items, the shoebox test, and why her experience with billionaires confirms that stuff never delivers the happiness we expect. Plus, a fourth book announcement! In This Episode, You'll Learn: Why minimalism is not about restriction and how to customize it for your season of life The one question Shira asks before buying anything new Why your organizing systems keep failing and how the five-year-old test can fix that How seasonal maintenance moments and a Sunday basket ritual keep clutter from creeping back Shira's shoebox test for sentimental items and why keeping less makes what you keep more valuable Timestamps: (01:26) Meet Shira Gill: from in-home organizer to bestselling author (plus a fourth book announcement!) (03:20) How writing three books on minimalism changed Shira's own relationship with stuff (06:37) Adapting minimalism for real life with kids, work, and full calendars (10:40) Why everything you bring through the front door becomes your responsibility (13:39) Navigating guilt, waste, and the "fewer, better" approach (20:08) The #30Wears movement and breaking disposable culture (21:11) The biggest misconception about what "organized" really means (27:31) Shira's daily uniform: white shirt, jeans, and the power of decision-free mornings (30:45) The 15-minute win: a game-changing strategy for anyone who feels too overwhelmed to start (35:31) Why clutter keeps creeping back and seasonal maintenance moments that prevent it (40:48) The emotional side of letting go: guilt, sentimental items, and inherited collections (44:13) The shoebox test and keeping one token from a collection (45:53) Minimalism, privilege, and what working with billionaires taught Shira about "enough" (51:20) Where to find Shira and her books **************** Music: Fresh Lift by Shane Ivers - https://www.silvermansound.com **************** We’d love to hear how you’re applying the strategies discussed in this episode. Share your stories and tips with us on social media (@wannabeclutterfree). Don’t forget to subscribe for more insightful episodes designed to make your busy life a bit easier. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices
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267
Less Stuff, More Life: How a Bestselling Minimalist Actually Lives with Shira Gill (Ep 296)
What does minimalism actually look like for a busy family in a small home? Bestselling author Shira Gill shares her 15-minute win strategy, the simple question she asks before buying anything, and how to stop clutter from creeping back in. **************** RESOURCES Get all the links and resources at wannabeclutterfree.com/296 Shira's Books: LifeStyled, Organized Living, and Minimalista The #30Wears Movement by Livia Firth No New Things by Ashlee Piper - https://www.ashleepiper.com/ Connect with Shira Gill: Shira's Website Instagram Follow Deanna Yates, the host of Wannabe Clutter Free on: Instagram Website Get my children's book: Lenora and Her Super Duper Messy Room **************** What if the key to a clutter-free home isn't following someone else's formula, but creating one that fits your real life? Shira Gill is the bestselling author of Minimalista, Organized Living, and LifeStyled, and has spent 15+ years helping families declutter and simplify. Her work has been featured by Good Morning America, Oprah Daily, Architectural Digest, and The New York Times. Together we dig into what minimalism looks like in a busy household (Shira raises two teens in a 1,200-square-foot bungalow with almost no storage). We explore why everything you bring through the front door becomes your responsibility, why organizing systems should be simple enough for a five-year-old, and her 15-minute win strategy for anyone too overwhelmed to start. Shira also shares how she handles sentimental items, the shoebox test, and why her experience with billionaires confirms that stuff never delivers the happiness we expect. Plus, a fourth book announcement! In This Episode, You'll Learn: Why minimalism is not about restriction and how to customize it for your season of life The one question Shira asks before buying anything new Why your organizing systems keep failing and how the five-year-old test can fix that How seasonal maintenance moments and a Sunday basket ritual keep clutter from creeping back Shira's shoebox test for sentimental items and why keeping less makes what you keep more valuable Timestamps: (01:26) Meet Shira Gill: from in-home organizer to bestselling author (plus a fourth book announcement!) (03:20) How writing three books on minimalism changed Shira's own relationship with stuff (06:37) Adapting minimalism for real life with kids, work, and full calendars (10:40) Why everything you bring through the front door becomes your responsibility (13:39) Navigating guilt, waste, and the "fewer, better" approach (20:08) The #30Wears movement and breaking disposable culture (21:11) The biggest misconception about what "organized" really means (27:31) Shira's daily uniform: white shirt, jeans, and the power of decision-free mornings (30:45) The 15-minute win: a game-changing strategy for anyone who feels too overwhelmed to start (35:31) Why clutter keeps creeping back and seasonal maintenance moments that prevent it (40:48) The emotional side of letting go: guilt, sentimental items, and inherited collections (44:13) The shoebox test and keeping one token from a collection (45:53) Minimalism, privilege, and what working with billionaires taught Shira about "enough" (51:20) Where to find Shira and her books **************** Music: Fresh Lift by Shane Ivers - https://www.silvermansound.com **************** We’d love to hear how you’re applying the strategies discussed in this episode. Share your stories and tips with us on social media (@wannabeclutterfree). Don’t forget to subscribe for more insightful episodes designed to make your busy life a bit easier. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices Our Sponsors:* Check out Omaha Steaks and use my code BEEF for a great deal: https://www.omahasteaks.comAdvertising Inquiries: https://redcircle.com/brandsPrivacy & Opt-Out: https://redcircle.com/privacy
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266
End Clutter Chaos: Master the Art of Holistic Decluttering with Katy Wells (Ep 295)
Why does clutter keep coming back no matter what you try? Author Katy Wells shares her holistic approach to decluttering that tackles the root cause, not just the stuff, so you can finally feel at peace in your home. **************** RESOURCES Katy's Book - Making Home Your Happy Place: A Real Life Guide to Decluttering Without the Overwhelm (available wherever books are sold) Get all the links and resources at wannabeclutterfree.com/295 Connect with Katy Wells: Katy's Website Instagram Follow Deanna Yates, the host of Wannabe Clutter Free on: Instagram Website Get my children's book: Lenora and Her Super Duper Messy Room **************** What if the reason clutter keeps coming back has nothing to do with your organizing systems and everything to do with what's going on beneath the surface? In this episode, host Deanna Yates welcomes Katy Wells, author of Making Home Your Happy Place and host of the Maximized Minimalist podcast. Katy shares how she developed her holistic decluttering method after years of trying every hack, bin system, and organizing strategy only to watch her home fall apart two days later. Drawing from her background in holistic wellness, she realized that lasting change required looking at not just the stuff, but the beliefs, emotions, and stories behind it. Together, Deanna and Katy dig into why clutter sometimes serves as a coping mechanism that protects us from feeling harder emotions, the crucial difference between expected mess and actual clutter, and how to release the shame that comes from comparing your home to magazine perfection. They also explore the four main types of clutter (superficial, sentimental, scarcity, and identity), how generational patterns and cultural messaging quietly shape what we keep, and the ART framework for working through sentimental items without regret. Plus, Katy shares practical strategies for getting your partner on board without nagging, helping kids build decluttering as a life skill, and understanding how dopamine actually works when it comes to shopping habits. This is a conversation that will change how you think about your stuff and the space you call home. In This Episode, You'll Learn: Why clutter keeps coming back and how it can secretly be a coping mechanism The difference between expected mess and clutter, and how to release shame around both The four types of clutter and where to start decluttering How to get your partner on board without nagging using one simple change What dopamine actually does when you shop and how to break the cycle Time Stamps: (00:00) Introduction and guest intro (02:41) Katy's background and holistic decluttering origin story (07:34) When clutter becomes a coping mechanism (10:29) Expected mess vs. clutter: releasing the shame (14:14) The "shoulds" around decluttering and setting your own benchmarks (19:14) The four main clutter types and where to start (24:29) Your "stuff story": how family history and culture shape what you keep (29:17) The ART framework for sentimental items (37:56) Onboarding your partner without nagging (45:51) Helping kids declutter toys and build life skills (50:45) Dopamine and shopping: the motivation molecule (57:00) Social media, comparison, and anchoring to your core values (1:00:14) Where to find Katy and her book **************** Music: Fresh Lift by Shane Ivers - https://www.silvermansound.com **************** We’d love to hear how you’re applying the strategies discussed in this episode. Share your stories and tips with us on social media (@wannabeclutterfree). Don’t forget to subscribe for more insightful episodes designed to make your busy life a bit easier. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices
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265
End Clutter Chaos: Master the Art of Holistic Decluttering with Katy Wells (Ep 295)
Why does clutter keep coming back no matter what you try? Author Katy Wells shares her holistic approach to decluttering that tackles the root cause, not just the stuff, so you can finally feel at peace in your home. **************** RESOURCES Katy's Book - Making Home Your Happy Place: A Real Life Guide to Decluttering Without the Overwhelm (available wherever books are sold) Get all the links and resources at wannabeclutterfree.com/295 Connect with Katy Wells: Katy's Website Instagram Follow Deanna Yates, the host of Wannabe Clutter Free on: Instagram Website Get my children's book: Lenora and Her Super Duper Messy Room **************** What if the reason clutter keeps coming back has nothing to do with your organizing systems and everything to do with what's going on beneath the surface? In this episode, host Deanna Yates welcomes Katy Wells, author of Making Home Your Happy Place and host of the Maximized Minimalist podcast. Katy shares how she developed her holistic decluttering method after years of trying every hack, bin system, and organizing strategy only to watch her home fall apart two days later. Drawing from her background in holistic wellness, she realized that lasting change required looking at not just the stuff, but the beliefs, emotions, and stories behind it. Together, Deanna and Katy dig into why clutter sometimes serves as a coping mechanism that protects us from feeling harder emotions, the crucial difference between expected mess and actual clutter, and how to release the shame that comes from comparing your home to magazine perfection. They also explore the four main types of clutter (superficial, sentimental, scarcity, and identity), how generational patterns and cultural messaging quietly shape what we keep, and the ART framework for working through sentimental items without regret. Plus, Katy shares practical strategies for getting your partner on board without nagging, helping kids build decluttering as a life skill, and understanding how dopamine actually works when it comes to shopping habits. This is a conversation that will change how you think about your stuff and the space you call home. In This Episode, You'll Learn: Why clutter keeps coming back and how it can secretly be a coping mechanism The difference between expected mess and clutter, and how to release shame around both The four types of clutter and where to start decluttering How to get your partner on board without nagging using one simple change What dopamine actually does when you shop and how to break the cycle Time Stamps: (00:00) Introduction and guest intro (02:41) Katy's background and holistic decluttering origin story (07:34) When clutter becomes a coping mechanism (10:29) Expected mess vs. clutter: releasing the shame (14:14) The "shoulds" around decluttering and setting your own benchmarks (19:14) The four main clutter types and where to start (24:29) Your "stuff story": how family history and culture shape what you keep (29:17) The ART framework for sentimental items (37:56) Onboarding your partner without nagging (45:51) Helping kids declutter toys and build life skills (50:45) Dopamine and shopping: the motivation molecule (57:00) Social media, comparison, and anchoring to your core values (1:00:14) Where to find Katy and her book **************** Music: Fresh Lift by Shane Ivers - https://www.silvermansound.com **************** We’d love to hear how you’re applying the strategies discussed in this episode. Share your stories and tips with us on social media (@wannabeclutterfree). Don’t forget to subscribe for more insightful episodes designed to make your busy life a bit easier. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices Our Sponsors:* Check out Omaha Steaks and use my code BEEF for a great deal: https://www.omahasteaks.comAdvertising Inquiries: https://redcircle.com/brandsPrivacy & Opt-Out: https://redcircle.com/privacy
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264
Decluttering a Hoarder House in One Year: Lessons in Letting Go with Eileen Stukane (Ep 294)
What can a year of decluttering a hoarder house teach us about letting go? Author Eileen Stukane shares her journey from horror to healing, plus practical tips for helping loved ones and releasing your own grip on stuff. **************** RESOURCES Get all the links and resources at wannabeclutterfree.com/294 Connect with Eileen Stukane: Eileen's Website Follow Deanna Yates, the host of Wannabe Clutter Free on: Instagram Website Get my children's book: Lenora and Her Super Duper Messy Room **************** What would you do if you inherited a home from a family member, a home you'd visited many times and remembered as warm and elegant, only to open the door and find it had become a floor-to-ceiling hoarder house? In this episode, host Deanna Yates talks with author and journalist Eileen Stukane about her memoir, The House That Held Everything. When Eileen and her sister inherited their cousin's childhood home after his death, they were shocked to discover rooms so packed with stuff they could barely get through the front door. What followed was a year-long journey of clearing out the house and uncovering family secrets that had been buried for decades. With an estimated 19 million Americans affected by hoarding, this episode offers hope, understanding, and practical wisdom for anyone who knows someone struggling with this issue or recognizes tendencies in themselves. In this episode, you'll learn: How possessions become "mini autobiographies" that reveal sides of people you never knew The difference between collecting and hoarding, and warning signs to watch for A powerful tip for letting go: create a photo album "museum" of items you can't keep How to help a loved one who hoards using trust-building and the harm reduction approach Why checking in on people matters, even when they say "don't come over" Time Stamps: 00:00 Introduction & Welcome 01:52 Meet Eileen Stukane: From Magazine Editor to Memoir Author 04:18 Inheriting the House: The Shocking Discovery 06:20 From Repulsion to Compassion: Why Eileen Wrote the Book 09:15 Possessions as Mini Autobiographies 14:08 Uncovering Family Secrets 18:15 Discovery via Ancestry.com and the Year-Long Cleanout 23:17 The Photo Museum Tip: Taking Pictures Before Letting Go 24:55 Sorting Categories: Keep, Throw Out, Auction, Donate, Not Sure 29:57 Understanding Why: The Psychology of Hoarding 34:11 Helping a Loved One: Building Trust First 41:00 How the Experience Changed Eileen's Relationship with Stuff 43:44 Rapid Fire Questions 47:09 Closing Thoughts: 19 Million Americans Affected **************** Music: Fresh Lift by Shane Ivers - https://www.silvermansound.com **************** We’d love to hear how you’re applying the strategies discussed in this episode. Share your stories and tips with us on social media (@wannabeclutterfree). Don’t forget to subscribe for more insightful episodes designed to make your busy life a bit easier. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices
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ABOUT THIS SHOW
Ready to finally calm the overwhelm and create a home and life you actually enjoy? The Wannabe Clutter Free podcast is here to help you clear the clutter, simplify your routines, and find freedom in the life you’re building.I’m Deanna Yates, a busy mom who knows what it’s like to juggle family, career, and the never-ending piles of stuff. From selling 80% of what we owned to travel with our toddler, to managing the daily chaos of running a home with a school-aged kid, I’ve learned that living with less isn’t about deprivation. It’s about creating more space, more peace, and more joy.Each week, I share real-life stories, simple decluttering strategies, and mindset shifts that make it easier to let go of what’s weighing you down. You’ll also hear from inspiring guests who share practical tips and fresh perspectives on minimalism, home organization, intentional living, and building habits that last.If you’re tired of feeling buried in clutter and crave
HOSTED BY
Deanna Yates | Professional Organizer, Decluttering Coach, Wannabe Minimalist
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