Clutter isn’t a personal failure. Decluttering expert Tracy McCubbin shares a compassionate, clutter-free approach to emotional clutter, realistic systems, and organizing for real life, not perfection.
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RESOURCES
Tracy’s Books:
Making Space, Clutter Free
Making Space for Happiness
Melanie Summers
Tracy’s chat with Nick Fox
Deanna’s Bundle of Her Best Decluttering Resources
Connect with Tracy McCubbi...
Clutter isn’t a personal failure. Decluttering expert Tracy McCubbin shares a compassionate, clutter-free approach to emotional clutter, realistic systems, and organizing for real life, not perfection.
****************
RESOURCES
Tracy’s Books:
- Making Space, Clutter Free
- Making Space for Happiness
Melanie Summers
Tracy’s chat with Nick Fox
Deanna’s Bundle of Her Best Decluttering Resources
Connect with Tracy McCubbin:
- Instagram
- Tracy's Website
Follow Deanna Yates, the host of Wannabe Clutter Free on:
- Instagram
- Facebook
- Website
- Get my children's book: Lenora and Her Super Duper Messy Room
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Clutter has a way of feeling personal. But according to Tracy McCubbin, it rarely is.
In this honest and grounding conversation, Tracy and Deanna talk about why clutter forms, why it sticks, and how emotional patterns like perfectionism, guilt, and generational habits quietly shape our homes.
You will hear why buying more bins does not solve clutter, how to move away from Pinterest perfect organizing, and how to create practical systems that support real life. Tracy shares what it actually looks like to declutter with kindness instead of pressure and why starting small matters more than doing it all at once.
This episode is for busy women who want a clutter free home without shame, extremes, or unrealistic expectations. It is especially helpful if you have ever felt like your home should be easier to manage or wondered why organizing advice does not seem to stick.
Tracy also shares insights from her books Making Space, Clutter Free and Make Space for Happiness, along with what she is seeing most right now after nearly 20 years as a professional declutterer.
If clutter has been weighing on you, this conversation offers a deep breath, a mindset shift, and a realistic path toward intentional living and a clutter free home.
We cover:
- Why clutter is not a character flaw
- How emotional and generational patterns influence what we keep
- Why perfectionism makes organizing harder, not easier
- What “good enough” systems look like for real homes
- How to start small and build momentum
- When asking for help is the smartest next step
Time Stamps:
00:00 Welcome + why clutter feels personal
03:10 Emotional attachment and why letting go is hard
06:30 Why clutter is not a personal failure
10:05 How childhood and generational habits shape clutter
13:20 The emotional “blocks” behind clutter
16:45 Why bins don’t fix the problem
25:30 Decluttering without pressure or shame
34:10 Creating judgment-free systems that last
38:40 Delegating, asking for help, and support systems
45:30 Common decluttering myths debunked
50:10 Final thoughts on clutter-free living
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Music: Fresh Lift by Shane Ivers - https://www.silvermansound.com
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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.
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