Wannabe Clutter Free | Declutter, Simplify, Find Freedom

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

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

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

Decluttering Without Guilt: Clearing the F.O.G. That Keeps You Stuck with Ashley Hines (Ep 293)

Decluttering gets easier when you release fear, obligation, and guilt. Ashley Hines shares a holistic approach to organizing that builds self-trust and helps you create a clutter-free home with intention. **************** RESOURCES ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Get all the links and resources at wannabeclutterfree.com/293⁠⁠⁠ Connect with Ashley Hines: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Instagram⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ ⁠Ashley'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 **************** Fear. Obligation. Guilt. If decluttering feels emotionally heavy (even when you want a clutter-free home) you’re not doing it wrong. You’re just stuck in F.O.G. In this episode, I’m joined by Ashley Hines, founder of Thee Tailored Life, to talk about the emotional side of decluttering and why letting go can feel so complicated. Ashley introduces her F.O.G. framework (fear, obligation, and guilt) and explains how it quietly shapes our homes, our decisions, and even our sense of identity. We talk about why “should” is such a powerful clutter trigger, why identity-based items are the hardest to release, and what actually changes when you begin trusting yourself again. This conversation is gentle, validating, and deeply grounding, especially if you’ve ever felt bad for wanting less. We cover: How fear, obligation, and guilt show up in our homes Why decluttering isn’t just physical—it’s emotional The hidden pressure behind “should-keep” items Why identity-based clutter feels impossible to release How self-trust makes decluttering easier over time A gentle first step if you feel completely stuck What it looks like to live clutter-free without perfection If you’re craving a calmer home and more confidence in your decisions, this episode will meet you right where you are. Time Stamps: 00:00 Welcome + why decluttering feels emotional 02:00 What holistic organizing really means 04:30 Introducing F.O.G.: fear, obligation, and guilt 08:10 Where F.O.G. shows up most in homes 12:45 The problem with “should” 17:30 Identity-based clutter and emotional weight 22:15 Self-trust and decision-making 27:40 A gentle first step for overwhelmed listeners 33:10 Community, sharing, and living with intention 38:30 What freedom actually looks like in a clutter-free home **************** 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

Decluttering from the Root: Emotional Clutter, Systems, and Sanity with Tracy McCubbin (Ep 292)

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 **************** 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 **************** 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