If you consider yourself sentimental or nostalgic, or if you find yourself resisting letting go of items, this episode will resonate. I outline the ways in which your brain structure and biological design influence the decluttering process. These factors play a significant role behind your motivation and the way you think about what you own. Your brain often acts on autopilot, giving you sneaky thoughts to keep you from letting objects go. For those of you seeking to understand more of the WHY behind your internal decluttering struggle, this will shine a light on what may be happening for you.

When I work with clients, we create awareness around which part of your brain is dominant when making decisions. So, I encourage you to take a moment to get curious the next time your brain lights up desiring a shiny new object. 

Are you ready to take a deep dive into learning about the way you think about what you own? I’m here to welcome and support you through coaching.

MENTIONED ON THIS EPISODE:

Episode 04: Where Clutter Comes From

RESOURCE:
Ready to declutter but not sure where to take items?
Download my Decluttering Resources Quick Guide + join my email community.

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In this episode, I introduce my personal experience as a caregiver for my mother, who is living with dementia. My mother will make several guest appearances on podcast episodes in both stories and in spirit. She is my reason “why” for everything I do and has inspired and supported me through every step of life. When I started my journey as a caregiver, I wrote an influential essay entitled “The Way Dementia Moves In” and am proud to share it with all of you.

The analogy of dementia moving into a household is powerful. Dementia progresses slowly, adding clutter in small increments until it is suddenly everywhere. I am here to help you navigate difficult conversations about health and caregiving with family members and close friends. You're welcome to share your personal stories with me. There is power in sharing experiences, and I welcome you into my journey.

RESOURCE:
Becoming a Caregiver or Thinking Ahead?
Download my Open Ended Questions for Loved Ones and Care Communities + join my email community.

FEATURED ON THE SHOW:
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In this episode, I define mental clutter and why a calm and positive mindset is essential to creating an aligned and sustainable lifestyle. After years of working in-home as an organizer, I realized that our internal experiences profoundly affect our external reality. There is a common misconception that a tidy home guarantees a clear mindset. However, internal and external peace are not mutually exclusive. Unfortunately, you can have one without the other.

I offer several short and long-term strategies to help you listen in and have compassion for the soundtrack of to-do lists and overall noise running through your mind. Women are raised to always notice what needs to be done and anticipate what's next, and this is exhausting. I empower you to stop the hamster wheel of thoughts and allow yourself time to breathe. Mental rest and recovery support an aligned and sustainable lifestyle.

RESOURCE:
Curious to learn how Clutter Coaching is different than in-home organizing?
Download my Clutter Coaching Clarity Guide + join my email community.

FEATURED ON THE SHOW:
Come say hello on Instagram
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Join my community at https://www.apleasantsolution.com/

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In this episode, I discuss how pre-project planning improves every organizational undertaking. The hardest part about starting a project is ACTUALLY starting it. Feeling overwhelmed about a project is normal and can lead to procrastination. Knowing where you want to go with a project is essential pre-work. Start by identifying the scope of work you want to accomplish. Then, pre-plan deadlines, expectations, and goals to help your brain create boundaries. As a result, it will be easier to get motivated, overcome distractions, and stay on track to complete your project on time.

In addition, I share four key questions that help you find purpose and clarity around the project you want to pursue. The four questions are:

• Why do I want this space (or my overall lifestyle) to be more organized?
• How do I think I’ll feel once I become organized?
• What obstacles do I think I’ll encounter for this project?
• How will I know when I’ve become organized or reached the end of my project?

Spend time with these questions to dive deeper into the emotional journey of your organizational project. Allow yourself to become curious about the why, what, and where. These answers will help you become more invested in what you set out to complete. This process is an essential step to pre-project planning and alleviates pressure and stress so that you can reframe your mindset.

MENTIONED ON THIS EPISODE:
National Assoc. of Black Professional Organizers
National Assoc. of Productivity + Organizing Professionals
Institute for Challenging Disorganization
Black Girls Who Organize

RESOURCE:
Ready to declutter but not sure where to take items?
Download my Decluttering Resources Quick Guide + join my email community.

FEATURED ON THE SHOW:
Come say hello on Instagram
Follow me on Facebook
See what I’m up to on LinkedIn
Join my community at https://www.apleasantsolution.com/

LIKE THIS EPISODE?
I invite you to share, rate, review and follow my show. Also, join the conversation by connecting with me on Instagram @apleasantsolution.

In this episode, I invite you to adventure forward in time and visualize your future self. Who you want to become will guide your decision-making and focus on every action you take today.

In addition, I review common obstacles my clients face when discovering their future selves. Together, we will tear down the walls of self-doubt, guilt, and excuses. I know time is at a premium. How often do you talk yourself out of doing something because you think, “I don’t have enough time to do anything extra?” But I am here to remind you that there is ALWAYS time for a change. Opening tiny bits of your schedule for purposeful self-reflection, visualization, and dreaming is crucial to your future self.

And so I encourage you to give yourself permission to dream. Think about what values you deem most meaningful in your life. Those principles will guide your journey to becoming the best version of your future self and embracing an organized life.

RESOURCE:
Interested in self-coaching? Self-coaching is self-reflection.
Download 25 Great Self-Coaching Questions + join my email community.

FEATURED ON THE SHOW:
Come say hello on Instagram
Follow me on Facebook
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Join my community at https://www.apleasantsolution.com/ 

LIKE THIS EPISODE?
I invite you to share, rate, review and follow my show. Also, join the conversation by connecting with me on Instagram @apleasantsolution.

In this episode, I debunk the myth of domestic perfection. We all have a vision of the “perfect” home. But there is no such thing as the perfect way to maintain a house. Every belief we hold about how our home should look or feel is based on societal messages.

We have tricked ourselves into believing domestic bliss is a clean, organized house with bins, labels, and baskets. But the feeling of “bliss” is made up! Even more so, tidiness does not equal happiness. I'm here to help you realize how patriarchal and misogynistic messaging has encouraged women to tie their value to how tidy and productive their homes are. This is false.

I empower you to shine a light on where your self-expectations originated. Together we will inspect how your socialization and upbringing affects your belief in what clean and organized means. Remember - there is no right way to keep a house; there’s only your way.

RESOURCE:
Curious to learn how Clutter Coaching is different than in-home organizing?
Download my Clutter Coaching Clarity Guide + join my email community.

FEATURED ON THE SHOW:
Come say hello on Instagram
Follow me on Facebook
See what I’m up to on LinkedIn
Join my community at https://www.apleasantsolution.com/

LIKE THIS EPISODE?
I invite you to share, rate, review and follow my show. Also, join the conversation by connecting with me on Instagram @apleasantsolution.

In this episode, I define the meaning of the word ‘clutter.’ I also talk about three ways clutter surfaces in your home. 

Feeling uncomfortable is typical when we force ourselves to confront our stuff. Over time our brain naturally adjusts to being surrounded by clutter. It processes excess stimuli as being “normal.” Our brain tricks us into feeling like stuff just appeared in our home overnight.

Excess or overabundance is subjective. Your unwanted items may be someone else's treasure. Noticing how items arrive in your home will better empower you to take control. As the gatekeeper, you're in charge of what comes in and what goes out.

The clutter in your home didn't magically appear. You've actually allowed all in, one way or another. By increasing your awareness from this day forward, you can reclaim your space, let go of self-judgment, and make choices and change for the future.

RESOURCE:
Ready to declutter but not sure where to take items?
Download my Decluttering Resources Quick Guide + + join my email community.

FEATURED ON THE SHOW:
Come say hello on Instagram
Follow me on Facebook
See what I’m up to on LinkedIn
Join my community at https://www.apleasantsolution.com/

LIKE THIS EPISODE?
I invite you to share, rate, review and follow my show. Also, join the conversation by connecting with me on Instagram @apleasantsolution.

In this episode, I share what it means to embrace an organized life. Organization, practically and in mindset, was my method to stay sane during the pandemic. Between work, home, and family, I had a lot of things going on. There were many moving parts.

Organization is more than tidy spaces. It starts within. What you experience internally shows up in your actions at home, at work, and with friends and family. My experience has shown me that internal work leads to long-lasting change.

This brings me to my belief that you're more organized than you think. You might be shaking your head, thinking, "Not me." But even if you can't see it, I DO. You are more organized than you think. However, negative self-thoughts can get in the way of seeing what is right in front of you. Remember, being organized or disorganized is a made-up concept! Seriously, you get to decide what 'organized' means in your life.

I will guide you through the five fundamental principles behind Embracing an Organized Life. The first is giving yourself permission to want change. My mission is to help you realize what is (or isn't) working in your life and embrace successes so that you can achieve future goals with grace and self-appreciation.

RESOURCE:
Interested in self-coaching? Self-coaching is self-reflection.
Download 25 Great Self-Coaching Questions + join my email community.

FEATURED ON THE SHOW:
Come say hello on Instagram
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Join my community at https://www.apleasantsolution.com/
Episode 01: You Are More Than Your Stuff
Check out my blog Embracing an Organized Life

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In this episode, I share three reasons why we get caught thinking that our schedule and identity are intertwined.

Our society praises overworking and over-committing. Our culture emphasizes productivity, and as a result, we connect our busyness with our worth. I argue that you matter just by being you. How busy your schedule is or your ability to meet a million commitments is irrelevant to your worth. Overvaluing a packed schedule leaves no room for spontaneity or fun. Instead, we lose our identity in an endless stream of activities and never allow ourselves to rest.

Remember, work is work. Whether your schedule is filled with commitments for a paid job or unpaid labor like housework, childcare, and volunteering, being busy is not a marker of your self-worth. You are inherently valuable. Constantly working and always giving your time to others is a cycle we all fall victim to. I challenge you to acknowledge your role and your relationship to your schedule. Everything you do is a choice. Prioritize boundaries for your wellness because you matter whether you meet the commitments on your schedule or not. 

RESOURCE:
Interested in self-coaching? Self-coaching is self-reflection.
Download 25 Great Self-Coaching Questions + join my email community.

FEATURED ON THE SHOW:
Come say hello on Instagram
Follow me on Facebook
See what I’m up to on LinkedIn
Join my community at https://www.apleasantsolution.com/

LIKE THIS EPISODE?
I invite you to share, rate, review and follow my show. Also, join the conversation by connecting with me on Instagram @apleasantsolution.

In this episode, I talk about a central topic of decluttering: why you feel connected to items you own. 

It's normal to feel strong emotions about your home. However, the organization and design of your space are morally neutral. We use invented societal standards to judge ourselves and our homes. But you are more than your stuff. It's necessary to unlearn this way of thinking and embrace that your things are just things; they aren’t who you are.

If you find it difficult to let go of what you own, I'll invite you to get curious about the stories of your past that may be tying you to your belongings. Your stuff does not control you.

In addition, I explain the three key reasons you feel a deep connection to items. By exploring the stories and your emotions, you'll be in a better position to make space for your future life ahead. Press play to learn more and begin embracing a new way of thinking about what you own and how you view your living spaces.

RESOURCE:
Ready to declutter but not sure where to take items?
Download my Decluttering Resources Quick Guide + join my email community.

FEATURED ON THE SHOW:
Come say hello on Instagram
Follow me on Facebook
See what I’m up to on LinkedIn
Join my community at https://www.apleasantsolution.com/
Blog Post: You Are Not Your Stuff

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I invite you to share, rate, review and follow my show. Also, join the conversation by connecting with me on Instagram @apleasantsolution.