Avoiding difficult subjects isn't something I want to do on Paring Down. Yet I want to make sure I approach them with humility, positivity, and an open mind - and I hope that tone comes through on today's episode.

I'm so grateful to have Aubrey High from The Reclaimed Home alongside me as we talk through insights she's gained while working with people who are financially insecure - and often recovering from trauma - to responsibly declutter and organize their homes. (Stories shared on this episode are done so with permission and anonymity.)

Paring Down Instagram: ⁠⁠@paring_down⁠

Aubrey High's Instagram: @the.reclaimed.home.co

Aubrey High's email: [email protected]

Paring Down Newsletter: The L.E.S.S. Express

Paring Down Webiste & Blog

Paring Down YouTube

MENTIONED IN THIS EPISODE:

Aubrey's first appearance on Paring Down: Making Space for Things and People We Love

Episode 67: 5 Psychological Phenomena that Affect Decluttering & Consumption

Katy Joy Wells Instagram

PARING DOWN RESOURCES:

Complete Guide to Decluttering Kid Stuff⁠⁠⁠⁠

⁠Free 15 Clutter-Free Gift Ideas⁠

Free Gift Request Email Template

⁠⁠⁠⁠Free Know Your Why Worksheet ⁠⁠⁠⁠

⁠⁠⁠⁠Free Baby Essentials List⁠⁠⁠⁠

CODES:

Ethical, luxury women's clothing at Quince.com/paring for 365-day returns, plus free shipping on your order!

10 Free Meals from Hello Fresh: www.hellofresh.com/paring10fm

20% OFF any AquaTru water purifier when you go to AquaTru.com and use promo code PARING

This show is brought to you by BetterHelp. Get 10% off your first month of Better Help therapy: www.betterhelp.com/paring

40% off luxurious bedsheets & loungewear from Cozy Earth: https://cozyearth.com - use code PARING

$300 off Air Doctor Pro air purifier: https://airdoctorpro.com/ - Use code PARING

15% off your first order at PACT (sustainable, ethical clothing): https://wearpact.com/ - Use code PARINGDOWN

Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Finding a decluttering method that works for you is great, but identifying principles that can apply to any decluttering decision is even more powerful.

In this episode, I share 10 principles -- or established truths about life -- that can help guide our processes and decisions as we decide what should stay and what should go in our homes, schedules, and beyond.

Paring Down Instagram: ⁠⁠@paring_down⁠

Mentioned in this episode:

Shannon's Instagram post about decluttering clothing that doesn't fit

Effortless by Greg McKeown

Shannon's book, You're Completely Normal

Paring Down Newsletter: The L.E.S.S. Express

Paring Down Webiste & Blog

Paring Down YouTube

PARING DOWN RESOURCES:

Complete Guide to Decluttering Kid Stuff⁠⁠⁠⁠

⁠Free 15 Clutter-Free Gift Ideas⁠

Free Gift Request Email Template

⁠⁠⁠⁠Free Know Your Why Worksheet ⁠⁠⁠⁠

⁠⁠⁠⁠Free Baby Essentials List⁠⁠⁠⁠

CODES:

20% OFF any AquaTru water purifier when you go to AquaTru.com and use promo code PARING

This show is brought to you by BetterHelp. Get 10% off your first month of Better Help therapy: www.betterhelp.com/paring

40% off luxurious bedsheets & loungewear from Cozy Earth: https://cozyearth.com - use code PARING

Ethical, luxury women's clothing at Quince.com/paring for 365-day returns, plus free shipping on your order!

10 Free Meals from Hello Fresh: www.hellofresh.com/paring10fm

$300 off Air Doctor Pro air purifier: https://airdoctorpro.com/ - Use code PARING

15% off your first order at PACT (sustainable, ethical clothing): https://wearpact.com/ - Use code PARINGDOWN

Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

This episode has been a long time coming, and I'm so happy it's finally here!!! I know so many of you struggle to help your parents declutter in their senior years of life, or perhaps you're a senior adult yourself and struggling to manage the possessions you've accumulated in life.

I'm honored that Jeannine Bryant of Easy Rightsizing joined me to share her 15 years of wisdom on this topic, having helped hundreds of seniors and their families downsize (or "rightsize") their belongings. Jeannine's approach is one of practicality, respect, and - above all - connection. You will feel seen. You will feel empowered. You will feel prepared. And you will LOVE this episode.

Paring Down Instagram: ⁠⁠@paring_down⁠

Jeannine Bryant Instagram: @easyrightsizing

Easy Rightsizing Facebook

Easy Rightsizing YouTube

www.easyrightsizing.com

Moving Day Planning Timeline & other resources

Jeannine's book: Keep the Memories Not the Stuff

Boundaries by Dr. Henry Cloud & Dr. John Townsend

The Gentle Art of Swedish Death Cleaning by Margareta Magnusson

The Regrets of the Dying blog post by Bronnie Ware

Leaning into the Season of Giving (Paring Down episode about where to donate)

Paring Down Newsletter: The L.E.S.S. Express

Paring Down Webiste & Blog

Paring Down YouTube

PARING DOWN RESOURCES:

Complete Guide to Decluttering Kid Stuff⁠⁠⁠⁠

⁠Free 15 Clutter-Free Gift Ideas⁠

Free Gift Request Email Template

⁠⁠⁠⁠Free Know Your Why Worksheet ⁠⁠⁠⁠

⁠⁠⁠⁠Free Baby Essentials List⁠⁠⁠⁠

CODES:

20% OFF any AquaTru water purifier when you go to AquaTru.com and use promo code PARING

This show is brought to you by BetterHelp. Get 10% off your first month of Better Help therapy: www.betterhelp.com/paring

40% off luxurious bedsheets & loungewear from Cozy Earth: https://cozyearth.com - use code PARING

Ethical, luxury women's clothing at Quince.com/paring for 365-day returns, plus free shipping on your order!

10 Free Meals from Hello Fresh: www.hellofresh.com/paring10fm

$300 off Air Doctor Pro air purifier: https://airdoctorpro.com/ - Use code PARING

15% off your first order at PACT (sustainable, ethical clothing): https://wearpact.com/ - Use code PARINGDOWN

Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

It's always SO exciting when I record something that immediately becomes one of my favorite episodes. This is one of those!! My degree is in psychology because I've always been fascinated with understanding human behavior, motivations, and emotions. So today, I explore 5 psychological theories and cognitive biases that affect WHY it's hard to declutter, and what we can do to move forward.

I hope you feel seen and empowered.

Remember: I am not a doctor of psychology, rather just sharing concepts I've found to be highly interesting!

Paring Down Instagram: ⁠⁠@paring_down⁠

Books related to this episode:

Scarcity Brain by Michael Easter

Subtract by Leidy Klotz

The Age of Magical Overthinking by Amanda Montell

Paring Down Newsletter: The L.E.S.S. Express

Paring Down Webiste & Blog

Paring Down YouTube

PARING DOWN RESOURCES:

Complete Guide to Decluttering Kid Stuff⁠⁠⁠⁠

⁠Free 15 Clutter-Free Gift Ideas⁠

Free Gift Request Email Template

⁠⁠⁠⁠Free Know Your Why Worksheet ⁠⁠⁠⁠

⁠⁠⁠⁠Free Baby Essentials List⁠⁠⁠⁠

CODES:

20% OFF any AquaTru water purifier when you go to AquaTru.com and use promo code PARING

This show is brought to you by BetterHelp. Get 10% off your first month of Better Help therapy: www.betterhelp.com/paring

40% off luxurious bedsheets & loungewear from Cozy Earth: https://cozyearth.com - use code PARING

Ethical, luxury women's clothing at Quince.com/paring for 365-day returns, plus free shipping on your order!

10 Free Meals from Hello Fresh: www.hellofresh.com/paring10fm

$300 off Air Doctor Pro air purifier: https://airdoctorpro.com/ - Use code PARING

15% off your first order at PACT (sustainable, ethical clothing): https://wearpact.com/ - Use code PARINGDOWN

Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Diane Boden of the Minimalist Moms podcast joins us on Paring Down today to talk about how to adopt a more minimalish mindset in 2025 and beyond. It's not just about goal-setting - it's about viewing our possessions and our life with clarity, which will propel us into action.

Paring Down Instagram: ⁠⁠@paring_down⁠

Diane Boden Instagram: @diane_boden

Minimalist Moms Instagram: @minimalistmomspodcast

Minimalist Moms podcast

Minimalist Moms book

Books mentioned:

The Ruthless Elimination of Hurry by John Mark Comer

The Comfort Crisis by Michael Easter

Paring Down Newsletter: The L.E.S.S. Express

Paring Down Webiste & Blog

Paring Down YouTube

PARING DOWN RESOURCES:

Complete Guide to Decluttering Kid Stuff⁠⁠⁠⁠

⁠Free 15 Clutter-Free Gift Ideas⁠

Free Gift Request Email Template

⁠⁠⁠⁠Free Know Your Why Worksheet ⁠⁠⁠⁠

⁠⁠⁠⁠Free Baby Essentials List⁠⁠⁠⁠

CODES:

20% OFF any AquaTru water purifier when you go to AquaTru.com and use promo code PARING

This show is brought to you by BetterHelp. Get 10% off your first month of Better Help therapy: www.betterhelp.com/paring

40% off luxurious bedsheets & loungewear from Cozy Earth: https://cozyearth.com - use code PARING

Ethical, luxury women's clothing at Quince.com/paring for 365-day returns, plus free shipping on your order!

10 Free Meals from Hello Fresh: www.hellofresh.com/paring10fm

$300 off Air Doctor Pro air purifier: https://airdoctorpro.com/ - Use code PARING

15% off your first order at PACT (sustainable, ethical clothing): https://wearpact.com/ - Use code PARINGDOWN

Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

We can't live intentionally while never taking time to pause and reflect on our lives. Through this purposeful evaluation, we are able to consciously decide our next steps, what to keep, and what to let go.

Even if resolutions aren't your thing, this is a great time of year to do this practice of reflection -- so let's walk through 8 questions together and see what adjustments it's time to make (or not)!

Paring Down Instagram: ⁠⁠@paring_down⁠

Episodes mentioned:

How Living with Less Inspires Generosity with Ultralight Backpacker Glen Van Peski

Tidy Up Your Life with Tyler Moore aka Tidy Dad

Paring Down Newsletter: The L.E.S.S. Express

Paring Down Webiste & Blog

Paring Down YouTube

PARING DOWN RESOURCES:

Complete Guide to Decluttering Kid Stuff⁠⁠⁠⁠

⁠Free 15 Clutter-Free Gift Ideas⁠

Free Gift Request Email Template

⁠⁠⁠⁠Free Know Your Why Worksheet ⁠⁠⁠⁠

⁠⁠⁠⁠Free Baby Essentials List⁠⁠⁠⁠

CODES:

20% OFF any AquaTru water purifier when you go to AquaTru.com and use promo code PARING

This show is brought to you by BetterHelp. Get 10% off your first month of Better Help therapy: www.betterhelp.com/paring

40% off luxurious bedsheets & loungewear from Cozy Earth: https://cozyearth.com - use code PARING

Ethical, luxury women's clothing at Quince.com/paring for 365-day returns, plus free shipping on your order!

10 Free Meals from Hello Fresh: www.hellofresh.com/paring10fm

$300 off Air Doctor Pro air purifier: https://airdoctorpro.com/ - Use code PARING

15% off your first order at PACT (sustainable, ethical clothing): https://wearpact.com/ - Use code PARINGDOWN

Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Today we welcome Erin Port of Simple Purposeful Living to the podcast! I LOVE Erin's "big sister energy" (her words) that so gently remind us that we don't have to be extreme with our choices in order to simplify our lives.

In a season of overwhelm (Merry Christmas Eve, btw!), I think you'll absolutely love this episode that helps you find ways to make your life easier through the littlest tweaks.

Paring Down Instagram: ⁠⁠@paring_down⁠

Erin Port Instagram: @simpllepurposefulliving

Simple Purposeful Living website

Simple Purposeful Living podcast

Paring Down Newsletter: The L.E.S.S. Express

Paring Down Webiste & Blog

Paring Down YouTube

PARING DOWN RESOURCES:

Complete Guide to Decluttering Kid Stuff⁠⁠⁠⁠

⁠Free 15 Clutter-Free Gift Ideas⁠

Free Gift Request Email Template

⁠⁠⁠⁠Free Know Your Why Worksheet ⁠⁠⁠⁠

⁠⁠⁠⁠Free Baby Essentials List⁠⁠⁠⁠

CODES:

20% OFF any AquaTru water purifier when you go to AquaTru.com and use promo code PARING

This show is brought to you by BetterHelp. Get 10% off your first month of Better Help therapy: www.betterhelp.com/paring

40% off luxurious bedsheets & loungewear from Cozy Earth: https://cozyearth.com - use code PARING

Ethical, luxury women's clothing at Quince.com/paring for 365-day returns, plus free shipping on your order!

10 Free Meals from Hello Fresh: www.hellofresh.com/freeparing

$300 off Air Doctor Pro air purifier: https://airdoctorpro.com/ - Use code PARING

15% off your first order at PACT (sustainable, ethical clothing): https://wearpact.com/ - Use code PARINGDOWN

Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Birthday parties are a great example of how the true power of a “minimalish” life isn’t in less for the sake of less, rather it’s about intentionality.

In this episode, I share how our family personally approaches birthday parties - from why we do them at all, to how many kids are invited, to gifts and goody bags and themes!

Biggest takeaway: Minimalism isn’t the lens through which I view life. It’s a symptom of living intentionally…because inevitably, only the essential will shine. But I don’t look at life as a challenge to do or have the least possible. There’s a difference there, and the former is much more freeing!

Paring Down Instagram: ⁠⁠@paring_down⁠

Paring Down Newsletter: The L.E.S.S. Express

Paring Down Blog

Paring Down YouTube

PARING DOWN RESOURCES:

Complete Guide to Decluttering Kid Stuff⁠⁠⁠⁠

⁠Free 15 Clutter-Free Gift Ideas⁠

Free Gift Request Email Template

⁠⁠⁠⁠Free Know Your Why Worksheet ⁠⁠⁠⁠

⁠⁠⁠⁠Free Baby Essentials List⁠⁠⁠⁠

CODES:

20% OFF any AquaTru water purifier when you go to AquaTru.com and use promo code PARING

This show is brought to you by BetterHelp. Get 10% off your first month of Better Help therapy: www.betterhelp.com/paring

40% off luxurious bedsheets & loungewear from Cozy Earth: https://cozyearth.com - use code PARING

Ethical, luxury women's clothing at Quince.com/paring for 365-day returns, plus free shipping on your order!

10 Free Meals from Hello Fresh: www.hellofresh.com/freeparing

$300 off Air Doctor Pro air purifier: https://airdoctorpro.com/ - Use code PARING

15% off your first order at PACT (sustainable, ethical clothing): https://wearpact.com/ - Use code PARINGDOWN

Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

THE ONE THE ONLY Tyler Moore aka Tidy Dad is on today's episode! Tyler is so engaging, positive, and honest-- three attributes that have led him to features on Good Morning America and in The New York Times, Apartment Therapy, and more. You'll love listening to his insights that inspire us all to tidy up our homes and lives!

Plus you MUST get your hands on his book, Tidy Up Your Life, which releases January 7th. I got an advanced reader copy and you can read my review in my "Nonfiction" highlight HERE in my profile!

Paring Down Instagram: ⁠⁠@paring_down⁠

Paring Down Newsletter: The L.E.S.S. Express

Paring Down Blog

Paring Down YouTube

Tyler Moore's Instagram: @tidydad

Order Tyler's book, Tidy Up Your Life

thetidydad.com

PARING DOWN RESOURCES:

Complete Guide to Decluttering Kid Stuff⁠⁠⁠⁠

⁠Free 15 Clutter-Free Gift Ideas⁠

Free Gift Request Email Template

⁠⁠⁠⁠Free Know Your Why Worksheet ⁠⁠⁠⁠

⁠⁠⁠⁠Free Baby Essentials List⁠⁠⁠⁠

CODES:

This show is brought to you by BetterHelp. Get 10% off your first month of Better Help therapy: www.betterhelp.com/paring

40% off luxurious bedsheets & loungewear from Cozy Earth: https://cozyearth.com - use code PARING

Ethical, luxury women's clothing at Quince.com/paring for 365-day returns, plus free shipping on your order!

10 Free Meals from Hello Fresh: www.hellofresh.com/freeparing

$300 off Air Doctor Pro air purifier: https://airdoctorpro.com/ - Use code PARING

20% OFF any AquaTru water purifier when you go to AquaTru.com and use promo code PARING

15% off your first order at PACT (sustainable, ethical clothing): https://wearpact.com/ - Use code PARINGDOWN

Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

In this episode, we talk through 5 ways to keep traditions from becoming overwhelming -- from focusing on the big picture instead of the details, to creating a fair divide of responsibilities with your partner.

Here's to a less stressful, more magical holiday season!

MENTIONED IN THIS EPISODE:

Other Paring Down episodes:

Avoiding the Christmas Clutter

Making Holiday Decor Meaningful

What the Bible Says About Our Stuff

Leaning Into the Season of Giving

Why We Celebrate the Birth of Jesus

Where Do Popular Christmas Traditions Come From?

Paring Down resources:

⁠Free 15 Clutter-Free Gift Ideas⁠

Free Gift Request Email Template

Complete Guide to Decluttering Kid Stuff⁠⁠⁠⁠

MORE OF PARING DOWN:

Paring Down Podcast Instagram: ⁠⁠@paring_down⁠

⁠⁠Instagram Growth Basics⁠

⁠⁠⁠⁠Free Know Your Why Worksheet ⁠⁠⁠⁠

⁠⁠⁠⁠Free Baby Essentials List⁠⁠⁠⁠

CODES:

This show is brought to you by BetterHelp. Get 10% off your first month of Better Help therapy: www.betterhelp.com/paring

40% off luxurious bedsheets & loungewear from Cozy Earth: https://cozyearth.com - use code PARING

Ethical, luxury women's clothing at Quince.com/paring for 365-day returns, plus free shipping on your order!

$300 off Air Doctor Pro air purifier: https://airdoctorpro.com/ - Use code PARING

20% OFF any AquaTru water purifier when you go to AquaTru.com and use promo code PARING

10 Free Meals from Hello Fresh: www.hellofresh.com/freeparing

15% off your first order at PACT (sustainable, ethical clothing): https://wearpact.com/ - Use code PARINGDOWN

Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices