Simplify Your Home: Declutter, Organize, Decorate, Interior Design, Routines

Struggling to Declutter? 3 New 15-Minute Strategies to Clear the Clutter for a Calm Home

Have you ever opened the door to a cluttered room, felt your stomach drop, and quickly closed it again? You promise yourself you’ll deal with it this weekend. Then the weekend comes and goes, and the door stays shut.

If you want to make progress without giving up every Saturday this month, this episode is for you. All you need is fifteen minutes, your notes app, and one room that’s been driving you nuts.

In This Episode:

Every vacation reminds me of how little I actually need. So let’s use those lessons to make decluttering easier. 

Write your own travel notes. Before you touch a single item, write a quick paragraph or some bullet points about what you want a room to feel like and how you want to use it. Then let that note make the hard decisions for you. 

The carry-on strategy. Most decluttering advice asks you to decide what to get rid of. This flips the question, and it’s really helpful if you freeze up when it’s time to let things go.

Pick your favorite souvenirs. Mugs, tote bags, candles, throw blankets. Use this simple rule on the categories that seem to multiply in your home and skip the guilt.

The vacation rental test. After a while we all become a little blind to our clutter. Here’s a quick way to see your room the way a guest would and also to notice what you would change if you saw it in an Airbnb listing.

Resources Mentioned:

Free Decluttering and Decorating Guides: www.simplifiedhomedesign.com/free

1-1 Clear the Clutter session: www.simplifiedhomedesign.com/clear-the-clutter

Next Steps:

Related Episodes:

EP 5: Create a Decluttering Routine That Won’t Make You Lose Your Mind

EP 7: Decluttering Routines That Continue Working Even When Your Life Changes

Curious about the latest interior design trends? According to Pinterest, CottageCore is still going strong, but GrandmaCore, Modern Heritage, and Organic Luxe are also trending. Today I’m breaking the styles down with you and showing you how you can add them to your home through decorating and decluttering.

Resources Mentioned:

1-1 Clear the Clutter session: www.simplifiedhomedesign.com/clear-the-clutter

Next Steps:

Related Episodes:

20: Ready to Decorate for Fall? 5 Simple Ways to Create a Cozy Home With Confidence and Without Clutter

17: Decorating Your Home After a Big Life Change: Easy Steps for a Fresh Start

14: Interior Design Mistakes Homeowners Make and How to Avoid Them

I love helping people create homes that they love. But over and over again, clients talk about the latest thing that they heard on social media or Pinterest or from Jenny down the block… and while many of those things simply are not true, it keeps them from decluttering and organizing their homes. So today we are debunking the top 5 myths that I hear about clutter and home organizing. Because these things should not hold you back from having a relaxing home that you can enjoy everyday. 

Resources Mentioned:

1-1 Clear the Clutter session: www.simplifiedhomedesign.com/clear-the-clutter

Next Steps:

Related Episodes:

18: Clutter and Perimenopause: Why Your Home May Be Making Your Symptoms Worse

07: Decluttering Routines That Continue Working Even When Your Life Changes

05: Create A Decluttering Routine That Won’t Make You Lose Your Mind

Cleaning and decluttering routines can feel too complicated to stick to. Raise your hand if you have started multiple home routines or tried the one size fits all system, only to start skipping days and eventually give up because you didn’t have the time or energy to maintain the routine. 

If no one has told you, the state of your home today is not a reflection on you as a person. Life gets busy, things are constantly changing, and it is hard to keep up with everything. Especially if we are fighting with perfectionism. 

I hope this episode helps you simplify and feel better about testing different routines until you find the one that is right for you… the one that you will be able to maintain.

Resources Mentioned:

1-1 Clear the Clutter session: www.simplifiedhomedesign.com/clear-the-clutter

Next Steps:

Related Episodes:

18: Clutter and Perimenopause: Why Your Home May Be Making Your Symptoms Worse

07: Decluttering Routines That Continue Working Even When Your Life Changes

05: Create A Decluttering Routine That Won’t Make You Lose Your Mind

Today is the first official day of fall/autumn. Although you wouldn’t guess that in the heat dome that I live in! All the same, I am ready for some fall decorating. 

I know life is busy, but before you decide to skip decorating this year or fill up a cart with hundreds of dollars of decor, this episode will walk you through five simple ways to make your home feel cozy this fall with a little bit of decorating and decluttering. 

I am fighting a cold while recording this episode courtesy of elementary school germs (apologies for my sick voice!)

In This Episode:

Minimalist or maximalist? Easy ways to determine your style for this season.

Choose a color palette. Whether you lean towards orange and red, jewel tones, or classic neutrals, picking one palette will make every decorating decision faster.

Simple ways to bring fall scents and treats into your home.

Why limiting your seasonal decor keeps it from turning into more clutter to deal with come winter.

Resources Mentioned:

Next Steps:

Related Episodes:

14: Interior Design Mistakes Homeowners make and How to Avoid Them

11: Decorating Ideas Not Matching Your Budget? 5 Ways to Create Your Dream Home Without a Billionaire Bank Account

06: 5 Interior Design Hacks for When You’ve Decorated But Your Room Still Feels Off

It's 5:30. You open the fridge to start dinner, glance at your countertops, and decide today was meant to be a takeout ( or takeaway) day. 

I’m all for some good takeout, but if you are working on your health or financial goals, try these three small kitchen changes that make cooking (and cleaning) feel easier, even on your busiest nights.

In This Episode:

Why your countertops are sabotaging your meal plan. Messy counters can look overwhelming, and they can make cooking feel like a huge task.

Claim your cooking zone. Keep one area of your countertop clear except for the essentials. Meal prep and cooking will feel more manageable. 

Give the countertop clutter a new home. I give examples of what works for me as well as clients. 

How a kitchen time audit can help you overcome the thought that you don't have time or energy to reset your kitchen after meals. But also, permission to do the bare minimum if you really are low on energy, fighting ADHD task paralysis, or dealing with a tough chronic illness day. 

Listener Q&A: Rebecca from Sydney asks how to declutter a kitchen with limited cabinet and counter space. 

Resources Mentioned:

Free Decluttering and Organizing Quick Wins Guide or Home Clarity Guide: www.simplifiedhomedesign.com/free

1-1 Clear the Clutter session: www.simplifiedhomedesign.com/clear-the-clutter

Next Steps:

Related Episodes: 

15: Don’t Declutter Your Home Until You Do This First

10: Zombie Decluttering: Try This When Your Husband or Kids Don’t Want to Declutter

05: Create A Decluttering Routine That Won’t Make You Lose Your Mind

When clutter and a messy home are making your perimenopause symptoms worse...

While patience may not have been your favorite thing, now you have days where it seems to be non-existent. The countertop clutter, the shoes by the door, the pile of mail... it doesn’t take much to push you over the edge.

If you've noticed your tolerance for a messy home, clutter, and disorganization decreasing right along with your patience for loud people and extra demands on your time, this episode explains why, and what you can do about it.

In This Episode:

What's actually happening in your body: Falling progesterone and estrogen change how your brain processes stress and visual clutter, not just your mood.

Why a cluttered home does more than annoy you. The research behind restorative environments, and what a less stimulating space can do for your nervous system.

Where to start decluttering and organizing your home when you are annoyed and overwhelmed.

Why now isn't the time for a complicated home organization system, plus what to do instead when your energy and memory aren't as predictable as they used to be.

Resources Mentioned:

Free Decluttering and Organizing Quick Wins Guide or Home Clarity Guide: www.simplifiedhomedesign.com/free

1-1 Clear the Clutter session: www.simplifiedhomedesign.com/clear-the-clutter

Next Steps:

Related Episodes: 

15: Don’t Declutter Your Home Until You Do This First

10: Zombie Decluttering: Try This When Your Husband or Kids Don’t Want to Declutter

05: Create A Decluttering Routine That Won’t Make You Lose Your Mind

How to Decorate Your Home After Divorce, Your Adult Kids Move Out or Back In, A Move to a New City, or While Blending Families 

Life is always changing. A divorce, a remarriage, an empty nest, aging parents moving in, or a move to a brand new city. All of these feel better when you update your home to reflect the new season.

If you're ready to make a few intentional changes to your home without buying all new furniture or feeling guilty about wanting something different, this episode is for you.

In This Episode:

Your home matters more right now than you think. There's research showing women's stress hormones are directly tied to how they describe their homes, which means a cluttered, unfinished space can be working against you during an already overwhelming season.

Giving yourself permission to change things. You don't have to wait for more time to pass, and you're allowed to rearrange, repaint, and swap out anything that no longer fits.

Some objects trigger memory and emotion whether you're thinking about it or not, and one client's story about a rocking chair shows how to keep the sentiment without the sadness.

Where to start depending on your situation. Specific first steps for divorce, blending families, an empty nest, aging parents moving in, or settling into a new city.

Resources Mentioned:

Next Steps:

Related Episodes: 

14: Interior Design Mistakes Homeowners Make And How To Avoid Them

11: Decorating Ideas Not Matching Your Budget? 5 Ways To Create Your Dream Home Without A Billionaire Bank Account

09: 5 Ways Good Interior Design Makes Your Life Easier

The garage that’s filled with so many things that a car hasn’t parked there since 1992. Collections from hobbies that haven't been touched in over a decade in the room no one is allowed to touch. Box upon box upon box of old photos and papers…

If you've ever walked into your parents' home and felt your chest tighten a little at the sheer amount of stuff while hoping and praying an additional storage unit doesn’t also exist somewhere, this episode is for you.

And if you've tried to talk to them about decluttering, downsizing, or organizing their home and it turned into an argument, or they shut down completely, or they agreed just to get you to stop talking but never followed through, you know that this can be tricky.

But it is possible to help your parents declutter in a way that respects their autonomy, protects your relationship, and maybe (just maybe) make progress so you won’t have to tackle all of their belongings later in life.

In This Episode:

Approach the decluttering conversation with how it will benefit them. Because while your reasons for wanting to help your parents declutter are probably very well meaning and  practical, leading with them can make your parents super defensive. 

Why not asking for permission before you start touching their things will probably backfire. 

What research shows is the most effective way to declutter with your aging parents. 

The importance of letting them tell the stories behind the clutter (even if you don’t want to hear them). 

Resources Mentioned:

Next Steps:

Related Episodes:

You’ve got the trash bag, the donation box, a good playlist, and the motivation to finally tackle that room today.

Forty-five minutes in, you're surrounded by more piles than when you started, second-guessing every decision, and this whole decluttering and getting organized thing feels harder than it should.

Before you touch another thing, let’s simplify decluttering and get clear on how you want the room to look, feel, and function.

In This Episode:

Why decision fatigue derails decluttering attempts. Without a clear standard to measure things against, exhaustion can hit fast.

Three questions to ask before you declutter any room. A simple exercise that turns vague goals like "cozy but uncluttered" into something more personalized and specific so you can strategically declutter. 

What it means if you keep decluttering the same space. It's usually one of two things.

Why you need a stopping time, not just a starting time. Decision fatigue sets in faster than you think, and pushing past it usually isn’t the best idea.

A cheaper fix than buying new furniture. Sometimes the piece you've been searching for is already sitting in your garage.

Resources Mentioned:

Next Steps:

Related Episodes: