Decluttering Tips and Support

Dear Reader,

You can't take it anymore. The stuff is driving you CRAZY.
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You grab a trash bag and start rage decluttering. Nothing is safe. It HAS TO GO.

20 minutes in, and you finally feel like you're getting into a groove. Today you WILL take back your home!
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And then...."MOM! I need you!"

Or the dog needs to go out.
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Or your phone starts pinging with a text message from work and you get distracted.
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And by the time you get back to that big black trash bag - your motivation has petered out. You're exhausted and there's still SO much to do.
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Sound familiar?

When it comes to decluttering, motivation may be elusive, but there is hope!

On the Podcast

What if there was a way to find a deeper motivation to declutter and harness the power of enthusiasm to help you (and your family) declutter over the long-term?

This week I chatted with Shannon Leyko from the chart-topping Paring Down podcast. Long-term motivation is something that has to come from something deeper than frustration with the state of our homes or even a desire for a Pinterest-perfect playroom. It comes from understanding our deepest why.
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But how do we discover our deepest why, anyway? Shannon recommends that we start with our core values, which is the intersection of three components:
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1. Morals - what you think is right and wrong. For example, a moral could be patience.
2. Codes of conduct - this is how your values influence your behavior. For example, I don't yell at my children.
3. Experiences - what you want to do with your time - spend time with family, nurture relationships, travel, etc.
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​Once we have an understanding of this deepest why, we can see how our home supports - or doesn't support - our core values. ​
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For example, if I value patience, don't want to yell at my children, and value family relationships, I want to make it as easy as possible to get out the door in the morning. That's why my kids never ask, "Where are my shoes?" because they have one pair of sneakers that they wear 90% of the time that are by the front door. So *most* of the time, we get out to the bus without too much stress.

Shannon and I also dive into enthusiasm and how we can encourage our family members to declutter.
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To hear the full conversation, check out Episode 232 on your favorite podcast player or on YouTube!

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In Case You Missed It

I focus a lot on decluttering what's already in your home, but stopping clutter before it starts is what I call the first phase of decluttering, and it's arguably the most important.
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Recently, I chatted with the Budget Besties, Shana and Vanessa, all about how to curb impulse spending. A few of the questions I answered include:
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​❓ What do you say to someone who feels like they have "no self-control" at Target?

❓ What would you say to the person who wants to go out and get all the pretty organizing bins, baskets, and labels?

Check out the full episode here or watch this clip on Instagram!

Things I'm Loving Right Now

✨ My decluttering/organizing tool(s) of the week are all about making space in the laundry room and linen closet - since we just finished a decluttering challenge in the Facebook group where we focused on those two spaces.
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- a slim rolling storage cart to fit in the narrow space between the washer and dryer
- a wall mount for your iron, ironing board, and a caddy for a few supplies (use that vertical wall space!)
- vertical linens organizers to make more space in your linen closet

✨ My decluttering/organizing resource of the week is my guest Shannon Leyko's Know Your Why Worksheet, where she helps us discover our deepest why to sustain our decluttering motivation!

✨ My favorite recipe of the week is this high protein green smoothie recipe from my health coach Lara Frendjian that I have a few times a week:
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1 cup almondmilk or milk of choice
1/2 cup unsweetened kefir
1 banana
1 tablespoon hemp hearts
1 tablespoon chia seeds
1 tablespoon cacao powder
1 1/2 tablespoons coconut manna
1/4 cup unflavored protein powder
2 cups baby spinach
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Blend and enjoy!
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What are some things you're loving right now? Hit reply and let me know.

On the journey with you,

Emily

P.S. Skipped to the end? No problem! This week I spoke to Shannon Leyko about how to find (and keep) your motivation and enthusiasm for decluttering.

​*Note- affiliate links may be included, which means I get a small commission if you use my link - thanks!​