Decluttering Tips and Support

Dear Reader,

Our house is getting packed up on Monday and we are officially moving to Pennsylvania in two weeks. Needless to say, my mind is racing with a million to-do's.

Unfortunately, most of the to-do's aren't fun but rather boring "adulting" ones like going to the dump, putting together Banker boxes, and making phone calls. I wish I could have a positive attitude like our friend Ted Lasso...

...but often I find myself unmotivated and procrastinating.

So how do we tackle our to-do list with zero motivation?

On the Podcast

This week on the podcast, I'm chatting with my friend Michelle Byrd from The Busy Vibrant Mom. It's our 14th installment of the Coffee and Tea with M&E bonus podcast.

Michelle and I share some of our top tips for tackling our to-do lists with zero motivation! Here's a sneak peek:
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✅ If you lack energy to tackle the things you have to do, you need to cut out as many unnecessary to-do's as possible. For me, that has meant saying no to helping with end of year parties at the boys' school so I can focus on moving tasks. This also is allowing me to be emotionally available for my boys who are navigating leaving friends and starting at a new school in the fall.
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✅ When your to-do list seems scattered, batch them based upon location or context. For example, I batched a ton of errands (going to the dump, Costco, library, donation drop offs) and even write down the order I am going to each location. Before I leave for the next location, I cross it off my list and get a small dopamine boost!

You can learn more about batching (and other tips for managing the mental load of motherhood) in this Episode 117.

✅ When you're approaching something totally unknown, it can be overwhelming and you may avoid it altogether. I recommend using AI strategically to help you brainstorm and organize your thoughts so you can move forward. For example, I've utilized Claude to help me with a pre-move checklist.

To learn all the tips, listen to the episode on your favorite podcast player!

Things I'm Loving Right Now

✨ My decluttering/organizing tool of the week is one simple question to ask yourself while decluttering - would I pack this and move it?
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Obviously it's a question that I'm asking myself now as we decide what to pack. I don't want to take the time to wrap and carefully pack (and then unpack) something we rarely used or don't need.

✨ My decluttering/organizing resource of the week is a free resource to help you ask questions (like the one above) to live a minimal, more intentional life. It's my popular free resource 50 Questions Minimalists Ask.

✨ My favorite recipe of the week is a ricotta gnocchi skillet - I omitted the marinara sauce and used ground chicken instead of turkey. The kids loved it.

What things you're loving right now? Hit reply and let me know.

On the journey with you,

Emily
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P.S. Skipped to the end? No problem! This week my friend Michelle and I spoke about tackling your to-do list when you have ZERO motivation.

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