Shira Gill, a home organizing expert, shares practical tips for living a less cluttered life. They discuss the psychology behind clutter, the positive impact of organizing, and ways to declutter and give away items. They also highlight the importance of involving children in the organizing process and teaching them a healthy mindset. Check out Shira's new book, 'Organized Living', for more tips!
Clutter is a result of delayed decision making, and organizing tasks should be broken down into smaller, doable habits.
To achieve organized living, it is important to involve children in the organizing process and teach them decision-making skills and a healthy mindset around possessions.
Deep dives
Organizing your home and understanding the psychology of clutter
The podcast episode features a conversation with Shira Gill, a home organizing expert and author. The episode delves into the psychology behind clutter and explores why people tend to accumulate more belongings than they need. Gill emphasizes that clutter is a result of delayed decision making and offers strategies to overcome it. One approach is breaking down organizing tasks into smaller, doable habits. Gill also highlights the importance of setting clear boundaries and involving children in the organizing process, teaching them decision-making skills and creating a healthy mindset around possessions.
Tips for organizing and decluttering your home
Gill shares practical advice for organizing and decluttering various areas of the home. She suggests using local resources like neighborhood buy nothing groups, where items can be given away for free to others in the community. Gill also recommends working with local schools, churches, or libraries to donate items. For those looking to sell items online, she suggests platforms like eBay, Poshmark, or ThreadUp, while cautioning that it can be time-consuming. Another option mentioned is hosting clothing swaps or other item exchanges within your community, fostering a spirit of generosity and connection.
Understanding the motivations behind excessive shopping
The podcast episode explores the psychological reasons behind impulsive shopping and excessive accumulation of belongings. Gill suggests that people often buy things to fulfill emotional needs or alleviate boredom, restlessness, or dissatisfaction in their lives. She encourages individuals to examine the underlying longings or emotions they experience when shopping, and to find alternative ways to satisfy those desires, such as planning experiential activities or trips in advance.
Benefits of minimalism and simplified living
Gill reflects on her personal journey as a minimalist and highlights the benefits of a simplified lifestyle. By reducing the number of possessions, individuals can experience increased freedom, reduced mental clutter, and a sense of control over their physical space. She also emphasizes the importance of setting up clear, loving boundaries for children's belongings, while allowing them to make choices within those boundaries. Ultimately, the episode emphasizes the importance of approaching organizing with joy, creativity, and understanding, rather than striving for perfection or adhering to societal expectations.
Discover the small and doable habits that ultimately lead to organized living. I'm joined by Shira Gill, a home organizing expert and author who uses coaching as a way to supplement all of the expertise she has in helping people live less cluttered lives.
Whether you consider yourself organized, messy, or somewhere in between, today’s episode is exactly what you need. Shira is giving us practical tips you can implement right now to start living a less cluttered life.