Declutter, Downsize, and Move Forward with Your Life

Feb 21, 2022

In this enlightening discussion, Matt Paxton, a downsizing and decluttering expert known for his work on shows like Hoarders, shares fascinating insights on letting go of possessions while preserving memories. He explores the psychological barriers to decluttering, offering strategies like creating 'maybe piles' and 'legacy lists' to streamline the process. Paxton shares personal stories from extreme hoarding cases, illustrating how emotional attachments can complicate downsizing. His practical tips empower listeners to start small and take manageable steps towards a simpler, clutter-free life.

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ANECDOTE

Unexpected Career Path

Matt Paxton's career began after a series of family deaths left him cleaning out their houses.
This experience, though difficult, led him to realize the need for his services and the potential for a career in decluttering and downsizing.

INSIGHT

Clutter as a Symptom

The severity of hoarding reflects the level of emotional damage a person has experienced.
Extreme clutter indicates deeper trauma and hurt in hoarders.

ADVICE

Define Your Finish Line

Define your decluttering goals and your 'why' before starting.
Knowing your destination and motivation prevents quitting, similar to working out.

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You want to declutter. You want to downsize. You want to live more simply. So what's been holding you back from getting closer to those ideals?

My guest today sorts through both the psychological and practical roadblocks that can get in the way of living more minimally, and more in the present. His name is Matt Paxton, and he's a downsizing and decluttering expert, a featured cleaner on the television show Hoarders, the host of the Emmy-nominated show Legacy List With Matt Paxton which showcases people's heirlooms and treasures, and the author of Keep the Memories, Lose the Stuff: Declutter, Downsize, and Move Forward with Your Life.

We begin our conversation with how Matt got into cleaning out houses and working with hoarders, and some of the worst cases of hoarding Matt's seen. We then get into both the mindset and brass tacks tips he's learned from the most extreme cases of clutter that can be used by regular people who just want to pare down their stuff. We talk about why we can feel so attached to our possessions, and how to let them go, while still preserving your and your family's memories. Matt recommends how and where to get started with your decluttering, and offers tools, including creating a "maybe pile" and a "legacy list," for deciding what to keep and what to chuck, whether you're dealing with big items like furniture or small stuff like documents and pictures. Matt explains what to do with your stuff whether trashing, donating, upcycling, or selling, and how much you can reasonably expect to get when you do the latter (spoiler alert: it's a lot less than you think). We end our conversation with how, after you've decluttered your place, to keep it from getting clogged up again.

Oh, and we also discuss where to find hidden stashes of money when you're cleaning out the house of an older person who's died.

This is a really fun and interesting conversation that definitely motivated me to clean out our house.

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