The Art of Decluttering

When you're planning to renovate or build a new house, how you tackle decluttering before you begin is critical to reducing the clutter when you move back in and for any period you need to move out of the house. Today Amy is the guest (in her own podcast) and Frances from My Forever Home podcast is the interviewer - we initially recorded this episode for Frances' podcast and knew straight away it would be perfect to share with you too. Whether you're renovating/ building... or that's the last thing on your mind, the tips and tricks shared in this episode are going to help you to create a home that you love, free from clutter and all while reducing the mental load of managing a household. You may also like to listen to these episodes:Deathbed ReflectionsGaragesBigger Living, Smaller SpaceJoin our communityBecome a Patron – your monthly donation makes a huge difference to me being able to produce this podcast. Donations can be as little as $1 a month!Follow me on InstagramFollow me on FacebookJoin my Facebook groupLeave a review on Apple PodcastThank you to my sound engineer, Jarred from Four4ty Studio Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

December is a prime decluttering month on your calendar… out with the old before it’s in with the new.You are invited to join my 12 Days of Christmas Declutter Challenge!Making space is such a great practice before the silly season really ramps up.It’s amazing the freedom that comes when you take the time to intentionally declutter your home.Christmas time can be crazy busy and overwhelming and so this challenge is designed to put you back in the drivers seat, back in control and taking positive steps towards your decluttered home.Join TodayJoin our communityBecome a Patron – your monthly donation makes a huge difference to me being able to produce this podcast. Donations can be as little as $1 a month!Follow me on InstagramFollow me on FacebookJoin my Facebook groupLeave a review on Apple PodcastThank you to my sound engineer, Jarred from Four4ty Studio Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

The art of making do is a bit of a lost practice of common sense in our current culture. We buy gadgets that perform just one task (melon baller or rice cooker...) and in our attempt to find quicker and easier ways to do things, we often unnecessarily complicate our homes with clutter. A product is only as good as your ability to access and use it.We unpack what it means to 'make do' and what areas we've both been making do with positive outcomes. No cake server... can you use an egg flip? No salad servers... can you use tongs or cutlery? No microwave... can you reheat food on your stovetop?The benefits of making do are that you will save money, reduce waste, increase your creativity and problem solving skills, and save time.When you next need to solve a problem in your home, is there a 'make do' option that you could try out before you purchase something new?You may also like to listen to these episodes:The Vacuum EffectConfirmation BiasFresh EyesJoin our communityBecome a Patron – your monthly donation makes a huge difference to me being able to produce this podcast. Donations can be as little as $1 a month!Follow me on InstagramFollow me on FacebookJoin my Facebook groupLeave a review on Apple PodcastThank you to my sound engineer, Jarred from Four4ty Studio Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Peter talks this week about being an advocate for people when you are invited into their homes. How Professional Organisers are there to help you achieve the life you want, and how he is committed to doing everything in his capacity to help you, even when you feel unable to help yourself.Our lives are stages, and the stuff we hold onto are representations of those seasons. Even though it's hard to let go of things from our past, it frees us up to live today and celebrate the past without having it hold us back.We also discuss the power of empathy, how to work with clients without judgement, and what it looks like to be a 'hope bringer' to those we work with. You may also like to listen to these episodes:Peter WalshBigger Living, Smaller Space with Judy Granlee GatesEngaged or EntertainedJoin our communityBecome a Patron – your monthly donation makes a huge difference to me being able to produce this podcast. Donations can be as little as $1 a month!Follow me on InstagramFollow me on FacebookJoin my Facebook groupLeave a review on Apple PodcastThank you to my sound engineer, Jarred from Four4ty Studio Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Peter Walsh is an internationally recognised Declutter Guru, who has been decluttering heads, hearts and homes for over 20 years. Peter has been on our screens most recently on Space Invaders in Australia, but you'll also know him from The Oprah Show, The Living Room and Clean Sweep.Season 4 of Space Invaders will be hitting our screens in Australia early 2024 so keep an eye out for Australia's favourite decluttering show!Today we unpack some of the underlying reasons we accumulate in the first place, and how comparison is the thief of joy and happiness. The impacts of clutter on our lives is significant and freedom from that clutter is life changing.Today's episode is part one of a two part series so make sure you subscribe and don't miss part two!!You may also like to listen to these episodes:Peter WalshBigger Living, Smaller Space with Judy Granlee GatesEngaged or EntertainedJoin our communityBecome a Patron – your monthly donation makes a huge difference to me being able to produce this podcast. Donations can be as little as $1 a month!Follow me on InstagramFollow me on FacebookJoin my Facebook groupLeave a review on Apple PodcastThank you to my sound engineer, Jarred from Four4ty Studio Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

When does limiting choice actually bring greater freedom?When your head is already full, too many choices or options can be incredibly overwhelming.Your capacity on any given day can be increased when you put some limits on your own choices. You might create a framework that you can overlay on decisions so you have a natural default and then you have the freedom to change, or you might create systems in your life to simplify decision making. This week think about how you already limit choices for yourself to free up much needed mental space, and come and share them with our podcast community on Facebook - allow us to learn from you and you might pick up some tricks for yourself!You may also like to listen to these episodes:Creative OutsourcingTechnological ReplacementQuitters DayLogical OrganisingJoin our communityBecome a Patron – your monthly donation makes a huge difference to me being able to produce this podcast. Donations can be as little as $1 a month!Follow me on InstagramFollow me on FacebookJoin my Facebook groupLeave a review on Apple PodcastThank you to my sound engineer, Jarred from Four4ty Studio Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Today's episode is not about buying property, it's about where you keep items within your home. Location of where items are kept and stored is super important when you're setting up your home. Not all locations are created equal... even when they are equal in shape, size and capacity. Prime real estate in your home should be used for items you're accessing more often, and the location should be logical to where you will look for and use the item.Totally practical episode today which will make you see how you use your space in a new way and maybe inspire a bit of a rearrange within your home.Little rabbit hole about why Amy loves living on a main road... hint... it's all about efficiency!You may also like to listen to these episodes:Logical OrganisingFresh EyesObject PermanenceThree Times a DayJoin our communityBecome a Patron – your monthly donation makes a huge difference to me being able to produce this podcast. Donations can be as little as $1 a month!Follow me on InstagramFollow me on FacebookJoin my Facebook groupLeave a review on Apple PodcastThank you to my sound engineer, Jarred from Four4ty Studio Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Ever felt a twinge of anxiety when thinking about tossing old tech? Fear not! Dive into the world of digital decluttering, where practical strategies help you face the dreaded FOTO—Fear of Throwing Out. Discover tips for managing outdated devices and the importance of data retrieval. Get inspired to liberate yourself from excess belongings while embracing a more organized digital life. Plus, find out how to turn clutter into freedom and manage paperwork like a pro!

Outsourcing can be a bit daunting when your scope of what it means is that you need to be wealthy enough to employ someone to help you out. However today expand your mind about outsourcing in 3 different ways and think creatively about how you might be able to use the power of outsourcing in your life.Outsourcing within your householdOutsourcing to independent contractorsCommercial outsourcingIf you live with anyone else, you might just call it 'sharing responsibilities' but if one person cooks dinner and the other washes up, that's outsourcing and making more efficient use of time and resources than both people cooking and cleaning for themselves. If you live with children, you may see it as 'chores' but what you're doing is outsourcing... while also teaching children the skills required for adult life and the value of cooperation and service. If you are carrying the entire mental load of running your household, it might be time to consider what areas can be outsourced.Then there is what we probably naturally think of as outsourcing, hiring someone to do a task for us. For us, we hire my Dad to cook for us which is outsourcing the decision making and meal planning, shopping, meal prep and cooking. We also pay a gardener to mow our lawns and maintain our yard. We pay a tutor to help one of my sons who has a learning disability and we pay an exercise physiologist to train our family once a week. As we've gotten older and taken on more responsibility in our jobs, we've come to realise we can't do it all and so have strategically bought people onto our team for different seasons. And lastly there is commercial outsourcing that we all engage with every day but don't even think about. For instance, I outsource servicing my car. I take this for granted, but only one generation ago it was common for people to service their own cars. I outsource the baking of bread to my local bakery. I could do it myself, but it's more efficient and honestly yummier if I outsource that job to the baker. Article from the newspaper mentioned:https://www.theage.com.au/lifestyle/life-and-relationships/should-grandparents-be-paid-to-help-out-around-the-house-20230918-p5e5nz.htmlYou may also like to listen to these episodes:Mental LoadKids OutsourcingThree Times A DayJoin our communityBecome a Patron – your monthly donation makes a huge difference to me being able to produce this podcast. Donations can be as little as $1 a month!Follow me on InstagramFollow me on FacebookJoin my Facebook groupLeave a review on Apple PodcastThank you to my sound engineer, Jarred from Four4ty Studio Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Do you need to declutter a space or room in your house so that an area in your life can bloom?Do you want space to pursue a creative project, engage in an activity that brings you joy or maybe you have a priority of health, business, study or foster care that requires room in order to bloom.Bring a fresh outlook to how you use your space and how you prioritise that which you want to bloom. Here are some areas you might like to bloom in that require room created for themexercisepainting, sewing, craftmusic, gaming, puzzleshome office or businessairbnb space or foster caredressing roomplayroomYou may also like to listen to these episodes:Fresh EyesEngaged or EntertainedThe Vacuum EffectThemed DeclutteringJoin our communityBecome a Patron – your monthly donation makes a huge difference to me being able to produce this podcast. Donations can be as little as $1 a month!Follow me on InstagramFollow me on FacebookJoin my Facebook groupLeave a review on Apple PodcastThank you to my sound engineer, Jarred from Four4ty Studio Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.