What if the reason it's so hard to let go of your stuff isn't that you're disorganized—but that you're a really good storyteller? In this episode of Clutter Free Academy, Kathi Lipp brings together three of her great loves—decluttering, writing, and her longtime friend Susy Flory—for a conversation about the one skill most cluttery people are missing. Kathi's theory? People with clutter aren't bad at storytelling. Pick up almost anything in a cluttered home and the owner can tell you exactly where it came from, who gave it to them, and why it matters. The struggle isn't the story. It's the editing. Susy Flory is a memoirist, collaborator on two New York Times bestsellers, and the founder of Shake Ridge Press, a publishing house devoted to true stories by real people. Her actual job is deciding what stays in the story and what gets cut—which turns out to be exactly what listeners need to learn to do in their homes. Your Home Is Telling a Story. Is It the One You Want to Tell? Kathi and Susy talk about how a home—like a book—can get so crowded with "good stuff" that the reader (or the guest, or you) can't find the heart of it. As Susy puts it, when there's too much in a space, "it's just a pile rather than a storyteller." The goal isn't an empty house. The goal is a home where the things you kept can actually be seen. In This Episode, Listeners Will Learn: Why the object isn't always where the story lives—and how that realization makes letting go so much easier The simple, low-tech tool Susy uses to decide what makes the cut (hint: it involves a pen and paper, not a system) How to handle the inherited things that don't actually tell the story of the person who gave them to you What to do with that mishmash box of photos, letters, and journals someone left behind Why "edit one scene at a time" translates perfectly to "one shelf, one drawer at a time" How to "shop your own house" for meaningful pieces instead of buying something a thousand other people already own Kathi's seasonal rotation trick that keeps sentimental items special instead of letting them fade into background clutter Why outside validation—a safe community—matters just as much in decluttering as it does in writing Permission to Let the Good Stuff Go Writers have a phrase for this: murder your darlings. Sometimes you have to release even the really, really good stuff to get what you actually want. Kathi shares that after years of editing both books and her own home, she rarely regrets what she's let go—and Susy explains why imagination, not willpower, is the tool that finally gets you unstuck. Kathi also gets a preview of the first three memoirs coming out of Shake Ridge Press—stories of a Green Beret who decluttered parts of himself to learn to lead with love, a mom and her autistic adult son on a journey to bring his father home, and a preacher's daughter raising the rule-breaking boy who grew up to become a beloved professional wrestler. Whether you consider yourself a writer or not, this episode offers a fresh, gracious way to look at the stuff in your home: not as a moral failing, but as a first draft. And every first draft gets to be edited.

Every home has one: the collection. Maybe it's Star Wars action figures still sealed in their packaging. Maybe it's comic books, stamps, ceramic knickknacks, or twelve bins of stuffed animals from 1987. And maybe — if we're being honest — it's taking up more real estate in the garage than anyone in the family is comfortable with. In this episode of Clutter Free Academy, Kathi Lipp and Tonya Kubo continue their conversation about what happens when a collector and a clutter-free person share a home. Tonya opens up about the ten-plus year journey she and her husband Brian have walked — starting with the moment she stopped focusing on his stuff and started dealing with her own, and how seven boxes leaving the garage changed everything. Why Focusing on Their Stuff Never Works Kathi and Tonya have given the same advice for over a decade, and they're not backing off it now: as long as you're focused on someone else's clutter, you will struggle to make progress on your own. But here's the encouraging part — when you do your own work, you often create the safety and the space for the people you love to start making their own decisions. Not as a manipulation tactic. As a byproduct. Living Collections vs. Dead Collections One of the most freeing ideas in this episode is Kathi's distinction between collections that are alive and collections that are, well, not. A living collection gets displayed, dusted, talked about, handed to a kid whose face lights up. A dead collection sits in a cardboard box in the garage getting eaten by mold, bugs, and water damage. As Kathi puts it, if the thing you love is in a box in the garage, she has questions about that love. What Listeners Will Take Away Why doing your own decluttering can quietly invite your spouse or child to do theirs How to have a curious conversation with the collector in your life instead of a fight The difference between assumed value and actual appraised value — and why "worth $5,400" doesn't mean anyone will hand you $5,400 The one principle that has kept peace in the Kubo home: negotiate the space, not the stuff Why giving pieces of a collection away can be the most joyful part of collecting When a collection stops being a clutter problem and becomes a relationship conversation You Don't Have to Get Rid of What You Love Tonya shares a story from Clutter Free Academy about a member who joined convinced she'd be told to purge her beloved knickknacks — and was shocked to hear otherwise. Kathi and Tonya are not in the business of deciding what deserves space in your home. They're in the business of helping you figure out what to do when there's more stuff than space. If you've ever stood in your garage staring at boxes that aren't yours, wondering how to bring it up without starting World War III, this conversation is for you. Listen to the full episode and then go create the clutter free life you've always wanted to live.

You love them. You really do. But you also can't find the kitchen counter — and that's the tension so many people live with when they share a home with a collector. In this episode of Clutter Free Academy, Kathi Lipp sits down with Tonya Kubo for an honest, tender, and very funny conversation about what it's like to love someone whose stuff is taking over. Kathi grew up with a hoarder for a dad. Tonya grew up with a hoarder for a mom — in a 500-square-foot studio apartment so full there was nowhere to walk. And then Tonya married a man who came into the marriage as one of the top two Star Wars collectors in his county. If you've ever stood in a doorway looking at boxes and thought, How did we get here, and how do I say something without starting a war? — this one is for you. Why This Conversation Matters Kathi makes a distinction in this episode that changes everything: collecting, clutter, and hoarding are three different situations — and they require three different responses. Treating a curated collection like a mental health crisis will damage your relationship. Treating true hoarding like a decluttering project will exhaust you both. Knowing which one you're dealing with is the first step toward peace in your home. In This Episode, Listeners Will Discover The difference between garden-variety clutter, collecting, and true hoarding disorder — and why the distinction matters for your marriage, your kids, and your sanity What "functionally homeless" means, and the quiet warning signs that a loved one's home has stopped working for them The four emotional attachments hiding underneath a collection: identity, memory, safety, and the "someday" story The harder side of collecting — lost space, resentment, feeling unheard, and the guilt of wishing someone would change Two pieces of classic "advice" you should never follow with a collector — including the one that feels the most tempting at 11 p.m. when you're staring at the garage Why "winning the argument" guarantees you lose in the end A Word for the Person Who Feels Stuck Tonya shares something many listeners will recognize: for years she believed she had a housekeeping problem. It wasn't until she found Kathi's book Clutter Free that she realized it was a stuff problem — and that stuff problem came from emotions. That reframe is the beginning of real, lasting change. This episode won't hand anyone a trash bag and a lecture. Instead, it offers something better: understanding, compassion, and a path forward that protects both your home and the person you love. Coming Up Next Week Kathi and Tonya continue the conversation with what actually changed in Tonya's house — how Brian went from a Star Wars collection that swallowed an entire room to a collection that brings him genuine joy, and how Tonya got there without throwing away a single thing behind his back. They'll also tackle the question of value (is that comic book really worth $5,400?) and the difference between a living collection and a dead one. Press play, take a breath, and remember: small, doable steps. That's how you get to less clutter and more life.

Join us for this classic Clutter Free Academy Podcast episode. In this episode of Clutter Free Academy, Lisa Woodruff, founder of Organize 365 and creator of the PaperSolution Financial Binder, joins Kathi to discuss the importance of organizing financial documents and how it can simplify estate planning and reduce stress for families. The conversation covers why everyone, regardless of wealth, needs a financial binder, and the practical advantages of using a binder over digital solutions or filing cabinets. Why a binder is more effective than apps or traditional file systems, especially during emergencies such as natural disasters or hospital visits. What to include in your financial binder—such as 401k statements, birth certificates, passports, insurance documents, credit reports, and important paperwork for major transactions. How to keep the binder up to date, making it easier for family members or executors in case someone needs to step in and settle an estate. Real-life stories from Lisa's organizing work, revealing how disorganized paperwork can lead to missed assets and added stress during times of grief. Advice for getting started with a simple action: pick a basket or container, label it for your financial binder, and begin collecting relevant documents and notes. The episode encourages listeners to take proactive steps, not just for their own peace of mind, but also to ease the administrative burden on loved ones. The binder method is presented as a learnable skill, suitable for anyone, and a way to provide a safe, organized landing place for essential paperwork and instructions.

Have you ever stood in front of a junk drawer like it was a moral failing? You are not lazy, and you are not broken. You are out of decisions. In this episode of Clutter Free Academy, Kathi Lipp welcomes back her longtime friend and co-author Cheri Gregory to talk about the invisible reason decluttering feels so much harder than it should: decision fatigue. Every single item in your home is asking you a question — Am I worth keeping? What if you need me someday? But Aunt Carol gave me to you… — and your brain only has so much room in its daily budget to answer. Kathi and Cheri unpack why the "all-day, all-in" decluttering marathon leaves so many of us in a puddle of tears, and why 15 minutes at a time isn't a cop-out — it's actually how our brains are wired to make good decisions. Then Kathi walks listeners through a two-decision method simple enough to use on a junk drawer today. In this episode, listeners will discover: Why clutter drains you faster than almost anything else — and the three ways clutter creates extra decisions you never signed up for The two-decision method: Does it stay or does it go? And if it stays, where does it live? (If you can't answer both, that's your answer.) Pre-deciding rules that cut decisions in half before you ever open the drawer — expired means gone, one backup is enough, one donation bag, and "if it doesn't fit this container, it doesn't live here" Cheri's Post-it Note trick for the "maybe" pile — three dates and it's out Why 15 minutes is the sweet spot and how to pick one micro-section (the batteries, the lotions, the mail) instead of the whole house How to handle the emotional stuff — grief, guilt gifts, and other people's things stored in your space Kathi shares the story of the giant, not-quite-cute teddy bear her kids gave her decades ago — and what happened when she finally called them to ask about it. Cheri gets honest about the bedroom set in her office, the organizing bins that never worked, and the moment she decided her office was not a storage unit for other people's memories. The big takeaway? You are not solving your whole house today. You're reducing the number of decisions in your home so you can actually enjoy living there. Be gentle with yourself. Be gentle with your family. And stop waiting for the day you'll have enough energy to decide everything at once — because friend, that day isn't coming. Grab 15 minutes, pick one shelf, and press play.

Some seasons don't come with a schedule. If you're caregiving, working nights, parenting teenagers, traveling for work, or simply living in a house where no two days look the same, most organizing advice falls flat. "Do laundry on Tuesday" doesn't work when Tuesday might be spent in a hospital waiting room. In this episode of Clutter Free Academy, Kathi Lipp answers a listener question that hits close to home for so many women: How do you keep a routine going when every single day is different? She sits down with returning guest Barb Roose, author of the Bible study Stronger Than Stress, to talk about what actually holds a life together when the calendar won't cooperate. Why Unpredictable Days Feel So Heavy Kathi and Barb name something most of us feel but rarely say out loud: when life is out of control, we go looking for control — usually in other people. We start fixing, forcing, and managing everyone around us, and instead of creating solutions, we create more chaos. As Barb puts it, craving certainty doesn't make you crazy. It's what we do with that craving that gets us into trouble. The "Top Five" That Work on Every Kind of Day Barb shares the five non-negotiables she's kept for over a decade — five simple things that travel with her into airports, hospital waiting rooms, book deadlines, and the hardest season of her life. They're not a rigid program. They're an anchor. And listeners will hear exactly how they flex when everything else falls apart. What Listeners Will Take Away Why standard routine advice fails women with unpredictable schedules — and what to do instead The five daily practices that hold steady when nothing else does The tiny first step for the woman who feels too buried to even choose a starting point How a note card by the bed can carry you through a season when you can't pray A one-sentence prayer for releasing what was never yours to control Why "being faithful in the small things" is deeply practical, not just spiritual For the Woman Whose Life Is On Fire Barb speaks openly about nearly a decade of living with a spouse struggling with alcohol addiction — a season with no stability, no predictability, and nothing she could fix. Her honesty gives this episode weight. This isn't tidy advice from someone whose life has always been calm. It's hard-won wisdom from survival mode with a spiritual intervention. And the encouragement Kathi lands on is beautifully doable: do one thing for yourself today. A ten-minute walk. Ten minutes of earlier bedtime. A phone call to a friend. For Barb, it started with a pair of old, crusty earrings dug out of a jewelry box — and something inside her came alive. If you've been telling yourself you'll get organized when life calms down, this episode is your permission slip to start now — right in the middle of the mess.

Do you ever feel like clutter isn't just messy—it's loud? For highly sensitive people, visual clutter can feel like constant noise, making it nearly impossible to relax, focus, or feel at peace in your own home. In this episode, Kathi Lipp continues her conversation with Cheri Gregory about the unique challenges HSPs face when it comes to decluttering. Together, they tackle real questions from Cheri's Sensitive and Strong community—questions about perfectionism, procrastination, sentimental items, and how to have productive conversations with loved ones about clutter. What Listeners Will Discover The power of pre-deciding: Learn how to make decluttering decisions when you're calm so you don't get stuck in the emotional heat of the moment How to handle items with emotional weight: Practical questions to ask yourself about kids' art, photos, letters, baby gear, and family heirlooms Managing visual reminders without chaos: Strategies for keeping necessary lists and notes without letting them take over your space Having the clutter conversation: How to help loved ones understand that wanting a calm home isn't about control—it's about capacity Key Takeaways Pre-deciding is about borrowing wisdom from your calm self before your overwhelmed self walks into the closet. When you make decisions ahead of time—like "I only keep clothes that fit my current body and my current life"—you reduce the emotional labor of repeated decision-making. For sentimental items, Kathi suggests asking: "Does this represent this person, our season together, or a memory of us well?" and "Would I go looking for this if it were gone?" These questions help distinguish between items kept with love versus those kept from guilt or obligation. Perhaps most importantly, this episode reframes the conversation about clutter and capacity. A calm home isn't about control—it's about having the capacity to show up as your best self for the people you love.

Do you ever feel like clutter affects you more deeply than it seems to affect others? Like a messy kitchen doesn't just annoy you—it actually dysregulates your entire day? If so, you might be among the 20-30% of the population known as Highly Sensitive People (HSPs), and this episode is for you. In this conversation, Kathi sits down with her longtime friend and co-author Cheri Gregory to explore the unique challenges HSPs face when it comes to everyday home management. From sensory overwhelm to decision fatigue, from all-or-nothing thinking to the dreaded "frenzy" mode, Cheri helps listeners understand why clutter can feel so much more overwhelming for some people—and what to do about it. What Listeners Will Discover The five key qualities of a Highly Sensitive Person and how they impact home organization Why that tidy house feels like your nervous system finally exhaled—and why it's so hard to maintain The difference between a "catch-up day" and a "stabilizing day" (this reframe changes everything) A simple three-step reentry plan when life knocks your systems off track How to recognize "frenzy mode" and why going big might be sabotaging your progress The power of self-compassion and curiosity in creating lasting change The Reentry Plan for Overwhelmed Days When everything feels like it's fallen apart, Kathi offers this gentle three-step approach: Deal with anything that smells, spills, or blocks food - Just the basics: trash, dishes, counter space for cooking Run one load of laundry - Focus only on what you need for tomorrow Create one visual exhale - Clear one surface that gives you peace when you see it Key Insights for HSPs and Those Who Love Them Whether you identify as a Highly Sensitive Person or you love someone who does, this episode offers compassionate wisdom for navigating clutter without shame. Remember: a bad day is not proof that your system failed. Sometimes we don't need to catch up—we just need to stabilize. This is part one of a two-part conversation. Stay tuned for next week's episode where Kathi and Cheri continue exploring practical strategies for HSPs managing their homes and lives.

Is your home office a source of stress instead of productivity? You're not alone. That pile of papers, the drawer stuffed with pens you forgot you owned, the desk you have to clear before you can even sit down to work—it's overwhelming. But it doesn't have to stay that way. In this episode, Kathi Lipp and Grace Church dive into practical strategies for tackling office clutter without the overwhelm. Whether you're preparing for a fall reset or simply tired of dreading your workspace, this conversation offers real solutions for real life. What You'll Learn in This Episode Why "office guts" backfire and what to do instead The 15-minute decision timeline that keeps you making good choices How to create a sustainable system rather than a one-time cleanup The power of body doubling for staying on task Why gathering all your office supplies in one spot is a game-changer How a year-long no office supply challenge can transform your space Key Takeaways Done is better than perfect. Perfectionism is the number one thing that stalls office projects before they even start. Give yourself permission to make progress without needing everything to be just right. Work in 15-minute increments. Beyond 15 minutes, decision fatigue sets in and you start making poor choices. Short bursts of focused decluttering lead to better results. You have more than you think. Before buying another pen, sticky note, or notebook, gather everything you own into one spot. You might be surprised at your personal "office supply store." Sustainable systems beat one-time cleanups. Rather than gutting your entire office in a weekend, focus on one area at a time—desk one day, files the next, walls another day. August is the perfect time for a fall reset. Don't wait for September when the busyness hits—start now so you can enjoy the season ahead with less stress and more clarity.

Have you ever finished a challenge and wondered how to keep that momentum going? In this solo episode of Clutter Free Academy, Kathi Lipp unpacks the surprising lessons she learned during Low Buy July—and reveals which habits she's keeping for good. What You'll Discover in This Episode If you've ever felt overwhelmed by clutter, struggled with impulse buying, or wondered why you keep accumulating things you don't really need, this episode offers practical wisdom and gentle encouragement. Kathi shares her personal revelations with her signature warmth and humor, helping listeners see their homes—and their habits—in a whole new light. Key Takeaways from This Episode The freezer inventory method that saves money and improves meals—plus how to keep it updated on your phone Why the waiting list works—and how it reveals whether you want the thing or just the feeling of buying The one question that changes shopping more than any hard rule: "Do I already have something that does this job?" How 30 seconds of friction (like deleting the Amazon app) can eliminate impulse purchases The "cook backwards" approach—start with what you have instead of what you crave You are the special occasion—why the fancy lotion and good candles are for regular Tuesdays Starting creative projects with what you have—and why constraints actually boost creativity The emotional drivers behind spending: boredom, stress, reward, habit, and fantasy life The quiet satisfaction of finishing things—and why completion feels like integrity The slower pace of wanting—rediscovering the joy in anticipation A New Way to See Your Home Low Buy July didn't change Kathi's stuff—it changed how she sees her stuff. Instead of walking into her kitchen and seeing an empty menu, she now sees a full pantry. Instead of gaps in her closet, she sees possibilities. This episode invites you to pick just one habit that resonates and give yourself a month to try it. Whether you participated in Low Buy July or you're hearing about it for the first time, these ten lessons offer a roadmap for more intentional, peaceful living—not through deprivation, but through awareness and grace.