• 34 minutes 20 seconds
    Digital Declutter: Clean Up Your Email, Phone, and Brain for Good (Ep 314)

    Digital clutter doesn’t pile up on your counter, but it absolutely piles up in your brain. Every unread email, every unused app, every notification going off every eight minutes is quietly draining your focus and your energy.

    In this episode I’m giving you three moves for your inbox, three moves for your phone, and a simple weekly habit that keeps all of it under control going forward.


    In this episode you’ll learn:

    • The one reframe that changes how you think about email forever
    • How to cut your inbox in half this week without losing anything important
    • The 30-day app audit (and why you don’t have to fully delete things to get them out of your way)
    • The Favorites list trick that lets you protect your peace without missing important calls
    • The three-habit digital maintenance system that takes under 15 minutes a week


    Resources mentioned:

    ⁠If this episode resonated with you, share it with one person who needs to hear it.

    Subscribe so you never miss an episode, and if you have two minutes, leaving a review on Apple Podcasts makes a real difference.


    TIMESTAMPS

    00:00 Introduction to Digital Clutter

    00:29 Understanding the Impact of Email Clutter

    03:44 Reframing Your Email Inbox

    05:03 Unsubscribing and Archiving Emails

    07:45 The Archive Bomb: Cleaning Out Old Emails

    11:49 Organizing Your Email Folders

    14:30 Addressing Phone Clutter

    16:42 The 30-Day App Audit

    18:29 Resetting Notifications for Clarity

    21:31 Creating a Favorites List for Important Contacts

    22:29 Simplifying Your Phone's Home Screen

    24:14 Establishing a Digital Maintenance Habit

    Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

    17 June 2026, 7:00 am
  • 56 minutes 36 seconds
    Declutter for Real Life: Flexible Minimalism Tips for Families with Desirae Endres (Ep 313)

    Have you ever looked at a "minimalist" home on Instagram and thought, well, that is never going to be me. My kids alone would destroy that in four minutes? Or convinced yourself that your clutter-free journey isn't working because your house just doesn't look the part? You are not alone. And this conversation is for you.

    ****************

    ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠RESOURCES⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠

    Connect with Desirae:

    Follow Deanna Yates, the host of Wannabe Clutter Free on:

    ****************

    Desirae Endres is the host of the Minimalish podcast, and her decluttering journey started in 2018 when she sat down as a brand new mom and watched a documentary that completely changed the way she thought about her stuff, her home, and her identity.

    Since then she has built an entire community around the idea of "minimal-ish" living, not a perfect aesthetic, not a stark white capsule home, just a real and intentional life with less in the way. 

    In this episode, Desirae gets honest about the postpartum anxiety that made her desperate for a calmer home, what it felt like when her husband said their house no longer looked minimal-ish, and the beautiful shift she had about what this whole journey is actually for. We also dig into how to get your kids involved in decluttering without it turning into a battle, and the single most powerful thing you can do to raise kids who genuinely understand how to let go.


    EPISODE HIGHLIGHTS:

    • What "minimal-ish" means and why it has nothing to do with how your home looks
    • The real connection between clutter and mental health
    • Why letting go of stuff is really about letting go of past versions of yourself
    • How to involve your kids in decluttering without forcing it
    • What age kids can meaningfully participate (and when it is okay to just do it yourself)
    • The one thing you can do today that quietly teaches your kids to let go


    TIMESTAMPS:

    0:00 Introduction

    2:59 Desirae's origin story: the documentary that changed everything

    5:37 Why changing your nature is harder than changing what you own

    9:21 How decluttering helped manage postpartum anxiety

    11:37 Letting go of clothes and letting go of past versions of yourself

    15:02 Baby stuff, the "what if" fear, and letting go anyway

    20:20 Feeling like an imposter when your home does not look minimal

    22:45 The minimalist aesthetic vs. the minimalist mindset

    24:56 Accepting certain areas of clutter in your current season

    32:43 Teaching kids to declutter: where to start

    37:21 The power of narrating your own decluttering out loud

    43:28 What age should kids start participating?

    47:07 What Desirae wishes someone had told her at the very beginning

    49:13 Decluttering as a gateway to bigger life changes

    50:09 Rapid fire questions

    ****************

    Music: Fresh Lift by Shane Ivers - ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://www.silvermansound.com⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠

    ****************

    We’d love to hear how you’re applying the strategies discussed in this episode. Share your stories and tips with us on social media (@wannabeclutterfree). Don’t forget to subscribe for more insightful episodes designed to make your busy life a bit easier.

    Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

    10 June 2026, 7:00 am
  • 35 minutes 18 seconds
    The Paper Clutter System That Took Me From 6 Piles to Zero (Ep 312)

    Paper doesn't ask permission. It just shows up in your mailbox, your kids' backpacks, and somehow on every flat surface in your home. And if the piles keep coming back no matter how many times you deal with them, it's not a discipline problem. It's a system problem.

    In this episode I'm sharing the exact system I use to keep paper from taking over, including what to do with everything that comes in, how to handle the stuff that's been piling up for months, and two bonus sections for the things nobody talks about: your kids' school papers and the one document organizer every family needs.

    In this episode you'll learn:

    • Why paper piles keep coming back (it's not what you think)
    • The Paper JAM System: three categories, every piece of paper, no exceptions
    • How to set up a weekly processing routine that takes under 30 minutes
    • The landing spot rule that stops paper from spreading during the week
    • A simple system for kids' artwork and school papers that doesn't require keeping everything
    • What an Emergency Binder is and the one document it cannot be missing

    Mentioned in this episode:

    If this episode resonated with you, share it with one person who needs to hear it.

    Subscribe so you never miss an episode, and if you have two minutes, leaving a review on Apple Podcasts makes a real difference.


    TIMESTAMPS

    00:00 The Sneaky Clutter: Paper Invasion

    01:47 Understanding the Paper Pile Problem

    06:55 The Paper Jam System: Sorting Made Easy

    16:26 Establishing a Weekly Processing Routine

    23:16 Managing Kids' School Papers

    27:18 Creating an Emergency Binder

    30:16 Going Digital: The Future of Paper Management

    Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

    3 June 2026, 7:00 am
  • 41 minutes 9 seconds
    Why Your Schedule Will Never Work Until You Fix Your Home with Lori Oberbroeckling (Ep 311)

    Time management expert and Secrets of Supermom host Lori Oberbroeckling joins Deanna to talk about why energy runs out before time does, how clutter quietly sabotages your best-laid plans, and the small routine changes that actually stick.

    ****************

    ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠RESOURCES⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠

    Connect with Lori:

    Follow Deanna Yates, the host of Wannabe Clutter Free on:

    ****************

    You bought the planner. You made the schedule. You had a whole plan. And then a super busy day happened.

    Sound familiar? This week Deanna sits down with Lori Oberbroeckling, a working mom of four, corporate project management leader, and host of the Secrets of Supermom Show. Lori has spent years helping busy, ambitious moms figure out why their best systems keep falling apart. Spoiler: it is almost never the plan.

    In this episode, Lori introduces her framework of energy bleeds, energy blocks, and energy boosts, and explains why your home environment plays a much bigger role in your daily productivity than most time management advice will ever admit. When your physical space is draining you before you even start your to-do list, even a perfect schedule cannot save you.

    Lori also shares the moment she and Deanna both recognized in themselves: we think we need a better planner, when really we need more energy boosts built into our days first.

    If you have ever felt like you are doing all the right things and still ending every day depleted, this episode is going to reframe everything.


    EPISODE HIGHLIGHTS:

    • Why a cluttered, chaotic home is an energy bleed that quietly tanks your whole day
    • How to do a simple time and energy audit to figure out where your energy is actually going
    • What to do when you hate a task but still have to do it
    • Why routines fall apart and the one question to ask before you try to build one
    • The small change that helped Lori's family of six stop tripping over shoes
    • How to get your family actually on board with new home routines

    TIMESTAMPS:

    00:00 Introduction to Lori Oberbroeckling

    03:05 Why home environment matters to your schedule

    08:25 Energy bleeds, blocks, and boosts explained

    10:01 What to do when you have to do an energy bleed task

    16:18 How to find your energy boosts when you do not know what they are

    20:24 Flying trapeze and other energy boost revelations

    21:32 Why routines fall apart and how to build ones that stick

    24:11 Small changes that create big impact for the whole family

    26:58 Getting family buy-in with carrots, not sticks

    29:28 Why the planner is not the problem

    32:27 Where to start when everything feels out of control

    34:26 Rapid fire: what clutter free means, what is making Lori happy, and one takeaway

    ****************

    Music: Fresh Lift by Shane Ivers - ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://www.silvermansound.com⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠

    ****************

    We’d love to hear how you’re applying the strategies discussed in this episode. Share your stories and tips with us on social media (@wannabeclutterfree). Don’t forget to subscribe for more insightful episodes designed to make your busy life a bit easier.

    Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

    27 May 2026, 7:00 am
  • 32 minutes 52 seconds
    How to Declutter Thousands of Photos Without Losing Your Mind (Wannabe Clutter Free Ep 310)

    Digital clutter doesn’t feel as obvious as a cluttered closet. But if you’ve ever had that pit-in-your-stomach moment of not being able to find a photo that matters, you know this isn’t small.

    In this episode I’m breaking down the three phases of getting your photos in order (Declutter, Organize, Maintain), the two specific starting points that build momentum without making any hard decisions, and the triple backup system that means you’ll never lose a photo again.


    In this episode you’ll learn:

    • Why photo clutter is an emotional problem, not a storage problem
    • The three-phase framework: Declutter, Organize, Maintain
    • The burst photos trick that eliminates hundreds of photos in 20 minutes
    • The calendar method for going through your entire catalog one day at a time
    • The triple backup system that keeps your photos safe forever

    Resources mentioned:

    This episode is Part 5 of a series. Start with Episode 304 if you haven’t already.

    Next episode: The Paper Clutter System That Took Me From 6 Piles to Zero

    If this episode resonated with you, share it with one person who needs to hear it.

    Subscribe so you never miss an episode, and if you have two minutes, leaving a review on Apple Podcasts makes a real difference.


    TIMESTAMPS

    02:03 The Invisible Weight of Digital Clutter

    04:56 Understanding the Emotional Impact of Photo Clutter'

    07:30 Framework for Organizing Photos

    09:54 Three Phases of Photo Management

    12:31 Practical Tips for Decluttering Photos

    15:41 Maintaining Your Photo Organization

    18:24 Quick Wins for Photo Organization

    20:45The Calendar Method for Photo Management

    Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

    20 May 2026, 7:00 am
  • 54 minutes 55 seconds
    The Real Reason Your Kids Aren't Helping Around the House (And How to Fix It) with Katie Kimball (Ep 309)

    Your kids are more capable than you think. Katie Kimball, creator of Kids Cook Real Food and founder of the LifeSkillsNow summer camp, shares the practical systems that take kids from passengers to contributors -- and why cooking is the gateway to all of it.

    ****************

    ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠RESOURCES⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠

    Connect with Katie:

    Follow Deanna Yates, the host of Wannabe Clutter Free on:

    ****************

    What if the key to a calmer home (and a lighter mental load) was already walking around your house asking for snacks?

    In this episode, Deanna Yates sits down with Katie Kimball of Raising Healthy Families, a former classroom teacher, two-time TEDx speaker, and mom of four. Katie created Kids Cook Real Food (named the best online cooking class for kids by the Wall Street Journal) and runs LifeSkillsNow, a virtual summer camp that teaches kids everything from cooking and budgeting to entrepreneurship and mending their own clothes.

    This conversation is all about kids as contributors, not passengers. Katie shares how her teaching background shaped the way she thinks about agency, choice, and raising the bar for what kids can actually do. She talks through the moment she realized her mental and physical load didn't have to fall entirely on her, the summer she intentionally taught her kids to cook, and the chore system her family is still using ten years later.

    You'll also hear why Katie calls cooking the gateway life skill, how the skills gap happened across generations, and the three-part framework she uses to help any parent hand something off to their kid in a way that actually sticks.

    If you have ever stood in your kitchen thinking it would be faster to just do it yourself, this episode is for you.


    EPISODE HIGHLIGHTS:

    • The summer everything changed: how Katie went from "forgetting the faces of the children she was feeding" to building a family system that actually works
    • What her classroom teaching taught her about agency, choice, and why raising the bar is always a good idea
    • Why teenagers need even more autonomy than young kids -- and how she built Teens Cook Real Food around that
    • The story of her 14-year-old vacuuming on a day off with no one asking him to
    • Cooking as the gateway life skill: why starting in the kitchen spills over into everything else
    • The three-part framework for handing something off to your kid: teach the skill, find the motivation, set the expectation

    TIMESTAMPS:

    • 00:00 -- Katie's Parenting and Cooking Journey
    • 04:37 -- What Teaching Taught Her About How Kids Learn
    • 07:31 -- Raising the Bar: Kids Are More Capable Than We Think
    • 10:33 -- Teaching Teens: Why Choice Is Everything
    • 13:14 -- Cooking as a Pathway to Empathy
    • 19:20 -- The Long Game: What It Looks Like When It Works
    • 22:27 -- The Life Skills Gap: What Kids Are Missing
    • 30:05 -- Values, Vertical Transmission, and Family Culture
    • 32:36 -- Cooking Is the Gateway Life Skill
    • 36:50 -- LifeSkillsNow Summer Camp and Where to Start

    ****************

    Music: Fresh Lift by Shane Ivers - ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://www.silvermansound.com⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠

    ****************

    We’d love to hear how you’re applying the strategies discussed in this episode. Share your stories and tips with us on social media (@wannabeclutterfree). Don’t forget to subscribe for more insightful episodes designed to make your busy life a bit easier.

    Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

    13 May 2026, 7:00 am
  • 24 minutes 47 seconds
    The Nightly 10-Minute Declutter Routine Every Busy Mom Needs (Ep 308)

    You can declutter your entire home and still end up right back where you started. I know because I’ve lived it. This episode is the piece that makes everything permanent. I’m teaching you the closing shift, the exit bin, and why stacking habits beats scheduling them every time.

    In this episode you’ll learn:

    • Why I went from owning almost nothing to filling up a house, and what finally broke the cycle
    • The restaurant-inspired closing shift my family does every night
    • What the Lightning Tidy is and how to make it fun for your whole family
    • Why the one-in-one-out rule doesn’t work (and what to do instead)
    • The habit stacking trick that makes routines stick forever

    Resources mentioned:

    If this episode resonated with you, share it with one person who needs to hear it.

    Subscribe so you never miss an episode, and if you have two minutes, leaving a review on Apple Podcasts makes a real difference.


    TIMESTAMPS

    00:00 Introduction to Clutter-Free Living

    02:18 The Journey to Minimalism

    04:45 Establishing a Daily Routine

    07:13 The Closing Shift Explained

    09:44 The Exit Bin Strategy

    12:28 Habit Stacking for Success

    14:23 The Invisible Weight of Clutter

    21:03 Looking Ahead: Future Topics

    Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

    6 May 2026, 7:00 am
  • 1 hour 6 minutes
    The Science of Why Your Spaces Shape You (And How to Take Back Control) with Leidy Klotz | Ep. 307

    Behavioral scientist Leidy Klotz reveals how your home feeds or starves three core psychological needs, why clutter blocks connection, and how to make your spaces actually work for your family.

    ****************

    ⁠⁠⁠⁠RESOURCES⁠⁠⁠⁠

    Connect with Leidy:

    Follow Deanna Yates, the host of Wannabe Clutter Free on:

    ****************

    What if the reason you feel stuck, distracted, or disconnected at home has less to do with your habits and more to do with your spaces?

    Leidy Klotz, an engineering professor at the University of Virginia, is the author of Subtract and his brand-new book In a Good Place. He has spent over a decade studying the relationship between our physical environments and our psychological well-being, and today he is breaking it all down for us.

    This conversation changed how I think about my home. We are not just talking about decluttering (although we do get into that). We are talking about why our spaces either feed or starve our deepest needs, and what we can do about it.


    In this episode you will learn:

    • The three core psychological needs your home either supports or works against
    • How clutter literally gets between you and the people you love
    • Why you use your spaces the same way every day (and a simple research-backed way to break out of it)
    • The renovation trap: when updating your home actually makes it less meaningful
    • How to involve your kids in decisions about your home (and why it changes everything)
    • The beautiful story of Josie's Way and what it teaches us about legacy and space

    Content note: Leidy shares openly about his daughter Josie, who passed away unexpectedly at four years old. Her story is woven throughout this conversation and is both heartbreaking and deeply beautiful.


    Time Stamps: 00:00 Introduction and Leidy's background

    05:40 The intersection of environment and behavior

    11:24 The three core psychological needs: agency, growth, and connection

    17:25 Agency and connection in the home (plus tips for renters)

    20:30 How clutter literally blocks connection

    26:50 Behavioral changes through environmental cues

    32:23 The family that moved dinner outside

    36:06 Functional fixedness: why adults are worse at this than kids

    40:42 Nostalgia, the renovation trap, and protecting what matters

    50:57 Josie's Way: remembering through spaces and stories

    ****************

    Music: Fresh Lift by Shane Ivers - ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://www.silvermansound.com⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠

    ****************

    We’d love to hear how you’re applying the strategies discussed in this episode. Share your stories and tips with us on social media (@wannabeclutterfree). Don’t forget to subscribe for more insightful episodes designed to make your busy life a bit easier.

    Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

    29 April 2026, 7:00 am
  • 28 minutes 45 seconds
    Why You Quit Decluttering After One Week and 3 Tools to Fix It | Wannabe Clutter Free Ep. 306

    You started decluttering. It felt amazing. And then somewhere around day 7, your house felt just as cluttered as when you started, even though you know you did the work. That moment has a name. I call it the motivation cliff, and in this episode I'm explaining exactly why it happens and what to do about it.

    In this episode you'll learn:

    • What the recalibration dip is and why your brain makes progress invisible
    • The one metric that your brain can't trick you on
    • How to make decluttering enjoyable enough to actually sustain
    • The identity shift that turns you from a starter into a finisher
    • Why motivation follows action, not the other way around

    This episode is Part 3 of a series. Start with Episode 304 (the 15-minute declutter method) and Episode 305 (the Joy Anchor Method for sentimental items) if you haven't already.

    Comment HOME on my latest Instagram post (@wannabeclutterfree) and I'll send you the link to Effortless Home.


    Resources mentioned:

    If this episode resonated with you, share it with one person who needs to hear it.

    Subscribe so you never miss an episode, and if you have two minutes, leaving a review on Apple Podcasts makes a real difference.

    TIMESTAMPS

    00:00 Why the decluttering quit day hits around day 7

    01:16 What the motivation cliff is and how to recognize it

    04:01 The recalibration dip explained

    08:37 Tool 1: Count items out the door, not how your home looks

    13:04 Tool 2: Joy during the process, not after it

    19:11 Tool 3: Finish what you start, even if it’s small

    24:04 How Effortless Home and the 500 Item Challenge tracker can help

    28:35 What’s coming next in the series

    Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

    22 April 2026, 7:00 am
  • 36 minutes 2 seconds
    How to Declutter Sentimental Items Without Guilt (The Joy Anchor Method) Ep 305

    If you’ve ever held onto something not because you need it but because of what it means to you, this episode is for you.

    I’m teaching you the Joy Anchor Method, a simple way to keep what matters and let go of what’s weighing you down.

    What you’ll learn:

    • the reframe that makes it easier to know what sentimental items to keep
    • the step-by-step method for handling sentimental collections
    • How to use the Photo Bridge for items you can’t keep but can’t release
    • A simple question I asked my client to help her get unstuck

    Comment PHOTOS on my latest Instagram post (@wannabeclutterfree) to get the link to Photo Freedom Formula.

    Next episode: The Motivation Cliff – Why You Quit Decluttering at Day 7 (And How to Not)


    Resources mentioned:

    If this episode resonated with you, share it with one person who needs to hear it.

    Subscribe so you never miss an episode, and if you have two minutes, leaving a review on Apple Podcasts makes a real difference.

    TIMESTAMPS

    00:00 The Emotional Weight of Sentimental Clutter

    03:01 Understanding the Joy Anchor Method

    10:34 Implementing the Joy Anchor Method

    21:30 Creating a Photo Bridge for Memories

    31:34 Navigating the Motivation Cliff

    Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

    15 April 2026, 7:00 am
  • 25 minutes 20 seconds
    How to Declutter When You Don't Know Where to Start (15-Minute Method) Ep 304

    If you’ve ever said “I want to declutter but I don’t know where to start,” this episode is your answer.

    I’m breaking down the sequencing mistake that makes decluttering feel impossible, the 15-minute pulse check method you can use in any room today, and a reframe that changed how I think about letting go.

    Plus, I’ll tell you about Effortless Home, my room-by-room system for busy families who want a clutter free home without the weekend overhaul.


    What you’ll learn:

    • Why starting with the hardest room is the #1 reason people quit
    • The 15-minute pulse check method (three categories, one timer, done)
    • How to reframe “letting go” so it feels like a gain, not a loss
    • The room-by-room system inside Effortless Home

    Next episode: How to Declutter Sentimental Items Without Guilt (The Joy Anchor Method)

    Resources mentioned:

    If this episode resonated with you, share it with one person who needs to hear it.

    Subscribe so you never miss an episode, and if you have two minutes, leaving a review on Apple Podcasts makes a real difference.

    TIMESTAMPS

    00:00: Introduction to Decluttering

    00:23: Identifying the Problem - "You have a sequencing problem."

    01:41: Where most people go wrong with decluttering

    4:29: Step One - Where to Start for Decluttering Success

    07:23: Step Two - 15 Minute Pulse Check

    08:51: The Sorting Categories to Get You Moving Quickly

    15:41: The Mindset Shift that Flips Decluttering

    Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

    8 April 2026, 7:00 am
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