Clutter Free Academy

Originally aired October 14, 2025 In this candid Clutter Free Academy episode, Kathi and Roger share how a sudden shift to long COVID reshaped their energy, rhythms, and home—and the simple, grace-filled systems helping them keep life peaceful and clutter free. Listeners will learn: How to reframe success when your “plate” gets smaller and energy is limited The “energy budget” mindset that helps you spend your effort where it matters Meal strategies that don’t require chef-level energy (hello, rotisserie chicken + prepared foods) Easy home adaptations that save steps: snack stations, overbed tables, and a shower stool The emotional shift from guilt to acceptance—and how gratitude lightens the load Why decluttering brings immediate peace in a tough season How to reset holiday expectations and ask for help without shame If you’re navigating illness, caregiving, burnout, or just a low-energy chapter, this episode will help you simplify plans, protect your energy, and find beauty in a smaller, saner life—one small doable step at a time.

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.

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 stuff just keeps appearing in your home? You buy another white shirt because you forgot you already own three. You grab dry shampoo "just in case" and come home to find a small collection already waiting. What if the real problem isn't that you have too much stuff—it's that you don't know what you have? In this episode of Clutter Free Academy, Kathi Lipp and Grace Church introduce Low Buy July—a realistic, grace-filled approach to mindful spending that's about awareness, not deprivation. Unlike extreme no-spend challenges, Low Buy July invites you to hit pause on non-essential purchases while still living your real life. What Listeners Will Discover This episode walks through exactly how to prepare for and thrive during a month of intentional spending. Kathi and Grace share practical strategies for reducing impulse purchases while still taking care of what matters—from birthday celebrations to necessary prescriptions. The Discovery Phase Before cutting back on spending, it helps to know what you already own. Kathi introduces several "treasure hunts" to help listeners rediscover forgotten resources: Freezer Archaeology: That mystery meat from 2022? Time to either use it or lose it. A full freezer inventory helps you plan meals from what you have. Beauty Product Graveyard: Half-used shampoos, impulse lipsticks, and face masks you've been "saving"—July is the month to finally use them up. Closet Rediscovery: Pull out clothes you haven't worn, create outfits, and hang them outside your closet as a visual reminder to actually wear them. Craft Supply Challenge: Cluttery people love to start new projects. This month, practice being a finisher instead. Setting Yourself Up for Success Small friction can make a big difference. Kathi and Grace offer these practical tips: Remove Amazon from your phone (you can put it back later) Unsubscribe from retail emails Check your subscribe-and-save settings Let your Amazon cart build up and trim it before ordering Use grocery pickup to avoid impulse buys in-store Put wanted items on a waiting list—if you still want it in August, buy it then What You're Still Buying Low Buy July isn't about deprivation. Safety items, prescription medicine, true groceries, and birthday celebrations are all still on the table. The goal is accommodation, not elimination. Key Takeaways Low Buy July is about awareness, not acquiring—understanding where your money goes Friction is your friend when it comes to impulse spending Your library is an underutilized resource for summer activities, passes, and entertainment Getting leverage over one spending category builds confidence to tackle others Planning meals backwards (from what you have) turns the challenge into a creative game Ready to join the challenge? Head over to the free Clutter Free Academy Facebook group to take the Low Buy July pledge and celebrate wins together with 16,000+ fellow declutterers.

Have you ever decluttered a room only to watch it fill back up three months later? If so, this episode of the Clutter Free Podcast is for you. Kathi Lipp sits down with Katy Joy Wells, host of the Maximized Minimalist podcast with over 5 million downloads, to explore why traditional decluttering methods often fail—and what actually works for those who struggle with emotional attachment to their stuff. What Listeners Will Discover In this conversation, Kathi and Katy dive deep into the psychology behind clutter, examining why some people can easily let things go while others find themselves paralyzed by a simple organizing decision. The Four Types of Clutter Katy introduces her framework of the four clutter types that keep most homes stuck: Superficial Clutter – The easy stuff with no emotional attachment (only 10-15% of most homes' clutter) Scarcity Clutter – Fear-based items kept "just in case" Sentimental Clutter – Items tied to memories and meaningful moments Identity Clutter – Things connected to who you used to be or aspire to become Understanding Your "Stuff Story" Listeners will learn about the three pillars that shape their relationship with belongings: historical influences from caregivers, personal experiences, and cultural messaging. This awareness creates the foundation for lasting change. How Clutter Affects Your Nervous System The conversation reveals how the average American home contains over 300,000 items—and how this visual chaos triggers stress responses, elevated cortisol, and feelings of overwhelm that have nothing to do with willpower or motivation. Key Takeaways The goal isn't a Pinterest-perfect home—it's a "good enough home" that serves your real life Knowing something is clutter doesn't automatically mean you can let it go Environment shapes behavior: changing your space changes your choices Meeting overwhelming thoughts with curiosity instead of judgment unlocks progress You can be sentimental AND have a simplified home This episode offers hope and practical strategies for anyone who has tried and failed at traditional decluttering methods. It's time to stop blaming yourself and start understanding the real reasons clutter has such a hold on your life.

If you're one of the many homeowners who can't park a car in their garage, you're not alone—and you're definitely not without hope. In this episode of Clutter Free Academy, Kathi Lipp sits down with returning guest Tenneil Register, who brings a unique perspective to garage organization from her experience managing inventory for an actual retail store. Why the Garage Is So Hard to Tame The garage tends to become a catch-all space because it's undefined. It's where things go when company is coming, when seasons change, or when we simply don't know what else to do with something. Unlike the rest of your home, there's no "garage inspector" coming to motivate a cleanup—so clutter piles up without any natural deadline. A Professional Approach to Home Storage Tenneil shares hard-won lessons from running a retail business, including how to think about garage contents in categories: seasonal items, repair tools, and backup supplies. This simple framework helps create logical zones that make finding (and putting away) items so much easier. What "Done" Really Looks Like Forget Pinterest-perfect matching bins. A well-organized garage is one where anyone can walk in and find what they need. The secret? Clear containers so you can see what's inside, simple labels (even handwritten ones count!), and contained categories that others can understand without explanation. Key Takeaways Use clear containers – If it's opaque, there's always the possibility the thing you're looking for might be in that box. Clear bins let you scan and move on. Label everything – A 30-second scribble with a marker can completely change someone else's ability to use the space, including future you. Work in small time chunks – The "big Saturday cleanout" leaves you too exhausted to actually organize. Small sessions are more sustainable and effective. Create a "maybe" zone – Tape out a spot for items you can't decide on. By the end of your organizing session, you'll often be tired enough to let go of some maybes. Make it a choice, not a consequence – Deciding intentionally that you need storage more than parking feels completely different than living with the result of accumulated mess. Even improving your garage by just 20% this season will make a huge difference every time you go out there looking for something. Progress, not perfection, is the goal.

Do you ever feel like traditional organizing advice just doesn't work for your life? Maybe you're a caregiver with an unpredictable schedule, a mom juggling multiple kids' activities, or someone whose daily responsibilities shift constantly. If you've ever felt like you can't get on top of life because life just won't stay still, this episode is for you. When Every Day Looks Different In this powerful conversation, Kathi sits down with author and speaker Barb Roose to tackle a question many listeners have been asking: How do you maintain peace and order when your schedule is anything but predictable? Barb brings both practical wisdom and deeply personal experience to this topic. Having spent nearly a decade living with a spouse struggling with addiction, she knows firsthand what it means to wake up to chaos you didn't cause and can't control. From that difficult season, she developed strategies that have carried her through book deadlines, family medical emergencies, and the ongoing demands of a busy speaking and writing ministry. The Top 5 Daily Anchors Barb shares her "Top 5" approach—five simple, non-negotiable things she commits to doing each day, no matter what chaos swirls around her: Prioritize sleep – Getting the best rest possible given the circumstances Move your body – Not a specific workout, just intentional movement Make healthy food choices – Working with what's available Spend time with God – Quality over quantity Have one quality connection – Reaching out to someone who matters These anchors aren't about perfection—they're about staying as regulated as possible when everything else feels out of control. When You Can't Even Start For listeners who feel too buried to even think about five things, Barb offers gentler advice: Do one thing for yourself today. For her, it once started with simply putting on a pair of earrings. That small act of self-care sparked something inside her during her darkest days. Later, it became a daily walk with earbuds in—a simple practice that gave her something to hold onto. The Spiritual Foundation Barb also shares how her faith became her lifeline, not through elaborate spiritual practices, but through simple acts like reading five promises of God written on a notecard each morning. When she couldn't pray, when all she could do was cry, those promises helped her "hold on until she could hold on." Her powerful prayer—"God, I can't, but You can, and I will let You"—offers a starting point for anyone ready to release what they cannot control. Key Takeaways You're not crazy for craving certainty—it's natural, but trying to manufacture control often creates more chaos Small, faithful steps build the foundation for handling bigger challenges God's plan was never for you to set yourself on fire to keep everyone else warm Before you can figure out your "top five," you need to figure out what to let go of One small act of self-care can be the first step out of survival mode

Do you find yourself postponing bedtime because the thought of walking into your cluttered bedroom feels overwhelming? You're not alone. For many of us, the bedroom has become a catch-all space—a place where laundry piles up, papers accumulate on nightstands, and clutter hides behind closed doors. Your Bedroom Should Be Your Exhale Room In this episode of Clutter Free Academy, Kathi Lipp and Tenneil Register have an honest conversation about why the bedroom often becomes the most cluttered room in the house—even for people who don't consider themselves "cluttery." They explore why we use this private space as a dumping ground and, more importantly, how to reclaim it as the sanctuary it's meant to be. What You'll Discover in This Episode Why 75% of cluttery people struggle most with their bedroom The emotional reasons we avoid dealing with bedroom clutter How to evaluate what your bedroom says about how you feel about rest Simple first steps to reset your bedroom starting tonight The nightstand strategy that creates instant calm Why making your bed might be easier than you think (if you simplify it) The Safety Factor Beyond the mental and emotional benefits, Kathi Lipp shares a personal story about passing out in the middle of the night and the relief of knowing there was nothing on her floor to trip over. Your bedroom should be the safest room in your house—a place you can navigate even in the dark. Key Takeaways Rest is a gift, not just a reward. You don't have to earn the right to a peaceful bedroom by completing everything else first. Your nightstand should only hold items you use daily or weekly—everything else needs a different home. If you're resisting making your bed, you've probably made it too complicated with too many pillows. Ready to transform your bedroom from a stress zone to a sanctuary? Start with just one small step tonight.