Wannabe Clutter Free | Declutter, Simplify, Find Freedom

Reading 100 books this year reshaped how I approach decluttering, burnout, and intentional living. These five standouts changed my energy, mindset, and home, without adding clutter. Resources Mentioned: Wannabe Clutter Free on Instagram Reading used to feel impossible for me, until this year. In 2025, I read (and listened to) nearly 100 books, and along the way something surprising happened. My mindset around decluttering, burnout, productivity, and intentional living began to shift in ways I didn’t expect. In this episode, I’m sharing: The decluttering and life books that shaped my year The five standouts that genuinely changed how I live and coach Why organizing alone isn’t enough when burnout is involved How I read 100 books without adding physical clutter to my home Practical tips for letting go of books without guilt My 5 Standout Reads of 2025 Burnout by Emily Nagoski PhD& Amelia Nagoski DMA Why you can’t organize your way out of burnout and how completing the stress cycle changed everything for me. The Energy Bus by Jon Gordon A simple (yes, slightly cheesy) story with a powerful reminder: your energy affects everything - your home included. I Didn’t Do the Thing Today by Madeline Dore A refreshing take on ambition, rest, and worth, without hustle culture or guilt. How to Keep House While Drowning by K.C. Davis A shame-free approach to care tasks that gave me permission to stop tying my worth to a clean house. No New Things by Ashlee Piper A powerful reframe on consumption, shopping habits, and stopping clutter at the source. How I Read 100 Books Without Adding Clutter I listened to all of these books using Libby, a free app connected to my local library. Audiobooks allowed me to “read” while cleaning, driving, or folding laundry and I never had to bring more stuff into my home. What book has changed how you think about your home or life? Send me your recommendations because I’m already building my 2026 reading list. Timestamps: 0:00 – Why I chose books instead of goal-setting to close out 2025 2:15 – How I read nearly 100 books (and why that surprised me most) 4:30 – The types of books that shaped my decluttering mindset this year 7:45 – Burnout and why you can’t organize your way out of stress 11:40 – The Energy Bus and protecting your energy at home 14:50 – I Didn’t Do the Thing Today and releasing productivity guilt 18:10 – How to Keep House While Drowning and shame-free decluttering 22:30 – No New Things and stopping clutter before it starts 26:00 – How Libby helped me read more without adding physical clutter 30:45 – Decluttering books without guilt + my favorite question to ask 33:15 – Final reflections and building a meaningful 2026 reading list Subscribe & Review: If you loved this episode, please subscribe and leave a review! Your feedback helps me create more content to inspire and motivate you to live with less. Music: Fresh Lift by Shane Ivers⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Holiday clutter doesn’t mean you’re behind. This calming episode offers permission to rest, a gentle after-Christmas reset, and a supportive path toward decluttering and intentional living in the new year.  📌 Resources Mentioned: Episode 288 The days after Christmas can feel louder than we expect. More stuff. More mess. Less energy. In this calming, guilt-free episode, Deanna offers reassurance for overwhelmed homes and hearts. You’ll hear why the post-holiday mess is normal, why nothing needs to be fixed today, and how to give yourself permission to rest without falling behind. Deanna shares a personal story about gift guilt, the pressure to create a “perfect” Christmas, and how more stuff often pulls us away from the connection we’re really craving. You’ll also learn: • Why temporary mess does not require permanent solutions • What not to declutter during the holidays • A low-lift reset for when motivation shows up • How to quiet your nervous system instead of forcing productivity • A gentle path forward for decluttering in the new year And when you’re ready, Deanna invites you to join her January decluttering challenge, where you’ll get a flexible plan, weekly live support, and accountability that feels kind. You’re not behind. The mess is temporary. And you don’t have to do this alone. Follow Deanna Yates, the host of Wannabe Clutter Free on: Instagram: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://www.instagram.com/wannabeclutterfree/⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ Loved this episode? Share it with a friend or leave a review. Timestamps: 00:00 – A calm reminder for overwhelmed homes 02:45 – Why the holidays feel loud and heavy 05:15 – Gift guilt and the myth of “more is better” 07:30 – The moment that changed how Deanna sees Christmas 10:05 – The holiday emergency reset: what not to do 12:30 – Why rest matters more than organizing right now 14:55 – A low-lift option if motivation shows up 17:10 – The mess is temporary and you didn’t fail 19:15 – A gentle invitation to the January decluttering challenge 23:05 – Coming back to presence, connection, and breath Subscribe & Review: If you loved this episode, please subscribe and leave a review! Your feedback helps me create more content to inspire and motivate you to live with less. Music: Fresh Lift by Shane Ivers⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

I decluttered 500 items in four days! Decluttering doesn’t always look like overflowing junk drawers or packed closets. Sometimes it looks like a home that feels “fine”…but still holds more than you need. 📌 Resources Mentioned: Get the Declutter 500 Items Challenge course for just $1! In this episode, Deanna shares a personal experiment that completely surprised her. Using a flipped version of a traditional decluttering challenge, she removed 500 items from her home in just four days without creating mess, stress, or burnout. You’ll hear why starting big worked better than starting small, how gamifying decluttering changed everything, and why flexibility matters more than perfection when you’re letting things go. Deanna also walks through exactly where those 500 items came from, what was harder to declutter than expected, and how donating with intention made the process even more meaningful. If you’ve been craving a clutter-free home that feels lighter, calmer, and easier to maintain, this episode will show you what’s possible, even if you already think you’ve “done the work.” What you’ll learn: Why traditional decluttering challenges don’t work for everyone Where clutter hides, even in organized homes A flexible way to count items without getting stuck How to declutter without making a bigger mess What to do with items once they leave your home Why letting go of “perfectly good” things can feel hard How decluttering supports intentional living in this season of life Follow Deanna Yates, the host of Wannabe Clutter Free on: Instagram: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://www.instagram.com/wannabeclutterfree/⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ Loved this episode? Share it with a friend or leave a review. Timestamps: 00:00 Introduction to the Decluttering Challenge 06:05 Why traditional decluttering challenges didn’t work for me 11:59 Day-by-Day Decluttering Process 17:48 How I counted items without stress or rules 23:54 What I did with the decluttered items 30:07 What surprised me most about the process 35:56 Why I’m doing this challenge again Subscribe & Review: If you loved this episode, please subscribe and leave a review! Your feedback helps me create more content to inspire and motivate you to live with less. Music: Fresh Lift by Shane Ivers⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Discover how your personal energy shapes the clutter in your home and learn simple, powerful mindset shifts to create a more clutter-free, aligned, and intentional life. **************** Resources ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Get all the links and resources at wannabeclutterfree.com/287⁠⁠⁠ Connect with Jena Lorén ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Instagram⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ ⁠⁠⁠⁠Jena's Website⁠⁠⁠ ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Follow Deanna Yates, the host of Wannabe Clutter Free on: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Instagram⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Facebook⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Website⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Get my children's book: Lenora and Her Super Duper Messy Room⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ **************** Your personal energy is woven into every corner of your home, and today’s conversation with Consciousness Architect Jena Lorén will change the way you see your space forever. We explore why clutter often has nothing to do with laziness or lack of willpower and everything to do with unseen emotional patterns, old identities, and ego tricks that quietly shape your habits. Jena shares her powerful 3-second mindset reset, her story of purging 80 percent of her belongings, and how to identify the ego archetypes (rebel, realist, illusionist, martyr) that show up in your clutter patterns. If you’ve ever felt overwhelmed, stuck, ashamed, or frustrated by the state of your home, this episode gives you a compassionate and practical path forward. You’ll learn how circulation, alignment, and awareness can transform your space into one that supports your highest self. We cover: Why clutter often reflects emotional attachments, not messy habits How your personal energy shows up in your space (and how to shift it) What “circulation” really means and why it builds abundance The surprising root of procrastination around decluttering How the four ego archetypes affect your home and habits A simple 3-second mindset shift you can use today How to let go of items that no longer align with your future self Why awareness without integration keeps us stuck How to create a home that feels supportive, calm, and aligned Time Stamps: 00:00 – The energetic link between your home and your inner world 03:07 – How personal energy imprints itself on your space 07:04 – Purging 80% of your belongings and choosing a new identity 12:43 – “What if I need this?” and the scarcity trap 15:20 – Circulation: the hidden key to abundance 18:24 – Why receiving feels unsafe for so many women 23:38 – The true root of procrastination around clutter 31:42 – The four ego archetypes and how they shape your home 42:03 – How ego shows up when you try to declutter 51:56 – The simple 3-second shift to reconnect with your future self **************** 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

Want a calmer, cleaner, clutter-free holiday season? This episode walks you through how to simplify Christmas in a way that feels peaceful, joyful, and actually doable for busy families. Deanna shares how her family is decorating more slowly this year, how she’s focusing on cozy moments over perfection, and the simple choices that help keep December from spiraling into chaos. What you’ll learn How to gear up for the holidays without overwhelm How to have clutter-free gift conversations with family (without guilt or drama) Clutter-free gift ideas that still feel special The “four-gift practice” that simplifies kids’ gifts instantly What to do when guilt pushes you to buy more than you should Why “more stuff” often leads to overstimulation and less joy for kids How to prepare your home now for a peaceful Christmas morning The Santa Bag Trick (a magical way to declutter with younger kids!) Whether your holidays feel too busy, too full, or just too much, this episode will help you create more intention, more breathing room, and more meaning this season. 📌 Resources Mentioned: ⁠Deanna's 19 Best Decluttering Courses for $19⁠ ⁠Full show notes:⁠⁠ ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠wannabeclutterfree.com/286 Follow Deanna Yates, the host of Wannabe Clutter Free on: Instagram: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://www.instagram.com/wannabeclutterfree/⁠⁠⁠⁠ Join the Wannabe Minimalist Community on Facebook: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://www.facebook.com/groups/wannabeminimalist⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ Loved this episode? Share it with a friend or leave a review. Timestamps: 00:00: Decorating slowly this year + why it feels right 02:15: Letting go of traditions that no longer serve you 04:25: Planning holiday activities earlier for less overwhelm 06:00: What to expect in this clutter-free holiday episode 07:10: The emotional clutter of December and how to release it 09:00: How to talk to family about clutter-free gifts 13:50: The four-gift practice for kids (want, need, wear, read) 15:00: Clutter-free gift ideas that still feel special 20:00: Guilt around giving less + Deanna’s personal story 26:10: Pre-holiday decluttering and prepping for Christmas morning 29:40: The Santa Bag Trick for younger kids 31:00: Weekly challenge: pick one clutter-free shift for this season Subscribe & Review: If you loved this episode, please subscribe and leave a review! Your feedback helps me create more content to inspire and motivate you to live with less. Music: Fresh Lift by Shane Ivers⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices