The Clutter Fairy Weekly

Did the pandemic change the rules for keeping clothes? What’s a practical storage solution for a journal collection? And how does Ed’s (kitchen) garden grow? In episode #210 of The Clutter Fairy Weekly, Gayle Goddard, professional organizer and owner of The Clutter Fairy in Houston, Texas, answers your questions about culinary plants, journal collections, and old clothes and covers other short topics suggested by our viewers and listeners. Show notes: https://cfhou.com/tcfw210 The Clutter Fairy Weekly is a live webcast and podcast designed to help you clear your clutter and make space in your home and your life for more of what you love. We meet Tuesdays at noon (U.S. Central Time) to answer your decluttering questions and to share organizing tools and techniques, success stories and “ah-hah!” moments, seasonal suggestions, and timeless tips. To participate live in our weekly webcast, join our Meetup group, follow us on Facebook, or subscribe to our mailing list. You can also watch the videos of our webcast on YouTube. Support the Show.

Some spaces and categories of stuff in our homes are relatively easy to declutter and organize, but some are constant sources of struggle. What lessons can our “sweet spots” teach us for managing our trouble areas? In episode #209 of The Clutter Fairy Weekly, Gayle Goddard, professional organizer and owner of The Clutter Fairy in Houston, Texas, explores household problem areas and clear zones and offers strategies for working toward a whole house that’s a clutter-free sweet spot. Show notes: https://cfhou.com/tcfw209 The Clutter Fairy Weekly is a live webcast and podcast designed to help you clear your clutter and make space in your home and your life for more of what you love. We meet Tuesdays at noon (U.S. Central Time) to answer your decluttering questions and to share organizing tools and techniques, success stories and “ah-hah!” moments, seasonal suggestions, and timeless tips. To participate live in our weekly webcast, join our Meetup group, follow us on Facebook, or subscribe to our mailing list. You can also watch the videos of our webcast on YouTube. Support the Show.

Negative emotions complicate and compound the difficulty of managing our clutter. Guilt, shame, fear, grief, anger, and other painful feelings reduce our ability to focus and make decisions, and cluttered spaces and piles of stuff can aggravate our emotional distress. In episode #208 of The Clutter Fairy Weekly, Gayle Goddard, professional organizer and owner of The Clutter Fairy in Houston, Texas, offers strategies for working around or through negative emotions to move your projects forward no matter where you’re starting from. Show notes: https://cfhou.com/tcfw208 The Clutter Fairy Weekly is a live webcast and podcast designed to help you clear your clutter and make space in your home and your life for more of what you love. We meet Tuesdays at noon (U.S. Central Time) to answer your decluttering questions and to share organizing tools and techniques, success stories and “ah-hah!” moments, seasonal suggestions, and timeless tips. To participate live in our weekly webcast, join our Meetup group, follow us on Facebook, or subscribe to our mailing list. You can also watch the videos of our webcast on YouTube. Support the Show.

An audience member asked, “How much should you keep for your ‘little birdies’ while they’re testing their wings?” There are difficult decisions and challenges to face as you transition from a full house to an empty nest. In episode #207 of The Clutter Fairy Weekly, Gayle Goddard, professional organizer and owner of The Clutter Fairy in Houston, Texas, discusses not-quite-empty nests, Earth Day organizing, and other questions and short topics suggested by our viewers and listeners. Show notes: https://cfhou.com/tcfw207 The Clutter Fairy Weekly is a live webcast and podcast designed to help you clear your clutter and make space in your home and your life for more of what you love. We meet Tuesdays at noon (U.S. Central Time) to answer your decluttering questions and to share organizing tools and techniques, success stories and “ah-hah!” moments, seasonal suggestions, and timeless tips. To participate live in our weekly webcast, join our Meetup group, follow us on Facebook, or subscribe to our mailing list. You can also watch the videos of our webcast on YouTube. Support the Show.

An audience member asked, “What should we do if we notice ourselves becoming more disorganized than usual?” The good news is that you can learn to recognize the warning signs that clutter is creeping back into your previously organized life. In episode #206 of The Clutter Fairy Weekly, Gayle Goddard, professional organizer and owner of The Clutter Fairy in Houston, Texas, explores the tendency to relapse into cluttering behaviors and offers tips for maintaining good habits and routines to stay organized. Show notes: https://cfhou.com/tcfw206 The Clutter Fairy Weekly is a live webcast and podcast designed to help you clear your clutter and make space in your home and your life for more of what you love. We meet Tuesdays at noon (U.S. Central Time) to answer your decluttering questions and to share organizing tools and techniques, success stories and “ah-hah!” moments, seasonal suggestions, and timeless tips. To participate live in our weekly webcast, join our Meetup group, follow us on Facebook, or subscribe to our mailing list. You can also watch the videos of our webcast on YouTube. Support the Show.

Do you sweat the small stuff? Little things can cause some of our biggest organizing headaches: spice jars, tiny bottles and tubes of notions and potions, jewelry, accessories, sticky notes and scraps of paper, the contents of purses, and all the various bits and bobs that collect in our lives and our homes. In episode #205 of The Clutter Fairy Weekly, Gayle Goddard, professional organizer and owner of The Clutter Fairy in Houston, Texas, offers strategies for corralling the collections of small items that present big organizing challenges. Show notes: https://cfhou.com/tcfw205 The Clutter Fairy Weekly is a live webcast and podcast designed to help you clear your clutter and make space in your home and your life for more of what you love. We meet Tuesdays at noon (U.S. Central Time) to answer your decluttering questions and to share organizing tools and techniques, success stories and “ah-hah!” moments, seasonal suggestions, and timeless tips. To participate live in our weekly webcast, join our Meetup group, follow us on Facebook, or subscribe to our mailing list. You can also watch the videos of our webcast on YouTube. Support the Show.

Paper is a plentiful source of clutter—and frustration—for many people. Even though our digital lives offer us more options than ever for “going paperless,” paper clutter still seems to keep stacking up. In episode #204 of The Clutter Fairy Weekly, Gayle Goddard, professional organizer and owner of The Clutter Fairy in Houston, Texas, examines habits, behaviors, and attitudes that lead us to keep more paper than we need or can manage and offers pointers for purging your personal paper piles. Show notes: https://cfhou.com/tcfw204 The Clutter Fairy Weekly is a live webcast and podcast designed to help you clear your clutter and make space in your home and your life for more of what you love. We meet Tuesdays at noon (U.S. Central Time) to answer your decluttering questions and to share organizing tools and techniques, success stories and “ah-hah!” moments, seasonal suggestions, and timeless tips. To participate live in our weekly webcast, join our Meetup group, follow us on Facebook, or subscribe to our mailing list. You can also watch the videos of our webcast on YouTube. Support the Show.

Join us for another “Ask Us Anything” episode. We’ll answer viewer and listener questions and discuss short topics suggested by our audience in our surveys and through our other channels. In episode #203 of The Clutter Fairy Weekly, Gayle Goddard, professional organizer and owner of The Clutter Fairy in Houston, Texas, discusses striving for balance between convenience and clarity, how to avoid falling victim to ads and consumerist messages, and organizing and cluttering styles among siblings. Show notes: http://cfhou.com/tcfw203 Link mentioned in this episode: How to Avoid the Trap of Consumerism (13 Strategies)The Clutter Fairy Weekly is a live webcast and podcast designed to help you clear your clutter and make space in your home and your life for more of what you love. We meet Tuesdays at noon (U.S. Central Time) to answer your decluttering questions and to share organizing tools and techniques, success stories and “ah-hah!” moments, seasonal suggestions, and timeless tips. To participate live in our weekly webcast, join our Meetup group, follow us on Facebook, or subscribe to our mailing list. You can also watch the videos of our webcast on YouTube. Support the Show.

This month presents a rare treat—an extra day on the calendar! How about using some of that bonus time to get a jump on your spring cleaning by drafting a project plan? In episode #202 of The Clutter Fairy Weekly, Gayle Goddard, professional organizer and owner of The Clutter Fairy in Houston, Texas, peeks into often-neglected corners of our lives and shares a list of simple cleaning chores where you can rack up big spring wins. Show notes: http://cfhou.com/tcfw202 The Clutter Fairy Weekly is a live webcast and podcast designed to help you clear your clutter and make space in your home and your life for more of what you love. We meet Tuesdays at noon (U.S. Central Time) to answer your decluttering questions and to share organizing tools and techniques, success stories and “ah-hah!” moments, seasonal suggestions, and timeless tips. To participate live in our weekly webcast, join our Meetup group, follow us on Facebook, or subscribe to our mailing list. You can also watch the videos of our webcast on YouTube. Support the Show.

We love the people in our lives—and we also love our stuff. But sometimes our feelings about and behavior with regard to our clutter can create distance, conflict, or tension with people we care about. In episode #201 of The Clutter Fairy Weekly, Gayle Goddard, professional organizer and owner of The Clutter Fairy in Houston, Texas, examines the ways in which our attachment to stuff complicates our relationships and offers strategies for defusing conflict and holding space for love. Show notes: http://cfhou.com/tcfw201 The Clutter Fairy Weekly is a live webcast and podcast designed to help you clear your clutter and make space in your home and your life for more of what you love. We meet Tuesdays at noon (U.S. Central Time) to answer your decluttering questions and to share organizing tools and techniques, success stories and “ah-hah!” moments, seasonal suggestions, and timeless tips. To participate live in our weekly webcast, join our Meetup group, follow us on Facebook, or subscribe to our mailing list. You can also watch the videos of our webcast on YouTube. Support the Show.

Why do we procrastinate? We’re probably not lazy or lacking in self-control. We know what needs to be done and why it’s important to us. So why do we go out of our way to avoid the inevitable? In episode #200 of The Clutter Fairy Weekly, Gayle Goddard, professional organizer and owner of The Clutter Fairy in Houston, Texas, explores procrastination and avoidance behavior and suggests tips and techniques for breaking an unproductive cycle. Show notes: http://cfhou.com/tcfw200 Links mentioned in this episode: Why People Procrastinate: The Psychology and Causes of ProcrastinationProcrastination Theories: The Psychological Frameworks for Explaining ProcrastinationThe Clutter Fairy Weekly is a live webcast and podcast designed to help you clear your clutter and make space in your home and your life for more of what you love. We meet Tuesdays at noon (U.S. Central Time) to answer your decluttering questions and to share organizing tools and techniques, success stories and “ah-hah!” moments, seasonal suggestions, and timeless tips. To participate live in our weekly webcast, join our Meetup group, follow us on Facebook, or subscribe to our mailing list. You can also watch the videos of our webcast on YouTube. Support the Show.

Well-chosen decor can express your personality and make your home feel warm, cozy, and inviting. But a lot can go wrong as you select objects, colors, textures, and materials to decorate your space. In episode #199 of The Clutter Fairy Weekly, Gayle Goddard, professional organizer and owner of The Clutter Fairy in Houston, Texas, examines ways that decor can lead to clutter and suggests strategies for right-sizing your decorative choices. Show notes: http://cfhou.com/tcfw199 The Clutter Fairy Weekly is a live webcast and podcast designed to help you clear your clutter and make space in your home and your life for more of what you love. We meet Tuesdays at noon (U.S. Central Time) to answer your decluttering questions and to share organizing tools and techniques, success stories and “ah-hah!” moments, seasonal suggestions, and timeless tips. To participate live in our weekly webcast, join our Meetup group, follow us on Facebook, or subscribe to our mailing list. You can also watch the videos of our webcast on YouTube. Support the Show.

How do we evaluate the stuff in our lives? What questions should we be asking about ourselves and our belongings as we decide what to keep and what to let go? In episode #198 of The Clutter Fairy Weekly, Gayle Goddard, professional organizer and owner of The Clutter Fairy in Houston, Texas, explores the power of questions to unpack clutter issues and suggests queries that can get to the heart of our toughest challenges. Show notes: http://cfhou.com/tcfw198 The Clutter Fairy Weekly is a live webcast and podcast designed to help you clear your clutter and make space in your home and your life for more of what you love. We meet Tuesdays at noon (U.S. Central Time) to answer your decluttering questions and to share organizing tools and techniques, success stories and “ah-hah!” moments, seasonal suggestions, and timeless tips. To participate live in our weekly webcast, join our Meetup group, follow us on Facebook, or subscribe to our mailing list. You can also watch the videos of our webcast on YouTube. Support the Show.

Gamification is the practice of incorporating traditional elements of games—scorekeeping, rewards, social components, etc., to non-game contexts, such as decluttering and organizing. In episode #197 of The Clutter Fairy Weekly, Gayle Goddard, professional organizer and owner of The Clutter Fairy in Houston, Texas, explores the pros and cons of gamifying your organizing process and suggests ways to set yourself up to win big. Show notes: https://cfhou.com/tcfw197 The Clutter Fairy Weekly is a live webcast and podcast designed to help you clear your clutter and make space in your home and your life for more of what you love. We meet Tuesdays at noon (U.S. Central Time) to answer your decluttering questions and to share organizing tools and techniques, success stories and “ah-hah!” moments, seasonal suggestions, and timeless tips. To participate live in our weekly webcast, join our Meetup group, follow us on Facebook, or subscribe to our mailing list. You can also watch the videos of our webcast on YouTube. Support the Show.

Wherever you find yourself in your organizing journey as 2023 draws to a close, we plan to be here to encourage and support you this week, next week, and throughout the year. In episode #196 of The Clutter Fairy Weekly, Gayle Goddard, professional organizer and owner of The Clutter Fairy in Houston, Texas, pledges to help and cheer on our community in making 2024 your best decluttering and organizing year yet! The text of this message and other show notes can be found at https://cfhou.com/tcfw196. The Clutter Fairy Weekly is a live webcast and podcast designed to help you clear your clutter and make space in your home and your life for more of what you love. We meet Tuesdays at noon (U.S. Central Time) to answer your decluttering questions and to share organizing tools and techniques, success stories and “ah-hah!” moments, seasonal suggestions, and timeless tips. To participate live in our weekly webcast, join our Meetup group, follow us on Facebook, or subscribe to our mailing list. You can also watch the videos of our webcast on YouTube. Support the Show.

Happy holidays from The Clutter Fairy family to you and yours! In episode #195 of The Clutter Fairy Weekly, Gayle Goddard, professional organizer and owner of The Clutter Fairy in Houston, Texas, thanks our clients, patrons, friends, family, viewers, and listeners for your generous support this year and wishes you a joyous and peaceful holiday season filled with all that your heart desires! The text of this message and other show notes can be found at https://cfhou.com/tcfw195. The Clutter Fairy Weekly is a live webcast and podcast designed to help you clear your clutter and make space in your home and your life for more of what you love. We meet Tuesdays at noon (U.S. Central Time) to answer your decluttering questions and to share organizing tools and techniques, success stories and “ah-hah!” moments, seasonal suggestions, and timeless tips. To participate live in our weekly webcast, join our Meetup group, follow us on Facebook, or subscribe to our mailing list. You can also watch the videos of our webcast on YouTube. Support the Show.

Should your home be optimized to function smoothly, to look beautiful, or some combination of the two? Where are you willing to compromise, and what’s non-negotiable? In episode #194 of The Clutter Fairy Weekly, Gayle Goddard, professional organizer and owner of The Clutter Fairy in Houston, Texas, discusses the priorities that inform our decluttering and organizing choices and suggests strategies for finding your personal perfect balance. Show notes: http://cfhou.com/tcfw194 The Clutter Fairy Weekly is a live webcast and podcast designed to help you clear your clutter and make space in your home and your life for more of what you love. We meet Tuesdays at noon (U.S. Central Time) to answer your decluttering questions and to share organizing tools and techniques, success stories and “ah-hah!” moments, seasonal suggestions, and timeless tips. To participate live in our weekly webcast, join our Meetup group, follow us on Facebook, or subscribe to our mailing list. You can also watch the videos of our webcast on YouTube. Support the Show.

Last week’s dip into our mailbag was so much fun that we’re going to do some more! We’ll discuss “decluttering clutter,” how to start clearing a jam-packed space, organizing plants and pets, and more. In episode #193 of The Clutter Fairy Weekly, Gayle Goddard, professional organizer and owner of The Clutter Fairy in Houston, Texas, is back to answer more viewer and listener questions and discuss short topics suggested by our audience in our surveys and through our other channels. Show notes: http://cfhou.com/tcfw193 The Clutter Fairy Weekly is a live webcast and podcast designed to help you clear your clutter and make space in your home and your life for more of what you love. We meet Tuesdays at noon (U.S. Central Time) to answer your decluttering questions and to share organizing tools and techniques, success stories and “ah-hah!” moments, seasonal suggestions, and timeless tips. To participate live in our weekly webcast, join our Meetup group, follow us on Facebook, or subscribe to our mailing list. You can also watch the videos of our webcast on YouTube. Support the Show.

It’s been a while since we focused a complete episode on answering the questions you share with us in our surveys, live chat, email, social media, and web site. We’re always ready to listen, and we’re eager to tackle the tough questions and issues that are giving you fits. In episode #192 of The Clutter Fairy Weekly, Gayle Goddard, professional organizer and owner of The Clutter Fairy in Houston, Texas, answers viewer and listener questions and discusses short topics suggested by our audience on our surveys and through other channels. Show notes: http://cfhou.com/tcfw192 The Clutter Fairy Weekly is a live webcast and podcast designed to help you clear your clutter and make space in your home and your life for more of what you love. We meet Tuesdays at noon (U.S. Central Time) to answer your decluttering questions and to share organizing tools and techniques, success stories and “ah-hah!” moments, seasonal suggestions, and timeless tips. To participate live in our weekly webcast, join our Meetup group, follow us on Facebook, or subscribe to our mailing list. You can also watch the videos of our webcast on YouTube. Support the Show.

The new year is a great time to “hit reset”: to refresh your priorities, revisit your goals, and reconsider your habits and behaviors. The more thought you put into your reset process, the more success you’re likely to achieve. In episode #191 of The Clutter Fairy Weekly, Gayle Goddard, professional organizer and owner of The Clutter Fairy in Houston, Texas, discusses how to hit reset on organizing projects, the pros and cons of resolutions, and tips for planning a successful “Get Organized Month.” Show notes: http://cfhou.com/tcfw191 The Clutter Fairy Weekly is a live webcast and podcast designed to help you clear your clutter and make space in your home and your life for more of what you love. We meet Tuesdays at noon (U.S. Central Time) to answer your decluttering questions and to share organizing tools and techniques, success stories and “ah-hah!” moments, seasonal suggestions, and timeless tips. To participate live in our weekly webcast, join our Meetup group, follow us on Facebook, or subscribe to our mailing list. You can also watch the videos of our webcast on YouTube. Support the Show.