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Wannabe Clutter Free | Declutter, Simplify, Find Freedom

Wannabe Clutter Free | Declutter, Simplify, Find Freedom

By: Deanna Yates | Professional Organizer Decluttering Coach Wannabe Minimalist
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 Ready to finally calm the overwhelm and create a home and life you actually enjoy? The Wannabe Clutter Free podcast is here to help you clear the clutter, simplify your routines, and find freedom in the life you’re building. I’m Deanna Yates, a busy mom who knows what it’s like to juggle family, career, and the never-ending piles of stuff. From selling 80% of what we owned to travel with our toddler, to managing the daily chaos of running a home with a school-aged kid, I’ve learned that living with less isn’t about deprivation. It’s about creating more space, more peace, and more joy. Each week, I share real-life stories, simple decluttering strategies, and mindset shifts that make it easier to let go of what’s weighing you down. You’ll also hear from inspiring guests who share practical tips and fresh perspectives on minimalism, home organization, intentional living, and building habits that last. If you’re tired of feeling buried in clutter and crave a home that feels calm, welcoming, and easy to manage, this show is for you. It’s not about perfection. It’s about progress, freedom, and finding space for what truly matters to you.All rights reserved. Personal Development Personal Success
Episodes
  • Decluttering: A Hidden Political Revolution? (Ep 300)

    Decluttering: A Hidden Political Revolution? (Ep 300)
    Mar 11 2026
    Your clutter isn't a personal failing. It's the intended result of a system that profits from your overwhelm. Episode 300 is about opting out -- and taking back your power. Resources Mentioned: No New Things by Ashlee Piper "Sit Still Look Pretty" by Daya Wannabe Clutter Free on Instagram (30-day declutter series) ⁠⁠Deanna's Best Decluttering Resources⁠⁠ Three hundred episodes. When I started this show, I thought decluttering was about getting rid of stuff. And it is. But it's not only that. The more I've done this work, the more I've realized the stuff was never really the problem. The problem is what keeps creating the stuff. For episode 300, I finally go there. Your clutter is not an accident. It is not a personal failing. It is, in significant part, the intended result of a trillion-dollar industry that profits from your overwhelm, your insecurity, and your desire to feel better right now. Desire is manufactured. Algorithms aren't showing you what you love -- they're showing you what you're most likely to buy. The "treat yourself" culture is a sales strategy. And the chaos that keeps you too exhausted to pay attention? Worth money to the people selling it. But here's where it gets good: once you see it, you can't unsee it. And that's where your power starts. Buying less is not deprivation. It's defection. Every time you walk past a sale and keep walking, you are opting out of a system that is counting on you not to. Every purchase is a vote for the kind of world you want to live in. In this episode I cover: Why clutter keeps coming back no matter how often you declutter How desire gets manufactured (and the Stanley cup is a perfect example) The $44 billion self-storage industry and what it says about all of us Why voting with your dollars is one of the most direct forms of civic participation The mental clutter side: what short-form content is doing to your sense of enough 5 low-lift ways to start opting out this week If this episode resonated with you, share it with one person who needs to hear it. Text it to a friend who's been drowning in stuff and can't figure out why. The message that clutter is not your fault (and that you have more power than you think) deserves to reach more people. You're how it gets there. Subscribe so you never miss an episode, and if you have two minutes, leaving a review on Apple Podcasts makes a real difference. Thank you for 300 episodes. TIMESTAMPS 0:00 -- Welcome + 300 episodes milestone 2:38 -- The story that changed how I see everything (the Amazon tab moment) 5:46 -- How desire is manufactured (ads, algorithms, "treat yourself" culture) 9:36 -- Why your overwhelm is worth money to someone 11:27 -- No New Things by Ashlee Piper + the reframe 12:42 -- Not buying is not deprivation. It's voting with your dollars 16:10 -- Feeling smaller and disconnected -- and what's still in your control 18:36 -- Mental clutter: what short-form content is doing to your sense of enough 19:57 -- The highlight reel fallacy 22:17 -- 5 practical experiments to start opting out 26:24 -- The hole in the boat: why decluttering without stopping the inflow never works 27:30 -- 300 episodes: what I actually believe 28:37 -- My one ask for episode 300 Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices
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    33 mins
  • Meal Planning Made Simple: How a Mom of 5 Feeds Her Family Without the Stress with Melissa Griffiths (Ep 299)

    Meal Planning Made Simple: How a Mom of 5 Feeds Her Family Without the Stress with Melissa Griffiths (Ep 299)
    Mar 4 2026
    How do you get dinner on the table every night without losing your mind? Melissa Griffiths shares her monthly meal planning system, how to get kids helping in the kitchen, and how to lighten the mental load around food. **************** ⁠RESOURCES⁠ ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Get all the links and resources at wannabeclutterfree.com/299⁠ Pro tip from Melissa: Add "-AI" to your recipe searches to filter out AI-generated recipes!⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ Connect with Melissa Griffiths: ⁠Melissa's Website⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ ⁠⁠⁠⁠Instagram⁠⁠⁠⁠ ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Follow Deanna Yates, the host of Wannabe Clutter Free on: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Instagram⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Website⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Get my children's book: Lenora and Her Super Duper Messy Room⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ **************** What if meal planning didn't have to feel like another thing on your endless to-do list? Melissa Griffiths is the founder of Bless This Mess, a food blog she has been growing for over 13 years to help busy moms put simple, nourishing meals on the table. As a mom of five who recently moved her family from Utah to Vermont, Melissa knows what it takes to feed a family through every season of chaos. In this conversation, Melissa shares her monthly meal planning system, including the master list method and how theme nights can take the decision fatigue out of dinner. We dive into getting kids involved in the kitchen and her "launch list" concept for life skills she wants her kids to have before they leave home. Then the conversation takes an unexpected turn. Melissa opens up about her family's cross-country move after losing a family business, what it was like to downsize by two-thirds, and how to ask your partner for real help with the mental load. Whether you are drowning in dinnertime decisions or just want a simpler approach to feeding your family, this episode will leave you with practical strategies and a fresh perspective. In this episode, you will learn: The master list method for monthly meal planning How to get kids involved without it becoming a chore for mom How to handle picky eaters without shame or food battles Why smaller spaces can actually simplify your life How to ask for help and share the mental load Time Stamps: 0:00 Introduction 1:54 Meet Melissa Griffiths 6:23 The monthly meal planning system and master list method 9:12 Theme nights and delegating meal choices to kids 15:49 Getting kids involved in the kitchen without the guilt 20:03 The "launch list" of life skills for kids 23:43 Moving from Utah to Vermont after heartbreak 26:12 Downsizing by two-thirds and why smaller is simpler 35:35 The mental load and sharing invisible labor 42:25 Handling picky eaters with grace **************** 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
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    58 mins
  • Make Downsizing Easier: Helping Your Parents Transition Smoothly with Amy Slenkere-Smith

    Make Downsizing Easier: Helping Your Parents Transition Smoothly with Amy Slenkere-Smith
    Feb 25 2026
    After losing both in-laws within months of each other, life coach Amy Slenker-Smith shares what she learned helping them downsize and the conversations she wishes more families would start sooner. **************** RESOURCES ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Get all the links and resources at wannabeclutterfree.com/298⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ Connect with Amy Slenker-Smith: Amy's Website⁠⁠⁠⁠ ⁠⁠⁠Instagram⁠⁠⁠ ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Follow Deanna Yates, the host of Wannabe Clutter Free on: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Instagram⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Website⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Get my children's book: Lenora and Her Super Duper Messy Room⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ **************** Are you dreading the day you'll have to clear out your parents' home while grieving? In this powerful episode, Amy Slenker-Smith shares her deeply personal experience of losing both in-laws within two and a half months of each other, and what she learned helping them downsize years before. Amy walked her in-laws through a massive transition: from 3,400 square feet to a 1,200 square foot apartment. Because of that work, clearing their belongings after they passed took just 3-4 days instead of months. She's sharing exactly how you can give that same gift to YOUR family. In this episode, you'll learn: Why proper downsizing takes 1-2 years (and what to do if you're already in crisis mode) The first thing to abandon when your timeline is short (hint: it's selling) How the "category by category" method makes decisions easier Why the things your family wants are NOT what you'd expect How to start conversations even when parents won't talk about "someday" The phrase "I'll let my kids deal with it" and why it's so devastating Whether you're in the sandwich generation juggling kids and aging parents, starting to think about your own legacy, or already facing a home cleanout, this conversation offers both practical strategies and emotional permission to begin. Amy's reminder that "more is caught than taught" offers a hopeful path: even if your parents won't budge, you can still lead by example in your own home. Timestamps: 0:00 Intro 1:36 Amy's background 6:05 Losing both in-laws within months 10:47 Why hospice is a gift 14:07 The first downsize: 3,400 to 1,200 sq ft 22:43 Why you need more time than you think 26:36 Tips for tight timelines 29:58 Category by category (17 side tables!) 35:53 What your family actually wants 43:30 "I don't want to do this to my kids" 57:05 How to start the conversation 1:00:35 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
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    1 hr and 11 mins
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hard to listen to, so much advertising randomly in the middle, so much chatter and advertising in the beginning of the episodes,
I feel like the information could be valuable but there's so much useless information it makes it not worth the effort

good information but hard to listen to

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