August has a way of sneaking up on you. One minute it's the Fourth of July, and the next you're standing in a store surrounded by notebooks and pencils, wondering how summer went so fast and why your house looks like there was an explosion in every room.

If you want this school year to feel like a fresh start instead of barely controlled chaos, this episode is for you.

In This Episode:

The four spaces that actually matter before school starts (hint: the closet you’ve been meaning to get to for the past 5 years isn't one of them).

A 30-minute reset for clearing out everything left over from the last school.

How to set up systems for backpacks, school papers, and homework so weekly meltdowns (Theirs? Yours? No judgment) aren’t happening like clockwork.

A listener question about decluttering a kid's room when they don't want you touching their stuff, and a game that makes it easier for everyone.

Resources Mentioned: Clear the Clutter session: www.simplifiedhomedesign.com/clear-the-clutter

Related episode on Zombie Decluttering: Episode 10

Next Steps:

1. Grab the Decluttering and Organizing Quick Wins Guide or Home Clarity Guide at www.simplifiedhomedesign.com/free and get weekly tips, new ideas, and updates delivered to your inbox every Thursday.
2. If you love the podcast, please leave a review. Your support helps me reach more women who are overwhelmed in their homes. Thank you!

Related Episodes: 10: Zombie Decluttering: Get Your Kids and Husband to Help So You Have More Time for Making Fun Memories 07: Decluttering Routines That Continue Working Even When Your Life Changes 08: Summer Organizing Routines to Keep Your Home From Falling Apart When the Kids Are Out of School

You know about self care… It seems like it is everywhere right now. And maybe when you get a free moment, you’ll take the bubble bath, hit the yoga class, or book the pedicure. But that's the catch: scheduling self care assumes you have free time for it.

If you've tried all the things and still can't fully relax or catch your breath, the thing draining you might be the environment you're coming home to every day.

I try to avoid talking in absolutes, but often the home stuff (decluttering, decorating, organizing, cleaning) falls on women. So if you're the woman who is always managing everything, and the one holding everything together, rest isn't optional. It's necessary. And having a decluttered, organized home can help you get that much needed rest.

Resources Mentioned: Clear the Clutter session: www.simplifiedhomedesign.com/clear-the-clutter

Next Steps:

1. Grab the Decluttering and Organizing Quick Wins Guide or Home Clarity Guide at www.simplifiedhomedesign.com/free and get weekly tips, new ideas, and updates delivered to your inbox every Thursday.
2. If you love the podcast, please leave a review. Your support helps me reach more women who are overwhelmed in their homes. Thank you!

Related Episodes: 07: Decluttering Routines That Continue Working Even When Your Life Changes 05: Create A Decluttering Routine That Won't Make You Lose Your Mind 03: Clutter Piles Everywhere? Try These Organizing Ideas

You have a ton of decorating ideas. The saved Pinterest pins, the fabric and wallpaper samples, the “To Buy” list on your phone. There's just one problem: your dream home is priced about ten times higher than your actual budget.

That's a bummer, but it's not a deal breaker. This episode will walk you through how to make your home look and feel like your dream home, even if you don’t have access to Jeff Bezos’ bank account.

In This Episode:

Make a plan before you touch your credit card. Skipping this step is how you end up with a house full of things that don't actually work together.

The love it or loathe it list. A simple tool to make shopping decisions easier and keep you from second-guessing yourself in the store.

Where to spend and where to save. The test for figuring out which two or three pieces in a room deserve the splurge money, and which ones don't.

Why the ugliest piece at an estate sale might be exactly what your room needs.

The decorating mistake that costs you the most.

What to get right before you start buying all of the throw pillows and decor.

Resources Mentioned: Want help building a decorating plan? Email nicole@simplifiedhomedesign.com

Next Steps:

1. Grab the Decluttering and Organizing Quick Wins Guide or Home Clarity Guide at www.simplifiedhomedesign.com/free and get weekly tips, new ideas, and updates delivered to your inbox every Thursday.
2. If you love the podcast, please leave a review. Your support helps me reach more women who are overwhelmed in their homes. Thank you!

Related Episodes:

09: 5 Ways Good Interior Design Makes Your Life Easier

06: 5 Interior Design Hacks For When You’ve Decorated But Your Room Still Feels Off

04: 5 Tips to Ditch Pinterest Perfection and Decorate the Home You Have