Six weeks ago Deanna said she was doing a Packing Party. Everything stays in boxes, you only take out what you need.

She quit.

In this episode she gives you the real numbers, walks you through the entire declutter pile, and tells you the part she didn't see coming: she and one of her family members traded methods without ever discussing it.

The numbers: 42 boxes and bins unpacked. Six still packed. One of them hasn't been opened since moving day and won't be for six months.

What she was actually after: margin. Open space on purpose in every drawer, on every shelf, on every flat surface. A drawer with margin still has your things in it. There's just air around them. Start at 5% if you have to.

Margin in your calendar, your budget, and your brain too.

Also in this episode: why she's keeping four rolls of Scotch tape on purpose, the 16 IKEA mirrors that never got hung in two different garages, a listener tip about electronics recycling, and an honest conversation about the hardest room in her house and the mom guilt underneath it.

Your challenge: Pick one drawer. Take out enough that you can see space around your objects. Close it. Open it tomorrow and notice how it feels.

Mentioned: Tindy at tindy.app, Dana K. White's container concept, Dawn at The Minimal Mom on margin.

Coming this week on YouTube: Deanna empties her pause box on camera, item by item. @wannabeclutterfree

Show notes: wannabeclutterfree.com/333

Do you feel exhausted and overwhelmed, even when everything looks fine on the outside? Your home might be feeling it too.

Megan Caldwell is a mom of three, a two-time burnout survivor, and the creator of the ROCKSTAR Mom Method. She joins me to talk about why balance is BS, why moms need to put themselves first, and how the tiniest actions lead to real, lasting change in your life and your home.

In this episode, we talk about:

• How clutter and burnout feed each other
• Why Megan wants moms to put themselves first
• Why balance is BS, and why alignment and harmony work better
• What losing 98% of her belongings in a house fire taught her about calm
• Her three phases of change: awareness, decide, practice
• Minimal viable actions, the smallest steps that build momentum
• What clutter free means to Megan

Your minimal viable action for your home: a 10-minute tidy tonight. Tindy gives you a nightly 10-minute Lightning Tidy with a timer and streaks. Try it free: https://tindy.app

The ROCKSTAR Mom Summit starts Tuesday, October 27, and it's free. I'm one of the speakers! Grab your free ticket: https://wannabeclutterfree.com/rockstar

Connect with Megan

• Website: https://megancaldwellpdx.com
• Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/megancaldwellpdx/
• The ROCKSTAR Mom podcast: https://therockstarmom.buzzsprout.com/

Connect with Deanna

• Full show notes: https://wannabeclutterfree.com/332
• Tindy app: https://tindy.app
• Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/wannabeclutterfree/

Thanks to our sponsors:

• Check out 1-800-GOT-JUNK and use my code 1800gotjunk.com for a great deal: https://www.1800gotjunk.com
• Check out BetterHelp and get 10% off at BetterHelp.com

Boo. It's October.

Thanksgiving is only six weeks away. Christmas is only ten.

Deanna shares the four things she's doing right now so December feels calm, cozy, and intentional instead of frantic. This is her family's first holiday in a brand new house, and her goal is to buy as little as possible.

1. Decisions before decor. Decide how you want your home to feel, then ask what the minimum is to get there. Most of what makes a home cozy is already in it. Plus: why holiday decor should leave your house by the end of October, while a thrift store can still sell it and someone else can still use it.

2. Create your holiday zones. A spot for incoming packages and hidden gifts. A surface for wrapping, crafting, and card writing. Clear counters for baking. And a dining table that isn't buried when people show up.

3. Start the gift conversations. Declutter outgrown toys before new ones arrive, why Thanksgiving is better timing than Christmas for moving them out, and the mindset shift that frees you from gift guilt. Also: how Deanna's family uses a Secret Santa exchange, and why experience gifts are her favorite workaround.

4. Calendar the season now. In pencil. Including asking everyone in your house for their top three must-dos, so you stop doing the things nobody actually enjoys.

Your challenge this week: Spend 30 minutes with your decoration bins. If that's too much, set a timer for ten and open one box. Then come tell Deanna what you found on Instagram @wannabeclutterfree.

These tips aren't specific to any religion. December is a full month for everyone.

Resources Mentioned:

• Clutter Free Holiday Blueprint: https://www.wannabeclutterfree.com/clutter-free-holiday-blueprint
• Try the Tindy App
• Check out 1-800-GOT-JUNK and use my code 1800gotjunk.com for a great deal: https://www.1800gotjunk.com
• Check out BetterHelp and get 10% off at BetterHelp.com