The Clutter Fairy Weekly

Children, spouses, parents, roommates, housemates, and even unruly houseguests can muddle or add complexity to our organizing challenges. In episode #174 of The Clutter Fairy Weekly , Gayle Goddard, professional organizer and owner of The Clutter Fairy in Houston, Texas, explores these complicating factors and suggests ways to improve communication, negotiation, and cooperation to decrease househo...

Sometimes we get stuck in our patterns and habits and can’t imagine things being any different. The longer your space has remained unchanged, the more permanent the arrangement seems to be. But the power to effect change is in your hands! In episode #173 of The Clutter Fairy Weekly , Gayle Goddard, professional organizer and owner of The Clutter Fairy in Houston, Texas, suggests shaking up your “c...

For those who’ve made the decision to declutter and get organized, time can be a source of confusion and frustration. There’s the time you want the job to take, the time you expect the job to take, and the time the job really takes—and those figures often have nothing to do with each other! In episode #172 of The Clutter Fairy Weekly , Gayle Goddard, professional organizer and owner of The Clutter...

The way we talk about our stuff is a clue to the undercurrent of feelings and experiences that influence our choices. Words like “useful,” “mess,” and “shame” are loaded with history, meaning, and judgment for each of us, and they can contain the power to keep us stuck or move us forward. In episode #171 of The Clutter Fairy Weekly , Gayle Goddard, professional organizer and owner of The Clutter F...

The clutter set point is what we call the volume of stuff—in total or in any one category—that feels like the “right” amount to you. When you go beyond this threshold, you may find that systems break down, negative feelings arise, and stuff morphs into clutter. Your set points can change over time,  and you are the ultimate authority on what you choose to keep. In episode #170 of The Clutter Fairy...

Clutter is more than just an annoyance or inconvenience—it can adversely affect our health and well-being in dozens of ways we might not even be aware of. In episode #169 of The Clutter Fairy Weekly , Gayle Goddard, professional organizer and owner of The Clutter Fairy in Houston, Texas, discusses the impacts of clutter on our physical, emotional, and psychological health and the health benefits o...

According to a March report from Forbes , 49 percent of Americans plan to travel more in 2023 than they did last year. Travel is also expected to increase within Europe and the U.K. But if you’re not careful, the hard work that travel entails can cut into the fun. In episode #168 of The Clutter Fairy Weekly , Gayle Goddard, professional organizer and owner of The Clutter Fairy in Houston, Texas, o...

Photos, heirlooms, and other mementoes can strengthen family ties and help us connect with our history. But many of us inherit or accumulate these precious items as a seemingly random, unsorted, unlabeled, and uncurated mess. In episode #167 of The Clutter Fairy Weekly , Gayle Goddard, professional organizer and owner of The Clutter Fairy in Houston, Texas, offers strategies for managing family ph...

Many people come to decluttering late in life, addressing the accumulation of stuff only after it’s been piling up for decades. But it’s never too soon—or too late—to get organized. In episode #166 of The Clutter Fairy Weekly , Gayle Goddard, professional organizer and owner of The Clutter Fairy in Houston, Texas, talks about how people of almost any age can benefit from a clear, clutter-free home...

Are you running out of steam on long-term organizing goals, or were you short on enthusiasm in the first place? In episode #165 of The Clutter Fairy Weekly , Gayle Goddard, professional organizer and owner of The Clutter Fairy in Houston, Texas, offers strategies for finding—or creating—the motivation to keep your organizing projects and commitments going strong. Show notes: http://cfhou.com/tcfw1...

The pressure of an upcoming move sharpens the urgency of eliminating stuff you no longer want or need. You can purge by making careful, calm decisions, or you can do it in a panic because you’ve run out of time and energy to pack. The choice is yours! In episode #164 of The Clutter Fairy Weekly , Gayle Goddard, professional organizer and owner of The Clutter Fairy in Houston, Texas, explains how t...

Have you ever spent hours organizing minutia, only to discover that you hadn’t made any progress toward your most urgent goals? In this episode, we’ll explore the distinction between efficiency and effectiveness, especially as it applies to organizing and productivity. When you’re wrangling a long-term decluttering project, sooner or later your energy wanes and decision fatigue kicks in. We’ll tal...

Spring in the northern hemisphere is here, bringing warmer days, longer hours of sunshine, and a sense of fresh possibilities. Let’s take advantage of an early-spring day to “spring forward” on a few household organizing tasks. In episode #162 of The Clutter Fairy Weekly , Gayle Goddard, professional organizer and owner of The Clutter Fairy in Houston, Texas, shines daylight into neglected corners...

This week Gayle attended the annual summit of the National Association of Productivity and Organizing Professionals in Las Vegas. She’ll share a report on the latest news, ideas, trends, and products in the organizing industry. Do your closets or storage spaces resemble a game of Tetris, with every item, box, or bin carefully shoehorned into its designated slot? We’ll discuss the pitfalls of “Tetr...

Most of us have a “command center”—a favorite spot where we sit to read, watch TV, and manage our busy lives. We’ll discuss the stuff that tends to collect in these hot zones and offer a simple plan for decluttering your command center . Even the most perfectly organized space can’t be maintained if the inflow of new possessions outpaces our efforts to declutter. We’ll talk about how to organize n...

Big organizing projects can disrupt your routines and leave you feeling swamped and overwhelmed. We’ll suggest tips to help you break down and keep control of big projects . Almost everyone who struggles with clutter can point to paper as one of their challenges. We’ll offer a short primer on managing the paper you decide to keep . How do you deal with things that have been in your life for as lon...

Gayle was out sick, but Ed decided that the show must go on! In this special episode of The Clutter Fairy Weekly , co-host Ed Gumnick answers audience questions about his decluttering journey, sentimental items, minimalism, and a lot more. Show notes: http://cfhou.com/tcfw159s The Clutter Fairy Weekly is a live webcast and podcast designed to help you clear your clutter and make space in your home...

Living on a fixed income or struggling to make ends meet puts professional organizing help, custom storage solutions, and expensive products out of reach for many of us. But a tight budget doesn’t have to be an obstacle to the organized life you want to live! In episode #158 of The Clutter Fairy Weekly , Gayle Goddard, professional organizer and owner of The Clutter Fairy in Houston, Texas, offers...

Crocuses and daffodils tell us that spring in the Northern Hemisphere is only weeks away. Now is a great time to start decluttering and organizing for lawn and garden season . Moving to a smaller living space is a complex process that requires careful planning and tough decisions. We’ll help you get a solid start by discussing the emotional and logistical challenges of downsizing . In episode #157...

This “Ask Us Anything” show answers your questions and discusses topics suggested by our viewers and listeners. In this episode: You’ve made up your mind to get rid of something, but your heart hasn’t caught up with your head. We’ll talk about what to do about stuff when breaking up is hard to do. Learn to apply Clutter Fairy principles to planning the contents of a room on the smallest possible s...

Has a flurry of holiday cooking and entertaining, an influx of new toys and treats, and daily duty as one of the busiest parts of your home left your kitchen in desperate need of attention? Our next show will help you get the “heart of the house” under control! In episode #155 of The Clutter Fairy Weekly , Gayle Goddard, professional organizer and owner of The Clutter Fairy in Houston, Texas, expl...

Big changes in your life—moving in with a new partner or spouse, a breakup or divorce, or a family member moving in with you unexpectedly—can disrupt or derail your organizing habits and routines. In episode #154 of The Clutter Fairy Weekly , Gayle Goddard, professional organizer and owner of The Clutter Fairy in Houston, Texas, talks about keeping your organizing mojo and momentum even when life...

In this “Ask Us Anything” show, we’ll answer your questions and discuss topics suggested by our viewers and listeners. In this episode: How to declutter large or cumbersome items Recap: Organizing a family art or craft space Organizing tips to get you out the door In episode #153 of The Clutter Fairy Weekly , Gayle Goddard, professional organizer and owner of The Clutter Fairy in Houston, Texas, a...

Every home is different, and every room of the house has its own special clutter problems. But with a thoughtful approach, you can look beneath the mess to see a plan and design in the chaos. In episode #152 of The Clutter Fairy Weekly , Gayle Goddard, professional organizer and owner of The Clutter Fairy in Houston, Texas, outlines a process for analyzing the contents, purposes, and layout of a r...

January is “Get Organized Month”! But after the year-end shakeup, it can be hard to figure out how to start new projects, restart past efforts, make a solid plan, find motivation, and keep momentum. In episode #151 of The Clutter Fairy Weekly , Gayle Goddard, professional organizer and owner of The Clutter Fairy in Houston, Texas, offers strategies for planning and implementing a rock-solid organi...