Declutter, Downsize, and Move Forward With Your Life

285 snips

Dec 26, 2023

Matt Paxton, a downsizing and decluttering expert known for his work on TV shows like Hoarders, shares his insights on simplifying life. He discusses the psychological barriers to decluttering and provides practical tips, like creating a ‘maybe pile’ and a ‘legacy list.’ Matt also delves into the emotional attachment we have to possessions and how to overcome it while keeping important memories alive. He stresses the importance of starting small and embracing minimalism for personal growth.

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ADVICE

Therapy's Importance

Therapy is crucial for hoarders to maintain a clean home after decluttering.
Without addressing underlying issues, the chance of relapse is very high.

ADVICE

Getting Started with Decluttering

When decluttering, define your finish line and your "why" to stay motivated.
Start small with 10-minute sweeps in a specific area, and gradually increase the time.

ADVICE

Choosing a Starting Point

Start decluttering in an area where you can see immediate success, like a cluttered dining room table or a junk mail pile.
Avoid starting with emotionally charged items if you've recently experienced a loss.

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Note: This is a rebroadcast.

You want to declutter. You want to downsize. You want to live more simply. So what’s been holding you back from getting closer to those ideals?

My guest today sorts through both the psychological and practical roadblocks that can get in the way of living more minimally, and more in the present. His name is Matt Paxton, and he’s a downsizing and decluttering expert, a featured cleaner on the television show Hoarders, the host of the Emmy-nominated show Legacy List With Matt Paxton which showcases people’s heirlooms and treasures, and the author of Keep the Memories, Lose the Stuff: Declutter, Downsize, and Move Forward with Your Life.

We begin our conversation with how Matt got into cleaning out houses and working with hoarders, and some of the worst cases of hoarding Matt’s seen. We then get into both the mindset and brass tacks tips he’s learned from the most extreme cases of clutter that can be used by regular people who just want to pare down their stuff. We talk about why we can feel so attached to our possessions, and how to let them go, while still preserving your and your family’s memories. Matt recommends how and where to get started with your decluttering, and offers tools, including creating a “maybe pile” and a “legacy list,” for deciding what to keep and what to chuck, whether you’re dealing with big items like furniture or small stuff like documents and pictures. Matt explains what to do with your stuff whether trashing, donating, upcycling, or selling, and how much you can reasonably expect to get when you do the latter (spoiler alert: it’s a lot less than you think). We end our conversation with how, after you’ve decluttered your place, to keep it from getting clogged up again.

Oh, and we also discuss where to find hidden stashes of money when you’re cleaning out the house of an older person who’s died.

This is a really fun and interesting conversation that definitely motivated me to clean out our house.

Resources Related to the Podcast

Connect With Matt Paxton

Matt’s Website

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