Decluttering and Simplifying Lives with Katy Wells from Maximized Minimalist Podcast
This week’s episode covers all things decluttering and simplifying the ‘stuff’ in our lives. We talked with Decluttering Expert and Host of the Maximized Minimalist Podcast, Katy Wells. Katy shares her personal journey of overcoming clutter and stress after a significant car accident in 2016. Despite facing challenges, Katy developed a system to help busy families like hers.
In this episode we cover:
- Decluttering as a busy family
- Clutter vs System Issues: Habits & Balance
- Minimalism: Simplifying Life With Mindfulness
- De-Cluttering: Time-Saving Benefits and Strategies
- Clutter Audits for Quality Family Time
- 14-Day Clutter Challenge: Katy’s Success Secret
Decluttering for Busy Families
Katy emphasized the importance of practical solutions for busy households and families, particularly women, in the declutter and simplification movement. She stressed the need to create a home that’s easy to tidy, not always tidy, and to drop the perfectionism often associated with home organization.
Clutter vs System Issues: Habits & Balance
Kelly and Katy discussed the importance of identifying pain points in their homes and whether these are due to clutter or system issues. They emphasized the need to develop and stick to habits and systems, even if not perfectly, to alleviate the accumulation of clutter. Jessica added to the discussion by sharing her experience with her three children, advocating for a balance between not being too strict and not being too lenient. She acknowledged the differences in the life stages of her children and how it influences what is acceptable in her home.
Minimalism: Simplifying Life With Mindfulness
Jessica, Katy, and Kelly discussed the concept of minimalism and its practical application in their lives. Kathy emphasizes the importance of using minimalism as a tool to simplify and improve one’s life, rather than as a competitive achievement. The conversation also touched on the need for mindfulness when bringing new items into the home, as part of a broader effort to reduce clutter and live more minimally.
De-Cluttering: Time-Saving Benefits and Strategies
Katy discussed the benefits of de-cluttering, citing studies that suggest it can save up to 40% of household chore time. She emphasized that de-cluttering can save an average person an hour a day, which translates to 2 weeks of time regained over the course of a year. Katy also highlighted the importance of time as a finite asset and a non-renewable resource. She suggested that de-cluttering helps to manage distractions and lighten one’s load, and even small bits of de-cluttering can add up over time.
Clutter Audits for Quality Family Time
Kelly, Katy, and Jessica discussed the impact of daily chores and clutter on their ability to enjoy quality time with their families. They shared their experiences of feeling guilty for not being able to fully engage with their children due to overwhelming household tasks. Katy suggested the practice of clutter audits as a simple habit to manage the clutter and move forward. She recommended attaching these audits to existing household chores, such as doing the laundry or putting away dishes, to make it more manageable and less time-consuming.
14-Day Clutter Challenge: Katy’s Success Secret
Katy advised that her most successful students typically start with her 14-day clutter challenge. She emphasized that the challenge, which includes 10 training videos and a supportive community, provides a doable plan of action. For those who need more personalized support, Katy also offers a one-on-one coaching program. Sign up here: https://katyjoywells.idevaffiliate.com/101-3.html
Connect with Katy more by tuning into her podcast The Maximized MInimalist or following her on Instagram @katyjoywells.