The JJs Declutter Podcast

Send us Fan Mail 🎉 HAPPY 100TH EPISODE! 🎃👻 100 Episodes. Zero Sentimental Retrospectives. Maximum Chaos. Julie and Janis hit triple digits this week, and instead of a nice, reflective look back, they threw themselves a slightly unhinged Halloween party and counted down 100 things that strike fear into a declutterer's heart ... ... complete with a helium alarm sound effect that means things are about to get spooky. The countdown takes listeners on a full haunted-house tour of the home: the Closet Crypt (the bridesmaid dress you'll "totally wear again," the single sock still waiting for its partner, 12 slightly-different black t-shirts), the Kitchen of Terror (mystery freezer packages, three garlic presses, mugs that apparently breed overnight), the Doom Dungeon (the infamous Chair, the trunk-as-mobile-storage-unit, a boombox that's survived three moves still taped shut), the Haunted Heirloom House (grandpa's recliner, dad's tools times three different dads, souvenir spoons from states nobody's visited), and the Paper Poltergeist's lair (expired coupons clipped with love and never used, a VCR manual for a VCR that no longer exists). Between the laughs, Julie and Janis slip in real talk: a gentle note on sentimental items (keep the story, not the storage), the Someday Cemetery full of good intentions with no actual deadline, and a genuinely moving moment reflecting on 100 episodes of helping people get through one drawer, one box, one decision at a time. And yes, the one number Janis accidentally skipped turns up by the end, reunited with its missing lid from way back at number 98. A true Halloween miracle. ✅ Episode 100 Challenge Pick your scariest item from today's countdown — the one that made you go "oh no, that's me." Set a 12-minute timer, #declutteringdozen, and face that fear head-on with Keep or LET'S GO. Tell the JJs which one got you in the ABC Declutter Facebook Community — bonus points if you find a lid that finally matches its container. Thank you for 100 episodes of laughing, learning, and letting go! Here's to the next 100! 🥂 📺 YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@abcdeclutterwithjj 📸 Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/abcdeclutterwithjj/ 📘 Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/groups/abcdecluttercommunity 🖥️ Website: https://www.abcdeclutter.com/ 🎙️ Podcast Website: https://www.thejjsdeclutterpodcast.com/ ✉️ Email: hello@abcdeclutter.com Support the show Keep it Simple, Keep it Intentional, and - as always - Keep Decluttering!!

Send us Fan Mail 🎃 This Episode’s Candy Bag Is Full of Raisins (Metaphorically) With Halloween right around the corner, Julie and Janis are playing Trick or Treat with their closets ... swapping candy for every “life-changing” purchase that turned out to be clutter in disguise. Storage containers, organizing gadgets, exercise equipment, kitchen appliances, hobby supplies, decor, and the bargains none of us could resist ... they’re all getting the spotlight this week, and fair warning: it hits close to home. The big idea here is that we don’t buy objects, we buy dreams ... the organized pantry, the toned arms, the homemade sourdough. Reality, as always, is more “eating crackers over the sink with great intentions.” The JJs start with the biggest trick of all: storage containers bought before decluttering, which just gives your existing clutter a nicer, pricier apartment. Their rule is simple: declutter first, buy containers last, using their Keep or LET’S GO system to figure out what you actually need before you shop your own house (the only store where everything’s already paid for). From there it’s a tour through every category of “this will change my life” purchase: exercise equipment turned expensive clothes rack, kitchen gadgets that need their cord located before anyone remembers they exist, hobby supplies that multiply in the dark, seasonal decor threatening to take over a whole bedroom, and the sneakiest trick of all ... the bargain that wasn’t actually a deal once you factor in dusting it forever. Julie and Janis also swap their own confessions: Janis’s Nordic Track elliptical that lived in the attic for over a decade, and Julie’s art supply stash that’s grown well beyond “should be allowed by law” — plus a great tip about donating hobby supplies to middle school art and sewing programs, who’ll often take almost anything. ✅ This Week’s Challenge Set a 12-minute timer, #DeclutteringDozen, and go on a trick-or-treat hunt through your home. 1) Find three tricks: a bin full of empty bins, an unused gadget, a bargain still wearing its tag 2) Now: run them through Keep or LET’S GO. Share your biggest “trick” purchase in the ABC Declutter Facebook Community — bonus points if it’s shaped like a cartoon animal! Next week: the 100th episode celebration! 🎉 📺 YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@abcdeclutterwithjj 📸 Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/abcdeclutterwithjj/ 📘 Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/groups/abcdecluttercommunity 🖥️ Website: https://www.abcdeclutter.com/ 🎙️ Podcast Website: https://www.thejjsdeclutterpodcast.com/ ✉️ Email: julie @abcdeclutter.com #ABCDeclutter #TheJJsDeclutterPodcast #DeclutteringDozen #SmallDoableDoses #ClutterCrushersClub #DeclutterWithJJ #KeepOrLetsGO #TrickOrTreat #HalloweenDeclutter #ImpulseBuys #StorageContainers #UnusedExerciseEquipment #KitchenGadgets #BargainBuys #DeclutterYourLife #IntentionalLiving #SimplifyYourLife #DeclutterCommunity #MindfulShopping #GetOrganized #FallDeclutter #OrganizingTips #DeclutterMindset #ClutterFreeHome #ShopYourHouseFirst #HobbySupplies #DeclutterPodcast #OrganizingGadgets Support the show Keep it Simple, Keep it Intentional, and - as always - Keep Decluttering!!

Send us Fan Mail 💀🚪 Skeletons in the Closet: What's REALLY Hiding Behind That Door? (S4E7) Julie has a confession: there are skeletons in her closet. Before Janis could call a priest (or the police), the truth came out. A broken umbrella, a bread maker used exactly once, three mystery cords, and a coat that last fit during the Clinton administration. Not a crime scene. An archaeological dig. In honor of Halloween, we're going skeleton hunting. We're opening hall closets, spare room closets, linen closets, kids' closets, and those mysterious little doors you open six inches, get bonked on the foot, and quietly close again. Some closets aren't storage. They're witness protection programs for household items. 🧠 Why We Keep the Skeletons "But it was expensive!" That money's gone. Your closet doesn't issue refunds or store credit. "I might need it someday." Someday lives somewhere between Tuesday and never. "It was a gift." The gift was the giving. You don't owe the object lifetime housing. "It still works… mostly." If it needs jiggling, smacking, and a pep talk, it may be time. 🚪 The Closet Tour Hall Closet: This is home base for CHAOS (Can't Have Anyone Over Syndrome). It holds the umbrella that handed in its resignation, shoes begging to be released, and a bag of bags big enough to supply a small nation. Spare Room Closet: Also known as the Museum of Things We Meant to Use. Exhibits include Julie's backup egg system and the DOOM pile (Didn't Organize, Only Moved). Linen Closet: Sheets that outlived their bed, towels with the absorbency of a paper plate, and one Hilton souvenir we will not discuss. (Tip: animal shelters often welcome old towels!) Kids' Closets: Outgrown 3T treasures for the little ones. For grown kids who moved out years ago, it's Mom's free storage unit, complete with trophies, yearbooks, and one box marked "important." 📦 Keep or LETS-GO Keep what you use. Everything else gets a LETS-GO sort: LE : Lives Elsewhere T : Trash or recycle S : Sentimental (set it aside so it doesn't derail the closet!) GO : Goes Out (donate, sell, or return to its rightful owner) 💛 What Are We Really Keeping? Sometimes we're holding onto guilt, fear, or obligation. Sometimes it's an earlier chapter of our lives. Letting go of an object doesn't erase the memory. Your closet just needs to work for the life you're living now , not for 1997. Especially if 1997 includes shoulder pads. 🎯 This Week's Challenge Pick ONE closet. Set a timer for a #DeclutteringDozen, which is just 12 minutes, and go skeleton hunting. Look for anything broken, worn out, the wrong size, missing pieces, unused for years, or belonging to someone else. Keep it to Small Doable Doses, so no hallway-blocking MESSessary Middle! Then pop into the ABC Declutter Facebook Community and tell us the strangest thing you found. (We're betting on a VCR. With tapes. One labeled "do not tape over.") 🎧 Listen & Connect 🎙️ Podcast: https://www.thejjsdeclutterpodcast.com/ ▶️ YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@abcdeclutterwithjj 📸 Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/abcdeclutterwithjj/ 👥 Facebook Community: https://www.facebook.com/groups/abcdecluttercommunity 🌐 Website: https://www.abcdeclutter.com/ ✉️ Email: hello@abcdeclutter.com Keep it Simple, Keep it Intentional, and ~ as always ~ Keep Decluttering! #TheJJsDeclutterPodcast #ABCDeclutter #ABCDeclutterWithJJ #DeclutteringDozen #KeepOrLetsGo #ClutterCrushersClub #SkeletonsInTheCloset #HalloweenDeclutter #ClosetCleanout #HallCloset #LinenCloset #SpareRoomCloset #KidsCloset #DeclutterYourHome #DeclutteringTips #HomeOrganization #IntentionalLiving #LetItGo #SimpleLiving #DeclutterChallenge #DeclutterCommunity #SmallDoableDoses #ProgressNotPerfection #DeclutterPodcast #OrganizingTips Support the show Keep it Simple, Keep it Intentional, and - as always - Keep Decluttering!!

Send us Fan Mail It's a Magazine Moment! Julie and Janis wrap up the Right-Sizing series by digging into a complete senior downsizing checklist from the Senior Transitions Group. It was written for adult children stepping in to move a parent, whether for health, safety, or a house that's simply too big. It lays out six phases over three months, with 11 to 12 items per phase. (That's a lot of checkboxes. We counted. Then we needed a nap.) So we're sharing what we agree with, what made us say "Wait… what? ", and the part we loved most: the room-by-room sorting guide. 🤔 Where We Raised an Eyebrow Changing addresses with doctors and pharmacies three months before the move? Janis, who works in a doctor's office, explains why that can send bills and mail-order meds somewhere your parent doesn't even live yet. Make the list early, and make the changes closer to moving day. And a house fully sorted one month before the move? In a perfect world, sure. In the real world, you're lucky if it's done the night before the truck shows up. 😅 ✅ Where We Said "Yes!" Get the floor plan early. Their four-category sorting system lines up nicely with our Keep or LETS-GO system, though we'd still give sentimental items their own pile. Pack a first-night box with meds, toiletries, pajamas, chargers, and reading glasses. Make the bed first so the new space feels livable. Plus, Julie shares a sneaky-but-effective "selling" strategy from a friend that made everyone happy. 💛 Moving a Parent Is Different Setting up familiar surroundings matters, especially with memory challenges. Julie shares stories from moving her own parents into assisted living, including getting their favorite chairs professionally cleaned (just sayin'!) and the surprise "taco bed" that nearly knocked over her brother-in-law. 🏠 The Room-by-Room Guide Kitchen: A few mugs, plates, and a coffee maker. Let go of the duplicates and the big-crowd serving dishes. Living Room: One comfy chair, a side table, the TV, and a lamp. China cabinets need not apply. Bedroom: A bed that fits, nightstands, and familiar bedding. Bathroom: Toiletries in current use, two sets of towels, and a non-slip mat. Double-check those grab bars! Garage, Basement & Attic: Decades of stuff, mostly staying behind. Keep a small toolbox and a few treasured holiday pieces. Paperwork: Keep tax returns, legal documents, insurance, and medical records. Shred the rest, and keep important directives accessible. 🎯 This Week's Challenge Start your "Who Needs Our New Address?" list: banks, doctors, pharmacy, insurance, and subscriptions. Just don't send it yet! Then share one item that surprised you in the ABC Declutter Facebook Community. 📖 Want the full checklist? https://seniors-transitions.com/resources/downsizing-checklist 🔗 Connect With The JJs 🌐 Website: https://www.abcdeclutter.com/ 🎙️ Podcast: https://www.thejjsdeclutterpodcast.com/ 📺 YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@abcdeclutterwithjj 📸 Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/abcdeclutterwithjj/ 👥 Facebook Community: https://www.facebook.com/groups/abcdecluttercommunity 📧 Email: hello@abcdeclutter.com #️⃣ Hashtags (25) #TheJJsDeclutterPodcast #ABCDeclutter #TheJJs #KeepDecluttering #declutteringdozen #KeepOrLETSGO #SeniorMoving #MovingChecklist #HelpingAgingParents #AssistedLiving #SeniorDownsizing #RightSizing #FirstNightBox #MagazineMoment #CaregiverTips #Decluttering #DeclutterYourHome #RoomByRoom #IntentionalLiving #SimpleLiving #HomeOrganization #DeclutterCommunity #ClutterCrushers #SmallDoableDoses #SandwichGeneration Support the show Keep it Simple, Keep it Intentional, and - as always - Keep Decluttering!!

Send us Fan Mail 🚚 Three Projects in a Trench Coat: Your Moving Day Survival Guide The truck is finally here! After talking through why you're moving, whether it's time, what comes with you, and how to make those decisions without losing your mind, Julie and Janis tackle the big day itself. As Janis puts it, a move after 60 isn't one project. It's three projects wearing a trench coat, pretending to be one. So we're unbuttoning that trench coat and breaking the whole thing into five manageable phases. No exploding heads allowed. 😅 📐 Phase 1: Before You Decide Start with the NEW home, not the old stuff. Get the floor plan. Measure the rooms, the closets, the doorways (yes, especially the doorways!), and your furniture. "It'll probably fit" is not a measurement. It's a prayer whispered to the moving gods, and the moving gods do not care about your feelings. 🗂️ Phase 2: Declutter A quick Keep or LETS-GO refresher: keep what you use, love, and truly need, and release the duplicates and "somedays." Sentimental items get intentional , not rushed. 📅 Phase 3: Prepare This is not a weekend project! Work backward from moving day, tackle one area at a time in Small Doable Doses, and build in margin for the unexpected. Assemble your moving team, and please don't make your adult kids your unpaid moving company. (Julie speaks from experience.) Plus: the client who tagged furniture two years early , Janis's life-saving "pre-move the toilet paper" tip, and why a dishwasher-sized box of hardcovers isn't a box. It's a crime scene. 💪 Protect Your Body (Not Optional!) Dollies, real breaks, water, and hired help for the heavy stuff. Nobody in the history of moving has ever said, "The dresser was so worth it." 📬 The Paperwork That Sneaks Up on You Address changes, mail-forwarding timing, and emergency contacts. Julie shares a hospital story that proves why these matter. 📦 Phase 4: Moving Day Keys, pets, snacks, essentials that ride with you , and a plan for where you're sleeping night one. 🏡 Phase 5: Settling In Bed, bathroom, kitchen, clothing, essentials. Functional first, beautiful later. Your throw pillows can wait; your toothbrush cannot. And give yourself grace for the emotional ups and downs. 💛 The Big Idea: Don't move your old life into your new home. Move the life you want into your new home. 🎯 This Week's Challenge Grab a tape measure! Measure your three biggest furniture pieces, and put a piece of tape on anything that won't be making the move someday. Then pop into the ABC Declutter Facebook Community and tell us what got tagged! Feeling angst about an upcoming move? Reach out. We'd love to help make your transition easier. 🔗 Connect With The JJs 🌐 Website: https://www.abcdeclutter.com/ 🎙️ Podcast: https://www.thejjsdeclutterpodcast.com/ 📺 YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@abcdeclutterwithjj 📸 Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/abcdeclutterwithjj/ 👥 Facebook Community: https://www.facebook.com/groups/abcdecluttercommunity 📧 Email: hello@abcdeclutter.com #TheJJsDeclutterPodcast #ABCDeclutter #TheJJs #KeepDecluttering #declutteringdozen #KeepOrLETSGO #MovingDay #MovingTips #MovingAfter60 #SeniorMoving #Downsizing #RightSizing #MovingChecklist #PackingTips #NewHome #Decluttering #DeclutterYourHome #IntentionalLiving #SimpleLiving #HomeOrganization #OrganizedHome #DeclutterCommunity #ClutterCrushers #SmallDoableDoses #MovingWithGrace Support the show Keep it Simple, Keep it Intentional, and - as always - Keep Decluttering!!

Send us Fan Mail ⏱️ Knowing What to Keep vs. Actually Doing the Sorting: Two Very Different Skills Episode 4 of the Right-Sizing series shifts from what to keep to how on earth you actually get through the sorting process without collapsing around hour three. Julie and Janis open with the classic mistake: pulling everything out of a closet at once, turning a manageable afternoon into a bed-floor-and-hallway disaster, and somehow ending up cross-legged on the floor holding a sweater from the Clinton administration. The fix is refreshingly familiar territory for longtime listeners: work in small, defined areas — one drawer, one shelf — and start with the easy stuff (broken, expired, duplicate, forgotten) before you ever touch the sentimental box. Save the emotionally expensive decisions for once you've built momentum, not for your first 20 minutes. The JJs also break down the two main organizing approaches: A) by category (gathering all your towels, all your holiday decor, all your Tupperware from across the house to see just how much you actually own) B) versus by room (for the satisfaction of walking into a finished space) — With the honest reminder that neither is more "correct." Use whatever works for your brain. Then comes the real heart of the episode: pacing and decision fatigue. The Decluttering Dozen (12-minute timer, work until it goes off, stop) gets an upgrade with the "doom-busting session" — stacking a few 12-minute rounds together with a wrap-up buffer. The golden rule is knowing when to stop before exhaustion turns every decision into "maybe I'll keep it," quietly refilling your donation pile back into your keep pile. For anyone working toward an actual move, Julie and Janis lay out four simple stages — Decide, Distribute, Prepare, Move — with one hard rule: the moving truck is for transporting decisions you've already made, never for making them. ✅ This Week's Challenge Pick one small area — a drawer, a shelf, one section of a closet. Set a 12-minute timer, #thedeclutteringdozen, start with the easy stuff, and stop when the timer goes off (or sooner, if decision fatigue hits first). Share your doom-busting session wins in the ABC Declutter Facebook Community! Next time: Moving Day itself — the final episode of the Right-Sizing Your Life series. 📺 YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@abcdeclutterwithjj 📸 Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/abcdeclutterwithjj/ 📘 Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/groups/abcdecluttercommunity 🖥️ Website: https://www.abcdeclutter.com/ 🎙️ Podcast Website: https://www.thejjsdeclutterpodcast.com/ ✉️ Email: hello@abcdeclutter.com #ABCDeclutter #TheJJsDeclutterPodcast #DeclutteringDozen #SmallDoableDoses #RightSizingYourLife #ClutterCrushersClub #DeclutterWithJJ #DoomBusting #HowToDeclutter #DecisionFatigue #DeclutterByCategory #DeclutterByRoom #MovingStages #SortingSystem #DeclutterMomentum #DeclutterYourLife #IntentionalLiving #SimplifyYourLife #DeclutterCommunity #LifeTransitions #GetOrganized #MovingPrep #OrganizingTips #DeclutterMindset #MovingTips #HomeOrganization #DeclutterPodcast #SeniorMoving #TimerDeclutter Support the show Keep it Simple, Keep it Intentional, and - as always - Keep Decluttering!!

Send us Fan Mail 📦 Turns Out You Own Enough to Furnish 3 Houses Episode 3 of the Right-Sizing series tackles the question that hits the moment a floor plan starts looking real: okay, but what actually comes with me? Julie and Janis flip the whole mindset here — instead of starting with "what do I have to get rid of" (hello, deprivation mode), start with "what do I want to take with me." Same process, radically different feeling. The JJs work through the categories that trip everybody up: - things you use daily (easy), - things you use occasionally like the good china or the camping gear (not automatically clutter), - and the infamous "Someday" pile — including Janis's very relatable confession about apparently being prepared, at all times, to host 24 people for dinner. Cue Julie's imaginary "Grandma's Vase Rejection Form," which might be the funniest bit in the whole series so far. Then it's on to the harder stuff — sentimental items (you can love the memory without keeping the object, and there's no rulebook saying you have to choose one or the other), - the "but I paid good money for this" trap, - and the classic "I'm keeping this for my kids" situation, which really does require actually asking your kids instead of deciding for them. - Furniture gets the measuring-tape treatment, - clothing gets an honest look at what you actually wear versus what you wish you wore, - and yes — the garage finally gets its moment, revealing all the decisions that quietly went into retirement out there. The JJs wrap with a genuinely useful decision framework — a set of guiding questions (do I love it, do I use it, would I choose it again today) and a deliberately un-guilty "I'm Not Sure Yet" category, with one important rule: it's a parking space, not a destination. ✅ This Week's Challenge Pick one room — just one. Imagine you're moving tomorrow and ask: what would I absolutely want to take with me? Start there, not with what you're getting rid of. Then look at what's left and ask why you're keeping it. Share your "I'm Not Sure Yet" pile discoveries in the ABC Declutter Facebook Community! Next time: how to actually let go of what doesn't come with you — selling, donating, and making the process feel less like erasing your life and more like closing one chapter to enjoy the next. 📺 YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@abcdeclutterwithjj 📸 Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/abcdeclutterwithjj/ 📘 Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/groups/abcdecluttercommunity 🖥️ Website: https://www.abcdeclutter.com/ 🎙️ Podcast Website: https://www.thejjsdeclutterpodcast.com/ ✉️ Email: hello@abcdeclutter.com Support the show Keep it Simple, Keep it Intentional, and - as always - Keep Decluttering!!

Send us Fan Mail 🏡 Spoiler: Granite Countertops Should Not Be Making Your Life Decisions Episode 2 of the Right-Sizing series picks up where Episode 1 left off, and it's time to talk about the M-word: moving. Not because a TV show said everyone over 60 needs a condo, and not because a granite countertop is judging you (though Julie has notes about vinegar and granite). Julie and Janis walk through 10 genuinely realistic reasons people decide it's time to right-size — and then flip it around with 5 things to actually think about when choosing what's next. The reasons run the gamut: - the house has become more maintenance than joy, unused rooms have quietly turned into storage units (hello, Clutter Purgatory), - the monthly expenses no longer make sense, - you just want life to be simpler, - or your body's sending memos your house hasn't read yet. Add in wanting to be closer to family, retirement reshuffling your priorities, craving real community, wanting to unlock home equity — and the big one, reason #10: making the move on your own terms, before a crisis makes it for you. Then comes the practical half — because falling in love with a kitchen and forgetting to ask "how far is the nearest grocery store" is a real and common trap. The five things that matter: 1. location and lifestyle (including the surprisingly important "what if I stop driving" question), 2. accessibility for the long haul, 3. total cost of living (not just the sticker price), 4. right-sized space for how you actually live now, 5. and community and support. Janis's "Tuesday morning test" — imagining a random weekday in the new place — might be the most useful five seconds of house-hunting advice in the whole episode. The big question to carry forward: are you choosing a home for the life you have, or the life you want to create next? ✅ This Week's Challenge Make two lists: 1. what you love about your current home, and 2. what's become difficult, inconvenient, or unnecessary. Be honest — the second list often reveals more than any real estate website ever could. Share your lists (or your favorite item on either one!) in the ABC Declutter with JJ Facebook Community. Next time: the big question of what actually comes with you when you move — furniture, treasures, collections, and the things that have basically established legal residency in the garage. 📺 YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@abcdeclutterwithjj 📸 Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/abcdeclutterwithjj/ 📘 Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/groups/abcdecluttercommunity 🖥️ Website: https://www.abcdeclutter.com/ 🎙️ Podcast Website: https://www.thejjsdeclutterpodcast.com/ ✉️ Email: hello@abcdeclutter.com Support the show Keep it Simple, Keep it Intentional, and - as always - Keep Decluttering!!

Send us Fan Mail Welcome to Season 4! S4E1: Why to Right-Size Your Life (Right-Sizing Your Life, Part 1 of 5) 📦 **New Season, New Series: Say Goodbye to "Downsizing" Dread** Season 4 kicks off with a brand-new 5-part series, *Right-Sizing Your Life* — and Julie and Janis are starting with the word swap that changes everything. Forget "downsizing," with all its smaller-house, fewer-things, sadder-life connotations. This series is about *right-sizing*: finding the amount of space, stuff, and maintenance that actually fits the life you're living right now, not the life you used to live, not the life your neighbor's shiny new condo is living. The JJs get real about how homes quietly become time capsules. Nobody wakes up and decides to build a museum to 1998 — it happens one kept item at a time. The kids' old rooms. The dining room used twice a year. The craft supplies waiting patiently for a hobby you gave up eight years ago. And, apparently, everyone's destiny to someday own a fondue pot. But this episode goes deeper than "does it spark joy" — because a lot of what's sitting in boxes isn't clutter, it's memory. Julie makes the case that the real question isn't always "have I used this in the last year," it's "what does this mean to me" — and from there, you get to decide whether the object stays, gets photographed, gets passed down, or gets released because you've realized you already have the memory without it. Janis also tackles the guilt trap head-on — "mom gave it to me," "someone might need it someday" — and offers a gentler reframe: it's not your job to store things for a hypothetical someday. And when it comes to the kids inheriting grandma's china? Ask first. Don't let it become someone else's garage mystery. The big idea to sit with this week: your home doesn't have to be your autobiography. Your memories live in you, not in every box in the attic. ✅ **This Week's Challenge** No decluttering yet — this week is just thinking. Finish this sentence: *"If my home worked better for the life I'm living now, I would have more ___." * Then finish: *"The things that get in the way are ___."* Don't solve anything yet — just notice. Share your reflections in the ABC Declutter with JJ Facebook Community! Next time: realistic reasons to actually move, and what to consider when choosing your next home. 📺 YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@abcdeclutterwithjj 📸 Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/abcdeclutterwithjj/ 📘 Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/groups/abcdecluttercommunity 🖥️ Website: https://www.abcdeclutter.com/ 🎙️ Podcast Website: https://www.thejjsdeclutterpodcast.com/ ✉️ Email: hello@abcdeclutter.com #ABCDeclutter #TheJJsDeclutterPodcast #DeclutteringDozen #SmallDoableDoses #RightSizingYourLife #ClutterCrushersClub #DeclutterWithJJ #RightSizing #NotDownsizing #EmotionalDecluttering #LettingGoOfStuff #FamilyHeirlooms #GuiltFreeDecluttering #HomeThatFitsYourLife #DeclutterYourLife #IntentionalLiving #SimplifyYourLife #DeclutterCommunity #LifeTransitions #GetOrganized #EmptyNest #OrganizingTips #DeclutterMindset #SentimentalItems Support the show Keep it Simple, Keep it Intentional, and - as always - Keep Decluttering!!

Send us Fan Mail 🛍️ The Grand Finale: Stopping the Chaos Before It Even Starts You've done the mindset work, survived the purge, built a closet you love, and installed the systems to keep it that way. So why do this whole thing again in two years? Julie and Janis say the answer is simple: the closet monster doesn't grow from what's already in there, it grows from what keeps walking in the door. Today's finale goes straight to the source: shopping. The JJs break down why we buy things we don't need, and - spoiler alert - it's not a character flaw ... it's the sale trap (that "50% off" that talks you into spending 100% on something you didn't need), emotional shopping (boredom, stress, celebration ... the clothes were never really the point), vacation purchases (souvenir shirts that never feel the same once you're home), the sneaky duplicate problem , and online shopping's total lack of built-in pause points . The fix is refreshingly simple: three questions before any purchase. 1. Do I already own something similar? 2. Can I wear this with at least three things I already own? 3. Would I buy it at full price today? Add a 24-hour (or one-week, for bigger purchases) waiting period, and Julie and Janis both share very relatable recent confessions including an England souvenir that never quite fit right, and a 21-pocket vest situation that got returned same-day. Then the JJs take a well-earned lap through the whole series, from the emotional groundwork in Episode 12 through the systems built in Episode 16 and celebrating everything you've built along the way. ✅ This Week's Challenge (Series Finale Edition) For the next 30 days, before buying any clothing item, ask the three questions: 1. Do I already own something similar? 2. Can I wear it with at least 3 things I own? 3. Would I buy it at full price? No tracking spreadsheet required, just the questions, every single time. Share what you notice (or what you talked yourself out of buying!) in the ABC Declutter with JJ - Community Facebook group. That's a wrap on Closet Chaos to Closet Confidence! If this series helped your closet (or your sanity), a 5-star review on Apple Podcasts or Spotify goes a long way. And if you want to keep the momentum going, check out the Clutter Crushers Club for live monthly Zoom sessions at ABCDeclutter.com. 📺 YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@abcdeclutterwithjj 📸 Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/abcdeclutterwithjj/ 📘 Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/groups/abcdecluttercommunity 🖥️ Website: https://www.abcdeclutter.com/ 🎙️ Podcast Website: https://www.thejjsdeclutterpodcast.com/ 🖥️ Email: hello@abcdeclutter.com #ABCDeclutter #TheJJsDeclutterPodcast #DeclutteringDozen #SmallDoableDoses #ClosetChaosToClosetConfidence #ClutterCrushersClub #DeclutterWithJJ #ClosetMonster #IntentionalShopping #ImpulseShopping #StopOverbuying #ShoppingHabits #EmotionalShopping #MindfulShopping #DeclutterYourLife #IntentionalLiving #MinimalistWardrobe #SimplifyYourLife #DeclutterCommunity #ConsciousConsumer #GetOrganized #OrganizingTips #DeclutterMindset #ClutterFreeCloset #WardrobeWisdom #BudgetFriendlyStyle #ShopSmart #ClosetConfidence #SeriesFinale Keep it Simple, Keep it Intentional, and - as always - Keep Decluttering!!

Send us Fan Mail 🪑 The Chair of DOOM Finally Gets What's Coming to It You did the mindset work. You did the purge. You built a wardrobe that actually fits your real life. So why does everything slide back into chaos six months later? Julie and Janis say it's never one big thing, it's a handful of small daily habits quietly working against you. Today, they're naming every single one and handing you the fix. First up: the Chair (or bench, or floor pile, or door handle ... you know your version). It exists because in-between clothes are a real problem, and that deserves a real solution: a couple of designated hooks or a small basket with an actual limit. Unlike the chair, a basket has a bottom, which means it eventually forces a decision. From there, the JJs dig into laundry as a full system, not a series of half-finished tasks. The golden rule: laundry isn't done until it's washed, dried, and put away ... no exceptions for "the basket is right there." They cover picking an actual laundry day instead of waiting for a crisis, sorting as you go, and why smaller loads (yes, really) can save water, electricity, and your sanity. Seasonal rotation gets a fresh spin too! It's not just swapping bins, it's a built-in twice-a-year declutter moment: if you didn't miss it in storage, you probably won't miss it going forward either. And then there's the overflow dresser, that innocent piece of furniture that slowly became a catch-all. The fix? The file-fold method (game-changer), and clearing the top down to one intentional item. Finally, four maintenance habits to keep clutter from creeping back: one-in-one-out (or Julie's preferred one-in- two -out), a monthly 12-minute closet scan, an always-accessible donation bag, and protecting that hard-won breathing room from episode 15. ✅ This Week's Challenge Set a 12-minute timer, #declutteringdozen, and take on the Chair of DOOM (Didn't Organize Only Moved). Every item gets a decision: laundry, back in the closet, or donation bag. Then set up your intentional alternative: hooks, a basket, whatever fits your space so the chair can go back to just being a chair. Share your Chair of DOOM victory in the ABC Declutter Facebook Community! Next up, the series finale — Episode 17 tackles what comes into the closet in the first place: shopping habits, impulse buys, and building an intentional relationship with clothes shopping. 📺 YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@abcdeclutterwithjj 📸 Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/abcdeclutterwithjj/ 📘 Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/groups/abcdecluttercommunity 🖥️ Website: https://www.abcdeclutter.com/ 🎙️ Podcast Website: https://www.thejjsdeclutterpodcast.com/ 🖥️ Email: hello@abcdeclutter.com #ABCDeclutter #TheJJsDeclutterPodcast #DeclutteringDozen #SmallDoableDoses #ClosetChaosToClosetConfidence #ClutterCrushersClub #DeclutterWithJJ #ChairOfDoom #LaundrySystems #SeasonalRotation #FileFoldMethod #OverflowDresser #OneInOneOut #ClosetMaintenance #DonationBag #DeclutterYourLife #HomeOrganization #IntentionalLiving #SimplifyYourLife #DeclutterCommunity #DailyHabits #GetOrganized #OrganizingTips #LaundryRoutine #ClosetSystem #DeclutterMindset #ClutterFreeHome #HomeHabits #OrganizingHacks #ClosetConfidence Support the show Keep it Simple, Keep it Intentional, and - as always - Keep Decluttering!!

Send us Fan Mail (Closet Chaos to Closet Confidence, Part 3 of 5) 👗 The Fun Part Is Here — Time to Actually Enjoy Your Closet You survived the purge (Episode 13), You named your emotional baggage (Episode 12), and now Julie and Janis are getting to the good stuff: building a closet that actually works for the life you're living! Not a Pinterest-perfect showroom, and not a shrine to Fantasy You. The JJs kick things off with a question nearly everyone's asked while staring blankly into a full closet: why do I only wear the same ten things? Turns out, those ten things aren't a fluke — they're your brain and body telling you exactly what actually works. The real goal isn't owning less for the sake of it; it's making sure everything in your closet earns its spot the way your favorites already have. From there, the JJs walk through five principles of a closet you'll genuinely love: a) everything fits today (not "if I stand a certain way" fits), b) everything belongs to the life you're actually living, c) everything makes you feel good, d) everything's in decent condition, and e) everything plays nicely with the rest of your wardrobe. They also give the capsule wardrobe trend a fair, funny shakedown — the philosophy has good bones, but nobody needs to fold their life into 37 neutral rectangles to benefit from it. Julie and Janis also swap their own personal wardrobe wake-up-call stories (you'll want to hear these), then get delightfully practical: - organizing by how your brain actually thinks about getting dressed, - keeping favorites at eye level, - facing hangers the same direction, - leaving breathing room on the rod, - adding real lighting, and - why "good enough" hangers beat waiting around for the perfect matching set. The whole episode boils down to one gloriously simple test: does your closet make getting dressed easier or harder? If harder, something needs to shift — and it doesn't have to be a big something. ✅ This Week's Challenge Set a 12-minute timer and put together three go-to outfits using only what's already in your closet — no wish list, no "maybe" bag. Snap a photo of each. It'll show you what's working and reveal any gaps worth paying attention to. Share your outfit trio in the ABC Declutter Facebook Community! Up next, Episode 16 tackles the systems that keep your closet from sliding back into chaos — laundry routines, the overflow dresser, and yes, the Chair of DOOM makes a comeback. 📺 YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@abcdeclutterwithjj 📸 Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/abcdeclutterwithjj/ 📘 Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/groups/abcdecluttercommunity 🖥️ Website: https://www.abcdeclutter.com/ 🎙️ Podcast Website: https://www.thejjsdeclutterpodcast.com/ 🖥️ Email: hello@abcdeclutter.com #ABCDeclutter #TheJJsDeclutterPodcast #DeclutteringDozen #SmallDoableDoses #ClosetChaosToClosetConfidence #ClutterCrushersClub #DeclutterWithJJ #ClosetYouLove #CapsuleWardrobe #WardrobeEssentials #GettingDressedMadeEasy #ClosetOrganization #FunctionalCloset #ClosetGoals #DeclutterYourLife #MinimalistWardrobe #IntentionalLiving #SimplifyYourLife #DeclutterCommunity #StyleThatFits #GetOrganized #OrganizingTips #WardrobeOrganization #ClosetSystem #ClutterFreeCloset #DeclutterMindset #EverydayStyle #ClosetConfidence #OutfitFormula Support the show Keep it Simple, Keep it Intentional, and - as always - Keep Decluttering!!

Send us Fan Mail 🪑 This Episode Is Basically an Intervention for Your Chair It's a Magazine Moments episode! Julie and Janis are digging into a Martha Stewart piece on breaking the habit of piling clothes on furniture. Naturally, that means a deep dive into the household's most notorious landing spot: the Chair of DOOM. (You know the one. It's not a chair anymore. It's a clothing shrine.) The verdict from the experts? If stuff keeps piling up, it's because either the item doesn't have a home, or its home is too high-friction to actually use. The JJs break down the article's rules of thumb one by one: give everything a designated home, declutter the closets and drawers so there's actually room to put things away, and use labels (Julie is now a full convert, much to her own surprise). The JJs also cover the power of a weekly family reset: complete with a flat surface scramble and a bucket-brigade approach for kids. Plus creating specific drop zones so the chaos has somewhere sanctioned to land. Janis and Julie also get delightfully skeptical about a "valet rod" suggestion (nobody's entirely sure what that even is), debate the merits of the mysterious laundry basket system, and share a truly unforgettable cautionary tale involving Janis's childhood laundry baskets and a cat named Rags. You'll never look at "clean" clothes the same way again. This episode continues the Closet Chaos to Closet Confidence series — following S3E12 (the why) and S3E13 (the Great Closet Purge) — with three more episodes still to come as the JJs keep helping you take back your closet, one flat surface at a time. ✅ This Week's Challenge Pick one flat surface in your home that's become a clutter magnet, something like a chair, a counter, even an entryway table, and give it a real, designated purpose or a decluttering session this week. Share your before-and-after in the ABC Declutter Facebook Community! 📺 YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@abcdeclutterwithjj 📸 Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/abcdeclutterwithjj/ 📘 Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/groups/abcdecluttercommunity🖥️ Website: https://www.abcdeclutter.com/ 🎙️ Podcast Website: https://www.thejjsdeclutterpodcast.com/ 🖥️ Email: hello@abcdeclutter.com Support the show Keep it Simple, Keep it Intentional, and - as always - Keep Decluttering!!

Send us Fan Mail This is a fun one ... the actual purge episode! 🧥 Last week we did the head work (the seven reasons your closet is basically a wearable therapy session). This week? We're doing the hands work. Julie and Janis are walking you through the actual Great Closet Purge! None of the "does this spark joy," no three-day pile on the bed, and absolutely no giving up halfway through to go make a sandwich. We see you. 🛠️ Setup Is Half the Battle Before you touch a single hanger: block off 30-minute chunks (24 minutes sorting, 6 minutes hydrating), gather FOUR bins (donate, trash, lives-elsewhere, and the infamous "not sure yet" pile), put on a soundtrack that is NOT this podcast (yes, people have tried, no, it doesn't go well), and clear a flat sorting surface. Preparation is 90% of not ending up buried under your own fashion history. 🔄 The Flat Surface Scramble One section at a time, not the whole closet, ONE section. Pull it out, wipe down the empty space, wax-paper the rod, then sort. Work that section fully before moving to the next. Slower feels wrong but it's actually the secret to never facing an overwhelming pile of unresolved sweater decisions. 🗂️ Keep or LETS GO, Clothing Edition Keep: Fits, worn regularly, fits your actual life LE: Lives Elsewhere (seasonal storage, spouse's closet, mysteriously migrated) T: Trash (stained, broken, done. No guilt required) S: Sentimental (unless you immediately know, this item gets its OWN separate session, not decided mid-purge) GO: Goes out — donate, sell, or "I know exactly who needs this" ⏳ The Maybe Pile (With a Deadline) Maybes are fine ~ as long as they're sealed, dated, and set a 3-month calendar reminder. If you can't remember what's in the bag in 3 months, that's your answer. Donate unopened. 🚧 The Four Sticking Points The expensive thing you never wear (the money's already gone. Stop paying the guilt tax). The item that "almost" fits, or the gift you don't love. As well as clothes from a different body or life chapter we handle here with real gentleness, because that one's personal. ✨ Putting Keeps Back Right Group by category, hang facing the same direction, put your most-worn pieces at eye level, and wipe everything down before it goes back in. Fresh space, fresh habits. 🎯 This Week's Challenge: Complete ONE 30-minute purge block on your closet (24 minutes of sorting, 6 minutes to breathe.) Take a before photo! Share your before/after in the ABC Declutter with JJ Community on FB. Every win counts, no matter the size of the section. 📺 YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@abcdeclutterwithjj 📸 Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/abcdeclutterwithjj/ 📘 Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/groups/abcdecluttercommunity 🖥️ Website: https://www.abcdeclutter.com/ Podcast Website: https://www.thejjsdeclutterpodcast.com/ ✉️ Email: hello@abcdeclutter.com #ABCDeclutter #TheJJsDeclutterPodcast #ClutterCrushersClub #LETSGOSortingSystem #FlatSurfaceScramble #SmallDoableDoses #KeepItSimpleKeepItIntentional #ClosetPurge #ClosetChaosToClosetConfidence #ClothesDeclutter #WardrobeDeclutter #KeepOrLetsGo #ClosetOrganization #DonateClothes #ClosetMakeover #ClothingClutter #MaybePile #DeclutterYourLife #OrganizingTips #IntentionalLiving #ClosetGoals #SimplifyYourLife #ProgressOverPerfection #LetItGoWithGratitude #WardrobeReset #DeclutterCommunity #DeclutterWithMe #OrganizingCommunity #ClutterFreeLife Support the show Keep it Simple, Keep it Intentional, and - as always - Keep Decluttering!!

Send us Fan Mail S3E12: Clothes Decluttering Pitfalls (Closet Chaos to Closet Confidence, Part 1) 👕 Warning: This Episode May Cause You to Side-Eye Your Own Closet This week, Julie and Janis are kicking off a brand-new 5-part series, Closet Chaos to Closet Confidence — and they're starting with the hardest part first: your feelings. (Don't worry, no trash bags required. Yet.) Turns out clothes aren't just fabric they're wearable memory, wearable guilt, and occasionally wearable delusion (looking at you, "Fantasy Me" and her never-worn linen blazer). The JJs break down the 7 real reasons we hang onto clothes we never wear: Identity, Guilt, Fantasy Self, Body Changes, Memories, Money, and the ever-popular "Just In Case." If you counted at least three fingers while listening, congratulations, you're human, and you're in very good company. 🧥 True Confessions Julie fesses up to a gorgeous white wool coat that's basically become a very judgmental closet decoration. Janis admits to holding onto her high school song-leader uniforms for over 30 years on the off chance her daughters — who outgrew her by middle school — might someday wear them. (They did not.) 🧠 Mindset Muscle, Not Trash Bag Muscle Before Episode 13's Great Closet Purge, the JJs want you practicing four gut-check questions: a. Have I actually worn this in the last year? b. Would I buy it again today? c. Does it fit the life I'm living now? And the big one ... d. Am I keeping the object, or am I afraid of losing the memory? ✅ This Week's Small Doable Dose Set a 12-minute timer, pick just 5 items from your closet, and ask one honest question about each: have I worn this in the past year? That's it. No decisions required - just noticing. Use #declutteringdozen to share your progress (or your discoveries) with the community! Next time: Episode 13, The Great Closet Purge — aprons optional. 📺 YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@abcdeclutterwithjj 📸 Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/abcdeclutterwithjj/ 📘 Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/groups/abcdecluttercommunity 🖥️ Website: https://www.abcdeclutter.com/ 🎙️ Podcast Website: https://www.thejjsdeclutterpodcast.com/ 🖥️ Email: hello@abcdeclutter.com #ABCDeclutter #TheJJsDeclutterPodcast #DeclutteringDozen #SmallDoableDoses #ClosetChaosToClosetConfidence #ClutterCrushersClub #DeclutterWithJJ #ClosetDeclutter #ClothesDeclutter #WardrobeDeclutter #ClosetConfidence #FashionFreedom #ClothingClutter #GreatClosetPurge #DeclutterYourLife #MinimalistWardrobe #IntentionalLiving #SimplifyYourLife #DeclutterCommunity #HomeOrganization #GetOrganized #OrganizingTips #ClosetOrganization #CapsuleWardrobe #DeclutterMindset #LetGoOfClutter #FreshStartFriday #ClutterFree #WardrobeGoals Support the show Keep it Simple, Keep it Intentional, and - as always - Keep Decluttering!!

Send us Fan Mail Confession time: your car is basically a mobile junk drawer with a steering wheel. Coffee cups multiplying in the cup holders, receipts fossilizing in the door pocket, and somewhere back there are 14 reusable shopping bags breeding like rabbits. Julie and Janis are calling it out (lovingly) and giving you the system to fix it before road trip season hits full swing. 🕵️ Why Cars Get So Cluttered Your car is a "mobile transition zone". Every errand leaves evidence behind. And the sneaky part is that you stop seeing it. Clutter blindness is real, until someone asks for a ride and you suddenly see your backseat through their horrified eyes. ⚠️ It's Not Just Messy ... It's a Safety Issue Rolling items can jam your brake pedal. Blocked windows kill your visibility. A grimy windshield plus a sunset equals disaster. This isn't about aesthetics, it's about actually seeing where you're going. ⏱️ The Weekly Decluttering Dozen (Car Edition) 12 minutes, once a week: trash out, misplaced items back to their real homes, everyday items organized, quick wipe-down. That's it. Do it weekly and it barely takes any time at all. 🧽 The Seasonal Deep Clean Four times a year (or "2-3, but also whenever it's needed"), empty the WHOLE car, vacuum everything, tackle the windows, condition the leather (ok, just clean the Naugahyde), and yes! clean your cup holders before they start to walk on their own. 📦 The 5 Categories Every Item Falls Into a. Emergency kit, b. seasonal swaps (i.e., summer to winter) c. everyday essentials, d. trash (leaves every time, no exceptions), and e. "items that migrated from home" (we're looking at you, three-day-old Amazon package!) 🛣️ Road Trip Prep Checklist Fluids, tire pressure (including the spare! I learned that one the hard way in 110° heat), lights, windshield scrubber, and a designated trash bag so day 3 doesn't smell like a dumpster. 👀 The Pre-Trip Visibility Check Sit in the driver's seat. Can you see out every window? Mirrors clean and angled right? Nothing dangling from the rearview? Do this before every trip — it could genuinely save your life. 🎯 This Week's Challenge: Set a 12-minute timer and do your first car decluttering dozen. Bonus points if you find something you thought was lost forever. Share your "found it!" moment in the ABC Declutter Facebook Community! 📺 YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@abcdeclutterwithjj 📸 Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/abcdeclutterwithjj/ 📘 Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/groups/abcdecluttercommunity 🖥️ Website: https://www.abcdeclutter.com/ 🎙️ Podcast Website: https://www.thejjsdeclutterpodcast.com/ ✉️ Email: hello@abcdeclutter.com #ABCDeclutter #TheJJsDeclutterPodcast #ClutterCrushersClub #DeclutteringDozen #LETSGOSortingSystem #SmallDoableDoses #DOOMBoxes #KeepItSimpleKeepItIntentional #CarClutter #CarOrganization #CarCleaningTips #RoadTripPrep #CarDecluttering #VehicleOrganization #WeeklyDeclutteringDozen #SeasonalDeepClean #CarMaintenance #DriveClean #DeclutterYourLife #OrganizingTips #IntentionalLiving #HomeOrganization #SimplifyYourLife #ProgressOverPerfection #CleanCarCleanMind #CarSafetyTips #DeclutterCommunity #DeclutterWithMe #OrganizingCommunity #ClutterFreeLife Support the show Keep it Simple, Keep it Intentional, and - as always - Keep Decluttering!!

Send us Fan Mail ✈️ S3E10: Magazine Moments: 10 Packing Tips for Your Next Vacation 🧳 Grab your compression cubes and your questionable amount of cords, because Julie and Janis are diving into another Magazine Moments episode! This time they're tackling a list from Travelers (yes, the insurance folks with the umbrella) on how to pack a suitcase for vacation ... and naturally, they have opinions . 🗒️ Lists Are Life Julie and Janis are both certified list people, and they're not sorry about it. From YMCA camp packing lists to laminated checklists for kids, if it's not written down, it's not happening. Bonus points if grandma gets a copy too. ⚖️ Know Your Limits (No, Not That Kind) Airline baggage rules changed again, so pay attention to size AND weight ... Janis just bought a luggage scale and hasn't even used it yet. Classic. 🌀 Roll, Fold, or Compress? The great debate: rolling vs. folding vs. Janis's beloved compression cubes and packing envelope (which she will NOT be getting rid of, thank you very much). Julie's a roller. Janis is a cube evangelist. Somewhere in the middle is a perfectly packed suitcase. 🧴 The 3-1-1 Bag Strikes Again Sunscreen, shampoo, and the eternal question of whether TSA will actually rescind that liquids rule (they will not). Plus: a glitter candle x-ray incident that had security very confused. 👗 Pack Smart, Not Heavy Scarves that double as tops! The "cat suit" color-matching trick! Limiting shoes! Julie and Janis break down how to pack fewer things that do more things. 🛫 The Carry-On Essentials Snacks, a hand fan (for "women of a certain age," Julie says lovingly), and never — NEVER — packing your valuables in checked luggage. TSA can and will cut your lock off. 🎯 This Week's Challenge: Before your next trip, make ONE packing list ... even a basic one ... and see how much smoother your packing day goes. Report back in the ABC Declutter Facebook Community! 📺 YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@abcdeclutterwithjj 📸 Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/abcdeclutterwithjj/ 📘 Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/groups/abcdecluttercommunity 🖥️ Website: https://www.abcdeclutter.com/ 🎙️ Podcast Website: https://www.thejjsdeclutterpodcast.com/ ✉️ Email: hello@abcdeclutter.com 🏷️ #ABCDeclutter #TheJJsDeclutterPodcast #ClutterCrushersClub #DeclutteringDozen #LETSGOSortingSystem #SmallDoableDoses #DOOMBoxes #KeepItSimpleKeepItIntentional #TravelPackingTips #PackingHacks #SuitcasePacking #TravelOrganization #PackingList #CarryOnEssentials #CompressionCubes #VacationPrep #TravelTips2026 #MagazineMoments #DeclutterYourLife #OrganizingTips #IntentionalLiving #HomeOrganization #SimplifyYourLife #ProgressOverPerfection #MinimalPacking #TravelLight #DeclutterCommunity #DeclutterWithMe #OrganizingCommunity #ClutterFreeLife Keep it Simple, Keep it Intentional, and - as always - Keep Decluttering!!

Send us Fan Mail Magazine Moments: Preparing for the 4th of July This week we're bringing back one of our favorite episodes — because good advice (and good laughs) never go out of style. Consider it your patriotic prep gift from the JJs! 🎆 Stars, Stripes, and… a Picnic Table You Have to Build Yourself? Independence Day is coming in hot — literally — and the JJs are here to make sure you're ready for it without losing your mind (or your fingers). In this fan-favorite Magazine Moments episode, Julie and Janis dig into a This Old House article on prepping for the 4th of July. Spoiler: they are not building a picnic table from rough-sawn cedar. Hard pass. 🚩 Fly Your Flag Right Before you hang a single piece of bunting, Janis breaks down proper American flag etiquette — because there's more to it than just sticking it in the yard and calling it patriotic. The JJs also chat about adding gold and silver to your red, white, and blue décor for that extra fireworks-inspired sparkle. ✨ 🪑 Set Up Your Outdoor Space Like a Pro Julie covers how to create an inviting, comfortable gathering space ... think varied seating, shade options, and making sure every single chair is within arm's reach of somewhere to set a drink. Because no one should be standing there holding a hot dog with nowhere to put their lemonade. 🍔 Grill Talk (Including a Lemon Hack That Will Blow Your Mind) The JJs cover menu planning, food safety, and grill prep — including Janis's game-changing tip for cleaning your grill grates with a lemon on a hot grill. Also: keep your meat and veggies on separate skewers, people. The pepper-on-fire situation is real, and Julie may or may not be speaking from experience. 🦟 Bug Control, Games & Fireworks Safety Mosquito-repelling herbs, citronella candles, yellow bug lights, and strategic fan placement — the JJs have your bug battle plan covered. Then it's on to classic backyard games (cornhole, giant Jenga, ladder ball, and yes — cribbage), plus an important and heartfelt conversation about fireworks safety, keeping it legal, and being a good neighbor to pets and veterans in your community. 🎇 Your 4th of July Challenge Tell the JJs how YOU celebrate! Share your traditions, your menu, your games — or your most epic fireworks-gone-wrong story — over in the ABC Declutter Facebook Community . They genuinely want to party with you. 🎉 📺 YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@abcdeclutterwithjj 📸 Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/abcdeclutterwithjj/ 📘 Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/groups/abcdecluttercommunity 🖥️ Website: https://www.abcdeclutter.com/ 🎙️ Podcast Website: https://www.thejjsdeclutterpodcast.com/ 📧 Email: hello@abcdeclutter.com #4thOfJuly #FourthOfJuly #IndependenceDay #July4th #PatrioticHome #4thOfJulyCelebration #SummerEntertaining #BackyardParty #4thOfJulyDecor #GrillingSeason #BackyardBBQ #4thOfJulyFood #FireworksSafety #SummerGathering #OutdoorEntertaining #HomeOrganization #SimpleLiving #OrganizedHome #HomeDecor #PodcastForWomen #MotivationalPodcast #ClutterFree #MindfulLiving #SummerVibes Happy 4th of July episode drop! 🎆🇺🇸 Support the show Keep it Simple, Keep it Intentional, and - as always - Keep Decluttering!!

Send us Fan Mail 🚗 Your Car Called. It Wants to Come Home. You did it. You sorted, you purged, you wrestled with the hazardous materials, and you made the tough calls. Now you're standing in your garage wondering, "Okay… now what?" That's exactly where Part 2 picks up! Julie and Janis are back to walk you through turning that sorted-but-still-chaotic space into a genuinely functional garage - one where you can find what you need, work on actual projects, and yes, park your car. Revolutionary, we know. 🎯 Start with Your Vision Before you buy a single shelf, hook, or bin, ask yourself: What do I actually need this garage to do? A woodworker's garage looks nothing like a family-with-three-kids-in-three-sports garage ... and neither is wrong. Your vision drives every storage decision, so get clear on it first. 📐 The Golden Rule: Go Vertical Floor space = prime real estate. Walls, rafters, and ceiling mounts are your best friends. This single principle will do more for your garage than any other organizing decision you make. 🔧 Zone-by-Zone Storage Solutions Tools & Workbench: Pegboard above the bench (outline each tool so you know what's missing!), clear bins for hardware, and a clear workbench - it's a working surface, not a storage surface. Gardening: Wall-mounted organizers for long-handled tools, a dedicated shelf or cabinet near the yard door for gloves and small tools. Julie's genius move? A repurposed outdoor mailbox for summer grab-and-go garden supplies. Sports & Bikes: Wall hooks and ceiling mounts for bikes and large gear. One bin per sport for smaller items - kids can grab and return their own stuff. Sustainable system = actually maintained system. Seasonal Items: Ceiling and rafter storage for holiday décor, camping gear, and anything you touch a few times a year. Household Supplies: Dedicated shelving, rotate your stock, and please resist the urge to stockpile five years of paper towels. (Toilet paper, however, is apparently currency. Janis has sources.) 📦 The Clear Bin Gospel Say it with us: clear bins, specific labels. Not "Holiday" but, "Christmas Ornaments." Not "Sports" but, "Soccer Gear." Opaque cardboard boxes are basically rodent motels. Clear, labeled, right-sized bins (don't go too big ... trying to lift a 64-gallon bin overhead will not always work) are worth every penny. 🚦 Floor Space & Traffic Flow Keep pathways clear between zones, put frequently-used items at eye level near your entry point, and if parking the car is the goal measure first, store second. Also: pool noodles cut in half are the unsung heroes of garage pipe protection. 🔁 Keeping It That Way A quick 15-minute monthly check-in beats a massive annual overhaul every time. And the new house rule? The garage is not a dumping ground for indecision. Every item needs a real home. 👊 Your Listener Challenge Before you buy a single storage product, write down what you need your garage to do for your life. Then tackle it zone by zone — vertical first, clear bins always, labels on everything. 🏆 Need Support? We've Got You. The Clutter Crushers Club meets live on Zoom four times a month (Tuesdays & Wednesdays, 4 PM Pacific) — that's 6+ hours of community, accountability, and celebrating wins together. Plus, grab a free one-on-one assessment call to get a personalized plan for your specific space. 👉 ABCDeclutter.com 📺 YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@abcdeclutterwithjj 📸 Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/abcdeclutterwithjj/ 📘 Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/groups/abcdecluttercommunity 🖥️ Website: https://www.abcdeclutter.com/ 🎙️ Podcast Website: https://www.thejjsdeclutterpodcast.com/ 📧 Email: hello@abcdeclutter.com #GarageOrganization #GarageStorage #OrganizeYourGarage #GarageTransformation #GarageMakeover #GarageOrganizingTips #GarageGoals #ParkYourCarInTheGarage #VerticalStorage #ClearBins #LabelEverything #PegboardOrganization #HomeOrganization #OrganizationTips #StorageSolutions #OrganizedHome #ABCDeclutter #JJsDeclutterPodcast #DeclutterWithMe #ClutterCrushersClub #DeclutteringMotivation Support the show Keep it Simple, Keep it Intentional, and - as always - Keep Decluttering!!

Send us Fan Mail The garage. Where good intentions go to die, bicycles go to gather dust, and projects go to silently judge you every time you walk past. 👀 This is Part 1 of The JJs' two-part garage series — and today is ALL about sorting and letting go BEFORE any organizing begins. Because organizing stuff you don't need is just neatly arranged clutter. Sound familiar? Why Garages Are Different Sheer size, overwhelming variety, multiple people's stuff, AND hazardous materials — garages need a different pace and a lot more grace Stop trying to do it in one Saturday — a garage that's been accumulating for years needs multiple sessions over multiple weeks The 30-Minute Block System 24 minutes sorting + 6-minute mandatory hydration and re-evaluation break After two blocks, take a longer break — garage work is physically AND mentally exhausting Decide your end time IN ADVANCE and honor it. "I'll just finish this one thing" is a trap! Work in Zones — Never All at Once Tools & workbench, garden tools, kitchen overflow, seasonal decor, sporting equipment, household supplies, fridge/freezer, unfinished projects, sentimental storage. Start with the zone causing you the MOST daily frustration. Keep or LETS GO — Garage Edition Keep: Does it WORK? Do I USE it? Does it have a HOME? All three must be yes LE Lives Elsewhere: Catch-alls that actually belong inside the house T Trash: Broken, rusted, dried up, genuinely garbage S Sentimental: Set aside for a dedicated separate session — don't let it slow your momentum GO Goes Out: Working items someone else would love Hazardous Materials — Handle With Care! Old paint, pesticides, propane tanks, car batteries, motor oil — NONE of these go in regular trash. Search "hazardous waste disposal + your city" for local options. Julie's tip: latex paint can be dried out with kitty litter and tossed — oil-based always goes to hazmat! Unfinished Projects — The 5 Questions Why did you start it? Is that reason still valid? Is there a NEW reason to finish it? Are you trapped by sunk cost thinking? Are you just over it? (You're allowed to be!) Part 2 is coming — smart storage solutions that actually work! Don't want to do this alone? Clutter Crushers Club meets live on Zoom — 6+ hours of dedicated decluttering every month with a community that gets it. 👉 ABCDeclutter.com #GarageDeclutter #DeclutterGarage #GarageCleanout #KeepOrLETSGO #DeclutteringDozen #GarageOrganization #HazardousWasteDisposal #UnfinishedProjects #SentimentalClutter #SmallDoableDoses #DeclutterPodcast #JJsDeclutter #ClutterCrushersClub #ABCDeclutter #GarageGoals #DeclutteringJourney #SpringCleaning #HomeOrganization #ClutterFree #IntentionalLiving Support the show Keep it Simple, Keep it Intentional, and - as always - Keep Decluttering!!