https://mcdn.podbean.com/mf/web/bv3rt9/tracyfinal_-_9_13_22_1051_AM6elo1.mp3
EPISODE SUMMARY:
An author and decluttering expert, Tracy McCubbin has utilized her keen organizational skills to help thousands of people clean their homes and get rid of the messes holding them back from living their best lives. In today’s episode, we sat down with Tracy to discuss the struggles behind organization, decluttering as an empty nester or an adult with aging parents, the emotions behind the process of decluttering, and the societal desire to buy into aging products in midlife.
First, we talked to Stacy about why organization seems to be such a common problem in our society. She explained that for many people, one of the primary issues that leads to clutter is shopping. Whether it be through in person or online shopping, when we start buying product after product, eventually our house becomes full of items we don’t need or will never use. A lot of us don’t even realize that we’re doing it, and we’re stuck wondering why our house is messy without knowing the root of the issue. While shopping can be euphoric and addictive, Stacy said that a home should not just be a place to store purchased items. Your house should be a place of rest, nourishment, and support. It’s not just about how the home looks, but how it makes you feel on the inside. And by being surrounded by clutter, you’ll feel more stressed in your own house. Apart from shopping, another issue that can leave our houses looking overstocked is empty nesting and aging parents. When children leave the house, some parents find it hard to organize their bedrooms and get rid of old items full of memories. However, by keeping your child’s bedroom the exact same as when they were little, you’re looking backwards. You’re not giving yourself the space to grow and move on, which is why it’s important to declutter and figure out what is really needed versus what can be given away. For aging parents who are downsizing, their children often end up with furniture and other family heirlooms they don’t need or want, since it seems like there’s nowhere else to put them. To deal with this, Stacy suggested skipping a generation. Rather than give furniture to your children, give it to grandchildren or younger family members who may have use for it.
Just because you have kept something for a long time does not mean it will sell for a high price, and Stacy emphasized that it’s important to remember this when sorting through products. She mentioned buy nothing groups, which are groups where people will put things they no longer need up for free for others who genuinely need the product to take. That way, a person knows that what they’re selling will actually go to good use, and someone else who is in desperate need can afford the item they’re looking for. Decluttering can feel like an overwhelming process, and when asked where to start, Stacy told us that the first thing a person should do is figure out why they want to get organized. Whether it’s to sell their home, be clean for guests, or to simply make their life easier, understanding why you’re decluttering can help ensure you don’t resent the process. Look for places in your house where the clutter is having the most influence and try to start small. You don’t need to do it all in one day; a few hours at a time can make a huge difference. It’s also okay if you need to ask for help. Decluttering can be a long and emotional process, and for a lot of people, having a partner to do it with can help alleviate stress.
When asked about the connection between clutter and emotions, Stacy said that a state of a home reflects someone’s current emotional state. Cluttered spaces in houses can portray rough patches in relationships, depression, stress, and more. Messy closets, especially for women, can reflect self-esteem and body image issues. The cluttered spaces show that a person isn’t happy in their home and feel too overwhelmed to clean, causing the messes to grow. It also reflects that someone may be overworking themselves and avoiding decluttering as a result of their stress. For ways to help, Stacy suggested finding a friend to help you clean and having your affairs in order. For example, if you’re stressed about who gets what in terms of inheritance, make sure you have a system in place to ensure all of your stuff ends up exactly where you would like it to.
Tracy’s latest book, Make Space for Happiness, explores coping with clutter by looking inward. She told us that the book was initially inspired by conversations she’d had with her own clients, who would call her months after decluttering to tell her they’d once again become unorganized due to shopping. Through the book, she explains how it’s vital to look inside yourself and figure out what holes you’re trying to fill with material items. Happiness comes not from items but from connections to the world and others, and by discovering your own path to happiness, you can move away from the need to shop as a coping mechanism. Finally, we asked Stacy about the rising trend of buying “anti-aging” products in midlife. She spoke about how many of the clients she works with are midlife celebrities, and even with all of their money and procedures, they still age. Aging is an inevitable process; no product or surgery can prevent it. Social media uses filters and claims of miracle serums and creams to try and convince people otherwise, but in truth, even the richest people go through the aging process. Rather than trying to deny it, it’s important to improve your relationship with yourself and your mental health to figure out why you feel inclined to buy the products in the first place. Walking, for example, is a great way to do this, and will make you feel better both physically and emotionally.
Tracy McCubbin
Tracy McCubin has always seen herself as an obsessively organized person, and over time, she learned how to use that trait to create a business for herself. While working for a major television director in Los Angeles, Tracy discovered she had the ability to see through any mess and clearly envision a clutter-free space. Coupled with keen time-management and organizational skills, Tracy soon found more and more people were asking her for help. Eventually, through time and a passion for helping others clean their homes, dClutterfly was born.
Twelve years and thousands of decluttered homes later, Tracy took what she had learned working with her clients and wrote a book to help others dealing with clutter. She is author of the newly published book Making Space, Clutter-Free: The Last Book on Decluttering You’ll Ever Need. She is also a regularly featured expert in the media, including The Washington Post, The Wall Street Journal, goop, Home & Family, Real Simple, mindbodygreen, NBC, KTLA Morning Show, KCAL9, and more.
Along with dCluttering, Tracy is also the Co-Executive Director of OneKid OneWorld, a non-profit building strong educational foundations for children in impoverished communities throughout Kenya and Central America. OKOW provides kids with essential needs like desks and books, as well as paying teachers’ salaries, building classrooms, and even installing solar power technology so students can study at night. OKOW’s most recent project, #OneGirlOnePad, will provide access to reusable feminine hygiene kits to over 4,000 girls in Kenya.
In this episode, we discuss…
- [0:01] Bossa Bars
- [0:49] Guest Introduction
- [3:55] Start of Interview
- [4:40] Why Organization is Such a Struggle
- [8:37] Getting Through Decluttering with Empty Nesting or Aging Parents
- [18:55] Where to Start Decluttering Your Home
- [23:11] The Emotions Behind Clutter
- [31:55] Making Space for Happiness
- [37:17] Buying Aging Products in Midlife
- [40:11] Closing Thoughts
- [40:52] Outro
Useful Resources:
dClutterfly’s Website I [https://dclutterfly.com/]
dClutterfly’s Facebook I [https://www.facebook.com/dClutterfly]
dClutterfly’s Instagram I [https://www.instagram.com/dclutterfly/?hl=en]
OneKid OneWorld I [https://www.onekidoneworld.org/]
Tracy’s Instagram I [https://www.instagram.com/tracy_mccubbin/?hl=en]
Tracy’s YouTube Channel I [https://www.youtube.com/channel/UC_u1rOQivEcplEAMUrd5ORQ/videos]
Tracy’s Books
Make Space for Happiness I [https://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/make-space-for-happiness-tracy-mccubbin/1140359329]
Making Space, Clutter Free I [https://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/making-space-clutter-free-tracy-mccubbin/1129982169;jsessionid=BE4A26E060DE6EAC3B213C56BA89D17B.prodny_store01-atgap16?ean=9781492675198#/]
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