Having a plan is often the make or break between success and failure. When you're feeling overwhelmed staring down the task of decluttering your entire house, where do you start? We're breaking down the answer to that question in today's episode!

When we hear "routines" our minds go to the Insta-worthy morning routine with a steaming cup of coffee in hand, some quiet time, a fresh new journal, and probably a beautiful sunrise to boot. But those kinds of "routines" can actually create more stress and pressure, rather than being a tool that helps us put daily tasks on autopilot. In today's episode I'm sitting down with Diane in Denmark to discuss how to create routines that actually work for you and your unique life circumstances. Listen in!

Welcome to the Get Organized HQ Podcast! We're kicking things off by giving you a behind the scenes peek into how in the world we got here - we being Laura Smith, who you know and love from the Get Organized HQ newsletter and YouTube channel, and your podcast host Tasha Lorentz. Some things you'll learn in this episode: what Get Organized HQ and nuclear power plants have in common, why we talk about home organization in the first place, and how Laura and Tasha met (which is probably NOT what you'd expect!) Listen in! 

Emergency preparedness is awesome, but so is being ready for whatever curveball a mostly-typical-Tuesday may bring. In today's episode I'm joined by Melanie from Plan For Awesome, and being prepared for the unexpected is her specialty! Listen in.

I've asked a lot of guests on the Get Organized HQ Podcast to open up and share an honest look at their daily routine, so it seemed only fair that I share my answers to the same questions I ask our guests. In today's episode I'm giving you a breakdown of what it's like to be Tasha for a day, along with some tips of what's working in my routines right now. But don't worry! I also open up and share some of the current fails because, let's face it, we ALL have fails! Listen in!

Does it feel like there aren't enough hours in the day to keep up with all the things that need to be done? We've ALL been there! Today I'm joined by Terri from Today With Terri K and we're talking tips and tricks for getting the best things done - and I'm gonna give you a hint right here up front! The secret sauce of getting things done lies in those small pockets of time throughout your day. Listen in!

We all go through seasons of survival mode - whether it's health struggles, a big deadline at work, tons of extracurriculars all converging on the same month, or just a difficult season, there are times when we simply aren't at our best. And that's okay! Today we're chatting about how to survive when you find yourself in survival mode. We've all been there, so if that's where you find yourself today, I hope this episode encourages you with the truth that you can do this! 

When you're feeling stressed out by the daily grind, decluttering is likely one of the furthest things from your mind. In today's episode we're sitting down with Tracy from dClutterfly to talk about how removing excess stuff from our spaces actually has a huge positive impact on our day-in, day-out routine. Listen in!

Today we are talking about the tension we can feel when we begin decluttering, wanting to have less stuff in our space, but when it comes down to it, we also want to keep the stuff we have. How do we work through that so that we can have less stuff and the peace that comes with that?

Tasha shares ideas on how to write good lists that serve us well because sometimes we can make lists that leave us feeling defeated and like we’re falling behind. That’s not what we want! Let’s learn to make lists that help us make progress.

Links:  Getting Things Done by David Allen

A day in Kayse’s life looks much different than it used to. Both of her children are back in school after four years of being homeschooled. 

Tasha shares her list of 10 things that are bringing her less stress & more peace in the spring of 2025. Hopefully some of these ideas will be something that you can use or remind you of something that you’ve tried before. 

In this episode, Tasha talks with Jill, co-host of the Frugal Friends podcast and co-author of the book Buy What You Love Without Going Broke, who is going to share some good daily money habits for spending and saving.

If you’ve done much decluttering, you’re probably used to the classic, dramatic before and after transformations when you get rid of tons of items from a space. But what about when you don’t see that dramatic transformation? Visually you don’t see that any progress was made. It can be discouraging, but trust me that it’s not a sign of failure.

Having good time management does not mean your days have to follow a rigid, hour by hour schedule. How do I know? I sat down with Anna Dearmon Kornick from the It's About Time Podcast and asked her! She's a time management expert and today she's giving us a peek into how she structures her days. Listen in!

Have you ever felt like there's conflicting advice out there on what the "right" way to declutter is? Well, the truth is there are many right ways to declutter, and each person is going to have different needs and things that work (and don't work!) for their own personality and season of life. Today I'm sharing some of the common decluttering advice that I don't personally find helpful - it's not bad advice, it just doesn't work for me!

One of the best things you can do for yourself and your family is get clear on your priorities and then structure your days and weeks around what's most important to you. Today I'm sitting down with Corina from Frump Fighters to hear her share how she's done just that! If you're ready to trade in some of the chaos for calm, you're going to love the ideas Corina shares today! Listen in!

Decluttering is often a quick win that people can get when they're working to find less stress and more peace in their life and home. But it's not the only contributing factor to a stress free home. In today's episode we're discussing other systems and routines you may need to implement in your home in order to reap the full benefits of your decluttering efforts. 

Sometimes we naturally fall into routines based on how our work or life schedule naturally falls. But if you have a schedule that is different every day then you know how out of reach a consistent routine can feel! Today I'm sitting down with Carla from The Carla Project to hear her share about her daily routine - and for her, every day is different! But she still finds rhythms that bring structure and peace to her days, and the ideas she shares may just spark an idea in you! Listen in!

This is the last episode of our Get Organized Once and For All series where we’ve talked about strategies and tools you can use to maintain your organized spaces and systems as well as getting them set up in the first place. 

Today we are talking about accountability and motivation. You may have tried and found it to not be as easy as it sounds. Finding support groups, motivation, and encouragement can be a game changer. Not only do we need them when we’re feeling down, but we also need them on those days when we’re on cloud nine. 

Links in this Episode:

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A big thing that can get in the way of us reaching our goals is running out of time. There are days when we don’t have a minute to spare, but there are also days when we run out of time because a lot of our day was spent doing things we don’t actually care much about. Those are what would be considered time wasters. 

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• Google Feed Blocker
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What constitutes a small space? The answer is going to be different for everyone, right? It might depend on what part of the country you grew up. One may have grown up where two story homes with basements were the norm, while someone else thought those types of homes only belonged to the very wealthy.  

It may also depend on your life circumstances. If you have a 3,000 square foot home, but you are running a business out of it, your space may feel small to you. 

Sometimes it may be the way your home is laid out. If you have a larger home, and you are a family with several children, having only 3 bedrooms may be constraining to you if you also need to have an office space because you work from home. 

All of that to say, what defines a small space is going to be different for everyone, but the principles here will apply in all of those circumstances.

Links in this episode:
Stackable drawer unit: https://amzn.to/4jluQz2 

Allyson is a professional organizer, based in Baltimore, at Elysian Organizing and can be found on TikTok sharing her best organizing tips. She is also going to be a new speaker at the 2025 Get Organized HQ Virtual conference this Fall. 

A lot of focus from online content creators is on setting yourself up for success and making a plan for how you want your days to go. That’s great! You want to create a plan for what you want to achieve. It’s very important, though, to realize that there are going to be bad days. 

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Mark Twain has been attributed as saying if you eat a live frog first thing in the morning, you won’t do anything else more unpleasant the whole day. What that means is do the most daunting task first. Sometimes it’s the hardest, sometimes it’s just the most unpleasant. 

Almost always these are relatively quick tasks and the anticipation is worse than the reality. But, sometimes it’s not a quick task and it really is as bad as you think it’s going to be. Either way going ahead and getting that thing done first thing in the morning is going to set you up for success for the rest of your day.

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Episode Transcript
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Habits are those things that you train yourself to do almost on autopilot. Habits can help reduce the mental load we have when we spend time debating with ourselves about doing a task or when we’ve had a long day and now we’re having to make all new decisions about what we need to do. Essentially, establishing habits is a great way to get more energy back into your day. 

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What do you envision when someone says, “Do you want to get organized?”or, “I’m going to help you get organized?”

Some things you might picture are a pantry with decanted food in clear acrylic containers with labels, clear countertops with no piles of paper, or knowing exactly where your keys and purse are when it’s time to go to work. 

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Tasha talks with Katie Kimball, the CEO of Kitchen Stewardship and founder of Kids Cook Real Food and asks for her tips on teaching children life skills in the kitchen, advice for when we as adults aren’t great in the kitchen, and making it a positive experience for all. 

Episode Links:

• Blog: https://kidscookrealfood.com/
• Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/katiekimballkidscook/
• Podcast: https://kidscookrealfood.com/podcast/
• Monday Missions: https://www.kitchenstewardship.com/
• Episode Synopsis: https://getorganizedhq.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/06/gohq-podcast-synopsis-ep25-katie-kimball-transcript-2025.pdf
• Episode Transcript:  https://getorganizedhq.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/06/gohq-podcast-ep25-katie-kimball-transcript-2025.pdf

Melanie Renee from A Hoarder’s Heart shares how she has gone from being a level four hoarder to a level one hoarder and how that has impacted her daily life. She also gives some strategies that she has used to continue making progress, even with ADHD and anxiety.

Links:
A Hoarders Heart YouTube Channel
A Hoarders Heart Instagram
A Hoarders Heart TikTok
Episode Transcript
Episode Synopsis

These products are not listed in order of which is better than another. The perfect bin for you will be the one that is a perfect fit for an area you are trying to get organized. 

There are links listed for all the products, but you can find these bins or similar ones at most any store or on Amazon. 

Links:

• Zipper Pouches: https://amzn.to/4lshFOO 
•  Photo Boxes: https://amzn.to/4lrgWNN 
•  Paper Trays: https://amzn.to/4lrgCP5 
•  Command Strips & Hooks: https://amzn.to/4cwXriQ 
•  Cross-Stitch Thread Organizer: https://amzn.to/429xe6t 
•  Spice Jars (4 ounce): https://amzn.to/43QMVAG 
•  Cube Bins: https://amzn.to/43KBBpK 
•  Clip-on Labels for Cube Bins: https://amzn.to/4275SxQ 
•  Dymo Label Maker: https://www.walmart.com/ip/DYMO-LabelManager-160e-Portable-Label-Maker-Includes-Silver-Glitter-D1-Label-Tape/927171788?wmlspartner=wlpa&selectedSellerId=0&wl13=5814&gclsrc=aw.ds&adid=22222222277927171788_117755028669_12420145346&wl0=&wl1=g&wl2=c&wl3=501107745824&wl4=pla-394283752452&wl5=9010826&wl6=&wl7=&wl8=&wl9=pla&wl10=8175035&wl11=local&wl12=927171788&veh=sem_LIA&gclsrc=aw.ds&gad_source=4&gclid=CjwKCAiAkc28BhB0EiwAM001TZWbau4R45ABI7YMQ9myjbdqO2esa6vfjLsTTb1X-ErwQLtjmLyVThoChtcQAvD_BwE 
•  Avery Labels: https://amzn.to/4iaBiYE
•  Cricut Die Cut Machine: https://cricut.com/en-us/cutting-machines/cricut-joy/cricut-joy/cricut-joy/2007991.html?irclickid=1UDWgUzlsxyPUjTXIvScIVHeUksy9SRdyzpt0w0&irgwc=1&utm_campaign=1244409&utm_source=impact&utm_medium=affiliates 
•  Poly-Envelopes: https://amzn.to/4csDIAR 
•  Multi-Purpose Bin: https://www.containerstore.com/s/kitchen/pantry-organizers/multi-purpose-bins/12d?productId=10022942 

Tasha sits down with Ingrid and Lesley, the hosts of the Declutter Hub podcast and authors of Reset Your Home, to talk about how everyone is different when it comes to their needs and season of life in decluttering. 

Links in this Episode:

Declutter Hub podcast: https://declutterhub.com/the-podcast/
Reset Your Home book: https://amzn.to/3ECWF7w 

When we feel overwhelmed by the state of our homes, it’s tempting to want to fix everything all at once. But trying to declutter, clean, and organize an entire space in one go can lead to burnout or make things even worse. Taylor Flanery encourages us to avoid “choking on our homes” by taking small, manageable bites—15 minutes at a time—rather than trying to overhaul everything in a weekend.

LINKS IN EPISODE
Get Organized HQ Virtual 2025 - Free Ticket
Home Storage Solutions 101 blog
Declutter 365 Facebook Group
Episode Synopsis

In this episode, Tasha sits down with Miss Freddy to talk about photo organization and the motivation behind tackling a task that can feel so overwhelming.

Miss Freddy believes organizing photos is worth all the work. When photos are organized, they become something you can enjoy and actually have fun with.

Links in Episode:

Get Organized HQ Virtual 2025 Free Ticket
Episode Synopsis

Kumiko emphasizes the importance of a daily money routine that is simple and sustainable. She shares her real-life routine on YouTube four to five times a week. The key is balancing attentiveness to your money with the ability to step away — you shouldn’t feel consumed by your finances all the time. You should avoid money work on weekends to focus on your family.

LINKS IN EPISODE:
Get Organized HQ Virtual 2025 - Free Ticket
My Money, My Way by Kumiko Love
Episode Synopsis

Jacqueline’s decluttering journey took a bold turn when she and her husband chose to downsize significantly. They got rid of nearly all their furniture and most of their belongings, keeping only what they truly used or loved. This decision was rooted in their desire for more experiences and less time managing stuff.

Despite the challenges of letting go, Jacqueline emphasized that she doesn’t miss the things they let go of—even large furniture items—and instead appreciates the space and freedom it gave them.

LINKS IN EPISODE
Get Organized HQ Virtual 2025 - Free Ticket
Episode Synopsis