Shows / Paring Down: Realistic minimalism, decluttering, & intentional living
Paring Down: Realistic minimalism, decluttering, & intentional living
If staunch minimalism feels too extreme, but you want to declutter your house to alleviate some stress, this is the podcast for you. Shannon Leyko's style is like having your best friend in your ear, helping you get past those tough mental roadblocks that are keeping you from decluttering the things you don't need. From New York Times bestselling authors to everyday people in the trenches of life, Shannon's guests give practical tips and mindset advice for intentional living and…
Episodes
- Paring Down: Realistic minimalism, decluttering, & intentional living
174: Getting Paper Clutter Under Control with Lisa Woodruff
If you feel overwhelmed by paper clutter, today's episode is for you! Lisa Woodruff, the author of The Paper Solution and founder Organize 365, joins me to…
- Paring Down: Realistic minimalism, decluttering, & intentional living
173: If Ethical Shopping Feels Too Expensive, Keeping a Loved One's Memory Alive, & Summer Childcare
Here's what you'll find in this week's mini episode, a.k.a. Chai Chat! I answer: 1. I looked at the Basics website for ethical clothing - holy moly the prices?…
- Paring Down: Realistic minimalism, decluttering, & intentional living
172: How to Build Community and Make Friends Anywhere You Live with Bethany Roth
Bethany Roth is a military spouse who has mastered the art of building community no matter where life takes her. Since I'm a military spouse, too, we both dig…
- Paring Down: Realistic minimalism, decluttering, & intentional living
171: How to Organize Your Home So It Actually Stays Organized (Macro vs. Micro Organizing)
Everyone I know pulls their hair out because it's one thing to organize the house...it's another for it to STAY organized. That's what today's episode is for!…
- Paring Down: Realistic minimalism, decluttering, & intentional living
170: How to Nudge Your Parents to Declutter, Military Wife Life, & Learning Finnish
Here's what you'll find in this week's mini episode, a.k.a. Chai Chat! I answer: 1. How do I gently encourage my parents to start going through their stuff?…
- Paring Down: Realistic minimalism, decluttering, & intentional living
169: Losing Community After Wrestling with Faith and Experiencing Divorce with Mallory Andrews
This is a super vulnerable and real conversation with my childhood friend, Mallory Andrews, about what it means to trust yourself when everything you've known…
- Paring Down: Realistic minimalism, decluttering, & intentional living
168: Why Playing the Long Game Always Works—Including for Decluttering with Carrie Fabris
Wow—I was blown away by executive coach Carrie Fabris this week on Paring Down! We talked all about how to stick to our goals (decluttering and otherwise)…
- Paring Down: Realistic minimalism, decluttering, & intentional living
167: If You Have Too Much Furniture, My Favorite Kid Age, & Finish-It Friday
Here's what you'll find in this week's mini episode, a.k.a. Chai Chat! I answer: 1. I think we have too much furniture for our house but I can’t figure out…
- Paring Down: Realistic minimalism, decluttering, & intentional living
166: Can Social Media Build Healthy Community? with Shannon McKinstrie
Shannon McKinstrie is a social media strategist with a refreshingly grounded take on what it truly means to build community online, and this conversation…
- Paring Down: Realistic minimalism, decluttering, & intentional living
165: The 15 Best Questions to Ask Yourself to Make Decluttering Easy
It's much easier to declutter when we filter our choices through certain questions, so I've compiled the best 15 questions to ask yourself when decluttering…
- Paring Down: Realistic minimalism, decluttering, & intentional living
164: Decluttering Fatigue, The Time My Son Got Stuck in a Chair, & The Enneagram
Here's what you'll find in this week's mini episode, a.k.a. Chai Chat! I answer: 1. I got decluttering fatigue after our recent move to a temporary rental…
- Paring Down: Realistic minimalism, decluttering, & intentional living
163: Why Gatekeepers Always Lose Even Though They Think They're Getting Ahead
It's the WORST when people "hide" information or help because they think it will help them get ahead or gain respect...psychology tells us it will do the…
- Paring Down: Realistic minimalism, decluttering, & intentional living
162: Stop Overshopping for Good and Finally Declutter Your Clothes with Lauren Morley
It's counterintuitive, but a simple wardrobe can actually make your style even better! In this episode, I'm sitting down with Lauren Morley, founder of the 20…
- Paring Down: Realistic minimalism, decluttering, & intentional living
161: How to Get Kids to Clean Up After Themselves, Tech Tools, & Murder
Here's what you'll find in this week's mini episode, a.k.a. Chai Chat! I answer: 1. How do you get kids to clean up after themselves without feeling like…
- Paring Down: Realistic minimalism, decluttering, & intentional living
160: Secret Sessions, Friendship Bracelets & What Makes Swifties Different with Olivia Levin
Olivia Levin, New York Times bestselling author of The Story of Us: How the Taylor Swift Fandom Changed Our Lives, joins me to explore what makes the Swiftie…
- Paring Down: Realistic minimalism, decluttering, & intentional living
159: The Truth About Decluttering Influencers and How They Get Paid with Elisabeth Beam
This episode is a little different than usual because it's not an official interview...instead, one of my close friends and fellow "influencer" Elisabeth Beam…
- Paring Down: Realistic minimalism, decluttering, & intentional living
158: Burn It All Energy, How to Write a Book, & Bad Dogs
Here's what you'll find in this week's mini episode, a.k.a. Chai Chat! I answer: 1. How do I channel the burn it all energy into something useful? 2. Any…
- Paring Down: Realistic minimalism, decluttering, & intentional living
157: Community vs. Friendship: Why Not Everyone in Your Village Needs to Be Your Best Friend
In this episode, I break down the difference between friendship and community, and explain why confusing the two might be leaving you feeling disconnected…
- Paring Down: Realistic minimalism, decluttering, & intentional living
156: Surprising Lessons on Simplicity from Sourdough Bread with Brett Wiewiora and Christina Cann
What do sourdough bread, world travel, and minimalism have in common? More than you'd think. In this episode, I sit down with Brett Wiewiora and Christina…
- Paring Down: Realistic minimalism, decluttering, & intentional living
155: Declutter with the Biggest Payoff, My Miss America Journey, & Libraries
Here's what you'll find in this week's mini episode, a.k.a. Chai Chat! I answer: 1. What decluttering project is the most bang for your buck? 2. Tell us more…
- Paring Down: Realistic minimalism, decluttering, & intentional living
154: The Joy of Movement (Even If You're Not Into Fitness) with Beyonce's dancer, Deja Riley
Today I’m joined by my dear friend from high school, Deja Riley! Watching her career evolve from a professional dancer into a powerful voice in the fitness and…
- Paring Down: Realistic minimalism, decluttering, & intentional living
153: 20 Things I'm Decluttering Before Moving to Finland
I've been craving a personal decluttering episode—bringing you guys with me around my house while I declutter! And what better opportunity than thinking…
- Paring Down: Realistic minimalism, decluttering, & intentional living
152: Decluttering Boxes of Old Mail, Moving to Finland, & Is it Bad to Criticize Generosity?
Here's what you'll find in this week's mini episode, a.k.a. Chai Chat! I answer: 1. How do you declutter boxes and boxes of old mail? 2. How are you feeling…
- Paring Down: Realistic minimalism, decluttering, & intentional living
151: 10 Subtle Things Stealing Your Joy
In this Good Stuff episode of the Paring Down podcast, I want to share about the flip side of joy—as in, what's getting in the way? So I decided to put…
- Paring Down: Realistic minimalism, decluttering, & intentional living
150: How Our Surroundings Shape Our Lives with Author/Engineer, Leidy Klotz
What a treat today! Acclaimed engineering professor and author Leidy Klotz joins me on Paring Down to explore how our environments shape our lives more than we…
- Paring Down: Realistic minimalism, decluttering, & intentional living
149: When Kids Ask About a Toy You Decluttered, Where I Find Hope, & a Near-Death Decluttering Win
Here's what you'll find in this week's mini episode, a.k.a. Chai Chat! I answer: 1. What happens when you declutter your kids stuff and then they ask about it…
- Paring Down: Realistic minimalism, decluttering, & intentional living
148: Finding Joy When Motherhood is Hard with Libby Ward
The one and only Libby Ward is in the house! In this episode, mega mom influencer Libby Ward shares how to find joy even when motherhood feels overwhelming…
- Paring Down: Realistic minimalism, decluttering, & intentional living
147: How I Got 700,000 Followers, a Life-Changing Book Deal, & 1 Million Podcast Plays in 2 Years
Ask and you shall receive! Today I'm departing slightly today from usual decluttering content and instead giving you the full lowdown of how to grow on…
- Paring Down: Realistic minimalism, decluttering, & intentional living
146: What If You're Too Busy to Sell Nice Clothing, My Upbringing, & Oil Stains
Here's what you'll find in this week's mini episode, a.k.a. Chai Chat! I answer: 1. What if I have too many clothes, but they’re too nice to giveaway (but I’m…
- Paring Down: Realistic minimalism, decluttering, & intentional living
145: The Secret to Feeling Happier Before Anything Even Happens
Today we're talking about a highly underrated source of joy: anticipation. In this episode, you'll learn: • The science behind why anticipation improves an…
- Paring Down: Realistic minimalism, decluttering, & intentional living
144: Make Decluttering Simple with Proven Strategies with Kate Vanness-Kandoth
The strategies in today's episode are practical and life-changing! I had so much fun hearing from Kate Vanness-Kandoth on how her background in science and…
- Paring Down: Realistic minimalism, decluttering, & intentional living
143: Should We Keep Cool Old Stuff for Our Kids?, Teleportation, & Owala Water Bottles
Here's what you'll find in this week's mini episode, a.k.a. Chai Chat! I answer: 1. How much “cool old stuff” to keep for your kids to discover? 2. Are you a…
- Paring Down: Realistic minimalism, decluttering, & intentional living
142: Busting the Myth that Joy Comes from an Easy Life with Kelli Foreman
What does it really look like to build a joyful life through hard work, resilience, and purpose? I had the pleasure of sitting down with inspiring Kodiak dairy…
- Paring Down: Realistic minimalism, decluttering, & intentional living
141: Where to Start Decluttering (Or Start Again)
If you want to declutter but don't know where to start, this is the episode for you! You’ll learn exactly how to overcome decluttering paralysis and take the…
- Paring Down: Realistic minimalism, decluttering, & intentional living
140: When Over-Gifters Don't Stop Even After a Conversation, What's in My Basement, & Independent Kids
Here's what you'll find in this week's mini episode, a.k.a. Chai Chat! I answer: 1. My in-laws and parents never respect the conversations I’ve had about less…
- Paring Down: Realistic minimalism, decluttering, & intentional living
139: Making "Fun" Less Elusive in Adulthood
In this episode, we unpack why "having fun" can feel elusive or even guilt-inducing, and how to create more genuine fun in our daily lives as adults. The big…
- Paring Down: Realistic minimalism, decluttering, & intentional living
138: Swedish Death Cleaning with Emily McDermott
How would your loved ones feel if they had to go through your stuff after you're gone? It's tough to think about, but the emotional weight of decluttering is…
- Paring Down: Realistic minimalism, decluttering, & intentional living
137: Knowing When You've Decluttered Enough, Maple Syrup, & the Mental Load
Here's what you'll find in this week's mini episode, a.k.a. Chai Chat! I answer: 1. When do you reach decluttered “enough”? 2. How did you get started with…
- Paring Down: Realistic minimalism, decluttering, & intentional living
136: Can Humor Be Taught? with Dr. Janet Gibson
In this Good Stuff episode on the topic of joy, I sit down with psychologist Janet M. Gibson to explore the psychology of humor and how it impacts our mental…
- Paring Down: Realistic minimalism, decluttering, & intentional living
135: When People Feel Judged by Your Decluttered Life
Have you ever felt like decluttering makes other people in your life defensive? Like you're judging them–even though you're not? In this episode, I’m talking…
- Paring Down: Realistic minimalism, decluttering, & intentional living
134: Keeping Rarely Used Items, My Friendships, & a Giant Pacific Octopus
In this Chai Chat, I answer these listener questions: • Is it okay to keep something that you rarely use but can’t easily borrow? - Sarah • How do you maintain…
- Paring Down: Realistic minimalism, decluttering, & intentional living
133: Using Our 5 Senses to Create Joy
We often take our senses for granted, and rarely think about how to intentionally use them to create more joy in our lives! So today, we talk about: • An…
- Paring Down: Realistic minimalism, decluttering, & intentional living
132: How Minimalism Makes You Better at Your Job with Chris Lovett
Today we welcome on Chris Lovett to talk about minimalism in the workplace, or as he calls it "corporate minimalism": • How did Chris' personal journey with…
- Paring Down: Realistic minimalism, decluttering, & intentional living
131: Decluttering Guilt, Our Adoption Story, & Great Teachers
In this Chai Chat, I answer these listener questions: • How to get through guilt of all the things I wastefully bought that I uncover when declutter? - Gwen •…
- Paring Down: Realistic minimalism, decluttering, & intentional living
130: The Underrated Power of Joy-Filled Stories with NYT Best-Selling Author, Katherine Center
How lucky are we?? Katherine Center, NYT Bestselling romance author, is joining us on this Good Stuff episode to talk about the importance of joy-filled…
- Paring Down: Realistic minimalism, decluttering, & intentional living
129: How to Declutter Your Closet
Decluttering clothes is a unique challenge. So today, I cover: • 7 major reasons decluttering our closet feels complicated • 3 easy-to-remember and wildly…
- Paring Down: Realistic minimalism, decluttering, & intentional living
128: Big vs. Small Decluttering Projects, My 2026 Goals, & Magnesium Lotion
Welcome to the very first ever Chai Chat!! A 10-15 minute mini-episode each Thursday on the Paring Down podcast. Each week follows this simple formula: 1. I…
- Paring Down: Realistic minimalism, decluttering, & intentional living
127: 5 Science-Backed Ways to Get Out of an Emotional Slump
Welcome to the VERY first Good Stuff episode on the Paring Down podcast!! For the next 10 weeks, we'll be exploring how to design our lives around joy. To kick…
- Paring Down: Realistic minimalism, decluttering, & intentional living
126: ADHD Decluttering & Organization Tips with Libbi Moore
- How do you avoid getting distracted by what you find when decluttering? - How do you stop using piles as reminders? - What if you like trying new hobbies…
- Paring Down: Realistic minimalism, decluttering, & intentional living
125: 7 Simple Living Lessons from Life in Alaska
This episode was so fun to make! Not only do I get to share some fascinating tidbits about the state of Alaska and what it's like to live here, I share 7…
- Paring Down: Realistic minimalism, decluttering, & intentional living
124: Stop Feeling Stressed by Your House with Katy Joy Wells
Fellow podcaster and new author, Katy Joy Wells, joins Paring Down today to talk about creating a home that doesn't stress you out. We cover: • Do you need to…
- Paring Down: Realistic minimalism, decluttering, & intentional living
123: How Minimalism Can Change Your Life with Joshua Becker
The most respected voice in modern minimalism, Joshua Becker, joins me today to talk about how living with less can change our entire life. We talk about: •…
- Paring Down: Realistic minimalism, decluttering, & intentional living
122: How to Create Life-Changing Habits with Hanna Seymour
Welcoming back author Hanna Seymour for the second time on Paring Down, and today we're talking all things habit formation. • What can we do today to start a…
- Paring Down: Realistic minimalism, decluttering, & intentional living
121: What to Do with Everything You Declutter
Figuring out what to do with all our stuff AND finding the time & energy to do it is one of the biggest hurdles to decluttering. Here are some things I cover…
- Paring Down: Realistic minimalism, decluttering, & intentional living
120: Decluttering through Grief - Letting Go of Belongings After Loss with Krista St-Germain
If you've ever struggled with letting go of sentimental items after loss, I hope today's episode gives you both validation and encouragement. I talk with…
- Paring Down: Realistic minimalism, decluttering, & intentional living
119: How to Develop Self-Discipline for a Clutter-Free Home
Self-discipline doesn't have to feel exhausting! In today's episode, I... • Debunk 7 myths about self-discipline • Share 5 core principles for developing…
- Paring Down: Realistic minimalism, decluttering, & intentional living
118: Declutter Your House 15 Minutes at a Time with Tracy Hoth
The problem with our determination to declutter in the new year is that we often go hard at the beginning and then burn out fast. Then what? So today I brought…
- Paring Down: Realistic minimalism, decluttering, & intentional living
117: Renewed Excitement for the Benefits of Minimalism
This past year brought more change than I expected—personally, spiritually, and professionally. As you'll hear in this episode, some of the change distracted…
- Paring Down: Realistic minimalism, decluttering, & intentional living
116: When Our Health Journeys Lead to Clutter with Andrea Nakayama
When her husband was diagnosed with a terminal brain tumor while she was pregnant with their first child, Andrea Nakayama's career took a hard left turn. Since…
- Paring Down: Realistic minimalism, decluttering, & intentional living
115: Decluttering Emergency Supplies While Still Being Prepared
Are you actually prepared for an emergency—or just surrounded by emergency clutter? In this episode, I take a clear-eyed look at emergency supplies and why so…