Not simply cleaning it out and purging expired condiments, but really thinking how your fridge is organized…and whether it’s actually set up to support the way you and your family eat?   

Our refrigerators are workhorses. We’re in and out of them all day, every day, but we rarely think about setting them up with the same intention we might give a closet, pantry, or office.  

Refrigerators just happen to be one of my favorite things to organize (nerd alert 🤓), and I’ve been dying to organize one on the podcast.  

This week on What Are You Making Space For?, we’re tackling Mica’s fridge. 

Podcast banner updated with: Episode 8, Mica’s Fridge (link to www.whatareyoumakingspacefor.com )  

Mica is a working mother of 5, with kids ranging from 9 months to 13 years old. Her hands are full (literally and figuratively), and she needs her fridge to support the whole family.  

But as we start digging in, we discover something else… 

Some of the clutter in Mica’s fridge is actually pointing us to what she needs. 

Because sometimes the stuff that’s getting in our way is also trying to tell us something. 

Take a listen to find out what was hiding in Mica’s fridge, and pick up some ideas for setting up your own fridge to better support you and the people you feed. 

Here’s to more nourishment and less mystery leftovers, 

The post How to organize your refrigerator so it actually works for you appeared first on Star Hansen.

The post Why The Last Pile Of Clutter Feels So Hard appeared first on Star Hansen.

On this week’s episode of What Are You Making Space For?, we meet Lanie.  

She’s tackling a bedroom-turned-storage-room that is overflowing with stuff. There’s no garage in her house, so this one room has slowly taken on the job of garage, storage space, craft area, donation center…and everything in between.  

It’s filled with household paper goods, party supplies, appliances, art supplies, sporting goods, toys, donations, cardboard to break down, bags of clothing to sell, and more. 

And when you have that many different kinds of things competing for your attention, even figuring out where to begin can feel overwhelming. 

As Lanie and I started working through the room, we realized that the best way to make progress wasn’t what either of us expected. 

In fact, we needed to pivot. 

And sometimes, that’s the most useful thing you can do when an organizing plan isn’t working. 

In this episode, we explore: 

• What to do when a room feels too overwhelming to start 

• How to triage a cluttered space before you organize it 

• Why not starting a new project can be a helpful organizing rule 

• How to make decisions when getting rid of something isn’t so simple 

• Why 70% accuracy can be enough to keep you moving 

• How to recognize when it’s time to rethink the plan

I hope this episode helps you look at your organizing projects a little differently this week.  

Sometimes progress isn’t about doing more.  

Sometimes, it’s about figuring out what actually needs your attention first.

The post When the Best Organizing Plan is to PIVOT appeared first on Star Hansen.

 This week on What Are You Making Space For?, Cece does just that. 

Cece got her first storage unit during a downsize. A few years later, another life transition led to a second one.   

But after years of rising storage prices, trying to sort through her belongings awkwardly inside the storage units, and an AC leak that damaged some of what had been stored…Cece was done. 

She recently purchased her own home and was ready to get rid of the storage units and bring everything home. 

So, she did! 🎉 

There was just one problem. 

She moved everything into her backyard and covered it with a tarp. Life happened, eight months passed, and the tarp-covered pile was still there. 

With hurricane season in full swing, summer bugs are out, and the possibility of more things getting damaged, it was time to deal with what Cece affectionately calls… 

The Monster Under the Tarp 

In this episode, we explore: 

• What happened after she emptied the storage units 

• How an eight-month-old pile became the “monster under the tarp” 

• Why storage units aren’t inherently good or bad 

• What happens when you’ve already pared down a category, and the remaining decisions get harder 

• How Cece emptied one of the hardest boxes in less than 12 minutes 

 After years of keeping these belongings somewhere else, Cece is finally bringing the pieces of her life back home and deciding what belongs in this next chapter.  

The post Emptying Your Storage Units: Bringing It All Home appeared first on Star Hansen.

I’m not the kind of person who doles out organizing advice to friends and family…unless they ask.

Much like a doctor at a party who has a random rashy wrist thrust in their face asking for treatment advice, I occasionally get asked to “read” someone’s space when I’m out in the world.

I’ve had several dates with guys who wanted me to “get a read” on their house (No, you don’t, my guy, no you don’t…I shouldn’t know that much about you on our third date).

There have been dinner party hosts who are curious about their “room of doom.” And I’ve had many friends who solicited furniture placement advice when they moved into a new home.

I never mind these quick bids for insight. But honestly, I don’t go around “reading” your rooms…unless you ask me to.

It’s a gift I only activate when asked.

So, it’s not often that I get to do a deep dive into a friend’s house.

But this week on the podcast, I get to do just that.

I sit down with my dear friend Kelsey and dive into her office. Along the way, we explore:

• Why beautiful homes can still hide invisible overwhelm.
• The surprising importance of a “dumping ground”
• The missing systems that cause clutter to keep coming back
• Why some people need their house to feel beautiful in order to feel calm
• The pressure to get everything “done” before we let ourselves enjoy our life

Kelsey and I had more fun creating this episode than we probably should have.

But my favorite part might be what happened after our session.

She had such a strong reaction to our session that, within 24 hours, she ripped her entire house apart to put what she’d discovered into action.

Listen to Kelsey’s Office: Making Space for the Messy Middle wherever you get your podcasts.

The post What Happens When You Organize a Friend’s House? appeared first on Star Hansen.

I honestly thought a few people would respond and hopefully share some ideas for what they would be interested in listening to.  I figured I would make a note of suggestions and then maybe start the podcast in the new year.  

I did NOT expect the reaction I got.  

So many of you reached out wanting a different kind of conversation about clutter…one that was supportive, shame-free, and actually talked about what’s going on behind the stuff.   

Reading your emails inspired me. I cancelled everything on my schedule for the following week and dove in. (If you know me, you know this is very on brand for me. 😂) 

Five courageous people signed up to do an organizing session with me for the podcast.  

Together, we worked on their actual clutter and started untangling whatever was keeping them stuck. 

And what came out of those sessions was really special.  

It’s less of an “organizing podcast” and more like a series of mini documentaries about what happens when we start going through our stuff and discover what’s really going on behind it. 

We start with offices, garages, paper, dishes, shoes…and somehow end up talking about grief, identity, perfectionism, relationships, life transitions, and who we’re becoming.  

I’m so excited to share that the What Are You Making Space For? podcast is officially live!!! 🎙️ 

Each episode, someone invites me into the room they’ve been avoiding most. Together we sort through the clutter. We make big decisions. We fill donation bags… 

But what we’re really uncovering is the story behind the stuff. Because clutter is almost never just clutter.  

Our stuff is tangled up with who we’ve been, what we’ve been through, what matters to us, and where we’re going. 

Today, the show is launching with three full episodes, because I know some of you are going to want to binge. 😊 

You’ll meet: 

🗒️ Erin, who is ready for her office to catch up with the life she’s living now. 

🎨 Susan, who is digging herself out of generations of family clutter. 

🚘 Anya, whose garage raises a bigger question: How much space am I allowed to take up?  

These three people trusted me with their homes and their stories, and I hope you’ll love them as much as I do.

This podcast has been one of the most creatively fulfilling things I’ve ever made. It’s also one of the most vulnerable. 

Thanks for being here, for encouraging me all these years, and for reminding me that this was something worth creating. 

The post A Different Kind of Podcast About Clutter appeared first on Star Hansen.

…only to get back together a week later? 🤣

We have a surprisingly complicated relationship with our stuff.

Clutter is tricky because we hate it, but we also love it. We want it, but we also never want to see it again. We want some of it, but we really don’t want to suffer through the hard work and emotional pain it takes to let the rest of it go.

So, the question becomes…

Do you need to make peace with your clutter, or break up for good?

Sometimes we don’t need to break up with all of our stuff…

We just need to break up with the unhealthy relationship we’ve developed with it.

Most people were never taught how to face their clutter head on in the most practical ways. And almost no one was taught how to de-code the deeper meaning of their clutter.

If you don’t know how to decode the deeper layers of your clutter, all the organizing bins and systems in the world won’t get you organized.

The real question isn’t, “How do I get organized?”

It’s:

Why is my clutter still here?  

In this week’s video, I’m sharing one of my favorite classes on understanding the deeper meaning of clutter:

Together, we’ll explore why clutter sticks around, the practical questions that help get you unstuck, and how to decide whether it’s time to make peace with your stuff, or finally break up with your clutter for good.

The post How to Break Up with Your Clutter (Without Regretting It) appeared first on Star Hansen.

Last week, I asked you a question…

What percentage of your stuff would you have to let go of before you would feel good in your space? 

A lot of you answered…thank you so much for taking the time to reach out and share.   

Some of you named percentages, some of you wrote me paragraphs…and a few of you even told me you haven’t been able to sleep in your own bed in years.  

The percentages were all over the place. From 0% all the way up to 98%. But the most common answer, by far, was 

50%

The post What % Would You Have To Let Go Of Before You Would Feel Good In Your Space? appeared first on Star Hansen.

Thank you all for sharing your summer plans with me last week. I loved hearing what you’re up to this summer! Travel is definitely in the air! ✈️

This system has seen me through short weekend trips (like my cousin’s wedding), as well as my 9-month digital nomad stint, including months exploring Europe. It’s not a perfect science, but it’s a far cry from doing the shuffle of shame at the airline check-in stands every trip.

If packing stresses you out, or if you somehow end up wearing the same three outfits every trip (despite bringing 15), I think you’ll really enjoy this one.

And if you feel inspired, hit reply and tell me your best travel tips. I swear, I learn more from you all than any travel blog could teach me. 🧳✈️

Are you an overpacker? What’s your just-in-case story? Comment below and tell me what makes it hard to leave things behind?

Happy Adventuring!

The post How to Pack Without Overpacking: A Professional Organizer’s Travel System appeared first on Star Hansen.

It’s everywhere. It’s in our homes, our oceans, our food. And while the organizing industry loves a good plastic bin, it’s never really been my thing. 

But, in spite of my strong feelings about plastic, there’s something I’ve said to clients for years:

Plastic is precious. 

Not because plastic itself is precious.  

But because when something is still in its original wrapping, it suddenly feels elevated. Untouched. Like it needs to be preserved.  

And without even realizing it, that thin layer of plastic becomes a barrier. 

It separates you from actually using the thing. 

I see it all the time…  

• Beautiful bars of soap that never get used
• Candles that never get lit
• Stationery that never gets written on
• Nice items quietly waiting to be used at the “right moment.” 

But that perfect moment you’re saving it for? It usually never comes.  

The item gets forgotten. Or the materials break down. Or it just loses its “specialness” because it was sitting so long.  

And in the meantime, you didn’t get to enjoy it.  

If something is in your home, I want you to use it. 

I don’t want there to be a barrier between you and the things you chose to bring into your life.  

Because those things were meant for you to enjoy, use, and have as part of your day-to-day experience.  

So today, I want you to do one thing for me… 

Pick one thing you’ve been saving for “someday”. And use it.

Draw yourself a bath and use those fancy bath salts. Make dinner feel a little more special by lighting some of the taper candles that have been gathering dust in the drawer. Use the “good dishes” for a regular Tuesday lunch. Write a note to your best friend on the pretty stationary in your desk (it will make their day).

You don’t need a special occasion. Today is the occasion. You’re the reason it’s special. 

Just for today, let yourself enjoy something you’ve been holding onto.  No waiting. No saving. Just living.  

You’re worth it! 

The post Why You Don’t Use the Things You Own (And How to Stop Saving Them for Later) appeared first on Star Hansen.