Declutter, Decorate, and Design Your Dream Life | Clutterbug Podcast #311

Summary

Clutterbug Podcast #311: Declutter, Decorate, and Design Your Dream Life

Host: Cas (Clutterbug)
Guest: Sabrina Soto, Interior Designer and HGTV/Disney+ Host
Date: February 2, 2026

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Overview

In this motivating episode, Cas welcomes acclaimed designer Sabrina Soto to explore the profound connection between our homes and our lives. Together, they unpack how decluttering, organizing, and intentionally designing your space can catalyze personal transformation, increase self-worth, and help manifest your dream life. Adopting a lively, encouraging tone, the duo trade personal stories, actionable tips, and tough-love wisdom for getting started—no perfectionism required.
Main theme: Your external space directly impacts your internal world. Small, intentional changes in your home rapidly build pride and self-confidence, forming a foundation for broader life changes.

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Key Discussion Points & Insights

1. The Power of Home as Life Transformation

• Cas: Home is a lever for personal growth; getting your house under control positively affects every aspect of your life.
  • “One of my favorite things to talk about is the insane magical power of when your home is under control, it affects every other aspect of your life.” (00:00)
• Sabrina: Her journey began with an “aha” moment waiting in line for a burrito, leading her to pursue a creative path and ultimately land her HGTV job—after watching “The Secret” and embracing the Law of Attraction.
  • “It was just like, this isn’t where I belong... I just need to do something creative.” (04:22)

2. Taking Action: Embracing Imperfection

• Both agree: The magic happens when you start, even if you don’t feel ready.
  • Sabrina: “You don’t have to be great at everything before you get started... You learn when you’re in it.” (08:18)
  • “A lot of times, just dive in—if you don’t feel like diving in, just put your toe in.” (08:53)
• Cas: Faking it until you make it is a real strategy—confidence and capability grow with action.

3. Home Design & Organization: Not One-Size-Fits-All

• Sabrina: “It’s about creating a sanctuary that makes you feel good and proud of your home, and that’s not a one-size-fits-all. Not by any means.” (10:43)
  • Shared her family’s story of financial hardship and how making their home feel cared for built her self-esteem and sense of agency—even when money was tight.
  • “My mom told me it doesn’t take money to clean and it doesn’t take money to be organized.” (13:03)

4. Immediate Wins Build Self-Esteem

• Cas: Changing your home is often the quickest and most tangible way to gain pride and a sense of accomplishment.
  • “I could work really hard for one day and save $5, but it’s not going to make a dent. But you could do something in this moment and make a lasting, impactful thing in your home.” (14:14)
  • “It was the confidence boost that just changed my life totally.” (15:27)

5. The Home’s Emotional Ripple Effect

• Sabrina: Even small acts, like making your bed, trigger positive ripples. After a home makeover, clients often reengage with friends, improve mental health, and rebuild self-esteem—simply because their environment is nurturing.
  • “People just forget, your home is a reflection of who you are... it has to support your nervous system, and it has to support being a sanctuary for you.” (16:05)

6. Letting Go of Clutter and Scarcity Mindsets

• Cas: The “scarcity cycle” causes us to hoard excess as faux security, but this creates stuck energy.
  • “The mistake is actually in keeping the stuff because it has energy.” (23:00)
• Sabrina: “When you allow it to flow back into the world… you’re moving energy and that’s going to bring other things… opportunities, people, situations to you.” (23:28)

7. Tying Home Design to Future Self & Intentional Living

• Vignettes: Sabrina suggests grouping items in odd numbers (3, 5, 7) for aesthetic balance and energy—leave breathing room between groupings.
  • “Just having a few vignettes scattered around your house makes you feel polished.” (27:13)
• Cas: Create home "zones" tied to your hopes and habits—a smoothie bar for healthy intentions, a workout area to inspire fitness.
• Sabrina: "Let's design around your future self. Forget how you're living now, let's talk about who you want to become." (28:24)

8. Acting with Self-Worth: Micro-Decisions Shape Your Destiny

• Sabrina: “You live the life you believe you're worthy of... It's the small little changes you make daily that create the life you want.” (30:29)
• Cas: Shared a powerful personal story: “I deserve a clean kitchen... I had to keep saying it till I truly believed it.” (32:15)

9. Practical Design & Organization Tips (by Room)

• Kitchens & Bedrooms: The spaces with greatest impact on energy and self-worth.
  • Tips: Deep declutter, then add purposeful and beautiful items (even a new pillow or picture frame can revitalize a room).
  • “The kitchen is the hub of the home... your bedroom should be your sanctuary.” (24:59)
• Intentional Living: Keep useful items handy in beautiful containers—e.g., an amber glass bottle for daily cleaning. Make everyday chores easier and more joyful.
  • “On my kitchen counter I have an amber bottle, it just looks pretty... but it's filled with alcohol because that's what I clean all my mirrors and countertops with.” (29:39)

10. Self-Knowledge: What Works for YOU

• Cas: Emphasizes her organizing style "bug" quiz, but reminds listeners to adapt advice to what genuinely fits their personality and needs.
  • “The important thing is stopping to think about what does work for me and why. That's the life-changing part.” (40:25)

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Notable Quotes & Memorable Moments

• Sabrina on Getting Started:
  • “If you have a calling to try to do something, I feel like you should just do it and you'll figure it out along the way.” (19:53)
• Cas on Decluttering as Self-Love:
  • “Every time you put something in a donation bin, it's an act of self love.” (33:39)
• Sabrina on Self-Worth:
  • “You live the life you believe you're worthy of.” (30:29)
• Cas’s Trainer Quote:
  • “You have the body you think you deserve.” (31:06)
• On Perfectionism:
  • Sabrina: “You won’t be perfect at anything until you really do it. A lot of times, like, just dive in.” (08:53)
  • Cas: “Faking it till you make it is the magic—that’s the real secret.” (19:10)
• On Letting Go of Stuff:
  • Sabrina: “All of the stuff that surrounds you has energy. And when you're keeping things that you're not using, it's stagnant energy.” (23:15)

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Timestamps for Important Segments

• 00:00–03:00 – Introduction, Cas’s challenge to listeners, meet Sabrina Soto.
• 04:04–07:40 – Sabrina’s origin story: Law of Attraction, “The Secret,” and landing on HGTV.
• 10:23–14:07 – The emotional connection between home and life transformation.
• 15:40–18:01 – The ripple effect of small wins, dismissing perfectionism, self-esteem.
• 21:21–23:15 – Design tips: Decluttering, refreshing spaces, the psychology of holding on to stuff.
• 24:59–29:39 – Rooms with biggest impact (kitchen/bedroom), creating zones, intentional design.
• 30:29–34:44 – Micro-decisions, self-worth, and celebrating wins.
• 37:51–41:25 – Cas and Sabrina’s organizing styles, self-knowledge over fitting a mold.
• 47:20–50:23 – Listener stories: Impact of letting go at your own pace, finding your style.

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Action Steps & Takeaways

• Pick a small area as you listen (shelf, counter, corner): group items in 3s, 5s, or 7s with breathing room, using what you already own, and snap a before-and-after photo.
• Ask yourself: What space or habit would reflect your future self? Create a vignette, station, or zone to support that intention.
• Remember: Every tiny step (decluttering one item, making your bed, wiping a counter) is an act of self-love and proof of your capability.
• Release guilt: Let go of items with stagnant energy—donating or even discarding is often more self-loving than keeping things “just in case.”
• Practice self-kindness: Judge progress not against perfection or others, but on building a home that makes you proud and elevates your daily life.

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Final Thought

Cas: “It matters, you guys. It matters. Hope you're feeling amazing and I can't wait to see what you got done today.” (50:10)

Sabrina: “Take it one day at a time. Don’t be so hard on yourself. There’s no judgment. We're all in this together.” (34:44)

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Transcript

[A]

One of my favorite things to talk about is the insane magical power of when your home is under control, it affects every other aspect of your life. This is something that I had no idea until I actually got my house under control and I saw it firsthand. And now I see this every day with clients and other women that I'm talking with. It's so powerful. And I'm so excited today because I am interviewing the incredible Sabrina Soto. And why I love her so much is because she has seen the same correlation and she, she shows exactly how to have the same connection between your home and your life and how to be intentional and live your best life ever. But she comes at it from a different angle. She comes at it from interior design. And Sabrina Soto, you may know her, she was an HGTV star for a long time and now she has the most amazing TV show called the Sabrina Soto show, which you can watch on Disney plus or Amazon. I'm watching it on an app on my phone. It is so, so good, you guys. And she's going to share some amazing little tricks with us. But first, I want to challenge you. You're not allowed to just sit and listen or watch. I want you to get up and take action on your home. And to celebrate having Sabrina as a guest today, why don't you pick a spot in your home, A little shelf, a little corner, a slice of your home. And how can you make it more beautiful? How can you combine things in 3, 5, 7 odd numbers? How can you rearrange? Maybe how can you add a little plants, freshen it up, Shop your home and make one space feel beautiful and feel intentional. And a really simple thing to do is just to gather your belongings and put them in sets of three, five or seven. What I mean by this is grouping items in odd numbers. I don't know why, but it's more visually appealing to your eye. It's more calming. Some people say it has better energy. I'm not super woo woo like that, but I will say grouping Items in this 3, 4, 5 or 7 numbers of items really does have a dramatic impact. And make sure you're also leaving open space. So if it's a shelf or a counter, leave breathing room in between your groupings. This is just going to make it feel more beautiful, more, I don't know, just gives you all the feels in your home. So don't overthink this. Don't stress out. Pick one space and, and just beautify it while listening to today's podcast. And you could go a Step further and take a picture of the before and then take a picture of the after and share it. And tag me on social media so I can see what you've done. By the end of this podcast, I want you to have one small space. When you look at it, it makes you feel so proud of yourself. Buckle up, because you are going to love meeting Sabrina Soto. Hello, Sabrina, and welcome to the Clutterbug podcast.

[B]

Thank you so much for having me. I am so excited to chat and to just, like, gab about the things that I think we're both really passionate about.

[A]

Yeah, I'm so impressed with so many aspects of your life, and I want to talk about all of them. And I do see some. I mean, you're much cooler than me, but I see some similarities in not only how we got started, but how we approach something that is like a typical. Like you're approaching interior design and connecting it with transforming your whole life. And I see those same connections with home organization. But before we talk about that, I heard your story. I was watching an interview with you about how you got started, and it feels like it all happened with a burrito, but it was so, so inspiring. So before we jump into how my listeners can transform their lives with your wisdom, I would love it if you shared that story about how you just flipped that switch for your own life.

[B]

I mean, listen, I feel like whether I was at that point in my 20s, but now I'm in my late 40s, I'm 49 years old. I think that as women, we're constantly re evaluating where we are. And at that time in my life, I had just gotten married. I had a really good job doing real estate and staging at the time. And I was working at this office in Thousand Oaks. And during lunch break, it was like I was having a 9 to 5 real estate job. And during our lunch break, I went to Baja Fresh to get a burrito like I did almost every other day. And I was waiting in line and I just thought, I don't. Something doesn't feel right anymore. But it was weird for me to say that because I just got married to a good guy. I had a good job, we had a good house. I, you know, everything on paper looked great. So what the hell did I have to complain about? But I just. There's something that happened in that line. I can't explain it. It was just like, this isn't where I belong. I don't belong waiting in a lunch rush with everyone else. I just need to do something creative. But I don't know. I. Then that night my, my best friend, her dad kept telling her about this documentary called the Secret. And at that point you could only watch it online. It was way before it was on Oprah, way before it was even made into a book. So I'm like, what the hell, I've got nothing to lose. Maybe I'll watch that documentary Aaron's dad was telling us to watch. And everything changed that night. And I do believe that. I believe in the Secret and the teachings of the Law of Attraction. But it wasn't just about that. It was that I started to believe in myself again, that I can do something else and I didn't have to be stuck in this job. And just because everyone else said that my picture perfect life of having enough money and it was enough, I knew in my heart I deserved to be doing something different. So I watched A Secret that night. I got woken up in the middle of the night and I found my HGTV job on Craigslist that morning at 4 o' clock in the morning.

[A]

Crazy.

[B]

It's crazy.

[A]

It's cr. It is crazy. I've had some of those serendipitous moments too. But I think, I think what really stands out is that you went for that. So you saw this job listing for a job that you had never done before, but you had the courage, you had the courage to be like, I'm gonna apply anyways.

[B]

I wouldn't even say the courage because I think if anyone's listening, they're not going to have that courage. And I don't want to use that word because it was more of, oh what the hell. It was more of that feeling like, oh what the hell, I'm just going to send my stuff in. Because you have to understand, that night or that morning when I couldn't sleep, there was a bunch of stuff that I was looking on online. So I probably sent my resume to like 10 different people. But that one post, it was almost like the universe woke me up. I know this sounds so woo woo, so just bear with me. But it was almost like it was fate and like the universe was pushing me towards action. And I remember being at that audition like I had no business being there, no business. And I remember being like kind of the same thing, like, oh what the hell, if it's meant for me, it'll be mine. But if not, because there was other way, more experienced people that were there in line. But I'm like, oh what the hell, I have nothing to lose. And I just kept Doing that, like the nothing to lose mentality. And even to this day, sometimes I'll get invited to something. I'm like, all right, let's just do it.

[A]

I love that.

[B]

Yeah.

[A]

I think that is the secret, isn't it? And I mean, I, when I started my journey, it was not to the same. You went all in. But I was really struggling with everything that came with adulting. I was bad with money, I was bad with finances. I was bad with my home. It looked like a dumpster fire. But one day I just woke up and said, I think today I'm going to be the CEO of my house. I think today I'm going to like, run it like a machine and start declutter. And I was like, I had no business doing that because. But something switched inside of me when I thought, well, I have nothing to lose and everything to gain.

[C]

Right.

[A]

It can't get worse, so why not go in? And, and the, the part of your story that I love is once you got the job, you said they were like, okay, today you're painting. And you were like, I've never painted before. And here supposed to be the expert. And then you would go home and just research your butt off, which is the best advice ever. And, and I live this too. It's like, you don't have to be great at everything before you get started. You become, you're not going to be after you start.

[B]

That's right.

[A]

You learn when you're in it.

[B]

That's absolutely right. And I think that holds a lot of us back, especially women, because we feel this perfectionism. And I'm so guilty of it. I'm so guilty of it. I have, I was talking about it yesterday, like, I, I, I'll make this whole video and then it's not perfect. And I'm like, oh, I'm not going to post it. So I get that. Like, I, But I feel like, because you won't be perfect at anything until you really do it. A lot of times, like, just dive in, like, and if you don't feel like diving in, just put your, put your toe in. And yeah, just try to start, just start the journey if you want to do it. And that's another thing. Like, we can go down a rabbit hole of like, I think sometimes we start doing things because everyone else in our lives wants us to do it or because, you know, the Joneses are doing it next door. And it's like we also have to stop and ask ourselves, like, do we even want to go down this path?

[D]

Yeah.

[A]

The other thing I love so much about your incredible life that you're living is how you really put the connection together between your home, the way it looks, the way it feels, the way it functions and your life. Like, that's what you do. You combine this intentional living, which is something I think a lot of interior designers just aren't doing. It's like, look at this is a beautiful, pretty space. But you take it so much further, and you're like, we're not just designing a pretty space. We're designing a beautiful, full, intentional life. And I love that.

[B]

Okay. But I also want to thank you, and I also want to say this. It's the. That a lot of designers are like, let me create this beautiful space. Right? And it could be for this designer, a stark living room with beige everything and one vase. And maybe for that homeowner's nervous system that doesn't feel peaceful.

[A]

It.

[B]

It's about creating a sanctuary that makes you feel good and you feel proud of your home. And that's not a one size fits all. Not by any means.

[A]

I love that you say that. Yeah. That. I found the same. Like, I'm definitely not an interior designer, but the same connection when it comes to organizing. And I'll tell you my origin story. I was a slob, and then I got my own home under control, and then I thought I was a genius. Sabrina. So somewhere in my mind, I was like, you know what? I'm going to start a business helping other people. I had zero business helping other people. Like, I just didn't know what the heck I was doing. I just knew what worked for me. But I learned on the job, and. And I came up with this marketing strategy, which was really dumb. If it doesn't stay organized for 30 days, I'll come back and do it for free. And even though that it was not a great. I kept having to go back to clients over and over again. This is how I learned that it isn't one size fits all. And just because it works for one person certainly doesn't mean it works for another. And I had to adapt people's homes to match how they lived in them.

[B]

Right.

[A]

How they managed their stuff. And that's where I saw real, lasting change. Not just in it staying tidy, but when your home is, like, in tune with you, your whole life changes. Did you. Have you seen this amazing thing, this connection? I know you have, because this is what you do, but the connection between your home being the foundation for your life and how it affects everything.

[B]

So there's so many things I can say there are, I think, I'm sure you've seen with your clients. People have different senses that they're more sensitive to than others. I'm a very visual person. So when I organize like for my closet, I need to be able to walk into my closet and see all of my clothes. My husband is not like that at all. He wants everything put away. He knows where it is. It's just again, it's a personal thing. So I, what you were saying to earlier, like it's not a one size fits all. You have to. I think that more designers and organizing experts, organization experts, have to understand that every person is different. But my other story that starting to tell that I haven't really told is when I was in high school, we went through a really, really, really horrible financial time in my family's life and our house started falling apart. And every night when I, or every day when I got home from high school, I used to do a different project in the house. So that house became like my best friend. And I saved that house, but that house also saved me, which is why I'm so passionate about homemaking. But the reason why I am so proud of that and who I've become is because my mom told me no matter how poor we are, you can be proud of your home because it doesn't take money to clean and it doesn't take money to be organized. So when we ended up losing the house to foreclosure, my high school friends had no idea how poor we were because when they would come over, the house looked great. And I think that that's what I, I talk about. It's not about just having a clean home. It's about having a house that you're proud of. Because when you're proud of your home, then you invite people in to share that home with you, then you create a community, then your self esteem raises. So it's not just about the house, it's about your life.

[A]

Yeah, I love that you say that. I, I, I preach this every day, all day. Because I also think when you're at a point like I was where every aspect of my life was a dumpster fire and I, and I was just flailing around. My home was like the easiest thing that I could control at that moment because I could spend 15 minutes and get the kitchen looking better. I could spend an hour and catch up on all the laundry. I could do something and see this immediate effect. I could paint a wall and see this immediate like result which Then made me feel really proud. I could run on the treadmill for a whole hour. My butt would look the same. I could, you know, I could work really hard for one day and save $5, but it's not going to make a dent. But you could do something in this moment and make a lasting, impactful thing in your home. And that's why I think it is so transformative, because it gives you the ability to have so much pride, not just in your home, but in yourself to get some wins. And then what's really amazing for me is, like, waking up every day and looking around at a house that was in control. I just, like, I leveled up. I leveled up because I was like, I'm good at things. This looks. I'm capable. And then what else am I capable of? It it was the confidence boost that just changed my life totally.

[B]

And, you know, there's studies that show, like, even just making your bed creates a complete ripple effect in your life. And so, you know, I've done a lot of shows, obviously, if you don't know who I am, I was on HGTV for many, many years. And I've. That's my whole, like, experience is doing TV shows for home makeovers. But so many of the people that were on these shows, there was some. There was one homeowner that said she hadn't had a friend over in years because her house was so cluttered. And after we were done with the makeover, she just started. Her whole life changed because she started inviting people into her life life. And people just forget, like, your home is a reflection of who you are. And that's not to say we're looking for perfection, because I don't want anyone to hear this and think that your house has to be perfect. No, it has to support your nervous system, and it has to support your life, and it has to support being a sanctuary for you.

[A]

Yeah. And you're right. It's not a moral failing. So if you are listening and you are having, like, a messy, cluttered home that you're just not loving, what we mean by, like, it's a reflection of you is when you put the work in. In your home, you're putting in the work in yourself. And when you're making progress in your home, it's like it's transforming you on the inside, too. So it matters and it's important. And sometimes I feel a little bit like, is this vain? Because I'm always like, make your bed and do your dishes and declutter, and it feels like it feels like I'm like, I don't know. I know what you're saying is, you know what?

[B]

I know what you're about seems like, is it surface? Is it, you know, is it vain? Is it just about perception? And it's like, no, no. It really, it's the same thing as like when you get dressed, right, and you feel good about yourself or if you do your hair or if you just like eat well. It's when you take care of yourself, you, it's all about, okay, I think it all boils down to self esteem. Everything in our lives, what we attract. So when we feel good about ourselves, whether you have purple hair or no hair or long hair, I don't care. But when you feel good about yourself, you attract better opportunities, you attract better people, you take care of yourself better and you just feel better overall. And so taking care of your home, taking care of yourself, it all, it's all the same thing.

[A]

Yes. Okay, before we get into. Because I want to hear all your tips. I always share about decluttering and, and cleaning, but I don't know anything about interior design. So I want to hear all your tips of things that my listeners can do to sort of make their home feel more intentional and beautiful. But before we get into that, I do have a question to ask. Because I started my journey with like no self esteem. I assumed I would fail at everything and, and I kind of flip that switch doing the fake it till you make it. But now I'm to a point where maybe I've gone too far the other way. And I think I can do anything, but I think I can do anything. Like it's a bit of delusion. Last night my daughter, she had her grade 12 functions exam and it was 11 o' clock at night and she was so upset, she's like, I don't understand this trigonometry question. And I was like, I'll figure it out. I'm a high school dropout. I don't even have grade 10 math. I look at this, it's like sign S I N, there's a bunch of letters. And I was like, what is this? And she, I had to like Google what is an isosceles triangle? I am not going to learn trigonometry in one hour.

[B]

I know, but can help you.

[A]

But the point is there was a moment where I thought I could just do this. Like I think I can do my always first thought is how hard can it be? I can do anything. It's delusion. Do you have that Same level of like. Because you've proven to yourself so many times that you're like, I can do anything.

[B]

Well, I mean, I feel like there is no such thing as delusion. Like when you feel like you can do anything. I do feel like I, I mean, I'm pretty honest with myself. I'm not, I'm very.

[A]

I don't know.

[B]

I, I'm very athletic, but I'm not sporty. So there's some things I'm like, yeah, I'm not going to be able to do that, but nor do I want to, to be honest.

[D]

I.

[B]

But no, I think that if you have a calling to try to do something, I feel like you should just do it and you'll figure it out along the way.

[A]

You do figure it out along the way. It was such a, it was such a. That's the real. For me, I feel like the secret. I also read the book the Secret, which I think was amazing. But for me it's just the courage. And you don't like the word courage, but that like self love enough to say, well, I'm going to try this. The worst that could happen is I'm in the exact same spot I am today.

[B]

But the scenario I'm going to, I'm going to say something different. The worst thing that, that can happen is that you never try it and then you'll never know. That's the worst thing that can happen. Like if you are single and you don't want to go on a date with some guy that somebody is setting you up with. The worst thing that can happen is that you don't go and that could have been your husband or your, you know, it's, it's, it's staying in the same place when you're not happy is the worst thing that could happen.

[A]

So, so true. Yeah. Oh man. I just love the way you think. Okay, so let's talk about interior design and how you've really combined it with intentional living. I am not great at interior design, but I love organizing and decluttering. But can you share some tips that are. That step further? Like how can my listeners do little things that can make their space feel more beautiful, more a reflection of them and make them proud?

[B]

I think a lot of the times, for the most part when I walk into homeowners like a new space, I can see that it is clutter is the number one culprit. So I think sort of reassessing the things that surround you first and foremost, then doing a deep clean after that, it's just about surrounding yourself with the things that matter, things that make you feel happy, that remind you of good times, getting rid of the things that remind you of bad times. And refreshing a space. And the refreshing of the space can be as little as getting a new toss pillow or a picture frame or a lamp. It doesn't have to be this entire overhaul with new furniture.

[A]

As a matter of fact, like, I.

[B]

Don'T even think most spaces need that at all. But I mean, to what your belief is, it really is the clutter that kills most spaces.

[A]

Yeah, it is. And people are so afraid sometimes to let go. And I think I'm really passionate about something I call the scarcity cycle, which is we don't have a lot of money. And I've been there super broke. So when we get a little bit of extra money, our brain says we can't trust that the money's going to be there. We should go and buy the things that are on sale. The extra shampoo, though, that, that meat's on sale. We definitely need to stock up on extra milk or I better buy those pair of jeans because they're only 20 bucks and I have an extra 20 bucks. And suddenly something in our brain and kind of switches and we start seeing our stuff as security and our stuff as, like, safety instead of the money in the bank. And so when we go to declutter, because now our house is full, it feels wasteful. It feels like we're letting go of that security blanket, and it feels like we're letting go of money. And it feels like a mistake almost. And what I'm really trying on this podcast and just every day to get through to people is the mistake is actually in keeping the stuff because it has energy. It has energy.

[B]

All of the stuff that surrounds you has energy. And when you're keeping things that you're not using, it's stagnant energy. But when you allow it to flow back into the world, into somebody else's hands, that's going to use it. You're moving energy and, and that's going to bring other things. It doesn't have to be stuff, but opportunities, people, situations to you. So you have to look at it as doing.

[C]

You're.

[B]

You're letting things flow and, and you've already spent the money. You've already spent the money. It's already gone. But the, the thing that's you're holding on to can be actually dragging you down.

[A]

Absolutely can. And I talk a lot about, like, toxic things, and I just did a video about all the things that are toxic. But it's not just the clothes that don't fit that bully you, which I was really guilty of. You know those jeans, they were my favorite when I was two sizes smaller. Every time I look at them, they're calling me fat.

[B]

Yes, every time.

[A]

But it's also the piles of clutter that you're going to get to later. I'm going to organize that later. All of these little to do's, these nagging things around you really just bring your self esteem down. And when we're feeling bad about ourselves, how can we be living our best life? That's right. When our home is making us feel like we're crappy, how could we possibly go out there and, and be the best versions? We can't.

[B]

You can't. And I, I agree with you. It's like the visual clutter can sometimes just be a daily reminder that you're not enough. And I hate for anybody to ever feel that way.

[A]

Do you have a favorite room in the home that you think impacts people the most and impacts their energy level?

[B]

Always it's the kitchen and the bedroom. Always. Because the kitchen is usually where it's the hub of the home. It usually does attract the most stuff. And your bedroom, which should be your sanctuary, is like usually another place where it's the piles of laundry are there and all the stuff underneath the bed that's also stagnant energy. Your drawers that are stuffed with clothes that you're not even wearing. So usually those are the big culprits of the big issue spaces.

[A]

Yeah. Okay. So I want to like throw some, some crazy stuff at you and just pick your brain, put you on the spot. I have a lot of friends and family. We are all sucky at interior design. Every time someone in my life is like, I'm gonna redecorate a room, the first thing they do is go to Home Depot and get paint chips. Why do we always think, oh, I'm just gonna paint the walls some bold color that equals decorating. And then we do that and we hate the space.

[B]

Because I think it's the most dramatic change that you can do to a room is to paint it. And I think when people are really desperate for immediate gratification, that's the place to go. And I don't think that necessarily that's a bad thing. I think for the most part paint is like a great way to refresh an entire space. But you also have to take, you know, take time picking the right shade because the wrong shade can really kind of screw up the vibe. So I think it's most people that rush into anything and it's even rushing into like any sort of project when you're rushing and you just want it done is the usually the times where you make mistakes.

[C]

Yeah.

[A]

Okay, so they're not going to run in and paint. But today my listeners today want to make their kitchen or bedroom just feel a little bit more like them. So they've decluttered. Do you have advice on this intentional living? What can they do? What small thing that they can do can they do to make their home feel maybe more intentional or feel more like a reflection of how they want to feel on a day to day basis?

[B]

I always try to set up little vignettes in people's spaces. So it's usually a cluster of odd number of items. So like even in the back here it's like three things kind of clustered together. And it could be like little decorative things that make you feel good, but it looks intentional and designed. And so just having a few vignettes scattered around your house just it makes you feel polished.

[A]

I love that so much. I've been trying to create maybe like zones in my home to encourage me to be that visual cue of the things I want to do. So if I'm like, I would love to get more into baking, I'll make a little baking zone on my counter. And I was really into making specialty coffees and frothing the milk. So I made a little hot beverage bar and now I'm into fitness. This is new for me. So I set up a little workout area and I like actually took out the weights I want to use and I hung this inspirational thing on the wall. So creating these little kind of like zones making my home reflect back to me the things that I want to do as a reminder that, oh yeah, this is important to me. That visual cue has been really amazing.

[B]

I always tell clients, usually is like when they're redoing a house or their home is what do you, what's your future version of yourself? Let's talk about her or him and then let's design design around their lifestyle. Forget about how you're living now. Let's talk about who you want to become next year or in two years or in five years. And then let's really design for their lifestyle because then everything else follows.

[A]

That's good. So my listeners who are like, I'm going to be a person who drinks a green smoothie every day, you better have a smoothie bar somewhere. In your kitchen or even.

[B]

Yeah, like, have a good little even drawer. If you don't have a time, if you don't have the counter space for a bar, have a drawer that has really cute little canisters for all the protein powders and their green juice powders and a nice little blender. And just so that it really inspires you to create that habit.

[A]

That's so good. If you want to be a person who cleans your house more, get a cleaning caddy that you find beautiful and fill it with all your favorite cleaning supplies and have it ready to go. So this is what you mean by this intention living. It's thinking of everything with, like, its bigger purpose for the best version of you. And it's the little things.

[B]

Like right now, on my kitchen counter, I have an amber bottle. It's a spray bottle, glass. It just looks pretty. It looks like it. Like it belongs on an apothecary space. But it's. It's filled with alcohol, rubbing alcohol, because that's what I clean all of my mirrors and countertops with. But it just looks pretty and it's constantly out on the countertop so I don't have to put it away. So do you know how easy it is for me to wipe down my countertops with that every single day? It's already out. You know, it's just those tiny little changes to make your life feel more intentional and be easier and be beautiful.

[A]

At the same time. I love that. So it's beautiful, but it has real purpose. Oh, so good. Okay, can you do me a favor and share? Do you have, like, a life's biggest lesson that you've learned? Like, something you just wish everyone knew that you could share with them?

[B]

I'm about to be 50 this year, and I believe more than ever that you live the life that you believe you're worthy of, and that that means that it's going to be the small little changes that you make daily to create the life that. That you want. And it's. It boils down to who you hang out with, what you listen to, what you say, yes to, what you say, no to, what you're eating, what you're drinking. It's those micro decisions every day that really shape your life.

[A]

I will say I was £250 at one point in my life, and I was going to the gym, and I hired a personal trainer. And the personal trainer said to me, you have the body you think you deserve. And I burst into tears. That was, like, part of it was rude, but it Was true.

[B]

Shocking for you.

[A]

Yes. So true. And it applies to everything you right now. Your home, however it looks, is a reflection of what you think you deserve. You know what?

[B]

I have to say something. Do you hear. Thank you for sharing that story because it's. It's. That is powerful. But don't you feel like some people are very triggered when they hear that? And it's not about triggering you. It's about you just thinking, is this true? Is this. Could this be true?

[A]

I still feel tr. I still feel triggered. It was uncomfortable to hear. And my first reaction is, you don't know. I'm trying my best and I'm this and I have this and I'm this and I'm. All the excuses are coming when the reality is I allowed myself to get in that situation and. And at the end of the day, it was up to me to have the self confidence to say, I deserve better and I'm going to do better because I deserve it. It was all down to the self love. And I'm still working on that. I am working on that. And so am I. When I first started my journey, I. I was really struggling with my home. And I would just say, I deserve a clean kitchen. I deserve. And I would cry saying it. I know this is embarrassing to say, but I was cr. Loud. But saying it out loud was something I need to do. I had to keep saying it till I truly believed it. Yeah. And I had to act like it before I truly believed it. And then the belief came after.

[B]

I'm so proud of you and thank you for sharing that story because I feel like that self assessment we should be doing all the time of like, what am I accepting in my life that maybe I don't want to anymore.

[C]

Yeah.

[A]

It starts with that, doesn't it? And it is a pr. It is a fake it till you make it. Maybe practice a little bit till you. You gotta prove it to yourself.

[B]

That's okay and that's okay.

[A]

And it's hard. I also don't want anyone to think like, oh, you just. It's easy, man. Is. Is hard work sometimes, especially if you're in a deep hole, digging your way out is. It's tough. But celebrating every win and realizing every time you put something in a donation bin, it's an act of self love. Every time you clean up a spill, it's an act of self love. Every time you get your butt on that treadmill, it's an act of self love. Every time you save $5, it's an act of self love. We look at it diff. When we look at it like that, I feel like everything changes.

[B]

Absolutely. I. I'm writing my book. It's called the Home within, and it's all about this connection between your home and. And your life and living your dream life and using your home as a tool. And I spoke. I speak a lot about this in the book, or I did. I finished it already. But it is so true. And it's about the small little changes every day. You know, unfortunately, we live in a light world that's very, you know, instant gratification. And so you just want everything to change immediately. But I promise, it's the journey that. That's the fun part.

[A]

I just find you so inspiring. And I love how you're just out there living this amazing, amazing life and using your home to support you and then spreading that to all of your clients and everyone who watches you, which is incredible. So, yeah. Do you have any more words of wisdom for us?

[B]

I mean, take it one day at a time. Don't be so hard on yourself, because that's another thing I don't want people to do is start, like, beating up on themselves if they're not perfect. Take it one step at a time. And then, you know, the two of us, we're here for you when. If you're listening and you just need a little motivation, there's no judgment. You know, we're. We're all in this together. We are all in this together. And you're never too late to start. I mean, like just I said I'm turning 50 at the end of this year. I just got married. I just found true love. I'm living, you know, I'm happier than I've ever been. But I didn't get here overnight, you know, it only took me 50 years.

[A]

What's your favorite thing in your home? Like, what is your favorite room or the favorite thing that just is, like, this was worth it. And I wish I didn't did this earlier. Oh, God, that's so hard.

[B]

My home's actually, I have a very tiny home, like, for, you know, for what people think. And I don't know, it's not about one the. My whole house. I really do feel like this is such a happy home. And it's not perfect. And it's. Like I said, it's not big either, but I just feel like it is my true sanctuary.

[A]

I feel like the best thing I ever did was I took my makeup. I'm not a big hair makeup girl, but I Took it out of the bathroom and I got this tiny little, little desk. I had to declutter my dresser to make this happen. Okay, so like a tiny little desk. And I put a lit makeup mirror on it.

[B]

Love, love, love.

[A]

And they're like, every day I sit down and I. I'm doing my makeup or my hair, even on the days where I'm just a PJ day, because the act of doing, like, I don't know, I feel like luxury over here, girl. I'm like, what? And it makes me feel. It does. It makes me feel. Feel something. That little change in my home changes my attitude towards myself. And so now when I think about people, like doing their makeup in their bathroom, I'm like, girl, you are missing out. Yeah, find a tiny desk with a makeup mirror. Even if it's just to brush your hair.

[B]

In my house, I love.

[A]

Is something everyone needs. Even if you're not really into hair and makeup. It is like a daily gift to yourself of a pamper place. It's like a little.

[B]

You know, I watch the Golden Girls. It's like my favorite show in the whole world. And Blanche had this, like, I remember growing up, Blanche in her bedroom had this desk with a mirror. And I just was like, I always wanted to have that. And now, now, you know, because you have it too. Having that in my house, I love just curling my hair and I listen to podcasts and it's. It's got the lights on it too. And I just feel like Blanche Devereaux.

[A]

I. And I did it to my girls. I have two teenage girls. They do not have big rooms. They're tiny, but they had this little, like, desk for homework. I just stuck a makeup mirror on there, gave them a little caddy with their makeup, and it had the same effect for them. It's like, you know, it's carving out spaces in your home where you feel, even if your house isn't big, even if you don't have a lot of money, where it just feels like a little bit of luxury, a little bit of self care, a little bit of.

[B]

Special, you're have to send me a picture of your space.

[A]

It's nothing special, but it feels special to me.

[B]

I love it.

[A]

So when I told you about how I decided one day that I was going to be a professional organizer and jumped in with both feet, running a business while also running a home daycare and being a brand new mom, by the way, my marketing strategy was, if it doesn't stay organized, I'll come back and do it. For free. And that that was a nightmare. But I learned that it wasn't one size fits all. And what I discovered was there's people who tend to be more visual, so they're inspired by their things. They want to see their things in their home. They. It energizes them. And then there are people who prefer to hide their things away because all of it really overstimulates them and they're feeling very stressed. So you're either a visual organizer or a hidden. And then I also discovered that there are people who are really detailed, very meticulous, love lots of categories, and want to put their things away properly in a detailed way. And then there are other people who are like Squirrel. They're more laid back, big picture. They need fast, easy, really big macro categories so they can put it away fast. They don't mind taking a few minutes to dig in the bin and find what they need. So combining those creates four different organizing styles. And I gave them cute bug names. And I have a feeling, like, part of me thinks you're a B.

[B]

You're never going to be.

[A]

That's a.

[B]

You're never gonna.

[A]

Okay, I thought you were a B, which is a visual organizer, very meticulous. But also part of me thinks you might be a butterfly, which is like a free spirit, visual person. Are you a beautiful butterfly?

[B]

I'm both. Because what that. So when I am organizing the things that I can see visually, very meticulous piles. Like, weird. When it. You open my drawers, I can care less what it looks like.

[A]

Like.

[B]

Like my T shirts. My mom just spent, like, the week here because I was on my honeymoon, and she was like, she was mortified when she opened up my drawers of my T shirts. But I don't care because I'm rummaging through them to get the right T shirt anyway. So I don't need it to be like, I know, it's shocking.

[A]

No, I think you're a ladybug. I think you're a ladybug that just loves looking at decor. Wait, this is how I'm gonna know for sure. Is your toothbrush out or hidden out? Your toothbrushes out. You are an enigma. Somehow you are a B and a ladybug, which are opposites combined.

[B]

It doesn't make sense.

[A]

It makes no sense.

[B]

I know.

[A]

Also, I love that, that you know that about yourself. That's all that matters. Because you see, like, okay, when it's out, I want to do it this way. And when it's hidden, I'm doing it this way. But the point is you know what works for you and you're not trying to copy other people. And it's that self knowing that is the most important part. So I talk about the four styles a lot. You can't put everybody in a four categories. It's not Hogwarts. But the important thing is like stopping to think about, well, what does work for me and why and why. And that's the life changing part. When we stop trying to copy what we see on Pinterest or Instagram or on TV and we start, start thinking like this is about me and I'm the boss and what works for me and you know, you're like a bee. Ladybug. I don't even have a word to combine those two. Hopefully I'm not a cockroach. No, I love, I love it. I've never heard anyone who's like that before. But how cool, how very cool is that?

[B]

Well, thank you again. Like I, I could talk about this stuff all day, all day long, all day.

[A]

Me too. And you know what? I'm going to send everybody to follow you so they can. Yes. Because I want people to start thinking not just about organizing and decluttering, which is important, but the beautiful aspect of your home too. The decorating, the adding that intentional sort of little, little extra bit so that it really feels like a beautiful space that's a reflection of you. So thank you so much. I'll put all the links to everything in the show notes. Is there one thing that you would love, love my listeners to do or follow or check out your book?

[B]

Yeah, so my book, it's not available for pre order yet but it's called the Home Within. But you could watch my show on Hulu or Amazon prime or Disney Plus. It's called the Sabrina Soto show and it's so good.

[A]

And you have the. Your guests are so good. Thank you.

[B]

Thank God. They're all my friends and so they did it for me as a favor.

[A]

It's an incredible show. I will put a link to that. I actually downloaded the app. I have it on my phone while I was putting on my makeup and doing my hair on my thing. I was watching, watching you.

[B]

Thank you so much. Thank you again for having me.

[A]

Good. I have to take a second to thank today's podcast sponsor, Cozy Earth. Years ago I switched to Cozy Earth sheets and all their bedding and there's no going back. They are so soft. They're made of bamboo and they're temperature regulating. I'm a bit of like A bedding snob. Now, if I stay at someone else's home or go to a hotel, I just miss my sheets so, so much. But I also love their pajamas. They're gorgeous. Soft pajamas are such a hit. And right now, you can try these viral pajamas for yourself. They were sold out over the holidays, but they're back with an exclusive deal only available between January 25th and February 8th. So head to Cozyearth.com and use my code clutterbug bogo b o g o to receive. Buy one, get one free. Seriously, this is a great deal. Again, head to cozyearth.com and use the code clutterbug bogo clutterbug b o g o to get these PJs. One for you and a free pair for someone you love. I really liked talking to Sabrina. I love her energy and I feel like she is just reinforcing the thing that I know. But sometimes it also feels like we talked a little bit about the vanity of it. Like, is focusing on how your home looks just surface stuff? Does it really matter? So to have her as an expert, just reinforce what I feel in my core. If, like, yes, it does, because it's not about just what it looks like. It's about how it impacts your entire life. Your self confidence, your ability to just show up as your best self. And it gives you the courage to put yourself out there in situations that feel like, I have no business doing this. Whether it is writing a book or making a video, doing a podcast, becoming a freaking firefighter, all of the things that you feel like, it feels so big and it feels so crazy. It's possible. All you have to do is jump in and get started. And the best place for you to prove that to yourself is with your home. Declutter clean and beautify a little bit today and do it again tomorrow until you get to a place where you truly feel so proud. Before we get to the Talk to Cast segment, I want to just share some coolness with you. I'm very excited. I am writing the book Do It Shitty. And I have all these chapters about different areas, like your finances and relationships and the finance. The chapter about your health and fitness was so scary to me because I feel like I haven't really nailed that one yet. I mean, I did it shitty by having weight loss surgery, but, like, that's about where my it ended, you know, But. But in writing the chapter, I was like, I gotta put my money where my mouth is. Like, I gotta stop saying it and not doing it. Like what is the shittiest thing I can do when it comes to fitness? What's the absolute bottom of the barrel? And I had always thought that was walking, but even I'm like, I don't wanna walk, so. So obviously that's not shitty enough, you know, So I got myself a rebounder and I'm literally just jiggling on it, okay? But I'll tell you what. I've been showing up every single day for anywhere from 10 to 15 minutes on this stupid rebounder. And guess what? I get to tell myself now. I'm a person who works out every day. I work out every day, I exercise every day. And this insane thing is happening to my brain where I want to now do more. Like what? I picked up up weights. And I was so excited. I was driving home today, envisioning myself doing the kettlebell. And like, I can't wait to go do that. Like, sometimes it really is just this little bit of shitty consistency and celebrating it. Even if the bar's on the floor, it can't get lower and you're just stepping over it. That can change everything about how you feel about yourself. I feel confident now as a person who works out every day. I mean, I'm no gym rat, but I'm basically there and I think that's the whole point. So exciting, you guys. I. I had to prove it to myself and it's working. And I just, I hope you think about one area in your life that you're like, oh, I wish I was better at that. And how can you lower the bar and do it the worst? How can you do your dishes as shitty as possible every day? How can you do the laundry the worst ever? How can you suck on purpose, my friends, and then suck again tomorrow? It's pretty magical. Okay, so now it's time for talk to Cass. And first we have a story from Erica.

[C]

Hey, Cass, I'm Erica from Chicago and I'm a 33 year old single woman who is also a cricket. I've always been really organized and decluttering and organizing have always been really intuitive to me. And you may not think that someone like me would really benefit from your, you know, your platform or your content, but there are two really important things that you have taught me. First and foremost, you've given me permission to let go of things in a way that matches my current capacity. I struggle with a lot of chronic illness and oftentimes my capacity is low. And as someone who grew up thrifting and going to garage sales, I really have firsthand knowledge of how one man's trash can be another man's treasure. So I've often held on to things for extended periods of time because I haven't been able to dispose of them properly. But having permission to just, you know, dispose of things in a way that matches my capacity, even if that means throwing perfectly good items in the trash, has really allowed me the freedom, given me the freedom to move forward and not be stuck with all this crap in my house. The second thing is that you've given me the language to accept, explain some of this to people who aren't crickets, because as a person who grew up kind of always being this way, to me, a lot of this is just really intuitive. But when I'm trying to help somebody else or explain it to them, I don't have the language to do that. And I don't know who said this or where I heard it, but I heard somewhere that the people who had to learn things the hard way and for whom things are not entirely intuitive often make the best teachers. And I think that you're, you know, you and everything you do is great proof of that. You had to learn things the hard way, and that's part of what makes you a good teacher. So I really appreciate you and, you know, giving me the language to talk about these things with other people and having words to explain my weird little cricket brain to people around me. So thanks for everything you do.

[A]

Thank you, Erica. That was so nice. I definitely don't feel like I'm good at exciting explaining things at all, so I appreciate that. That was very kind of you. Thank you. Now let's hear from Elise.

[D]

Hi, Cass. My name is Elise. I think it's really cool that you're a volunteer firefighter because I am a clinician, a mental health clinician for first responders. My daughter and I have been watching you for many years. I love your whole vibe. Here's the thing. I want to thank you because in the past, your quiz was a little cluttered with things that didn't matter, and it was really tough to refer to you with all of this extra stuff because, you know, first responders need to get to the point and not faff about. So I just want to thank you for cleaning up your quiz. It's great to refer you to the people I care for, and it's so much fun to talk to you.

[A]

Thank you. Thank you. I'm always trying to, like, update the quiz. I. It needs a refresh again. I want to get it down to two questions instead of four. So it's like it's always a work in progress. But if you haven't taken the quiz in a while, Please go to clutterbug.com Take the quiz, find out your organizing style. But also remember like if you know the concepts between visual and hidden and detailed and non detailed, that's, that's also important. So if the quiz doesn't feel like it's really resonating with you, just think today with Sabrina, she's two things at once. And that also can be true. The only thing that actually matters is that you know yourself. You know what works, where it works and why, and then what doesn't. And we do more of what works and less of what doesn't. But the whole point is that self awareness aspect and really truly knowing yourself. That's how we can move forward and finally see success. I hope you did something today, a little slice of your home that makes you feel proud. I also hope you take a picture of it and share it and tag me so I can see because it's, it's worth celebrating even a tiny little bit of success. Be proud, allow yourself to give yourself that pat on the back and celebrate and just be like, look at how awesome I am and look at the awesome thing I did. Because it matters, you guys. It matters. Hope you're feeling amazing and I can't wait to see what you got done today. Thank you so much for listening and I'll see you next time.