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

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.

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)

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)

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.

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.

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)