Podcast Summary: "Why Organization Beats Design Every Time"

Clutterbug Podcast #291 | September 15, 2025
Host: Cas (Clutterbug)
Guest: Carrie Locklyn (Interior Designer, HGTV’s Extreme Makeover: Home Edition, Hotel Impossible, QVC Home Reflections)

Episode Overview

In this energizing and authentic episode, Cas welcomes renowned interior designer and all-around creative Carrie Locklyn to discuss which is more important in a home: organization or design. Through candid storytelling and hard-earned insight, Carrie shares her unique journey from professional dancer (touring with Mariah Carey and other stars) to TV personality and sought-after designer, emphasizing the transformative power of organization. The two dive deep into the psychology of clutter, organizing styles, the myth of picture-perfect homes, and how both discipline and humor can change your life—and your living space.

Key Discussion Points & Insights

Carrie's Unique Career Path

00:45-10:50

• Carrie recounts her journey from a 2%er professional dancer (Mariah Carey, Justin Timberlake, 50 Cent, James Brown) to organizing homes, and eventually interior design and TV shows.
• "At a very young age, it's what I wanted to do...my English teacher told me I couldn't...because it's not a legitimate career. I was like, 'Oh yeah? Watch. I will make it.'" (Carrie, 02:42)
• Transitioned from running restaurants and doing commercials to being a professional organizer after responding to a Craigslist ad. Her first client? Carrie-Anne Moss of The Matrix.
• "I've never done it before, but let's go." (Carrie, 06:42)

From Organizing to Interior Design

10:50-16:00

• The leap to interior design happened organically—clients appreciated her taste and project management. She started by managing renovations, then gradually added design elements.
• “Say yes, unless your gut says no...everything will lead you somewhere else.” (Carrie, 10:58)

The Role of Failure and Courage

11:25-16:01

• Both Carrie and Cas share vulnerable stories about growing up as outsiders, the "courage to be okay with failing," and using humor as armor.
• “If you laugh at yourself you get to take control.” (Carrie, 14:48)
• Cas confides: "I have a felony record. I was a high school dropout...it also led me to a place where I wasn't afraid to fail." (Cas, 11:46)

The Un-Glitzy Reality of TV Design Shows

16:09-23:32

• Both recount their authentic on-set experiences: long hours, real sweat, and pressure to achieve TV-worthy transformations with small crews and relentless deadlines.
• “It is glamorized a lot. It's like a magazine from the '90s of what our bodies are supposed to look like...and now it's what our homes are supposed to look like.” (Carrie, 18:44)

The Transformation Addiction & The Purpose Behind Organizing

23:32-26:09

• The best moments, they agree, are witnessing the life-changing impact on families when spaces are transformed—not just visually, but emotionally and functionally.
• "It's a little addictive...when I do that in hotels for my clients...they can see their future." (Carrie, 24:12)
• “Your home is the foundation for your life. When my home was chaotic, my life was chaotic.” (Cas, 25:30)

Discovery of Organizing Styles

26:09-36:23

• Cas details her evolution, including the “aha moment” realizing there are four natural organizing styles (visual/hidden × micro/macro), and how her “money-back guarantee” forced her to refine these systems for real people.
• Cas: “I discovered that there are actually four organizing styles, natural organizing styles...when I started adapting people's homes to how they naturally put things down, they wouldn't call me back.” (Cas, 28:01)
• Carrie’s style is diagnosed as a “Ladybug” (hidden, macro)—preferring things put away, big categories, quick & easy storage, not perfectionist.

Organizing in Relationships: Managing Different Styles

31:39-36:35

• Discussion on partners with opposing organizational instincts: Carrie is hidden/macro; her husband is visual/detail-oriented (a “Bee”); strategies for compromise are explored.
• “You're not gonna like the answer...the visual wins in shared spaces.” (Cas, 33:28)

Organization as a Life Skill, Not a Look

36:39-39:03

• Carrie: “Organization is a life skill, it is not something to be pretty. That's design.”
• “You have to really understand and respect not just your home, but the flow of your home and how everybody moves in and out of your home.” (Carrie, 36:39)

When Design Follows Function

39:03-48:15

• Both emphasize that the beauty of a home comes from it being practical and functional as much as its style—design changes should mirror the season of your life.
• “You should have destinations where you look across the room and go, 'I wanna go over there.' It's what speaks to us in our own personal sense and our confidence.” (Carrie, 40:30)

Finding Your Style & Building Layers

44:54-48:15

• “Open your closet. That gives you a really good idea of where you lean for coloring...your jewelry—are you a sterling silver, are you a gold? That's your hardware.” (Carrie, 44:54)
• Start with the rug, anchor pieces, then layer with accents for a soulful space.

Why Organization Always Wins Over Design

51:52-52:54

• Carrie, a professional designer, is emphatic:
  • “Hands down, hands down...organization wins.”
  • “Organization: life skill. Design: pretty.”

Notable Quotes & Memorable Moments

• "No, but I will take this clip of this podcast and play it back to myself when I feel like the most poopiest person." (Carrie, 01:29)
• “You should have destinations where you want to go in your home...if it truly feels like your soul when you walk in, you’re on the right path.” (Carrie, 41:52)
• “I feel like ladybug’s the best...it's fast and easy to put things away!” (Cas, 38:20)
• “In a space that constantly stays messy, that’s where your style matters.” (Cas, 36:24)
• “Just because it's pretty doesn’t mean it’s organized. We got our wires crossed there.” (Carrie, 52:54)
• "Organization is practice...it's a muscle." (Carrie, 36:05)
• “It changed everything: my finances, relationships—your home is the foundation for your life.” (Cas, 25:30)

Timestamps for Major Segments

• 00:00 – Show open and Carrie’s introduction
• 02:33 – Carrie’s dancer origin story & motivation
• 06:42 – Origin story: from Craigslist to first organizing clients
• 10:58 – Life/career advice: Say Yes
• 14:48 – Using humor and self-compassion to navigate adversity
• 16:09-23:32 – Behind-the-scenes on design TV shows
• 24:12 – The emotional payoff of transformation
• 28:01 – Clutterbug's Four Organizing Styles discovery
• 33:28 – The ‘visual wins’ compromise in shared spaces
• 36:39 – Organization vs. design: function over appearance
• 40:09 – How your environment signals your mood and energy
• 44:54 – Carrie's method for choosing your home’s palette
• 49:58-52:54 – The case for organizing before design

Listener Q&A Highlights

Alyssa (Pregnancy & Maintaining Organization):

• Use everyday routines to identify your true organizing style (57:38)
• Declutter before the baby’s arrival (59:18)
• For visual type partners, provide open, labeled, vertical storage in spaces like garages (59:18-60:25)

Heather (Partner who leaves trash everywhere):

• Sometimes it’s not about style but about boundaries and respect—this requires a frank conversation and active participation, not just a new system (69:13-69:42)

Tone & Language

Cas and Carrie are candid, witty, and deeply relatable—sharing humor, humility, and real-world advice. The conversation is motivational and ADHD-friendly, striking a balance between practical hacks and soulful wisdom.

Key Takeaways

• Organization trumps design: A beautiful home is practical, functional, and supports your life. “It’s a life skill.”
• Know your style: Understanding your—and your family's—natural organizing style leads to lasting tidy spaces.
• Let spaces reflect your real life: Transform your home as your needs, moods, and seasons change.
• Humor and forgiveness count: Both for yourself and others as you build new habits and tackle clutter.
• Just Start: Courage and the willingness to try—and to fail—are essential to every transformation.

How to Connect with Carrie Locklyn

• Instagram/TikTok/Facebook: @CarrieLocklyn
• QVC: Face of Home Reflections

“Organization: life skill. Design: pretty. Organization wins.”
— Carrie Locklyn, 52:54