Home Organization: How Can Shifting Our Relationship With Stuff Change Everything? | Emily Paulsen & Sarah Parisi
Why do we keep things that no longer serve us? A mug we never use, clothes that no longer fit, objects tied to memories that feel more like weight than joy. These questions guided my conversation with Sarah Parisi, founder of The Clutter Curator. Sarah has built her work around helping people see their homes not just as storage, but as reflections of identity, self-worth, and daily life.
When Belongings Become Burdens
One of the first things Sarah shared is how often we hold on out of guilt. Guilt about money spent. Guilt about waste. Guilt about letting go of something that once mattered. That guilt quietly positions our belongings as more important than our well-being. Hearing Sarah say, “Anything in our home that feels ‘ugh’ is telling us we are not enough,” stopped me. It made me look around my own space differently. How many of those subtle reminders have I been living with, almost invisible, yet powerful enough to shift how I feel every day?
The Weight of Daily Interactions
We often think of clutter as a pile in the corner or a messy drawer, but Sarah pointed out how it shows up in our smallest routines. The hesitation before choosing an outfit. The wasted minutes searching for keys. The irritation of moving something for the fifth time. These micro-moments add up, shaping our stress and our sense of control. She described the relief clients feel after a reset, the echo in the room, the openness in the space, and it reminded me that our environments don’t just house us, they affect our energy, our time, and even our health.
Redefining Accomplishment
Something else Sarah emphasized has lingered with me: the idea that accomplishment can live in what we don’t buy. We often celebrate the drop-off at a donation center or the neat row of labeled bins, but she suggested a different lens. What if the warmest feeling came from leaving the store empty-handed? From realizing that what we already have is enough? That shift struck me as both simple and profound, an everyday way to reclaim agency in a culture that constantly tells us to consume more.
Curious About Lightening Your Home? Start Here.
If you’re ready to explore this for yourself, here are a few ways to begin:
Take a quiet inventory of one space. Notice what sparks ease and what feels heavy.
Pay attention to routines that frustrate you, getting dressed, cooking, finding things. What patterns emerge?
Set a short timer and “edit” one drawer or shelf. See what changes when you look at each item with intention.
Try walking out of a store without buying anything. Notice how that choice feels in your body.
Give yourself permission to keep only what truly supports your life today, not a past or imagined version of it.
Let’s Stay Curious Together
This conversation with Sarah reminded me that our homes are alive with meaning. Every object tells a story, and together those stories shape how we move through the world. If we listen closely, our spaces can teach us what we value, what we’re ready to release, and how much lighter life can feel when we align our surroundings with who we are now.
You can listen to the full episode of Curious Life of a Childfree Woman wherever you get your podcasts.
I’d love to hear from you: what’s one item in your home you’ve been holding onto out of guilt, and how would it feel to let it go? Share with me on Instagram @curiouslifeofachildfreewoman.
Let’s stay curious together.
Emily
