Sept. 15, 2025

Ep 35 - The 3 Pigs & the House of Clutter: Building Systems That Last

Originally aired on The JJ's Declutter Podcast - Episode 35

Hello, decluttering dynamos! Welcome to another fractured fairy tale where we huff, and we puff, and we blow your clutter down. Today we're digging into the tale of the three little pigs—or as we like to call it, "The 3 Little Pigs and the House of Clutter."

This isn't just about bad building materials. It's about what's inside those houses: board games, broken blenders, and bags of who knows what. Let's discover how three different approaches to home organization lead to very different outcomes when the big bad wolf of overwhelm comes knocking.

Chapter 1: Meet the Pigs

Once upon a time, there were three little pigs with three very different approaches to home management:

Pig 1: The Instant Gratification Specialist Built a house of straw and filled it with impulse buys—20 throw pillows, novelty mugs, and a popcorn machine used exactly once. His motto: "I'll deal with it later."

Pig 2: The Well-Intentioned Organizer Tried harder, using sticks and owning every organizing bin from the dollar store. But none were labeled, and he never opened them again. His heart was in the right place, but his system wasn't.

Pig 3: The Methodical Planner Built a house of bricks and practiced daily decluttering with a color-coded calendar. We love a planner pig who turns organization into a sustainable lifestyle.

Chapter 2: Straw House Struggles

Let's peek inside Pig 1's straw house—what a mess! Clothes covered the floor, delivery boxes stacked sky-high, and a yoga mat still rolled up with the tag on it gathered dust in the corner.

When the big bad wolf arrived, he huffed and puffed while Pig 1 tried to hide behind a stack of expired canned soup. The straw house blew down instantly, and Pig 1 ran screaming to Pig 2's house, dragging 12 tote bags "just in case."

The lesson: Quick fixes and impulse purchases create flimsy foundations that can't withstand life's pressures.

Chapter 3: Stick House Chaos

At Pig 2's stick house, things weren't much better. He had bins without purpose, a craft closet explosion, and five laundry baskets filled with mismatched socks.

When the wolf arrived and huffed and puffed, the clutter fell first—a tower of Amazon returns collapsed, then the walls followed. The pigs bolted to Pig 3's brick house, stepping over a tangle of extension cords on their way out.

The lesson: Good intentions and organizing supplies don't equal organization without a clear system and consistent maintenance.

Chapter 4: The Brick House System

Pig 3 welcomed her panicked siblings but made them take off their shoes. Her house was peaceful, labeled, and smelled like lemon and lavender. She had one junk drawer by design, not by accident.

Her secret? Systems.

Incoming papers had designated homes
Mail got sorted immediately
Clothes were folded with joy (shout out to Marie Kondo!)
Every item had a purpose and place

Chapter 5: Cleaning Tips from a Brick House Pig

Pig 3 shared her cleaning rhythm that kept chaos at bay:

Monday: Kitchen wiped down
Tuesday: Bathroom quick clean
Wednesday: Living areas tidied
Thursday: Laundry processed
Friday: Floors cleaned
Weekend: Deep cleaning rotation

Nothing took her more than 30 minutes because nothing was allowed to pile up. Meanwhile, Pig 1 was still trying to find his phone charger from 2017.

Chapter 6: The Wolf Returns (With a Plot Twist)

The wolf came back, huffed and puffed, but the brick house stood firm. Instead of hiding, Pig 3 offered him tea and a handout about letting go of emotional clutter.

Plot twist: The wolf wasn't angry—he was overwhelmed by his hoarded den! Pig 3 invited him to declutter, shared the JJ's Declutter Podcast with him, and he cried (happy tears). They hugged, and we love a reformed wolf story.

Chapter 7: Laundry Strategy Spin-Off

Let's revisit a household classic with three swine-spired laundry strategies:

Strategy 1: One Load a Day (Swine and Dine) Complete one load from start to finish daily. No folding left behind, no abandoned wet clothes developing that musty smell.

Strategy 2: Laundry Day (Porky Power Hour) Pick one day, blast energizing music, and knock it all out in a concentrated effort.

Strategy 3: Everyone Does Their Own (Hog Wild Independence) Perfect for families—even the reformed wolf gets his own laundry basket.

The right strategy? The one you'll actually follow consistently. No guilt, just clean undies.

Key Takeaways from Our Piggy Pals

1. Fast fixes lead to flimsy results Impulse purchases and quick solutions rarely create lasting organization.

2. Organizing bins without a plan equals fancy clutter Also known as DOOM boxes—Didn't Organize, Only Moved.

3. Systems make your home a sanctuary Consistent, simple routines prevent overwhelming buildup.

4. Even wolves can change No one is too far gone to get organized—transformation is always possible.

The Wolf's Den Makeover

The story doesn't end with hugs. Pig 3 hosted a full decluttering intervention and gave the wolf a complete den makeover:

Out went:

Half-chewed slippers
48 novelty mugs saying "Number 1 Howler"
Mystery containers and expired items

In came:

Labeled storage containers (bones, blankets, beware of sentimentals)
A capsule wardrobe (two flannel shirts and a vest)
Systems for maintaining the space

The wolf discovered his floor for the first time since 2003 and cried happy tears when he found a missing sock from his childhood. Proof that no one—not even a huffing, puffing wolf—is too far gone to get it together.

Pig 3's Business Venture: The Swine Retreat

Success inspired Pig 3 to open a declutter spa called "The Swine Retreat." Clients arrive overwhelmed and surrounded by clutter, then leave with chore charts, labeled bins, and deep inner peace.

Her signature system? The JJ's KEEP or LET'S GO method for tackling DOOM boxes and bags—those junk drawers of your garage and time capsules of decluttering denial.

Where Are They Now?

The Wolf: Now Pig 3's assistant, leading "Huff and Puff Yoga" every Wednesday

Pig 1: Became a minimalist TikTok influencer (redemption arc complete)

Pig 2: Discovered the magic of labeling and hasn't stopped since

The Moral: There's hope for everyone, even stick stackers and straw hoarders.

Your Episode Assignment: One Room, One Week

Your mission this week—choose just one room and ask yourself: "What would Pig 3 do?"

The Plan:

Declutter 5 things (start small, build momentum)
Clean for 12 minutes (#DeclutteringDozen)
Create one simple system (incoming mail, daily tidying, etc.)

Tell the wolf in your brain: "Not today, clutter fiend."

Building Your Brick House Systems

The difference between the three pigs wasn't just building materials—it was mindset and systems. Here's how to build your own "brick house" approach:

Start with Foundation Systems

Daily 10-minute pickup: Prevent small messes from becoming big problems
One-touch rule: Deal with items immediately when possible
Everything has a home: Put it back there after use

Create Sustainable Routines

Match systems to your lifestyle: Don't force strategies that don't fit your reality
Start smaller than you think: Better to succeed with simple systems than fail with complex ones
Build gradually: Add new habits only after current ones stick

Prepare for the Wolf

Life will test your systems with:

Busy seasons and schedule changes
Family members with different organizing styles
Unexpected events and disruptions

The strongest systems bend without breaking and get back on track quickly.

The Real Magic: Consistency Over Perfection

Pig 3's house wasn't perfect—it was functional and sustainable. She didn't spend hours organizing; she spent minutes maintaining. Her secret wasn't having the best containers or the prettiest labels—it was following simple systems consistently.

Your home doesn't need to be Instagram-worthy to be functional and peaceful. It needs systems that work for your real life, your real schedule, and your real family.

Remember: even the big bad wolf can declutter. If he can transform from chaos creator to yoga instructor, you can definitely tackle that junk drawer or organize your laundry system.

The moral of our tale? Fast fixes create flimsy foundations, but thoughtful systems create a lasting sanctuary. Whether you're currently living in a straw house of impulse buys or a stick house of good intentions, you can always build brick house systems that withstand whatever huffs and puffs life sends your way.

Keep it simple, keep it intentional, and as always—keep decluttering, one room at a time.

Want to hear the full tale of three organizational approaches and the wolf's amazing transformation? Listen to Episode 35 of The JJ's Declutter Podcast, where fairy tales meet practical home systems.

Connect with The JJ's: