Episodes

Are you feeling buried under catch-up cleaning? You're not alone! In this episode, Julie and Janis tackle the overwhelm of getting your home back on track when life has simply gotten in the way ... and boy! can it get in the way! Forget any guilt or shame ~ we're sharing real, practical strategies that work for actual busy lives (not those fantasy lives where the laundry folds itself!). What You'll Learn: The "spy mission" reconnaissance technique using our famous 12-minute Decluttering Dozen...

A is for What Actually Counts Ready to conquer your clutter this February? Join Julie and Janis as they kick off the February Alphabet Declutter Challenge with the most important question: What actually counts as decluttering? Spoiler alert: You're probably overthinking it! In this episode, we're breaking down exactly how the Alphabet Challenge works and giving you permission to get creative, bend the rules, and stop stressing about doing it "perfectly." Because here's the truth: The alphabet i...

Magazine Moments: Clutter Free Valentine’s Day Valentine's Day has quietly become one of the biggest retail spending holidays -and most of what's purchased never makes it past a few weeks. Julie and Janis are flipping the script on cupid's favorite holiday with a decluttering twist that'll make your heart (and your home) sing! - What You'll Discover: Ditch the disposable roses and dusty teddy bears! This episode explores how to create a truly meaningful Valentin...

The Village That Had Too Many Letters: A Decluttering Fairy Tale Ever feel like your home is drowning in stuff? You're not alone! Join Julie and Janis as they share a whimsical fairy tale about Alderwick—a village where storage bins multiply like rabbits and possessions pile up faster than good intentions. What You'll Discover: In this episode, we explore the enchanting story of a village overwhelmed by well-meaning clutter. When belongings start mysteriously disappearing, the villagers panic ...

Let It Go! A Wintertime Decluttering Tale Winter has arrived in Frosthome… and so has the clutter. In this episode of The JJs Declutter Podcast, Julie and Janis share a fractured fairy tale with a powerful message. Let It Go! A Wintertime Decluttering Tale follows Queen Elsa-Light, a kind ruler who freezes decisions instead of making them and slowly buries her kingdom under coats, scarves, and sentimental snowflakes. Through humor, storytelling, and very relatable winter clutter struggles, th...

Magazine Moments: Post-Holiday Reset Episode Description The holidays are over, the decorations are shoved back into bins, and now you're standing in the middle of the mess thinking, "What just happened to my life and my bank account?" Between leftover cookies, wrecked sleep schedules, and uninvited credit card bills, it's a lot. In this Magazine Moments episode, Julie and Janis tackle the post-holiday reset from three practical angles: your overstuffed pantry, your crying wallet, and your co...

Why Your New Year's Resolution Already Failed (And What to Do About It)Let's be honest—if you made a New Year's resolution on January 1st, you're probably side-eyeing it like it's decorative decor, not an actual plan. And the stats back this up: only 25% of people stick with resolutions past 30 days, and fewer than 10% actually finish what they started. But here's the relief—it's not your fault. The Science of Why Resolutions Fail According to research from Crucial Learning and Yale, most res...

🎉 Episode 56: Looking Back with Gratitude – Celebrating Your Year’s Wins As the year wraps up, Julie and Janis invite you to put down the self-criticism, step away from the “good riddance” posts, and take a gentler, more empowering look back. This episode is all about finding and celebrating your wins, even if this year felt messy, exhausting, or downright hard. Instead of focusing on what went wrong, the JJs guide you through a thoughtful Year-in-Review framework that helps uncover pr...

Welcome back to the JJ's Declutter Podcast ~ Fractured Fairy Tales Edition! We're heading back to Whoville, where the halls are decked, the stockings are hung, and the glitter is absolutely everywhere. Full-on festive explosions that would make even the most enthusiastic decorator question their life choices. The Holiday Chaos It's early December in Whoville—garland on banisters, bows on pets, twinkle lights tangled in ways that defy physics. But in his cave on Mount Messm...

Welcome to the JJ's Declutter Podcast Fractured Fairy Tale Edition! This holiday special tells the transformation story of the Grinch of Mount Messmore—a grumpy, cluttered soul who discovers that joy was hiding underneath all that junk. Spoiler alert: He didn't steal Christmas, but he did reclaim his peace, one #Tidy12 session at a time! Meet Our Grinch Forget Mount Crumpit—our Grinch lives on Mount Messmore, where: Every flat surface is covered in chaosLaundry mountains ...

How to Give Clutter-Free Gifts That Create Memories In this heartwarming Magazine Moments episode, Julie and Janis dive into one of the most freeing concepts of the holiday season: gifting experiences instead of stuff. Inspired by Joshua Becker’s article “How to Gift Experiences Instead of Things” from Becoming Minimalist, this conversation unpacks why experience-based gifts deepen connection, reduce clutter, and create lifelong memories—without adding anything to the closet, drawer, or donation...

Julie and Janis tackle the often-neglected laundry room, transforming it from the "Bermuda Triangle of the home" into a clean, functional space. They break down the cleaning process into manageable steps that work whether you have a dedicated room, stacked units, or just a basement corner. Why Your Laundry Room Matters A cluttered laundry room makes an already unpopular chore even more stressfulOrganization reduces time spent hunting for supplies and dealing with spillsReg...

Episode 51 | The JJs Declutter Podcast Episode Description Get your home holiday-ready! Julie and Janis tackle the two spaces that make or break your hosting game—the entryway and dining room. Learn the "Clear, Clean, Contain (+ Celebrate!)" system that transforms these high-traffic areas from cluttered chaos to guest-ready gorgeous. In This Episode: The Entryway Strategy Clear, Clean, Contain system for first impressions that wow Smart coat and shoe storage for extra guests The 5-minute d...

Ep50 "From 5PM Panic to Pizza Friday (No Spreadsheets Required)" Stop staring into the fridge at 5PM wondering what to feed everyone! Julie & Janis are tackling menu planning—simple, doable, & realistic for actual busy people. No spreadsheets, no color coding, just a system that saves time, money, & your sanity. Everyday Menu Planning Basics: Start With Your Goals - Budget-friendly? Health-focused? Three-soccer-practices survival? Your why shapes your plan. Check Your Schedule - L...

"Preparing for Guests (Yes, People DO Check Your Medicine Cabinet!)" It's Magazine Moments time! Janis & Julie review articles from TheSpruce.com about prepping your home for guests. From entryways to under-bed dust bunnies, here's how to make guests feel welcome without losing your sanity. Article 1: 7 Forgotten Spots to Declutter Before Guests Arrive 1. Declutter Your Entryway First impressions matter!Pretend you're the guest—see with fresh eyesAdd shoe tray, baskets for purses/keysMake...

JJs Declutter Podcast - Episode 48: Kitchen Crusades Part 2"The Deep Clean (Roll Up Your Sleeves Territory)" Welcome back, brave warriors! This is NOT your daily wipe-and-walk. This is question-your-life-choices territory where we tackle crumb colonies, sticky secrets behind the fridge, and that expired hoisin sauce from 2019 (why is it always hoisin sauce?). Pro tip: Take before pictures to celebrate your progress. Maybe even a selfie to see how YOU held up! The Deep Cleaning Checklist Step ...

Grab your dish gloves, friends! Julie & Janis tackle routine kitchen cleaning that keeps your kitchen functional without Pinterest-level perfection. Spoiler: Your sink has more bacteria than your toilet seat. The JJs 7-Step Kitchen Cleaning Routine Step 1: Declutter First Flat Surface Sweep with laundry basket Move appliances (yes, even the coffee maker) #Tidy12 Challenge: 12 minutes to clear surfaces Step 2: Dishes & Sink Do the dishes (faster than you think!) Baking soda for sinks, Barkee...

Welcome to the ultimate floor cleaning bootcamp! 🧹 Your hosts Janis and Julie are getting down and dirty (literally) as they tackle every type of flooring in your home ... from hardwood to carpet, tile to that fancy cork flooring your neighbor Susan won't stop Instagramming about. Discover why your floors are probably staging a quiet rebellion against your one-size-fits-all cleaning approach, and learn the correct way to care for each surface. From wine stains that tell stories to grout that's ...

✨ Episode 45: Magazine Moments – All About Brooms! ✨ Who knew brooms had so much history, mystery, and a whole lot of superstition? In this Magazine Moments episode, Julie and Janis sweep through time with fascinating facts, folklore, and modern cleaning tips about one of the oldest household tools: the humble broom. From ancient twig bundles to the angled Costco corner broom, from witches’ besoms to Trader Joe’s cinnamon-scented seasonal sweeps - we’ve got it covered! You’ll learn: 🧹 The sur...

Welcome to the land of toothpaste fossils and mysterious soap scum rings! Julie and I (Janis) are tackling the grimiest, grungiest room in your house, and trust me, we're bringing the sparkle. What You'll Learn The Royal Treatment for Your Throne We're starting where nobody wants to but everybody needs to ... the toilet. We'll walk you through our top-to-bottom cleaning routine, including those hinges you've been ignoring and yes, the wall behind the toilet (boy moms, we've got you!) The Tooth...

Your bedroom should be your retreat—not your laundry room, office, snack bar, or panic zone. Julie & Janis break down their step-by-step bedroom cleaning process with the JJ's Clean and Cozy Bedroom Checklist. From finding your pillow under 17 mismatched socks to creating a 5-minute nightly routine, this episode transforms bedroom overwhelm into sanctuary bliss. 🧹 What You'll Learn: Why your bedroom directly impacts sleep quality and mental health The JJ's 11-step Clean and Cozy Bedroom Checkl...

The 5 Types of Cleaning (And Why Your Social Life Depends on Knowing the Difference!) Welcome back to the JJs Declutter Podcast with your fairy godmothers of freshness, Julie and Janis! 🧚‍♀️✨ Think cleaning is just one boring category? Think again! We're breaking down the 5 types of cleaning that can save your time, sanity, and possibly your social life. From routine "keep the wolves at bay" cleaning to emergency "company's coming in 10 minutes" panic mode, we've got you covered with pu...

Episode 41: Henny Penny & Sky High Clutter Episode Description Join Julie and Janis as they transform the classic tale of Henny Penny into a hilarious decluttering adventure! When panic meets piles and storage becomes dangerous, our feathered friends learn that the sky isn't falling—it's just buried under years of accumulated stuff. From expired coupons to the dreaded "Ottoman of Doom," discover how to turn chaos into calm with practical tips and plenty of laughs. Key Takeaways & Decluttering ...

Episode Summary Julie and Janis dive back into "Magazine Moments" territory. This episode they're breaking down weekend cleaning habits that won't make you want to hide under your (hopefully weekly-washed) sheets! The JJs tackle two articles about Saturday and Sunday cleaning routines, sharing their own hilarious cleaning confessions along the way. Spoiler alert: Janis's Chromecast remote will never be white again, and Julie admits she's terrible at taking her shoes off at the door. Key...