Inside Marcy's Mind

Chaos Wrangler: Confessions of a Clutter-Phobic Podcaster

• Marcy • Season 1 • Episode 58

Share episode

Have you ever wondered why your bathroom cabinet seems to be a black hole where good products go to die? You're not alone. In this candid exploration of home organization, we dive deep into the surprisingly hostile environment of your bathroom and why it might be sabotaging your medications, makeup, and even your jewelry without you realizing it.

As we navigate the transition to fall, I'm sharing my tried-and-true decluttering strategies that won't leave you exhausted or overwhelmed. The beauty of these approaches? They're designed for real humans with limited time and energy. From the three-hour decluttering limit (backed by science!) to the surprisingly effective trash bag walkthrough method, these techniques deliver immediate satisfaction while building sustainable organizing habits.

My personal favorite is the "naked fridge challenge" – a seven-day experiment that transforms not just your refrigerator door but potentially your entire kitchen vibe. We also tackle the controversial "one in, one out" rule that keeps your possessions in check, even when willpower is low. As someone who's downsized from a large house to a cozy condo, I've learned that limitations can actually create freedom when you embrace them creatively.

The connection between our physical spaces and mental wellbeing is undeniable. A cluttered home often reflects (and perpetuates) a cluttered mind. By implementing even one small organizational change today, you're taking a meaningful step toward greater clarity and calm. Whether you're a seasoned minimalist or a recovering hoarder, there's something here for everyone who's ready to create space – both physically and mentally.

Ready to transform your space? Snap a picture of your newly decluttered fridge or properly organized bathroom shelf and share it with hashtag #InsideMarcysMind. Your success might be exactly the inspiration someone else needs to begin their own organizational journey!

Speaker 1:

Hello and welcome to Inside Marci's Mind. My name is Marci Backus and I am your host. Wow, I have had a very busy day getting ready to leave for Seattle tomorrow, and I want to say hello to my fellow mental jugglers. Oh, you're tuning into Inside Marci's Mind, season five, episode 12. No, not really, it's season two, episode 50. I don't know where I am anyway, but where the cluttered brain meets the cluttered home and we win. I'm your guide, marcy, chief wrangler of chaotic thoughts and rogue coffee mugs. Fall is here and that means dust bunnies multiplying like ambitious toddlers. But before you hear one more, marie Kondo, let's tame this mess. Let's, let's do some things. We talked about this last week. We talked about a fall reset. We're going to talk a little bit about another, a little bit more about fall declutter and then items you shouldn't really have in your bathroom. You know, thought it might be interesting. These are the things that are in my mind Getting ready to go to Seattle tomorrow, which will be Thursday, so you will hear this podcast on Friday, when it usually drops.

Speaker 1:

I have a great podcast, also called Aging, aimed for Sissies, and this week it's what you can get from your library things you have no idea. Libraries aren't just about books anymore. They're like an Apple store, gone rogue. It's crazy what you can check out from your library. So take a listen to that one. Aging Ain't for Sissies. You can find it where you found this podcast. I have websites for both of these.

Speaker 1:

You know, life is really good. A beautiful day here in Chicago today it's 80 degrees, it's sunny, there's a spring in my step, gladness in my heart, and we fly out tomorrow morning at 645, which means I will be up at 3 am, but I don't really care, because I like getting out on the first flight. So we will land in Seattle sometime in the morning 9, 30 or so and we will have a whole day in Seattle A couple days. Wedding is on Saturday and we will fly home Sunday morning. So, looking forward to that, I'm all packed. Hair got cut, hair, hair is colored. I color my own hair. These are things that just need to get done. So things are done. We have our church thing this evening and again, life is good.

Speaker 1:

My kids are good. You know there is that saying I don't know, you're only as happy as your happy, saddest kid. However, that yeah, my kids are both doing good. So I'm doing good and it definitely is a correlation for me. I love my children more than life itself, and when they're not good I'm not good. I try to separate the two. It's just not easy. So, anyways, I'm doing good, health-wise doing good, I don't know. It's just a beautiful September here in Chicago and it certainly makes me feel good because I know what's coming.

Speaker 1:

I got a lot of trips planned. I've got things. I've got to cruise in February. I have a plan to go see the Wizard of Oz in the sphere in Vegas with a bunch of people and they all have been asked, and now I got to arrange that. I don't know.

Speaker 1:

Got a lot going on inside Marcy's mind, hence the name of the podcast. See how that goes. I can say anything, do anything I want, because it's my podcast about me. But one of the things I do love is cleaning and decluttering and I have done a really great job. I had quite a few things on my list for the last probably year and a half. Then got cancer. That stopped. A lot of things I really have organized to to the degree I am feeling comfortable and happy, and organization makes me happy. So sit back, relax, grab a diet Coke. Grab a cup of coffee. Do whatever you need to do. Grab a glass of wine, if that's your thing, depending on what time of day it is. If you're listening into it in the morning, if you're grabbing a glass of wine, you may talk to me about my 37 years of sobriety. Anyway, be right back.

Speaker 1:

You know I go back and forth from time to time. I do have a YouTube channel. I videotaped one of my episodes a little while. I just can't get into videotaping my episodes. I don't know, maybe that's a goal for this year for me. One of the reasons I don't like doing it is because I edit as I go Because otherwise I'll forget something. But I edit as I'm doing this podcast and I don't think that's very interesting when you're watching this. And then I have to put makeup on and I have to look nice, and I don't always want to look nice when I'm doing my podcast. I don't always want to look nice when I'm doing my podcast. I don't know. Let me know InsideMarci'sMind at gmailcom If you think, if you would like it on YouTube. I am trying to grow my audience. I would like this to at some point be a moneymaker and do some commercials. I really would. I've got two podcasts and I've been doing one of them for a couple of years, this one for about a year. So I don't know, maybe, maybe YouTube and videoing is the way to go. Let me know.

Speaker 1:

Anyways, fast decluttering moves for fall, these are, these are some things that you can do fast. This is not the time consuming, pull it all out kind of stuff. So, first thing is set a time limit, time box it Three hours tops, because that's when your brain declares nah, I'm out. Finally, science backs your procrastination no, really your brain. After three hours, there's nothing, you can't nothing, nothing mush gone. So, whatever you're going to do, put a time limit on it. It could be 30 minutes, it could be a 30 minute cleanup going through your house, but put time on it. It really helps.

Speaker 1:

Do a trash bag walkthrough, trash bag in hand. Wander your house. Toss old receipts, dried out pens, mystery Tupperware lids. You'll feel like a decluttering ninja instantly. If you walk through your house with a bag and things that really can go to the trash, trash them. Just do that. Go to every room, every single solitary. Go to the bathroom. Throw out that mascara. Go to your bedroom. Throw out that half-eaten bag of chips next to your bed. I don't know that candle that just is already burned to the ground. Throw it out. Throw it out. Do a fast trash bag walkthrough. You're going to feel great.

Speaker 1:

Now this one. It's going to sound a little risque, but it's not the naked fridge challenge. Clear everything off the fridge door, just the door. I didn't say shelves, I just said the door. Yep, for seven days. See how zen your kitchen gets. It's mental reset territory. Get rid of it all, unless there's something you bought brand new. All that stuff, I guarantee you is out of date. So once you do that, try a shelf. If you can't do it that way I'm not good at that kind of stuff Just take everything out of your fridge, scrub it down, clean it and put everything back. Look at your expiration dates. Toss out what's not needed. Make a list of the things you need. Like I said on last week's podcast, I added this to all my cabinets of spices and baking areas and keep a list of what needs to be in there and if it's gone, then I know to add it to my shopping list. But do a naked fridge challenge. Make it all naked. Then do the freezer and remember what I talked about last week. I have a list on the side of my freezer on what's on each shelf Because, like I said, I can't open my door all the way because I have a giant fridge in a small condo but you can open it enough to get things in and out, but you may not see what's on all the shelves everywhere. So I have a little list on a white board magnet on the side of my fridge I mean freezer and fridge tells me what's in there.

Speaker 1:

Do a nightly 15-minute pickup Post dinner, set a timer for 15 minutes, trash dishes, counters, floors, take breaks when the alarm dings. We're building habits, not white knuckling through reality. So create a habit. I have this habit. Surprise, I'm neurotic. You know that. You guys, you already know this. But after dinner I do a complete cleanup of the kitchen. Again, the beauty of having a small kitchen. You know you all may think I'm crazy living in this small space after living in a giant house. I'm not. I can clean my kitchen and nothing flat and it looks it's showroom ready, because actually right now our condo is a pocket listing. What that means is there's a couple real estate agents that know it's for sale and they can show it at any time. So you know what so great. My house is so small it's ready to show at any moment.

Speaker 1:

Let's see Number five one in, one out rule. And I can't do this. So you know this is me talking out my ass, to be honest. New shoes, new set in new set out ass, to be honest. New shoes, new set in new set out. Old scarf goes. It's minimalistic, with math. It keeps your stuff and your guilt in check. No, no, no. But if you can do it, one in, one out rule is a great thing. New pair of shoes, pair of shoes out Blah, blah, blah, blah. I have gotten better. I have taken out of my shoe rotation any shoes that hurt my feet that I won't wear.

Speaker 1:

Everything that is in my closet is wearable, and the feet that I own now, not the feet that I had even a year ago. If they don't feel good on the feet of 2025 Marcy, they're not in my closet. I think it's super important, and that goes for size of clothes too. I don't have anything in my closet that doesn't fit me. If it doesn't fit me, if it's too big, I got all my fat clothes out of there a year ago. I have no fat clothes anymore. Did I get rid of them? No, they're in bags in my storage unit, those really cool like Ikea zipper bags. You know, I don't know why I can't get rid of them, I just can't. Maybe I will one day. I don't know, everything in my closet fits, so I think that's super important.

Speaker 1:

So about these five moves that I just gave you these moves are quick, manageable and they're kind to your sanity. It's like decluttering without turning your weekend into a weekend retreat at Hard Knocks Furniture. I, you know it's hard, it's hard everyone, and I know that. So that's why I try to give you different ways to do things and maybe one will click for you. Okay, fridge front patrol, trash bags full. Most important room left the bathroom. Let's not waterlog our beauty routine with mildew. Let's get onward Bathrooms.

Speaker 1:

What should you and should you not keep in your bathroom? Do not store these things that we're talking about in your bathroom. Medication vitamins go dry in a closet, not go in a dry. Sorry, go in a dry closet, not steamy vanity condensation no more science experiment pills. You should not have any of that stuff in the bathroom and that's why, when you get this age, you have a pill cupboard in your kitchen and you have a full cupboard in your kitchen and you have a full-on cupboard dedicated to pills. Yeah, you know who you are.

Speaker 1:

Cosmetics, beauty products, don't love sauna mode. Either Keep them in a drawer or, if you must, a bathroom cabinet, not on the counter. I don't keep anything on my counter. I can't stand a cluttery counter. I have everything in a Rubbermaid box underneath my sink so it is completely sealed away from any moisture. Same thing with pills and that such. I have all that in a Rubbermaid underneath my counter so moisture can't get to it.

Speaker 1:

Paper items Don't keep. Books, magazines, steam and pages do not work. Wrinkle and mildew Gross, nobody wants that. And pages do not work. Wrinkle and mildew gross, nobody wants that. If you have that, it's not the spa vibe you want. Trust me, get the paper out of there.

Speaker 1:

Jewelry, costume pieces love to tarnish more than you love tarnish. Move them to a dry zone. No more sink side. Sparkle loss Like. Do not keep any jewelry, even good jewelry in your bathroom. Keep the jewelry out of the bathroom. People should not be hanging off your mirror hanging from a shelf.

Speaker 1:

No jewelry in the bathroom. Obviously this is a no brainer. Sentimental items no, no, no. Extra towels no. Don't let them be out where they're a steam trap and they're getting musty and cat furry and all kinds of other things. I know it looks like a spa but it's gross. Don't do it. They just get mildewy and then your guests use them and yuck. My guest towels are cleaned and in the linen closet when company comes. I have two hooks on the back of the door and that's where company towels go when they're sharing our bathroom, because we only have one bathroom. But don't leave extra towels out. You think it looks nice and you think they're not going to be nice when you go to use those gross towels. Don't do it. The bathroom needs to stay clean and dry. People keep things where they just can't get wet. All right.

Speaker 1:

Here's a bonus round, because I care about your shelf space and your emotional shelf life. Tiny bathroom, use vertical space, shelves above the toilet drawer with bins, anything you can to maximum space, minimize chaos. I can't stand any of that. If you want to put that crap in your bathroom, go ahead If you have covered. If you have zero cupboard space, fine. If you have under the sink cupboard space, like I do, I also happen to have this big, huge shelving unit that's with doors on it, that I use. If you can't fit it in that space, you don't need it.

Speaker 1:

That's my opinion. Sorry, harsh reality people, I am a harsh human being. If you come to me for love, forget it. If you come to me for harsh organizing and getting rid of facts, I am a tosser from way back. If it doesn't fit, you don't need it. Okay here, if you can move your makeup to the bedroom where humidity is less, I still don't want to see it out.

Speaker 1:

I hate clutter people. I can't stand it. I really can't. But I do love my listeners and I want you to have a clean space. Clean space, clear head. It'll make you happy.

Speaker 1:

So let's recap. Fall ready, home check, bathroom safe zone, double check. Now do yourself a favor. Pick one tip from each segment that I just gave you and do it today. Set a timer, trash bag in hand, move one thing out of the bathroom and you've officially crossed a line into efficiency, and I will give you a round of applause. I will be happy for you. You know that someone in this world is proud of you. It will be me. Call to action. Snap a pic of your now decluttered fridge or your newly dry, safe bathroom shelf and tag hashtag inside Marcy's mind. I would love to see what you people do when you're out there organizing and cleaning. So whenever you put up a picture on social media or anything you want me to see, hashtag it inside Marcy's mind, because accountability is fun when you're not alone. Next week we tackle closet chaos with the seasonal swap method. Until then, stay quirky, stay tidy and stay you and go out and do something positive in this world.

People on this episode

Head Shot

Marcy Backhus

Host