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StitcherIf you’re in it for the thrill of the hunt, this one’s for you—with a twist. Because this time, you actually get to save more. Ingrid Jensen joins us to talk all about the treasure hiding in your clutter like things you forgot you owned, surprise coupons, and the peace that comes with open space. In this episode, we’re revisiting the magic (and strategy) of decluttering!
You can’t go overnight and change all of the habits that have been ingrained to you.
Sponsors:
- Whistle tones. Described by some as ‘bright, thin, edgy’. And up to 2 octaves higher than normal singing range. Kinda like our book ‘Buy What You Love Without Going Broke’ – it’s got a bright cover, it’s thin (meaning it’s a short quick, power-packed read), and it’s edgy mostly because we’re women making personal finance education fun. If this sounds like the type of book you need to shed the shame of budgeting and learn new ways to look at and manage money that can last a lifetime then head to buywhatyoulovebook.com.
Ingrid Jansen is one half of the Declutter Hub. She and Lesley Spellman are the UK’s leading authority on decluttering and organising your home.
The Price Of Clutter
Ingrid has worked with many people and has seen the impact that having a lot of clutter can have on their lives and finances. Clutter creates so much chaos in people’s homes that it can affect their overall well-being. While many assume that those with a lot of clutter spend less money, that’s often not the case. In fact, people with clutter tend to spend more money because they often can’t find what they need in the chaos.
Changing Lives With Decluttering
One of the members of Ingrid’s Declutter Hub decided to follow the process and plan of decluttering they shared. The last tip in the process is you have to do your paperworkㅡyou don’t start with it because it can be difficult. You have to have the other areas in your house under your control before you deal with the paperwork, and this member did. She found her insurance documents, such as for her car and home. While doing so, she compared car insurance prices and saved £450. There are so many amazing things we can unravel in decluttering!
Baby Steps to Declutter
Start small. You need to start somewhere easier, and usually, the kitchen is a more accessible place to start because you already have plenty of cupboards for you to utilize. Then, use what you have by gathering all your things or supplies and see what you already have. It’s incredible when we realize how much of the stuff we buy we already have. Start shopping from home as it creates awareness, which will help change your clutter mindset.
Declutter. Organize. Storage.
Social media bombards us with these aesthetically pleasing organizing videos with beautiful storage but Ingrid is here to tell us that you don’t need to have a lot of spares and storage with engraved labels! Decluttering comes first before organizing then comes the storage. When we see these containers we usually think we should buy them to become organized but it should be the other way around, you have to be super organized to have a beautiful pantry with plenty of storage boxes or containers.
What are the most embarrassing things you've discovered when decluttering?
- Ingrid: Ingrid is thankful that she grew up close to Amsterdam. She has come across some interesting items in her lifetime, including one instance where she opened a bed drawer and thought to herself, “Hmm… that’s not for me!”
- Jill: Jill was used to moving and arranging her things along with it, so one day, she came across one of her middle school journals and she felt embarrassment creep up in her!
- Jen: When Jen was cleaning her packet drawer, she found an open packet that had made the other packets gross.
Get more from Ingrid
Website: The Declutter Hub
Facebook Community: The Declutter Hub Community
Bill of The Week
Thank you Ingrid for sharing your bill about a restaurant chain called ‘Bills’ in the UK!
Thanks so Much for Listening!
Thanks so much for listening. We love love love reading your kind reviews of our book Buy What You Love Without Going Broke and we especially loved this one from:
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A relatable and entertaining way to learn about finance management!
I have been anxiously awaiting the release of this book from my favorite budgeting podcast duo! Jill and Jen have opened my eyes to so many concepts; values-based spending being one of the big ones! I have learned that I can make the space in my life for the things that I truly value. And with a little bit of planning and creativity, I can meet my needs without breaking MY bank! I have learned a lot about the psychology behind what has driven my poor/impulsive spending habits in the past. I don’t feel helpless anymore with the tools I have been given; I feel like I am in control! And as I mentioned before, they make it fun and entertaining. Love this book so much!
If you want to check out our monthly challenge community head to frugalfriendspodcast.com/club to see what challenge we have coming up next.
And keep leaving us reviews on iTunes or Stitcher, and sending the screenshot to reviews@frugalfriendspodcast.com. And don’t forget to share your favorite quote from the episode by using the hashtag #FrugalFriendsNote. 
