It’s never fun to get a call saying you have to tear down something you spent an entire weekend building. That’s exactly what happened with our beach house bunk beds, so this week we’re sharing the behind-the-scenes story and the solution we landed on. We also talk with Matt Paxton, one of the extreme-cleaning experts from A&E’s Hoarders, who explains why hoarding happens, how to support someone who struggles with it, and the practical habits he uses to keep his own home organized. Sherry explores some new “woo-woo” topics, I’m excited about a non-power tool that’s become indispensable, and our family keeps laughing at a recent game show discovery.
You can download this episode from Apple Podcasts, Google Play, Stitcher, TuneIn Radio, and Spotify — or listen to it with the embedded player below. Use this page to find links, notes, and photos we referenced. Note: If you’re reading in a feed reader, you might need to click through to the post to see the player.
What’s New
- The photo above isn’t the new window (the new window looks very similar with the blinds down), but this older picture helps show the type of window we’re discussing. It wasn’t obviously small, which is why it slipped past everyone until the last minute.
- If you want step-by-step details on how we built the bunk beds, we published a full tutorial about the build a few weeks ago.
- For more on our interactions with the historic review board and the duplex renovation hurdles, we covered those challenges in a separate post and discussed updates in podcast Episode #83.
- Sherry’s interview on The Lively Show is available if you’d like to hear more from her perspective.
Matt Paxton, Extreme Cleaning Expert from Hoarders
- Matt now helps families clear and organize homes through his services at LegacyNavigator, and he also authored a book that explores the lives of people who hoard.
- Below we included a highlights reel of memorable moments from Matt’s time on Hoarders if you want a quick look at the kinds of extreme situations he has worked with.
- Hoarding is a complex mental health condition that requires more than just cleaning to resolve. If you or someone you know needs help, the Hoarders team and related organizations provide treatment resources and guidance.
- If you enjoyed this topic and want more cleaning and organizing advice in podcast form, check these past episodes:
- Episode #60: Game-Changing Organization Tips From The Pros (featuring The Home Edit)
- Episode #48: The Not-So-Peachy Parts Of Our Beach House Renovation (featuring Clean Mama)
- Episode #39: How To Make Cleaning Suck A Little Less (featuring Melissa Maker of Clean My Space)
We’re Digging
- Those are my bar clamps in action from a floating-shelf project. They also played a key role in the bunk bed build.
- The clamps I use most are the 12″ Irwin bar clamps in a four-pack — an affordable, reliable option for many DIY projects.
- I also own a different style of Irwin clamps that I use less often, but they’re handy to have around.
- Our family has been obsessed with Ellen’s Game of Games lately; if you’re curious what it’s like, we included a show trailer so you can get a feel for the format.
If you’re trying to find something we discussed in a past episode but can’t remember which show notes to open, we keep a master list of topics and “we’re digging” picks from all our episodes to make searching easier.
Finally, a big thanks to West Elm for sponsoring this episode. They’re marking International Women’s Day with in-store events and a special bag that donates $5 to Girl Up, a U.N.-aligned charity that supports gender equality. West Elm regularly supports women through initiatives and events — check your local store for details and to RSVP for upcoming celebrations.
Thanks for listening!
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