Why Decluttering Triggers Headaches and How to Stop Them

Well, you’ve found them: the show notes for Episode #3 of Young House Love Has A Podcast. In this episode, designer Sarah Richardson shares one of her biggest makeover mistakes, which sparks a conversation about a design fail we’ve made more than once. We also talk about strategies for keeping our house organized, and review research on why decluttering can give you a headache. Plus: greener mornings, updates to our framing choices, and a quiz about the many spinoffs of a popular design show.

You can find this episode on iTunes, Google Play, Stitcher and TuneIn Radio — or play it below. Use this page to review the links, notes, and photos we referenced during the show.

What’s New

Podcast003Smoothie

  • Our preferred blender for green smoothies: the Nutri Ninja Pro.
  • Here’s the kids’ smoothie recipe we mentioned:
    • Three green ice cubes (spinach, kale, and water blended and frozen)
    • 1 frozen peach slice
    • A few frozen pineapple pieces
    • A few frozen mango chunks
    • 1 whole banana (not frozen)
    • A big spoonful of plain Greek yogurt
    • A splash of orange juice or almond milk
    • Occasionally a spoonful of chia seeds
    • Tip: Thaw frozen ingredients a bit before blending to avoid chunkiness.
  • Here’s the version we make for ourselves:
    • Three green ice cubes (spinach, kale, and water blended and frozen)
    • Frozen green apple chunks (prepared and frozen ahead)
    • Cucumber chunks (fresh or frozen)
    • 1 whole banana (not frozen)
    • Two or three spoonfuls of plain Greek yogurt
    • A few basil and mint leaves
    • A splash of orange juice, almond milk, or water
    • Optional: chia seeds and a small scoop of protein powder

Voicemail from Sarah Richardson

  • It was a huge honor to hear from Sarah Richardson. We’re hopeful her upcoming show will air in the U.S. soon. Her website features fabrics she designed with Kravet Collections and a line of home textiles, and her second book, At Home Sarah Style, is available via major retailers.

Design Mistakes

  • Our infamous green curtains have appeared in several rooms. One version was used in a previous master bedroom and another appeared in a nursery before we replaced them.
  • Other green-related missteps included:
    • A fuzzy green rug in our old living room that we later replaced with a better green rug now used in our bedroom
    • Dining chairs that briefly had green upholstery before being swapped out
    • An attempt to paint a powder room vanity green that was quickly repainted
  • On the flip side, green pieces we love include:
    • A chippy old buffet now in our current dining room
    • A bold green vanity from a past showhouse

What’s Not

  • We referenced the many spinoffs of House Hunters and noted a comprehensive list exists outlining all the variations of that series.

Clutter Discussion

  • We discussed how clutter affects the brain and practical steps to address it, including the concept of “clutter blindness” and strategies to overcome it.

We’re Digging

Podcast003Planter

  • The planter shown is a non-white option found at HomeGoods; we also mentioned other styles we’ve been eyeing.
  • We mixed birch and silver frames into our living room gallery wall and discussed the dark frames in our master bedroom.

Looking for something we highlighted in a past episode? Here’s a master list of items we’ve been digging across all episodes.

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