Hey there, friend! This week on The Maximized Minimalist Podcast, we’re diving into something I KNOW so many of us deal with—scarcity mindset and emotional spending. And to help us unpack it all, I brought on financial expert and author Brie Sedano. Let me tell you—this convo is packed with golden nuggets that’ll leave you thinking, Wait, how did she get in my head?

We’re talking about why scarcity isn’t just in your mind (spoiler alert: it’s also in your body!), how it triggers some not-so-great spending habits, and what you can do about it. Plus, Brie’s new book, Cash Confident: Practical Money Management for the Modern Woman, is a total game-changer. Think of it as your step-by-step guide to ditching money guilt and building systems that actually work for YOU.

And oh, the stories we share—like, who knew scarcity mindset could show up as hoarding granola bars or buying one more lipstick you’ll never wear? If you’re ready to get real about money without the shame or judgment, this episode is for you.

• Why scarcity mindset isn’t just in your head—and how it hijacks your decision-making.
• The surprising connection between emotional spending and self-worth.
• Why you don’t need a budget (yes, really) and what to do instead.
• How to tune into your body’s cues to avoid WTF money moves.
• The secret to letting go of money guilt—and actually enjoying what you buy.

• Brie’s New Book: Cash Confident: Practical Money Management for the Modern Woman
• Clutter-Free Gift Guide 🎁: Ready to simplify your gift-giving this holiday season? Grab my guide for just $3!
• 75 Things to Declutter (Free Guide): Need a quick win? Download my free guide for fast results!
• 14-Day Challenge: Ready to tackle clutter? Join my next challenge and transform your space!
• Home Management Blueprint: Get a personalized plan tailored to YOU! Start here.
• Follow Me on Instagram: Let’s connect! Follow me for tips and inspo.

Ever feel like your holiday traditions have turned into just another to-do list? In this episode, I’m sharing how I learned to let go of "perfect" traditions and embrace a simpler, more joyful way of celebrating. Through a little (messy) cookie-baking memory, I realized that the magic of traditions isn’t in getting every detail just right – it’s in the laughter, the connection, and making memories that feel real.

Tune in as we reframe holiday traditions to focus on what truly brings joy and connection, minus the stress. I’ll walk you through a quick exercise to help you decide if your traditions still fit your family, and I’ll share fresh ideas to make your holiday season meaningful without all the fuss. Whether you’re ready to tweak an old favorite or are curious about adding something new, this episode will help you keep the season fun, cozy, and all about togetherness.

In This Episode, You’ll Discover:

• How to assess if your traditions still fit or if it’s time for a refresh
• Why letting go of ‘perfect’ can bring more joy to the season
• Simple ways to make the season special, memorable, and low-stress

So grab a cozy spot and join me for some inspiration to simplify, savor, and truly enjoy the season with the ones you love most.

Mentioned in This Episode:

Breathe easy this holiday season! 🌬️ Ready to create a cozy, fresh space without the stuffy air? My go-to AirDoctor Air Purifier has you covered! It’s like a deep clean for your home’s air – filtering out all those pesky pollutants. Use promo code ‘MAX’ at airdoctorpro.com for up to $300 off and enjoy a healthier home with an extra 3-year warranty.

The holiday season is here – and with it, the stress that can sneak up when we’re trying to make everything magical. In this episode, I’m bringing back parenting expert Caley Kukla to chat all things holiday sanity. If you’re already feeling the overwhelm of balancing family traditions, schedules, and self-care that actually helps, this one’s for you. We’re diving into how to stay grounded, how to make holiday moments meaningful (not perfect), and why multitasking is a myth. Let’s keep the holidays simple, joyful, and – dare I say it – peaceful.

Here’s What We Get Into:

• "One Thing" Practice 🎯: Caley shares her “one thing” approach to help us all slow down the holiday chaos and reduce that never-ending to-do list anxiety.
• Real Self-Care, Not Just Bubble Baths 🛁: We go beyond the usual self-care tips and talk about meeting our core needs (think: food, rest, and yes, remembering to go to the bathroom!).
• Tradition Tweaks 🎉: I share my own story of learning to let go of a “perfect” holiday tradition when it wasn’t clicking with my kids. Caley and I chat about ways to keep traditions meaningful and intentional, even if they look a little different.
• Overcoming Overwhelm 💆‍♀️: We talk about why tuning into our own needs first can transform family gatherings, make us less reactive, and help us show up as the calm, connected parents we want to be.

Memorable Moments:

• My Tree Decorating Reality Check: I share the story of my high hopes for a picture-perfect tree-decorating night…and how it actually went down when my kids weren’t exactly on board.
• Caley’s “Gruffalo Crumble” Tradition: Caley shares her heartwarming story about turning a nostalgic family dish into a holiday staple with a kid-friendly twist.
• “Rhythm Over Routine” for the Holidays: Caley’s advice on balancing holiday busyness with downtime so you and the family stay refreshed (instead of frazzled).

Your Holiday Takeaway:
This episode is packed with insights you can use today – like creating a “stress-release list” to stay grounded, and taking just a few minutes to meet your own basic needs during a busy day. The holidays don’t have to be chaotic. Let’s make them exactly what we want them to be – simple, intentional, and full of moments that matter.

Links & Resources Mentioned:

• Clutter-Free Gift Guide 🎁: Tired of the holiday gift pile-up? Check out my guide with 75+ clutter-free gift ideas and a bonus gift calendar to stay organized! Get it here for just $3.
• Follow Caley: Connect with Caley on Instagram for more insights on intentional parenting and self-care – and hear about her upcoming community for parents!

Ready to get your hygge on? (Don’t worry, I’ll help you pronounce it.) In today’s episode, we’re diving into what hygge—you know, that cozy, calm, peaceful vibe you’re craving—really means. Spoiler: It’s not about loading up on overpriced blankets and candles. It’s about connection, simplicity, and creating a home that feels good to live in.

We’ll cover:

• The biggest misconception about hygge (hint: it’s NOT a decor trend).
• How to make your home cozy without buying more stuff.
• The power of creating a calming atmosphere with what you already have.
• Why it’s all about connection—whether it’s a family dinner or a simple chat over tea.

And listen, while you’re transforming your home into a hygge haven, don’t forget about the air you’re breathing! Clean air = a cozier, healthier space. That’s why I use the Air Doctor air purifier, and guess what? Podcast listeners get UP TO $300 off. Just head to airdoctorpro.com and use promo code MAX for the discount. Plus, you’ll get a free 3-year warranty. Boom!

Grab your coffee, tea, or (if you’re feeling fancy) your favorite candle, and let’s make your home the ultimate cozy retreat. And don’t forget to DM me on Instagram with your hygge wins after the show!

Want cleaner air? Go to airdoctorpro.com and use promo code MAX to get up to $300 off plus a free 3-year warranty. Your lungs will thank you.

Get FAST Results With My Free Guide: 75 Things to Declutter! Ready to kickstart your decluttering journey? Download my free guide for quick wins that make a big impact. Download now.

Join My Next 14-Day Challenge! Need a little extra motivation? Join our upcoming 14-day challenge to tackle clutter together and transform your space. Sign up here.

Work 1-1 With Me: Looking for personalized support? Let’s work together one-on-one to create the clutter-free life you’ve been dreaming of. Learn more.

Get Your Personalized Home Management Blueprint! Want a plan tailored just for you? Get your personalized blueprint for managing your home efficiently. Get started.

Connect with Me on Instagram! Follow me for daily tips, inspiration, and behind-the-scenes peeks at my life. Let’s connect! Follow me on Instagram.

Think January is the only time to tackle that clutter? Nah. Let’s bust that myth wide open. Waiting until the new year might sound cute, but spoiler alert: it’s actually setting you up for more mess and more stress.

In this episode, we’re talking about why right now is the best time to start decluttering. Not January, not “when things calm down”—but today. You’ll learn why waiting just piles on more clutter (thanks, holiday gifts), why starting small makes a big difference, and how a few simple changes can keep you from drowning in stuff before the year even ends.

What you’ll hear:

• Why waiting until January might be the worst decluttering advice ever.
• Easy, no-pressure ways to declutter while you go about your day (spoiler: you’re probably already doing it).
• The genius trick that makes letting go of stuff feel like zero effort.
• How to set up your home so clutter doesn’t sneak back in. Ever.

Stop letting future-you handle everything. Present-you can totally handle a little decluttering right now, and trust me—you’ll feel a whole lot lighter going into the holidays.

Hit play to find out how to start decluttering TODAY, without breaking a sweat.

Get FAST Results With My Free Guide: 75 Things to Declutter! Ready to kickstart your decluttering journey? Download my free guide for quick wins that make a big impact. Download now.

Join My Next 14-Day Challenge! Need a little extra motivation? Join our upcoming 14-day challenge to tackle clutter together and transform your space. Sign up here.

Work 1-1 With Me: Looking for personalized support? Let’s work together one-on-one to create the clutter-free life you’ve been dreaming of. Learn more.

Get Your Personalized Home Management Blueprint! Want a plan tailored just for you? Get your personalized blueprint for managing your home efficiently. Get started.

Connect with Me on Instagram! Follow me for daily tips, inspiration, and behind-the-scenes peeks at my life. Let’s connect! Follow me on Instagram.

Are you ready to reclaim your craft room and turn it from a dreaded ‘doom room’ into a space that sparks joy and creativity? In this episode, I dive deep into why our creative spaces often feel overwhelming and what we can do to change that. Inspired by a listener's heartfelt question, we’re exploring the emotional attachments and mindset traps that clutter our craft rooms—and our minds.

What You’ll Learn:

• The Top 5 Reasons Craft Rooms Become 'Doom Rooms'—including emotional attachments, inconsistent use, and the ‘I might need this’ mentality.
• How to identify and overcome the beliefs that may be cluttering your space and holding you back creatively.
• Reflective questions to help you decide what stays, what goes, and how to make room for creativity in your life right now.

If you’ve ever felt torn between holding onto past projects and making space for the new, you’re not alone. We’ll unpack the root causes behind this struggle and offer solutions to help you transform your space into one that truly serves you.

In This Episode, We Discuss:

• Why unlimited possibilities and limited time create chaos in your creative space.
• How emotional attachment to craft supplies might be stalling your creativity.
• The role of sentimental items in cluttering both your craft room and your mind.
• Practical steps to shift your mindset and declutter both physically and emotionally.

Don’t miss my exclusive Declutter Your Craft Room masterclass, available only to Clutter Cure Club members. In this step-by-step guide, I’ll help you reclaim your space and creativity with actionable tips and strategies. Not a member yet? Join today and get access to the masterclass!

Let’s Simplify: Ready, set, simplify—and remember, your creativity isn’t defined by how much stuff you have, but by the joy you find in the process.

🍂 Fall is here, and while it might feel like the calm before the holiday storm, we both know what’s coming—endless to-do lists, gift-giving pressures, and the kind of clutter that sneaks up on you when you least expect it. But this year? We’re getting ahead of the chaos.

In today’s episode, I’m spilling the tea on how to mentally and physically prepare for the holidays, so you can avoid those pesky clutter traps that love to trip us up. We’ll talk mindset shifts, how to set boundaries with your holiday spending, and why you don’t need to say “yes” to every single holiday tradition (or sales pitch) that comes your way.

Trust me, you don’t have to buy into the holiday hype to make it magical. Instead, let’s focus on what truly matters to you this season and create a home—and a headspace—that feels light, calm, and clutter-free.

Key Takeaways:

• Ditch the Holiday Perfection: Forget the pressure to have everything just right. The holidays should be about what you value, not about meeting someone else’s expectations.
• Mental Clutter Is Real: Before the season ramps up, let’s clear out those unrealistic expectations and focus on what really makes the holidays special for you.
• Be Intentional with Your Stuff: Businesses are experts at making you feel like you need more to have the perfect holiday. Spoiler alert: you don’t. Set boundaries on what you bring into your home.
• Small Steps, Big Impact: Start with a little pre-holiday decluttering—just the hotspots like your kitchen or entryway. You’ll thank yourself later when things get busy.

Mentioned in This Episode:

• Mindset Shift: It’s not about having the “perfect” holiday—it’s about having one that’s meaningful to you.
• Practical Tips: Create a gift-giving plan, say no to unnecessary commitments, and do a mini-declutter now to make room for the good stuff.

Join the Conversation:

Loved this episode? Share it with a friend who could use a little help avoiding the holiday clutter traps. And don’t forget to subscribe so you never miss out on more tips to keep your home and mind clutter-free!

Get Ahead of the Holiday Clutter:

Grab my FREE guide 75 Things to Declutter Today and start clearing space for what really matters this holiday season.

Stay Connected:

• Follow me on Instagram for more decluttering wisdom and behind-the-scenes fun.
• Subscribe to the podcast on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, or wherever you tune in for your weekly dose of calm.
• Leave a review if this episode gave you a little “aha!” moment—I’d love to hear from you!