108: Avoid Clutter by Developing Personal Preferences with Courtney Florey

108: Avoid Clutter by Developing Personal Preferences with Courtney Florey

Author: Cloud10 October 28, 2025 Duration: 44:25
Do we even realize that we're creating a life based on what other people like, instead of our own preferences? I loved this casual, relatable conversation with Courtney Florey of Declutter & Dwell to explore a surprisingly powerful way to prevent clutter before it starts: Getting clear on your personal preferences. Together, we unpack: Why developing contentment is key to simplifying your home and your habits Practical actions to uncover what you truly love (beyond trends or what others say you “should” like) How knowing your preferences helps you make confident decisions when shopping or decorating My somewhat embarrassing story of subconsciously making purchases to impress the internet—and how cutting back on sharing my family revealed this underlying motivation This episode is a reminder that a clutter-free home doesn’t just come from organizing better—it starts with knowing yourself better. Paring Down Instagram: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠@paring_down⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ Paring Down Newsletter: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠The L.E.S.S. Express⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Paring Down Blog⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Paring Down YouTube⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ COURTNEY FLOREY Instagram:⁠⁠ ⁠@declutteranddwell ⁠⁠ PARING DOWN RESOURCES: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Free Decluttering Checklist⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ ⁠⁠⁠⁠10 Life-Changing Decluttering Hacks (free)⁠⁠⁠⁠ ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Treasures of the Heart: A 7-Day Bible Study on Breaking Free from Material Attachments (free)⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Free 15 Clutter-Free Gift Ideas⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Free Gift Request Email Template⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Free Know Your Why Worksheet ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Complete Guide to Decluttering Kid Stuff⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ SPONSORS: 20% OFF any AquaTru water purifier when you go to ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠AquaTru.com⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ and use promo code PARING Convenient therapy that’s covered by insurance: ⁠⁠Rula.com/PARING⁠⁠ 20% off Longevity Mitopure Gummies for Urolithin A at ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠timeline.com/PARING ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ 15% off sitewide plus a $40 bonus gift when you subscribe to Prolon’s 5-Day Fasting Mimicking Diet. *remember this is for metabolic health, not simply a weight loss hack*: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠prolonlife.com/paring⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ Ethical, luxury women's clothing at ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Quince.com/paring⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ for 365-day returns, plus free shipping on your order! High-quality, eco-friendly activewear at ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠fabletics.com/PARING⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ - sign up as a VIP and get 80% off everything. 10 Free Meals from Hello Fresh:⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠www.hellofresh.com/paring10fm⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ $300 off Air Doctor Pro air purifier:⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ https://airdoctorpro.com/ -⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ Use code PARING Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Paring Down: Realistic minimalism, decluttering, & intentional living is for anyone who feels overwhelmed by their possessions but finds the idea of an empty, stark home equally daunting. Host Shannon Leyko approaches these conversations with the warmth and directness of a close friend, focusing on the mental shifts needed to let go of clutter without adopting an all-or-nothing philosophy. Each episode feels like a supportive chat that acknowledges the emotional weight of our things, whether it's a crowded garage, an overstuffed closet, or a schedule packed with obligations. The discussions move beyond simple organizing tricks to explore a more intentional way of living that can create space-both physically and mentally. Leyko brings in a range of voices, from well-known authors to people navigating everyday challenges, all sharing actionable advice and perspective. This podcast digs into the real reasons we hold on to stuff and how to cultivate a home environment that genuinely serves you. It’s a practical guide for making incremental, sustainable changes that reduce stress, not a rigid doctrine to follow. You’ll find a balanced, compassionate take on creating calm in your living space and your daily routines through realistic steps.
Author: Language: English Episodes: 144

Paring Down: Realistic minimalism, decluttering, & intentional living
Podcast Episodes
82: The Sweet Spot Between Beauty & Function with Whitney English [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 50:14
We often think that minimalism looks one way: white, neutral, & bare as possible. The truth is that minimalism simply means choosing only what's truly important and essential to each of us, personally, and letting those…
81: The Art of Making Friends & How it Helps Us Declutter [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 46:25
Does it sometimes feel impossible to make real friends in adulthood? And what does that have to do with paring down our lives? As a military wife, I have to build a new community for our family every three years. And I'v…
80: Be Rich in What Matters with Julia Ubbenga [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 48:05
When you slow down and consider your life, do you feel rich in what matters? Today's guest, Julia Ubbenga, found herself asking that question years ago, which has led to her influencing thousands of other women to do the…
79: Decluttering Before You Move (or Mock Move) [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 41:03
There's no motivation to declutter quite like relocating! But where should we start? In this episode I break down why we should declutter before we move, and 10 categories to focus on in order to avoid taking clutter wit…
78: Addressing the Mental Load of Clutter with Dr. Morgan Cutlip [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 1:10:05
"What if our partner says they'll do something, but they don't follow through?" "How do we get our partners to care about all the details of home/family management?" These are just two of the questions I ask relationship…
77: What If I End Up Needing What I've Decluttered? [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 42:26
What-if items tend to be the biggest culprits of clutter! We are worried we'll need it some day, so we hold on just in case. In this episode, I walk through 5 helpful ways to combat this battle with "what-if??" so that w…
76: Is Celebrity Self-Help Advice Useful? with Jim Oliver [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 59:16
Introducing my brother, Jim Oliver!! We talk about losing our mom 12 years ago, and what that has meant for both of us in terms of living our lives with clear intention - even though that intentionality looks different b…
75: Minimalism Hot Takes [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 46:31
The beautiful part about intentional living is that we get to decide what resonates with us and what doesn't. Not all advice is for everyone, and that's A-okay. In that spirit, there seem to be some generally-accepted vi…
73: Avoiding Vacation Clutter: Souvenirs & Vacay Wardrobe [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 40:30
Spring Break is right around the corner, and it's very tempting to buy new wardrobes for vacation or bring home plenty of souvenirs. (Especially if it means avoiding a toddler breakdown in the middle of public.) So let's…