96: How to Make Your Home Feel Warm & Welcoming with Etiquette Coach, Alison Cheperdak

96: How to Make Your Home Feel Warm & Welcoming with Etiquette Coach, Alison Cheperdak

Author: Cloud10 August 5, 2025 Duration: 49:05
In this episode of Paring Down, I’m joined by etiquette coach Alison Cheperdak to talk about how to create a home that feels warm, inviting, and deeply welcoming, which includes motivation to declutter (without going overboard!), as well as emotionally intelligent ways to create personal connection. She lets us know: What to do if someone gives you a gift you don’t love (without feeling rude) The one thing you can do that instantly makes guests feel welcome the second they walk through the door The best way to ask guests to leave at the end of the night without outright asking them If you want to become more hospitable without worrying so much about if your home is good enough, you'll get a ton out of this episode! PARING DOWN (SHANNON LEYKO): Sign up for my newsletter! ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠The L.E.S.S. Express⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ Website: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠www.shannonleyko.com⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ Instagram: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠@shannonleyko⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ TikTok: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠@shannon_leyko⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ Youtube: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://www.youtube.com/@shannonleyko⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ Facebook: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠www.facebook.com/shannonleyko.paringdown⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ Substack: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Blog & Additional Support (free trial!)⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ ALISON CHEPERDAK Instagram: @elevateetiquette YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@elevateetiquette Website: elevateettiquite.com MENTIONED IN TODAY'S EPISODE Ep 48: How to Declutter Books as a Book Lover PARING DOWN RESOURCES: ⁠⁠⁠Free Decluttering Checklist⁠⁠⁠ ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Treasures of the Heart: A 7-Day Bible Study on Breaking Free from Material Attachments (free)⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Complete Guide to Decluttering Kid Stuff⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Free 15 Clutter-Free Gift Ideas⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Free Gift Request Email Template⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Free Know Your Why Worksheet ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ SPONSORS: Ethical, luxury women's clothing at ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Quince.com/paring⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ for 365-day returns, plus free shipping on your order! 10 Free Meals from Hello Fresh:⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠www.hellofresh.com/paring10fm⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ $15/month 5G wireless with Mint Mobile: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠www.mintmobile.com/paring⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ 20% off chic, soft closet staples from Splendid:⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ https://splendid.com/ ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠- use code PARING at checkout For Hers Hair Growth: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://www.forhers.com/paring⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ 15% off all Lume products like aluminum-free deodorant at ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠lumedeodorant.com⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠- use code PARING Only $1.99 per meal with EveryPlate meal service - code paring199: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠www.everyplate.com/podcast⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ 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: 100

Paring Down: Realistic minimalism, decluttering, & intentional living
Podcast Episodes
165: The 15 Best Questions to Ask Yourself to Make Decluttering Easy [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 49:02
It's much easier to declutter when we filter our choices through certain questions, so I've compiled the best 15 questions to ask yourself when decluttering. Some are famous ("Does this spark joy?") and some are recent v…
158: Burn It All Energy, How to Write a Book, & Bad Dogs [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 14:41
Here's what you'll find in this week's mini episode, a.k.a. Chai Chat! I answer: 1. How do I channel the burn it all energy into something useful? 2. Any advice on how to go from dreaming about writing a book to actually…