It’s the halfway point of the year, and we’re recapping our Fix It or Free It progress from January through June. In this mid-year check-in, we share what was fixed, what was let go, and what those small choices taught us. We also answer five of the most common questions we’ve seen from listeners and readers this year from how to start when you’re overwhelmed to what to do with inherited items that don’t feel like “you.”
This episode is all about reflecting on what’s working, where you feel stuck, and how to move forward with clarity and compassion.
In this episode we talk about:
- The six-month recap of our 2025 Fix It or Free It challenge
- How to start decluttering when everything feels overwhelming
- Scripts and mindset tips for helping loved ones without pressure
Mentioned in this episode:
- Our Fix It or Free It monthly challenge from January to June
- The Pomodoro method and 15-minute organizing sprints
- Tools for navigating inherited belongings and family dynamics
Review full show notes and resources at https://theorganizedflamingo.com/podcast
Review Transcript:
Hey friends. Welcome back to Organiz and Cherish. I'm Stephanie, your host, and today's episode is a midyear check-in because can you believe we're halfway through 2025 already? If it's past 2025 and you're listening to this, most of what I'm talking about today still applies. I try to make all of our episodes as long as standing as possible, so this should still stand true, most of it, hopefully.
I'm also talking and giving you an update about my fix it or free It challenge that I started here in 2025. Again, still applies no matter when you listen to this. It is a challenge that I started at the beginning of the year where I would finally either fix the stuff that I have been avoiding. Or I just put in a pile to fix later or finally let it go.
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So that's what we're doing today. Quick lip check, check in some updates, and all that fun stuff that comes with our topics of organizing, decluttering, and downsizing. So. Here we go.
Welcome to the Organized and Cherish podcast with the organized Flamingo. I am your host Stephanie, your compassionate and deficient professional organizer. Whether you are part of the sandwich generation helping a loved one declutter, or just trying to simplify life, this is the place for you. Together we will tackle those overwhelming piles of stuff, uncover purpose in what we keep, and let go with dignity and care, because it's not just about throwing everything away, it's about respecting memories and simplifying life.
Sound like a plan? Let's jump in and get organized. Okay, so whether you've made tons of progress this year or you're just check, you know, just like trying to catch your breath. This is a great episode because today what we're doing is we're just doing this quick recap. I'm going to answer, well, I'm going to answer some q and a from all of you.
Um, but I'm also going to ask you things for you to start considering now that we're halfway through the year now. We do work a little bit in that, in that calendar year, calendar, outline, and timeline here at the organized Domingo, just because January, December is so much easier to keep track of. You can start your organizing and decluttering journey whenever you would like.
This could be your start right now. So if you are listening to this and you're thinking, well, you said midyear, I just mean midway through what traditionally would be a calendar year, but if this is the start of your progress, this is also a great episode for that topic. You just probably will be using today's information in today's questions that I have for you.
More as a reminder to check in with yourself as you continue the process and progress. But there is no perfect time to be starting any type of decluttering process. It's just happens to be that this is the midyear. So this is a good time for us to catch up. Some of the questions I have, um, for you, I'm intertwining in today's episode.
Okay? So it's usually what in very common organized person, um, with an outline fashion. I normally have an outline for you and I tell you what's coming here in the episode, but for today what I'm doing is I'm doing a quick recap of the fix it or free it, but then intertwined are some of the questions I want you to ask yourself.
If you are doing this mid-year, check-in with me. And so I'm not necessarily giving you like top 10 questions to ask. It's just intertwined in the episode today. And then after that, I will be answering from your emails and your social media questions that you asked me, and I'm gonna give you some of the top questions I've been getting and answering some that are very specific to some of you that, um, send me a message.
Okay, so first things first, let's talk about the fix it or free it recap and what I did for June. The quick recap is that it's a personal challenge to either repair or release one item per month, right? Like I mentioned. So I was really tired at the end of last year of looking at this bin that I had. Of stuff that I said I would fix.
So I would finally patch. I would finally tape together or glue it together or go get it fixed, go get it turned into this majestic dress I always said I would turn into, or like whatever, whatever reason I saved that item to save it for like to do something else with it. I would finally decide if it was a small and quick fix, could I do it myself?
Should I outsource it? Was it worth it? And just really clear that out. Instead of overwhelming myself by making all of those decisions all at once, I decided that. I would take one challenge every month. So it's 12 total things. Some big, some small, I'm alternating, I'm, I am changing it up a little bit.
Some, some of them are jewelry and clothing, personal items, et cetera. So, so far in January, I replaced the ripped handles on my favorite work bag. It was a quick, satisfying thing that I did. I ordered them online and it made me use it again, like I've been using my work bag again. It had been a couple years.
I wish I would've done this sooner. It was such an easy order. I, yeah, it was quick and easy, and now I'm using it. So that was at February. I took a dress that I was not wearing, and I had it tailored into a skirt because I really liked the skirt part of the dress, but the top was just not giving me 20, 25 vibes that I wanted.
Uh, it had done its purpose. I actually wore this dress so many times. I have so many pictures with this dress between probably the last two years. Between me overdoing it because I do have a capsule wardrobe, so I keep some of those favorites all the time. But unlike black, you know, when you do wear more vibrant colors or specific colors, then it stands out even more where like, I can't just wear, I'm, it's, I'm not saying I can't, but.
All the pictures really stood out. The ones that I was wearing this exact same dress versus if I was wearing like a black dress, most, you know, you couldn't really tell like, what if I was wearing it every single time or not. Anyway, so, but I loved the bottom of it, so I wanted to keep it as a skirt. So finally I took it to a tailor.
And a seamstress and how it fits, and it's something that I wanna wear. I'm not tired of it. And it was great. Loved it, loved the experience. Uh, I recapped that in the episode, so you'll just have to go to the, that episode. And I talked about how much it cost and the effort and all of that. Uh, March I decluttered the, that drawer because now that I was, I did it for two months.
I started to get the hang of, or feeling more confident, I should say. About making decisions to either keep or throw away that fix it pile. Um, so I made really clear choices about what I wanted to carry forward and try to fix and let go of the rest. So that was March. Then in April, I fixed the squeaky wheel, a squeaky slash broken wheel on a mini office cart that I have in in my office.
It works like a charm. Again, it rolls again. It was just one of those, like, it was getting stuck everywhere. One of the, and then the other one was all wobbly and needed to be tightened. So I finally did it. It was, oh, it just felt so silly to have waited this long, by the way. Um, so I did that in April, in May, I untangled a big mess of jewelry chains and then I fixed two necklaces.
I think it was two necklaces and donated and tossed the rest. That was just a big pile. Like if I didn't see that it was, you know, a, um, a precious metal or gemstone that I wanted to keep worth anything, then I threw it away. I know donated, I actually didn't have a lot of fun donated type of items, you know, like, uh, chunky necklaces or something that maybe kids would wear or maybe a theater group would want or someone else it that aligns with that fashion statement.
Right. Um, I didn't have too many of those, uh, this time, so most of 'em did end up in the trash. Okay. Um, June's fix was not glamorous. Um, it just felt like there was just a lot of like that little tiny, like getting rid of the knots on the necklaces type of work. Um, but I'm glad I did it. So that was that, and that was the point.
There is one necklace in there actually that I forgot, uh, after I recorded that update back in, I think that a couple weeks ago that I decided to. So I am going to take it in to do something else with it. So I don't know what, I just want it to be like a different gemstone, and so I will make a decision by the end of the year if I really do go and update it or if I, you know, or if I finally let it go.
Uh, all right, for July, I will give you the update next month. So I haven't actually picked what I will be, I'm between two things that I wanna fix. So I'll keep you posted for next month. Next up, we've got our common questions that we have been getting lately or have seen a trend about. And I'm answering those for you.
So let's shift into the, um, that part of the episode. Real questions we've seen from people just like you, and whether you're organizing for yourself or helping someone else, these things come up again and again. So we're gonna walk through them with a little perspective and, uh, answer the ones that you did send me.
So here we go. Hi, cherish friends. Life can get overwhelming, especially when you're juggling caregiving, clutter and everything in between. That's why I created the Organized and Cherish weekly email that goes out every Wednesday straight to your inbox. To help you keep the momentum inspiration going with tips and reminders of our upcoming events, all you have to do is head on over to organize and cherish.com and sign up for the email newsletter.
It's free and you can up subscribe whenever you'd like. It's my way of helping you simplify your life and respecting memories along the way. Now back to our show. One of the top questions that I received was, how do I help my loved ones declutter without starting a fight? Big one. Big, big question. This question probably has been the top question for a while though.
Um, so not just new to 2025. The quick answer here is to remember that this is their stuff and not yours. Now it depends if they are able to be part of the process versus if they are not. So like if there's, you know, some hospitalization or they're not able to be part of the process for some way, for some reason.
Obviously that is a different answer and I would have to know the specifics of that. But if they are part of the process and they are of sound and mind and they're able to be, to be there with you and you're able to be there together, my immediate reminder. Which is a very important one, is that it's their stuff and their memories and not yours, with the very important note that you may be inheriting, inheriting, and taking on all of this responsibility and stuff.
So it will become your soon. So you are worried and rightfully so, but as you are helping these people and your loved ones, just keep that in mind. So knowing that. Let's focus on what is not their trigger point. Like what? What are things that allow you to stand back and have them drive the conversation and them drive the actions of the decluttering process?
If they asked you to be an active participant in the process, meaning. They said, I need you to help me throw away stuff. That's a different story. Okay. Because now they're giving you the green light, but, but they took charge and they asked for help, and they're giving you the permission to get rid of stuff, whether it's thrown away, whether you're selling it, whether you're donating it.
But if they have not said that magical phrase and word, then you need to still kind of stand back and you're a passenger in this journey and in this car ride. Okay. A couple of suggestions of what you could say. So instead of jumping in with the, well, we need to clean this out, especially if they, they did not initiate it, you're initiating it right.
Try starting with a smaller offer, like something smaller that you're suggesting. So something along the lines of, would it help if we looked through one box together? Hey dad, I know you are, you are a huge, you know, train collector. Oh my gosh. I love your trains. And I know we, we come and look at 'em every time we're here.
But look, I'm wondering if you'd like to start. Figuring out what you want to keep long term for versus what you would like to let go of and see what the, what the vibe is. See what the response is. Because here's the thing, if you bring it up and they didn't, that means you are on this journey, not them.
They may want to be there with their stuff until their dying days, sometimes literally. And you making that decision for them is a trigger point. It could be a start of a, of an argument, right? So that's what we're trying to avoid and that's why I'm trying to help you with this question. So I get your predicament.
I, I understand where you're at, but I want you to make sure that you are allowed to take charge. And if you're not, for you to remember that you are a helper, you're a passenger, you're not the primary person driving this, and I want you to allow them to do that. A couple other ways that you can, um, navigate through this or answer this is to say, so something along, along the lines of, um, want some company while you go through the closet.
You know, if they're starting to hint that they're going through stuff, maybe you can say, Hey, you know, if you need company, I'm happy to, to be here to help. Um, sometimes that moves the needle a lot faster than you trying to tell 'em what to do because they just really wanna tell their story. They want to, um, be heard and then let it go.
Another one more suggestion that I have for you is, um, saying something along the lines of, is there anything you've been meaning to sort but haven't had the time? Uh, this is a great question. I, I've actually, I just used it, something along the lines of this, just used it the other day because we were talking about how everything's been so overwhelming and is, you know, client's like, well, I just feel like I just, I have to clean, um, clean all the time.
I just said, Hey, you know, is there something you've been needing to sort, because what with them. We are really just organizing the stuff they have. They're not ready to let go or they thought they were not ready to declutter. So they kind of opened up the conversation a little bit with saying they were overwhelmed.
So I used that opportunity to say, Hey, well if there's ever a time where there's anything you've been meaning to sort but just haven't had the time and you'd like me to be there to speed up the time, or speed up the process, you know, let me know. And they actually took me up on it, and we're starting that process.
So you never know, but again, you are on the driver there. You're not in the driver's seat there. Your role is not to force, it's to create space for them to feel seen and supported. And this is coming from a pro organizer who has dealt with and been with and heard the stories for over 20 years. I mean, a lot of families, a lot of scenarios, a lot of different positions where the fa like the.
The kids are grown and they're busy. They're busy in their lives. There're a lot of them are like, you know, either in traveling all the time for work, overwhelmed family dynamics that are just heavy. They don't want to necessarily be taking on one more thing with their loved ones. And I've also been in the other side with the loved ones and them telling me how they feel.
So I have seen and and been experienced in both, and I can tell you that. The reminder of, of remembering that this is their stuff, their journey, not yours, will take you much further than you trying to force a timeline on them when they're not ready. Of course, you know, parentheses, footnote, understanding that, um, there might be times where you have to hurry them up.
You need to speed up the process. Um, there's, you know, life is happening. We're not talking about that. And if you would like me to answer a specific question when you, if you are dealing with that, just let me know. Okay. Question number two. Where should I start? If everything feels overwhelming? Ooh, this is a good one.
This is an actual direct question, not just like a overall, because some of these questions, what I did is what I, I grouped them together and I'm answering them all in one. But this one was a very specific one. Um, then I wanted to answer for this person, well, don't start with the whole space. I can tell you that right now.
Meaning. Don't open the closet door. And I, like I say this in all the podcast episodes, I think you like our weekly organizing cherish email list or uh, email newsletter that I pass out everything, right? Like it's, it starts small when you feel overwhelmed because we need to practice the decision memory part of your brain and action.
Like if you haven't done this in a long time or ever. This is so overwhelming. You do need to practice it. It would, it would just be like you saying, I want to run a marathon, and then you just go, go for it. Like, I'm, I'm going to go run the 26.2 miles without ever, or ha or, it's been so long, you know that you don't even have a, some tennis shoes like, so you're, you have your sandals or something.
I know everybody runs it a little different, but what I'm, I guess what I'm saying here is if you haven't done it in a long time, and that's why you're overwhelmed, especially if that's why you're overwhelmed. Start small. Don't start with the entire thing. Start with like a one section at a time, one drawer at a time.
Start that way. Timer, huge. Like limit yourself to 15 minutes today, tomorrow, 20 the next day, 30 the next day, 45 the next day. 60, 15, 20 minutes increments until you build up enough momentum that you are able to do this without feeling that overwhelming feeling of. Uh, that you can't even take action.
That's what we don't want because the overwhelming feeling might not ever go away. I hate to break it to you. When it comes to decluttering and downsizing especially, and not just the organizing piece or the styling piece, it will be overwhelming and a lot of times that just doesn't go away. But the momentum will build that motivation that gets you through those really hard times when you don't want to do it, and I want you to practice that.
So that's where I would go. Music huge. Or if you are more of a, a television person, put something that is, that is giving you some rhythm. Music is the most popular just because of the beats per minute. It gives you this, uh, momentum of a, of beats of like, you actually like working to, to the beat. You know, it's motivating you that way.
If that is not how your brain works, then an audio book or something that is keeping you in a rhythm, in some kind of rhythm, a momentum going forward. That is really helpful too. So if you're feeling overwhelmed, take some deep breaths, um, instead of energy drinks. Now, if you're ti, if you are overwhelmed because you're tired, maybe an energy drink or whatever you, your, your favorite drink may be to give you energy or protein or carbs or like the healthy carbs, whatever, whatever you like to give you energy, great.
You do that. But I, I have also seen the opposite, where some people get very anxious with. Taking something like that. So they actually will take, um, like calming tea, take some deep breaths, do a little bit of breath work, yoga, meditation before doing a clear out or a downsizing, organizing purging project.
To get themselves in a zen place, in a place where they can think clearly and not feel so rushed or feel like that palpitations of the heartbeat that gives you the anxiety. Um, so you might have to do the opposite of that to give you a clear mind. So just get to know who you are, what your body is, and then start small and then work up towards a bigger project.
If you need to start like yesterday because you, you have a, you're under a time crunch, uh, then I would suggest getting help so that it doesn't feel so overwhelming that you're doing it by yourself. And our last question of the day is, what do I do with stuff I've inherited that I don't even like, oh, this is a good one.
Okay. So many of us are navigating this, right? I mean, I am as wealth to be honest with my, my parents and they, I, I actually have been navigating this for a very long time. Um, I'm an only child if you didn't know, and they are just the most generous parents in the entire world. And everything that they have is kind of for me in the sense of the stuff that they do want to pass along, right?
And the stuff that they've acquired, that means a lot to them. They're like, would you like this? And some of the, most of the stuff I will say, I love my mom and dad's taste, so it's fine. There's moments in time where I'm like, ah, that's not my cup of tea, so I'm right there with you. But here's the truth.
Just because someone you loved treasured, it does not mean you have to keep it. We really have to remember that. I tell this to people all the time, they loved it. This is their journey. Remember question number two that one of the last questions we just had, this is their journey. This is their stuff. This also applies to you not feeling guilty when it is left behind to you or given to you because that was their journey.
Those were their memories. You might like it for your own collection. It might be perfect in your home, in your room, in your office, in your life. By coincidence, by the fact that you both have the same taste. The fact that you want it there great, but if you don't, it doesn't mean you have to keep it because it's not your stuff.
You did not acquire it, you did not pick it. So try separating the memory from the item as much as you can. The way, uh, I would suggest just some of the most cost efficient or time efficient ways is to take a photo, just so that you can remember that, and then tell a story. I like to use a software application website called artifacts.
I'll put it in the show notes. They're great because you can take a picture and then tell the story and you can also put, if it's worth anything, how much it would be worth. Who do you wanna leave it behind to? Like all your notes If for passing it down to generations, like it's a great way for you to put this in writing, but not keep it physically.
So take a photo in your photo, in your notes, put the memory attached to it, you know, and call it a day. That's the same with like writing a short note, like a memo. Some people like to leave a memo behind with the items. So actually this software allows you to do that. You can do it on your notes section as well, or your Google um, drive or something, and just leave a quick little memos and say, this was my mom's wedding dress.
It was so beautiful on her. She wore it in 19, blah, blah, blah. You know, and she gave to me this time around, you know, whatever. Uh, I decided not to keep it. It was not my style, but I want to make sure that. You all can see, you know, what a beautiful, or just what a memorable dress of the time was, and here's a picture of it.
And that's that, that also may do more to preserve the memory than keeping the object. Uh, I have noticed quite a bit that when people tell the storytell the story in a note section or like a book or a memory, they keep the memory alive in some other way outside of just. The physical item, it allows them to, to actually keep the memory alive going forward, because if something were to happen to them or the stuff gets damaged, it's not going to look like what it looked like before.
And now you may even forget what the memory or what, what the memory attached to that item is. Does that make sense? So sometimes like we forget like, what, what was, what, what, what is this dress again? Why am I keeping this dress again? Telling the story, retelling it will keep that memory alive much fo much further, uh, than further in time than you just keeping the item with no, no context at all.
Okay, so I hope you enjoyed this week's episode and our recap. You know, just remember that you don't have to do this alone. These recaps aren't meant to refresh your inspiration, I hope, but also to remind you that you're not alone. Because some of these questions, I'm sure many of you are dealing with right now, and they're some of our most popular questions year after year.
So at any given time, you are definitely not alone. You don't have to do it all at once. There are people here that can help you and inspire you and cheer you on like ourselves here at the Organized Flamingo. I just don't want you to feel like all of this stuff is weighing you down and suffocating you so much that you can't even see the light.
That should not be the case. Your stuff should create, feel good memories in your home. Uh, sometimes it might be some more, more hap you know, more difficult than other stuff, but at the end of the day, the stuff should not be suffocating you. It should giving you, it should be giving you, um, some joy and relief in the stuff that you are doing every day.
So. Like your clothes, your, your home items, your kitchen items, your garage items, all of these things are meant to help you in your life. So if that's not what they're doing, then maybe it is time for us to let them go. Let them not literally suffocate you, but also figuratively have them be cleared out of your life.
So thank you so much for being here today, and until next week. Then happy organizing. Oh, really quick before you go, if you've been wanting to start your fix it or free challenge, this is also your sign. I know I started in January, but you can start at any time. So if you have a pile of stuff that you have been meaning to, I will fix one day and have not.
Let's take it one item per month. And either fix it, finally take it to go get it fixed. Like that lamp that you've said you were going to replace the cord. Let's go ahead and take that into, uh, the electrician's office or shop, or finally let it go. Okay? Or sell it or, or donate it or give it to a friend or whatever that may be.
But let's make use of our time. Let's not keep stuff that is just reminding us of our procrastination. Uh, let's actually do something about it. So feel free to join me at any time. Until next week, happy organizing. Thank you for listening to the Organized and Cherish podcast with the Organized Flamingo.
If you enjoy today's episode, I'd be so grateful if you left a rating and review on your favorite podcast player. It helps others discover our show. For full show notes, resources, and more organizing inspiration, visit www.theorganizedflamingo.com/podcast. Until next time, happy organizing.