Episodes

Avery Cundill discusses decluttering cars, emphasizing the benefits of a clean, functional vehicle. She outlines a five-zone decluttering process: front seat, glove compartment, doors, back seats, and trunk. Essential items to keep include daily use items, current documents, and emergency kits. Avery advises setting car rules, such as no overnight trash, and maintaining a weekly tidy. She also addresses decluttering as a couple, as her husband Matt Cundill joins the show as this week's guest....

I focus on decluttering the kitchen, especially the big, often overlooked appliances and cold storage. I start by tackling large appliances—stoves, ovens, dishwashers, microwaves (and even washer/dryer if in the kitchen)—and recommend clearing their tops and surrounding areas, cleaning inside them, and evaluating whether duplicate or nonfunctional appliances should go. For the refrigerator, I walk listeners through emptying it completely, doing a deep clean, checking expiration dates, tossing doubtful items, and restocking with grouped zones (dairy, produce, fruits, veggies). I suggest creating a “use me first” area for leftovers and near-expiry items and turning aging produce into smoothies or soup instead of wasting it.

I walk you through how to transform your kitchen from chaotic to calm. I start by asking you to envision how you want your kitchen to feel—functional, peaceful, or simply easy to clean—because that vision guides every decision. I take you on a “scavenger hunt” for small appliances, helping you question when you last used them, whether you enjoy them, and if they duplicate other tools. Then we tackle cutlery and utensils by emptying drawers, sorting by category, keeping favorites, and letting go ...

Avery Cundill, along with her daughter Lily Rich, tackle two surprisingly common clutter zones on The Declutter Queen: the spice cabinet and the calendar. Avery walks listeners through a straightforward process for decluttering kitchen spices, from identifying expired stock to organizing by category and storing smarter. The episode then shifts to a conversation with Lily, a busy university student navigating the chaos of an over scheduled life. Together, they explore why calendars become overwhe...

I turn my focus to one of the most intimidating spaces in many homes: the garage. I talk about how garages stop being a home for our cars and instead become black holes for forgotten projects, expired paint cans, broken tools, dusty holiday decorations, old furniture, and boxes labeled “miscellaneous.” Because the garage is out of our main sightlines, it often becomes “storage for indecision” – the place we toss things when we don’t want to decide whether to keep them or let them go. Over time, the whole family uses it as a dumping ground, and the result is total overwhelm. But I emphasize that a cluttered garage is not a permanent problem; with the right system and mindset, it’s absolutely fixable.

I dive into the emotional side of decluttering, especially when you’re preparing your home for sale. I talk about how our things carry memories—like the dining room where you celebrated birthdays, a child’s giant papier-mâché project, or that old coat by the door—and how the fear of losing those memories can keep us stuck. I encourage you to “keep the memory, not the item,” and share ways to do that, like limiting collections, taking photos of sentimental pieces, and asking whether each item rea...

I walk you through a practical, room-by-room approach to getting your home ready to sell. Building on last episode’s “why” of decluttering with realtor Ty Mitchell, I focus here on the “how.” I start in the living room, where I suggest removing excess furniture, taming remotes, and minimizing knickknacks so the space feels open and bright. In the kitchen, I clear countertops and reduce cabinet contents to create the impression of abundant storage. Bedrooms become hotel-like retreats with simple, light bedding and nearly bare nightstands, while bathrooms are stripped of personal items and styled with fresh towels and greenery. Closets get a “boutique” makeover by packing away about half the contents.

This episode focuses on why decluttering is so powerful when you’re selling your home. I share how I recently went through this myself and learned that this isn’t a quick weekend tidy—it can take weeks, and that’s okay. I explain that buyers aren’t buying our stuff; they’re buying the idea of their lives in our space. Clutter makes rooms feel smaller, more personal, and less inviting, while a neutral, clean, intentional space lets buyers imagine their own furniture, routines, and memories there.

I’m recording from Spain and taking on a familiar beast I call “scarf mountain”—the piles of hats, scarves, gloves, and mitts that quietly overrun our homes. I explain why winter accessories multiply so fast: they’re affordable, often gifted, easily lost and replaced, and tied to memories and sentiment. Then I walk you through a clear process: gather every winter accessory from all corners of your home, pair and sort them, ruthlessly weed out anything worn out, itchy, ill-fitting, or never used, and keep only what you truly wear and love. I share practical storage ideas, like clear bins, labeled baskets, and grab-and-go stations near the door so winter mornings run smoothly.

I’m tackling one of the sneakiest clutter zones in most homes: coats and jackets. From puffy parkas and trench coats to hoodies and that one “special occasion” faux fur, outerwear piles up fast. I walk you through a simple four-step coat declutter method: gather everything into one place, sort by type and frequency, limit based on your real lifestyle today, and then donate, sell, or store what you don’t need thoughtfully. I also share my favorite maintenance strategy, the one in, one out rule, including how my husband and I used it while traveling.

Avery focuses on simplifying our lives by confronting emotional clutter—starting with shoes and then textbooks with her Aunt Vicky. Avery explains that shoes often symbolize versions of ourselves (professional, vacation, fitness) and that guilt over what we paid for them keeps us stuck. She shares a four-step shoe declutter method: gather all shoes, sort into keep/let go/unsure piles, reality-check against your current lifestyle, then clean, donate, repurpose, or discard. Shoes are reframed as tools, not identity. Avery then issues a simple challenge: declutter just five pairs.

I unveil a five-step guide to decluttering clothes, emphasizing the emotional attachment to items. Step one is to pull out all clothes, sorting them into 'yes' (regularly worn), 'no' (damaged or unworn), and 'maybe' (sentimental) piles. Step two involves trying on items to assess their current fit and value. Step three is to set boundaries, like limiting hangers or drawers. Step four is to donate, sell, or repurpose unwanted items. Step five is to let go of items with gratitude. For managing children's mementos, Avery suggests creating three piles: keep and cherish, keep but reduce, and let go. She also recommends using photo and scrapbook boxes for sentimental items.

I dive into an often-overlooked clutter hotspot: photos, both digital and physical. I start by talking about the overwhelming number of images we keep on our phones—duplicates, random menus, travel shots, and multiple versions of the same scene—and explain how freeing it can be to systematically delete what we don’t need, starting from the oldest photos and working forward.

I walk you through one of my foundational systems for getting organized: The Rule of Three. I explain why decluttering is a marathon, not a sprint, and how chasing a “done” to‑do list is unrealistic. Instead, I focus on building systems that make every new project manageable.

Declutter and simplify your life; create space and get rid of the things that no longer serve you. As the Declutter Queen, I want you to see decluttering not as a chore, but as an opportunity to create more space in your life—both physically and mentally. My passion for organizing started long ago, as I found immense satisfaction helping friends turn chaos into order. I understand that decluttering can seem daunting, and starting is often the hardest part. Sentimental attachments and fears about...

Clear the chaos and reclaim your space with The Declutter Queen podcast. Host Avery Cundill shares practical, compassionate strategies to help you declutter not just your home, but your mind and life. From packed closets to overflowing inboxes, Avery explores the habits and emotional ties that keep us overwhelmed. Each episode guides you to let go of what no longer serves you, reduce stress, and make room for what truly matters. Access resources and support for your decluttering journey. Start l...