Nurse Maureen‘s Health Show Podcast
Welcome to Nurse Maureen's Health Show Podcast where we dive deep into all things health, wellness, and everything in between. Hosted by a passionate nurse with years of frontline experience, we bring you expert interviews, real-life stories, and the latest insights on staying healthy. Nothing is off limits as we delve into menopause, mental health, sexual health and more. Whether we’re breaking down medical myths, discussing cutting-edge treatments, or chatting with top health professionals, this show is your go-to for practical advice and inspiring conversations. Let’s get healthier, together!
Nurse Maureen‘s Health Show Podcast
Decluttering: Transform Your Space, Transform Your Life with Professional Organizer Mary Penhall
Can decluttering your home really transform your life? Join us as we sit down with professional organizer Mary Penhall to uncover the profound benefits that come with a clutter-free environment. From the emotional strain of attachment and guilt to practical tips for managing everyday clutter culprits like children's artwork and family photos, Mary provides a wealth of knowledge on how to reclaim your space and enhance your well-being. Learn why setting deadlines for adult children to collect their keepsakes can be a game-changer, and discover how an organized living space can lead to a sense of pride and freedom.
We also dive into the deep psychological impacts of clutter, particularly for those dealing with conditions like ADD, depression, and OCD. Mary shares strategies for responsible decluttering that minimize landfill waste through donations and consignment stores. Additionally, you'll get practical organizing tips involving baskets, bamboo boxes, and clear containers to keep your home in order. This episode is a must-listen for anyone looking to reduce stress and anxiety by tackling the underlying behaviors that contribute to clutter, and finding actionable strategies to maintain a healthy, organized living environment.
This podcast is brought to you by Life360 Innovations, creators of the Contino urethral insert, a non-surgical, health Canada licensed medical device for men with stress urinary incontinence. Contino is easy to use and blocks the flow of urine without the need for adult diapers or pads. More than just a medical device, the Contino care program connects you with experienced medical professionals and creates a personalized treatment plan that provides ongoing support so you can get back to life. Go to MyContinocom to see if Contino is right for you and book your free continence assessment. Get bladder leakage control with Contino and get back to living. Remember, go to Mycontinocom. That's M-Y-C-O-N-T-I-N-Ocom.
Speaker 1:Welcome to yet another episode of my Little Health Show podcast. Thanks so much for tuning in. Thanks so much for all of your downloads, your follows. If you've written a review, I've really appreciated it. So thank you so much. If you haven't yet, there's always time. It helps with the algorithms and helps to spread the word about this health education that I am doing and that I've been doing for the past 13 or 14 years on the airwaves all across North America.
Speaker 1:You know I am always somebody. If you've ever listened to me before, you've definitely heard me say therapy is a gift you give to yourself. So the type of therapy that I have found to be the most beneficial is and I'm a pretty organized person, but I still needed to hire a professional organizer and joining me on the line is Mary Penhall, and she is a professional organizer, as I like to say, she's a declutterer. She declutters my house and it has been awesome and my office, just helping me to stay organized, especially when I have been busy. It has benefited me in so many ways and I think it's going to benefit you. Good evening, mary. How are you? I'm great. Maureen, how are you? I am fine, thank you. So you know I'm baring my soul here, letting people know that I need this kind of therapy, but it's the best therapy I've ever had, this professional organizing. So I call it decluttering because it is essentially decluttering. But can you, for the listeners, tell us what decluttering actually is?
Speaker 2:Well, decluttering is simply removing unnecessary items from your surroundings, be it an office, a walk-in closet or an entire home. You can go all the way from a crawl space to organizing and decluttering your purse or your wallet. You won't believe how cluttered a wallet or purse can get. I can't even tell you.
Speaker 1:Check, check, check. And I looked at my handbag today and I said, oh my gosh, you need attention, you need my attention. And so you know, check, check, check. I've had all of that decluttered, as you know, like you know, from a main closet to walk-in closet to the office, to the basement. I mean, you know my house intimately and my office. Why is decluttering important for people?
Speaker 2:Well, when people go through the process of decluttering, they feel a sense of pride and freedom, freedom from stuff. Clutter and disorder most often causes stress and anxiety, as you know, and we're already a nation of overloaded challenges, with work and family already. Coming home to a place full of chaos only adds to our already stressed and busy minds, and so that's not good. So decluttering every space you can in your life adds peace and sense of accomplishment. This exercise in tidying and relinquishing items gives you a sense of self-care, and, as we all know, self-care is so important and we're always talking about it on the radio, on TV, on talk shows, and I would actually rate this decluttering process as important as exercise and personal hygiene.
Speaker 1:I could not agree with you more. It has been. It's just the best thing to come home after you've been here and I'm here with you when you're actually doing the decluttering for me. And I'm American, so I'm an over-consumer, trained in shopping, as you know. And you know, but you've really taught me to think about purchases because I'm just bringing them into the home, or you know, but you've really taught me to think about purchases because I'm just bringing them into the home, or you know, bringing them into the home without getting rid of something as well. We hang on to things, and you know that's also a challenge, and I've certainly hung on to, you know I'm going to say shreds of fabric. For this emotional bond I have with it, it might have some memory for me. What are some of the low hanging fruit items in terms of decluttering? In other words, what are some things that we hold on for far too long?
Speaker 2:Well, this is where my background in clinical psychology goes to work. A lot of what we hold on to is directly correlated to attachment, guilt or a strong sense of a need to hold on. A few things that I have to encourage clients to minimize or eliminate from their keep pal that's what I call. It is an excessive amount of children's art, family photos, particularly if they're framed old pet leashes, boxes of crafts, children's blankets and hope chests and, maureen, I think you still got those full, still hoping and Maureen, I think you still got those full, Still hoping.
Speaker 2:And the point of all this is that our grown children rarely show interest in it. So I always encourage my clients to put their kids adult kids, babies items like books, report cards in a separate box and give it to them. My experience is nine out of 10 kids adult kids do not take any of it. I also encourage these clients to put a deadline on the pickup. Again, more often than not, these cherished items are rarely taken away by the adult kids.
Speaker 2:Space is usually the reason for declining these items, as the kids often don't have a lot of space. However, they really have become minimalist and they're not like you and I who used to cherish and covet our mother's furniture or artwork and we would wish that we would get that chair Not anymore. The kids these days want nothing. They have something. They have somehow become minimalist, even under our guidance. We honestly have inherited depression era syndrome. So people in their 40s, 50s, 60s, they still have that waste, not want, not attitude, and even I have to catch myself with items that I'm attached to and go. What is it? What is it doing for me? All it is is one more thing to create space. So I'm fairly ruthless.
Speaker 1:I think the only thing on my list that I didn't keep were the old dog leashes, but anyway, everything else. As you know, we've hauled a fair bit out of out of this house, and you know I have a nickname a fair bit out of out of this house and and you know, um, I have a nickname for Mary Penhall, the professional organizer, and I call her Ruth, and that's short for ruthless, because, um, you certainly have been ruthless and you know, I, I, I, honestly, I think there was one pair of shoes that I felt regret, um, throwing away. And then there was also an item in the garage that belonged to my husband that he'll never let me live down, that I tossed away as well, but anyway, nonetheless, that's not bad for, you know, 10 or 15 years of utilizing your services. If you enjoy the show, there's one simple way you can show your support Just hit the follow button on the app you're using to listen to the show.
Speaker 1:Right now, I'm working so hard to take everything on the show to the next level, and your follow means a lot to me. It's the only free thing I'll ever ask of you and it truly makes a big difference. Thank you sincerely for your support. I truly appreciate it. Thank you sincerely for your support. I truly appreciate it. And, um, but I really don't have to. And one time you gave me great advice and you said next time you need to go shopping, go shopping in your own closet because I had a few clothes CWTs as we call them, clothes with tags. Um, so I am guilty of keeping those. Are there any rules about what clothes one?
Speaker 2:shouldn't keep, for example? Well, that's a great question. I'm perhaps more ruthless with other people's clothes than my own. I suggest that keeping fat clothes are a big no-no. If you're holding on to clothes a size too big for you, thinking that one day you might get heavier, go out and buy the clothes if you unfortunately gain that weight back. So don't keep those. I also think holding on to your favorite size four jeans may not be a great idea as well. If you get to the point where you're at this ideal weight again, go out and celebrate, but don't keep them in your closet.
Speaker 2:The goal in decluttering the closet isn't always donating and downsizing your clothes, however. It's making each piece look good in your closet. Function and fashion, just like you said go shopping in your closet the less you have, the more you're going to be turned on. Said go shopping in your closet the less you have, the more you're going to be turned on by what you see in your closet, because it's all the best stuff. So matching hangers and baskets for belts, purses, wallets, hats all that stuff looks great in your closet and I love hooks, so if you have too many things, you can always hang you know robes and 90s on pretty hooks around your closet. Even a small closet can look like a boutique store. That's the fun of the big reveal. Once my client and I streamline the closet items, I get to do my big merry magic. You've seen this before, maureen.
Speaker 2:Anyway that's how we do it.
Speaker 1:And that sounds great, and, of course, anything that has a stain on it or is a tear in it. We're not going to wear it, right.
Speaker 2:Absolutely not, even pills. Some people don't even see their clothes pilling because they're so attached to that sweater and I literally hold it up and go. This cannot go back in and it goes in the pile. And quite often six months later when I come to do a redo, I'll see the sweater pulled out and hung back up in the closet.
Speaker 1:So those things I can't argue with, because they're comfort items and we've got nothing to be guilty of. Okay, I'm guilty, guilty of all of the above. I'm bearing my soul to you listeners. What are some of the psychological benefits of decluttering?
Speaker 2:Well, there's a direct correlation between anxiety and depression and the manner in which you control your living situation, ie your surroundings, ie clutter or no clutter. By learning or relearning, simple strategies of ridding one's clutter, there is usually a great sense of order and peace in your world. Again, simplify your home and life. Clutter can build, just as our rabbit hole thinking builds when we're trying to go to sleep, and the more we try to go to sleep, the more we go down the rabbit hole. The same thing is for clutter. Living amongst clutter, and particularly hoarding, creates a great deal of shame, hence anxiety and often depression. I often receive a call or an email saying I'm ready, I've hit bottom.
Speaker 2:And my children or my husband have begged me to get help. I'm ready. Please don't judge me. This isn't how I am. I was never like this. This is someone reaching out for a partner. I am the partner and we take the task at hand and we try to get through it together. But my first response to them is I do not judge and I have seen it all. And believe me, Maureen, I think I've mentioned a couple of hypothetical stories that are beyond description, and it's part of the job. So I let them know that whatever they have, we can conquer and it's all going to work out. And I also say I wouldn't have a career in professional organizing if it wasn't for wonderful clients like them.
Speaker 1:Oh, you know, that's just. It's so sad to hear that that it can get to that point, which is why, you know, not everybody is good at just keeping, you know, keeping the home flowing and going, getting rid of things. You know, we bring so much in, we're such a consumer society. We bring so much in, yet very little goes out because we have this emotional attachment to things which is, you know, can be such a challenge and then it can get, you know, really bad, as you mentioned. And hoarding is an entirely different situation.
Speaker 1:But just that clutter having, I know myself, if I think, oh, where's this? I can't find this or I can't find that, did I give that away? Did I lose it? And you know I'll find it stuffed in my closet, then I know it's time to call you. But you know what effect does clutter have on your brain? And you know, does it change your brain, is it? I mean, I know you mentioned anxiety and depression and does it alleviate the pressure once it's all cleared away? I mean, I know that's how I felt. I just feel amazing.
Speaker 2:Well, you're right there. Excessive clutter and overall disorganization are often symptoms of a bigger health problem, such as ADD, attention deficit disorder, depression or obsessive compulsive disorder, OCD. I often kid that I'm OCD, but I'm more of a fluff the pillow kind of person. I'm not really diagnosed yet, but in this case the behavior needs to be addressed and changed. Versus the simple logistics of the decluttering process, A professional diagnosis and possible medications would be looked into, and of course I don't take care of that, but I might refer there's a big difference, however, between my typical client feeling situationally overwhelmed by stuff and someone who is suffering from a psychological disorder such as OCD.
Speaker 2:With a classic hoarder and I've worked with many or a person with OCD, parting with almost anything brings on great stress, anxiety and often outrage. Brings on great stress, anxiety and often outrage. While I'm familiar with clients that have experienced this or have been diagnosed, hoarding is not my specialty. Severe trauma is often linked to a hoarder's thinking and actions, and my focus is addressing the strategies and goals of the everyday homeowner.
Speaker 1:Yes, which has been tremendously beneficial for me, and something else that I've learned from you, and I have to say Canada is better than the US in terms, or at least where I'm from in the US. I probably shouldn't speak for the entire country, like some others do, but what do we do with the things that we want to get rid of that are going to be departing from us? That we want to get rid of that you know are going to be departing from us? Some, you know, in years past I might have thrown it in the trash.
Speaker 2:But you've taught me better ways. What are some of those ways? Well, another good question, maureen. So my motto is also the least that goes into landfill the better, and that is very Vancouver-like thinking and probably Canadian-like thinking. So, from separating paper and real garbage to allocating bins for donations and resale, I have many great relationships with various sources for donations, consignment stores and junk items. My favorite junk guy literally picks up all of the outside and inside real garbage and then he'll take out all the donations in a separate part of his truck and he will deliver everything on his haul. His company's name is City Junk and his name's Matthew, and he is a partner of mine only because I trust him implicitly.
Speaker 1:For little jobs as well as 10,000 square foot houses jobs, as well as 10,000 square foot houses, and I'm sure every city in North America has a mat. You know a city job person.
Speaker 2:Yeah, there's so many of them and some of them are great and some of them aren't. Just like everybody else. But yeah, if it's a smaller job, then it's just me and my team and we take our stuff to places like wildlife rescue downtown, as opposed to the nonprofits that are profitable, so we really pay attention to who needs what. There's shelters for women, everything so we source them out and we've got great people that will pick up and if not, we have it delivered.
Speaker 1:And that's great, especially for the old clothes and those size twos and fours that I'm never going to get into again or never actually got into. I should say, let's be real here. You know, you know, mary, you've taught me so much in terms of organizational tools and, like, the top of my closet now has baskets and there's sweaters and sweatshirts and it's all organized. What are some of your favorite organizational tools?
Speaker 2:Well, first and foremost is to declutter, then designate and then reorganize. So I love places like HomeSense as well as I like the dollar store. I hate to say that I love the baskets as opposed to the plastic bins. I'm not big on the filling up plastic bins and labeling them, as most often these bins rarely get opened again. I love the bamboo boxes and trays and the clear containers for the fridge. Yes, I organize fridges too. Most people who organize their fridges also organize their living spaces and vice versa.
Speaker 1:I need you to organize my fridge.
Speaker 2:Oh sorry, Amazon has great organizational tools, However beware. Tools, However beware. I often unpack loads of unpacked organizational stuff in clients' homes because they too can be overwhelming Bottom line. Don't get excited about the organizational paraphernalia before decluttering is done. Often, nothing gets started nor finished. And the boxes of useful storage is another source of frustration and anxiety, ie more clutter. It's ironic, isn't it?
Speaker 1:That's so true. That's such a great point. Yeah, that's awesome. Well, I can honestly say, you know, I thank you from the bottom of my heart. My house only looks the way it does because of you, and it's actually in need of you again. I probably have you three or four times a year, or more, maybe it's more probably but sometimes I just say, come and do the kitchen. Or sometimes I say, come and do the master bedroom. You know the come and do the laundry room. You know you've done all my bathrooms, everything, and and it's. It's such a nice way to live with a clear mind, especially for a busy person like myself. So, mary, how can people get in touch with you? What's your website?
Speaker 2:My website is cluttercounselorcom and it's S-E-L-L-O-R. Counselor, not the American spelling, and my number is 604-868-4012. If anybody wants to reach me on email, it's your clutter counselor at gmailcom and we'll put those in the show notes as well.
Speaker 2:That would be great. I can't thank you enough, maureen, because this is really fun to talk about. I usually have a glass of wine in my hand at a dinner party and everybody's getting free advice, but this is a another way to go for it, and I just wanted to mention that no job is too small. I've done lots of 800 square foot apartments, as well as 10,000 square foot mansions, and it's all the same. It started at your favorite place and we start in that room and then we go wherever you want to go after that.
Speaker 1:It's all the same to me too 800 square feet versus 10,000 square foot mansion. Can you imagine what my closet would look like if I had a 10,000 square foot mansion? Anyway, I don't have that problem, fortunately. Mary, thank you so much for coming on the podcast. It's great information and I really appreciate it.
Speaker 2:I appreciate you. Thanks so much, Maureen.
Speaker 1:You're so welcome. That is cluttercounselorcom or 604-868-4012. You're cluttercounselor at gmailcom. That's Mary Penhall. And reach out, even if for some advice or a way forward. Make a pathway in your home and call Mary Penhall.
Speaker 1:I'm Maureen McGrath and thank you so much for tuning in to my podcast. Thanks so much for tuning in. I'm Maureen McGrath and thank you so much for tuning in to my podcast. Thanks so much for tuning in. I'm Maureen McGrath and you have been listening to the Sunday Night Health Show podcast. If you want to hear this podcast or any other segment again, feel free to go to iTunes, spotify or Google Play or wherever you listen to your favorite podcast. You can always email me, nursetalk at hotmailcom or text the show 604-765-9287. That's 604-765-9287. Or head on over to my website for more information. Maureenmcgrathcom, it's been my pleasure to spend this time with you.
Speaker 1:This podcast is brought to you by Life360 Innovations, creators of the Contino urethral insert, a non-surgical, health Canada licensed medical device for men with stress urinary incontinence. Contino is easy to use and blocks the flow of urine without the need for adult diapers or pads. More than just a medical device, the Contino Care Program connects you with experienced medical professionals and creates a personalized treatment plan that provides ongoing support so you can get back to life. Go to mycontinocom to see if Contino is right for you and book your free continence assessment. Get bladder leakage control with Contino and get back to living. Remember, go to mycontinocom. That's M-Y-C-O-N-T-I-N-Ocom.