What happens when a space that once worked for you no longer fits your life?

This week, I'm joined by Erin, someone I first worked with almost a decade ago. Since then, life has thrown a lot her way: a pandemic, a major remodel, a career shift, helping care for aging parents, and countless other changes that slowly transformed her peaceful office into a catch-all for everything that no longer had a home.

Together, we organize her office, but as always, we almost never end with the stuff.

Along the way, we talk about:

• Why getting organized is never really "finished."
• How life transitions quietly create clutter.
• The power of finding the right donation home for the things you're letting go.
• Why childhood experiences can shape what feels cluttered (and what doesn't).
• The surprising lessons that can come from profound loss.
• Why you don't have to keep honoring old agreements that no longer fit your life.
• How to stop judging yourself for not getting organized sooner.
• What it means to make space for your next chapter instead of trying to recreate an old one.

One of my favorite moments comes when Erin realizes that the clutter bothering her most isn't random at all. Growing up with a mother who used a wheelchair taught her nervous system that clear floors meant safety—a lesson that's still with her today. It's a beautiful reminder that so much of what we call "clutter" is actually rooted in our lived experience.

Resources mentioned:

• SCRAP (San Francisco's creative reuse nonprofit) https://www.scrap-sf.org
• Why the F#@ Am I Still Not Organized? (free download) https://starhansen.com/podcast/
• More resources and classes: starhansen.com/podcast

Trigger Warning: this episode includes a conversation about a family house fire and the loss of treasured belongings.