What should you listen to when you’re decluttering and tidying? How about one of today’s best cleaning and organising podcasts? From tips and tricks for battling clutter in your home, to inspiring stories of people who have transformed their lives by getting organised, these podcasts will motivate you to clean up your home.
What Is Podcasting?
Podcasting is a relatively new media format that has seen explosive growth in recent years. A podcast is essentially a digital audio file that can be downloaded or streamed through web syndication, which makes it accessible on variety of devices, from smartphones to computers. Podcasts are usually episodic in nature, with new episodes released on a regular basis. Most podcasts are available for free.
Podcasting has become a popular way to create and share audio content because it is relatively easy to produce. It also doesn’t require a lot of expensive equipment. Podcasts have a number of advantages over traditional radio or television broadcasts. Most notably, they’re much more portable than other forms of media.
While the term “podcasting” is often used interchangeably with “audio blogging,” there are some key differences between the two. Audio blogging generally refers to simply posting audio files online, without the same level of production quality or regular release schedule that characterises most podcasts. In addition, podcasts are often syndicated through multiple channels and platforms, making them more widely accessible to listeners.
The Podcast Explosion
The history of podcasting goes back to the early 2000s, when this new form of digital media began to emerge. Podcasting not only allowed creators to produce and share audio files online, but it also eliminated the gatekeeping of a broadcasting network. Podcasts quickly gained popularity, and by the mid-2000s, there were already a number of popular podcasting platforms and services available.
Podcasting continued to grow in popularity in the following years, and by 2010, it had become a mainstream medium. For awhile, podcasts seemed to drift into a quiet existence. But when the pandemic isolated us in early 2020, they made a fierce comeback.
Today, there are over four million podcasts available on every imaginable topic, with new podcasts emerging all the time. Podcasting has become a popular way for people to share their stories, ideas, and thoughts directly with their audiences.
Whatever you’re into, there’s a podcast out there for you. And that includes minimalism, housekeeping and decluttering! There are many amazing cleaning and organising podcasts available, but it can be hard to know which ones are worth a listen. In this post, I’ve rounded up some of the best podcasts currently producing regular episodes.
So grab your headphones or Bluetooth speaker next time you’re tidying, weeding, doing laundry or washing dishes, and give one of these a listen. Most of them can be found on Apple Podcasts, Anchor.fm, Spotify, Sticher, or Google Podcasts. Or you can listen to them directly from your browser on web and mobile.
Clutterbug Podcast
The Clutterbug podcast is produced by Cas Aarsen, a self-identifying “recovered super slob” turned professional organiser. She’s been a host on HGTV, has a popular YouTube channel, and helps families struggling with clutter and messiness identify an organisation system that works for them to create an organised and functional home.
The 6 Reasons why DECLUTTERING is EXTRA Hard for some People is a great episode. Cas digs deep into our anxiety and fear of letting things go, and the psychological reasons why we often struggle with getting our stuff under control.
The Declutter Hub Podcast
With over 24 years of combined experience as professional organisers, Lesley Spellman and Ingrid Jansen have teamed up to talk everything home org week after week. “If you’re overwhelmed with clutter, this is the show for you,” they say.
Featured on the likes of BBC Radio, Good Housekeeping and The Guardian, The Declutter Hub Podcast spans a range of topics related to clutter and organising, including storage solutions, travel, ADHD, personal finance, and even weight loss. Is perfectionism stopping you in your decluttering tracks is just one of their episodes I could totally relate to.
Maximized Minimalist Podcast
With over 140 episodes, 1.5 million downloads, hundreds of five-star reviews and a slew of noteworthy guests including some bestselling authors, Katy Joy Wells has made a name for herself on the podcasting scene with the Maximized Minimalist Podcast.
I like her straightforward approach to each episode and how she dives right into her weekly subjects. 6 Ways to Reduce Impulse Shopping was super helpful to me recently when I caught myself on the verge of buying stupid stuff. It reminded me to stick with my low-buy mantra and not make purchases I don’t need or will never wear.
Got Clutter? Get Organized with Janet
Got Clutter? Get Organized with Janet is a weekly podcast with expert organiser Janet M. Taylor, which I discovered via Instagram. She’s been podcasting for ten years, does public speaking, and has also been seen on some HGTV episodes.
With her podcast, Janet seeks to help listeners “create the space, business, and life” they want, without clutter. I really enjoyed one of her episodes on pivoting yourself for career and business success. And being the huge fan of Swedish Death Cleaning as I am, I liked listening in on Getting Organized Before You Die.
Clean With Me
Accompany Jessica Gutierrez as she cleans and talks candidly about life. Put the laundry in together, empty the dishwasher with her, and take out the trash. Jessica’s Clean With Me podcast is intimate, charmingly imperfect, and down to earth. Kind of like having a friend over chatting at you while you tidy up.
Episode 61, Outer Area Rescue, features a speed cleaning session before the host heads out of the house. Jessica goes in for quick wins like tidying the kitchen, collecting the waste, picking things up, making the bed, and quickly sweeping floors.
The Minimalists Podcast
I would be remiss if I did not mention The Minimalists Podcast in this list of best organising and cleaning podcasts. Joshua Fields Millburn and Ryan Nicodemus of Netflix fame produce a full-length episode each week in their quest to help people live meaningful lives with less. They also have an ad-free private podcast for die-hard fans on Patreon.
Outgrowing Things stitches mental health with minimalism. This episode dives into how you can tell when you’ve outgrown something, whether it’s your town, mindset, a person, or a physical thing, and how this all ties into personal trauma.
Organize 365 Podcast
Lisa Woodruff founded Organize 365 in 2012 when she had had it with working 60 hours a week while neglecting her home and family. Her professional services are research-based, and she invites industry thought leaders to the Organize 365 Podcast for conversations about all the stuff filling up American homes.
In episode 496, Women’s Work: Fair Play – Redistributing the Housework Cards, she sits down with author Eve Rodsky to talk about the gender divide and invisible labour at home. And why men never bring home the right mustard 😜
Ask a House Cleaner
Angela Brown of Savvy Cleaner launched the Ask a House Cleaner podcast five years ago and has been fielding bite-sized cleaning FAQs ever since. I love the length of the episodes. At around five to seven minutes, they’re short, yet get granular enough to tackle specific problem areas with the tips and strategies she shares.
From How to Remove Thick Grease from Cabinets and How Often Should You Clean Popcorn Ceilings, to Should You Move Furniture When Cleaning, Angela’s got you covered with all those random tasks around home.
A Slob Comes Clean
Dana K. White, author of Organizing for the Rest of Us and Decluttering at the Speed of Life, shares “reality-based cleaning and organising tips based on her own deslobification process” in her podcast, A Slob Comes Clean. There’s no shaming here as Dana searches for organising tactics that work for real-life messies.
With over 300 episodes in the past nine years of podcasting, there’s a lot to discover in Dana’s podcast archive. I really liked one of her recent episodes, Adjusting Your Home Routines for Health Changes. Managing a household with health impairments is a super important topic that’s not often talked about.
The Simple Sophisticate Podcast
Shannon Ables, founder of the subscription site The Simply Luxurious Life, is the host of The Simple Sophisticate Podcast. There is so much good stuff in here. Shannon focuses on mindfulness, quality over quantity, sustainable style and simple living.
My favourite episode of late was on How to Savor Staying Home During the Summer Holiday, 17 Ideas. Shannon emphasises shifting your mindset to truly wind down and appreciate your hometown if you’re spending your holiday at home. While travel has opened up again significantly, a lot of us are still spending our time off at home due to inflation. For me, this episode came at a perfect time while I staycation.
What Are Your Favourite Cleaning and Organising Podcasts?
Although it might seem like a lot of work, organisation and cleaning can be fun and satisfying – especially when you have the right tools and know-how.
Listening to podcasts is a great way to learn new tips and tricks to make your life easier. Plus, it’s a fun way to pass the time while you’re doing mundane tasks like cleaning the house or the laundry. So next time you need some motivation to get organised, grab your AirPods and check out some of these organising and cleaning podcasts.
Do you have any fave cleaning and organising podcasts that were not on this list? Leave a tip in the comments below!
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