295: The Stuff You Keep for Someday And Why Its Holding You Back

Maximized Minimalist Podcast

Katy Wells

Decluttering, Education, Self-improvement, Health & Fitness, Intentional, Moms, Minimalism, Mental Health, Simplify

4.8 • 879 Ratings

🗓️ 26 February 2025

⏱️ 16 minutes

🔗️ Recording | iTunes | RSS

🧾️ Download transcript

Summary

Ever Open Your Closet and Feel Defeated? You’re Not Alone.

We’ve all been there. You catch a glimpse of that pair of jeans you swore you’d fit into again, or the untouched art supplies that were going to make you the next Picasso. But instead of feeling motivated, you feel a little stuck—maybe even guilty. If that sounds familiar, then, friend, this episode is for you.

Today, we’re talking about aspirational clutter—the stuff we hold onto because it represents who we hoped we’d become. The fancy cookware for the gourmet chef phase that never happened. The fitness gear collecting dust in the corner. The books you swore you’d read but haven’t cracked open. And the hard truth? Keeping these items doesn’t inspire us. It keeps us stuck.

So, in this episode, we’re unpacking:

Why aspirational clutter is so tough to let go of
The sneaky ways it keeps you from moving forward
How to release it without guilt (for real this time!)

And don’t worry—letting go isn’t about giving up on your dreams. It’s about making space for who you are right now. Because, friend, you are worthy and enough in this very moment—no extra supplies required.

Listener Challenge: Take Back Your Space!

Find one item of aspirational clutter in your home.

Ask yourself:

👉 Does this fit my current season of life?

👉 Do I feel inspired or guilty when I see it?

If it no longer serves you, let it go. And if you do? I want to hear about it! Share your story.

Ready to Declutter Even More? Check Out These Resources:

Get FAST Results with My Free Guide: 75 Things to Declutter Right Now Need a quick win? This guide helps you clear space and see results fast.
📥 Download it here

Join My Next 14-Day Challenge Declutter your home with me! We’re tackling clutter together for 14 days, one step at a time.
📅 Sign up here

Work 1-on-1 With Me Need personalized support to simplify your life? Let’s create a plan that works for you.
💼 Learn more here

Get Your Personalized Home Management Blueprint Want a step-by-step plan to manage your home effortlessly? Let’s create your custom blueprint.
📝 Get started here

Connect with Me on Instagram Follow me for daily decluttering tips, inspiration, and behind-the-scenes peeks into my life.
💛 Follow me here

Friend, you deserve a home (and a life) that feels light, free, and yours. Let’s do this together!

Transcript

Click on a timestamp to play from that location

0:00.0	What does it mean to live more with less? I'm Katie Wells and welcome to the Maximized Minimalist
0:07.4	podcast. If you found yourself caught up in the hamster wheel of modern day motherhood and want to
0:13.9	rewrite the script, congratulations you're in the right place. I'm here to be your guide and help you
0:20.1	take back your motherhood
0:21.3	and achieve a simpler, more joy-filled life. Cheers to being a maximized minimalist. Enjoy the show.
0:29.2	Okay, tell me if this sounds familiar. You open up your closet, you see clothes that you used to fit
0:35.4	into, and instead of feeling inspired, you feel defeated.
0:40.3	But what if letting them go wasn't about giving up, but about making space for more ease and
0:46.8	self-acceptance? That's exactly what our simplifier of the week Jen did recently, and I love how
0:52.9	she tackled it. She said she finally cleared out her
0:55.8	too small for my today body clothes. She listed some. She donated others. And now she has more space,
1:03.0	ease, and freedom in her closet. And this is such a powerful reminder that decluttering isn't
1:09.3	about loss. It's about gaining freedom. So way to go, Jen.
1:13.8	And friend, I'd love to feature you for our next Simplifier of the Week. Maybe you've decluttered
1:18.4	a drawer, said no to a purchase it didn't need, or feel lighter because of that mindset shift.
1:23.8	I want to hear your story. Head to Katiejoywells.com forward slash simplifier to share with us,
1:29.5	and I can't wait to hear about your wins. So hearing Jen's story got me thinking. How many of us
1:37.3	are holding on to things, not because we actually use them, but because of who we'd hoped
1:43.8	we'd become by owning them. We all have those
1:47.3	things. I'm raising two hands. The ones we swore would transform us. The running shoes we bought
1:52.5	for the 5K or the half marathon we were meant to train for five years ago. The art supplies for
1:58.8	that creative hobby we thought we'd start years ago.
	...

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