MPR News with Angela Davis

 Rethinking our relationship with clutter

Three people pose to get their photo taken
MPR News Host Angela Davis (center), Missi McKown (left), and Melissa Klug (right) pose for a portrait at the Kling Public Media Center in St. Paul on Wednesday, Feb. 28, 2024.
Nikhil Kumaran | MPR News

You don’t have to be a messy person to have a relationship with clutter. It’s all around us — where we live, where we work. There’s no shortage of stuff in the United States.

With spring on its way, lots of us are thinking about decluttering our living rooms, bedrooms, basements and garages. But actually getting rid of that stuff can feel overwhelming.

Three people pose to get their photo taken
MPR News Host Angela Davis (left), Missi McKown (center), and Melissa Klug (right) pose for a portrait at the Kling Public Media Center in St. Paul on Wednesday, February 28, 2024.
Nikhil Kumaran | MPR News

Two professional organizers talked with MPR News host Angela Davis about their decluttering process and the “why” behind clutter. The association between clutter and mental health. And why clutter isn’t the same thing as laziness or hoarding.

They also had practical tips for keeping a tidy home — not a perfect home. We’re letting go of our shame around our stuff.

Guests:

  • Melissa Klug is a professional organizer and the owner of home organization firm Home By Eleven, based in Apple Valley.

  • Missi McKown is a professional organizer and the owner of home organization firm Clear Spaces Organizing, based in Maple Grove.

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