What can a recovering hoarder learn from a decluttering expert? Find out as Finders and Keepers host Rachel Kramer Bussel gets tips from Avery Cundill, host of The Declutter Queen podcast. They discuss how Cundill went from being someone with her fair share of clutter to an avid declutterer, why Cundill prefers the term “collectors” to “hoarders,” why clearing out clutter is important, and how to get started decluttering (even if you’re overwhelmed). Cundill also shares her thoughts on how many books are really too many, what to do with clothes you love but haven’t worn in years, why digital clutter is also problematic (and what to do about it), and why Cundill’s recommends tackling one room at a time.
If you’ve struggled with clutter or simply feel like your stuff is owning you rather than the other way around, this episode will help you drill down on the questions to ask yourself before starting to purge your possessions.
Click on “Transcript” on the top right to read an auto-generated transcript of this episode.
About our guest:
Avery Cundill is the creator and host of The Declutter Queen, a lifestyle brand and podcast focused on helping people simplify their homes, schedules, and digital lives. Through practical, judgment-free strategies and mindset work, she guides audiences to let go of what no longer serves them and create space for what matters most—physically, mentally, and emotionally. Her content blends real-life decluttering systems, habit change, and compassionate coaching to reduce overwhelm and build sustainable organization routines.
Instagram: @thedeclutterqueenpod
Finders and Keepers is hosted by Rachel Kramer Bussel and is a production of Open Secrets Magazine. Thank you to Sound Off Network and Dan Schroeder for audio production support. If you like the podcast, we’d greatly appreciate if you’d leave a rating and review wherever you listen to podcasts and tell your friends about it to help us reach new listeners. Want to share your own stuff story, tell us who we should interview next, or share your own most treasured possession? Contact us at findersandkeeperspod@gmail.com or leave a voicemail at speakpipe.com/findersandkeepers
For more about our attachments to our belongings, read the personal essays in the Object-ives and Stuff-ed sections of Open Secrets Magazine at opensecretsmagazine.com, where you can also submit your own essays.
