About this episode
What if the secret to getting your home in order wasn’t just about having more storage—but about asking better questions? That’s what I discovered in my latest conversation with artist and author Whitney English. She joined me on the Christian Habits Podcast to talk about her book Organize First, Decorate Second: How to Go from Clutter to Creativity—and the deeper life lessons behind our desire to get organized.
Getting Organized at Home, Life, and Work
Whitney English may be best known for her art, but she also has a gift for systems—and for simplifying the big picture so you can take your next small step.
“When I started writing this book,” she said, “I thought it was going to be about decorating. But the phrase organize first, decorate second came to me while I was trying to tackle a project in my own home. And I realized, if I couldn’t teach people how to organize, I couldn’t really help them decorate either.”
That honest realization led her on a journey of self-examination: how do we form habits that actually work? And more importantly, how do we live them out?
As Whitney shared, “I had to analyze my own habits. Because what good is a plan if you never get around to executing it?”
Whitney is the first to admit that she’s great at dreaming and planning. “I love being in the messy middle,” she said. “That’s where all the discoveries happen. But it’s also where I tend to get stuck. Hitting ‘publish’—or putting the paintbrush down—is the hard part for me.”
So what changed?
“I had to learn how to finish things,” Whitney said. “Now, on days when I don’t feel like doing anything, I just ask: What can I finish today? That one question gets me moving.”
Three Questions That Can Change Everything
Whitney shared the simple questions she asks herself when she’s feeling overwhelmed. These aren’t just productivity tips—they’re mindset shifts:
