Ever Forward Radio with Chase Chewning podcast

EFR 918: Your Home Is Affecting Your Mental Health - How Clutter Raises Stress & What to Do About It with Sabrina Soto

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This episode is brought to you by Caldera Lab and WHOOP.

Today we sit down with interior designer, TV host, and wellness advocate Sabrina Soto to explore how our homes profoundly shape our mental health, nervous system, relationships, and sense of identity. Sabrina shares her deeply personal journey—from growing up in chaos and creating a safe haven as a teenager, to landing her first HGTV role through a Craigslist ad—and explains why design isn't about trends or perfection, but alignment. This episode explores the emotional weight of clutter, how environment influences cortisol and stress, why small changes can create massive life shifts, and how designing your space is ultimately about designing the life you want to live—one intentional step forward at a time.

Follow Sabrina @Sabrina_soto

Follow Chase @chase_chewning

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00:00 – Why Your Home Might Be Keeping You Stuck

01:21 – Sabrina's Daily Wellness & Non-Negotiables

04:36 – How Home Design Directly Impacts Mental Health

05:21 – Childhood Trauma, Chaos & Creating a Safe Haven

06:15 – Why People Dread Coming Home (and How to Fix It)

09:12 – Creating "Vignettes" That Support Your Best Life

11:00 – Why Sabrina Rejects Design Rules & Trends

12:13 – How Life Phases Shape Your Design Style

13:01 – Music, Culture & Identity in Home Design

14:14 – Using AI Wisely (Without Losing Your Intuition)

15:09 – The Craigslist Ad That Changed Everything

18:25 – Acting "As If" Before the Opportunity Arrives

21:01 – Why You're One Phone Call Away From Changing Your Life

24:30 – Cuban Culture, Perfectionism & Letting Go

28:39 – How Sabrina Scans a Room in the First 60 Seconds

30:16 – The 5-Minute Declutter That Lowers Stress

32:22 – How to Refresh a Room With $500

35:16 – 3 Cheat Codes for Instant Room Elevation

36:20 – Where People Waste the Most Money in Design

39:49 – Timeless Design vs. Trends You'll Regret

42:25 – Should Your Whole Home Match?

43:27 – What HGTV Doesn't Show You About Makeovers

47:06 – Designing a Home That Calms the Nervous System

49:29 – When a Bedroom Makeover Saves a Marriage

52:14 – How Your Environment Creates a Ripple Effect in Life

56:48 – Ever Forward

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