Final Episode: Creating a Home Where You Belong
After more than three dozen episodes, it's time to bring the Home Where You Belong podcast to a close. In the final episode, host Chip Alford shares some of the highlights of his journey and what he learned from the experience. Thanks for sharing this journey with us!
Episode 38: Creating the Garden of Your Dreams
In this episode of Home Where You Belong, we meet Matthieu Mehuys, an award-winning author and passionate landscape architect from Belgium. Matthieu shares his inspiring journey from his family farm to co-founding Paulownia Landscape Architects, and how he uses his expertise to promote regenerative farming and environmental stewardship.
Episode 37: How Storytelling Impacts Belonging
Northern Ireland native Gareth Higgins believes the presence of home exists inside each of us, and truthful storytelling can help us find it. A veteran of peace-building and violence reduction efforts in his home country, the sought-after speaker and author now lives in the U.S., where he writes and speaks about the power of storytelling to shape our lives and world.
Episode 36: Care Patrol: Matching Seniors with Ideal Living Options
In this episode, we delve into the complexities of finding the ideal living and care options for seniors with Allison Garner, Community Relations Manager of CarePatrol of Greater Chattanooga. Discover how CarePatrol's nationwide network of senior care advisors eases the process, ensuring personalized recommendations for independent living, assisted living, memory care, or in-home care, all at no cost to clients.
Episode 35: Dads Making a Difference
James Woods was incarcerated four times for failing to pay child support before discovering a life-changing program called Dads Making a Difference. Offered by First Things First, a nonprofit organization in Chattanooga, Tennessee, the 13-week program helps delinquent Dads navigate the child support and legal systems; get and keep a good, steady job; see their children more often; and learn how to better relate to their children and the mother of their children. Dads Making a Difference transformed James' life and helped him discover a passion for helping other fathers realize their self worth.
Episode 34: How to Reduce Exposure to Toxins in Your Home
The world is full of toxins, but your home doesn’t have to be. In this episode, Nontoxic Lifestyle Expert Sophia Ruan Gushée shares insights from her critically acclaimed book, A to Z of D-Toxing: The Ultimate Guide to Reducing Your Toxic Exposures. Learn how to create a safer living environment in your home with Sophia’s simplified approach to nontoxic living. She discusses health risks related to exposure to toxic chemicals, heavy metals, and electromagnetic fields (EMFs) and common sense, practical tips to avoid or reduce your exposure.
Episode 33: How to Live an Extraordinary Life in Retirement
Author Barbara L. Pagano shares insights from her award-winning book, The 60-Something Crisis: How to Live an Extraordinary Life in Retirement. Backed by a wealth of research, interviews with retirees, those preparing for the transition and her own life experience, Barbara shows how to make the last third of life “a place where we live our potential and possibilities”.
Episode 32: How to Connect Deeply in a World of Devices
Explore the transformative power of technology in building meaningful connections with loved ones. Author and businesswoman Tammy Cohen shares her personal journey of redefining communication with her sons through the simple yet impactful tool of texting. Discover how embracing this digital avenue can bridge gaps, foster understanding, and strengthen relationships, allowing you to enhance your connection with family and friends.
Episode 31: How a Chemical Engineer Used a Real Estate Side Hustle to Achieve Financial Freedom
Former chemical engineer Mat Pezon achieved financial freedom by transitioning from corporate life to full-time real estate investing. Starting with nothing, Mat transformed a side hustle into a thriving business with an ever growing portfolio of rental units, all without investors or partners. In this episode, the successful entrepreneur shares mistakes made and lessons learned, the value of documented business processes and excellent customer service, and the importance of tracking the right financial metrics to ensure a sustainable, successful business.
Episode 30: What Makes You Feel Most at Home?
A year has passed since the launch of the Home Where You Belong podcast. To celebrate, host Chip Alford shares some of the program’s highlights, future plans, and a montage of previous guests’ answers to the question: “What Makes You Feel Most at Home?”
Episode 29: How to Buy Your Dream Home with Confidence
Urban planner, realtor, and certified high performance coach Rosemary Medel talks about her mission to empower women with the knowledge and skills they need to make informed real estate decisions. In a world where women often pay more for their dream homes, Rosemary sheds light on how to conduct due diligence like a pro.
Episode 28: The Healing Power of Home
Mary Barlow, author of the inspiring memoir, Home: My Story of House and Personal Restoration, talks about the love and painful memories attached to her childhood home and how restoring a vintage home as an adult led to personal restoration and healing.
Episode 27: Make Moving Easier through the Art of Organizing
Seasoned professional organizer Nicole Gabai shares tips for better managing the stress and chaos of moving. With over two decades of experience and a best-selling book, "The Art of Organizing: An Artful Guide to an Organized Life," Nicole honed her skills working with diverse clients, from parents to professionals in various fields.
Episode 26: How to Declutter Your Life
Author, engineer and professional organizer Connie Ellefson talks about how she's empowered others to unlock creativity and energy by clearing clutter – physical, emotional, and more. Her new book, "Clear the Space ... Feel the Rush", reveals how decluttering transforms lives, leading to enthusiasm, enjoyment, and lightness.
Episode 25: A Short Break, an Update, and a Request
Host Chip Alford shares an update on the status of the podcast, plans for the future, and a request for help in growing the Home Where You Belong community. He also shares how a freak injury is delaying the release of new episodes for a few weeks and talks about his upcoming move into his 27th new home.
Episode 24: Creating a Home Life for Extraordinary Impact
Matt Barrios is on a mission: helping people create a quality home life that inspires growth, connection and extraordinary impact. Through his company, Homelife Design Lab, and a podcast he co-hosts with his wife, Lindsay, the California-based researcher, writer, and transformational coach shares research-backed insights gained from experts and everyday people around the world.
Episode 23: 500+ Mile Journey Reveals the True Meaning of Home
Every year, more than 200,000 people from around the globe hike the Camino de Santiago, a popular spiritual pilgrimage that winds hundreds of miles through beautiful countryside, the Pyrennes mountains, and welcoming villages in France, Spain, and Portugal. After completing her Camino journey five years ago, Tennessee native Hollee Brock shared the experience in a thoughtful podcast that infused real happenings with an occasional layer of "holy imagination". The result? A reminder of what connects all of us to each other and to God and a revelation about the true meaning of home.
Episode 22: Make Your Garage More Than a Parking Spot
The garage is often the first space that welcomes us home, but when it comes to home improvement, it's usually an afterthought. Aaron Cash and his team at Garage Living are changing that reality. They've already transformed thousands of garages across North America, changing them from cluttered parking spots to custom solutions featured in media like Architectural Digest, Dwell, and HGTV. Listen as Aaron shares his passion for the utility of the garage and the return on investment that comes with it.
Episode 21: From House Hunting to Closing: A Top Realtor's Tips for a Successful Home Buying Journey
Looking to buy a home but feeling overwhelmed by the process? Considering relocation but unsure what questions to ask before making a final decision? Successful Denver metro area real estate veteran Amy Terry shares her tips and insights on making the home buying process smoother, and how realtors can assist you in finding your dream home.
Episode 20: How to Create a Home that Fosters Learning
Interested in creating a home environment that fosters learning? Looking for ways to overcome common challenges every parent faces in effectively teaching their children? If you answered "yes" to one or both of those questions, this episode may be just what you're looking for. Listen as host Chip Alford talks with education coach and writer A. Keith Young and project manager and trainer Tamarra Osborne about the role of the home as the first learning environment.