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Sort Your Life Out Unpacked

Elizabeth Day: The Cigarette Case

4/21/202627 min

In this episode of Sort Your Life Out Unpacked, organisational expert Dilly Carter is joined by the ‘queen of podcasting’, Elizabeth Day. Elizabeth brings three meaningful items for Dilly to unpack – literally and figuratively. Each one reveals a story from her life, from cherished childhood memories she still carries with her to the beautiful love story of her grandparents.

Elizabeth opens up about rebuilding a home after divorce, her relationship with partner Justin and whether she colour-codes her bookshelves. Things take an emotional turn when Dilly reflects on what Elizabeth’s words and books have meant to her personally. Elizabeth rates her organisation a confident 9.5/10 – but what will Dilly discover inside the boxes?

Sort Your Life Out Unpacked is a podcast hosted by tidying expert Dilly Carter. In each episode, Dilly chats to a celebrity guest and unboxes three mystery objects from their home that reveal what is really important to them. At the end, Dilly asks her guest whether they are going to keep, donate or recycle any of the items and, along the way, we learn how to organise and sort our own lives out.

Presented by Dilly Carter Editing: Daniel King Line Producer: Philippa Pettett Production Co-ordinator: Berniee Ekomisa Assistant Producer: Emily D'Souza Executive Producer for Optomen: Charlotte Brookes Assistant Commissioner: Chris Bartlett Commissioning Editors: Rhian Roberts and Beejal-Maya Patel Produced by Holly Newson Hair & Make Up: Sarah Burrows Art Director: River Gibbs Production Runner: Molly Morgan

An Optomen production for iPlayer and BBC Sounds.

Clips

Heart-Shaped Womb Reframed
Love Across Occupied Europe
Thomas, The Lifelong Guardian
Leaving With Almost Nothing
The Cigarette Case That Connects
Order, Calm, And Better Sleep
Against Color-Coded Bookshelves

Transcript preview

First 90 seconds

  1. Dilly Carter· Host0:00

    [upbeat music] This is Sort Your Life Out Unpacked with me, Dilly Carter. Every episode, a celebrity guest will hand over three boxes, each containing an item from their own home. We'll unbox them together and hear plenty of memories and stories too. Along the way, there'll be simple tips to help you sort your own life out. My guest this episode is basically the queen of podcasting. She's been showing us since 2018 that we can mess up in a million ways, and that it's okay to do so. But given that she rates herself a nine and a half out of 10 when it comes to being organized, I'm going to guess she doesn't fail at clearing her clutter. It is, of course, the incredible How to Fail host, broadcaster and author, Elizabeth Day.

  2. Elizabeth Day· Guest0:49

    Oh, Dilly.

  3. Dilly Carter· Host0:50

    [laughs] Elizabeth. Nine and a half out of 10? [laughs] Are you coming for my job?

  4. Elizabeth Day· Guest0:54

    [laughs] [laughs] I know. Now I'm really regretting saying that- [laughs] ... 'cause it sounds so smug.

  5. Dilly Carter· Host0:59

    No, it's good. I like that confidence.

  6. Elizabeth Day· Guest1:02

    I am really organized.

  7. Dilly Carter· Host1:03

    Yeah.

  8. Elizabeth Day· Guest1:03

    And the thing is, because I do a lot of different things- Mm-hmm ... I do have to be super organized because I have to get into different mindsets, whether I'm preparing for a podcast interview or I'm writing a book, I have to be hyper organized, and I also love sleep.

  9. Dilly Carter· Host1:19

    Yes.

  10. Elizabeth Day· Guest1:19

    [laughs] So, [laughs] so timing- Very important ... is important so that I get into bed so that I get eight hours.

  11. Dilly Carter· Host1:24

    [laughs] Do you know what? People don't realize how being organized affects our sleep,

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