NEW!!! Part 2: Joshua Becker on Spouses, Living with Hoarders & New Book Giveaway!
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- เผยแพร่เมื่อ 19 ก.ย. 2024
- Today we continue our conversation with Joshua Becker of Becoming Minimalist talking about spouses who have a hard time parting with things, living with hoarders when we want to simplify and his new book The Minimalist Home.
// Connect with Joshua Becker of Becoming Minimalist:
BLOG: www.becomingmi...
TH-cam CHANNEL: / @joshuabecker
NEW BOOK: The Minimalist Home amzn.to/2GPO0hM
LISTEN FOR FREE ON AUDIBLE: amzn.to/2ItCr2f
PREVIOUS BOOK: The More of Less amzn.to/2GPzw1i
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The giveaway is now closed. Congratulations to Wendy Wilker-Blakley and Maria Hartle, winners of the book giveaway!
#theminimalisthome #familyminimalism #joshuabecker
R E L A T E D :
Eliminate Paper Clutter Video Part 1: • Eradicate Paper Clutte...
Organize Paper Clutter Video Part 2: • Simple Paper Clutter O...
THE TRICK TO SIMPLIFY YOUR KITCHEN QUICKLY: • Simplify your Kitchen ...
KITCHEN TOUR : • Minimalist Kitchen Tou...
MY MEAL PLANNING SYSTEM VIDEO : • Simple Meal Planning y...
📷 INSTAGRAM: / the.minimal.mom
BLOG: www.TheMinimalM...
📺 P O P U L A R R E L A T E D:
Why I became a Minimalist: • Why I became a minimal...
The Best Place to Start with Minimalism: • Best Place to start wi...
What to do when You get STUCK: • Decluttering Sentiment...
Video FAQ: • FAQ from Previous Vide...
🖥 R E L A T E D P O S T S:
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Baby Keepsakes- What we keep & how: www.theminimalm...
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THANK YOU for watching! Many asked about how the inside of his home looked (and I was prepared to ask to see inside his kitchen cabinets ;), however, we met at his office, so I didn't have that opportunity! He did say that he offers a full house tour to those who participate in his Uncluttered course, be sure to subscribe to his emails or follow on social media so that you're notified when the course opens again :) >> Congratulations to Wendy Wilker-Blakley and Maria Hartle, winners of the book giveaway!
Hi...just a small comment..u shud look at him and not the camera
People are so inquisitive wanting
to see in Joshua's cupboards. I
ask you.
How funny!
This was super inspiring! Thankyou for bringing us this interview! I’m definitely still working on my house but I was deeply encouraged to hear the length of time it took Joshua to do his home.. months/years as opposed to weeks like in the Marie Kondo series. It gives me hope for me and my family. I’ve decided to give myself grace and to just continue day by day little by little xx again thankyou!
I am working hard to minimize but have some difficulty due to blindness, anyone want to help?
I started with myself. I easily got rid of almost all of my possessions, which were just weighing on me. Then I made a deal with my husband. If he would let me get rid of clutter and trash I would make rooms for all his hobbies.
So room by room in the basement I sorted and decluttered, with his consent, all his accumulated stuff. I then turned each room into a useful space for each of his hobbies. First a wine cellar. Next a fishing gear room. Then a room for his model train collection. Finally a workshop. Now he can find each of his hobbies and actually do them. Before he had all the gear but couldn’t even get started because of the clutter.
Now he is cooperating with digitizing all of his media. It’s not gone, it just takes up way less space, and it is all more accessible. He has recently coped with my downsizing his paperwork from 16 large totes and a five-drawer filing cabinet to two ziplock bags and a small box.
I do the heavy lifting on minimalizing stuff, but he’s doing all the emotional work of letting go, which is no small achievement.
Angela Cross loved this! Thanks for sharing.
great wife :)
Easy to see why he loves you. You're good for him. You set a good example without demanding of him. I agree with Georgina below: Great wife :-)
Loved this story. It shows how you complement each other in your relationship. 😊
Wow. What a wonderful story. Thank you for sharing.
I grew up with hoarders - there were whole rooms we weren't allowed to go in. You could never invite friends over after school. I saw mum prepare dinner on a chopping board sitting on a pulled out drawer. As an adult I have had to learn the basics of cleaning as there were no routines to clean or declutter in my life. God has brought the most beautiful women along my side and taught me much. We have simplified our home and going deeper and deeper now. I definitely prefer the one area at a time method - a drawer or a cupboard etc. I loved the suggestion to view your home as a holiday home and have just the basics. That helped my remove heaps more stuff and I love my totally clear benches now! Thanks for your videos. We love them.
Janet Couchman ooooohhhh I can so relate, my mom became a hoarder. Which was weird because she had been a perfectionist, but years of abuse, trauma and the loss of 2 teenagers changed her. I was bitter that when I had to clean out her house, my sister and I had to get rid of our siblings belongings who had passed away 30 years earlier. I have now learned a lot about hoarding and have compassion for my mom which I wish I would have had before she passed. I feel myself following in her footsteps and it scares me, I don’t want to leave a mess for my kids or live the rest of my life overwhelmed with stuff !!!
We are all on a journey and supporting each other is how we will all succeed:)
@@rnupnorthbrrrsm6123 my 86 year-old mother who is a hoarder lives with me now. It's not as bad as you might imagine because I do have good boundaries. So my house is very clean and organized. However I would like to have my house have less things in it. I don't know that I want to go to the extreme of some minimalists that I see but I do see the value of having less. My problem is that the majority of items in my home at the moment are my mother's. They're all very beautiful items clean and organized but it is too much. Getting rid of things before she dies though is a major battle as you can well imagine with a hoarder. If anyone has any ideas or suggestions of things that I might do in my situation I would appreciate it. I'm sort of resigned to just wait until she dies and continue to organize things better even though they are quite organized I'm sure I could still do better.
@@rnupnorthbrrrsm6123 that's Avery sad story.isnt it agood thing you could find compassion for your mother inthe end . your very aware now and I'm sure the fear is real.but your going down a differnt route already.♥️♥️♥️
KMF Well it sounds like you have a good handle on it, although it may be tough right now, I encourage you to enjoy this time with your mom, it won’t always be this way. What a blessing for you to take care of your mom, I can promise you, you will never regret it !! I’m sure you’ve probably tried this but if not have you suggested to your mom to give items to family members that she wants them to have ? It can be encouraging for older people to see their kids, grandchildren or great grandchildren enjoy treasure that once belonged to them and they know that the person they wanted to have it actually got it !! Just an idea ..... bless you for caring for your mom !
@@rnupnorthbrrrsm6123 Thanks for your idea. But I'm an only child. And I only have one child myself. Honestly, he doesn't want or need any of her items and he is a hoarder as well. So I would never suggest that for him.
I love the concept of loving the idea of a hobby, but not actually loving the hobby. And once you let it go, you are free of it.
Yes, I've had to let go of my Fantasy Self. Now my Real Self doesn't feel guilty about all those unfinished projects.
This point really struck why I feel so overwhelmed about a hobby that I have spent so much money and have so much stuff. I believe that I need to visit this and open my mind.
It makes being a SAHM less stressful when you can pick up the whole house in 15 minutes at the end of the night!
Totally agree it only takes me 15 minutes to have the house back on track for us once we decluttered and downsized. I love it because if I have a friend coming over or family the stress of having a presentable home is gone :) along with the day to day stress! Its still work but at least it's less time spent dealing with all of that :)
It's so true! Even with 5 kids I still manage to get the house together on time for lunch! It's so exciting once you see the results!❤@@HomeSweetAbundance
My GOAL!!!
Amen!
This comment inspires me, I need this as a goal
I used to store my seasonal clothing in suitcases. This made it hard for me to remember what I actually owned and it was also a nuisance to switch things out every few months. I’m happy to say I’ve simplified my wardrobe to the point where everything fits into my closet!
That's awesome Sara!!
Me too! I go through my clothes seasonally, but I just keep everything I have in my closet, and now it all fits nicely and is not even crowded!!
I did that too. Much better with far fewer clothes
I came home full time April 2018. Since then I just always felt CRAZY. I realized it was my home. It was all of these things. I had put the things in different containers, we added a closet, we had created a whole new room in the basement and we STILL had things everywhere. I started with my closet then my kitchen and I didn’t know what it was - I just wanted LESS. Then I found this TH-cam community and found the WORD- oh my word... I want to declutter, I want to be more minimalist and more intentional! Having the help and framework for where to start and what I was FREE to get rid of- it become such an amazing tool in my life. My husband is all for it, my kids are fine too! I’ve gotten rid of so much and I’m not done! My life is more FULL now than ever and I would love to read that book!!! Thank you both for your large contribution already to my journey!!
My husband is one of those "I'm not getting rid of anything because I might need it one day". I am slowly but surely getting rid of my own clutter and am hoping that he will see the benefits and one day hop on board!
With my husband, we started with mutiples or things that were very similar. Between the two of us, we had 6 rolls of electrical tape before we were married (we are not electricians) and reduced that to one each, and created a space for his electrical this so it's accessible. That would be my second going, if you can create some cake for your husband by making things more accessible or portable by decluttering, or as a compassionate trade for you.
I have been decluttering a lot over the last year. At this point, full blown minimalism isn't my aim, but a simplified, organised home that puts my mind at ease is. I'm definitely more into this process than my spouse, but focusing on my own stuff first has created enough work by itself. As for our mutual stuff, I usually break it into tiny steps, and only ask his time&energy for the smallest tasks. For example, I will go through our kitchen cabinets, find all the items we have more than one of (that I think can go), and some other things that we haven't used in ages. Then I put those on the kitchen counter, and ask him when he comes home if he agrees that we can live without all the doubles, and let him pick the ones he wants to keep. Of everything I selected, he might still disagree with a few items, and I don't make a fuss out of hanging on to them, even though I could live without them. At least I got rid of a whole bunch of stuff in the process. And I just think that I might ask him again in the future (+1 year), he might change his mind over time. This process of doing all the preparation work has helped tremendously in making it easy for both of us to cut down on our belongings (me because I want to, him because it doesn't take him a lot of time spent on something that isn't a priority to him and this way and he still has control over what we keep).
I do something similar. I pull stuff out that I think we can live without, husband gives his opinion. We've only started decluttering in the last couple of months, and he's only wanted to keep a handful of items.
An area that made a huge difference is in our clothes. Having less made laundry less daunting! Starting with little by little decluttering and bringing in less was a huge help!
I agree about the clothes! Less laundry is great, and nothing feels better than putting clothes away easily and not having to shove and cram it because you have too much.
Our biggest victory was getting rid of a love seat that NO ONE sat on. No our living room is open and spacious. We have noticed so much more interaction happening!
I loved the “I live with hoarders” question because in like the very first day of my husband helping me go through our shed he admitted that he’s a “pack-rat” 😂 but he said it with a laugh, and then he threw out the 4 foot model airplane that he literally flew one time 6 years ago (and it broke) before we ever started dating= WIN.
Right now I’m just trying to go through my own stuff and kitchen/household things that he doesn’t care either way about and keep our baby’s stuff to a minimum coming into our home.
Much love from Northern MN!
I am a County Extension Agent which means I am a community educator on topics of anything that touches families. I have been interested for a while now about how our families more and more are controlled by their stuff: taking care of it, storing it, cleaning it, maintaining it, forgetting we have it, etc. Since watching many of your videos I have gotten some really good information to share with my program participants. Thanks for sharing your life with us.
Once I had the house under control my husband was quick to get excited and join the journey
That's encouraging Emma!
Oh yeah! My husband was totally not on board 4 years ago when I started reading about minimalism. But I started decluttering my stuff and kid stuff and the kitchen and that made it easy to keep the house clean and tidy. He appreciates it so much that he's now saying we should get rid of even more stuff!
Excellent content!
Great take aways:
> Lead by example
> Patience, Humility, Love
> Look for points of agreement
I love how practical your channel always is and this interview is no different. Joshua Becker is so honest and gracious and kind and this was a very interesting interview!
I think the thing that has been the biggest help for me in my minimalism journey is getting rid of knick knacks!! Less to dust and rearrange. And it wasn't important stuff--just cute things I found at hobby lobby or whatever. Gone! I've made over $1300 on random little things from my house over the last year!! Feels so peaceful and less stressful. ❤️
Wow! That's awesome Jaime!
Love this video! My victory in decluttering is having empty surfaces. The one chore I do not love is dusting so with minimal clutter and empty surfaces it doesn’t seem like such a hassle any more.
I got my husband on board in theory (if not fully in practice) by telling him that as a SAHM our house is my workspace. Even if you're not a SAHM, your house IS a workspace - you need to be able to cook, eat, work, maintain friendships, enjoy hobbies, and relax in this space. I asked him how he would feel if I went to his office and had all my clutter laying around - could he effectively and happily work in that space? Obviously not. Framing it this way was a turning point for us.
Loved the video! My husband likes the idea of minimalism but struggles with getting rid of things he “may need” in the future. That’s why the only untouched space in our house is the garage and it is a disaster! Expressing my desires to clean out the garage and pointing out the benefits of cleaning it out, such as being able to park a car and actually find his hobby items when he wants them, he has agreed to finally clean out our garage! Woo hoo! I’m really excited but at the same time overwhelmed because it will be a daunting project! As always I love the encouragement your videos provide!
You don't have to do it all in one day. Maybe take a small box and challenge yourselves to fill it with things that can be thrown out. Tge next day, take a small box and fill it with things to give. Then maybe do one corner another day. You will see that before you know it, you will see a huge difference
We agreed that our level of cleanliness and unclutteredness is, "Not embarrassed if someone were to drop by" as opposed to perfection. We've mostly been able to hit that goal for many years now.
I used to deal with stress and anxiety when it came to managing our household and all of our stuff. I literally felt buried alive some days! It took me a while to realize I was just a hamster on a wheel trying to deal and take care of all this stuff that I didn't need to take care of in my space. Finally, through lots of soul searching, I realized I just needed to simplify and downsize so I had less pointless things to worry about and focus my attention on the things that mattered in my life. I have been on this journey for the past 4 years now, and I can finally say this whole process has been life changing and so helpful to my family. Thank you for sharing this information to help inspire others! 💓
Great interview Dawn! I think after 10 years of minimalism and trying to get my husband on board was... A year ago when we went shopping for some needed clothing items. My husband went straight to the closet and pulled out some shirts he didn't use anymore and put it in the donation box. I was shocked. And didn't say anything to scare him away!!! Lol
We just added another sweet baby to our lives, and I'm so glad I found minimalism before she arrived. Now that our lives are chaotic as the parents of 2 under 2 (as well as dealing with illnesses and injuries), it helps so much to know that my house is only 20 minutes from being tidy, and there are very few areas left that need to be decluttered. 😊
I absolutely loved his well thought out answers and his honesty,. He seems to value humility and grace for the important people in your life. I would love to read his book and have followed him (as you have) for a long time. Since watching your channel I have decluttered my kitchen (this has been so freeing in so many ways) as well as other areas. I have been doing the onion approach for the last few years and it works best for my family. Thank you so much for your channel. I cannot wait for each video to be posted.
Thank you Sarah, I appreciate that and GOOD WORK!!! :)
What's the onion approach?
@@princesswarrior6945 It is the layer by layer when you remove a little in an area and then a few months months later come back and decide to remove more after you decide you no longer need this stuff either.
A realization for my spouse happened when he and his brother had cleared out their parents’ home consisting stuff that was collected for over 60 years. It took about a year to clear out and repair the home and get it sold. He now realizes that living with a collection of a lot of things is not peaceful. We both can understand this concept and both strive to live intentionally without having things as our focus in life.
I read the clutterfree with kids book by Joshua becker a few years ago and it started my decluttering process but just this past november i stumbled across some minimalism videos on youtube and it was the final push to really minimize my house. It makes cleaning and picking up so much easier. Especially as a mom of 2 crazy toddler boys. It also gives me more time to spend with my husband at the end of the day because the house is picked up quickly and then we can relax together ❤❤ it also allows me to chill vs being anxious about the millions of cleaning items and to do things on my mind.
I really like the tip about hobbies and feeling the need to have all the “stuff”. I like to read, scrapbook and knit. My office is overflowing with my hobby ‘stuff” and it does make it less enjoyable. I’ve started to read books on my tablet and put myself on a yarn diet to start reducing the clutter.
"yarn diet" -- love this!!! :)
I am also a knitter and have only been keeping what I think I will use and love. Trying not to by anything new for a while. :)
Thanks for the video! We just moved to AZ so I hope to see Joshua Becker speak at sometime. I recently heard this, “there are so many rituals to bring things into the home [birthdays, holidays, weekly shopping trips, etc] but there are few to none rituals to getting things out of the home.” This is so true! We started with 40 bags in 40 days (which we continue to do every year), which is just amped up spring cleaning and then ritualized the getting rid of things, donation box in the closet so that anything that didn’t suit our needs got donated right away and found a convenient drop off on the way to school. And we made sure our trash can and recycle was full each garbage day (for things that can’t be donated). It is a process. Celebrate progress! My husband is fully on board now, but it took some time!
I so enjoyed the interview with Joshua Becker. I am 60 years old and five years ago my husband and I sold our 4-bedroomed house and moved to a 2-bedroomed flat. We had lived in the house for over 20 years so we had a load of stuff to sort through and get rid of. We have never regretted our decision to live a more minimal life. We have loads more time now to spend with our lovely daughters and granddaughters and with the money we realised from selling our house we were able to buy a boat which is something we had always dreamed of! You have no option but to be a minimalist on a boat and we love it. I am so pleased that I found your site. You have really helped me along the way.
Paperwork has always been an issue but the Minimal Mom inspired me to tackle it one day and my husband even commented and thanked me for getting it so organized and cleared out. I have read the Marie Kondo book as well and looking forward to the Minimal Home now as well. Inspiration in whatever form that you make work for your own family is the key and a process. The main takes away for me is that because this is how it has been does not mean it is how it always has to be. Just get started. Thanks for continuing to inspire with relevant content.
Congratulations Maria! You won a book! Please use the email address in my about section for business inquiries to send me your address and I will get it mailed out!! :) If I remember correctly, I think you are from MN, too?? Thanks for watching! I hope we can meet someday!!! :)
My whole life has been changed! As I've mentioned before, we simplified and our lives are SO much better. U came into my life at the perfect time! So thankful for you and that you found Joshua to help u!!!!!!
That is just so awesome to hear Rhonda!! I'm glad you shared this, I think it will encourage others!!! :)
I really like your interviewing style! I see in the comments about needing to look at Joshua more but for me you got the balance right! I felt that u were really considering the viewers too by looking to the camera also, it felt really informal & inclusive. Great job Dawn! 👍
The less I want, the more I gain! 😘
Ana Men I really liked Joshua Becker’s book The More of Less, so much I bought it, I originally read via the library. 😊
So inspiring! I am new to minimalism but I'm very motivated to achieve a more peaceful life as a result. One of my earliest victories has been getting my paper clutter minimalized. This was so suffocating to me and now I feel like I can breathe again. It feels good to be in control of this huge aspect of my life.
I am just getting started with this concept of “paring down the inventory”. The hardest thing to get out of the house was my husband’s clothing (he passed away in 2019). It just felt so disrespectful in some weird way. But a nearby mobile home park was destroyed by fire, and those people fled with NONE of their possessions. It inspired me to provide at least a few of the families with men’s gently used (some new) clothing, and this made the chore much easier. Strange way to start this process, but the motivation has continued and is picking up steam with every video I watch. Thank you for all of the wonderful advice, Dawn and Joshua!
I started decluttering about seven years ago using a housekeeping system. My messiest room was the dining room; it had become a drop zone for all manner of things. I recall one milestone was taking down my Christmas tree in April. The room had become so cluttered, I couldn't get to it. Now, the dining room is cleaned out, and we've painted, installed lighting, flooring, and simple cabinets and open shelving to hold only the dining room essentials. When the room was packed up for painting and flooring, we began to realize we enjoyed the simplicity. So, I gave away extra display shelves and decor items, and we agreed to declutter our collections that had previously filled the walls. The stuff was often a point of contention anyway; we each complained about the other person's stuff. The result is that our dining room became an oasis. Now, my husband (of seventeen years) and I have been eating all our meals at the table instead of in front the television. I haven't watched TV since January. We talk more and have been spending our time finally completing projects together. Our home is transforming room by room and the decluttering had steadily continued. Our lives have completely changed. We make decisions together and enjoy seeing our long-awaited plans come to fruition. We're more motivated to let go of things because we're finally enjoying our home instead of managing so much stuff. Thank you for your videos! They provide so much encouragement and great tips.
Loved this interview, I became a minimalist out of necessity when we moved out our 2400 square foot house , to a 350 square foot space, I wish I had know you all then. :)
What a great interview!!!
Win #1 for me was when I completely cleared out my closet of all of my belongings except for a few sentimental items and clothing that I knew I would 100% be wearing.
What a great feeling it has been to walk into my closet each day and know that I use all of the clothing in there,
and that I treasure all of the settlement items I’ve chosen to keep!!!
I appreciate Joshua Becker’s take on minimalism. It helps to keep watching videos like this to keep me on track. I have a lot of work to do still in my home, but a couple weekends ago my husband and I decluttered the garage and now I can park my car in it for the first time in more than a year!
I have been on this journey for quite a few years now, mentally, then physically. I only recently found your channel. The great benefit for me has been seeing how you articulate everything I have known in my heart and felt in my bones but couldn't really articulate well to my family and loved ones. When I watch your videos, I'm always amazed. I find myself saying, "YES! Exactly!!" all the time. My husband and I moved from a large home (filled to the brim) and 5 acres (filled to the brim) to living in a 5th wheel full time. I love how it has freed my mental load, but explaining that to people used to just make me feel like I looked crazy to them. You have given me the words and ability to explain myself in a way that I now feel like most people are a little envious instead of thinking I'm a weirdo. Thank you for that. Wonderful to find kindred spirits.
Thank you! Loved this! Sentimental clutter is so hard for me. My son was killed in the Marines and I still have everything of his in his bedroom....just can't part with anything right now. It has been 13 years and still feels like yesterday.
marinemom03 this is really hard. I feel for you, momma. Maybe just pick one thing to part with and see how you feel about it during the following week?
I love how Joshua values the relationship over achieving minimalism.
My husband and I have been cleaning up our mess and extra stuff. Started using the donate / trash bag box method by listening to Dawn. We’re considering moving and want to have a healthier stress less process. I’m enjoying listening to both of you and the small victories when starting into minimizing your hone/life. Thanks for sharing your knowledge and guidance into this journey.
I'd have to say our biggest Victory with minimalism is the basement of our current home. We moved into the house my grandparents built and not only added our stuff to it but also had to deal with some of their leftover stuff. Last year was our big basement clean-out. We managed to get rid of so much it's amazing and now we have space for a workout area, a mini office and entertainment space!! We still have things we could clean out but the hardest part is behind us.
I've had great success minimizing the kids clothes, and will still go a little further with it. What I ended up doing that works is every couple of months I put all the washed, folded clothes in baskets for each kid. Whatever goes through the laundry after that goes back into their drawers. Whatever is still left in the basket after a couple of weeks goes in the donation box. This helps me see what they are choosing to wear regularly! The biggest area of struggle is paper clutter...any mail/documents that aren't digital and all the stuff from school. I hesitate to switch all my bills to paperless because I'm not great at keeping up with them via my inbox.
I’ve been listening to your videos for a few weeks now and have found them helpful.
My husband asked me to clean out our entryway closet. I found it easier to pul out all the coats I knew we’d not get rid of, then I could see what needed to go. The quick work of it excited me and has motivated me to continue to attack the smaller areas before going to the dreaded spaces. Thanks for putting yourself out there!
I love his thoughtful and introspective answers! So good!
Love both of you and how minimalism is changing my life. I would love to see your before and after school routines.
I took your advice and bought my kids toys from them. It was the best thing we ever did. I had tried to have them choose what they didn’t play with or want anymore and they would get upset with me and cry. When we threw money in the mix we got ride of about 200 items. The State Fair was just days away so we told them they could buy bracelets for unlimited rides. We had the best time at the fair last year.
I can totally relate to wanting g to live more simply and my husband wanting to keep his "stuff". I just took care of all my own stuff, and all the areas I'm in charge of (kitchen, washrooms, products etc..) We have a relatively small home of about 980SF and so we just compromised that as long as we had a place to put all of his stuff (all of it is from his childhood as he's not much of a shopper, we have bins of his old stuff from his parents and he has 100s of tshirts -wish I was exaggerating.) So our co promise is that as long as it has a place, a closet, or dresser drawers ect... To be stored away then we could keep it, but as soon as we don't have a home/space for it he needs to pick and choose wants. It has helped quite a bit! If the Lord blesses us with a child though, he knows his "room of stuff" needs to go to make a place for a new family member so for the time being when piles get out of hand in our main living areas I ask him to bring it all up to "his room" where I do not venture! Haha
This seems like an awesome compromise, I hope it helps others, too!!!
Joshua has great advice and approaches minimalism with a considerate approach. I like that he says not to just organize your stuff but to make less to organize.
I am an art and crafter, so that clutter is everywhere.
But at 53 was just diagnosed with ADD and I am very disorganized in almost all I do, every day is a constant struggle and I can’t tolerate any of the meds. Watching your channel is helping me a lot
Thank you for all you do
Janet, from Northeast Mass 🌹
I have been decluttering for a month. I have 7 kiddos 2-14. I love the freedom that the decluttering has brought. My daughter on the other hand has had a difficult time letting go. Thank you for your tips. I watch few TH-cam videos, but have kept up with yours for 2 weeks now. Thanks for this interview. After watching them, I looked Joshua up and love his videos too.
When I first started my minimalism journey, I was frustrated with the state of our home and overwhelmed at the process ahead. I don't even remember now how I got started. I can't remember if I discovered Joshua Becker first or if I discovered The Minimalists first, but I spent a lot of time listening to podcasts and videos and reading Joshua Becker's blog. Now I have not only made some amazing progress on our house, but my family (husband and kids) are totally on board. My husband is even working on clearing out the shop, where there are decades of all kinds of farm-related things. I love the peace and clear spaces in the house and how quickly I can be "company ready." Totally worth it!! Now I'd like to be able to help others do the same.
I cleaned out my closet and really took a hard look at everything and asked myself why I was keeping it. Towards the end, I could definitely tell I had some decision fatigue but my closet is so much more pruned now and I actually find it easier to pick out what I'm going to wear to work.
I’ve really felt successful with our clothes! Our walk in closet is 1/3 full and we love it!
Cool interview dawn, be honest were you blushing? 😎👍
My life has changed so much. I have watched every video you have and I am a emptynester. I have just started listening to Joshua Becker I know backwards. Had to apologize to college daughter for teaching her the love of things and not teaching her a good way to manage money. Like she said to me ok teach me know. So learning new things. Thanks to both of you.
I started on the minimalism journey a year ago. Having four kids in 4.5 years was overwhelming & I didn't want to spent my time always cleaning, picking up, feeling stressed so I started decluttering & continue on that journey to have more time with my kids, less to manage & an easier time cleaning & managing our household
I have been reducing the amount of stuff in my small home slowly as my energy permits. People compliment me on how peaceful, calming and spacious it seems. I think the process got hold of me rather than the other way round!
We are a family of 8 (9 in a few months) minimalism has helped calm the chaos in our home, my kids have also started to see the benefits of having less. It has helped me as a mom to be much more intentional in everything that I do.
Hi Dawn! I have been following you for a couple of months and you led me to Josh Becker. I am a SAHM with one grown and 3 still at home. I took your advice about starting with my schedule. Now that I have let go of some commitments, I have started to follow his advice too. The first space I tackled was our 1/2 bath that also has a linen closet that was packed full of random things. Most of the items were relocated, much was removed, and very little remained. I can't believe what a difference this one simplified space has made! Thank you for getting this information out there, and motivating me to get started!
It hasbeen more of a journey than reaching a minimalism point/ destination for me.
This is my second time listening to your interview with Joshua Becker...I have been a regular listener to his channel as well. You two covered some great topics! Thanks friend!
Thank you for this interview....very encouraging!
I've found that I do best when I set a time limit (15 mins, 1/2 hour, hour, etc.) and tackle one area, closet or drawer. I also like challenges where you take a basket or bag and find 25 things to get rid of.
Hearing this podcast today was just what I needed! I have been struggling not having my husband onboard with this lifestyle. Today gave me the encouragement needed to continue paring down my own possessions and allowing him to see the positive results. Thank you both!
Such a great interview!! I have seen the greatest difference in the kids toys. The kids are finally to the point that they know if they get new toys they have to get rid of toys they don’t play with anymore!! It’s wonderful!!!
I’m still working on our house but getting our kids toys and clothes under control helped so much. They still have a good amount of toys, we could definitely simplify more, but I’m happy to see how far we’ve come. Just knowing that we can clean up fairly quick helps so much, and being able to have the kids help. Their toys aren’t so overwhelming that they can’t help, even at 2.5 and 5.
One victory I've had is having someone drop by with very little notice and having it be no big deal! I had been feeling discouraged with how some other areas of the house were still a struggle, but that incident helped me remember what one of our original goals was: to be able to tidy quickly and host easily. It's easy to be discouraged if all I look at is where I want to be, but it's encouraging to look back and see how far I've come!
I have been downsizing my stuff for about three years now, I guess the biggest victory was going through my collection of knitting magazines. I have kept alot of patterns, but at least it's only patterns I am very likely to actually use.
Those were great interviews! The thing that really helped me get rid of things I wasn’t using, was the fact that it is a true waste having stuff just sit around, because no one is using it, when there are others who could really benefit from using the stuff! I love all your videos! Do you such a good job!!!
That first point about rebuying what you get rid of - that's why I love your idea of the holding bins or "time will tell" baskets. Give yourself the opportunity to live without something for a while and see how you feel.
Thank you for the Q and A. I’ve been embracing minimalism for a year now. The mindset really helped my husband and I clean out his aunt and parent’s homes over the past 3 weeks.
I love watching your vids. Thanks for introducing is to Joshua Becker. I started cluttering about six years ago and counted over 200 bags, boxes and small pieces of furniture that I got rid of. Then when I sold my house 3 years ago, it wasn't such a trauma to downsize. Love is simpler now. 😀
I grew up in a third world country so having too much stuff was not a thing. But my husband is from the US....to me having things that nobody uses is a sin because someone else that can't affor it could be using it. I am on a journey to make our home peaceful and spacious, easy to mantain and a place that everybody in our family enjoys. I want the book... l will pass it around when done reading it. Blessings
Great questions! Learning to aim at simplifying my own stuff instead of my husband's or children's things was a good lesson for me. Now I sit with my children as they figure out what they don't want anymore, what a good life skill to learn! We have 6 children and stuff galore, it's slowly getting more manageable, in large part thanks to the encouragement from your channel. Thanks Dawn!
I found minimalism at the perfect time, a couple months before we were about to move to a new apartment. I got rid of SO much stuff! Since I did that, packing up was super easy and I was also able to completely unpack and settle into our new apartment in only two days! (Not an easy task with two toddlers) Minimalism has helped relief so much anxiety and stress in my life.
What a great interview! One of the best victories I’ve had is selling so many unused items that I was able to donate money to Joshua’s project, Hope Effect. 🏡 💕
I have been the hoarder...it has been helpful that my husband has been willing to make space in the garage to put well-labeled quarantine boxes until I can heal from each death that results in extra stuff and each move that enables us to move less into the new space...also, the "space" idea is great...if you can't start with a room...you can start with the dinner table, then the dining room...it does take time!
We just moved from South Carolina up to Indiana. Our old house was 1750 sq feet. Our new house is 3100 sq feet (finished basement included) When I saw all the boxes come off the moving truck (18 wheeler) into our new house, I felt ashamed. How did THAT much stuff fit in our old house??? We have donated so much stuff to a local mission. My goal is to not buy anything for a year and only declutter. Our house is so open and airy and feels great to have ROOM in every room to play with the kids and dogs. It’s a work in progress, but it feels amazing ❤️
This was such an inspiring video. I started my journey a few weeks ago, and I can't believe the difference in our home and in my head! :) Thanks for all you do!
I started the journey toward minimalism when my daughter was 3 months old, and I think the biggest win is the peace and calm it has brought to our home. Having a baby just turns your world upside down, and it's so easy to feel overwhelmed. Getting rid of things over the past 2 years has made me feel more in control because I have less stuff to manage. The benefits have been so great that I'm just as (or more) motivated to continue this lifestyle as I was when I began. Dawn, I love your simplifying toy videos! As a new mom, I worried so much about what toys we need and which are just clutter; you've given me so much confidence about what can go. Thanks!
Love that you are both so honest about the whole process, and that you remind people that they don't all have to follow the same path to get to the end result!
Great interview! I cleaned out my kitchen cabinets and it felt good doing so!. I am slowly, so I don't get overwhelmed, going through the house and getting rid of things.
Marie Kondo got me started on my minimalist journey several years ago. Then watching the documentary Minimalism sprung me deeper into considering why we all strive for more and more. The victory is that now I have a lifestyle of considering regularly my choices whether it be what I buy, keep, or discard. It's a habit now.
Thank you so much for access to the audible book! Joshua is now my constant companion whilst I'm driving at work, I've listened about 3 times now; trying to brainwash myself LOL and its working! Did my tiny kitchen last weekend, only moved here one year ago from a huge kitchen and thought I'd cleared loads then but you should've seen the pile of stuff to get rid of still! I don't even now how it fit in the cupboards, it's so much better 😊 I've also cleared my wardrobe and drawers about 3 times...the more I do the more I want to do, it's exhilarating!
We have started by simplifying our clothing and with 6 of us, it has made a world of difference in our laundry routine!
This was a great interview! Thank you to you both!❤️
Have been following the KonMari method for 3 weeks now and it has been so freeing to finally let go what does not bring me joy--after 65 years of trying to organize my way to freedom. I look forward to reading or hearing "The Minimalist Home" soon. Note that just me doing my own stuff has expanded to my husband doing the same with his stuff. He asked my help at first, but is continuing on his own. The best part is he recognizes what I am doing when things get worse before they get better. Appreciation for my hard work, and mine for his willingness to help, has added a new dimension to a wonderful marriage.
I'm a natural declutter and have been for many years. However, listening to Marie's audiobook, other minimalist books, blogs, and you tube channels have helped me pare down even more. I'm not a super minimalist but I think that my current amount of possessions feels ok for me. I am always aware when I shop about what I choose to buy and decide if it's worth the space. Ultimate goal is a tiny house once the teenagers move out but my husband would not love that so we will compromise with a more manageable sized house and fewer things in it.
My 2 favorite people in one room! Yay! Thank you for the videos with such amazing content. The biggest victory was getting my hubby to embrace minimalism. Small victory for me have been letting go of towels, you really don't need that many and we have not missed them at all.
Great interview Dawn! We’ve slowly been decluttering our home. My husband has been very happy with our results so far...but it was only me doing the work. This week he announced he’s going to declutter his side of our bedroom closet. Yessss! Lol
One step at a time! It’s so nice to walk into a room and feel the calm of it being tidy and clutter free. We have a ways to go, but the momentum is building! I have been inspired by you-especially with the kids toys. We are now very intentional with all our purchases, and this includes our kids toys. I used to buy my children toys randomly and way more frequently. Now only for special occasions. Sometimes I fight feeling bad when my kids tell me about their friends getting new toys often. But then I think about how your children play together and are being creative with less. I stuck to it-feeling deep down that I’m teaching them so much. They are learning that stuff can’t make them happy. They’re also learning gratefulness. All great life lessons. And I also have found that yes-they are playing together more! Thanks for all you do-you are making a difference for many:)
I am so glad that you introduced me to Joshua and his spiritual ties to owning more than I need ...he has shown light on scripture I have read all my life but did not see the application...
Thank you for all you do...
Thank you for the new interview with Joshua Becker! It is good to see that there are different approaches. Marie does say that with her approach, it is one time and done!
Our house feels more spacious with 3 kids than it ever did with just the two of us! I love having less stuff to clean up and organize. We actually don't use our master bedroom as a bedroom and it is a bonus space to just let the kids run around and be crazy or create an obstacle course, or something big during these cold months! Our kids love sleeping together so this is possible for now and as they grow and want more room, we have that space to spread out into without ever thinking our house is too small! :)
Minimizing has been such a blessing in every area of my life. I love having more time for family and other commitments.
Thank you for this video. I have enjoyed watching them from the beginning. I am needing some motivation to downsize homeschool curriculum, and just stuff accumulated over the years of homeschooling. All the curriculum we have tried and never finished, and the curriculum we have finished and now need to pass them on to someone else. It is a daunting task!
Great interview! You both are so practical and Joshua Becker is so gentle & wise in his manner, thoughtful and respectful to others. Great advice to work at your own stuff first and set an example before "telling" your spouse or other person in your home. Such a worthwhile effort - we have been working for 4 years or so and are at an amazing point (we have 5 kids 7-23) so lots to go through. I love his advice about many different methods work for different people, but just getting started and getting confidence in letting go really is key. Thanks for all your inspiration both of you!!
Thank you for this! It helped to see his ideas on communicating and working with my spouse on my minimalist journey.
I have been going through each room of my house and decluttering. It has really helped transform my way of thinking, purchasing, and even gift giving. I just started watching Joshua Becker's TH-cam videos,and I just think simplifying everything is my theme for this year:) Thanks for all your insight!
You really spoke to me when you referred to the want-to-be hobbyist. I was raised by a crafter and want to be good on a sewing machine, but I am terrible. I need to let go of all the fabric and the sewing machines that only make me feel terrible every time I walk by them.