Just stopped the video and put all the lids on my storage containers. She's correct. Much tidier and now I can see the right size, when I want to store something.
I have a set of *nesting glass bowls* with colored plastic lids. Each bowl can have its lid on and still fit inside the next bowl. It was a brilliant design idea, colorful, and so multi-functional. The bowls can (obviously) be used for *food storage* (I prefer glass to plastic), but they are also good for: a multi-serving salad or pasta bowl, *mixing bowls* , baking, "extras" bowls (for DIY baked potato toppings or prep for multi-ingredient dishes like omelettes...think grated cheese, chopped onions, etc), microwave cooking, and the smallest ones can fill in for soup, stew, or cereal bowls if you run out of dishes or want a double portion.
We are 2 but I cook a lot (like food in individual servings that go to the freezer or baked or boiled veggies) and that’s why we use the dishwasher 3 times a day!!!
Oh yes! This is something my mom used to value and I understand now better than ever as well! Even if I’m exhausted I try to wash up the dishes before I go to bed and I have thanked myself many times in the morning :-)
We have dog’s so when I wake up, I let them out, start my coffee, fill the dog’s water bowl,food and then empty the dishwasher- by then the dog’s want in and if clothes need started I do that, then sit and enjoy a cup of coffee! Through out the day when the kids eat or I do, we rinse dishes and put directly in the d.w. After dinner fill the rest of the dishwasher up, start it and wash what couldn’t fit, dry and put away.
Thanks for putting in that but near the end about the mess that is basically normal to having a lived-in home. I love seing the reality of others, not just the perfection we're presented with 95%+ of the time. Thanks.
I'm sorry, but one of the best parts of this episode was seeing mess before cleaning. Knowing that your house can look just like mine gives me relief, now i feel like "ok, that's normal with kids, that's how other houses looks too". That's goog feeling ;) thank you for inspiration, i'm here with you since January 2020. Greetings from Poland and Happy New Year!
I recently started doing that, as well. I love it! I have a cabinet full of casserole dishes I don’t use but my husband is the cook around here so he won’t let me get rid of any. 🙁
Never go to bed with a dirty kitchen. You never know what God will bring into your path the next day, so waking up to a clean kitchen/house gives so much freedom to serve others, change plans quickly, and have adventures with the kids.
What a beautiful perspective! I hope our Province will eventually be out of lockdown and we can actually step foot inside each other’s homes again without risking a fine.
Literally cleaned out all my kitchen yesterday and moved everything around to make it more functional yesterday and I love it already, I love baking and I used to have stuff in all the cupboards and drawers for it, and we have this huge corner cupboard that was just full of junk, so yesterday I went through all the baking stuff I have and emptied that junk cupboard and turned it into my baking spot, everything I need in one place.
I have watched you, Dawn, the minimal mom, Hilary, old world home and megan foxx unlocked for at least a year and most of you longer. It is great to see you all collabing!
Thank you for making me realize that my normal is the normal for you and many of your viewers so that I feel ok to be group normal. At my age of 80 I’ve always felt if I don’t get things right the first time I am afraid to try again. But discovering your channel through ClutterBug came at the most appropriate time. I’m in the process of downsizing so I can sell my home and get something smaller as a home base while car camping the country. So as I declutter my 45 year old (kitchen first) home your intelligent suggestions based on your personal working solutions makes it OK when things aren’t functional.
If I store food storage with the lids on, I throw in a paper towel or napkin so it absorbs the food smells that permeates and never leaves the plastic (including plastic lids on glass food storage.) It's like if you go on a long vacation and you empty your fridge, you clean it, you turn it off and shut the door.... when you come back, it STINKS. The plastic absorbs smells. So food storage does the same thing. Throw in a piece of paper and it won't smell.
My husband, five month old daughter, and two cats live in a 728 square foot house. Since I started the decluttering process, our house feels BIGGER! My stress levels have significantly gone down and I feel like I have more time because of it! My best tip to give anybody starting out is start with an area that is high traffic and not sentimental, like your clothes or kitchen utensils. And take your time, don’t feel like you have to have that perfect minimalist house in one day. It takes time, and is addicting once you get in the swing of things! Also, try your best not to buy anything you don’t need in the process, that was my issue when I first started! Look around your house and try to use what you already have. 🥰
I too live in a 720 square foot home and have been trying hard to get passed the parting process and it starts to feel exciting to lift the weight of stuff one item at a time. Truth is I realized too that you cany update to a fresh feel with old stuff. Iblove old furniture but, the expendables can go.
@@yvonnefacteau4329 From my aged perspective, don't get rid of all sentimental and Antique kitchen utensils. I did, then bought it later in life for those memories. Keep what means the most to you.
I’m a believer! I have switched over to keeping the lids on my food storage containers and I LOVE it! I got rid of all the hopeful lidless containers and damaged, worn out ones and made room for this style. I even returned some to their rightful owners that made me feel great! We love the difference this has made. I recommend people try it before they knock it.
Best tips I have for the kitchen so far is to load and start the dishwasher before bed each night... And to color code everyone's plate/bowl set and put away any extras for guests... so for example if there's a dark blue plate left in the sink we all know dad didn't wash his plate and if it's pink we all know it's mine and I need to wash it lol... It helps encourage everyone to be responsible for cleaning their own dish.
Color-coding kids cups was life-changing! Previously, my kids (5) would get out a new cup each time they wanted a drink, because they couldn't POSSIBLY risk drinking after someone else! Now we have 2 cups in each color. They leave them in a certain spot in the kitchen for reuse during the day. I know exactly who to tell to pick up their cups when I find them elsewhere!
We always had too many people over to just keep dishes for us. My kids were always bringing someone home for dinner and the weekends--well let me say we rarely were just by ourselves. I am glad it works for you.
I have learned to keep lids and containers together at 49 years old and it is so true having many containers means more rotting & forgotten leftovers in he fridge in my case. Thanks for sharing your journey and wisdom!
This is so helpful! I’m getting married in March and am a huge believer in minimalism and clutter-free living, so I’m excited to implement these tips for when my husband and I are living together! Thank you Natalie!!
Just an idea but when we got married we asked for money instead of gifts so that we may be able to buy a house. All our wedding money went into purchasing our first home instead of into stuff.
When I got married we were both in our 30s with established households. We had a phenomenal yard sale and made several hundred dollars and had a great date night, because we didn't need any more stuff.
@@melindaedgington9925 how did you do that exactly? I mean, it is considered rude and socially unacceptable to actually "ask" for money and I've seen a lot of Dear Abby type columns about it where guests were so insulted at being asked this by wedding hosts/couples. Is there a tactful way to do it? I've not actually seen an answer. I'm not dissing you, I am truly curious how you do it in a socially acceptable way?
@@TRUCKESCRT We just wrote the request on our invitations but also also requested that we would be happy with no gift at all and that their presence was the best present. We had a very small wedding and only invited those close to us who knew us well.
I'll say this; this is true minimalism. There are a lot of folks on TH-cam who think they're minimalist because they're organized, or because their decor is well-chosen. Nope. If you're shocked and disturbed by the thought of getting rid items until there's nothing on your counter, you aren't a minimalist (at least, not yet). And that's okay. At the very least, this is inspiration to de-clutter.
Natalie, I spent the last half hour finding you on TH-cam for that one tip that stuck in my mind - covering the lids on storage containers. I did it and organization WORKED LIKE MAGIC. I'm here to subscribe and literally follow you religiously! I haven't met a person more practical than you and your videos! Thank you for making the chanel and lighting up our lives ✨️
All I can think of with the single-purpose appliances is chef Alton Brown- his thought is the only unitasker that belongs in a kitchen is a fire extinguisher! And I love my ninja blender/food processor. I won it as a door prize at a work holiday party. It's been great!
We don’t own a toaster. Lol. pan fry toast or toast in the toaster oven. Just sold my kitchen aid mixer, and I still haven’t bought a hand mixer. Our food is probably the most cluttery thing in my kitchen.
Having the proper storage organiser and multi-function utensils/tools definitely help so much for a minimalist kitchen. I personally have used a certain multipurpose item for over a decade and it has helped me save time and make healthier ingredients from scratch. You can see what I mean here th-cam.com/video/yNC-F6V3W6Mv/w-d-xo.html as well as my own minimalist kitchen tips. xCC
You are so right about the effect of keeping items off the counters. I’m not quite a 100 percent yet but close and already noticing a difference! I started storing food containers with lids a couple years ago! To help keep the refrigerated tidy, I designate one shelf to strictly leftovers. My eyes are now trained to check it out first before deciding a menu plan! Thank you Natalie for your enthusiasm!❤️
Breathing room in cupboards is more valuable than a back up item ! Inventory management. I love using risers or helper shelves to give cupboards some breathing room. Keeping the sink and counters clean is huge. I empty the dishwasher each morning and set up tomorrow’s coffee. Thank-you Natalie !
A really good solution to the tupperware-lid-problem whilst having one of those super tiny kitchens is storing the bowls inside of each other and all the matching lids piled on top of that stack. Yes, it is a bit more of a hassle to get that bowl and matching lid out of the cabinet when you'd like to use it, but it still keeps bowls and matching lids together and worked really well for me when I was living in a tiny apartment with next to zero storage space. Also, I really love your "clutter free doesn't mean perfect all the time or no work" disclaimer at the end of your video :)
Yes, I put the container with lid together make life so much easier. I reset my house every night like wash dishes, clean countertop and table, take out trash, put things back, clean bathroom toilet, sink and mirror I like to wake up to a clean house 😁.
I applaud you for being so open and honest about the fact that we see your house at its best state and you still have things around and unfinished projects. Love love love that! 💛
Just did my kitchen “utensils”. And put the lids on my Pyrex storage bowls. I was using coffee filters between the bowls to keep them from sticking and getting chipped. Thank you Natalie for the little tidbits. I love your channel and I also follow Dawn
Decluttering and deep cleaning my kitchen is on my list this week, and I’m dreadinnggg it. But I know it’s contributing to my feeling that my house never feels clean. Thanks for the inspo 👏🏼
Thank you so much for your informative video!! I’m moving from a 1500 sq ft house into a 500 sq ft mother n law suite so I really need to downsize. I’ve watched so many videos trying to get motivated but none were what I needed until I found yours!! Your tips and ideas are clear and practical. I’m going to go back and watch more of your videos to help me through this process. Thank you again 🙏
You are such a motivation because you, like Dawn, help make minimizing seem more realistic for families. One thing I was surprised by was how much money we saved by having a minimized kitchen. Before, there were so many nights when I would ask my husband to just pick up something for dinner on his way home because the kitchen was a disaster and I would have to clean it for an hour before I even had enough dishes to think about starting to cook a meal. Minimizing and having a cleaner, more manageable space means we eat at home and save money and eat healthier.
I stack food containers separate from lids, but I choose to have almost exclusively 1 size/shape container in a medium size so it is a single pile of each. If I need to store large amounts I just use 2 containers. One of the best simplifying choices I have made.
Love the idea of being honest with myself about what appliances, gadgets, number of place settings and serving bowls I actually need and use often enough to justify the amount of clutter they cause. It makes sense to me so I will be looking at those things with different thoughts. Thank you for sharing.
Oh Natalie, I had declutter and organized the whole house. But what you say, does make since. The house we moved into, the people left dished, furniture, shelves. I mean A LOT..... The kitchen is the only room I have not done yet, now I have ideas going through my head. Thank you! I may have to watch it several times!
I've learned to clean my kitchen every night before I go to sleep. I don't sit and rest until I've cleaned the space- it has brought a lot of peace into my life surprisingly!!
Boy do I agree with you: we have too much food storage that we don't make our way through and it rots! You're the only one in this collab whom I've heard articulate that obvious fact. TFS! (:
Thank you!!! So good! I am going to work on my food inventory and get rid of even more gadgets!! I used to get mad that I was still having to “clean the crusty oatmeal” etc, after I went more minimal... I thought it wasn’t working!! But your closing comments are right, with 3 kids always at home there are still going to be messes to clean!!!! Minimalism just makes it easier and more manageable! I’m about to go one more level of minimal!!
You are such a refreshing and positive influence. I agree with your approach to having a simple, clutter-free kitchen and appreciate your tips and contributions. Keep up the great work!!
I absolutely enjoyed every minute of this video! Everything you said in this video hit me hard. I use to be a very simple person and since we have moved I realized we starting to buy new gadgets & felt the need to upgrade our silverware (there wasn't anything wrong with what we had). To only find myself owning 900 spoons and overwhelmed because instead of needing 1 drawer for utensils now I needed 2. This video is exactly what I needed to get me fired up and start to get back to a clean and functioning kitchen. Thank you for posting!
I have always been fairly minimalistic in my home in an attempt to not end up in a cluttered mess like my childhood home was. I wanted to comment though to acknowledge how much I appreciated the end of your video when you pointed out the imperfections in your perfect kitchen. We need to see that on social media so we don’t feel so much pressure to be perfect, after all we do LIVE in our homes.
I moved from a 3 bedroom house to a 1 bedroom unit. I had to streamline everything due to lack of storage. So all extras went to a local Lifeline store. A great way to declutter.
When I started watching this I was thinking "I've just decluttered a ton and my kitchen is just too small, there isn't much more I can get rid of." Afterwards I've realized I have a few big pots I don't use, way too many knives, two sets of measuring cups and measuring spoons (though I often do use both sets at once) and multiple spatulas. I'm going to go through and do a minimal mom style quarantine of those items for a few months. I'm seriously lacking for storage space and counter space so anything helps.
The quarantine is a great idea, just to make sure before they actually disappear forever! I thought of doing that with my leftover containers - after I go through and organize them with the lids on!
I watched this yesterday while cleaning up after dinner, and you motivated me to move both my air fryer and my kitchen aid off of my counters and to store them in the cabinets instead! I also decluttered some of my cabinets and now my kitchen feels so much more neat and clean. I love it!
The kitchen has literally been on my mind the entire last two weeks so your video came in at the perfect time! Just did the lid method and I'm so thrilled to see how it works out for us!!!
Progress Report... After watching the first bit of the video, I cleared off my kitchen counters. After watching a bit more, I organized our spice cabinet and pantry. Thanks for the inspiration Natalie!
Go for it! Trust me, it will take years though.. So much sentimentiality. I've been minimising since 2015 now and I still find things from 2005 to this day that does not fit my body, sould or lifestyle any more
Great tips! I absolutely agree with storing containers with their lids on! When my husband was dubious about it, I piled up every container we owned at the time - with their lids on - to prove that we had more than three times the amount of containers than would physically fit in our fridge at one time! Insane. Plus now I am using glass I like that it reduces the risk of chipping t hem to store them with their lids on.
Great video. Clearing off all the silly magnets and papers from the fridge makes the kitchen look so much better. Clearing off the counter of appliances was a game-changer. Love the channel!
I've been following this minimalism/decluttering journey since January last year and I love this video! The title grabbed me and hearing your tips and you showing recaps really helps and makes me think of how I can apply to my own kitchen/dining area
I had a beautiful pantry in an old house, and lived there close to 30 years. What a collection of stuff!! Now I have half a kitchen in a new house, sharing with my daughter and her family. Once her kitchen upstairs gets built, and she moves out of mine, it will be yet another stuff/clutter/junk adventure. I noticed my KitchenAid mixer in the garage the other day. I haven't missed it. Nor the breadbox or the cake pans. Diet changes are part of this re-evaluation process.
Glad I found your channel. I'm in the process of decluttering my kitchen. It's just my husband and myself and I have enough dishes and cups to feed an army. I love to entertain and I have a lot of stuff. I'm so excited to get started.🙂🙂
I’ve watched a few of these kitchen videos today, and it’s motivated me to get into mine and tackle some more things that have been bothering me. Thanks for the encouragement!
Heading to my kitchen to pair down! Starting with meal dishes! I’m so tired of an overflowing sink from too many dishes that get pulled out of the cupboard! Then will hit the storage containers! Wohoo! Thanks for the tips!
I love this video. I like that you do have some things on your counter! I think when everything is removed, it becomes a bit unwelcoming. I have things that are only used every single day. I also appreciate that you keep your soap on the counter. I haven’t seen a video yet that shows this. I use my paper towels and kitchen cleaner constantly and as much as I try to keep the cleaner below the counter, it is so necessary throughout the day. I am a new subscriber! Thank you for showing me a warm and inviting minimalistic kitchen! I will be tackling my laundry room/bulk food storage room today!
I’m a minimalist as well & 1000% always have to have my kitchen in order before I go to bed. I also keep the counters almost bare. It was one of my goals to have enough space to fit my toaster/instant pot/crockpot in the cabinets when we moved & went Minimal. I only keep my keurig, olive oil and recipe box on my counter. It’s so nice!! I’ve also found doing the dishes at night makes me feel so much better! We also take things out of the boxes & use storage containers for food & it helps me actually use up our groceries before buying more! Also it looks pretty!
I find running the dishwasher after dinner and emptying it before I go to bed makes mornings so much more pleasurable. Breakfast dishes can go right into the empty dishwasher. Nice job, looks fresh, clean and inviting.
I have always keep the container with lid, pots with cover. Moved America when I was 24 years old. Recently my house getting too much stuff. Your video helps me to think again to fix little bit more. Thank you.
Hey Natalie, life is really funny sometimes! I just got my morning coffee n thought to myself tired of removing things from counter to cabinet n having to make room‼️⁉️ pushed it all to side got my coffee n said to self screw it im gonna watch TH-cam n relax for a bit b4 I take on the day. And guess who pooped up on my feed🤔😊😊😊. 🥰🥰🥰 you of course. What an inspiration u r . Thank you. Ready now to take on the kitchen.
I have been on a journey of eliminating stuff I really don't need from my home. You are definitely an inspiration. Thank you for all of your help tips.
I don’t know if I wanna scream or cry. Thank you for this very supportive video and damn I’m going to clean up this mess I have made in my kitchen. Every gadget under the sun and everything else thank you so much for sharing
I have SO been there and I'm here to tell you that any progress no matter how small IS still progress and that it gets easier and easier as you stick with it!
This is sooooo helpful.... With the storage containers I started this but I also took a tip from a YT chef and I save the clear cylinders plastic containers that come with most take out or even grocery store cold case items! It means that we only need ONE size lid for 3 different sizes of containers from shallow to deep 🥰
I'm a 36 yr old dad who works from home while watching over 2 kids. Your tips and insights helped a lot. I live in NY and wish I have the space to hide the small appliances
Unbelievable- I watched your movie in the morning yesterday, got up after the breakfast and cleaned out the whole kitchen. It took me till dinner time to get everything sorted and sorted out and now we have a wonderful start after the holidays in a decluttered kitchen - the idea with just having a few plates and glasses changed a lot for us - we have now two of any kind for each of us. Love it!
We have a lot of visitors since we moved into our new lake house. We only brought most important things to the new house. We kept a lot of basic dishes and cups though. As we have needed, it was easy to add. I still use so many utensils. I just put the pretty utensils in view on the counter. I enjoy your video. Good job!
Hi natalie, i will be trying some of these tips in my kitchen. Im with you, i have lots of little appliances but watching this has made me realize that i really dont need most of them. I feel a declutter coming on... I love your channel so much and you give me alot of encouragement. You are such a sweet soul thank you...
I am motivated to declutter my kitchen! Love your ideas and your explanations as to why you decluttered certain things. I love housewares and pick up things that aren't really needed but that I want. Thank you for making thing video!
New subscriber!! I came over from Dawn and Cas and I am so happy I found your channel.😁 I have been on a decluttering journey for a few years and it really does make a difference in our family's lives. I love how you pointed out in this video that having a minimal kitchen doesn't mean it will clean itself! Lol What it does mean, however, is that once it's transformed into a functional space then you will be so much more motivated to keep it that way.❣️
Love how you keep it real at the end of the video... I'm a mom of 4 and it is not easy. Being a minimalist now for 5 months and I'm enjoying every second
In my kitchen now and this has helped SO much! My boyfriend and I moved in a little over a year ago and we are still pairing down things that only need to be in one house rather than 2 and it’s been a little stressful/overwhelming- but I recently found your channel and your tips have helped me so much and given me new inspiration. I’ve got a long way to go but it feels good to be starting the process. Thank you for the videos and encouragement!!😊
No way... It's way too much trouble to put away small appliances that you use daily or multiple times per day in order to keep the counter clear. This is the reason why we have a kitchen counter, so that you can keep the toaster, coffee maker, blender, etc out in order to make your life easier.
Thank you, I watched this while I organized my kitchen and put aside a few plates. I already have few things but this helps in thinking about the flow of use.
Thank you for this video! I have loved your messy to minimal series and have been slowly hauling junk out of the house! So refreshing to have a home with minimal items and clutter!
So inspired as I binge watch your videos. My oldest is finally moving out on his own, so I will be able to purge Everthing he won’t need and can start downsizing!
I really enjoyed your video...I am so ready to get rid of so much clutter in my kitchen. I am a gadget junkie and in some things I have more than one. I love the way your kitchen looked and felt so thank you for taking time to make this video.
Just stopped the video and put all the lids on my storage containers. She's correct. Much tidier and now I can see the right size, when I want to store something.
Not only that. You dont lose the lids and end up with containers without lids.
i did it as i was watching as well. extremely helpful
I have a container for lids beside my stack of food storage containers.
I have a set of *nesting glass bowls* with colored plastic lids. Each bowl can have its lid on and still fit inside the next bowl. It was a brilliant design idea, colorful, and so multi-functional.
The bowls can (obviously) be used for *food storage* (I prefer glass to plastic), but they are also good for: a multi-serving salad or pasta bowl, *mixing bowls* , baking, "extras" bowls (for DIY baked potato toppings or prep for multi-ingredient dishes like omelettes...think grated cheese, chopped onions, etc), microwave cooking, and the smallest ones can fill in for soup, stew, or cereal bowls if you run out of dishes or want a double portion.
I'm 39 and just realized how doing the dishes at then end of the day makes the morning so much better!
We are 2 but I cook a lot (like food in individual servings that go to the freezer or baked or boiled veggies) and that’s why we use the dishwasher 3 times a day!!!
@@mla701 ooopnkooolool
🙋🏻♀️ 44 and just realizing 🤦🏻♀️🤷🏻♀️😂
Oh yes! This is something my mom used to value and I understand now better than ever as well! Even if I’m exhausted I try to wash up the dishes before I go to bed and I have thanked myself many times in the morning :-)
I know...i wash dishes dry and put them away. Clean the sink then off to bed...
I unload the dishwasher every morning after I start the coffee maker. In the time it takes for the morning coffee to brew-the dish washer gets empty.
Yes! Such great habit stacking, Evans!
That’s what I do!😊
We have dog’s so when I wake up, I let them out, start my coffee, fill the dog’s water bowl,food and then empty the dishwasher- by then the dog’s want in and if clothes need started I do that, then sit and enjoy a cup of coffee! Through out the day when the kids eat or I do, we rinse dishes and put directly in the d.w. After dinner fill the rest of the dishwasher up, start it and wash what couldn’t fit, dry and put away.
I do the same thing. 👍🥰 My Mom and Dad taught me this and it’s a super handy trick to getting the dishes put away.
This is what I do! If I get lucky and the dishwasher is already empty I use the time to wash a few pans or something.
Thanks for putting in that but near the end about the mess that is basically normal to having a lived-in home. I love seing the reality of others, not just the perfection we're presented with 95%+ of the time. Thanks.
I'm sorry, but one of the best parts of this episode was seeing mess before cleaning. Knowing that your house can look just like mine gives me relief, now i feel like "ok, that's normal with kids, that's how other houses looks too". That's goog feeling ;) thank you for inspiration, i'm here with you since January 2020. Greetings from Poland and Happy New Year!
Oh yes! I'd never hide that reality! I want my videos to be as real as possible while being positive at the same time!
At age 68, I have begun storing my dishes with the lids on! Game changer!
Me too! Now I have to get my husband on board
😀😂😂😂💪
You, know it, baby! 👍🏻
And surprisingly, it takes up about the same amount of space when you don’t keep a jillion!
I recently started doing that, as well. I love it! I have a cabinet full of casserole dishes I don’t use but my husband is the cook around here so he won’t let me get rid of any. 🙁
Never go to bed with a dirty kitchen. You never know what God will bring into your path the next day, so waking up to a clean kitchen/house gives so much freedom to serve others, change plans quickly, and have adventures with the kids.
So true! 🙌
What a beautiful perspective! I hope our Province will eventually be out of lockdown and we can actually step foot inside each other’s homes again without risking a fine.
So true. I can't go to bed with dishes in the sink. I hate waking up to it in the morning. I can't get my husband on board with this.
I follow this rule too! I love how you expressed it - "freedom to serve others, etc."
Thank you
Literally cleaned out all my kitchen yesterday and moved everything around to make it more functional yesterday and I love it already, I love baking and I used to have stuff in all the cupboards and drawers for it, and we have this huge corner cupboard that was just full of junk, so yesterday I went through all the baking stuff I have and emptied that junk cupboard and turned it into my baking spot, everything I need in one place.
I have watched you, Dawn, the minimal mom, Hilary, old world home and megan foxx unlocked for at least a year and most of you longer. It is great to see you all collabing!
Thank you for making me realize that my normal is the normal for you and many of your viewers so that I feel ok to be group normal.
At my age of 80 I’ve always felt if I don’t get things right the first time I am afraid to try again. But discovering your channel through ClutterBug came at the most appropriate time. I’m in the process of downsizing so I can sell my home and get something smaller as a home base while car camping the country.
So as I declutter my 45 year old (kitchen first) home your intelligent suggestions based on your personal working solutions makes it OK when things aren’t functional.
If I store food storage with the lids on, I throw in a paper towel or napkin so it absorbs the food smells that permeates and never leaves the plastic (including plastic lids on glass food storage.) It's like if you go on a long vacation and you empty your fridge, you clean it, you turn it off and shut the door.... when you come back, it STINKS. The plastic absorbs smells. So food storage does the same thing. Throw in a piece of paper and it won't smell.
My husband, five month old daughter, and two cats live in a 728 square foot house. Since I started the decluttering process, our house feels BIGGER! My stress levels have significantly gone down and I feel like I have more time because of it! My best tip to give anybody starting out is start with an area that is high traffic and not sentimental, like your clothes or kitchen utensils. And take your time, don’t feel like you have to have that perfect minimalist house in one day. It takes time, and is addicting once you get in the swing of things! Also, try your best not to buy anything you don’t need in the process, that was my issue when I first started! Look around your house and try to use what you already have. 🥰
Great tips 👍👍
I too live in a 720 square foot home and have been trying hard to get passed the parting process and it starts to feel exciting to lift the weight of stuff one item at a time. Truth is I realized too that you cany update to a fresh feel with old stuff. Iblove old furniture but, the expendables can go.
@@yvonnefacteau4329 From my aged perspective, don't get rid of all sentimental and Antique kitchen utensils. I did, then bought it later in life for those memories. Keep what means the most to you.
Thanks for the inspiration. Great tips!
I’m a believer! I have switched over to keeping the lids on my food storage containers and I LOVE it! I got rid of all the hopeful lidless containers and damaged, worn out ones and made room for this style. I even returned some to their rightful owners that made me feel great! We love the difference this has made. I recommend people try it before they knock it.
I gotta say, I was so confused when I read your comment before I watched the video 😂 my mom has always kept the lids on the containers
Best tips I have for the kitchen so far is to load and start the dishwasher before bed each night...
And to color code everyone's plate/bowl set and put away any extras for guests... so for example if there's a dark blue plate left in the sink we all know dad didn't wash his plate and if it's pink we all know it's mine and I need to wash it lol... It helps encourage everyone to be responsible for cleaning their own dish.
Color-coding kids cups was life-changing! Previously, my kids (5) would get out a new cup each time they wanted a drink, because they couldn't POSSIBLY risk drinking after someone else! Now we have 2 cups in each color. They leave them in a certain spot in the kitchen for reuse during the day. I know exactly who to tell to pick up their cups when I find them elsewhere!
We always had too many people over to just keep dishes for us. My kids were always bringing someone home for dinner and the weekends--well let me say we rarely were just by ourselves. I am glad it works for you.
Would you possibly do a little house tour of your minimalist home? Kinda like an update from your first house tour?
Enjoyed your calming voice and the imperfection of being a minimalist. Thank you. Well done!
I have learned to keep lids and containers together at 49 years old and it is so true having many containers means more rotting & forgotten leftovers in he fridge in my case.
Thanks for sharing your journey and wisdom!
This is so helpful! I’m getting married in March and am a huge believer in minimalism and clutter-free living, so I’m excited to implement these tips for when my husband and I are living together! Thank you Natalie!!
You're so welcome!
Just an idea but when we got married we asked for money instead of gifts so that we may be able to buy a house. All our wedding money went into purchasing our first home instead of into stuff.
When I got married we were both in our 30s with established households. We had a phenomenal yard sale and made several hundred dollars and had a great date night, because we didn't need any more stuff.
@@melindaedgington9925 how did you do that exactly? I mean, it is considered rude and socially unacceptable to actually "ask" for money and I've seen a lot of Dear Abby type columns about it where guests were so insulted at being asked this by wedding hosts/couples. Is there a tactful way to do it? I've not actually seen an answer. I'm not dissing you, I am truly curious how you do it in a socially acceptable way?
@@TRUCKESCRT We just wrote the request on our invitations but also also requested that we would be happy with no gift at all and that their presence was the best present. We had a very small wedding and only invited those close to us who knew us well.
I'll say this; this is true minimalism. There are a lot of folks on TH-cam who think they're minimalist because they're organized, or because their decor is well-chosen. Nope. If you're shocked and disturbed by the thought of getting rid items until there's nothing on your counter, you aren't a minimalist (at least, not yet). And that's okay. At the very least, this is inspiration to de-clutter.
Natalie, I spent the last half hour finding you on TH-cam for that one tip that stuck in my mind - covering the lids on storage containers. I did it and organization WORKED LIKE MAGIC. I'm here to subscribe and literally follow you religiously! I haven't met a person more practical than you and your videos! Thank you for making the chanel and lighting up our lives ✨️
“Here Mommy” that was so adorable ☺️
All I can think of with the single-purpose appliances is chef Alton Brown- his thought is the only unitasker that belongs in a kitchen is a fire extinguisher! And I love my ninja blender/food processor. I won it as a door prize at a work holiday party. It's been great!
Haha love Alton Brown!
We don’t own a toaster. Lol. pan fry toast or toast in the toaster oven. Just sold my kitchen aid mixer, and I still haven’t bought a hand mixer.
Our food is probably the most cluttery thing in my kitchen.
Having the proper storage organiser and multi-function utensils/tools definitely help so much for a minimalist kitchen. I personally have used a certain multipurpose item for over a decade and it has helped me save time and make healthier ingredients from scratch. You can see what I mean here th-cam.com/video/yNC-F6V3W6Mv/w-d-xo.html as well as my own minimalist kitchen tips. xCC
You are so right about the effect of keeping items off the counters. I’m not quite a 100 percent yet but close and already noticing a difference! I started storing food containers with lids a couple years ago! To help keep the refrigerated tidy, I designate one shelf to strictly leftovers. My eyes are now trained to check it out first before deciding a menu plan! Thank you Natalie for your enthusiasm!❤️
Wow! I love the designated leftovers shelf idea! I'm gonna have to do that!
I would love to see you go back and voice over your old kitchen declutter, hear your thoughts on what you had back then and have decluttered since!
Breathing room in cupboards is more valuable than a back up item ! Inventory management. I love using risers or helper shelves to give cupboards some breathing room. Keeping the sink and counters clean is huge. I empty the dishwasher each morning and set up tomorrow’s coffee. Thank-you Natalie !
I already started decluttering. Your video gave me great ideas and motivation to keep going! I can do this! Thank you!
You are so welcome!
A really good solution to the tupperware-lid-problem whilst having one of those super tiny kitchens is storing the bowls inside of each other and all the matching lids piled on top of that stack. Yes, it is a bit more of a hassle to get that bowl and matching lid out of the cabinet when you'd like to use it, but it still keeps bowls and matching lids together and worked really well for me when I was living in a tiny apartment with next to zero storage space.
Also, I really love your "clutter free doesn't mean perfect all the time or no work" disclaimer at the end of your video :)
Yes, I put the container with lid together make life so much easier. I reset my house every night like wash dishes, clean countertop and table, take out trash, put things back, clean bathroom toilet, sink and mirror I like to wake up to a clean house 😁.
I applaud you for being so open and honest about the fact that we see your house at its best state and you still have things around and unfinished projects. Love love love that! 💛
Just did my kitchen “utensils”. And put the lids on my Pyrex storage bowls. I was using coffee filters between the bowls to keep them from sticking and getting chipped. Thank you Natalie for the little tidbits. I love your channel and I also follow Dawn
Love the idea of hanging measuring cups etc on hooks on the inside of your door cabinet. Thanks for sharing!
The way you speak makes me think you’d make a great teacher. ❤️
Decluttering and deep cleaning my kitchen is on my list this week, and I’m dreadinnggg it. But I know it’s contributing to my feeling that my house never feels clean. Thanks for the inspo 👏🏼
I like to fill the dishwasher all day & run it early evening & empty it before bed so I leave the kitchen ready for morning
Fantastic ! It’s so much easier to put things away when your cupboards have breathing room. Nothing falling out !
Thank you so much for your informative video!! I’m moving from a 1500 sq ft house into a 500 sq ft mother n law suite so I really need to downsize. I’ve watched so many videos trying to get motivated but none were what I needed until I found yours!! Your tips and ideas are clear and practical. I’m going to go back and watch more of your videos to help me through this process. Thank you again 🙏
I loved your ending where you kept it real about what minimalism will/won’t do. Thank you for that!!
You are such a motivation because you, like Dawn, help make minimizing seem more realistic for families. One thing I was surprised by was how much money we saved by having a minimized kitchen. Before, there were so many nights when I would ask my husband to just pick up something for dinner on his way home because the kitchen was a disaster and I would have to clean it for an hour before I even had enough dishes to think about starting to cook a meal. Minimizing and having a cleaner, more manageable space means we eat at home and save money and eat healthier.
I stack food containers separate from lids, but I choose to have almost exclusively 1 size/shape container in a medium size so it is a single pile of each. If I need to store large amounts I just use 2 containers. One of the best simplifying choices I have made.
Love the idea of being honest with myself about what appliances, gadgets, number of place settings and serving bowls I actually need and use often enough to justify the amount of clutter they cause. It makes sense to me so I will be looking at those things with different thoughts. Thank you for sharing.
I love bonus videos!! Can never have too many Natalie videos 🥰
Awww you're so sweet, Hannah!
double agree
Totally 😎
How refreshing to see your family being active in that clean space
Oh Natalie, I had declutter and organized the whole house. But what you say, does make since. The house we moved into, the people left dished, furniture, shelves. I mean A LOT.....
The kitchen is the only room I have not done yet, now I have ideas going through my head. Thank you! I may have to watch it several times!
I've learned to clean my kitchen every night before I go to sleep. I don't sit and rest until I've cleaned the space- it has brought a lot of peace into my life surprisingly!!
Thank you for being genuine, authentic, and real
Boy do I agree with you: we have too much food storage that we don't make our way through and it rots! You're the only one in this collab whom I've heard articulate that obvious fact. TFS! (:
i recommend looking up the universal lid for your pots and pans- game changer
Thank you!!! So good! I am going to work on my food inventory and get rid of even more gadgets!! I used to get mad that I was still having to “clean the crusty oatmeal” etc, after I went more minimal... I thought it wasn’t working!! But your closing comments are right, with 3 kids always at home there are still going to be messes to clean!!!! Minimalism just makes it easier and more manageable! I’m about to go one more level of minimal!!
You are such a refreshing and positive influence. I agree with your approach to having a simple, clutter-free kitchen and appreciate your tips and contributions. Keep up the great work!!
I absolutely enjoyed every minute of this video! Everything you said in this video hit me hard. I use to be a very simple person and since we have moved I realized we starting to buy new gadgets & felt the need to upgrade our silverware (there wasn't anything wrong with what we had). To only find myself owning 900 spoons and overwhelmed because instead of needing 1 drawer for utensils now I needed 2. This video is exactly what I needed to get me fired up and start to get back to a clean and functioning kitchen. Thank you for posting!
I have always been fairly minimalistic in my home in an attempt to not end up in a cluttered mess like my childhood home was. I wanted to comment though to acknowledge how much I appreciated the end of your video when you pointed out the imperfections in your perfect kitchen. We need to see that on social media so we don’t feel so much pressure to be perfect, after all we do LIVE in our homes.
For me, resetting each night is key with 4+1 kids and homeschooling. Waking up to a clean kitchen is energizing!!!
You are so wise beyond your years. Thank you for sharing your expertise and experience.
I moved from a 3 bedroom house to a 1 bedroom unit. I had to streamline everything due to lack of storage. So all extras went to a local Lifeline store. A great way to declutter.
When I started watching this I was thinking "I've just decluttered a ton and my kitchen is just too small, there isn't much more I can get rid of." Afterwards I've realized I have a few big pots I don't use, way too many knives, two sets of measuring cups and measuring spoons (though I often do use both sets at once) and multiple spatulas. I'm going to go through and do a minimal mom style quarantine of those items for a few months. I'm seriously lacking for storage space and counter space so anything helps.
The quarantine is a great idea, just to make sure before they actually disappear forever! I thought of doing that with my leftover containers - after I go through and organize them with the lids on!
I watched this yesterday while cleaning up after dinner, and you motivated me to move both my air fryer and my kitchen aid off of my counters and to store them in the cabinets instead! I also decluttered some of my cabinets and now my kitchen feels so much more neat and clean. I love it!
I clean out the fridge and pantry weekly. I am a single party household, and I like to keep ahead of the cooking!
The kitchen has literally been on my mind the entire last two weeks so your video came in at the perfect time! Just did the lid method and I'm so thrilled to see how it works out for us!!!
Nice! Be sure to let me know how you're liking it!
Progress Report... After watching the first bit of the video, I cleared off my kitchen counters. After watching a bit more, I organized our spice cabinet and pantry. Thanks for the inspiration Natalie!
I'm making my way through your playlists... and goodness! It's so motivating. I need to get rid of half of the crap I have... well.. maybe 30%. haha!
I just subscribed and will also be making my way through her playlist. I started organizing my garage and now I’m making my way through my house.
me too
Go for it! Trust me, it will take years though.. So much sentimentiality. I've been minimising since 2015 now and I still find things from 2005 to this day that does not fit my body, sould or lifestyle any more
Great tips! I absolutely agree with storing containers with their lids on! When my husband was dubious about it, I piled up every container we owned at the time - with their lids on - to prove that we had more than three times the amount of containers than would physically fit in our fridge at one time! Insane. Plus now I am using glass I like that it reduces the risk of chipping t hem to store them with their lids on.
Great video. Clearing off all the silly magnets and papers from the fridge makes the kitchen look so much better. Clearing off the counter of appliances was a game-changer. Love the channel!
I've been following this minimalism/decluttering journey since January last year and I love this video! The title grabbed me and hearing your tips and you showing recaps really helps and makes me think of how I can apply to my own kitchen/dining area
Lady, the tomato knife is amazing.
I'm so glad you value it! My serrated steak knife does just as well for me!
@Natalie Bennett well that explains everything; I use my tomato knife as my steak knife!
@@gorgo4910 haha that makes sense!!! TomAto ToMAHto, right?
I had a beautiful pantry in an old house, and lived there close to 30 years. What a collection of stuff!! Now I have half a kitchen in a new house, sharing with my daughter and her family. Once her kitchen upstairs gets built, and she moves out of mine, it will be yet another stuff/clutter/junk adventure. I noticed my KitchenAid mixer in the garage the other day. I haven't missed it. Nor the breadbox or the cake pans. Diet changes are part of this re-evaluation process.
Glad I found your channel. I'm in the process of decluttering my kitchen. It's just my husband and myself and I have enough dishes and cups to feed an army. I love to entertain and I have a lot of stuff. I'm so excited to get started.🙂🙂
I’ve watched a few of these kitchen videos today, and it’s motivated me to get into mine and tackle some more things that have been bothering me. Thanks for the encouragement!
Thank you for keeping it real by showing that your home is not perfect. This was a very helpful video. Thank you.
True by sharing with each other your encouragement, you help to motivate other women doing the same thing. Tks🤗
Heading to my kitchen to pair down! Starting with meal dishes! I’m so tired of an overflowing sink from too many dishes that get pulled out of the cupboard! Then will hit the storage containers! Wohoo! Thanks for the tips!
I love this video. I like that you do have some things on your counter! I think when everything is removed, it becomes a bit unwelcoming. I have things that are only used every single day. I also appreciate that you keep your soap on the counter. I haven’t seen a video yet that shows this. I use my paper towels and kitchen cleaner constantly and as much as I try to keep the cleaner below the counter, it is so necessary throughout the day. I am a new subscriber! Thank you for showing me a warm and inviting minimalistic kitchen! I will be tackling my laundry room/bulk food storage room today!
I’m a minimalist as well & 1000% always have to have my kitchen in order before I go to bed. I also keep the counters almost bare. It was one of my goals to have enough space to fit my toaster/instant pot/crockpot in the cabinets when we moved & went Minimal. I only keep my keurig, olive oil and recipe box on my counter. It’s so nice!! I’ve also found doing the dishes at night makes me feel so much better! We also take things out of the boxes & use storage containers for food & it helps me actually use up our groceries before buying more! Also it looks pretty!
I find running the dishwasher after dinner and emptying it before I go to bed makes mornings so much more pleasurable. Breakfast dishes can go right into the empty dishwasher. Nice job, looks fresh, clean and inviting.
I have always keep the container with lid, pots with cover. Moved America when I was 24 years old. Recently my house getting too much stuff. Your video helps me to think again to fix little bit more. Thank you.
Hey Natalie, life is really funny sometimes! I just got my morning coffee n thought to myself tired of removing things from counter to cabinet n having to make room‼️⁉️ pushed it all to side got my coffee n said to self screw it im gonna watch TH-cam n relax for a bit b4 I take on the day. And guess who pooped up on my feed🤔😊😊😊. 🥰🥰🥰 you of course. What an inspiration u r . Thank you. Ready now to take on the kitchen.
I’m motivated! I thought my kitchen was organized but after watching this it gave me new ideas! Genius Natalie!!
I have been on a journey of eliminating stuff I really don't need from my home. You are definitely an inspiration. Thank you for all of your help tips.
I just adore how polite your kids are 😍
Haha they're cute but don't be fooled! They definitely have their fiesty moments! 😉
I don’t know if I wanna scream or cry. Thank you for this very supportive video and damn I’m going to clean up this mess I have made in my kitchen. Every gadget under the sun and everything else thank you so much for sharing
I have SO been there and I'm here to tell you that any progress no matter how small IS still progress and that it gets easier and easier as you stick with it!
This is sooooo helpful.... With the storage containers I started this but I also took a tip from a YT chef and I save the clear cylinders plastic containers that come with most take out or even grocery store cold case items! It means that we only need ONE size lid for 3 different sizes of containers from shallow to deep 🥰
I'm a 36 yr old dad who works from home while watching over 2 kids. Your tips and insights helped a lot. I live in NY and wish I have the space to hide the small appliances
Unbelievable- I watched your movie in the morning yesterday, got up after the breakfast and cleaned out the whole kitchen. It took me till dinner time to get everything sorted and sorted out and now we have a wonderful start after the holidays in a decluttered kitchen - the idea with just having a few plates and glasses changed a lot for us - we have now two of any kind for each of us. Love it!
Amazing!!!! Thank you so much for sharing. You rock! 💪
I've watched a few videos in the Clutter Free January series already and yours so far is the best most thorough one!
We have a lot of visitors since we moved into our new lake house. We only brought most important things to the new house. We kept a lot of basic dishes and cups though. As we have needed, it was easy to add. I still use so many utensils. I just put the pretty utensils in view on the counter. I enjoy your video. Good job!
Hi natalie, i will be trying some of these tips in my kitchen. Im with you, i have lots of little appliances but watching this has made me realize that i really dont need most of them. I feel a declutter coming on... I love your channel so much and you give me alot of encouragement. You are such a sweet soul thank you...
Soo excited we buying a house and excited to put these tips into practice
Congratulations on the house 🏠
I am motivated to declutter my kitchen! Love your ideas and your explanations as to why you decluttered certain things. I love housewares and pick up things that aren't really needed but that I want. Thank you for making thing video!
New subscriber!! I came over from Dawn and Cas and I am so happy I found your channel.😁 I have been on a decluttering journey for a few years and it really does make a difference in our family's lives. I love how you pointed out in this video that having a minimal kitchen doesn't mean it will clean itself! Lol What it does mean, however, is that once it's transformed into a functional space then you will be so much more motivated to keep it that way.❣️
Love how you keep it real at the end of the video... I'm a mom of 4 and it is not easy. Being a minimalist now for 5 months and I'm enjoying every second
Isn't it such a wonderful lifestyle and mindset! So freeing 🙌
In my kitchen now and this has helped SO much! My boyfriend and I moved in a little over a year ago and we are still pairing down things that only need to be in one house rather than 2 and it’s been a little stressful/overwhelming- but I recently found your channel and your tips have helped me so much and given me new inspiration. I’ve got a long way to go but it feels good to be starting the process. Thank you for the videos and encouragement!!😊
Also, when you don't leave appliances on the counter, you don't leave them plugged in. That energy usage adds up. I love empty outlets.
So true! You don't have to worry about whether you left the toaster plugged in if you know its safely in the cabinet
I agree!😍
No way... It's way too much trouble to put away small appliances that you use daily or multiple times per day in order to keep the counter clear. This is the reason why we have a kitchen counter, so that you can keep the toaster, coffee maker, blender, etc out in order to make your life easier.
Starting a kitchen declutter and re organization process today- so timely and helpful!
Thank you, I watched this while I organized my kitchen and put aside a few plates. I already have few things but this helps in thinking about the flow of use.
Thank you for this video! I have loved your messy to minimal series and have been slowly hauling junk out of the house! So refreshing to have a home with minimal items and clutter!
So inspired as I binge watch your videos. My oldest is finally moving out on his own, so I will be able to purge Everthing he won’t need and can start downsizing!
This has been the most intuitive and helpful advice I've come across! Time to declutter!
I really enjoyed your video...I am so ready to get rid of so much clutter in my kitchen. I am a gadget junkie and in some things I have more than one. I love the way your kitchen looked and felt so thank you for taking time to make this video.