Please hit that like button and find out what purchases made me MISERABLE here: th-cam.com/video/hGihNrkFJxM/w-d-xo.html Can't wait to read your stories!
Actually this just occurred to me, what if you got your kids sand soccer socks (yes those are real for football/soccer beach tournaments) for playing on the playground? "ShocSox" is a good brand for these socks, it might help for less cleanup and they're very easy to wash.
@@AtoZenLife At 5:55 you could have the whole family sand those wooden hangars smooth while watching TV, but it is time consuming. Even if it's a year or 2 later, I think you really should return the wooden hangers to Ikea (just to send them a message), & ask them to have them sanded so they don't make holes in the shoulders of all your clothes! They should automatically sand everything wood that they make as an automated function, otherwise it's too time consuming.
@@AtoZenLife At 11:11 I love that apron! All aprons should have 2 big pockets. P.S.: The Zero water pitcher is almost as cheap and removes way more than the Brita, even sodium fluoride.
Years ago, a friend gave me some tea bags with sayings on the tags. One REALLY spoke to me and I still quote it: “If you can’t be happy with everything you have, how could you possibly be happy with more?”
The thing with these quotes is they always have caveats. It’s great for someone who has all of their needs met, but a homeless person who is struggling to eat would benefit from more. It is about everything in moderation and knowing where the balance is for each individual.
Alarm clock is an example of the fact that essential staff is different for everyone. In my case, I leave my phone out of my bedroom in order to not checking it first thing in the morning or last thing at night, so an alarm clock is a very essential item for me!
What type of alarm clock do you have?? I have Fibromyalgia which causes chronic fatigue so if I don't get enough rest/sleep, I then sleep very hard & don't hear my cell alarm OR my alarm clock 😬!!! Thanks so much in advance 🙏.
@@idontcarei you disagree on what another person finds essential to their life? What's your solution to make sure someone gets up on time if they purposely leave their phone outside of their bedroom at night?
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Noshoes inside is not solely an Asian thing. I'm in Canada and never met a single person that allowed shoes inside. I always found it odd that in TV shows people do not take their shoes off.
Yes! I am also Canadian and grew up taking my shoes off. I cringe when I watch an American tv show where people walk across carpets or sit on a couch with their shoes still on 😖 Like, what!??
Can confirm. I’m Canadian and lived in America for a few years and shoes inside was such a culture shock. I had a friend who actually walked over my creme carpet with her muddy shoes! I was blown away. If I want to wear shoes inside, I wear slippers.
Growing up I thought I could only wear my clothes once before they needed to be washed, as an adult I realized that's not true, outside of visibly dirty clothing, most pants and shirts are ok to wear 2-3 or more days, just need fresh underwear daily, so it helps cut down the total amount of clothing required.
When my grandson was around 5 or 6, his mom would remind him every morning to put on clean underwear. A few days later, she discovered he was putting a clean pair on over the other underwear! 🩲🩲 🤣
@@AtoZenLife I think in this and all your other videos I just really appreciate how what you do works for you and your family!🤪Because there's a time and season for some things, best when we realize that season is past and let it go.
I’m 30 and realized this recently! I’ve been wearing my PJs 2-3 days instead of one. I shower at night before I put my PJs on. No idea why I thought I needed to throw them in the laundry basket every morning. They weren’t even worn for 9 hours! I rarely wash my jacket anymore too. It doesn’t need it. It’s a jean jacket that never gets dirty or stinky. Even my bras I’m wearing at least a week. It’s winter. I don’t get sweaty right now. They’re totally fine to wear for a week.
My hot tub is now essential. I saved forever to buy a small, plug-n-play hot tub and paid my electrician brother to wire it to the house so it's more powerful. As a runner and someone who gets achy, especially in our cold weather, it's been such a relaxing place to destress. I use it everyday, sometimes 2x a day. Totally worth the small increase in electricity. I spend hardly any money on myself at all, so this is my 1 joy.
I lived and worked in Japan for 4 years and I loved taking off my shoes and wearing house slippers. It really helps keep your home clean and it was such a good transition after a long day at work.
As ethnic Russians we always surprise people we go visit here in Canada as we BRING OUR OWN SLEEPERS!!!! A tradition: the hosts are in no obligation to provide me sleepers and the ones are sometimes offered are just not the cleanest and might contain nail/foot fungi. So no thank you.
One of my big essentials is my sunrise alarm clock. It's very simple, it lights up and beeps. That's it. But that 15-minute "sunrise" before the alarm sounds is the difference between getting through the winter and having a massive seasonal affective disorder mental breakdown. I've had it for over a decade now, moved it across the country twice, and have never regretted the purchase or the space it takes.
Hi Marissa! As a frugal minimalish with a small wallet I recognize alot in your list. For me there are some things that I prioritize and find important to me. * Good food, don´t have to be expensive but good quality. I am a vegetarian and cook from scratch. I eat in season, buy local, organic, small scaled as much as I can. * Good "tools", everything from pots and pans to screwdrivers, a good pen, my scissors and my thermos. I count my nice quality yogamat and reliable technologi in this categori to. * Good shoes that are kind and supported to my feet. All things clothes actually, good material, good quality, feeling, fitting aso. I prefer quality over quantity and If quality is to expensive (sometimes Not always) I search for alternatives, wait for a sale, save up aso and I always look at the secondhand market first.
I love that you acknowledge that “essential” items vary depending on your family/circumstances. We used to not have a dishwasher nor a laundry machine, but now with kids and pets and more time spent at home cooking/eating/playing, I cannot imagine not having either of these. I also love the idea of baskets around the home. We call them “drop zones”; visually we got rid of the clutter and it feels more manageable to then declutter each basket at a time, then having to declutter/tidy the entire house.
We are a self-employed, homeschooling family that live in a rural area. 10 minutes away there’s a town of around 17,000. The closest big city area is (and the nearest place that would have public transportation) is an hour away and has around 100,000 people. What we “need” and use regularly is going to be so different from most people, and I’m ok with that!
Love how you discuss how everything has to be personal to you and your circumstances. I wish more people would realize this. A few good examples of this is getting married, buying a home, having children, etc. I think the last 10-20 years a lot of people have realized (especially here in the US) that these specific “milestones” aren’t for everyone, but for a long time this was seen as almost expected steps once you reached certain ages.
Velvet hangers are a must for me too! Especially for pieces that aren’t worn often and hang in the closet longer… they help hold the shape of the fabric and don’t wear holes in the shoulders. I highly recommend!
It's always so interesting to see how different our customs can be in different countries. In Hungary it's a very basic habit that we take off our shoes if we enter our (or someone else's) home :) There are some exceptions, but it's always the owner's decision, not the guest's. So I totally agree with you in this point (as well) :) Your chanel is very inspiring and entertaining too ;)
i think all eastern Europe countries have this habit 🤧 I'm from Ukraine, and in the summer time we even wash our feet if we enter our (sometimes someone else's if owner want it) home because in this season our shoes more open.
Same in Russia. Out of question not to take the shoes off while entering. It's also a matter of cleanliness as the author said: we're pretty peculiar about what's dirty and what's not. Never a bag/purse can be seen on a table or on a kitchen counter as its bottom is dirty.
We Canadians always take off our shoes, too. It's so weird to us that Americans don't, when we're so incredibly culturally similar in almost every other way!
Hanging clothes on a drying rack in the winter provides humidity which makes the room warmer. It also helps with static electricity, both in clothes and in your hair. Static electricity attracts dirt!
A folding mattress (like the one you have showed in a previous video, that your husband slept on, due to a noisy neighbour) is an absolute musthave at my home. It gives me the freedom to sleep in other rooms, if that's what I feel like. And extra bedding. Where many minimalist may only have one or two sets of bedding I have three. It's nice to be able to offer a guest to stay the night, if it becomes necessary. But I have no TV and actually got rid of it, long before I started my decluttering journey and/or called myself a minimalist.
I’m listening to this while mending a little rip in my favourite t-shirt, which happened when I moved into a lovely place that finally feels like home. While I was initially upset about the rip, it will now remind me of the beginning of a new chapter in my life. It is still my favourite t-shirt, now made special with a story to tell.
My biggest necessity is definitely my dryer ^^ Yes, I can dry clothes on racks. But when I moved out from my ex's house, I sorted myself a washing machine, but didnt have the money for a dryer. I took me two weeks to realise what stressed me out to no extend: the wet clothes that were on racks or doors in the house. It somehow reminded me continousely that it wasnt 'done' and really got to me. I got money loaned from a friend to buy a cheap secondhand dryer and it has brought me so much sanity to finish the laundry in just an afternoon :) also - to put your face in dry, warm, fresh smelling clothes
@@AtoZenLife Thank you ^^ it's always nice to see how different preferences lead to different choices when it comes to minimalism. :) I brought the racks to secondhand, hopefully someone else was happy getting them :)
I also need a dryer! I do own a drying rack, for some stuff, obviously. But I need to be able properly sanitize some of my clothes with a little heat and the dryer does that consistently year round. It's nice to air dry outside of course, when there's sun, but that's pretty rare where I am, so a dryer is just better!
It's important to realise that one's 'essential items' can change too when lifestyles and needs change so it's a good idea to intentionally set up time maybe once or twice a year to do a 'lifestyle audit' to make purposeful decisions on what to keep and what to get rid of to make your life more streamlined and less stressful. I love items that make daily or weekly tasks easier or more pleasant to do...there's nothing more frustrating than bad tools that make chores awkward and annoying.
What I like about this video is it allows you to think about the things you use and need on a daily basis and appreciate them. We usually don't think about these items and it's a great first step for me as someone who is looking to have a minimalist life.
I’ve used IKEA wood hangers for years and years. I’ve had two different styles, but hardly ever have they been rough and never once snagged an item of my clothing including silk and other fragile fabrics. They’re 100% a must have for me. Because they’re wider, I feel like they air out my clothes better - I don’t wash every item after every wear. And those velvet hangers (which I’ve used when staying away from home) make me want to rip out my hair. I feel like they make me tug on my clothes. So, I am thankful for lots of different options for different folks. 😊❤😊
I use these too! They are a tad bulky but I can see my clothes better and I love the aesthetic. Though I am blessed with a very wide built in wardrobe in my flat.
Just a tip - have a bucket by the door where the kids can empty the sand from their shoes. That’s what we do here in Denmark where the playgrounds have sans too.
Hmm, that's a good idea. Where I live it's muddy, so we have boot cleaning and drying "stations" in my house. But I have relative who live where it's sandy and they've never developed a system for getting the sand off thier shoes. So thanks, I'll suggest this to my relatives.
I love line drying, the whole process is relaxing. I also only wash on weekends because our city doesn’t charge as much for electric after 9pm and on weekends. I hardly ever use my dryer but my mom gave me a washer and dryer she found at a thrift store 12 years ago for $50 bucks total and they are still going strong. 🌱
My biggest minimalist idea that I successfully follow is in my wardrobe. I became a monochromatic. My favorite color is grey. Every piece of clothing I own is grey. All shades of grey match. I never have to worry about what color of an item I need to buy. I just need to know I need a sweater or a turtleneck or some socks etc. Easy to tell people what to buy me as a present. Anything grey. Also I have the one in and one out rule. So if I see a cute sweater in the store, I have to think if there’s one I want to donate because that’s the rule. I can not accumulate more than I already have. This has cut down my wardrobe and dressing time tremendously!!
I do black, grey, burgundy and dark teal. I love how simple it is to get dressed. And you are so right about needing far less clothing inventory w a simple color palet! I did this before a move bc I had 2 dressers full of clothes I rarely if ever wore. I only brought what I wore and loved. 5 yrs later, I am still sticking to it, and still love it!
Yes! I'm part of the housecoat fan club! I love mine and I've had it for years. One essential of mine that most people don't have is a iron. I don't use it often, but when I need it, I need it. I don't own an ironing board, I just put a bath towel down and it works just fine.
What a beautiful home you have! Living in a hot climate, as clean as we are, we learnt that bugs LOVE baskets and places that are open yet undisturbed , so I bought plastic bins w lids.
So many of these things I would not consider essentials for our family but it goes to show how different all of our needs are. Loved seeing what helps you! ❤️
I consider my velvet hangers to be wardrobe essential not only for hanging my clothes but to dry the ones that I don't put in the dryer. My favorite material is cotton so it last much longer when air dried. Another essential that I have is an apron similar to yours that I bought from World Market, I wear it for cooking and cleaning to keep my clothing spot free. The apron is also the style that my grandmother wore when I was a child so it is practical and sentimental one more essential are the wool dryer balls for clothing that goes in the dryer.
I realize this is quite a long time later, but do you run into any issues with the flocking rubbing off or otherwise gunking up clothes that are dried on the velvet hangers? The ones I have specifically say not to use with wet clothes
I totally agree with all of your essentials. We just set up a new home after moving countries, and your list of objects were on our list! The only thing different is we got a really good mattress and superautomatic espresso machine. Those two things really are quality of life purchases for us!
Just realized that for some reason TH-cam hadn’t been showing me these videos, amazing to see how this channel has grown so much have been here since I think like 600 subs. Just realizing how much I’ve missed this channel rn, glad to have found it again
Thanks so much and I’m glad you “found” me again - you might check and make sure that you have “all notifications” turned on, because there was a glitch many moons ago that seems to have stopped that feature for some people. That’s the only way to make sure you see new videos. Cheers!
The smile on your hubbies face with the plant is so beautiful 😍. I use to be a plant killer as well but made it my goal a few years back when a good friend was moving and gifted her plants to me. Also I have that same apron!!
@@AtoZenLife mines is actually reversible!! A sage green/mustard. But I never use the mustard side because it's lighter... I also didn't think it through- was thinking reverse for longer wear but aprons get dirty. Lol. I do use the pockets as well for 'jiblets' that the kids leave around 😊 As for the plants- the usual problem is too much water. Us Americans tend to push food on humans and water on plants. Get a spray bottle and fill with your filtered water and mist daily- it'll help curb the desire to water too much and if by chance your issue is not watering enough the mist will help as well!!! Much love!
@@Hillside-Hive I like that you suggested a spray bottle rather than a mister. I considered buying a plant mister but I hate spending money lol. I found that you can screw a spray bottle top onto a glass bottle & it fits! Looks nicer than a plastic one to me. Vinegar bottles work (I use one for household cleaner), also found an amber glass soap dispenser with a broken pump in a thrift store, screwed a sprayer onto it & it's perfect for a mister 😊
There are TH-cam channels which do 8 to 10 hours of white noise with a dark screen and without ads in the middle, or rain or jungle sounds or whatever, that you can play on your cell phone if you want white noise but don't already have a white noise machine. LOL one more thing our smartphones can replace. Really enjoyed this video! Subscribing!
"Serial plant killer" 😂😂😂 haha...actually we grew up taking off our shoes in Germany as well. I don't mind so much someone walking in, in the country, it is just some soil /grass coming in, I can wipe/vacuum away. But in the city, I would never let anyone wear shoes inside our home. Generally in Eastern Europe even visitors like elektricians etc. take off their shoes, or used to. Really like, how you do it. ❤
Wicker baskets are good for toys, clothes, make-up - everything essentially. Same goes for old cookie tins for storage. You can re-use them for different things and shuffle them around in your house.
Soo true. In Australia it’s almost a necessity to have 2 cars because suburbia isnt designed to be car less. It was a struggle to have even one car. We have one bus line and it’s limited and not cheap or reliable if used regularly. It’s such a shame.
This was such an interesting approach to describing your minimalism, and useful! I love the smell of fresh linen off the line but it’s tricky in the cold weather. In the current energy crisis we are now only tumble drying our bath towels.
10 000 points for the Naruto lunch box. Thank you for being so encouraging. I have fouwhat is minimal for me is not for others. We grew up with shopping carts most people call me an old lady when they see me. However, my Grandies love e riding in it instead of a stroller which helps with quick walks to CVS or Giant. New subbie
love your videos. As for taking shoes off in the house. In Canada it is a polite thing to do at another persons house but most people I know on the east coast tell you to keep them on. In the winter time there is always puddles of melted snow in the thresholds/mudrooms and when you remove your shoes you get your socks wet and cold 9 times out of 10.
I'm from Hawaii and half Japanese and the first time a mainlander (U.S.) told me I could wear shoes in the house I was horrified! I now live in the mainland and it's still a big no no to wear shoes in my house.
I love my lint remover it keeps my scarfs and jumpers looking new. And Tupperware kitchen scissors are life changing for cutting up meat and anything else in the kitchen.
Ha, our house was built in 1880s and the floors are freezing. I bought (mulesing-free) sheepskin slippers last winter. They were expensive but my gosh they've been worth it. So warm and cozy. Also, good period underwear. Life changing.
Ive been watching your channel daily for weeks now, and you have given me the courage and determination, support and guidance ive never thought I could muster going through my own minimalist journey for the past 4 years after experiencing trauma as a child and young adult and being a hoarder myself. thank you. But! I have been dying to know your thoughts on pets. I wish so badly that you might consider a video on why you dont have pets, what you feel about minimalism and sharing a space with animals and all of the things that come with them (products accessories, litter, dirt, hair etc) . I ask this because I also believe I was a pet hoarder before as a child and young adult as a trauma response. I felt overwhelmed always with responsabilities and currently we (myself, two kids and husband) have a weiner dog, two cats, a fish tank, a tortoise and a frog. we function well with these pets as we are all very good at sharing the responsability, but we used to have two dogs and one of them passed from old age and I hate to admit that I felt huge relief in that phase of responsability in my life ending. There are many days I wish we just had our tortoise who will be with us for life. And have no plans to ever acquire anymore pets as ours age and pass on. I would really really love to know your thoughts on pets and minimalism and would love to know why you personally appear to choose not to have pets as a family. Thank you so much!
I live in uk and have the no shoes rule in my house, all visitors take theirs off a door and pop them in shoe cupboard, fuzzy socks and slippers are my go too even provide them for visitors, keeps my floors and rugs clean x
I am so happy to hear you mention line drying! I live in the Southeaster part of the US. We line dry our clothes as well. However our line dryer is the laundry line outside. I've been thinking about getting a inside line dryer for a couple of years now (for when it rains outside). But I haven't made that leap yet. I just try to plan according to the weather.
About the 'line dry', the good thing is that the place gets the perfume of our clothes hahaha I love it. And in winter time, to dry faster, I put my fan in front of the line rack. XD Where I live is really humid and if clothes take a lot of time to dry, they can get that unpleasant smell and it will need to be washed again.
Good kitchen knives, yes! And keep them sharp. I have actually gotten a sore shoulder from having to "muscle" my knife to cut vegetables with a dull knife. So we have a good whetstone in our kitchen, too.
Great video! I also love my apron and laundry bags :) We moved to France, and I'm loving my electric tea kettle- boiled water in less than a minute, crazy! I have found that, if you put the laundry tree next to the radiator, clothes will dry a lot faster. In fact, sometimes I just put our laundry directly on our radiators- they dry in less than three hours (never leave things on a warm surface unsupervised).
Hi, I have a simple and minimalist life since a few years now Still, I cannot stop buying & using candles Are far away my best way to relax, to calm down, to meditate (definitely I associated them with meditation moments and seeing them burning I calm down instantly) I know that “I burn money “ along with these candles… but I just love them and how they are making me feel and I’ll continue to buy them forever 🤪👌🥰
Came home from work. Got two bags of stuff ready for donation. Organized closet. Wife is getting bags ready for donation. You are truly an inspiration.
One of the first things I did when I moved into my house 20 years ago was to ask my dad to put up a clothesline. I've used my dryer a few times. It mostly just fills a space.
I live in Ireland where the humidity all year round is always over 70% (average about 80%) so our clothes are rarely 100% dry if we just line dry...hence a popular phrase in Ireland "tis a good day for drying!" if it's a particularly dry, sunny and windy day 😂 Instead I line dry for 1-3 days either inside or outside (depending on weather and how urgent we need the clothes ready) and then toss in the dryer for about 20-30 mins to get the rest of the damp out before folding and putting away. It does mean that our formal dining room is mostly used as a laundry room though but clothes dryers are very energy intensive and expensive to run, it all adds up!
I live in the PNW in the US and it's also very humid and wet here. I'm sure Florida has higher humidity, but it's not by much. I LOVE using my automatic dryer. And I can only line/rack dry some clothes anyway. It's actually wetter where I live than in most places in Ireland 😟🤦♀️ so the "good days for drying" are like four days spread over July and August...and that's only if there's no wildfire smoke. So, yeah, the dryer is best!
Our Butlers Pantry is in between our kitchen and dining room. I use it to store our large collection of board games and card games. We have a large family and we play games almost every weekend. We play in either the kitchen or dining room, so it made sense to use the butlers pantry for our game storage. I cherish our time we spend with our children.
In Sweden it's normal to take of the shoes as well. Walking indoors with shoes you've worn outside feel so weird and dirty for us. Indoors shoes/slippers can be used if you want. :)
We moved to Mexico and brought very little with us. I will say my life got a whole lot better when I had a superautomatic espresso machine, a great mattress, and my knives. Until then we were gringos sleeping in hammocks and drinking crappy drip coffee! When we unexpectedly moved back to the USA, those were the first two purchases we made (I brought my knives back!). Merino wool for tshirts, dresses, and leggings are my go-to. They last so long, are temperature regulating, and don't hold "stink" so I can go longer between washing. We use laundry bags, and we don't use the dryer except for towels. We dry indoors too on a nice rack. It's dry here so it still takes only a day. We have a mini dyson that we like, but I often sweep, because I am sensitive to the vacuum noise. We also remove our shoes. We wear socks around the house. I was a nurse, and I know what creepy stuff can be tracked in! Check out pubmed! I have a granny rolling cart that breaks down to nothing. Love it. I use it at the closest grocery store. My hubs is the resident gardener. Our beautiful plants are due to him. I am an apron wearer both for cooking and cleaning. Because I have a minimalist wardrobe of quality clothing, I can't afford to ruin my clothes. I also use glass prep containers. I love your storage idea. I do also have a water filter pitcher. I use the Kirkland one. It gets out more stuff from the water than a Brita. I don't like to buy bottled water, so this fixes tap water to use in our espresso machine and for drinking. Yes, intentional shopping. (THAT is such a huge key.) I am all for budgeting and tracking. Hubs is not on board with that. Phone is my alarm clock, camera, note taker, and connection to loved ones. And a BATHTUB. Not really a necessity, but for my mental happiness, it really makes a difference!
Great video! Still so happy you’re back! Moved to Mexico with 5 suitcases and have been slowly finding our essentials. It’s surprising to see what we need as essentials now in a new country. We tried to live without a dryer but the humidity made the clothing take 2 days to dry but then they’d smell moldy by then and I’d have to rewash… dryer became essential also since my kids have only 2 uniforms for school and both go to school with them daily! Life is so multifaceted! I love reading all our differences. Is there anything you do collect for fun?
Oh interesting about the clothes! Hmmm, collect for fun…Probably online classes! I’m a sucker for a good course or class. 😂 So still kind of experiences? Hehehehe 😉
That's my issue with line-drying too. Humidity makes thick fabrics take a couple of days to dry so I tend to use the dryer for towels & blankets, also sheets because of size. Pretty much everything else hangs to dry though. It certainly makes clothes (and especially underclothes!) last a lot longer.
I had the exact problem while living in a cold basement: stinky, moldy clothes that took too many days to dry. 🙄🙈 Eventually, I was forced to buy a dryer, too. Over time, I figured out a method that worked really well: Hang the fresh clothes on the line for a day and night. (Most of the moisture will disappear during that time.) Then throw them in the dryer for only 20 or 30 minutes. (That dries them completely and prevents mold.) Doing so, you will save a lot of electricity and even spare your clothes. 🤗
My minimalist essentials for my home include paintings and artworks. I can’t grow plants, and my cat chews on the plastic/silk ones. So I collect prints (on canvas) of artworks I love, like two from John Singer Sargent, one Tiffany stained glass print, one Chinese horse print by Hsu Pei-Hung that my parents owned, quilts and wall hangings my incredibly talented cousin made, and the one piece of art I created. I love choosing the perfect frame for each piece, and having my own mini-museum/art gallery. These take up no floor space, and just a swiffer once/week is all the upkeep they need. One large (20x30 or so) piece of artwork per wall, keeps the look “clean” and peaceful.
Leaving the comment here but I keep watching all your content anyways, thanks for motivating me to declutter, sell, give away and use what we have. My household grew way too much after having a child, I really need to listen to these videos over and over while making order and decluttering over and over again.😂😂🎉🎉❤❤❤
I live in Germany and for me the idea of wearing shoes inside your home sounds so surreal! I mean, thatˋs not even comfortable. What do you do if you want to Putz your feet on the couch? And what about winter boots? 🤔
wearing outdoor shoes inside is like whaaaat to me! i'm from iceland, we would never wear our outdoor shoes inside ... maybe if I had to wear sneakers inside for some reason for my feet I would just own indoor sneakers :') but we just wear socks
My essentials: for wardrobe, same as your items. I have wall mounted racks. Sometimes I need more room for drying so I hang them on my exercise bike. :) cardigan over a bathrobe though. Velvet hangers here and pant hangers. Wood bins to store them and carry them to rooms. We have ceiling lights and small desk lamps to lower the room light at nighttime. Ceiling fans are a must here. One of my essentials that others may not like is indoor shoes with a rich supports. I have feet issues. We’re in a suburb currently and it’s a trek to any store. We have 2 cars because husband travels for work with his car. I need mine for the kids and the dog. Apron: I use my old work aprons! :) meal containers: we have a lot of bentos for meal prep and lunches. We have a zero water filter and we need air purifiers for wildfires and allergies. I’m maximalist on coffee. It’s my one thing but if I had to let it go I’d be ok. I don’t go out for coffee ever anymore. Ever. I used to be a barista. I spent way too much going out for coffee. Pretty much every other item you mentioned, we have and use often.
I also track my budget. Im working on being strict with it but overall I track it. Also, I’m reading the book simplicity parenting and I’ve learned a lot! You are creating a environment for your kids to thrive ❤
lately my griddle. It makes making healthy breakfasts for my family of 10 sooo much easier and therefore much more doable for me and eating well is important to me. Canadians also take their shoes off at the door. LOVE IT! Coffee tables we use them everyday for puzzles (so we don't have to pack them up right away) for eating around at lunch time, for folding laundry on, my kids hide under the big one and I love that it is also big enough to fit a laundry basket under just in case there's a lot to do (which is always)
I am also a killer of plants (unintentional), so Mr. Zen for the win! I love your clothing choices and really vibe with your style. I see that you wear a lot of linen (great fabric) and wondered how you keep it nice/from wrinkling...(as a semi-minimalist, I am not an ironer... ). Thanks for the help and ideas. :D
A lot of mine is kitchen stuff - I recently purchased a grain mill, and I got a lot of grief for it. But it's replacing an old one that broke, and I did use it regularly! To me, that is an item that facilitates my love of baking and healthier eating. But I can agree that it could be a dust gatherer for many people.
I recently discovered your channel. I'm definitely re-inspired to declutter our home BUT I feel totally overwhelmed. I put some items on eBay like children's clothing but nobody's interested in buying. The process is just so time consuming I'm prone to give up. I'll never get my money back from all my spending mistakes. I feel guilty so deeply I feel I can't move forwards.
Hello Caddie, so glad you found me. I advise in this case is to set a sell by date for your items, and then if you haven’t sold them by that date you can relist the item for $.99 and just let it go to auction - you’ve already committed to getting rid of the piece, don’t let this be the thing that holds you back! If it doesn’t sell THEN, donate with zero guilt - YOU ARE DOING THE BEST FOR YOURSELF and you tried! (Also, you can sell or give childrens clothes on FB Marketplace too, if that is easier for you!) Big virtual hugs - you’ve got this!
I have a Cobbler's apron like the one you're wearing that I use in the kitchen and I appreciate not having to tie strings on it. Years ago I bought waiters (half) aprons to walk my dogs because the two pockets work well for my phone and poo bags. The half aprons also allow me to pick up things while I'm cleaning.
As a middle european, when I first heard the concept of clothes drying machine I couldn't believe that people actually have a whole big machine just for drying :D ( I'm from a countryside, so we never had them)
One of my biggest housing item dreams is to have an automatic dryer (not that I can't afford it, I don't have a place in my rental flat for that). It is so funny how we all differ. I just HATE how much dust is on my clothing after drying them naturally. Also, in my small apartment it is hard to walk with all the laundry around and it just looks quite unpleasing with a line dry rack. The humidity also drives me crazy and the time I dry clothes, my plants get mold :( So I had to got rid of plants :((... My sister once told me if she had to chose, she would prefer a dryer over dishwasher. I said if I had to choose one mechanic item that would be either dishwasher or robot vacuum. This is really a game changer for me, I hate dust! :D
I'm allergic to dust. I agree! We bought a pump heater dryer so the condensation comes out of the hose, so there's no heat in front of the dryer. It's a must-have!! I would binge mum videos and wonder how people lived and got things done, and that is what was stressing me. So I bought it that week lol
I love your version of a command center! Years ago, I fell in love with the one shared by The Homes I Have Made blog (she’s on TH-cam too, but has much more content on the blog). Her version made more sense for that phase of my life, but it hadn’t been resonating with me for a while so I’ve been doing without one for years. I’m going to give yours a shot!
Keep making great videos! I planted a lot of plants, regular, vegetables, some citrus - takes a while and same inside I have four plants indoors! It’s great! I have gotten rid of so much stuff and finally got a new fridge also yay because I didn’t have one for months!
hi :) in fact we all have different needs , priorities, preferences and so essentials ;) tolerance and not bothering to judge is one essential for me :) to keep focus on useful ideas, that uplift each other :) so, thank you for the introduction reminder about we just have all different needs :) this video is interesting :) it makes me thinking of my essentials too, i feel it is good to think of it sometimes, it helps to remind what we value essential for our own self :) for me, it is laptop for work (as so many people i think :), camera for passion and work, bike for passion, mental health to relax and transport, i have it since i was student.. ;), a rolling cart close to my desk too :) to be able to move it if i want to work in another place. i love big socks for the winter. an essential, vital nearly, :) and i love my french press since years :) blankets i really felt as essential for the cold weather here too in France :) i am used to take out shoes at home since i was a child, so i am used to it too and i feel it very cosy and so the needs of warm socks :) having boxes to contain things help me to feel more serene too to avoid to see things all around :) when you express the countries you lived, i felt how it is amazing how you learn all the languages and live in different countries :) i changed countries younger and loved how we can learn a new language culture :) for the children, it offers so much opened mind and tolerance for sure about differences :) lovely journey you did, congrats :) for you and your lovely family :) an evident essential is the love you shine for your family, it is lovely. you deserve the best, wishing you all the best for all of you :)
I like to have several ways to make coffee, I have a programmable drip maker for early mornings, a French press and pour over for other times. I use them and love them.
Thanks for acknowledging the differences in scenarios, thereby making essentials different. My laundry machines are essential for me right now as a working mom in Canadian winter and an old small apartment. My chefs knife is an essential, as is good quality food. I mostly cook from scratch and I need good tools to work with
Kitchen essentials: microwave, Green Pan frying pan, my two favorite mugs (Pink Freud for tea, and a large pink mug for soup and hot cereal), a funky blue whale jar opener (I have arthritic hands, so this is a must!), plastic milk carton and soda bottle holders from my parents (again, arthritic hands). And an electric can opener for my cat’s canned food. I use these items every single day. Bathroom: my WaterPik, Aveeno hand lotion, and No.7 Renew and Restore Face and Neck Cream (it really works on crows feet and turkey neck!). (These are in addition to tooth brush, paste, shower stuff.)
I've been sleeping with white noise as well, for 35 years. There are several free white noise apps on your phone. You don't need a separate machine any more.
A Great video Marissa! I get a real sense of cheerfulness from it (for some reason). We’re not minimalist by any stretch of the imagination but i get some good ideas from your channel.
I love the suggestion of keeping your dirty clothes in the mesh bags when travelling! I always pack a plastic bag but this is such a better idea! (also i have the same Paris sweatshirt from H&M as you're wearing lol isnt' it so comfy! ).
I really enjoyed this video. It just goes to show you that everyone can have different essentials, and none of them are wrong. I love my velvet hangers - I'll never go back to the old plastic ones! My car is essential. The closest thing to me (other than homes) is 3.5 miles away. But, most things are at least 8 miles away. My work is 13 miles away. I do currently have 2 vehicles, which wouldn't be absolutely necessary, but one (my late husband's vehicle) is 4 wheel drive for the snow (gets lousy gas mileage). The other car gets better gas mileage but doesn't go as well in deep snow here on the mountain.
Please hit that like button and find out what purchases made me MISERABLE here: th-cam.com/video/hGihNrkFJxM/w-d-xo.html Can't wait to read your stories!
Actually this just occurred to me, what if you got your kids sand soccer socks (yes those are real for football/soccer beach tournaments) for playing on the playground? "ShocSox" is a good brand for these socks, it might help for less cleanup and they're very easy to wash.
@@BloodInTheStrawberries brilliant 🤩
@@AtoZenLife Your thumbnail, hair and dress (or is it that great apron?) for this video is beautiful!
@@AtoZenLife At 5:55 you could have the whole family sand those wooden hangars smooth while watching TV, but it is time consuming. Even if it's a year or 2 later, I think you really should return the wooden hangers to Ikea (just to send them a message), & ask them to have them sanded so they don't make holes in the shoulders of all your clothes! They should automatically sand everything wood that they make as an automated function, otherwise it's too time consuming.
@@AtoZenLife At 11:11 I love that apron! All aprons should have 2 big pockets. P.S.: The Zero water pitcher is almost as cheap and removes way more than the Brita, even sodium fluoride.
Years ago, a friend gave me some tea bags with sayings on the tags. One REALLY spoke to me and I still quote it: “If you can’t be happy with everything you have, how could you possibly be happy with more?”
Love that! So true!
The thing with these quotes is they always have caveats. It’s great for someone who has all of their needs met, but a homeless person who is struggling to eat would benefit from more. It is about everything in moderation and knowing where the balance is for each individual.
Alarm clock is an example of the fact that essential staff is different for everyone. In my case, I leave my phone out of my bedroom in order to not checking it first thing in the morning or last thing at night, so an alarm clock is a very essential item for me!
Good for you ❤
Same with my husband and I.
sry ...i agree that essential stuff is diff for everybody ..but not in this particular case
What type of alarm clock do you have??
I have Fibromyalgia which causes chronic fatigue so if I don't get enough rest/sleep, I then sleep very hard & don't hear my cell alarm OR my alarm clock 😬!!!
Thanks so much in advance 🙏.
@@idontcarei you disagree on what another person finds essential to their life? What's your solution to make sure someone gets up on time if they purposely leave their phone outside of their bedroom at night?
Noshoes inside is not solely an Asian thing. I'm in Canada and never met a single person that allowed shoes inside. I always found it odd that in TV shows people do not take their shoes off.
Yes! I am also Canadian and grew up taking my shoes off. I cringe when I watch an American tv show where people walk across carpets or sit on a couch with their shoes still on 😖 Like, what!??
Can confirm. I’m Canadian and lived in America for a few years and shoes inside was such a culture shock. I had a friend who actually walked over my creme carpet with her muddy shoes! I was blown away.
If I want to wear shoes inside, I wear slippers.
Same. Maybe it’s because half the year we have snow and we half to take off our boots! Lol
As a Canadian we as well remove our footwear, when our Americans relatives don’t it drives me crazy
Yeah, same in Slavic countries
Growing up I thought I could only wear my clothes once before they needed to be washed, as an adult I realized that's not true, outside of visibly dirty clothing, most pants and shirts are ok to wear 2-3 or more days, just need fresh underwear daily, so it helps cut down the total amount of clothing required.
YES - I have family that does this 😅
When my grandson was around 5 or 6, his mom would remind him every morning to put on clean underwear. A few days later, she discovered he was putting a clean pair on over the other underwear! 🩲🩲 🤣
@@AtoZenLife I think in this and all your other videos I just really appreciate how what you do works for you and your family!🤪Because there's a time and season for some things, best when we realize that season is past and let it go.
I’m 30 and realized this recently! I’ve been wearing my PJs 2-3 days instead of one. I shower at night before I put my PJs on. No idea why I thought I needed to throw them in the laundry basket every morning. They weren’t even worn for 9 hours! I rarely wash my jacket anymore too. It doesn’t need it. It’s a jean jacket that never gets dirty or stinky. Even my bras I’m wearing at least a week. It’s winter. I don’t get sweaty right now. They’re totally fine to wear for a week.
I leave my clothes inside out overnight and spritz them with linen spray
My hot tub is now essential. I saved forever to buy a small, plug-n-play hot tub and paid my electrician brother to wire it to the house so it's more powerful. As a runner and someone who gets achy, especially in our cold weather, it's been such a relaxing place to destress. I use it everyday, sometimes 2x a day. Totally worth the small increase in electricity. I spend hardly any money on myself at all, so this is my 1 joy.
I lived and worked in Japan for 4 years and I loved taking off my shoes and wearing house slippers. It really helps keep your home clean and it was such a good transition after a long day at work.
One of my rules is no outside shoes worn inside my house. Ever. It has cut down so much on cleaning over the past 45 years.
@@KENTUCKYUSA1same!
Marfmerf iv got 6 cats and a dog so its hardly worth taking my shoes off.
As ethnic Russians we always surprise people we go visit here in Canada as we BRING OUR OWN SLEEPERS!!!! A tradition: the hosts are in no obligation to provide me sleepers and the ones are sometimes offered are just not the cleanest and might contain nail/foot fungi. So no thank you.
One of my big essentials is my sunrise alarm clock. It's very simple, it lights up and beeps. That's it. But that 15-minute "sunrise" before the alarm sounds is the difference between getting through the winter and having a massive seasonal affective disorder mental breakdown. I've had it for over a decade now, moved it across the country twice, and have never regretted the purchase or the space it takes.
Hi Marissa!
As a frugal minimalish with a small wallet I recognize alot in your list. For me there are some things that I prioritize and find important to me.
* Good food, don´t have to be expensive but good quality. I am a vegetarian and cook from scratch. I eat in season, buy local, organic, small scaled as much as I can.
* Good "tools", everything from pots and pans to screwdrivers, a good pen, my scissors and my thermos. I count my nice quality yogamat and reliable technologi in this categori to.
* Good shoes that are kind and supported to my feet. All things clothes actually, good material, good quality, feeling, fitting aso.
I prefer quality over quantity and If quality is to expensive (sometimes Not always) I search for alternatives, wait for a sale, save up aso and I always look at the secondhand market first.
beautifully written
@@designdoctor247 Thx ❤
Wholeheartedly agree with you. It took me a while (and a lot of wasted money)to understand this.
@@meh5069 Me to and I was raised that way... tho I do slip sometimes, it happens...
I am totally with you. My minimalist mantra is "less but better".
I love that you acknowledge that “essential” items vary depending on your family/circumstances. We used to not have a dishwasher nor a laundry machine, but now with kids and pets and more time spent at home cooking/eating/playing, I cannot imagine not having either of these.
I also love the idea of baskets around the home. We call them “drop zones”; visually we got rid of the clutter and it feels more manageable to then declutter each basket at a time, then having to declutter/tidy the entire house.
We are a self-employed, homeschooling family that live in a rural area. 10 minutes away there’s a town of around 17,000. The closest big city area is (and the nearest place that would have public transportation) is an hour away and has around 100,000 people. What we “need” and use regularly is going to be so different from most people, and I’m ok with that!
Love how you discuss how everything has to be personal to you and your circumstances. I wish more people would realize this. A few good examples of this is getting married, buying a home, having children, etc. I think the last 10-20 years a lot of people have realized (especially here in the US) that these specific “milestones” aren’t for everyone, but for a long time this was seen as almost expected steps once you reached certain ages.
Velvet hangers are a must for me too! Especially for pieces that aren’t worn often and hang in the closet longer… they help hold the shape of the fabric and don’t wear holes in the shoulders. I highly recommend!
It's always so interesting to see how different our customs can be in different countries. In Hungary it's a very basic habit that we take off our shoes if we enter our (or someone else's) home :) There are some exceptions, but it's always the owner's decision, not the guest's. So I totally agree with you in this point (as well) :)
Your chanel is very inspiring and entertaining too ;)
i think all eastern Europe countries have this habit 🤧
I'm from Ukraine, and in the summer time we even wash our feet if we enter our (sometimes someone else's if owner want it) home because in this season our shoes more open.
Same in Russia. Out of question not to take the shoes off while entering. It's also a matter of cleanliness as the author said: we're pretty peculiar about what's dirty and what's not. Never a bag/purse can be seen on a table or on a kitchen counter as its bottom is dirty.
We Canadians always take off our shoes, too. It's so weird to us that Americans don't, when we're so incredibly culturally similar in almost every other way!
Hanging clothes on a drying rack in the winter provides humidity which makes the room warmer. It also helps with static electricity, both in clothes and in your hair. Static electricity attracts dirt!
Very interesting. In my country we discourage hanging wet washing inside as it adds moisture to the air: a damp house is much more expensive to heat!
A folding mattress (like the one you have showed in a previous video, that your husband slept on, due to a noisy neighbour) is an absolute musthave at my home. It gives me the freedom to sleep in other rooms, if that's what I feel like. And extra bedding. Where many minimalist may only have one or two sets of bedding I have three. It's nice to be able to offer a guest to stay the night, if it becomes necessary. But I have no TV and actually got rid of it, long before I started my decluttering journey and/or called myself a minimalist.
Yeah, and it better is a high quality folding mattress :)! And yeah, I also have three pairs of linen.
I got rid of my TV about 7 years ago. One of the better choices I've made for myself 😊
I’m listening to this while mending a little rip in my favourite t-shirt, which happened when I moved into a lovely place that finally feels like home. While I was initially upset about the rip, it will now remind me of the beginning of a new chapter in my life. It is still my favourite t-shirt, now made special with a story to tell.
My biggest necessity is definitely my dryer ^^ Yes, I can dry clothes on racks. But when I moved out from my ex's house, I sorted myself a washing machine, but didnt have the money for a dryer. I took me two weeks to realise what stressed me out to no extend: the wet clothes that were on racks or doors in the house. It somehow reminded me continousely that it wasnt 'done' and really got to me. I got money loaned from a friend to buy a cheap secondhand dryer and it has brought me so much sanity to finish the laundry in just an afternoon :) also - to put your face in dry, warm, fresh smelling clothes
I’m glad you realized what was bothering you and were able to correct it - that’s the kind of mindset people need! 👏
@@AtoZenLife Thank you ^^ it's always nice to see how different preferences lead to different choices when it comes to minimalism. :) I brought the racks to secondhand, hopefully someone else was happy getting them :)
I also need a dryer! I do own a drying rack, for some stuff, obviously. But I need to be able properly sanitize some of my clothes with a little heat and the dryer does that consistently year round. It's nice to air dry outside of course, when there's sun, but that's pretty rare where I am, so a dryer is just better!
It's important to realise that one's 'essential items' can change too when lifestyles and needs change so it's a good idea to intentionally set up time maybe once or twice a year to do a 'lifestyle audit' to make purposeful decisions on what to keep and what to get rid of to make your life more streamlined and less stressful. I love items that make daily or weekly tasks easier or more pleasant to do...there's nothing more frustrating than bad tools that make chores awkward and annoying.
What I like about this video is it allows you to think about the things you use and need on a daily basis and appreciate them. We usually don't think about these items and it's a great first step for me as someone who is looking to have a minimalist life.
I have a big garden, I can up produce, I make my own bread, I love to sew. We have a lot of supplies for those things but are minimal elsewhere :)
I’ve used IKEA wood hangers for years and years. I’ve had two different styles, but hardly ever have they been rough and never once snagged an item of my clothing including silk and other fragile fabrics. They’re 100% a must have for me. Because they’re wider, I feel like they air out my clothes better - I don’t wash every item after every wear. And those velvet hangers (which I’ve used when staying away from home) make me want to rip out my hair. I feel like they make me tug on my clothes. So, I am thankful for lots of different options for different folks. 😊❤😊
I use these too! They are a tad bulky but I can see my clothes better and I love the aesthetic. Though I am blessed with a very wide built in wardrobe in my flat.
Just a tip - have a bucket by the door where the kids can empty the sand from their shoes. That’s what we do here in Denmark where the playgrounds have sans too.
Nice! 😁👍
Oh I love this idea!
love...a real use for a sand bucket 😀
Hmm, that's a good idea. Where I live it's muddy, so we have boot cleaning and drying "stations" in my house. But I have relative who live where it's sandy and they've never developed a system for getting the sand off thier shoes. So thanks, I'll suggest this to my relatives.
I love line drying, the whole process is relaxing. I also only wash on weekends because our city doesn’t charge as much for electric after 9pm and on weekends. I hardly ever use my dryer but my mom gave me a washer and dryer she found at a thrift store 12 years ago for $50 bucks total and they are still going strong. 🌱
As a Canadian with cold and snowy winters, my absolute favorite purchase I ever made since owning a home was an ice scraper. 🙌
My biggest minimalist idea that I successfully follow is in my wardrobe. I became a monochromatic. My favorite color is grey. Every piece of clothing I own is grey. All shades of grey match. I never have to worry about what color of an item I need to buy. I just need to know I need a sweater or a turtleneck or some socks etc. Easy to tell people what to buy me as a present. Anything grey. Also I have the one in and one out rule. So if I see a cute sweater in the store, I have to think if there’s one I want to donate because that’s the rule. I can not accumulate more than I already have. This has cut down my wardrobe and dressing time tremendously!!
I do black, grey, burgundy and dark teal. I love how simple it is to get dressed. And you are so right about needing far less clothing inventory w a simple color palet! I did this before a move bc I had 2 dressers full of clothes I rarely if ever wore. I only brought what I wore and loved. 5 yrs later, I am still sticking to it, and still love it!
Yes! I'm part of the housecoat fan club! I love mine and I've had it for years. One essential of mine that most people don't have is a iron. I don't use it often, but when I need it, I need it. I don't own an ironing board, I just put a bath towel down and it works just fine.
A growing plant pushing out new leaves brings an incredible energy to your space.
What a beautiful home you have!
Living in a hot climate, as clean as we are, we learnt that bugs LOVE baskets and places that are open yet undisturbed , so I bought plastic bins w lids.
Yeah I had plastic bins with lids too, when we lived in the desert. It's definitely essential.
So many of these things I would not consider essentials for our family but it goes to show how different all of our needs are. Loved seeing what helps you! ❤️
I consider my velvet hangers to be wardrobe essential not only for hanging my clothes but to dry the ones that I don't put in the dryer. My favorite material is cotton so it last much longer when air dried. Another essential that I have is an apron similar to yours that I bought from World Market, I wear it for cooking and cleaning to keep my clothing spot free. The apron is also the style that my grandmother wore when I was a child so it is practical and sentimental one more essential are the wool dryer balls for clothing that goes in the dryer.
I sew the exact same pattern I got off the internet. Great gift to give also!!!
I realize this is quite a long time later, but do you run into any issues with the flocking rubbing off or otherwise gunking up clothes that are dried on the velvet hangers? The ones I have specifically say not to use with wet clothes
@@bellablue5285 no. I have never had any problems with those issues
I totally agree with all of your essentials. We just set up a new home after moving countries, and your list of objects were on our list! The only thing different is we got a really good mattress and superautomatic espresso machine. Those two things really are quality of life purchases for us!
Just realized that for some reason TH-cam hadn’t been showing me these videos, amazing to see how this channel has grown so much have been here since I think like 600 subs. Just realizing how much I’ve missed this channel rn, glad to have found it again
Thanks so much and I’m glad you “found” me again - you might check and make sure that you have “all notifications” turned on, because there was a glitch many moons ago that seems to have stopped that feature for some people. That’s the only way to make sure you see new videos. Cheers!
The smile on your hubbies face with the plant is so beautiful 😍. I use to be a plant killer as well but made it my goal a few years back when a good friend was moving and gifted her plants to me.
Also I have that same apron!!
Oooh, there’s still hope for me then? What color did you get in the apron? It was so hard to settle for one color 🌈
@@AtoZenLife mines is actually reversible!! A sage green/mustard. But I never use the mustard side because it's lighter... I also didn't think it through- was thinking reverse for longer wear but aprons get dirty. Lol. I do use the pockets as well for 'jiblets' that the kids leave around 😊
As for the plants- the usual problem is too much water. Us Americans tend to push food on humans and water on plants. Get a spray bottle and fill with your filtered water and mist daily- it'll help curb the desire to water too much and if by chance your issue is not watering enough the mist will help as well!!!
Much love!
@@Hillside-Hive I like that you suggested a spray bottle rather than a mister. I considered buying a plant mister but I hate spending money lol.
I found that you can screw a spray bottle top onto a glass bottle & it fits! Looks nicer than a plastic one to me. Vinegar bottles work (I use one for household cleaner), also found an amber glass soap dispenser with a broken pump in a thrift store, screwed a sprayer onto it & it's perfect for a mister 😊
There are TH-cam channels which do 8 to 10 hours of white noise with a dark screen and without ads in the middle, or rain or jungle sounds or whatever, that you can play on your cell phone if you want white noise but don't already have a white noise machine. LOL one more thing our smartphones can replace. Really enjoyed this video! Subscribing!
I totally agree a good and powerful vacuum cleaner is a must
In German houses you also almost always have to take your shoes off (and then depending on the household go on socks or get slippers)
I love how you gently and respectfully roast the ladies detailed comment about not being frugal. Go Marissa haha
"Serial plant killer" 😂😂😂 haha...actually we grew up taking off our shoes in Germany as well. I don't mind so much someone walking in, in the country, it is just some soil /grass coming in, I can wipe/vacuum away. But in the city, I would never let anyone wear shoes inside our home. Generally in Eastern Europe even visitors like elektricians etc. take off their shoes, or used to. Really like, how you do it. ❤
Thats astonishing, a bathrobe, laundry bags and apron is something I can totally live without
Wicker baskets are good for toys, clothes, make-up - everything essentially. Same goes for old cookie tins for storage. You can re-use them for different things and shuffle them around in your house.
Soo true. In Australia it’s almost a necessity to have 2 cars because suburbia isnt designed to be car less. It was a struggle to have even one car. We have one bus line and it’s limited and not cheap or reliable if used regularly. It’s such a shame.
Yes, 💯 this!
This was such an interesting approach to describing your minimalism, and useful! I love the smell of fresh linen off the line but it’s tricky in the cold weather. In the current energy crisis we are now only tumble drying our bath towels.
10 000 points for the Naruto lunch box. Thank you for being so encouraging. I have fouwhat is minimal for me is not for others. We grew up with shopping carts most people call me an old lady when they see me. However, my Grandies love e riding in it instead of a stroller which helps with quick walks to CVS or Giant. New subbie
love your videos. As for taking shoes off in the house. In Canada it is a polite thing to do at another persons house but most people I know on the east coast tell you to keep them on. In the winter time there is always puddles of melted snow in the thresholds/mudrooms and when you remove your shoes you get your socks wet and cold 9 times out of 10.
I'm from Hawaii and half Japanese and the first time a mainlander (U.S.) told me I could wear shoes in the house I was horrified! I now live in the mainland and it's still a big no no to wear shoes in my house.
🤣 I totally agree
I really love your ideas. They are so great and different to the usual minimalism minimalism ideas. They are practical and home friendly
I love how you share how you and your husband are intentionally spending time together . 😊
Many essentials, a lot are around my health…my vita mix blender I use daily, and my mini trampoline ( rebounder). Just to name a couple.
I love my lint remover it keeps my scarfs and jumpers looking new. And Tupperware kitchen scissors are life changing for cutting up meat and anything else in the kitchen.
Ha, our house was built in 1880s and the floors are freezing. I bought (mulesing-free) sheepskin slippers last winter. They were expensive but my gosh they've been worth it. So warm and cozy.
Also, good period underwear. Life changing.
🥶 🐑 🙌
Ive been watching your channel daily for weeks now, and you have given me the courage and determination, support and guidance ive never thought I could muster going through my own minimalist journey for the past 4 years after experiencing trauma as a child and young adult and being a hoarder myself. thank you. But! I have been dying to know your thoughts on pets. I wish so badly that you might consider a video on why you dont have pets, what you feel about minimalism and sharing a space with animals and all of the things that come with them (products accessories, litter, dirt, hair etc) . I ask this because I also believe I was a pet hoarder before as a child and young adult as a trauma response. I felt overwhelmed always with responsabilities and currently we (myself, two kids and husband) have a weiner dog, two cats, a fish tank, a tortoise and a frog. we function well with these pets as we are all very good at sharing the responsability, but we used to have two dogs and one of them passed from old age and I hate to admit that I felt huge relief in that phase of responsability in my life ending. There are many days I wish we just had our tortoise who will be with us for life. And have no plans to ever acquire anymore pets as ours age and pass on. I would really really love to know your thoughts on pets and minimalism and would love to know why you personally appear to choose not to have pets as a family. Thank you so much!
I live in uk and have the no shoes rule in my house, all visitors take theirs off a door and pop them in shoe cupboard, fuzzy socks and slippers are my go too even provide them for visitors, keeps my floors and rugs clean x
I am so happy to hear you mention line drying! I live in the Southeaster part of the US. We line dry our clothes as well. However our line dryer is the laundry line outside. I've been thinking about getting a inside line dryer for a couple of years now (for when it rains outside). But I haven't made that leap yet. I just try to plan according to the weather.
About the 'line dry', the good thing is that the place gets the perfume of our clothes hahaha I love it.
And in winter time, to dry faster, I put my fan in front of the line rack. XD
Where I live is really humid and if clothes take a lot of time to dry, they can get that unpleasant smell and it will need to be washed again.
Good kitchen knives, yes! And keep them sharp. I have actually gotten a sore shoulder from having to "muscle" my knife to cut vegetables with a dull knife. So we have a good whetstone in our kitchen, too.
Great video! I also love my apron and laundry bags :) We moved to France, and I'm loving my electric tea kettle- boiled water in less than a minute, crazy! I have found that, if you put the laundry tree next to the radiator, clothes will dry a lot faster. In fact, sometimes I just put our laundry directly on our radiators- they dry in less than three hours (never leave things on a warm surface unsupervised).
Hi,
I have a simple and minimalist life since a few years now
Still, I cannot stop buying & using candles
Are far away my best way to relax, to calm down, to meditate (definitely I associated them with meditation moments and seeing them burning I calm down instantly)
I know that “I burn money “ along with these candles… but I just love them and how they are making me feel and I’ll continue to buy them forever 🤪👌🥰
Love the robe tie over cardigan, totally something I'd do😆
🙈 I totally forgot about it
In Bulgaria the indoor slipers are a must as well and we love it ❤️
Came home from work.
Got two bags of stuff ready for donation.
Organized closet.
Wife is getting bags ready for donation. You are truly an inspiration.
We love that white noise machine!! We own 4, one in each room
I like air drying too: I find it helps humidify our home in the winter when it is so dry from all the heating...
One of the first things I did when I moved into my house 20 years ago was to ask my dad to put up a clothesline. I've used my dryer a few times. It mostly just fills a space.
I live in Ireland where the humidity all year round is always over 70% (average about 80%) so our clothes are rarely 100% dry if we just line dry...hence a popular phrase in Ireland "tis a good day for drying!" if it's a particularly dry, sunny and windy day 😂
Instead I line dry for 1-3 days either inside or outside (depending on weather and how urgent we need the clothes ready) and then toss in the dryer for about 20-30 mins to get the rest of the damp out before folding and putting away. It does mean that our formal dining room is mostly used as a laundry room though but clothes dryers are very energy intensive and expensive to run, it all adds up!
I live in the PNW in the US and it's also very humid and wet here. I'm sure Florida has higher humidity, but it's not by much. I LOVE using my automatic dryer. And I can only line/rack dry some clothes anyway. It's actually wetter where I live than in most places in Ireland 😟🤦♀️ so the "good days for drying" are like four days spread over July and August...and that's only if there's no wildfire smoke. So, yeah, the dryer is best!
Our Butlers Pantry is in between our kitchen and dining room. I use it to store our large collection of board games and card games. We have a large family and we play games almost every weekend. We play in either the kitchen or dining room, so it made sense to use the butlers pantry for our game storage. I cherish our time we spend with our children.
Sounds like a neat little nook!
In Canada as well it’s rude to not remove outdoor shoes when you enter a home. I have warm socks or slippers for guests, many bring their own.
In Sweden it's normal to take of the shoes as well. Walking indoors with shoes you've worn outside feel so weird and dirty for us. Indoors shoes/slippers can be used if you want. :)
Agreed
Cutco knives are fantastic!
We moved to Mexico and brought very little with us. I will say my life got a whole lot better when I had a superautomatic espresso machine, a great mattress, and my knives. Until then we were gringos sleeping in hammocks and drinking crappy drip coffee! When we unexpectedly moved back to the USA, those were the first two purchases we made (I brought my knives back!).
Merino wool for tshirts, dresses, and leggings are my go-to. They last so long, are temperature regulating, and don't hold "stink" so I can go longer between washing.
We use laundry bags, and we don't use the dryer except for towels. We dry indoors too on a nice rack. It's dry here so it still takes only a day. We have a mini dyson that we like, but I often sweep, because I am sensitive to the vacuum noise.
We also remove our shoes. We wear socks around the house. I was a nurse, and I know what creepy stuff can be tracked in! Check out pubmed!
I have a granny rolling cart that breaks down to nothing. Love it. I use it at the closest grocery store.
My hubs is the resident gardener. Our beautiful plants are due to him.
I am an apron wearer both for cooking and cleaning. Because I have a minimalist wardrobe of quality clothing, I can't afford to ruin my clothes.
I also use glass prep containers. I love your storage idea.
I do also have a water filter pitcher. I use the Kirkland one. It gets out more stuff from the water than a Brita. I don't like to buy bottled water, so this fixes tap water to use in our espresso machine and for drinking.
Yes, intentional shopping. (THAT is such a huge key.)
I am all for budgeting and tracking. Hubs is not on board with that.
Phone is my alarm clock, camera, note taker, and connection to loved ones.
And a BATHTUB. Not really a necessity, but for my mental happiness, it really makes a difference!
I love to see examples of how other people minimise and just daily life 😊 this was so very helpful and absolutely loved the apron! Thank you
Great video! Still so happy you’re back! Moved to Mexico with 5 suitcases and have been slowly finding our essentials. It’s surprising to see what we need as essentials now in a new country. We tried to live without a dryer but the humidity made the clothing take 2 days to dry but then they’d smell moldy by then and I’d have to rewash… dryer became essential also since my kids have only 2 uniforms for school and both go to school with them daily! Life is so multifaceted! I love reading all our differences. Is there anything you do collect for fun?
Oh interesting about the clothes! Hmmm, collect for fun…Probably online classes! I’m a sucker for a good course or class. 😂 So still kind of experiences? Hehehehe 😉
That's my issue with line-drying too. Humidity makes thick fabrics take a couple of days to dry so I tend to use the dryer for towels & blankets, also sheets because of size. Pretty much everything else hangs to dry though. It certainly makes clothes (and especially underclothes!) last a lot longer.
I had the exact problem while living in a cold basement: stinky, moldy clothes that took too many days to dry. 🙄🙈
Eventually, I was forced to buy a dryer, too. Over time, I figured out a method that worked really well: Hang the fresh clothes on the line for a day and night. (Most of the moisture will disappear during that time.) Then throw them in the dryer for only 20 or 30 minutes. (That dries them completely and prevents mold.) Doing so, you will save a lot of electricity and even spare your clothes. 🤗
My minimalist essentials for my home include paintings and artworks. I can’t grow plants, and my cat chews on the plastic/silk ones. So I collect prints (on canvas) of artworks I love, like two from John Singer Sargent, one Tiffany stained glass print, one Chinese horse print by Hsu Pei-Hung that my parents owned, quilts and wall hangings my incredibly talented cousin made, and the one piece of art I created. I love choosing the perfect frame for each piece, and having my own mini-museum/art gallery. These take up no floor space, and just a swiffer once/week is all the upkeep they need. One large (20x30 or so) piece of artwork per wall, keeps the look “clean” and peaceful.
Leaving the comment here but I keep watching all your content anyways, thanks for motivating me to declutter, sell, give away and use what we have. My household grew way too much after having a child, I really need to listen to these videos over and over while making order and decluttering over and over again.😂😂🎉🎉❤❤❤
I live in Germany and for me the idea of wearing shoes inside your home sounds so surreal! I mean, thatˋs not even comfortable. What do you do if you want to Putz your feet on the couch? And what about winter boots? 🤔
wearing outdoor shoes inside is like whaaaat to me! i'm from iceland, we would never wear our outdoor shoes inside ... maybe if I had to wear sneakers inside for some reason for my feet I would just own indoor sneakers :') but we just wear socks
My essentials: for wardrobe, same as your items. I have wall mounted racks. Sometimes I need more room for drying so I hang them on my exercise bike. :) cardigan over a bathrobe though. Velvet hangers here and pant hangers. Wood bins to store them and carry them to rooms. We have ceiling lights and small desk lamps to lower the room light at nighttime. Ceiling fans are a must here. One of my essentials that others may not like is indoor shoes with a rich supports. I have feet issues. We’re in a suburb currently and it’s a trek to any store. We have 2 cars because husband travels for work with his car. I need mine for the kids and the dog. Apron: I use my old work aprons! :) meal containers: we have a lot of bentos for meal prep and lunches. We have a zero water filter and we need air purifiers for wildfires and allergies. I’m maximalist on coffee. It’s my one thing but if I had to let it go I’d be ok. I don’t go out for coffee ever anymore. Ever. I used to be a barista. I spent way too much going out for coffee. Pretty much every other item you mentioned, we have and use often.
I also track my budget. Im working on being strict with it but overall I track it. Also, I’m reading the book simplicity parenting and I’ve learned a lot! You are creating a environment for your kids to thrive ❤
lately my griddle. It makes making healthy breakfasts for my family of 10 sooo much easier and therefore much more doable for me and eating well is important to me. Canadians also take their shoes off at the door. LOVE IT! Coffee tables we use them everyday for puzzles (so we don't have to pack them up right away) for eating around at lunch time, for folding laundry on, my kids hide under the big one and I love that it is also big enough to fit a laundry basket under just in case there's a lot to do (which is always)
I am also a killer of plants (unintentional), so Mr. Zen for the win!
I love your clothing choices and really vibe with your style. I see that you wear a lot of linen (great fabric) and wondered how you keep it nice/from wrinkling...(as a semi-minimalist, I am not an ironer... ). Thanks for the help and ideas. :D
A lot of mine is kitchen stuff - I recently purchased a grain mill, and I got a lot of grief for it. But it's replacing an old one that broke, and I did use it regularly! To me, that is an item that facilitates my love of baking and healthier eating. But I can agree that it could be a dust gatherer for many people.
I recently discovered your channel. I'm definitely re-inspired to declutter our home BUT I feel totally overwhelmed. I put some items on eBay like children's clothing but nobody's interested in buying. The process is just so time consuming I'm prone to give up. I'll never get my money back from all my spending mistakes. I feel guilty so deeply I feel I can't move forwards.
Hello Caddie, so glad you found me. I advise in this case is to set a sell by date for your items, and then if you haven’t sold them by that date you can relist the item for $.99 and just let it go to auction - you’ve already committed to getting rid of the piece, don’t let this be the thing that holds you back! If it doesn’t sell THEN, donate with zero guilt - YOU ARE DOING THE BEST FOR YOURSELF and you tried! (Also, you can sell or give childrens clothes on FB Marketplace too, if that is easier for you!) Big virtual hugs - you’ve got this!
@@AtoZenLife thank you so much for your advice. I'll just keep going. It's hard but life lessons are hard aren't they?
I have a Cobbler's apron like the one you're wearing that I use in the kitchen and I appreciate not having to tie strings on it. Years ago I bought waiters (half) aprons to walk my dogs because the two pockets work well for my phone and poo bags. The half aprons also allow me to pick up things while I'm cleaning.
You are my favourite minimalist on TH-cam that I can relate to on many level! ☺️👍
As a middle european, when I first heard the concept of clothes drying machine I couldn't believe that people actually have a whole big machine just for drying :D ( I'm from a countryside, so we never had them)
One of my biggest housing item dreams is to have an automatic dryer (not that I can't afford it, I don't have a place in my rental flat for that). It is so funny how we all differ. I just HATE how much dust is on my clothing after drying them naturally. Also, in my small apartment it is hard to walk with all the laundry around and it just looks quite unpleasing with a line dry rack. The humidity also drives me crazy and the time I dry clothes, my plants get mold :( So I had to got rid of plants :((... My sister once told me if she had to chose, she would prefer a dryer over dishwasher. I said if I had to choose one mechanic item that would be either dishwasher or robot vacuum. This is really a game changer for me, I hate dust! :D
I'm allergic to dust. I agree! We bought a pump heater dryer so the condensation comes out of the hose, so there's no heat in front of the dryer. It's a must-have!! I would binge mum videos and wonder how people lived and got things done, and that is what was stressing me. So I bought it that week lol
I love your version of a command center! Years ago, I fell in love with the one shared by The Homes I Have Made blog (she’s on TH-cam too, but has much more content on the blog). Her version made more sense for that phase of my life, but it hadn’t been resonating with me for a while so I’ve been doing without one for years. I’m going to give yours a shot!
Good luck ❤️🙌
I've realized how much I rely on one really good knife I was gifted. It's made such a difference in the kitchen and is definitely an essential now.
art, beauty, books, design, music, fabrics, texture, color = joy, are essential to me! but, i can still integrate some of these principles
Keep making great videos! I planted a lot of plants, regular, vegetables, some citrus - takes a while and same inside I have four plants indoors! It’s great! I have gotten rid of so much stuff and finally got a new fridge also yay because I didn’t have one for months!
hi :) in fact we all have different needs , priorities, preferences and so essentials ;) tolerance and not bothering to judge is one essential for me :) to keep focus on useful ideas, that uplift each other :) so, thank you for the introduction reminder about we just have all different needs :) this video is interesting :) it makes me thinking of my essentials too, i feel it is good to think of it sometimes, it helps to remind what we value essential for our own self :) for me, it is laptop for work (as so many people i think :), camera for passion and work, bike for passion, mental health to relax and transport, i have it since i was student.. ;), a rolling cart close to my desk too :) to be able to move it if i want to work in another place. i love big socks for the winter. an essential, vital nearly, :) and i love my french press since years :) blankets i really felt as essential for the cold weather here too in France :) i am used to take out shoes at home since i was a child, so i am used to it too and i feel it very cosy and so the needs of warm socks :) having boxes to contain things help me to feel more serene too to avoid to see things all around :) when you express the countries you lived, i felt how it is amazing how you learn all the languages and live in different countries :) i changed countries younger and loved how we can learn a new language culture :) for the children, it offers so much opened mind and tolerance for sure about differences :) lovely journey you did, congrats :) for you and your lovely family :) an evident essential is the love you shine for your family, it is lovely. you deserve the best, wishing you all the best for all of you :)
I like to have several ways to make coffee, I have a programmable drip maker for early mornings, a French press and pour over for other times. I use them and love them.
I love my cutco knives! I like the knife block that fits in your drawer.
Thanks for acknowledging the differences in scenarios, thereby making essentials different. My laundry machines are essential for me right now as a working mom in Canadian winter and an old small apartment.
My chefs knife is an essential, as is good quality food. I mostly cook from scratch and I need good tools to work with
Kitchen essentials: microwave, Green Pan frying pan, my two favorite mugs (Pink Freud for tea, and a large pink mug for soup and hot cereal), a funky blue whale jar opener (I have arthritic hands, so this is a must!), plastic milk carton and soda bottle holders from my parents (again, arthritic hands). And an electric can opener for my cat’s canned food. I use these items every single day.
Bathroom: my WaterPik, Aveeno hand lotion, and No.7 Renew and Restore Face and Neck Cream (it really works on crows feet and turkey neck!). (These are in addition to tooth brush, paste, shower stuff.)
I've been sleeping with white noise as well, for 35 years. There are several free white noise apps on your phone. You don't need a separate machine any more.
So disappointed that the coffee maker is discontinued…it looked cool!❤️
Physical books are my #1 essential item 😊
A Great video Marissa! I get a real sense of cheerfulness from it (for some reason). We’re not minimalist by any stretch of the imagination but i get some good ideas from your channel.
I love the suggestion of keeping your dirty clothes in the mesh bags when travelling! I always pack a plastic bag but this is such a better idea! (also i have the same Paris sweatshirt from H&M as you're wearing lol isnt' it so comfy!
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I really enjoyed this video. It just goes to show you that everyone can have different essentials, and none of them are wrong. I love my velvet hangers - I'll never go back to the old plastic ones! My car is essential. The closest thing to me (other than homes) is 3.5 miles away. But, most things are at least 8 miles away. My work is 13 miles away. I do currently have 2 vehicles, which wouldn't be absolutely necessary, but one (my late husband's vehicle) is 4 wheel drive for the snow (gets lousy gas mileage). The other car gets better gas mileage but doesn't go as well in deep snow here on the mountain.