Here is the link to the printable list of questions: Printable Questions: cli.re/Printable-Questions Thank you so much for watching!!! We are grateful!!! -Dawn
This was very helpful, interesting and informative. Praying 🙏it brings us all wisdom, clarity and freedom to focus on family and be free of clutter anxiety 🙏
Sold my mother's cedar chest this week. I was 8 when she died and I'm 70 now. I used the boundaries idea to help. There is simply no room in my smaller home for it and I don't need it anymore. I decluttered it too. Thanks Dawn for helping me get there. You're never too old to learn new ways.
I’m 70 also, and listening to Dawn has been an immense help. It’s how I found Dana K. White and Cas Clutterbug. I also like FlyLady and Jen Robinson, whose program really got me unstuck. Everyone has great tips.
@@sandybrown8698 This is a great point. A lot of times when I donate things, I think of the good it will come from them using them, passing the items on, etc.
On sentimental items: My maternal grandparents helped raise us. Grandmother was from KY and they moved to AZ after WWII. She always said she missed the Dogwood trees in spring. She also loved yellow roses and I gave them to her for her birthdays for many years. When she died I kept one rocking chair and her nativity set. When we moved to from AZ to NC I planted 5 Dogwood trees and 2 yellow climbing rose bushes as a memorial to her.
So I went to my daughter's today. She works 70 hours a week, I don't know what burner cleaning is, but that burner had been turned off needless to say. I gave her a quick rundown on minimalism. She looked unconvinced, but I said, give me 2 bags and 15 minutes. We went through her cabinets, got rid of everything she doesn't use and tucked somethings from her counter underneath. Bam! This tiny galley kitchen was bigger and suddenly way easier to manage clean! She was amazed and totally hooked! Next stop, the bathroom!!!
I went through the kitchen drawers and pulled out all the stuff I don't use: cookie cutters, tomato slicers, ice cream scoops (i just use a spoon) etc. stuck it in a closet, and next trash day, it went away. Picking away at it, I've found I may actually *have* enough counter space - if everything I owned wasn't on top of it. Now that stuff is *in* the cabinets, navigating is easier.
My mum was a very good cook, and when she moved into an aged-care home she gave me all her kitchen utensils. These sat unused in a drawer in the kitchen, because I am emphatically NOT a good cook. I finally got tired of all these things taking up valuable real estate in my tiny kitchen. I started to look at them, and I realised I didn’t even know what some of the things were. They’d sat in the drawer for a couple of years by this point. In exasperation I just tipped the whole drawer-full into a garbage bag. That weekend I confessed to mum what I’d done, not sure how she’d take it, and she applauded! Her feeling was that anything she had was mine - IF I WANTED OR NEEDED IT. But if I didn’t, she was more than happy for me to toss it. She died shortly after that, and we still have a storeroom with heaps of boxes of her stuff. I’m struggling to get rid of it, but I can hear her cheering me on. :-)
And there's another problem: people think their junk is worth a lot more than it is, so they think that OF COURSE any charity store will be DYING to take it off their hands. In reality, 80% of their donations ends up in the landfill, at the charity's expense, because NOBODY wants that crap. Get real and dispose of your crap at your own expense instead of putting it on the charity.
So true, Brittany! I think because the object becomes part of our identity. Anyone can have a $10 bill. For the most part they are all the same. But a mug can say something about you to the world. Or at least we think it does.
Great discussion. $10 is fungible, but a mug is non-fungible, and that "scarcity" creates a false sense of worth. Non-fungible things are only worth a lot when demand for them is high (an unknown variable to an average person), but $10=$10 is really easy to understand right off the bat.
The sentimental items is so true. When my grandma passed the family was all asked to go to her home and take what we wanted. I took one glass tumbler that I would drink from as a child. The people around me were collecting masses and picking out the valuables but none of that stuff had value to me I didn’t want it and I went away with one item that actually holds memories.
When my grandma passed, my sisters and I all wanted the same juice glass that we used at her house! We take turns with it because there was only one. I also took her TV guide. We always talked on the phone and worked the cross word puzzle together, so that is my favorite possession.
For me it was the soft flowered blanket with pink satin trim that was always on the bed I slept in when I spent the night. I cover up with it when I take a nap on the weekends!
Dawn, you have no idea how much you have helped me make hard decisions. Having a terminal illness, I have put a lot of things in prospective. When my mom and dad passed this last year, I seen how hard it was on my other sisters to let go of piles and piles of their treasures. I have recently started doing a lot of decluttering, saving only valuable items and what I enjoy as of now. Not only is it lifting a huge burden but making me feel much better about my caregiver having to keep those things clean. Only God knows our last breath but I'm so happy to have the freedom myself. Thanks again for all you have taught this old lady, lol
Dear Darlene please google Dr Eric Berg/Gus T cancer. This man had stage 4 terminal cancer. He is French but his English is understandable. Praying for you to listen to video. God bless.
Ohhhhh...I cannot wait to hear this! *Okay, now that I saw it, this is so true! My therapist told me this when it came to high valuables I hoarded away. We have a Pokémon Card worth $500. She said, “if you saw that Pokémon card in a store, would you buy it for $500?” I replied no way!! Lol Then she said, “then why keep it if you value the $500 more than the Pokémon card?” I was blown away and started looking at other hoarded items the same way!!!
@A Hoarder’s Heart Thank you for this! Having things put into other examples really helps until it clicks... that one did it for me, along with Dawn’s Grandmother’s tablecloth. ☺️ Especially coming from you, card example had blown my mind... yeah... that’s the reason I’m keeping most of my belongings (it’s not worth anywhere near £500, but it’s worth something!!) BUT from a slightly different angle... My main workaround for getting rid of anything slightly sentimental I’m unsure of parting with by listing it on eBay. The problem is if people haven’t bought it off me, I can’t guarantee it won’t end up in landfill if it doesn’t sell at a charity/thrift shop. If people have to buy it, I know the item will be loved and used. This is why minimalism would suit me - I’m super resourceful, and if I have it, I’ll have a million ideas of how to use it. I’m definitely on the decluttering journey, but will maybe lower some prices on eBay!
I'm a mom of two sixteen year old boys and a twelve year old boy. I have used your onion method in the last two years to bring our house to such a peaceful place. Even with loud boys, animals and sports, our house is a place of peace. I'm so grateful for every video. And... I definitely listen to you while I declutter. In fact, I really think you should think about putting your videos on podcasts. They are great to listen to. Thank you for all you do. - Massachusetts Mom
New follower here (with 13 and 16 year old boys 😆) - what’s the onion effect?? (Asking while I’m listening to the video in case it ends up coming up lol 🙃).
@@kristabradleymusic getting rid of stuff in layers. Not all at once. Just keep peeling layers to get where you are comfortable. It is an ongoing thing
Hi, yes, Phyllis is correct. It was going through each room but without the expectation of being perfect the first time. I took a black bag for trash and a black bag for donations and hit up my bathroom one day. Filled both bags. Then did my kitchen- again filled both bags. I picked a room a day and in six days had gotten out 12 bags of “stuff”. Being that we live in 1200sq. ft. It made a difference. Then I just kept going. Take 20 min and do it with your kitchen utensils- take out the duplicates, keep your favorites and the drawers feel amazing! Happy decluttering!
Hi, yes, Phyllis is correct. It was going through each room but without the expectation of being perfect the first time. I took a black bag for trash and a black bag for donations and hit up my bathroom one day. Filled both bags. Then did my kitchen- again filled both bags. I picked a room a day and in six days had gotten out 12 bags of “stuff”. Being that we live in 1200sq. ft. It made a difference. Then I just kept going. Take 20 min and do it with your kitchen utensils- take out the duplicates, keep your favorites and the drawers feel amazing! Happy decluttering!
When I get stuck letting go of items I paid good money for I ask myself the question, “will this item be a blessing to somebody else when they come upon it at the thrift store?” Invariably, the answer is always yes! And since God loves a cheerful giver I can let go of it with joy in my heart :-) thanks Dawn... you are such an inspiration 😊
I agree with picking a few items that you associate with a loved one who has passed away. I wanted my Papaw's overalls (he was a farmer) & pocket watch ( I would sit on his lap and listen to it in his pocket of the front of the overalls when I was a young child). I made a shadowbox that contains those two things and pictures of us with him. This is a true treasure to me. ❤❤
My bonus dad died suddenly in his sleep and it was quite traumatic. He was a gifted woodworker. My brother-in-law went down into the his workshop and found a few items that he used frequently and represented his passion and made it into a shadowbox for my mom. It was the most thoughtful thing anyone could have done for her in what was an impossible time for us all!! We still have the shadowbox and it still means as much!
My husband is still in the scarcity mindset, we were both raised in poverty, he hates parting with stuff we once paid for, I'm ruthless at purging and now frugal enough to not buy that crap again that we will never use. Hi 👋from Ireland 🇮🇪 Dawn, Your videos are amazing ❤️.
My son died in 2010 at the age of 23. I didn't feel bad gifting his fishing equipment to a child at Christmas who didn't have anything and wanted fishing equipment. But all of those papers from school...pictures he drew for me when he was 5...pin cushions and ceramic bowls he made in grade school...oy...I know HE isn't in those things but boy, is it hard to toss those...still! 11 years later!!
Your comment has touched me so much. Just yesterday I was unable to toss the ceramic items my children made in grade school. They are all still with me. It hurts my heart to think of how hard it must be for you. My heart is with you!
I love that your videos have all this different content regarding clutter and the psychological and sociological factors that come into play in our lives. Always something new to chew on. 🤔😀
I wish I had heard of minimalism when my kids were young. They’re all grown up now and I live by myself. BUT, I’m getting the hang of this now! I didn’t realize the stress of owning so many things! My job is stressful so when I come home I want to be able to relax. Slowly but surely I’m going through my stuff and I’m surprised at how easy it’s been to declutter. Even the dishes my granny gave me, though I love them, I don’t have any memory of using them as a child. I still have them and may keep them but I do think I could donate or sell them. I’ve decided I’m only going to keep what brings me joy. Thanks Dawn, you been a great big help to this senior citizen!💕(baby boomer! Lol)
This was so helpful. We moved from California to Virginia and our house will be ready soon. I found your videos and have binge watched them from the first ones, to catch up. I have so many people waiting in Heaven, I’m agonizing over how to part with things that were theirs. This video helped more than I can explain. I don’t have to keep everything, I can keep what sparks happy memories for me, and share those stories with my own children. Who knew that “my friend Dawn” on TH-cam could help me allow myself to let go of the guilt of purging boxes of my lost loved one’s treasures? I’m ready for the peace of a simplified home. I enjoy how you point out that a minimal household can look different for each of us. We have lived in an rv the size of Dawn and Tom’s, with three teens over 16, for 17 months. I’m so ready for a relaxing, clutter feee home.
Sue Wolfe- I want to pass on "family" items from my great grandmother to my adult children, but they may not want them. I have to honor my mother who's family this is by picking items that remind me of her. She painted, so those items I will keep. The other things, if they don't want them, I'll let them go. I didn't know any of these family members but I can certainly honor my Mother by treasuring her artwork! Thank you for helping me see how to navigate this tough and emotional journey! ❤
9:00 yes I wasted money on buying this stuff, but what else is it costing me ? My energy, time, peace of mind, a peaceful relaxing home, finding things easily, feeling guilty all the time, etc Those are " costs" too.
My 3 year old son's room was messy, so we talked about some of his items. It was interesting to see his mindset as he decided which toys he wanted to part with. He told me a few items were more for babies and he wanted to pass them along to our new cousin, Grayson. He made the decisions and felt like a big boy. He chose some toys he considered "kid" toys and let go of what he deemed the "baby" toys. I am so thankful he understands the process of minimizing and he's not super possessive of items, thinking they are all his most favorite and therefore has to keep them all. I am so thankful for your videos and vision because I have felt like an oddball in my family for letting go of belongings that don't bring joy or simply take up space. I am abnormal in that respect, but I have so much joy in my life because the things around me bring me happiness and there is no clutter to drive me crazy. I too am a minimal mom and I cannot say thank you enough for all you do! Thank you, thank you, thank you!
I agree on the sentimental items. I've been widowed twice. For my first deceased husband (no children), I kept a clock that he bought with his first paycheck in the 70s. It hangs in my living room. It was one of his most prized possessions and I prize it, also. I also selected a couple of pieces of his clothing, including some that represented his profession. For other items, I just took pictures of them and then donated them or threw them out. For my most recently deceased husband (less than 6 months), I already selected the items of clothing. I am still going through the rest and am also conferring with his children to see what they want.
I've heard so many times about getting rid of clothes that don't fit to remove the guilt of the ones you can't wear and just see the ones that do. As I have been going through my clothes, I found another benefit of going through all your clothes and passing on ones that don't fit... I found clothes that DID fit that I didn't think did! I never would try them because I assumed they didn't fit and I get the pleasure of actually using them without any regret or guilt or disappointment. I KNOW that everything in my closet fits and I don't have to filter the ones that don't/might not! As always, Thank you, Dawn! You've helped me so much. I used to be a borderline hoarder and now some people in my life think I just want to get rid of everything! They apologize when giving me things from their house... what a change!
I like using the Dave Ramsey "stupid tax" for my 'sunken cost value' items. It's much easier to donate unused items. As for clothes, I've been purchasing from 'thred up' it's much easier to donate those items as well. You've helped me so much to lower my inventory! I don't really need much, I can ALWAYS acquire it from somewhere. My kitchen top shelf in the cabinets are completely empty! Nothing on the fridge! I need a step stool to reach either, but don't need to anymore! You've really helped my brain to purge items and simplify my life! Thank you so so much, Dawn!💞💞💞
Natalie Bennett did a “favorites” video. Like things she values spending money on as a minimalist. I would LOVE to see what you value and are willing to spend your hard-earned money on! Because I know you are frugal like me and if you value the purchase it must be good lol ❤️
Dawn, I just can’t thank you enough for the work and thought you put into the “whys” of some of my own struggles. It’s inspiring for me to see how you’ve downsized, and while I’ll probably never take it as far, I am making progress and am finally really digging in to release things. I just can’t leave my adult kids with all of these “things”. I am the keeper of my parents things. And the things they had of their parents, mostly my moms side. My dad’s mom gave me 2 items that she wanted me to have. One was a plate with no story. The other was an Apollo commemorative glass. I was at her house watching the first moon walk. I remember it vividly. Today I donated the plate. It had been broken and glued back together years ago. I’ll keep the Apollo glass for now. I also have an afghan of hers that I always snuggled with growing up. My mom made it for her. I want to keep it but it’s never even been displayed by me (I’ve had it since 1980) and I need to use it if I want to keep it. That’s going to be a big decision. I also am finally at a place where I can make choices about mom and dads things. Or at least start. All that to say, thank you for your wisdom.
My 12 year old daughter just announced that she wants to simplify her bedroom!!! Our house is mostly simplify but I don’t force my daughters to throw away or donate anything now they are asking to do it. They love cleaning our living room it takes them 5 minutes, so they want that for their bedrooms!
My 11 year old daughter just got rid of a ton of stuffed animals. I am with you, I have never forced her to do it but, we are hoping to move in the next few months and she realizes she will have to fit all of this in her new room. I hope this trend continues cause she needs to declutter for sure!
@@bshows14 We are on the same train!! once they realize how easy it is to keep up with their new simplify rooms I think they will want to keep doing it! Good luck on your move!
@@heyitsjustme3088 Thank you so much. It has been a process with her .. and my husband. He says they are "collectors of fine wares. " Haha. My son and I will throw out and donate tons to simplify spaces. It's funny how different we all operate. I have been decluttering for a few years now and I'm pretty happy with where our home is but, moving will definitely kick it up a notch because I'm not keeping anything I don't need!
I had home decorations that were so special to me because they were from my first apartment. I finally took them to the consignment shop and was literally stunned because they all got marked around $5 each. I was expecting a nice big check! Lol. They were worth much more to me bcz my memories from that time are priceless. Great video!
I really appreciated all of your tips here Dawn, especially about the sentimental items. My parents just brought me two containers of silver, etc that were my grandparents (that I still have to finish going through ;-) BUT, when I started going through it, I found this beautiful glass cake stand with dome lid. I have been looking for a cake stand for the past few months but never found one that I liked and now I can keep this and will always think of my grandmother when I use it! This video also just motivated me to do another pass through our house. We've gotten rid of 40-50% of our stuff in the past 6 months and I love it!!
I was gifted a large china set from my great aunt many many years ago. I used it and enjoyed it. My kids didn't want it. Then I had a brilliant thought: I would pass it down to MY great niece! In a beautiful large wooden toy box (that also had sentimental value) and included a quilt on the bottom made from another relative that I didn't have a use for. Win-win win!! I included a card with information about the content's history and a few pictures of those family members. My great niece is 12. A great age to pass down an heirloom. 🙂
I have the rolling pin that my grandpa carved for my grandma when they were first married in 1927. It hangs on my kitchen wall, I never use it, it has no monetary value but I treasure it for the memories it holds.
We have the rolling pin my grandfather made for my grandmother and we do use it quite often. It feels like my grandma is helping me make bread whenever I use it. She made the BEST biscuits with that rolling pin for many years!!
I am 71 & you’ve been so interesting! My husband & I have always been frugal & organized but we’ve learned so such from your TH-cam. Especially the endowment effect. We’re downsizing & moving from a 3000sf house to a condo- so it’s great to “let go w/o guilt. Thank you & God bless you & your family.
I purged four contractor garbage bags of garbage from my basement last weekend. I watch Dawn’s videos on a loop to retrain my hoarding brain! It’s so hard for me but these videos help so much!
Hi Dawn. I randomly discovered your channel a couple of months ago and I'm grateful to have found you. I was struggling with juggling working full time, daughters aged 7 and 5, health issues and a house that, no matter how much housework my husband and I tried to do, was a constant mess. We are in the early stages of our decluttering journey but already notice the difference, in mentality as well as the house. Thank you so much for your time. Love from Scotland x
I’m happy and excited for you. I’m 51 and a full-time Chinese medicine student. My home is so easy to keep tidy and company ready all the time since I spent last summer seriously decluttering. I love how it feels to have my home demand so little from me when I have so many other demands.
It helps me to ask myself ‘Would I get rid of this if I could sell it’. If the answer is ‘yes’ then it has to leave the house, even if it doesn’t get sold it helps me know that the only reason I am keeping it is money. It’s crazy that I can easily donate $50 but can’t part with a coffee mug....
This peaceful home and environment business that you keep referring to is SO true! I have a two year old an a three week old and on the days that I'm able to put an effort into my home making (rather than simply survive the day😬😆), I notice a HUGE difference in my toddler's behavior, and mine too truthfully. If he can notice a difference in how disorganized and dysfunctional things are, then surely it's worth the effort to pursue yet another level of minimalism! I am so ready to find our new routine so I can continue to better our home and lives!!
I had a mug given to me for participating in a particular group last year. I was annoyed to have to drive to pick it up, then got there to find out it’s a mug. I was also in the middle of decluttering my kitchen. That mug went straight in the Donate box as soon as I got home. The thought was nice, but I wish they’d have used the money to donate towards the cause than add to peoples clutter.
Am going to spend the next 4+ weeks going through my mother's huge, stuffed home after a health scare. So very thankful I've been following you this past year! It was so easy to ask her if she thought that keeping 2 or 3 packages of saran wrap instead of the 12 that I found was acceptable. Would she really use 4 sets of measuring cups at one time, or could we agree to keep her favorite set. And my favorite so far has been this item has been in the garage underneath this pile of stuff for the past 10 years, I feel confident that you don't need/use it anymore. Oh pray for me - I truly feel as if I'm on an episode of hoarders!
I am so at the point where I don't feel the need to keep stuff just because it belonged to a loved one. I kept my dad's tape measure because he used it all the time. When I use it, I feel his presence. I also kept my grandma's Pyrex bowls...I use them often and they also remind me of her. I don't need the rest of their items cluttering up my home. ❤️
Thank you for mentioning that stuff doesn’t only cost money, but that managing it could also be costing peace of mind! I have a stack of clothes that’s been growing for years that I’ve been slowly listing on Poshmark for minimal $. Today I finally packed it all up and dropped it off for donation. I got my space and time back!!
I just wanted to say thanks for your channel. I have been struggling with having a lot of stuff over my 16 year marriage. I found your channel about six months ago and it makes me feel inspired and empowered. I'm not racing through, but I'm making progress every day. I'm almost crying as type this because learning how to get rid of the clutter is such a relief. I also enjoy the faith emphasis on Sundays. I married in my late 30s so I relate to your sister. Personality wise, I relate more to you. Thanks to both of you and God bless you!
I am so thankful for you and your advice, it has truly set me free from guilt. I have spent so much money on home decor and bed linens it’s mind boggling. What I haven’t used has been stored in closets or out in the garage. I finally started asking myself the question regardless of the item “would I gladly give this away if someone needed it” and the answer is always yes. SO, we have a store in my small town sponsored by a local church, what they sell the money goes back out to families in need. I have had so much fun cleaning out and knowing I am making a difference in someone else’s life. While I haven’t moved out any furniture, with so much gone in other areas, it echoes when I close my back door. I recently purchased the same style shirt in different colors for work, so I guess I have a uniform now, lol. It has made getting ready so much easier. I can’t thank you enough. I know from my heart your advice and encouragement is a God sent for me.
Your videos have inspired me to declutter. Today was a hard day of getting rid of clothes that I don't wear. I feel emotionally drained and almost sad. Hearing that I'm not alone in this gives me a lot of relief. Keep doing your videos! They help keep us going! ❤
It’s amazing to me how hard and long people hold on things “they wasted money on” but yet we are so quick as adults to spend money on something instead of looking at it, leaving the store thinking about it for a few days then go back and get it.
I’m in a tough spot right now. After downsizing from a 3bedroom house full of junk to two bedrooms in my in laws (to save up to buy land) - we suffered (and by the grace of God all survived!!) a horrible house fire two weeks ago. Everything that wasn’t on us or in our cars is completely gone. Truthfully part of me thought of this as a way to to even more minimal - but now we’ve been blessed with so many donations. Today I did catch up on a lot of your videos while sorting through all of the kids clothes and toys and making bags to take away to donations. At first I was holding onto these bags of THINGS as a security blanket. But I’ve had to remind myself of what you said People over Things!!
Haha thank you for being honest about the early years of childhood! As a mom of 3 under 5 right now, I am here to clean out my house because peace of mind and general PEACE is my priority. The first 5 years truly do feel like 10-15 years.
YES! You can do it! These are definitely the hardest days of parenting that you'll do- my oldest (of four) is now 7 and honestly it's a game changer!! There is light at the end of the tunnel!! ❤️
You made me think also that you can feel badly about getting rid of something that cost a lot of money, or you can think that you’re donating something really nice and valuable to bless someone else. That’s a feel good thing. ☺️
That's something I try to remind myself when I have a "valuable" item that I might want to sell. I imagine how thrilled I'd be to find it at the thrift store and get a great deal. That's how someone else is going to feel when they find the nice items I donate and it's much easier to let things go now.
Absolutely I now look at my nice things I don't need and am glad to donate to thrift stores that help single moms, children, homeless... We all have so much and can give cheerfully.
I donted sooo much. I regret it now, because I always would wish that someone would find it and love it. Most of it will end up in a land fill. If you sell it you guarantee someone wants it, and if you were going to donate it and make nothing from it anyway, then why not sell it for cheap? Then you don't have to put in so much more effort than having donated it
First time commenting for me. I'm in the UK. I am currently in the messy middle!! But I can see the light, helped massively by every single video ypu have ever made! I pop your channel on the TV or my phone and off I go! I'm not alone, everything you talk about is real and relevant and I can not believe how much my life is changing with your support and inspiration. I know it will seem soppy and crazy from a stranger but thank you 😊 so much for sharing your thoughts and family with the world. I've had massive life struggles and yet now I feel I can see a balance and a clarity, the time to deal with it all and actually have quality time with my kids!! My family can't believe the change in me my house and the fact my 5 year son now helps me with his toys and games and happily donates to others. Today his favourite thing was watching out the window and waving to the folks that picked up games and puzzles from our garden wall for free. Long comment Eck but I still can't express how much amazing input you have put into my life, thanks to you Dawn, Tom the children and Diana (I have twin girls myself. I also adore your Sunday videos) I have a mug problem but I'm getting there and this video helped. That and growing mint out of some of the spare ones!
Yes!! Talking about time and spending emotional space on things is super important! Lowering anxiety is my main reason to want to have a more simplified home ❤
I feel the same! As she showed clips of the kiddos and then all of a sudden went back to talking about debating over a clothing item, my immediate reaction was, "Wait! Go back to the kids!" I don't even have children yet, but that really drove it home for me!
Hahaha, yup! That's definitely me. Listening again, even though it irritates me, but I know she's right and I'm hoping this time I'll have the strength to follow through with action lol
My 76 yr old husband & 73 yr old me are moving from a 3000 sq ft house to a1900 sq ft house. We both have canes & have no one to help. But my point is really we are packing some ourselves. It is 50 yrs of stuff. I had no idea how much we have accumulated. Wish I had purged yrs ago.
Another great video! I know what you mean about honoring someone. It took me a long time to pare down my mothers belongings after she passed. But now, I have the ceramic Angel she made. She was, in my opinion, an Angel.❤️ That’s how I will always think of her.
When my husband died I went through his things the very next day. 1. I needed to get all the medical supplies out because it depressed me so much 2. I had people around me that loved him and giving different items of his to different people felt like sharing the joy of who he had been and it felt like his memory would live on more fully than if I had just kept all his stuff hidden in my house. I selected just a few items that really had great stories that I could share with my son... But every time I went through them I would discover one or 2 items that had lost their significance and now it's a small container that I can easily store and enjoy looking through instead of feel overwhelmed by it
My brothers and I were tasked with cleaning out my parents' house after it sold (physically and emotionally my parents could not do the task). I can tell you that your kids will likely be so grateful if you are able to declutter and minimize your possessions. It is hard to go through 50 plus years of stuff and try to decide what is actually valuable to your loved ones and what should respectfully be donated, sold or trashed. Good luck! ❤️
@@denyseneuman4188 I'm sorry that you had to go through that. My FIL and his siblings going through their parents' house motivated Hubs to be on board too. We'll have to face messes and abundance our parents leave behind, but having our space under control will help us so much.
Dawn, you spread an aura of support and peace like a warm blanket, I always feel better hearing you offer your perspectives on decluttering! My mom is gone over 10 years now and one of the bigger jobs I took on for my dad was clearing out her closets and drawers, so there was A LOT of things of hers that could have weighed me down instead of sparked memories. What I found worked for me is that I needed to season those items for a time (like quarantining them) and I found at a later point that her stuff WAS NOT HER. I could finally donate nearly all of it with a sense of blessing and clarity. Something I actually chose to keep was a pair of her flannel pajamas that every time I put them on, it's like she is hugging me to a sound and restful sleep. It's not her diamond ring or mink coat or pottery bric a brac or any number of things that might have had objective world value - those things have long been dispatched. What has value to me is that I have good dreams, so many of which feature my mom and I have incorporated her very best into my heart without need for the physical items once hers.
I love this. I absorbed a lot of my mom's things when she died. Well, not ' alot" but a anything that had any of her in it, I took several big boxes of things home. And put them in my Harry Potter closet under the stairs. But, when emotions had gone from a boil to warm, and I was able to look at them and make decisions, I ended up actually keeping more like 2 bins. Most of which was her knick knack figurines that I had given her thru my life. And some things she kept of my childhood. And a few dishes and bowls she cooked with. It took 4 years to open those boxes and really look at them rather than feel them without looking. I have recently let the few plates go also. They didn't fit with my dish cupboard, and as you said so well, ' she isn't in the dishes.' Bless you and take care.
I have two things that I tell myself when I hear that little voice in my head trying to talk me into keeping the kinds of things in this video: 1. This stuff already belongs to other people. I've just been storing it for them all these years for free. It's time now for them to collect their things. (This goes for pretty much any item.) 2. I didn't know it at the time, but I actually bought this (whatever) for someone else. I don't know who, but it's my gift to them. (This is for those things I've purchased but didn't use or wear.) These two things help me spin the guilt into a positive. I put the item(s) in the donation box, knowing that the rightful owner will soon find it and perhaps pay a nominal fee to retrieve their belongings. As for sentimental items, I am still working on that. I can say 'letting go of the item is not letting go of the person.' I'm okay with that. But other people in the family may not be. I can ask them if they want the items, but if they don't, do I have to ask their permission to let it go?
You are so down-to-earth and I absolutely adore you and your content! 💕 I’m a childfree woman nearing 40, and The Minimal Mom is one of my absolute favorite channels. 😍 There is so much to learn here for everyone! Thank you so much for all that you do. Your warm, genuine personality shines through every video and makes it easier to tackle this sometimes difficult work of getting one’s home in order. Thank you from the bottom of my heart 🙏
So helpful Dawn - my mom passed away in August and I have REALLY been struggling with gong through her things because I don't want to keep everything but I also feel very guilty letting things go. There are some pieces of art that she made (she was very creative) that is a perfect way for me to honor her and remember her.
i love the perspective of figuring out how you want to honour someone who has passed. having lost both my parents by age 37, i have had many challenges with this! i thank you for this different take, that ultimately honours them AND me 💙
You have become like a dear friend that checks in each week to remind us that we are normal humans that need support in seeing the world and understanding what is important. During my 3-year journey to simplifying my home, I have seen that letting go of things that were taking away the time of my family has helped me to breathe better. I was not the best person to be around since there were too many things around that need to time to manage and this stressed me out. I will say that little by little I have let go of things and have not looked back on missing them. I remind myself that I want to be a happy person and have less to manage so I can have more room for my family. I have more energy and my parents have asked to help to declutter their home. My dad has been calmer since he feels that he can walk around the house better. I can see how letting goes is a mental thing. We need to teach ourselves that things don't really say a lot about us compare to being with the people we love. I want to be remembered more than just being a little in their closet. I hope this helps someone out there.
Thank you Dawn - I really needed to hear this for my own personal stuff I've saved for so long. I've gotten better, but still need to improve. But while you're talking mass produced heirloom items like milk glass, (and I have plenty of that I'm not keeping) I have more unique things too, like deeds and documents from the 1800s, stock certificates from before the crash in 1929 (worthless stock but beautiful documents), a 101 year old scholarship medal awarded to my grandfather, negatives from the 1910s and 1920s, my mother's and grandmother's high school scrapbooks and yearbooks, my great grandfather's custom Underwood typewriter for his CPA business before 1900 - the list goes on - I'm so overwhelmed but these are not items I can drop off to Goodwill. Working on finding homes for things, like contacting the various schools about the yearbooks and medal. So glad I have learned how to declutter though - I can't burden my daughter with all this stuff!
I just cried when you got to the red tablecloth because I remembered how emotional you got in the video when you talked about your grandmother's sentimental items and how you lost her when you were 15 I think. It made me think about future situations in my life that I'm not quite prepared for. Anyhow, thank you for making this video again or better yet a different version of some of the originals compiled into one. You have been so helpful in my journey and I really appreciate you and your family. I wish you so much success because you truly are making a difference in people's lives and there's something that I just love about how honest and humble you guys are (you, Dana, Tom and your kiddos).
This post was more meaningful than me than any of the many others I've watched about letting go of stuff. I am 72, my mother is almost 102 and blames her hoarding on the Depression. For me, I have sufficient income to not worry about my needs, but I still feel guilty about wasting money with unwise and impulse purchases. I do my fair share of donating now, unused items, clothing with tags still on, things new in box sometimes. Very few things sell locally, but I do try before donating them. For me, it's not so much a matter oof managing things, it's guilt of having the stuff, and fear of leaving this for my loved ones to deal with after I pass. I think that's the worst. It's already overwhelming, but I'm making progress both in making wiser purchases and in giving things away that might bless others. Thank you for your support.
@@TheMinimalMom Read all of the posts and replies on this video. Oh my goodness. So many beautiful and heartfelt responses and support of others. I am in tears.
So thankful I found your channel. It isn't easy and to make matters worse when we bought our home we inherited my inlaws family items and my MIL wouldn't let us get rid of ANYTHING! Even when we wanted to change a light fixture she wanted to ask all other family members if they wanted it or keep it in our basement. It's been a struggle for 5 years but I'm finally getting my husband on board and we've managed to weed out a huge chunk of those items.
Sentimental items ❤️ my dad gave me my grandmother's sewing machine/table. I don't sew. I don't plan to learn to sew. The table was ugly and needed so much work to beautify. I hated having it in my living room. However the actual sewing machine was gorgeous and from 1920. It doesn't have financial value (I checked it out before making any decisions). I decided to rip apart the table to get the machine out. Now the machine sits on my book shelf and I see it everyday and think of my grandma. Not only that every time someone visits they comment on how pretty it is and how cool that I still have it. Then I get to share that it was my grandma's.
Thank you Dawn! I am one of those that watches/listens to your videos for motivation while decluttering. 🙋♀️You are at my house right now helping me declutter both of daughters winter wardrobes . 😁
I’m not the type of person who cares about typos, but I have to admit that your adorable typo at 9:20 made me laugh out loud because a “piece of mind” is all I have most day, ha! Hoping for more pieces to be restored to me soon! Hashtag mom brain ❤️
This is helpful. I have 3 generations of items that are so hard to part with. Some of my personal treasures are packed away because of my mom's and grandmom's stuff. I am really having a hard time parting with my grandmother's things. So this gives me something to think about how best to honor her memory.
Ruth, I am in the same boat - I have my mom’s and grandmother’s things, and feel I am almost drowning in other people’s stuff. I’m sure they wouldn’t want me to feel this overwhelmed.
Hi Ruth! After my granny passed, I kept a lot of her things, but now (6 years later) I am realizing that some things mean more to me than others. I am challenging myself to keep 10 items or less. I love using her soup ladle to feed my family as she did for so many years and the music box from her upstairs bedroom that I liked to wind up and listen to as a kid. I am trying to name my favorites and put the rest in a box in the basement to let go of ( without peeking) in a year or so if I don’t specifically miss anything.
I used to feel guilty wanting to part with certain more ordinary things my grandma would pass off to me (she is still 85 years young 😉) but over time I've come to notice how often she says very practically, "Oh, pff! Get rid of it then," even about her own stuff! So in addition to finding only very special things to keep that I ever inherit from family or friends, I also try to think, "Would she even have to think about keeping this?" Often the answer is no, which really helps ☺
Every time I feel bad that I wasted money on something that I don't wear anymore, I think about the fact that it's not wasteful to get rid of it if I wasted the money already when I first bought it, and it just inspires me to not make the same faulty purchases in the future. The money's already gone, but I can gain time, and as we all know, time is money
Loved this! The endowment effect is why I want people to stop giving us gifts. Most minimalist say to just take the stuff and then choose to do whatever you want with, ie get rid of it, but once it enters our possession the value of that object increases and it is harder to get rid of! I feel sometimes like its my duty for the find a use for the objects gifted to us.
I saw a addvertiment for Hoda and Jenna for next week and it said YOU are going to be on !!!! What!!! I was so excited for you!! I have been watching you for several years.
Oh no! Word is getting out!! ;) I am on next Thursday if they don't scrap it! ;) It honestly makes me really nervous to be in front of that many people, but fortunately it's all a pre-produced feature so what's done is done ;)
@@sheilaenglish3293 it’ll be on during the 10:00 hour with Hoda and Jenna on the Today Show on Thursday the 22nd- it’s 10:00 in our area, not sure if it’s the same in other time zones or not!
@@TheMinimalMom I will look for you,DON'T worry about a long presentation,they cut everyone off short,a lot to the time they don't even finish recipes.My dining room table is full of photos,can't seem to declutter any except people I don't know,what about school packages of leftover photos?How do you toss your kids pictures out?-feels taboo😨help
The memorializing part is hard. I have used your advice about the table cloth and the milk glass from past videos to help me get past a lot of stuff. I appreciate you Revisiting that topic especially.
Here is the link to the printable list of questions: Printable Questions: cli.re/Printable-Questions Thank you so much for watching!!! We are grateful!!! -Dawn
This was very helpful, interesting and informative. Praying 🙏it brings us all wisdom, clarity and freedom to focus on family and be free of clutter anxiety 🙏
Thank you for all your videos! This is exactly the kind of help I've been needing for years!
Just printed! Thank you bunches!
This was so good, thank you😊💕
Every time! You say that one thing I needed to hear to get over another decluttering hurdle. Thank you Dawn!
Sold my mother's cedar chest this week. I was 8 when she died and I'm 70 now. I used the boundaries idea to help. There is simply no room in my smaller home for it and I don't need it anymore. I decluttered it too. Thanks Dawn for helping me get there. You're never too old to learn new ways.
Just think of the great memories someone else will have by passing it on!
I’m 70 also, and listening to Dawn has been an immense help. It’s how I found Dana K. White and Cas Clutterbug. I also like FlyLady and Jen Robinson, whose program really got me unstuck. Everyone has great tips.
@@sandybrown8698 This is a great point. A lot of times when I donate things, I think of the good it will come from them using them, passing the items on, etc.
And if you have children or grandchildren who didn't want it, then you have blessed them by finding it a new home!
Well done to you! 👏👏👏
On sentimental items: My maternal grandparents helped raise us. Grandmother was from KY and they moved to AZ after WWII. She always said she missed the Dogwood trees in spring. She also loved yellow roses and I gave them to her for her birthdays for many years. When she died I kept one rocking chair and her nativity set. When we moved to from AZ to NC I planted 5 Dogwood trees and 2 yellow climbing rose bushes as a memorial to her.
So I went to my daughter's today. She works 70 hours a week, I don't know what burner cleaning is, but that burner had been turned off needless to say. I gave her a quick rundown on minimalism. She looked unconvinced, but I said, give me 2 bags and 15 minutes. We went through her cabinets, got rid of everything she doesn't use and tucked somethings from her counter underneath. Bam! This tiny galley kitchen was bigger and suddenly way easier to manage clean! She was amazed and totally hooked! Next stop, the bathroom!!!
I went through the kitchen drawers and pulled out all the stuff I don't use: cookie cutters, tomato slicers, ice cream scoops (i just use a spoon) etc. stuck it in a closet, and next trash day, it went away. Picking away at it, I've found I may actually *have* enough counter space - if everything I owned wasn't on top of it. Now that stuff is *in* the cabinets, navigating is easier.
My mum was a very good cook, and when she moved into an aged-care home she gave me all her kitchen utensils. These sat unused in a drawer in the kitchen, because I am emphatically NOT a good cook. I finally got tired of all these things taking up valuable real estate in my tiny kitchen. I started to look at them, and I realised I didn’t even know what some of the things were. They’d sat in the drawer for a couple of years by this point. In exasperation I just tipped the whole drawer-full into a garbage bag. That weekend I confessed to mum what I’d done, not sure how she’d take it, and she applauded! Her feeling was that anything she had was mine - IF I WANTED OR NEEDED IT. But if I didn’t, she was more than happy for me to toss it. She died shortly after that, and we still have a storeroom with heaps of boxes of her stuff. I’m struggling to get rid of it, but I can hear her cheering me on. :-)
Why is it easier to donate a $10 bill than a $5 mug? It doesn’t make any sense but it’s so true! At least for me it is.
And there's another problem: people think their junk is worth a lot more than it is, so they think that OF COURSE any charity store will be DYING to take it off their hands. In reality, 80% of their donations ends up in the landfill, at the charity's expense, because NOBODY wants that crap. Get real and dispose of your crap at your own expense instead of putting it on the charity.
So true, Brittany! I think because the object becomes part of our identity. Anyone can have a $10 bill. For the most part they are all the same. But a mug can say something about you to the world. Or at least we think it does.
@@britneypenfold1125 I think you’re right!
Yes, once we touch or possess something, it becomes "my precious"! (Lord of the Rings)
Great discussion. $10 is fungible, but a mug is non-fungible, and that "scarcity" creates a false sense of worth. Non-fungible things are only worth a lot when demand for them is high (an unknown variable to an average person), but $10=$10 is really easy to understand right off the bat.
The sentimental items is so true. When my grandma passed the family was all asked to go to her home and take what we wanted. I took one glass tumbler that I would drink from as a child. The people around me were collecting masses and picking out the valuables but none of that stuff had value to me I didn’t want it and I went away with one item that actually holds memories.
Love this Rebecca!
Good for you!
When my grandma passed, my sisters and I all wanted the same juice glass that we used at her house! We take turns with it because there was only one. I also took her TV guide. We always talked on the phone and worked the cross word puzzle together, so that is my favorite possession.
For me it was the soft flowered blanket with pink satin trim that was always on the bed I slept in when I spent the night. I cover up with it when I take a nap on the weekends!
My hubby has his grandfather's spoon--the one that he always used to eat soup. It's the only thing he wanted.
"The commodity I am most concerned about wasting is time." This really resonated with me. Great video as always.
Dawn, you have no idea how much you have helped me make hard decisions. Having a terminal illness, I have put a lot of things in prospective. When my mom and dad passed this last year, I seen how hard it was on my other sisters to let go of piles and piles of their treasures. I have recently started doing a lot of decluttering, saving only valuable items and what I enjoy as of now. Not only is it lifting a huge burden but making me feel much better about my caregiver having to keep those things clean. Only God knows our last breath but I'm so happy to have the freedom myself. Thanks again for all you have taught this old lady, lol
Dear Darlene please google Dr Eric Berg/Gus T cancer. This man had stage 4 terminal cancer. He is French but his English is understandable. Praying for you to listen to video. God bless.
Darlene, you will be on my prayers. God bless
@@57kongking Thank you so much. Prayers always appreciated
Just saw your comment and wanted to see how you are doing. Hopefully you are feeling great and enjoying life 💕
Amen! I am praying for you . God knows all and thank you for your insight
Ohhhhh...I cannot wait to hear this!
*Okay, now that I saw it, this is so true! My therapist told me this when it came to high valuables I hoarded away. We have a Pokémon Card worth $500. She said, “if you saw that Pokémon card in a store, would you buy it for $500?” I replied no way!! Lol Then she said, “then why keep it if you value the $500 more than the Pokémon card?” I was blown away and started looking at other hoarded items the same way!!!
That was an excellent question she asked you.
I hadn't thought about it that way!
@A Hoarder’s Heart
Thank you for this! Having things put into other examples really helps until it clicks... that one did it for me, along with Dawn’s Grandmother’s tablecloth. ☺️
Especially coming from you, card example had blown my mind...
yeah... that’s the reason I’m keeping most of my belongings (it’s not worth anywhere near £500, but it’s worth something!!)
BUT from a slightly different angle... My main workaround for getting rid of anything slightly sentimental I’m unsure of parting with by listing it on eBay. The problem is if people haven’t bought it off me, I can’t guarantee it won’t end up in landfill if it doesn’t sell at a charity/thrift shop. If people have to buy it, I know the item will be loved and used.
This is why minimalism would suit me - I’m super resourceful, and if I have it, I’ll have a million ideas of how to use it. I’m definitely on the decluttering journey, but will maybe lower some prices on eBay!
I think Dawn has phrased it that way in previous videos as well.
What Pokémon card is it? We have boxes of them sitting in our basement. Yugioh cards too. My son could use that money for college!
I'm a mom of two sixteen year old boys and a twelve year old boy. I have used your onion method in the last two years to bring our house to such a peaceful place. Even with loud boys, animals and sports, our house is a place of peace. I'm so grateful for every video. And... I definitely listen to you while I declutter. In fact, I really think you should think about putting your videos on podcasts. They are great to listen to. Thank you for all you do. - Massachusetts Mom
Wow, thank you so much for all of this and WAY TO GO!!!
New follower here (with 13 and 16 year old boys 😆) - what’s the onion effect?? (Asking while I’m listening to the video in case it ends up coming up lol 🙃).
@@kristabradleymusic getting rid of stuff in layers. Not all at once. Just keep peeling layers to get where you are comfortable. It is an ongoing thing
Hi, yes, Phyllis is correct. It was going through each room but without the expectation of being perfect the first time. I took a black bag for trash and a black bag for donations and hit up my bathroom one day. Filled both bags. Then did my kitchen- again filled both bags. I picked a room a day and in six days had gotten out 12 bags of “stuff”. Being that we live in 1200sq. ft. It made a difference. Then I just kept going. Take 20 min and do it with your kitchen utensils- take out the duplicates, keep your favorites and the drawers feel amazing!
Happy decluttering!
Hi, yes, Phyllis is correct. It was going through each room but without the expectation of being perfect the first time. I took a black bag for trash and a black bag for donations and hit up my bathroom one day. Filled both bags. Then did my kitchen- again filled both bags. I picked a room a day and in six days had gotten out 12 bags of “stuff”. Being that we live in 1200sq. ft. It made a difference. Then I just kept going. Take 20 min and do it with your kitchen utensils- take out the duplicates, keep your favorites and the drawers feel amazing!
Happy decluttering!
I am always impressed by how you keep finding new ways to approach the topic of decluttering. Super tips; thank you!
When I get stuck letting go of items I paid good money for I ask myself the question, “will this item be a blessing to somebody else when they come upon it at the thrift store?” Invariably, the answer is always yes! And since God loves a cheerful giver I can let go of it with joy in my heart :-) thanks Dawn... you are such an inspiration 😊
Exactly. It all belongs to Him anyway we are just temporarily stewarding it then it goes to the next person. 🤗💕
Amen!
I agree with picking a few items that you associate with a loved one who has passed away. I wanted my Papaw's overalls (he was a farmer) & pocket watch ( I would sit on his lap and listen to it in his pocket of the front of the overalls when I was a young child). I made a shadowbox that contains those two things and pictures of us with him. This is a true treasure to me. ❤❤
How beautiful! 🥰
My bonus dad died suddenly in his sleep and it was quite traumatic. He was a gifted woodworker. My brother-in-law went down into the his workshop and found a few items that he used frequently and represented his passion and made it into a shadowbox for my mom. It was the most thoughtful thing anyone could have done for her in what was an impossible time for us all!! We still have the shadowbox and it still means as much!
I have my granddaddy's worn out overalls too, as well as his merchant marines cap and dogtags. :)
That is perfect!
So true about “stuff” causing anxiety. I know it does for me.
Best video on decluttering I have ever watched.
My husband is still in the scarcity mindset, we were both raised in poverty, he hates parting with stuff we once paid for, I'm ruthless at purging and now frugal enough to not buy that crap again that we will never use.
Hi 👋from Ireland 🇮🇪 Dawn,
Your videos are amazing ❤️.
My son died in 2010 at the age of 23. I didn't feel bad gifting his fishing equipment to a child at Christmas who didn't have anything and wanted fishing equipment. But all of those papers from school...pictures he drew for me when he was 5...pin cushions and ceramic bowls he made in grade school...oy...I know HE isn't in those things but boy, is it hard to toss those...still! 11 years later!!
Hugs
💞
@@oneheart19 That's a great idea! Thanks!
Your comment has touched me so much. Just yesterday I was unable to toss the ceramic items my children made in grade school. They are all still with me. It hurts my heart to think of how hard it must be for you. My heart is with you!
💗🤗 I think it's good to keep thing like that.
I love that your videos have all this different content regarding clutter and the psychological and sociological factors that come into play in our lives. Always something new to chew on. 🤔😀
I wish I had heard of minimalism when my kids were young. They’re all grown up now and I live by myself. BUT, I’m getting the hang of this now! I didn’t realize the stress of owning so many things! My job is stressful so when I come home I want to be able to relax. Slowly but surely I’m going through my stuff and I’m surprised at how easy it’s been to declutter. Even the dishes my granny gave me, though I love them, I don’t have any memory of using them as a child. I still have them and may keep them but I do think I could donate or sell them. I’ve decided I’m only going to keep what brings me joy. Thanks Dawn, you been a great big help to this senior citizen!💕(baby boomer! Lol)
This was so helpful. We moved from California to Virginia and our house will be ready soon. I found your videos and have binge watched them from the first ones, to catch up. I have so many people waiting in Heaven, I’m agonizing over how to part with things that were theirs. This video helped more than I can explain. I don’t have to keep everything, I can keep what sparks happy memories for me, and share those stories with my own children. Who knew that “my friend Dawn” on TH-cam could help me allow myself to let go of the guilt of purging boxes of my lost loved one’s treasures? I’m ready for the peace of a simplified home. I enjoy how you point out that a minimal household can look different for each of us.
We have lived in an rv the size of Dawn and Tom’s, with three teens over 16, for 17 months. I’m so ready for a relaxing, clutter feee home.
Sue Wolfe- I want to pass on "family" items from my great grandmother to my adult children, but they may not want them. I have to honor my mother who's family this is by picking items that remind me of her. She painted, so those items I will keep. The other things, if they don't want them, I'll let them go. I didn't know any of these family members but I can certainly honor my Mother by treasuring her artwork! Thank you for helping me see how to navigate this tough and emotional journey! ❤
Dawn, once again you are helping to change my life and perspective on THINGS. I am so grateful, and thankful.
9:00 yes I wasted money on buying this stuff, but what else is it costing me ?
My energy, time, peace of mind, a peaceful relaxing home, finding things easily, feeling guilty all the time, etc Those are " costs" too.
My 3 year old son's room was messy, so we talked about some of his items. It was interesting to see his mindset as he decided which toys he wanted to part with. He told me a few items were more for babies and he wanted to pass them along to our new cousin, Grayson. He made the decisions and felt like a big boy. He chose some toys he considered "kid" toys and let go of what he deemed the "baby" toys. I am so thankful he understands the process of minimizing and he's not super possessive of items, thinking they are all his most favorite and therefore has to keep them all. I am so thankful for your videos and vision because I have felt like an oddball in my family for letting go of belongings that don't bring joy or simply take up space. I am abnormal in that respect, but I have so much joy in my life because the things around me bring me happiness and there is no clutter to drive me crazy. I too am a minimal mom and I cannot say thank you enough for all you do! Thank you, thank you, thank you!
To see your heart still so genuine after all this time and SO many videos is absolutely amazing. YOUbare an amazing woman Dawn!
Listening while I organize my kids’ craft cabinet. Your “coaching” is helping me to purge so much!❤️
That's awesome! Way to go!
I agree on the sentimental items. I've been widowed twice. For my first deceased husband (no children), I kept a clock that he bought with his first paycheck in the 70s. It hangs in my living room. It was one of his most prized possessions and I prize it, also. I also selected a couple of pieces of his clothing, including some that represented his profession. For other items, I just took pictures of them and then donated them or threw them out. For my most recently deceased husband (less than 6 months), I already selected the items of clothing. I am still going through the rest and am also conferring with his children to see what they want.
I've heard so many times about getting rid of clothes that don't fit to remove the guilt of the ones you can't wear and just see the ones that do. As I have been going through my clothes, I found another benefit of going through all your clothes and passing on ones that don't fit... I found clothes that DID fit that I didn't think did! I never would try them because I assumed they didn't fit and I get the pleasure of actually using them without any regret or guilt or disappointment. I KNOW that everything in my closet fits and I don't have to filter the ones that don't/might not!
As always, Thank you, Dawn! You've helped me so much. I used to be a borderline hoarder and now some people in my life think I just want to get rid of everything! They apologize when giving me things from their house... what a change!
I like using the Dave Ramsey "stupid tax" for my 'sunken cost value' items. It's much easier to donate unused items. As for clothes, I've been purchasing from 'thred up' it's much easier to donate those items as well. You've helped me so much to lower my inventory! I don't really need much, I can ALWAYS acquire it from somewhere. My kitchen top shelf in the cabinets are completely empty! Nothing on the fridge! I need a step stool to reach either, but don't need to anymore! You've really helped my brain to purge items and simplify my life! Thank you so so much, Dawn!💞💞💞
The shift in perspective I just had after watching this video is just.. Wow. Okay. Well done!
Natalie Bennett did a “favorites” video. Like things she values spending money on as a minimalist. I would LOVE to see what you value and are willing to spend your hard-earned money on! Because I know you are frugal like me and if you value the purchase it must be good lol ❤️
I second this idea!
Dawn, I just can’t thank you enough for the work and thought you put into the “whys” of some of my own struggles. It’s inspiring for me to see how you’ve downsized, and while I’ll probably never take it as far, I am making progress and am finally really digging in to release things. I just can’t leave my adult kids with all of these “things”. I am the keeper of my parents things. And the things they had of their parents, mostly my moms side. My dad’s mom gave me 2 items that she wanted me to have. One was a plate with no story. The other was an Apollo commemorative glass. I was at her house watching the first moon walk. I remember it vividly. Today I donated the plate. It had been broken and glued back together years ago. I’ll keep the Apollo glass for now. I also have an afghan of hers that I always snuggled with growing up. My mom made it for her. I want to keep it but it’s never even been displayed by me (I’ve had it since 1980) and I need to use it if I want to keep it. That’s going to be a big decision. I also am finally at a place where I can make choices about mom and dads things. Or at least start. All that to say, thank you for your wisdom.
My 12 year old daughter just announced that she wants to simplify her bedroom!!! Our house is mostly simplify but I don’t force my daughters to throw away or donate anything now they are asking to do it. They love cleaning our living room it takes them 5 minutes, so they want that for their bedrooms!
That's so cool!
My 11 year old daughter just got rid of a ton of stuffed animals. I am with you, I have never forced her to do it but, we are hoping to move in the next few months and she realizes she will have to fit all of this in her new room. I hope this trend continues cause she needs to declutter for sure!
@@bshows14 We are on the same train!! once they realize how easy it is to keep up with their new simplify rooms I think they will want to keep doing it! Good luck on your move!
@@TheMinimalMom 🥰
@@heyitsjustme3088 Thank you so much. It has been a process with her .. and my husband. He says they are "collectors of fine wares. " Haha. My son and I will throw out and donate tons to simplify spaces. It's funny how different we all operate. I have been decluttering for a few years now and I'm pretty happy with where our home is but, moving will definitely kick it up a notch because I'm not keeping anything I don't need!
I had home decorations that were so special to me because they were from my first apartment. I finally took them to the consignment shop and was literally stunned because they all got marked around $5 each. I was expecting a nice big check! Lol. They were worth much more to me bcz my memories from that time are priceless. Great video!
Every time I watch your videos, I run and start decluttering! 😂
That is MUSIC TO MY EARS!!!!!
That makes two of us!
I really appreciated all of your tips here Dawn, especially about the sentimental items. My parents just brought me two containers of silver, etc that were my grandparents (that I still have to finish going through ;-) BUT, when I started going through it, I found this beautiful glass cake stand with dome lid. I have been looking for a cake stand for the past few months but never found one that I liked and now I can keep this and will always think of my grandmother when I use it! This video also just motivated me to do another pass through our house. We've gotten rid of 40-50% of our stuff in the past 6 months and I love it!!
I was gifted a large china set from my great aunt many many years ago. I used it and enjoyed it. My kids didn't want it. Then I had a brilliant thought: I would pass it down to MY great niece! In a beautiful large wooden toy box (that also had sentimental value) and included a quilt on the bottom made from another relative that I didn't have a use for. Win-win win!! I included a card with information about the content's history and a few pictures of those family members. My great niece is 12. A great age to pass down an heirloom. 🙂
Please be sure to tell her that it is hers now and that it is okay if she wants to get rid of it someday😉
I have the rolling pin that my grandpa carved for my grandma when they were first married in 1927. It hangs on my kitchen wall, I never use it, it has no monetary value but I treasure it for the memories it holds.
We have the rolling pin my grandfather made for my grandmother and we do use it quite often. It feels like my grandma is helping me make bread whenever I use it. She made the BEST biscuits with that rolling pin for many years!!
I am 71 & you’ve been so interesting! My husband & I have always been frugal & organized but we’ve learned so such from your TH-cam. Especially the endowment effect. We’re downsizing & moving from a 3000sf house to a condo- so it’s great to “let go w/o guilt. Thank you & God bless you & your family.
I purged four contractor garbage bags of garbage from my basement last weekend. I watch Dawn’s videos on a loop to retrain my hoarding brain! It’s so hard for me but these videos help so much!
Hi Dawn. I randomly discovered your channel a couple of months ago and I'm grateful to have found you. I was struggling with juggling working full time, daughters aged 7 and 5, health issues and a house that, no matter how much housework my husband and I tried to do, was a constant mess. We are in the early stages of our decluttering journey but already notice the difference, in mentality as well as the house. Thank you so much for your time. Love from Scotland x
This gave me goosebumps-- SO glad to hear!!!! And way to go!!!
I’m happy and excited for you. I’m 51 and a full-time Chinese medicine student. My home is so easy to keep tidy and company ready all the time since I spent last summer seriously decluttering. I love how it feels to have my home demand so little from me when I have so many other demands.
It helps me to ask myself ‘Would I get rid of this if I could sell it’. If the answer is ‘yes’ then it has to leave the house, even if it doesn’t get sold it helps me know that the only reason I am keeping it is money. It’s crazy that I can easily donate $50 but can’t part with a coffee mug....
This peaceful home and environment business that you keep referring to is SO true! I have a two year old an a three week old and on the days that I'm able to put an effort into my home making (rather than simply survive the day😬😆), I notice a HUGE difference in my toddler's behavior, and mine too truthfully. If he can notice a difference in how disorganized and dysfunctional things are, then surely it's worth the effort to pursue yet another level of minimalism! I am so ready to find our new routine so I can continue to better our home and lives!!
I had a mug given to me for participating in a particular group last year. I was annoyed to have to drive to pick it up, then got there to find out it’s a mug. I was also in the middle of decluttering my kitchen. That mug went straight in the Donate box as soon as I got home. The thought was nice, but I wish they’d have used the money to donate towards the cause than add to peoples clutter.
Am going to spend the next 4+ weeks going through my mother's huge, stuffed home after a health scare. So very thankful I've been following you this past year! It was so easy to ask her if she thought that keeping 2 or 3 packages of saran wrap instead of the 12 that I found was acceptable. Would she really use 4 sets of measuring cups at one time, or could we agree to keep her favorite set. And my favorite so far has been this item has been in the garage underneath this pile of stuff for the past 10 years, I feel confident that you don't need/use it anymore. Oh pray for me - I truly feel as if I'm on an episode of hoarders!
I am so at the point where I don't feel the need to keep stuff just because it belonged to a loved one. I kept my dad's tape measure because he used it all the time. When I use it, I feel his presence. I also kept my grandma's Pyrex bowls...I use them often and they also remind me of her. I don't need the rest of their items cluttering up my home. ❤️
Me too. I kept my Dad's folding ruler, as he was a carpenter and my Mom's milk glass fruit bowl. Great memories!
I kept my late father-in-law's letter opener. I think of him fondly every time I go through mail. He was such a sweetheart.
Thank you for mentioning that stuff doesn’t only cost money, but that managing it could also be costing peace of mind! I have a stack of clothes that’s been growing for years that I’ve been slowly listing on Poshmark for minimal $. Today I finally packed it all up and dropped it off for donation. I got my space and time back!!
I just wanted to say thanks for your channel. I have been struggling with having a lot of stuff over my 16 year marriage. I found your channel about six months ago and it makes me feel inspired and empowered. I'm not racing through, but I'm making progress every day. I'm almost crying as type this because learning how to get rid of the clutter is such a relief. I also enjoy the faith emphasis on Sundays. I married in my late 30s so I relate to your sister. Personality wise, I relate more to you. Thanks to both of you and God bless you!
I am so thankful for you and your advice, it has truly set me free from guilt. I have spent so much money on home decor and bed linens it’s mind boggling. What I haven’t used has been stored in closets or out in the garage. I finally started asking myself the question regardless of the item “would I gladly give this away if someone needed it” and the answer is always yes. SO, we have a store in my small town sponsored by a local church, what they sell the money goes back out to families in need. I have had so much fun cleaning out and knowing I am making a difference in someone else’s life. While I haven’t moved out any furniture, with so much gone in other areas, it echoes when I close my back door. I recently purchased the same style shirt in different colors for work, so I guess I have a uniform now, lol. It has made getting ready so much easier. I can’t thank you enough. I know from my heart your advice and encouragement is a God sent for me.
You and Diana are such a blessing in my life Dawn. Thank you!!
Your videos have inspired me to declutter. Today was a hard day of getting rid of clothes that I don't wear. I feel emotionally drained and almost sad. Hearing that I'm not alone in this gives me a lot of relief. Keep doing your videos! They help keep us going! ❤
It’s amazing to me how hard and long people hold on things “they wasted money on” but yet we are so quick as adults to spend money on something instead of looking at it, leaving the store thinking about it for a few days then go back and get it.
You are so good at making your point across!!
It is so much easier to keep my house clean! I am so thankful for your great attitude and for all the posts!
I’m in a tough spot right now. After downsizing from a 3bedroom house full of junk to two bedrooms in my in laws (to save up to buy land) - we suffered (and by the grace of God all survived!!) a horrible house fire two weeks ago.
Everything that wasn’t on us or in our cars is completely gone. Truthfully part of me thought of this as a way to to even more minimal - but now we’ve been blessed with so many donations.
Today I did catch up on a lot of your videos while sorting through all of the kids clothes and toys and making bags to take away to donations.
At first I was holding onto these bags of THINGS as a security blanket. But I’ve had to remind myself of what you said People over Things!!
Haha thank you for being honest about the early years of childhood! As a mom of 3 under 5 right now, I am here to clean out my house because peace of mind and general PEACE is my priority. The first 5 years truly do feel like 10-15 years.
YES! You can do it! These are definitely the hardest days of parenting that you'll do- my oldest (of four) is now 7 and honestly it's a game changer!! There is light at the end of the tunnel!! ❤️
Dawn this video was so helpful! Thank you for helping me see these things in a different light.
You made me think also that you can feel badly about getting rid of something that cost a lot of money, or you can think that you’re donating something really nice and valuable to bless someone else. That’s a feel good thing. ☺️
Yes yes
That's something I try to remind myself when I have a "valuable" item that I might want to sell. I imagine how thrilled I'd be to find it at the thrift store and get a great deal. That's how someone else is going to feel when they find the nice items I donate and it's much easier to let things go now.
Absolutely I now look at my nice things I don't need and am glad to donate to thrift stores that help single moms, children, homeless... We all have so much and can give cheerfully.
I donted sooo much. I regret it now, because I always would wish that someone would find it and love it. Most of it will end up in a land fill. If you sell it you guarantee someone wants it, and if you were going to donate it and make nothing from it anyway, then why not sell it for cheap? Then you don't have to put in so much more effort than having donated it
First time commenting for me. I'm in the UK.
I am currently in the messy middle!! But I can see the light, helped massively by every single video ypu have ever made! I pop your channel on the TV or my phone and off I go! I'm not alone, everything you talk about is real and relevant and I can not believe how much my life is changing with your support and inspiration.
I know it will seem soppy and crazy from a stranger but thank you 😊 so much for sharing your thoughts and family with the world.
I've had massive life struggles and yet now I feel I can see a balance and a clarity, the time to deal with it all and actually have quality time with my kids!!
My family can't believe the change in me my house and the fact my 5 year son now helps me with his toys and games and happily donates to others. Today his favourite thing was watching out the window and waving to the folks that picked up games and puzzles from our garden wall for free.
Long comment Eck but I still can't express how much amazing input you have put into my life, thanks to you Dawn, Tom the children and Diana (I have twin girls myself. I also adore your Sunday videos)
I have a mug problem but I'm getting there and this video helped. That and growing mint out of some of the spare ones!
Yes!! Talking about time and spending emotional space on things is super important! Lowering anxiety is my main reason to want to have a more simplified home ❤
I feel the same! As she showed clips of the kiddos and then all of a sudden went back to talking about debating over a clothing item, my immediate reaction was, "Wait! Go back to the kids!" I don't even have children yet, but that really drove it home for me!
I LOVE this channel ❤️
Dawn being polite: I don't want to decide it for you
Real life: *time will tell that she is right anyway* 😂😂
Hahaha, love this-- THANK YOU!!!
Hahaha, yup! That's definitely me. Listening again, even though it irritates me, but I know she's right and I'm hoping this time I'll have the strength to follow through with action lol
I love the communuty feel of passing on common living helps to others.
My 76 yr old husband & 73 yr old me are moving from a 3000 sq ft house to a1900 sq ft house. We both have canes & have no one to help. But my point is really we are packing some ourselves. It is 50 yrs of stuff. I had no idea how much we have accumulated. Wish I had purged yrs ago.
Another great video! I know what you mean about honoring someone. It took me a long time to pare down my mothers belongings after she passed. But now, I have the ceramic Angel she made. She was, in my opinion, an Angel.❤️ That’s how I will always think of her.
This is so cool to hear! I hope it inspires others, too!!! :)
When my husband died I went through his things the very next day.
1. I needed to get all the medical supplies out because it depressed me so much
2. I had people around me that loved him and giving different items of his to different people felt like sharing the joy of who he had been and it felt like his memory would live on more fully than if I had just kept all his stuff hidden in my house.
I selected just a few items that really had great stories that I could share with my son...
But every time I went through them I would discover one or 2 items that had lost their significance and now it's a small container that I can easily store and enjoy looking through instead of feel overwhelmed by it
Decluttering is really hard, but I don't want my kids to feel pushed out by clutter like I did growing up.
My brothers and I were tasked with cleaning out my parents' house after it sold (physically and emotionally my parents could not do the task). I can tell you that your kids will likely be so grateful if you are able to declutter and minimize your possessions. It is hard to go through 50 plus years of stuff and try to decide what is actually valuable to your loved ones and what should respectfully be donated, sold or trashed.
Good luck! ❤️
@@denyseneuman4188 I'm sorry that you had to go through that.
My FIL and his siblings going through their parents' house motivated Hubs to be on board too. We'll have to face messes and abundance our parents leave behind, but having our space under control will help us so much.
Another wonderful visit with a smart, love filled lady. Thanks 🙏🏼
I love hearing your thought process on decluttering! It really helps motivate me!
SO glad to hear this Hillary!!!
Oh yes! So much! I can't let go until the thinking process has been defined and clarified
It might be because it hits super close to home for me, but it my opinion this is the best, the wisest video you have ever made. Thank you!!!!
This video is GOLD! Thank you so much. Sent to several friends and family!
Dawn, you spread an aura of support and peace like a warm blanket, I always feel better hearing you offer your perspectives on decluttering! My mom is gone over 10 years now and one of the bigger jobs I took on for my dad was clearing out her closets and drawers, so there was A LOT of things of hers that could have weighed me down instead of sparked memories. What I found worked for me is that I needed to season those items for a time (like quarantining them) and I found at a later point that her stuff WAS NOT HER. I could finally donate nearly all of it with a sense of blessing and clarity. Something I actually chose to keep was a pair of her flannel pajamas that every time I put them on, it's like she is hugging me to a sound and restful sleep. It's not her diamond ring or mink coat or pottery bric a brac or any number of things that might have had objective world value - those things have long been dispatched. What has value to me is that I have good dreams, so many of which feature my mom and I have incorporated her very best into my heart without need for the physical items once hers.
That is beautiful 😊
I love this. I absorbed a lot of my mom's things when she died. Well, not ' alot" but a anything that had any of her in it, I took several big boxes of things home. And put them in my Harry Potter closet under the stairs.
But, when emotions had gone from a boil to warm, and I was able to look at them and make decisions, I ended up actually keeping more like 2 bins. Most of which was her knick knack figurines that I had given her thru my life. And some things she kept of my childhood. And a few dishes and bowls she cooked with. It took 4 years to open those boxes and really look at them rather than feel them without looking. I have recently let the few plates go also. They didn't fit with my dish cupboard, and as you said so well, ' she isn't in the dishes.' Bless you and take care.
Wow! Another great video with great info!!!
You have no idea how much I needed to hear this today.
Very helpful- thanks
I have two things that I tell myself when I hear that little voice in my head trying to talk me into keeping the kinds of things in this video:
1. This stuff already belongs to other people. I've just been storing it for them all these years for free. It's time now for them to collect their things. (This goes for pretty much any item.)
2. I didn't know it at the time, but I actually bought this (whatever) for someone else. I don't know who, but it's my gift to them. (This is for those things I've purchased but didn't use or wear.)
These two things help me spin the guilt into a positive. I put the item(s) in the donation box, knowing that the rightful owner will soon find it and perhaps pay a nominal fee to retrieve their belongings.
As for sentimental items, I am still working on that. I can say 'letting go of the item is not letting go of the person.' I'm okay with that. But other people in the family may not be. I can ask them if they want the items, but if they don't, do I have to ask their permission to let it go?
No
I had to laugh at Number 1. But it is so true - thanks!
Nope
You are so down-to-earth and I absolutely adore you and your content! 💕
I’m a childfree woman nearing 40, and The Minimal Mom is one of my absolute favorite channels. 😍 There is so much to learn here for everyone!
Thank you so much for all that you do. Your warm, genuine personality shines through every video and makes it easier to tackle this sometimes difficult work of getting one’s home in order. Thank you from the bottom of my heart 🙏
So helpful Dawn - my mom passed away in August and I have REALLY been struggling with gong through her things because I don't want to keep everything but I also feel very guilty letting things go. There are some pieces of art that she made (she was very creative) that is a perfect way for me to honor her and remember her.
Excellent post. Thank you.
i love the perspective of figuring out how you want to honour someone who has passed. having lost both my parents by age 37, i have had many challenges with this! i thank you for this different take, that ultimately honours them AND me 💙
This really helped. Going through my deceased mom and husband's stuff. Thank you. Blessings!
You have become like a dear friend that checks in each week to remind us that we are normal humans that need support in seeing the world and understanding what is important. During my 3-year journey to simplifying my home, I have seen that letting go of things that were taking away the time of my family has helped me to breathe better. I was not the best person to be around since there were too many things around that need to time to manage and this stressed me out. I will say that little by little I have let go of things and have not looked back on missing them. I remind myself that I want to be a happy person and have less to manage so I can have more room for my family. I have more energy and my parents have asked to help to declutter their home. My dad has been calmer since he feels that he can walk around the house better. I can see how letting goes is a mental thing. We need to teach ourselves that things don't really say a lot about us compare to being with the people we love. I want to be remembered more than just being a little in their closet. I hope this helps someone out there.
Thank you Dawn - I really needed to hear this for my own personal stuff I've saved for so long. I've gotten better, but still need to improve. But while you're talking mass produced heirloom items like milk glass, (and I have plenty of that I'm not keeping) I have more unique things too, like deeds and documents from the 1800s, stock certificates from before the crash in 1929 (worthless stock but beautiful documents), a 101 year old scholarship medal awarded to my grandfather, negatives from the 1910s and 1920s, my mother's and grandmother's high school scrapbooks and yearbooks, my great grandfather's custom Underwood typewriter for his CPA business before 1900 - the list goes on - I'm so overwhelmed but these are not items I can drop off to Goodwill. Working on finding homes for things, like contacting the various schools about the yearbooks and medal. So glad I have learned how to declutter though - I can't burden my daughter with all this stuff!
I just cried when you got to the red tablecloth because I remembered how emotional you got in the video when you talked about your grandmother's sentimental items and how you lost her when you were 15 I think. It made me think about future situations in my life that I'm not quite prepared for. Anyhow, thank you for making this video again or better yet a different version of some of the originals compiled into one. You have been so helpful in my journey and I really appreciate you and your family. I wish you so much success because you truly are making a difference in people's lives and there's something that I just love about how honest and humble you guys are (you, Dana, Tom and your kiddos).
Great Dawn. Thank you for your ideas today. Just what I needed to hear! :-)
This post was more meaningful than me than any of the many others I've watched about letting go of stuff. I am 72, my mother is almost 102 and blames her hoarding on the Depression. For me, I have sufficient income to not worry about my needs, but I still feel guilty about wasting money with unwise and impulse purchases. I do my fair share of donating now, unused items, clothing with tags still on, things new in box sometimes. Very few things sell locally, but I do try before donating them.
For me, it's not so much a matter oof managing things, it's guilt of having the stuff, and fear of leaving this for my loved ones to deal with after I pass. I think that's the worst. It's already overwhelming, but I'm making progress both in making wiser purchases and in giving things away that might bless others. Thank you for your support.
Way to go Carol! 💕 not always easy, but so worthwhile!
Ha ha,I’m 62 and always say that I’m the youngest person to have lived through the depression 😂🤣😅
@@TheMinimalMom Read all of the posts and replies on this video. Oh my goodness. So many beautiful and heartfelt responses and support of others. I am in tears.
Whoah, think you hit the nail on the head w/this. Thank you for your tips, ideas and help.😉💖🤗
So thankful I found your channel. It isn't easy and to make matters worse when we bought our home we inherited my inlaws family items and my MIL wouldn't let us get rid of ANYTHING! Even when we wanted to change a light fixture she wanted to ask all other family members if they wanted it or keep it in our basement. It's been a struggle for 5 years but I'm finally getting my husband on board and we've managed to weed out a huge chunk of those items.
Sentimental items ❤️ my dad gave me my grandmother's sewing machine/table. I don't sew. I don't plan to learn to sew. The table was ugly and needed so much work to beautify. I hated having it in my living room. However the actual sewing machine was gorgeous and from 1920. It doesn't have financial value (I checked it out before making any decisions). I decided to rip apart the table to get the machine out. Now the machine sits on my book shelf and I see it everyday and think of my grandma. Not only that every time someone visits they comment on how pretty it is and how cool that I still have it. Then I get to share that it was my grandma's.
Thank you Dawn! I am one of those that watches/listens to your videos for motivation while decluttering. 🙋♀️You are at my house right now helping me declutter both of daughters winter wardrobes . 😁
Yay! Love this!!!
You’re so encouraging! I love the motivation you give me to get rid of useless things!
This was so helpful!! Thank you for the work that you do! 💛
You are helping me with so much that has been challenging me for decades. Thank you.
I’m not the type of person who cares about typos, but I have to admit that your adorable typo at 9:20 made me laugh out loud because a “piece of mind” is all I have most day, ha! Hoping for more pieces to be restored to me soon! Hashtag mom brain ❤️
Dawn, it is always a good day when I get notice of a new post from you. Great info. Thank you!!
You truly are an inspiration to me. Thank you for your great content.
You're so kind-- THANK YOU Emily!
Agreed harmony and quality time with kids is priceless.
This is helpful. I have 3 generations of items that are so hard to part with. Some of my personal treasures are packed away because of my mom's and grandmom's stuff. I am really having a hard time parting with my grandmother's things. So this gives me something to think about how best to honor her memory.
Ruth, I am in the same boat - I have my mom’s and grandmother’s things, and feel I am almost drowning in other people’s stuff. I’m sure they wouldn’t want me to feel this overwhelmed.
Hi Ruth! After my granny passed, I kept a lot of her things, but now (6 years later) I am realizing that some things mean more to me than others. I am challenging myself to keep 10 items or less. I love using her soup ladle to feed my family as she did for so many years and the music box from her upstairs bedroom that I liked to wind up and listen to as a kid. I am trying to name my favorites and put the rest in a box in the basement to let go of ( without peeking) in a year or so if I don’t specifically miss anything.
I used to feel guilty wanting to part with certain more ordinary things my grandma would pass off to me (she is still 85 years young 😉) but over time I've come to notice how often she says very practically, "Oh, pff! Get rid of it then," even about her own stuff! So in addition to finding only very special things to keep that I ever inherit from family or friends, I also try to think, "Would she even have to think about keeping this?" Often the answer is no, which really helps ☺
I absolutely listen to these videos while I'm cleaning, folding laundry, etc...I appreciate every video you make! Thank you!
Every time I feel bad that I wasted money on something that I don't wear anymore, I think about the fact that it's not wasteful to get rid of it if I wasted the money already when I first bought it, and it just inspires me to not make the same faulty purchases in the future. The money's already gone, but I can gain time, and as we all know, time is money
Loved this! The endowment effect is why I want people to stop giving us gifts. Most minimalist say to just take the stuff and then choose to do whatever you want with, ie get rid of it, but once it enters our possession the value of that object increases and it is harder to get rid of! I feel sometimes like its my duty for the find a use for the objects gifted to us.
I saw a addvertiment for Hoda and Jenna for next week and it said YOU are going to be on !!!! What!!! I was so excited for you!! I have been watching you for several years.
Oh no! Word is getting out!! ;) I am on next Thursday if they don't scrap it! ;) It honestly makes me really nervous to be in front of that many people, but fortunately it's all a pre-produced feature so what's done is done ;)
It will be awesome, so excited for you!!!
@@TheMinimalMom Well that’s amazing. You’ll have to tell us when and where we can find it.
@@sheilaenglish3293 it’ll be on during the 10:00 hour with Hoda and Jenna on the Today Show on Thursday the 22nd- it’s 10:00 in our area, not sure if it’s the same in other time zones or not!
@@TheMinimalMom I will look for you,DON'T worry about a long presentation,they cut everyone off short,a lot to the time they don't even finish recipes.My dining room table is full of photos,can't seem to declutter any except people I don't know,what about school packages of leftover photos?How do you toss your kids pictures out?-feels taboo😨help
This was really interesting! Thanks for sharing.
The memorializing part is hard. I have used your advice about the table cloth and the milk glass from past videos to help me get past a lot of stuff. I appreciate you
Revisiting that topic especially.