Do you want the whole list of 200 things to declutter from your home? 🤍 I’ve put together a FREE PDF checklist containing all 200 ideas just for you! You can download it here: bit.ly/200thingspdf
Unfortunately this only works if you have an email adress that ends in .com which I don't. I don't know if you can change the settings for that, but if so please do.
Its sad with 2020 being stuck at home quarantining lol and covid has effected us dramatically but it gave me a pause in life and i have decluttered my entire house and my fiancee’s house. Room hy room, drawer by drawer, i will say it has become a game changer, feels soo clean, uncluttered, even less dusty and i’ve read tons of articles mentioning that it reduces anxiety and panic attacks
Me too! I thought she was going to talk about how society programs us to automatically have children, but we should think about whether we actually want/need them. 😏
You mentioned fridge magnets and souveniers. This got me thinking about the homes I visited in the 80s and 90s when I was a child. Such clutter was proudly displayed as evidences of experiences and connections. It was the Instagram of the era. People would come over and "scroll through" your collections to see what you've been up to and who you know. Today, it is all digital, so we find magnets, souveniers, and other such clutter a distraction and stressful. I was telling my oldest child how DVDs and CDs were proudly displayed when hubby and I were first married. Now, young post-millennials don't even own them and it isn't the fashion to display such things.
WHOA. Had to stop and think about this for awhile. I guess I've noticed the change you're describing, and Ive been thinking alot about that lately but couldn't figure out if it was just me or.... And then you blew my mind lol. I was born early 90s. And you spot on described every home I still cherish in my childhood heart☺
We still have magnets and DVDs/VCRs but we donated the ones we don't want to the free room at my school a few years ago. It's better than thrift stores because they tend to throw a lot of perfectly good stuff out. This way people use the stuff/it doesn't just end up in a landfill 💜
I never thought about how important those fridge magnets were. You're right. They said a lot about a person's life. Now I'm seriously missing seeing fridge magnets.
In the US, many farmers markets have a stall where someone will sharpen your knives cheaply. So if you are in America, I recommend you check out your local farmers markets for those stalls if you want your knives sharpened for cheap (I assume getting them professionally sharpened by an actual knife shop can also be affordable; I just don't know the actual cost, but I know the FM cost is around a couple dollars depending on the knife size).
In the US, many farmers markets have a stall where someone will sharpen your knives cheaply. So if you are in America, I recommend you check out your local farmers markets for those stalls if you want your knives sharpened for cheap (I assume getting them professionally sharpened by an actual knife shop can also be affordable; I just don't know the actual cost, though I know the FM cost is around a couple dollars depending on the knife size).
Please DON'T declutter your children's things without their consent! Discuss what THEY no longer use or want to donate. But making things just "disappear"... they will hate you forever!
Yes I got them involved in cleaning out their things when they were kids. If they were broken toys then they tossed them away. Also we went through clothing.
I became a hoarder because my mom threw away so many things I was still using. I’ve since been able to become more minimalist, but I was a mess for awhile. Definitely just teach them about decluttering instead of making random things disappear.
I like to store things in the old cleaned out candle jars like make up brushes, toiletries etc, they look nicer than some holders I have paid separately for
I scratch off all the labels and pull out the wick before heating the candle jar until the wax can be poured into another candle! And then reuse the prettiest candle jars for storage/organization
Mellifluously Mischievous my mom makes my dad rags from old tee shirts that we destroy (we do work outside often and to tell you the truth we have destroyed close to 5 shirts each (there are 5 of us) in a summer before)
Minimalism is great but I see a lot of waste happening. How do you do minimalism AND zero waste? Why get rid of an item if I can use it till the end of its life. Especially if it’s something that cannot be sold or recycled.
If you have loads of things/clutter, you’re going to have to throw things out BEFORE you can be zero waste. Of course donate (second hand shops, tip shops, charity etc), gift or sell everything you can, but like I said, waste is pretty inevitable when you declutter.
I’ve mostly recycled or given away (to thrift stores or friends) during my declutter/ minimalism journey, I only throw things away when it’s unusable. I always ask the people in my life if they need something before donating or recycling.
If you don’t like it or use it - why should you store it? (To me that feels like hoarding.) Being able to use it until the end of its life - doesn’t mean you will actually use it. If it’s a useable item - wouldn’t it be better to donate it to find its second life? 🔲 I’ve struggle with this over the years and have spent considerable time in the past few years making hard decisions to let it go. 16 glass flower vases - donated the bulk to a local florist. Candles - over 100 related items now reduced to 50 - but more will go. Perfume, lotions - received as gifts over the years. My clothes have been reduced to what I know I’ll wear. And, I plan replacements of certain worn items each year. 🔲 We recycle cardboard, plastics, paper, aluminum, glass, hazardous household waste, textiles and electronics. I’ve held onto clothes too long... they dry-rotted. Rubber soles on shoes disintegrated. I’ve quit buying certain items because of the packaging. I use junk mail or envelopes in art work or even as note pads. I’ve taken steps to stop a lot of junk mail. I’ve gone paperless as much as possible. We use stainless steel straws. Insulated water tumblers. We rarely use paper plates. (Maybe for a large family gathering.) We use cloth napkins when we can. 🔲 IMO - it’s better to get the stuff out of your home, clean the slate of all the unneeded and unwanted stuff - and make more thoughtful purchases in the future.
As a parent, I find taking a picture of my daughters art is my best solution to save the artwork but reduce the clutter! I save them all in a folder in my cloud and my daughter often loves to scroll through her art from when she was younger.
Don’t feel poor. Americans - especially families with kids - tend to spend a LOT on clothes, toys, food, and other bits and pieces, rather than saving for the bigger things in life.
The spare sheets made me laugh. I guess she's never been sick with a set already in the wash ☺️ 3 sets for your main bed. That allows one dirty, one clean, and one in use. You always have a back up if an accident happens at 2am on laundry day. It's the one thing I stand firm on in my minimalist journey. I agree with 2 for a guest bedroom though. One dirty one clean.
Thank you for giving me an excuse to buy another set;) I used to be obsessed, but now I only have two sets, one on and one in the wash, although I do tend to wash as soon as it comes off the bed :/ and then I have a Christmas set!:) x
I agree - my linen closet has three summer sets and three winter sets for our bed, and two sets for the guest room. The out of season ones are on a top shelf and in no one's way.
We have old cats for pets, and the random throw-up on the bed would be unmanageable if we only had one or two sets of sheets. (hyperthyroidism, hair balls, intestinal cancer, new food they don't like... so many reasons old cats will make a mess...)
I will never get rid of all of my cds/dvds. I want to own my media, not stream it from a company that can pull the license and delete it from my devices at any time. I feel the same way about books.
@@MsTropicandy I got rid of all my DVD cases and put the DVDs into sleeves --- since I have about 400 you can imagine how many drawers are now freed up. I catalogued them all so I know exactly where to go when I want to watch something in particular.
My book collection makes my space feel hygge. I go through my book collection periodically, but have a large collection makes me happy. A home without large bookcases filled with books feels...empty to me. I use my Kindle pretty regularly, as well, but I still love having and reading physical books.
I totally agree! I love my bookshelves also but we do use a small rule to keep the collection in check. We only keep books we will read again or books we loved so much we would lend or share them out to others. That way all our books get a lot of love in our home 😊
We live in such a all apartment that we decided not to buy any more books. I use my kindle and my husband loves going to the library so he picks like 4 books every week!! This way we don’t add clutter at all
@@carolc2574 I am still living with my parents, currently, so my room is basically my space. I have two large bookcases full of books (and I have books behind books). I use my kindle as well. I don't really think of books as clutter (unless they're scattered messily all over), and having a large collection of physical books makes me feel cozy. Books are an area in which I will never be a minimalist (plus I want to support authors by buying their works, though I will buy used books, too). I guess I just want to keep a large collection, no matter how small the space XD I like the feeling of living in a library lol. I will go through my collection periodically, to get rid of ones I no longer want, but they're inevitably placed by new ones lol. My Kindle has definitely proven handy though, and I use it frequently.
Same! I do declutter books, but the rule is only "if you hated it or you won't ever want to read it, then get rid of it." Last time I decluttered I only got rid of like 5 books of hundreds- and I'm so happy with it. Every book on our shelf is either beautiful, was a wonderful book to read, or something I really want to read one day. To us, a home isn't a home without a little library!
Ooo not the bedsheets. I have about 6 sets for my one bed, I use all of them regularly and it brings me joy to make my space different every week just by changing my sheets! Will not declutter those. 😝
I also have a large collection of bed sheets in full and twin sizes. I find great joy in changing my bedroom colors every 2 weeks. In the fall it’s orange, brown, green, olive, yellow and default white. During the summer I have white, off white, tan, light yellow, pink. In the cold I have flannel sheets of white, tan and gray for both beds. I also have corresponding blankets and quilts. I love my beds.
If it is the only thing you buy in exes, no problem. That bring your joy. But if you have 6 foundations, 30 towels, 6 dog bowls etc... that is a red flag. Happy people do not get obsessed with buying stuff they already have.
We're moving in 9 days. My house is currently all packed up. I told my husband I wont be unpacking anything we aren't using, if it's not used within a years time (maybe sooner) I'll donate the box. I love decluttering.
You have inspired me! I got rid of 15 things from my kitchen today and I didn’t think I had anything left to declutter. Four piping tips, a plastic slotted spoon, a plastic “spaghetti” server, 3 glass leftover containers and 3 lids, 2 wine stoppers and a casserole dish. Thank you!
I stopped buying souvenirs on my holiday travels a few years ago, because they were dust collectors. Instead I started buying spices of the region, which will be used up in time and I will always remember my great holiday while using them in my food 😀
We went from a large house to a 2 bedroom apartment. We decluttered a TON of things. We kept our local thrift store stocked, and they told us that they looked forward to us bringing our next batch of donations. We also put larger stuff out at the curb and people came like crazy to pick it up. Such a great feeling. Anyway, I still declutter every so often and am trying to get into the habit of using something up before getting another of a similar item. Stocking up during Covid-19 kind of put a pause on that though. This video was very helpful as a reminder to never stop decluttering.
Considering minimalism is often rooted in a desire to be less wasteful, this entire video is coming off as very wasteful. “If something is stained just get rid of it! Throw it away if it doesn’t match your cutlery set!” Things can be useful even if they don’t look perfect. And it’s this desire for everything to be perfect and matching all the time that is driving the excessive consumption in the western world. This video comes off as very young and naïve. It’s wasteful of both resources and money to get rid of things just because they don’t look perfect. Are my tea towels 10 years old and stained? Yes. Do they do the job just as well as a brand new matching set? Absolutely
Decluttering doesn’t have to mean to the landfill! You could drop unwanted decor items off to places like Goodwill or your local thrift store where someone else may like them!
@@hannahnichole53 taking things to goodwill is just a way to throw things away and not feel guilty about it. It's an easy out. A huge volume of stuff that get dropped off there ends up in a landfill
I definitely understand what you mean, I'd shampoo a carpet before tossing it out. But this month, I'm moving from a 2000 sqft house to a 1100 sqft apartment and I have to get rid of so much stuff since I just can't fit it in the new place. So while this video is probably not practical for a lot of people, it's got some decent tips for my situation. Thankfully I have a big family who wants a lot of my stuff ehehe.
This video is about decluttering, not minimalism. They are two separate things. I like to declutter because I like an organized space not because I aspire toward minimalism.
I totally agree- I didnt finish to watch the vid as it just sounded stupid to me. "very young and naïve" - formulated very appropriate. tea towels 10 years old and stained? - you can bleach them, than they are almost as new; just in white. You dont like white- colour it.
One thing I finally began to declutter is excess multiples purchased in a package. I like a certain type of pens, pencils, paper clips, hair bands, etc. that come in packs of way more than I need. By only taking what I need for the year and giving away the rest, I have been able to use smaller containers and less space throughout my home for many many items. And others are blessed with a small manageable amount as well.
Bonus tip : you can sell all of these items at garage sales or online to recoup some of the initial cost and also give them another life with someone else. Old remotes often go for alot of money online because someone will break theirs and need a replacement. Please don't just throw all this stuff away! Try and keep as much of it as you can out of the trash.
I love the one about getting rid of dressers. I've reduced my clothes enough that all of my folded things (pants, skirts, pajamas, underwear, socks, etc.) fit in my nightstand drawers, so I put them in there and moved my dresser out. I haven't been reading much in recent years, partially because I have nowhere to sit that's comfortable to read in various sitting positions for an extended period of time--but now, with my dresser gone, I have room for a reading corner with a beautiful egg chair that I've always wanted! I do personally, however, definitely need my alarm clock! I set around 10 alarms on my phone, but still set both of the ones on my alarm clock across the room so that I have to get up to turn it off or else I'll turn off all of my phone alarms while still half asleep and will never get up haha
When my children were young I would take photos of their art, school papers that were important to them. We even would hang them up on their bedroom doors. Each few months they would choose their favorite few items and place in a folder. End of year they choose a couple to save " forever". The rest went away.😊
@@Michelle-by9fp There is also a really cool application that I found for the computer called Notion. You can upload a picture of the items on there that you really liked so that you have a virtual version of it but not a box
I will admit I own 7+ coasters as a single person who I’ve alone. I adore coasters as a way to add art around my space, I have then spread around my space in places that they are useful. I guess in a way my coasters are both artistic and functional objects, however I know I’m definitely not a particularly minimalist person my nature.
These vids are so weird. It's like she had to make a video and was running low on ideas. I keep a coaster on my wood night stand because I don't want stains there. I keep two on a stand in the entryway because I'm always setting drinks there. I have them on the upstairs coffee table because that is where my husband hangs out. Not gonna chase around two coasters.
Although I pride myself in being a clean freak, I do find myself holding onto items that either no longer serve a purpose or bring joy. I usually don't have attachments to items and can easily get rid of them so while watching your video, I immediately started going through various rooms of the house and started separating items for trash or donation. While I do practice this a few times a year, I appreciate your gentle reminder to live a more intentional life!
If you are a greenie it's very hard to be minimalist too. We greenies can't just go and throw things out, landfill is always our last resort. I fix things, I donate things, I repurpose things but I don't throw to landfill. 👍🙏
I was just coming here to say this! Why would you get rid of old candles and not reuse the jars? Why would you get rid of plates and mugs if they are still in working condition!?
Repurposing things not used anymore is a much better efficient way to upcycle or reuse things instead of just getting rid of things. You can repurpose magazines for school projects, scrapbooking, making mood boards and more. You can reuse candle jars for succulents or smaller plants. I love your video! It's very helpful and eye opening for how much clutter we collect or think we absolutely need, when we don't at all.
Totally agree with this! I didn’t have time to discuss it in this video (since it was already so long!) 😅 but I do go into this in a lot more detail in my “Stop Donating Everything” Video 🤍
This video is great. I love my "clean" lifestyle. I don't feel overwhelmed in my space and neither do others. Decluttering is healthy and should be done often. Otherwise... you can end up a hoarder. Whatever you don't use... give away. Simple. Let someone else enjoy it. I enjoyed this video and the girl is young and BRIGHT at her age. Thank you for sharing.
Started watching these vids a few weeks ago and I have definitely been inspired especially the kitchen part. Had so many utensils and storage containers that we weren’t using! So decided to donate to a charity shop and hopefully it will help someone else. Felt so good afterwards! So thank u!
I have a minuscule bedroom and some of these tips are actual gold for me! I'm in the process of reorganising it to give me more mental clarity because right now it gives me anxiety!! I'm practising essentialism and want to switch to minimalism but I feel like my bedroom holds me back so much
I started my decluttering journey three years ago and I have separated myself from about 90% of my possessions. It's a wonderful experience and I have never regretted getting rid of anything. I am still planning on giving away some more books, that's not easy for me.
Books are SO hard for me also!!! I donate them to our local library and sometime nursing homes. Same with magazines. The elderly don’t care if the magazine is from this month or two years ago.
If you have sauce packets from takeout/fast food, USE THEM. Why throw away perfectly good ketchup with you can use it? That's so wasteful. Chick fila sauce tastes so good with many other food, soy sauce packets are perfect for egg fried rice, etc. And if you get extra plastic forks and stuff, keep them for when you have a bunch of friends over and don't want to do the dishes. I mean obviously try not to get the stuff in the first place, but if a plastic fork ends up in your takeout bag, USE IT. Throwing these items away without actually using them is so wasteful and sad :(
I definitely agree! Use it, but then don’t accumulate in the future. And then also recognize if there’s any you don’t like or know you won’t use. Those you can try giving away! 🤍
The soy sauce packets are so awful though 😭😭😭 maybe I’m just spoiled but I found Yamasa soy sauce at the Asian market and I don’t like any of the ones with extra weird ingredients
Advice on HOW to get rid of stuff? I often end up holding on to items mostly because I don't know to recycle them (looking at you, pile of old electronics)
There is a huge difference between throwing good stuff you no longer want or need in the trash or just donate or give them to others, when it can be appreciated and used again. She‘s not advocating for just tossing everything.
I was the same way. My husband built a huge bookshelf for me and it was full in no time. It took a lot of sitting down and asking myself why I was keeping them around with no intend of picking them back up. It stemmed from my childhood for sure. 😅I ended up letting go of a few of them when I first did the Spark joy method two years ago, and recently we’ve gone more minimalist and I donated half of them. My kindle is easier on my hands and unless the book I want is part of a special series I adore, I go digital. Keep those books that made an impact on you. A friend of mine really appreciated the ones I was donating as she isn’t very mobile right now and it makes me happy they can now bring joy to someone else. 💚
Don’t get rid of them if it doesn’t feel good! My books are also important to me and I know I’d regret it if I get rid of them, I don’t think books are a bad thing to have a lot of haha
In the last year and a half I have found fault with some of my decluttering. Like getting rid of perfectly good sheets when I should have kept them and simply not buy more. I kept only my favourite mugs. At lockdown I found myself with one mug. I kept 4 of 8 bowls. I now have a big chip on one bowl. Grr. I also found during lockdown that I didnt have enough warm clothes. Had to pop out and buy some long sleeve tshirts. They are easier to launder. I also found myself rereading books that I had culled but didnt have time to donate before lockdown. So lockdown showed me I could have used a number of items I had donated over the years. So my advice is get rid of rubbish and well used things and double think anything else during these virus times.
I have lots of books too. Some I have yet to read.There was a flood and I lost some good books. Then I went on a buying spree for my favourites.How do you decide to get rid of books?What about the ones you have never got round to reading?
@@choyfoonghue8732 I need to read, skim, or really know what a book is like before I am able to donate it. A book should be enjoyable from beginning, middle to end in my opinion. If the beginning sucks the rest of it will probably not be worth reading. I look up reviews and donate it if it's a poorly rated book 👍
Ashlynne: Get rid of clothes your kids grew out of. Me, hiding the little hat and shoes I bought for my future child without having plans on making one soon: * hides *
When I travelled to Europe for a few months, I never bought any tacky souvenirs but items that I could use in my home such as a Turkish Rug, German Cuckoo Clock, Venetian Lace for a tablecloth etc. I'm still happily using these items to this day and I went to Europe in the nineties!
@@jmsl910 the game is that you declutter the number of things for each day for a month. On day 1 get rid of 1 thing, day 2 discard 2 things and so on for 30 or 31 days. You can do it all at once or start with 30 and count down. It's over 450 items you'll eventually get rid of.
Just wanted to say something about the kids artwork. So, in my country (Russia) there’s a few companies which do things with kids artwork. For example: they can copy the painting to a mug, plate, t-shirt or make an album with numerous of artworks.
Some great ideas. I have been on a decluttering mission for a few years now, and being very mindful of what I bring into my home. It’s hard, but it works and saves a lot of $. I try to get rid of things in environmentally friendly ways. For example, I called my local school, and they were happy to take some extra school supplies and art supplies. Towels and sheets to the animal shelter. Books to an annual used book sale. Just be sure to ask first rather than make your junk someone else’s problem. 😊
Ice cube trays are awesome for freezing small amounts of things, or odd things at a time - such as in the summer I will freeze cooled hot coffee in ice cube trays, then use those cubes in the cold brew coffee I make; sometimes buy a small package of pesto (I don’t know how to make) and it’s always too much, so what I don’t use I freeze in the ice cube tray, then wrap the individual cubes in wax paper and the next time I make pasta I can quickly thaw two or three cubes, same for marinara and tomato paste/ puree. Each cube is approx. 1 oz, so its a convenient measure. Take a moment to think about purposes outside the box of what you might use a thing for, though most of these ideas are solid
i have enough books and i always kept them after i read them and i finally gave in and took all the ones i have read to one of those little free bookshops that some people put in their yards or in the town somewhere and i felt so good when i did that. i know your suppose to leave one and take one but i just left them all! i probably go rid of about 10 then (at least) and i have read a few more i. plan on bringing to other ones. i figures that way maybe more then one person can get to read it and love it! it was one of the best declutters i’ve done i’d say!
As for children's clothing, furniture, and toys, these are great things to pass on to friends or family, someone whose kids are younger than yours. You could even have an exchange with several friends if you all have kids of different ages.
I own only mismatched glasses I thrifted who somehow create a collection that looks good together. This is how I can keep it growing and if one breaks, I can still have a set of random gorgeous mugs and glasses.
I know this video was 2 years ago, but THANK YOU for your detailed lists. Gives us a lot to consider (and get rid of). It helps because it's so easy for us to overlook the excess/expired/dumb stuff lying around; it becomes ignored background data. Your videos are very personable and fun to watch. Keep up the great work.
Your videos are really inspiring. Sometimes i forget being minimal with simple things arounf me since it's been common but everytime I watch your vidoes and Joshua beckers. It reminds me. Such a great help for me to reduce anxiety ♥️🤗
Love this list! One thought...sometimes when I give away something to a friend, every time I see it again, I have regret syndrome. Sometimes it’s better just to donate it anonymously to goodwill. I do the same at goodwill, if I’ve decluttered and made a big donation, I avoid that goodwill for a time because I don’t want to see “my” things, an have donaters regret😀👍
My two cents would be "not throw away" the little things but to REUSE or REPURPOSE. Even in the garden the chopsticks can be useful to hold a sign , hold moisture if buried (make sure they are not treated but the plain wooden ones). I even keep an unmatched box lid in a pot at the bottom to keep a bit of extra water that could have just flown out, and can continue to supply the plant with water when you forget to water on time or are too sick to be disciplined about watering.
The problem I have with removing the ‘chair is I don’t have a walk in closet or really dressing area and I don’t want to put every piece of clothing to wash after one wear when they don’t need it. So the semi dirt clothes end up on the chair arm, chair clothes do get reworn throughout the week mixed with new clean ones so I don’t feel like I’m wear the same thing for days in a row but I would love a better location for the semi dirt clothes in the interim. I don’t want to put semi dirty cloth back in my draws or wardrobe a I know I would rapidly lose track of what was clean.
That’s a good idea. For years I’ve been taking the travel sized items home and using them up. They go straight from the luggage into the bathroom. But donating unused products is a great idea.
Thank you so much Amy!! Always means so much to me when people appreciate the effort that goes into these videos 🥰 And absolutely, that’s a great one! I think I had something in the realm of 10 sunglasses at one point 😅
This is a decluttering video y'all. Not a zero waste video. Most of us are aware of ways to get rid of things in a more environmentally friendly way, and if you don't there's plenty of videos on that too. Chill out on this poor girl lol she's just trying to help people who want to go minimalist
Loved this. Have decluttered all of my DVD’s and CDs as I wasn’t using them. What shocked me the most is that I live in England 🏴 but have the same tv remote control as you x
I think I have so much of the things you listed. My parents never really decluttered growing up so this is a practice I have started in my adult years.
I love these videos! We will be moving in the next few months and I don’t want to take anything with me that doesn’t make me happy or just adds to the clutter. These really help me !
Another option for your kids art is to take a picture or scan it so that you have a digital copy of the papers you get rid of. There’s several apps that can scan documents. ☺️
A bunch of great ideas! You really have helped me clean up SOOO MUCH. Sometimes I just let your video play in the back ground while I do other things, and this keeps these ideas fresh in my head. Thank You
omg old remotes... after purging our old remotes one revealed as remote to our beamer. now we have no remote to the beamer :( this is the dark side of purging ;)
This video was that I needed! Please do some others like this one! I was able to think about few items to get rid of just because of your video lolll! You are amazing! Sometimes all we need is ''ideas''. :)
this sounds logical but it's pretty hard for someone like me who gets emotionally attached to literally everything, when i try to declutter i hold item by item and ask "does this bring me joy" and the answer is always yes :( i love everything i have aaaaaa
If it helps, try adding in an extra criteria. Ask yourself, do I love it AND do I use it. That can really help with identifying how much value something actually gives you 🤍
One thing that was super helpful for me is to give things to family and friends if I don't need them but am emotionally attached to them. If they find a new home and are actually being used, it's great. And if nobody wants them (including myself, since I'm trying to give them away) it's actually a good eye opener and I have an easier time getting rid of them, haha.
Aww you have mentioned every single thing! That is literally in need of decluttering ...thank youu so much! Keep up with the sprinkles of joy that you are spreading very much needed xx
I am in the process of decluttering my small apartment and a lot of these things you listed I’ve thought about getting rid of but felt bad about because they are large items (e.g., my loveseat couch) but this video was just the motivation I need.
With the dresser problem, I recommend getting a cute wooden clothes rack! They’re often small (Which encourages you to get rid of extra clothes) and visually pleasing. It’s also useful how open it is so you can see exactly what you want quickly and easily! You can get a few baskets for your foldable clothes and put them under the rack! (Idk if I explained it well, but if you search wooden clothes rack you’ll see what I mean) Hope this helps someone! :)
Napkins do not work as coasters on certain furniture because the bottom gets wet and leaves stains on the furniture. When we have guests they each need a coaster. Keep as many as your maximum amount of guests at one time.
As to candles, when they get to nearly the end, place them in the freezer for a couple of days. The frozen scented wax is easily removed and can be used in a wax warmer (no need to buy the expensive scented wax). Also, the glass jars can be cleaned and repurposed. For example, in the bathroom to organize q-tuips, cotton balls, hair ties etc.
Haha yes, I love it! So awesome that you’re wanting to approach your new home more intentionally, and you’re so right that now is the perfect time to declutter! 🥰
I’ve had trouble in the past getting rid of things that I don’t use because I spent a lot of money on them so I feel like I need to hold onto them. Here’s the problem, every time I see them I feel bad for wasting my money on them. The pain is doubled by seeing them, and they take up space. I ALWAYS feel better when I get rid of such things especially if I can pass them on to someone who might get joy from them.
I'm new to discovering Minimalism online, but the idea of seriously reducing Clutter is like a breath of fresh air. I'm impressed. You came up with 100 suggestions? and another 100. Good job! QUESTION: Do YOU have even 1 flat-screen TV? While most of us can stream a movie onto our phone these days, it just isnt the same as watching on a nice bright 55in screen. I'm curious. If I could interviews 10 people who make your kind of videos, would any of you like/eat a Blackened New York steak (well-done)?? Are Minimalists Vegan? Just curious. Great advice on things to get rid of: puzzles, knick-knacks (this is possibly the biggest problem of all when it comes to clutter), and why have ANY plants inside the house at all (other than 1 batch/bouquet on the kitchen table. That's it. Plants belong OUT-side. ) too many throw pillows (does any one person need more than 2 pillows for themself?) clothes that are faded or now too tight. And---here's a few that i thought of: 1. In the bathroom, in the shower. Seriously, suppose you have in your shower: 1 shampoo (at a time), a bar of soap, and 1 body wash. Does ANYTHING else really need to be there at all? (hair Conditioner is not mandatory. a good shampoo and then freshly dried and combed hair looks beautiful as-is). Also, is there any logical reason at all for having any more than TWO different hair brushes at all? 2. in the kitchen: imagine a stove with 4 burners. At the back of the stove, you likely have the dials for temperatures and which burner. But ON TOP of those dials, the is likely a 2in. "Lip" and many folks line this all the way across with 7 or 8 spice bottles sitting on top here. Why? Spices belong in their own drawer. 3. Also in the kitchen. Imagine the counter-space immediately to the side of your stove (the side with the most counter-space). Do you like to cook or bake? Yes? Good, but---now imagine 3 white ceramic Pots on this counter-space. One for Sugar, One for Flour, One for Salt. Do you really need any more than those 3 to always be sitting in containers on the countertop? Better to have alot of counterspace available to cut veggies or set a finished pot of something on it. Have some "room to work". Good video! Keep up the good work. An author you might enjoy is Elaine st. james. See her books on Amazon. She writes about Living the Simple Life.
Decluttering is good for having a clean/calm home 🏡 but.... buying less is the key 🔑 since it is good for the environment 🌎 to consume less, good for ur economy and to have a less messy home. Also its better to go for second hand/preloved when buying new clothes, bags and other items.
Please do not throw your items in the trash or donate to resale shops, as a large portion of these items end up in landfills. Instead, find a home for your items by giving to friends and family, donating to shelters, or listing on FB marketplace, exchange/freecycle groups, or resale apps :)
I've never heard of sharpening your tweezers. Mine have been un-sharp since the day I got them and they've been just fine. Had them for like 6 years or more by now
If you’re downsizing as is so often purported in this video, try shopping secondhand. Be sure to dispose of items consciously, selling, donating and recycling everything you can. Others have noted this as well, but involve your children in the decluttering process. There’s also a note I wanted to make on the point of the bed linens. I actually *want* a third set. I got me some good old ADHD, so having a set on the bed, a set in the wash and a set out drying would be ideal. Dull knives can be sharpened, please try that first. Crockery is important to be careful with; mould can grow in small chips and cracks. Spark Joy can be a lot deeper than the immediate satisfaction of seeing or using an item; it could more broadly mean to avoid stress, in all the small ways of household management. There’s also the point that folks with physical difficulties can use items that those who aren’t familiar with those difficulties would ridicule the use of. Posters? Sometimes folks are renting and can’t put their favourite posters up for fear of damaging the paint. Getting rid of food can be given to family or friends, or if already bad, ideally composted. Some communities have a community garden with composting. Meds! Dispose of them as per the packaging, some can be toxic, so be very careful with them! Talk to a pharmacist to be sure of the best way to dispose of them. Other products like sunscreen, perfumes, makeup and nail polish can be toxic, don’t tip those down the sink because the chemicals can kill coral and reefs. There are reef safe sunscreens out there. Look for tech recycling centres if you’re getting rid of appliances. Hair products, especially aerosols, need to also be handled with care. Follow the disposal instructions on the can. Old soaps you don’t like can go in guest bathrooms or in little used sink areas where they might come in handy sometimes. Old threadbare linens can be good to keep around for messes. Cleaning products store bought are often also toxic, so it can be worth looking into DIY options. I’m trying Dr Bronner’s Castile soap at the moment - has great versatility.
Ok, so you say you have two towels, one big and one small, for each person, so four in total. So you put just the four towels in the machine to wash them? Seems wasteful, unless you have a tiny washing machine... I have nine bathroom towels just for myself, I think it's a good number. I gather the used ones in the hamper and run a cycle about once a month. Also I hang my laundry to dry and it takes some time, especially in the winter so it's good to have some spares. I love having several bed sheets sets to choose from. I'd be really sad if I only had one or two. I recently got rid of one I didn't like anymore and wasn't really using, but the rest stays.
Do you want the whole list of 200 things to declutter from your home? 🤍 I’ve put together a FREE PDF checklist containing all 200 ideas just for you! You can download it here: bit.ly/200thingspdf
Ashlynne Eaton Thank you!
No me deja descargar la lista PDF
Dice que e-mail no valido y ya lo intenté con mis dos cuentas
Unfortunately this only works if you have an email adress that ends in .com which I don't. I don't know if you can change the settings for that, but if so please do.
Either if the address ends in .com you can download the list! 😒
Its sad with 2020 being stuck at home quarantining lol and covid has effected us dramatically but it gave me a pause in life and i have decluttered my entire house and my fiancee’s house. Room hy room, drawer by drawer, i will say it has become a game changer, feels soo clean, uncluttered, even less dusty and i’ve read tons of articles mentioning that it reduces anxiety and panic attacks
For the travel-sized toiletries I suggest putting them in care packages for homeless people and given them out instead of throwing them in the trash.
AMAZING suggestion! Thanks for sharing!
Agreed.
When u transitioned to "children" I automatically thought "declutter children, got it."
*taking notes* throw kids away after you've had them for a couple of years
Same. First thought that came
😂
Me too! I thought she was going to talk about how society programs us to automatically have children, but we should think about whether we actually want/need them. 😏
🤣🤣🤣
You mentioned fridge magnets and souveniers. This got me thinking about the homes I visited in the 80s and 90s when I was a child. Such clutter was proudly displayed as evidences of experiences and connections. It was the Instagram of the era. People would come over and "scroll through" your collections to see what you've been up to and who you know. Today, it is all digital, so we find magnets, souveniers, and other such clutter a distraction and stressful. I was telling my oldest child how DVDs and CDs were proudly displayed when hubby and I were first married. Now, young post-millennials don't even own them and it isn't the fashion to display such things.
WHOA. Had to stop and think about this for awhile. I guess I've noticed the change you're describing, and Ive been thinking alot about that lately but couldn't figure out if it was just me or.... And then you blew my mind lol. I was born early 90s. And you spot on described every home I still cherish in my childhood heart☺
We still have magnets and DVDs/VCRs but we donated the ones we don't want to the free room at my school a few years ago. It's better than thrift stores because they tend to throw a lot of perfectly good stuff out. This way people use the stuff/it doesn't just end up in a landfill 💜
You are wright. Now people clutter or waste their time on social networks, etc...
I never thought about how important those fridge magnets were. You're right. They said a lot about a person's life. Now I'm seriously missing seeing fridge magnets.
Most newer refrigerators are not magnetic. So a lot of people never got into the habit.
Please don't declutter dull knives, get them sharpened. If you don't know how, you can pay to have someone do it.
You can sharpen a dull knife on the bottom of a ceramic mug. The kind of mug with rough edges on the bottom.
Yes! Where i live, you can take them to a butcher's shop and they'll sharpen them for you. Usually it's £1 per knife. Cheaper than buying again.
In the US, many farmers markets have a stall where someone will sharpen your knives cheaply. So if you are in America, I recommend you check out your local farmers markets for those stalls if you want your knives sharpened for cheap (I assume getting them professionally sharpened by an actual knife shop can also be affordable; I just don't know the actual cost, but I know the FM cost is around a couple dollars depending on the knife size).
In the US, many farmers markets have a stall where someone will sharpen your knives cheaply. So if you are in America, I recommend you check out your local farmers markets for those stalls if you want your knives sharpened for cheap (I assume getting them professionally sharpened by an actual knife shop can also be affordable; I just don't know the actual cost, though I know the FM cost is around a couple dollars depending on the knife size).
Yep just get a whetstone
Please DON'T declutter your children's things without their consent! Discuss what THEY no longer use or want to donate. But making things just "disappear"... they will hate you forever!
Yep, absolutely! Involving your kids in the decluttering process is such a valuable skill for them to learn too! 🤍
when we retired and were moving i packed up all the kids stuff (trophies, artworks, school stuff, etc) and sent the boxes directly to them!
Yes I got them involved in cleaning out their things when they were kids. If they were broken toys then they tossed them away. Also we went through clothing.
My mother threw out ALL and I mean ALL of my childhood photos when she was moving. Hate is a strong word but disappointment is what I would use
I became a hoarder because my mom threw away so many things I was still using. I’ve since been able to become more minimalist, but I was a mess for awhile. Definitely just teach them about decluttering instead of making random things disappear.
When ive used up a candle, I like to scoop out the wax left over and use in a tart warmer, then clean out the container and either reuse or recycle!
Same
I never thought of that!!! Thank you!!!
I like to store things in the old cleaned out candle jars like make up brushes, toiletries etc, they look nicer than some holders I have paid separately for
Sticking the mostly used candle in the freezer makes it really easy to get all the wax out in one nice chunk!
I scratch off all the labels and pull out the wick before heating the candle jar until the wax can be poured into another candle! And then reuse the prettiest candle jars for storage/organization
Threadbare towels can be cut down into cleaning rags. That’s what I use my old towels for 🤷🏻♀️
I do this and actually take the time to hem them so they last for years. I don't discard them until they've completely fallen apart.
I donate mine to a neighbour. He uses them in his workshop.
So obvious and yet I’ve never thought to do it! 🙈 thank you for the tip
Husbands a mechanic, so any cloths rags or towels goes to him 🤗
Mellifluously Mischievous my mom makes my dad rags from old tee shirts that we destroy (we do work outside often and to tell you the truth we have destroyed close to 5 shirts each (there are 5 of us) in a summer before)
Minimalism is great but I see a lot of waste happening. How do you do minimalism AND zero waste? Why get rid of an item if I can use it till the end of its life. Especially if it’s something that cannot be sold or recycled.
If you have loads of things/clutter, you’re going to have to throw things out BEFORE you can be zero waste. Of course donate (second hand shops, tip shops, charity etc), gift or sell everything you can, but like I said, waste is pretty inevitable when you declutter.
I’ve mostly recycled or given away (to thrift stores or friends) during my declutter/ minimalism journey, I only throw things away when it’s unusable. I always ask the people in my life if they need something before donating or recycling.
If you don’t like it or use it - why should you store it? (To me that feels like hoarding.) Being able to use it until the end of its life - doesn’t mean you will actually use it. If it’s a useable item - wouldn’t it be better to donate it to find its second life?
🔲 I’ve struggle with this over the years and have spent considerable time in the past few years making hard decisions to let it go. 16 glass flower vases - donated the bulk to a local florist. Candles - over 100 related items now reduced to 50 - but more will go. Perfume, lotions - received as gifts over the years. My clothes have been reduced to what I know I’ll wear. And, I plan replacements of certain worn items each year.
🔲 We recycle cardboard, plastics, paper, aluminum, glass, hazardous household waste, textiles and electronics. I’ve held onto clothes too long... they dry-rotted. Rubber soles on shoes disintegrated. I’ve quit buying certain items because of the packaging. I use junk mail or envelopes in art work or even as note pads. I’ve taken steps to stop a lot of junk mail. I’ve gone paperless as much as possible. We use stainless steel straws. Insulated water tumblers. We rarely use paper plates. (Maybe for a large family gathering.) We use cloth napkins when we can.
🔲 IMO - it’s better to get the stuff out of your home, clean the slate of all the unneeded and unwanted stuff - and make more thoughtful purchases in the future.
Repurpose what you don't want in the original "form". It can happen they just don't bother. Throwing out is the easier thing.
Can it be donated? I have donated a great deal to agencies that fix or sell items to help the poor.
As a parent, I find taking a picture of my daughters art is my best solution to save the artwork but reduce the clutter! I save them all in a folder in my cloud and my daughter often loves to scroll through her art from when she was younger.
My cousin made an Instagram for her son's artwork! I love that idea.
I don't know if i'm poor or if americans just buy a lot of unnecesary things
Americans buy a ton of unnecessary things!!
Many people in First World countries buy unnecessary stuff. This is not only a U.S. problem.
The way I just screamed 😂😂🤣. THAT WAS FUNNY
@lilstaargirl Is it when there's truth to it? The United States are THE home country of unrestrained capitalism and, by extension, consumerism.
Don’t feel poor. Americans - especially families with kids - tend to spend a LOT on clothes, toys, food, and other bits and pieces, rather than saving for the bigger things in life.
The spare sheets made me laugh. I guess she's never been sick with a set already in the wash ☺️ 3 sets for your main bed. That allows one dirty, one clean, and one in use. You always have a back up if an accident happens at 2am on laundry day. It's the one thing I stand firm on in my minimalist journey. I agree with 2 for a guest bedroom though. One dirty one clean.
Thank you for giving me an excuse to buy another set;) I used to be obsessed, but now I only have two sets, one on and one in the wash, although I do tend to wash as soon as it comes off the bed :/ and then I have a Christmas set!:) x
Summer and winter sets as well. Love a nice brushed cotton set for winter but wouldn’t want to use them in the summer months.
I agree - my linen closet has three summer sets and three winter sets for our bed, and two sets for the guest room. The out of season ones are on a top shelf and in no one's way.
My first thought with a toddler. You never know when there will be a blowout, a stomach bug or someone removing a diaper😅
We have old cats for pets, and the random throw-up on the bed would be unmanageable if we only had one or two sets of sheets. (hyperthyroidism, hair balls, intestinal cancer, new food they don't like... so many reasons old cats will make a mess...)
I will never get rid of all of my cds/dvds. I want to own my media, not stream it from a company that can pull the license and delete it from my devices at any time. I feel the same way about books.
Same!!
Amen!
If they are bought in the past and have value for you I get keeping them, I would do the same. But I wouldn't buy new ones.
CD folders. I got rid of so many dvd cases. I only kept my Disney, blurays, and a select few nicer cases.
@@MsTropicandy I got rid of all my DVD cases and put the DVDs into sleeves --- since I have about 400 you can imagine how many drawers are now freed up. I catalogued them all so I know exactly where to go when I want to watch something in particular.
My book collection makes my space feel hygge. I go through my book collection periodically, but have a large collection makes me happy. A home without large bookcases filled with books feels...empty to me. I use my Kindle pretty regularly, as well, but I still love having and reading physical books.
Love that! If you love and read your books, definitely keep them!
I totally agree! I love my bookshelves also but we do use a small rule to keep the collection in check. We only keep books we will read again or books we loved so much we would lend or share them out to others. That way all our books get a lot of love in our home 😊
We live in such a all apartment that we decided not to buy any more books. I use my kindle and my husband loves going to the library so he picks like 4 books every week!! This way we don’t add clutter at all
@@carolc2574 I am still living with my parents, currently, so my room is basically my space. I have two large bookcases full of books (and I have books behind books). I use my kindle as well. I don't really think of books as clutter (unless they're scattered messily all over), and having a large collection of physical books makes me feel cozy. Books are an area in which I will never be a minimalist (plus I want to support authors by buying their works, though I will buy used books, too). I guess I just want to keep a large collection, no matter how small the space XD I like the feeling of living in a library lol. I will go through my collection periodically, to get rid of ones I no longer want, but they're inevitably placed by new ones lol. My Kindle has definitely proven handy though, and I use it frequently.
Same! I do declutter books, but the rule is only "if you hated it or you won't ever want to read it, then get rid of it." Last time I decluttered I only got rid of like 5 books of hundreds- and I'm so happy with it. Every book on our shelf is either beautiful, was a wonderful book to read, or something I really want to read one day. To us, a home isn't a home without a little library!
Ooo not the bedsheets. I have about 6 sets for my one bed, I use all of them regularly and it brings me joy to make my space different every week just by changing my sheets! Will not declutter those. 😝
I also have a large collection of bed sheets in full and twin sizes. I find great joy in changing my bedroom colors every 2 weeks. In the fall it’s orange, brown, green, olive, yellow and default white. During the summer I have white, off white, tan, light yellow, pink. In the cold I have flannel sheets of white, tan and gray for both beds. I also have corresponding blankets and quilts. I love my beds.
Yes! We only need to declutter those things that don't bring us joy or practical use, and that's different for everyone.
If it is the only thing you buy in exes, no problem. That bring your joy. But if you have 6 foundations, 30 towels, 6 dog bowls etc... that is a red flag. Happy people do not get obsessed with buying stuff they already have.
@@jamiemurray1306 how inviting ❤
Mismatched forks, knives and spoons can be used for when you bring your lunch to work. Why buy a set when we probably have some from home we can use.
Yes. We have mismatched utensils as well. They are perfect for lunch at work.
We're moving in 9 days. My house is currently all packed up. I told my husband I wont be unpacking anything we aren't using, if it's not used within a years time (maybe sooner) I'll donate the box. I love decluttering.
Oooo yes!! Love that idea Alysha! 🥰
@@AshlynneEaton love your channel ❤🥰
We're moving in a week, this is an awesome idea!
@@funnygirl592 right!!!! Then you only take out what you use and need. 👍 enjoy you're new place. 😃
You have inspired me! I got rid of 15 things from my kitchen today and I didn’t think I had anything left to declutter. Four piping tips, a plastic slotted spoon, a plastic “spaghetti” server, 3 glass leftover containers and 3 lids, 2 wine stoppers and a casserole dish. Thank you!
I stopped buying souvenirs on my holiday travels a few years ago, because they were dust collectors. Instead I started buying spices of the region, which will be used up in time and I will always remember my great holiday while using them in my food 😀
i am impressed with your ability to maintain a smile throughout the entire 30 minutes
We went from a large house to a 2 bedroom apartment. We decluttered a TON of things. We kept our local thrift store stocked, and they told us that they looked forward to us bringing our next batch of donations. We also put larger stuff out at the curb and people came like crazy to pick it up. Such a great feeling. Anyway, I still declutter every so often and am trying to get into the habit of using something up before getting another of a similar item. Stocking up during Covid-19 kind of put a pause on that though. This video was very helpful as a reminder to never stop decluttering.
Wow that’s amazing!! Thank you sharing and so glad this was a helpful reminder 🤍
Considering minimalism is often rooted in a desire to be less wasteful, this entire video is coming off as very wasteful. “If something is stained just get rid of it! Throw it away if it doesn’t match your cutlery set!” Things can be useful even if they don’t look perfect. And it’s this desire for everything to be perfect and matching all the time that is driving the excessive consumption in the western world. This video comes off as very young and naïve. It’s wasteful of both resources and money to get rid of things just because they don’t look perfect. Are my tea towels 10 years old and stained? Yes. Do they do the job just as well as a brand new matching set? Absolutely
Decluttering doesn’t have to mean to the landfill! You could drop unwanted decor items off to places like Goodwill or your local thrift store where someone else may like them!
@@hannahnichole53 taking things to goodwill is just a way to throw things away and not feel guilty about it. It's an easy out. A huge volume of stuff that get dropped off there ends up in a landfill
I definitely understand what you mean, I'd shampoo a carpet before tossing it out. But this month, I'm moving from a 2000 sqft house to a 1100 sqft apartment and I have to get rid of so much stuff since I just can't fit it in the new place. So while this video is probably not practical for a lot of people, it's got some decent tips for my situation. Thankfully I have a big family who wants a lot of my stuff ehehe.
This video is about decluttering, not minimalism. They are two separate things. I like to declutter because I like an organized space not because I aspire toward minimalism.
I totally agree- I didnt finish to watch the vid as it just sounded stupid to me.
"very young and naïve" - formulated very appropriate.
tea towels 10 years old and stained? - you can bleach them, than they are almost as new; just in white. You dont like white- colour it.
12:27 "Get rid of excess fridge magnets"
My mom - you're gonna have to pry my magnets out of my cold dead fingers to throw them out
Hahaha not much you can do about that 😉
My new fridge isn’t magnetic, problem solved 👍
😆 My mother's fridge is the same. It actually gives me anxiety.
One thing I finally began to declutter is excess multiples purchased in a package. I like a certain type of pens, pencils, paper clips, hair bands, etc. that come in packs of way more than I need. By only taking what I need for the year and giving away the rest, I have been able to use smaller containers and less space throughout my home for many many items. And others are blessed with a small manageable amount as well.
Bonus tip : you can sell all of these items at garage sales or online to recoup some of the initial cost and also give them another life with someone else. Old remotes often go for alot of money online because someone will break theirs and need a replacement. Please don't just throw all this stuff away! Try and keep as much of it as you can out of the trash.
Living room 0:54
Bedroom 8:31
Children 10:11
Kitchen 11:35
Bathroom 19:28
I love the one about getting rid of dressers. I've reduced my clothes enough that all of my folded things (pants, skirts, pajamas, underwear, socks, etc.) fit in my nightstand drawers, so I put them in there and moved my dresser out. I haven't been reading much in recent years, partially because I have nowhere to sit that's comfortable to read in various sitting positions for an extended period of time--but now, with my dresser gone, I have room for a reading corner with a beautiful egg chair that I've always wanted!
I do personally, however, definitely need my alarm clock! I set around 10 alarms on my phone, but still set both of the ones on my alarm clock across the room so that I have to get up to turn it off or else I'll turn off all of my phone alarms while still half asleep and will never get up haha
Love that! Decluttering is a great way to make space for what you love 🥰
Not me. I lived without dressers for so long. I love every dresser I have and I'm keeping it
You can try selling old remotes on eBay. People will often buy second hand if they loose the remote or theirs stops working
Oh, that’s a great tip! Thanks for sharing!
Yep remotes go for BIG money on eBay especially if they are for VCRs
When my children were young I would take photos of their art, school papers that were important to them. We even would hang them up on their bedroom doors. Each few months they would choose their favorite few items and place in a folder. End of year they choose a couple to save " forever". The rest went away.😊
Aww that’s amazing! Love that approach 🥰
@@AshlynneEaton thank you!
I struggle so much with that, I feel so guilty getting rid of any of their art work
@@Michelle-by9fp There is also a really cool application that I found for the computer called Notion. You can upload a picture of the items on there that you really liked so that you have a virtual version of it but not a box
I will admit I own 7+ coasters as a single person who I’ve alone. I adore coasters as a way to add art around my space, I have then spread around my space in places that they are useful. I guess in a way my coasters are both artistic and functional objects, however I know I’m definitely not a particularly minimalist person my nature.
These vids are so weird. It's like she had to make a video and was running low on ideas. I keep a coaster on my wood night stand because I don't want stains there. I keep two on a stand in the entryway because I'm always setting drinks there. I have them on the upstairs coffee table because that is where my husband hangs out. Not gonna chase around two coasters.
Although I pride myself in being a clean freak, I do find myself holding onto items that either no longer serve a purpose or bring joy. I usually don't have attachments to items and can easily get rid of them so while watching your video, I immediately started going through various rooms of the house and started separating items for trash or donation. While I do practice this a few times a year, I appreciate your gentle reminder to live a more intentional life!
If you are a greenie it's very hard to be minimalist too. We greenies can't just go and throw things out, landfill is always our last resort. I fix things, I donate things, I repurpose things but I don't throw to landfill. 👍🙏
Same
I was just coming here to say this! Why would you get rid of old candles and not reuse the jars? Why would you get rid of plates and mugs if they are still in working condition!?
Repurposing things not used anymore is a much better efficient way to upcycle or reuse things instead of just getting rid of things. You can repurpose magazines for school projects, scrapbooking, making mood boards and more. You can reuse candle jars for succulents or smaller plants. I love your video! It's very helpful and eye opening for how much clutter we collect or think we absolutely need, when we don't at all.
Totally agree with this! I didn’t have time to discuss it in this video (since it was already so long!) 😅 but I do go into this in a lot more detail in my “Stop Donating Everything” Video 🤍
This video is great. I love my "clean" lifestyle. I don't feel overwhelmed in my space and neither do others. Decluttering is healthy and should be done often. Otherwise... you can end up a hoarder. Whatever you don't use... give away. Simple. Let someone else enjoy it. I enjoyed this video and the girl is young and BRIGHT at her age. Thank you for sharing.
Thanks for this video!!! I’m excited to start my decluttering process now
Please give all your cloths to me😑
@@grungegirl3470 I.
Started watching these vids a few weeks ago and I have definitely been inspired especially the kitchen part. Had so many utensils and storage containers that we weren’t using! So decided to donate to a charity shop and hopefully it will help someone else. Felt so good afterwards! So thank u!
Lol when children popped up on the screen I actually thought to myself “yes declutter children, right”
I have a minuscule bedroom and some of these tips are actual gold for me! I'm in the process of reorganising it to give me more mental clarity because right now it gives me anxiety!! I'm practising essentialism and want to switch to minimalism but I feel like my bedroom holds me back so much
That’s so awesome! Hope this video helps give you some inspiration and ideas! 🥰
@diana aren't essentialism and minimalism the same?
I quit make up almost totally and no longer get acne and don't even need much skin care things. Saving loads of money. ❤❤❤
I started my decluttering journey three years ago and I have separated myself from about 90% of my possessions.
It's a wonderful experience and I have never regretted getting rid of anything.
I am still planning on giving away some more books, that's not easy for me.
Books are SO hard for me also!!! I donate them to our local library and sometime nursing homes. Same with magazines. The elderly don’t care if the magazine is from this month or two years ago.
@@amyprince2081 I am happy to know I'm not the only person who gets sentimental regarding books.
They are like my babies 😊
My babies too! AND best friends!!!
If you have sauce packets from takeout/fast food, USE THEM. Why throw away perfectly good ketchup with you can use it? That's so wasteful. Chick fila sauce tastes so good with many other food, soy sauce packets are perfect for egg fried rice, etc. And if you get extra plastic forks and stuff, keep them for when you have a bunch of friends over and don't want to do the dishes. I mean obviously try not to get the stuff in the first place, but if a plastic fork ends up in your takeout bag, USE IT. Throwing these items away without actually using them is so wasteful and sad :(
I definitely agree! Use it, but then don’t accumulate in the future. And then also recognize if there’s any you don’t like or know you won’t use. Those you can try giving away! 🤍
Agree. I use left over croutons from salad kits in my tomato soup 🍲
The soy sauce packets are so awful though 😭😭😭 maybe I’m just spoiled but I found Yamasa soy sauce at the Asian market and I don’t like any of the ones with extra weird ingredients
Advice on HOW to get rid of stuff? I often end up holding on to items mostly because I don't know to recycle them (looking at you, pile of old electronics)
Check out the video I shared called “stop donating everything”... I talk about this a lot 🤍
If you live in the USA Best Buy will recycle old electronics, you might want to call to see if they have a limit per day.
This sounds like a list to clutter up a landfill.
There is a huge difference between throwing good stuff you no longer want or need in the trash or just donate or give them to others, when it can be appreciated and used again.
She‘s not advocating for just tossing everything.
We have a Facebook page where I live and you can gift your items to people. I like doing this better than donating to goodwill.
She doesn't advocate for that as she made a whole video about how to get rid of stuff and landfill was the last resort. 💜
You can donate through a buy nothing Facebook group to your neighbors
This sounds like you didn't watch the video.
I’m pretty good with most things but I struggle with getting rid of books. It seems really silly but I can’t bring myself to donate or give them away.
I was the same way. My husband built a huge bookshelf for me and it was full in no time. It took a lot of sitting down and asking myself why I was keeping them around with no intend of picking them back up. It stemmed from my childhood for sure. 😅I ended up letting go of a few of them when I first did the Spark joy method two years ago, and recently we’ve gone more minimalist and I donated half of them. My kindle is easier on my hands and unless the book I want is part of a special series I adore, I go digital. Keep those books that made an impact on you. A friend of mine really appreciated the ones I was donating as she isn’t very mobile right now and it makes me happy they can now bring joy to someone else. 💚
Don’t get rid of them if it doesn’t feel good! My books are also important to me and I know I’d regret it if I get rid of them, I don’t think books are a bad thing to have a lot of haha
In the last year and a half I have found fault with some of my decluttering. Like getting rid of perfectly good sheets when I should have kept them and simply not buy more. I kept only my favourite mugs. At lockdown I found myself with one mug. I kept 4 of 8 bowls. I now have a big chip on one bowl. Grr.
I also found during lockdown that I didnt have enough warm clothes. Had to pop out and buy some long sleeve tshirts. They are easier to launder.
I also found myself rereading books that I had culled but didnt have time to donate before lockdown.
So lockdown showed me I could have used a number of items I had donated over the years.
So my advice is get rid of rubbish and well used things and double think anything else during these virus times.
I have lots of books too. Some I have yet to read.There was a flood and I lost some good books. Then I went on a buying spree for my favourites.How do you decide to get rid of books?What about the ones you have never got round to reading?
The same thing happened to someone I know, and she ended up spending more money re-buying similar items to those she had donated.
@@choyfoonghue8732 I need to read, skim, or really know what a book is like before I am able to donate it. A book should be enjoyable from beginning, middle to end in my opinion. If the beginning sucks the rest of it will probably not be worth reading. I look up reviews and donate it if it's a poorly rated book 👍
Ashlynne: Get rid of clothes your kids grew out of.
Me, hiding the little hat and shoes I bought for my future child without having plans on making one soon: * hides *
When I travelled to Europe for a few months, I never bought any tacky souvenirs but items that I could use in my home such as a Turkish Rug, German Cuckoo Clock, Venetian Lace for a tablecloth etc. I'm still happily using these items to this day and I went to Europe in the nineties!
Started the 30 day minimalism game today so am gonna need this for inspiration 😂
Yes!! What perfect timing! Hopefully this helps 🥰
@@AshlynneEaton Thank you. It has so far...I have been taking notes 😂
Good luck!! 💪🏻💪🏻 I started last month and I'm at day 24.. 😅 it's getting so hard! 😱
wait!? what?? what the Game?
@@jmsl910 the game is that you declutter the number of things for each day for a month. On day 1 get rid of 1 thing, day 2 discard 2 things and so on for 30 or 31 days.
You can do it all at once or start with 30 and count down. It's over 450 items you'll eventually get rid of.
You not only easy and fun to listen to, you actually give such a great advice! I just watched 100 of similar videos and yours stands out.
Oh my god, when I read "children" I laughed so hard because I thought you were going to say "declutter children if you have more than 2 or 3" 😂😂😂😂😂😂😂
Hahaha no definitely don’t do that!! 😂
Just wanted to say something about the kids artwork. So, in my country (Russia) there’s a few companies which do things with kids artwork. For example: they can copy the painting to a mug, plate, t-shirt or make an album with numerous of artworks.
Some great ideas. I have been on a decluttering mission for a few years now, and being very mindful of what I bring into my home. It’s hard, but it works and saves a lot of $. I try to get rid of things in environmentally friendly ways. For example, I called my local school, and they were happy to take some extra school supplies and art supplies. Towels and sheets to the animal shelter. Books to an annual used book sale. Just be sure to ask first rather than make your junk someone else’s problem. 😊
Ice cube trays are awesome for freezing small amounts of things, or odd things at a time - such as in the summer I will freeze cooled hot coffee in ice cube trays, then use those cubes in the cold brew coffee I make; sometimes buy a small package of pesto (I don’t know how to make) and it’s always too much, so what I don’t use I freeze in the ice cube tray, then wrap the individual cubes in wax paper and the next time I make pasta I can quickly thaw two or three cubes, same for marinara and tomato paste/ puree. Each cube is approx. 1 oz, so its a convenient measure. Take a moment to think about purposes outside the box of what you might use a thing for, though most of these ideas are solid
Olives. Also, w pesto. I freeze the whole container and use a melon baller to scoop out.
Those Tolkien books are gorgeous!
i have enough books and i always kept them after i read them and i finally gave in and took all the ones i have read to one of those little free bookshops that some people put in their yards or in the town somewhere and i felt so good when i did that. i know your suppose to leave one and take one but i just left them all! i probably go rid of about 10 then (at least) and i have read a few more i. plan on bringing to other ones. i figures that way maybe more then one person can get to read it and love it! it was one of the best declutters i’ve done i’d say!
As for children's clothing, furniture, and toys, these are great things to pass on to friends or family, someone whose kids are younger than yours. You could even have an exchange with several friends if you all have kids of different ages.
Yes!! Love this advice. I grew up in hand-me-downs 🥰
I'M SO HAPPY I found you on here. I will be binge watching your videos, and watch weekly from now on...
I can tell you put a ton of work into this list! I am so appreciative of this ❤️
Thank you so much! 🥰
I own only mismatched glasses I thrifted who somehow create a collection that looks good together. This is how I can keep it growing and if one breaks, I can still have a set of random gorgeous mugs and glasses.
I do the same, none of my dishes or glasses match so I can replace them as needed and I love the look
My family and I are moving, I'm so glad you uploaded this and that this was recommended to me. I hope it makes my packing easier! :)
I know this video was 2 years ago, but THANK YOU for your detailed lists. Gives us a lot to consider (and get rid of). It helps because it's so easy for us to overlook the excess/expired/dumb stuff lying around; it becomes ignored background data. Your videos are very personable and fun to watch. Keep up the great work.
Your videos are really inspiring. Sometimes i forget being minimal with simple things arounf me since it's been common but everytime I watch your vidoes and Joshua beckers. It reminds me. Such a great help for me to reduce anxiety ♥️🤗
Ah that’s incredible! It really is in the little things that we can make tremendous steps towards simplicity 🤍
I love watching these, they get me so motivated to declutter
Love this list! One thought...sometimes when I give away something to a friend, every time I see it again, I have regret syndrome. Sometimes it’s better just to donate it anonymously to goodwill. I do the same at goodwill, if I’ve decluttered and made a big donation, I avoid that goodwill for a time because I don’t want to see “my” things, an have donaters regret😀👍
My two cents would be "not throw away" the little things but to REUSE or REPURPOSE. Even in the garden the chopsticks can be useful to hold a sign , hold moisture if buried (make sure they are not treated but the plain wooden ones). I even keep an unmatched box lid in a pot at the bottom to keep a bit of extra water that could have just flown out, and can continue to supply the plant with water when you forget to water on time or are too sick to be disciplined about watering.
9:59
Her - chair that collects clothes
Me - looks at my chair full of clothes
Hehehe we’ve all been there Emma 😉
The chairdrobe.
The problem I have with removing the ‘chair is I don’t have a walk in closet or really dressing area and I don’t want to put every piece of clothing to wash after one wear when they don’t need it. So the semi dirt clothes end up on the chair arm, chair clothes do get reworn throughout the week mixed with new clean ones so I don’t feel like I’m wear the same thing for days in a row but I would love a better location for the semi dirt clothes in the interim. I don’t want to put semi dirty cloth back in my draws or wardrobe a I know I would rapidly lose track of what was clean.
greenmoneyfairy i have hook on my door for the clothes we only wore once
For real😂😂😂😂
donate travel sized products to homeless shelters! They're very appreciated
That’s a good idea. For years I’ve been taking the travel sized items home and using them up. They go straight from the luggage into the bathroom. But donating unused products is a great idea.
This video must have taken a lot of time for you to film and edit, Ashlynne. I appreciate everything you're doing for others (myself included)!
Thank you so much Amy!! Always means so much to me when people appreciate the effort that goes into these videos 🥰
And absolutely, that’s a great one! I think I had something in the realm of 10 sunglasses at one point 😅
This is a decluttering video y'all. Not a zero waste video. Most of us are aware of ways to get rid of things in a more environmentally friendly way, and if you don't there's plenty of videos on that too. Chill out on this poor girl lol she's just trying to help people who want to go minimalist
Loved this. Have decluttered all of my DVD’s and CDs as I wasn’t using them. What shocked me the most is that I live in England 🏴 but have the same tv remote control as you x
Haha what! That’s so cool 🥰
Same!!
Same here! And I live in Spain!
I think I have so much of the things you listed. My parents never really decluttered growing up so this is a practice I have started in my adult years.
*live laugh love sign* i am CRRRRYYINGggg lol
I love these videos! We will be moving in the next few months and I don’t want to take anything with me that doesn’t make me happy or just adds to the clutter. These really help me !
Another option for your kids art is to take a picture or scan it so that you have a digital copy of the papers you get rid of. There’s several apps that can scan documents. ☺️
A bunch of great ideas! You really have helped me clean up SOOO MUCH. Sometimes I just let your video play in the back ground while I do other things, and this keeps these ideas fresh in my head. Thank You
Massive list! 🤩 you’re such a hard working youtuber!! 💪🏻
omg old remotes... after purging our old remotes one revealed as remote to our beamer. now we have no remote to the beamer :( this is the dark side of purging ;)
Good job! You have a lot of wisdom for one so young!!!
Sounds like you’ve gone through my drawers and cabinets☺️ sounds like my house 🏡 Glad i’m not alone. Thank You.
This video was that I needed! Please do some others like this one! I was able to think about few items to get rid of just because of your video lolll! You are amazing! Sometimes all we need is ''ideas''. :)
this sounds logical but it's pretty hard for someone like me who gets emotionally attached to literally everything, when i try to declutter i hold item by item and ask "does this bring me joy" and the answer is always yes :( i love everything i have aaaaaa
If it helps, try adding in an extra criteria. Ask yourself, do I love it AND do I use it. That can really help with identifying how much value something actually gives you 🤍
@@AshlynneEaton yes thank you 💕 I'll be more ruthless when it comes to decluttering otherwise I'll never downsize
One thing that was super helpful for me is to give things to family and friends if I don't need them but am emotionally attached to them. If they find a new home and are actually being used, it's great. And if nobody wants them (including myself, since I'm trying to give them away) it's actually a good eye opener and I have an easier time getting rid of them, haha.
Aww you have mentioned every single thing! That is literally in need of decluttering ...thank youu so much! Keep up with the sprinkles of joy that you are spreading very much needed xx
I am transferring states for college soon so this video is incredibly helpful, thank you!
I am in the process of decluttering my small apartment and a lot of these things you listed I’ve thought about getting rid of but felt bad about because they are large items (e.g., my loveseat couch) but this video was just the motivation I need.
With the dresser problem, I recommend getting a cute wooden clothes rack! They’re often small (Which encourages you to get rid of extra clothes) and visually pleasing. It’s also useful how open it is so you can see exactly what you want quickly and easily! You can get a few baskets for your foldable clothes and put them under the rack! (Idk if I explained it well, but if you search wooden clothes rack you’ll see what I mean) Hope this helps someone! :)
Love this idea!!
Napkins do not work as coasters on certain furniture because the bottom gets wet and leaves stains on the furniture. When we have guests they each need a coaster. Keep as many as your maximum amount of guests at one time.
Extra coasters are good incase you do get more than 2 guests
As to candles, when they get to nearly the end, place them in the freezer for a couple of days. The frozen scented wax is easily removed and can be used in a wax warmer (no need to buy the expensive scented wax). Also, the glass jars can be cleaned and repurposed. For example, in the bathroom to organize q-tuips, cotton balls, hair ties etc.
Clicked so fast on this!! Moving on saturday and i plan on being more mindful about my belongings in my new home. You're a very good role model ❤️
Haha yes, I love it! So awesome that you’re wanting to approach your new home more intentionally, and you’re so right that now is the perfect time to declutter! 🥰
@@AshlynneEaton you're right! Decluttering now will give me a fresh start 😍
I'm also moving. I'm not unpacking what we dont use then I'll donate the items.
I’ve had trouble in the past getting rid of things that I don’t use because I spent a lot of money on them so I feel like I need to hold onto them. Here’s the problem, every time I see them I feel bad for wasting my money on them. The pain is doubled by seeing them, and they take up space. I ALWAYS feel better when I get rid of such things especially if I can pass them on to someone who might get joy from them.
Holy guacamole, you had to have filmed 100+ scenes for this video :o
+ Thank you for the PDF!
I'm new to discovering Minimalism online, but the idea of seriously reducing Clutter is like a breath of fresh air.
I'm impressed. You came up with 100 suggestions? and another 100. Good job!
QUESTION: Do YOU have even 1 flat-screen TV?
While most of us can stream a movie onto our phone these days, it just isnt the same as watching on a nice bright 55in screen.
I'm curious. If I could interviews 10 people who make your kind of videos, would any of you like/eat a Blackened New York steak (well-done)?? Are Minimalists Vegan? Just curious.
Great advice on things to get rid of:
puzzles,
knick-knacks (this is possibly the biggest problem of all when it comes to clutter), and why have ANY plants inside the house at all (other than 1 batch/bouquet on the kitchen table. That's it. Plants belong OUT-side. )
too many throw pillows (does any one person need more than 2 pillows for themself?)
clothes that are faded or now too tight. And---here's a few that i thought of:
1. In the bathroom, in the shower. Seriously, suppose you have in your shower:
1 shampoo (at a time), a bar of soap, and 1 body wash. Does ANYTHING else really need to be there at all? (hair Conditioner is not mandatory. a good shampoo and then freshly dried and combed hair looks beautiful as-is). Also,
is there any logical reason at all for having any more than TWO different hair brushes at all?
2. in the kitchen: imagine a stove with 4 burners. At the back of the stove, you likely have the dials for temperatures and which burner. But ON TOP of those dials, the is likely a 2in. "Lip" and many folks line this all the way across with 7 or 8 spice bottles sitting on top here. Why? Spices belong in their own drawer.
3. Also in the kitchen. Imagine the counter-space immediately to the side of your stove (the side with the most counter-space). Do you like to cook or bake? Yes? Good, but---now imagine 3 white ceramic Pots on this counter-space. One for Sugar, One for Flour, One for Salt. Do you really need any more than those 3 to always be sitting in containers on the countertop? Better to have alot of counterspace available to cut veggies or set a finished pot of something on it. Have some "room to work".
Good video! Keep up the good work. An author you might enjoy is Elaine st. james. See her books on Amazon. She writes about Living the Simple Life.
Decluttering is good for having a clean/calm home 🏡 but.... buying less is the key 🔑 since it is good for the environment 🌎 to consume less, good for ur economy and to have a less messy home.
Also its better to go for second hand/preloved when buying new clothes, bags and other items.
Cook books will be my last item to declutter, I love...them...LOL
On other area, I am in a right track & reducing each month.
Please do not throw your items in the trash or donate to resale shops, as a large portion of these items end up in landfills. Instead, find a home for your items by giving to friends and family, donating to shelters, or listing on FB marketplace, exchange/freecycle groups, or resale apps :)
We stopped using coasters and instead use small dessert plates or tea cup saucers to put under our drinks. They are multi-functional. 🙂
I've never heard of sharpening your tweezers. Mine have been un-sharp since the day I got them and they've been just fine. Had them for like 6 years or more by now
Saaaame
If you’re downsizing as is so often purported in this video, try shopping secondhand. Be sure to dispose of items consciously, selling, donating and recycling everything you can. Others have noted this as well, but involve your children in the decluttering process.
There’s also a note I wanted to make on the point of the bed linens. I actually *want* a third set. I got me some good old ADHD, so having a set on the bed, a set in the wash and a set out drying would be ideal. Dull knives can be sharpened, please try that first. Crockery is important to be careful with; mould can grow in small chips and cracks.
Spark Joy can be a lot deeper than the immediate satisfaction of seeing or using an item; it could more broadly mean to avoid stress, in all the small ways of household management.
There’s also the point that folks with physical difficulties can use items that those who aren’t familiar with those difficulties would ridicule the use of.
Posters? Sometimes folks are renting and can’t put their favourite posters up for fear of damaging the paint.
Getting rid of food can be given to family or friends, or if already bad, ideally composted. Some communities have a community garden with composting.
Meds! Dispose of them as per the packaging, some can be toxic, so be very careful with them! Talk to a pharmacist to be sure of the best way to dispose of them.
Other products like sunscreen, perfumes, makeup and nail polish can be toxic, don’t tip those down the sink because the chemicals can kill coral and reefs. There are reef safe sunscreens out there.
Look for tech recycling centres if you’re getting rid of appliances.
Hair products, especially aerosols, need to also be handled with care. Follow the disposal instructions on the can.
Old soaps you don’t like can go in guest bathrooms or in little used sink areas where they might come in handy sometimes.
Old threadbare linens can be good to keep around for messes.
Cleaning products store bought are often also toxic, so it can be worth looking into DIY options. I’m trying Dr Bronner’s Castile soap at the moment - has great versatility.
Thank you soo much i have cleaned out my makeup and my bathroom stuff, feel sooo good decluttering. Next will be my Kitchen
That’s awesome! Congratulations! 🎉
Ok, so you say you have two towels, one big and one small, for each person, so four in total. So you put just the four towels in the machine to wash them? Seems wasteful, unless you have a tiny washing machine...
I have nine bathroom towels just for myself, I think it's a good number. I gather the used ones in the hamper and run a cycle about once a month. Also I hang my laundry to dry and it takes some time, especially in the winter so it's good to have some spares.
I love having several bed sheets sets to choose from. I'd be really sad if I only had one or two. I recently got rid of one I didn't like anymore and wasn't really using, but the rest stays.