Today I'm sharing 20+ common things your home does not need! You can declutter these items today. Click here for a clean & tidy home! www.youtube.com/@tarynmaria_?sub_confirmation=1 Items mentioned: Bambooee paper towels: amzn.to/3Svs3c4 Nutribullet blender: amzn.to/3SeJZpU Join my mailing list for emails that will make your life easier! eepurl.com/iB2aE2 Decluttering playlist: th-cam.com/video/_St9jcbHTJc/w-d-xo.html Time saving cleaning hacks playlist: th-cam.com/video/UBE4zX00wGc/w-d-xo.html Cleaning Routines playlist: th-cam.com/video/X_RMuFRn9Ak/w-d-xo.html
When my son was in kindergarten I had to buy some fabric for a little project he was doing in class. I put the excess in the bottom of my sewing basket. It's still there. He's now 41.
@heather_rose_ Thats so funny🤣 Thanks for sharing your experience. I found your post so endearing as I am busy decluttering my home as a first time empty nester.
I have an old house that used to have a very drafty basement. Our pipes froze a few times in the winter. I took lots of the plastic grocery bags and shoved them into all the cracks. We've never had frozen pipes since.
Yeah but most people get 15 to 30 bags per trip. How many bags per week do you use? How many do you use per week? How many times do you shop per month? So many people complained about this issue in my state too. Everyone realized they don’t use that many bags compared to how many they needed. I haven’t bought a bag in MONTHS and I use the ones my brothers buy once in a while and I’ve never been out. Also if you use the collapsible box bags they carry a lot of items, are organized neatly and don’t kill your hands like the plastic bags. Putting away items are also much faster and you don’t have to deal with the mess of 30 freaking bags. Overall it benefited our family far more than hindering us.
I've never had more than 10 bags on a trip, and usually much less. I keep them in a bag holder in my mudroom and use them for trash liners in 5 rooms, trash bags for our cars and picking up dog poo in the yard. They get used!
Love all these suggestions! My husband and I are in our 70s, and unfortunately we’ve had to buy items like long-handled electric scrub brushes, long-handled reachers/grabbers, safety ladders, and rolling carts to transport items while using a cane, etc. But, we no longer store items on any of our top shelves (why ask for trouble?). That required a LOT of decluttering. We are changing our overhead light fixtures to LED ceiling lights - we’ll never change a ceiling bulb again!!! We got rid of all area rugs, as they are trip hazards, and so much extra work to keep clean. We’ve really cut down on decor and artwork. It’s so much less work for us now. And our environment is much calmer. When we want seasonal decor, we usually just display fresh flowers, greens - items found in nature. We come up with a few easy-but-special displays each season. We’re also going to hire a cleaning service who will come occasionally to clean our “public” rooms only. That means locking anything we don’t want seen or taken into our bedroom closet (bedroom to be locked). This seems like a small chore, but actually requires a lot of thought and effort. Even though we made these changes because we’re old, I think younger people would appreciate making them, too. After the initial planning and work, home life will be easier, simpler, and safer.
You can have more kitchen cabinet space by cutting down on highly-processed and high-carb food. I no longer waste space on boxes of pasta, packages of rice, baking mixes, loaves of bread, or junk food. My freezer has much more space without frozen pizzas and more junk food. I don’t have single-use appliances either. Cooking is so much easier and I truly enjoy feeling good about what I eat. It’s taken over a year to make the transition, but I will never go back.
Once I've moved into apartment where previous residents left about 100 dry clean clothes hangers. I've collected all of the and returned to a closest dry clean. They were very happy 🙂
We brought all of ours to a Church that was making up Bags for the Homeless people with Toiletries, Clothing, Socks, Shoes, Snackbars, Foods, few Btls of Water, Pocket Bibles, some of us typed, printed cards or letters to put in Bags too etc... (NO $ because they might use for Alcohol, Drugs, Gambling and that is exactly what some of them said to us, that they didn't want any Temptation that made them Homeless in the 1st place)! It was so very sad 😢 there was so many more than we thought! GOD BLESS US ALL EVERYWHERE, EVERYONE BLESS GOD! AMEN 🙏🙏🙏 😇
We do have a popcorn machine and I gave it to my now teenage son's when they were really little as they got to school age they could easily and safely make popcorn for themselves with no oil etc. Best investment ever and it was used so much for school dances, parties, sleepovers, snacks and movie nights. They still love it
I will never get rid of my rice maker. Using the stove requires me to watch it carefully. The steamer can be left alone and has auto shut off. To each his own.
I use microfiber cloths and sponges, fabric napkins. I use 1 roll of paper towels every 2-3 months. When you live in Europe, you learn quickly how to conserve.
I need paper towels to dry the fish on before I dust it with flour before pan frying. Using a tea towel is possible but that also creates more laundry.
@@juliehock6059 Paper towels are so handy for so many things. Especially using them to clean the toilet subfaces and things like that,. Much more sanitary.
@@abbeygrantham1191 I keep a tub of Dettol antibacterial Wet wipes in my toilet room. Wipe all surfaces, door handles and light switch with them - done.
Stained towels are awesome to soak up water dripping from your tires in the garage. For those of us who live in cold climates. Also, I use them when my kids are sick and I don’t want them to vomit on their bed. If they vomit, I can throw the towel out or I can wash it.
I would cover the child's pillow with a towel, just in case, but don't recall it getting soiled, the child can use a plastic bowl set by their bedside or by their pillow.
It also helps to tell the people in your life that you are trying to declutter and downsize. So much of my clutter ended up in my apartment in the form of birthday and Christmas gifts. I had to tell my friends and family that I had no more room or need for another bottle of perfume, or lotion, or large kitchen items (unless I specifically requested them). I don't want any more decorative tins. I live in a NYC apartment and don't have unlimited space. People may not like the idea of gift wish lists for the holidays, but I have found them to be SO helpful. Instead of getting a million more T-shirts I have nowhere to store, I now get things I actually need/want. I'm also happy with gifts that take up no room, like tickets to a show or something edible. And I try to be just as mindful when giving gifts, especially to people with kids.
So true, and I totally love the idea of wishlists for gifts! So so much better to give, and receive gifts that people will find useful and that they will want 😊
I did this too. Where I struggle is I've especially told people not to buy me house plants .... but I keep getting them. The damn things won't die and just keep flowering so will have to put my big girl pants on and give them away. A shame as many are stunning but there are too many.
Cords and chargers - I take a 1” piece of painters tape and fold together around cord then label with perm marker. So much less stressful when something needs charging vs going through 3-4 chargers to find the one that fits.
This is exactly what I do. Been doing this for a few years and it really helps with the stress of cables. Those that aren't labelled because they have no use (or I have a LOT of them, lol) get tossed.
Just a gentle reminder... please dont donate broken items, items you would not buy, or worn out. Donation centers throw out 75% of donations. Please dont make more work for them.
One man's trash is another man's treasure. There are many people who shop at donation centers for broken items that they can restore, re-purpose, or use as parts for other items. Not everyone is looking to only buy yoga pants with tags on them.
@user-yx9sp3sq8p I think you missed the point. They throw away 75% of the donations they get. Im a drug and alcohol first contact for the Salvation Army, it's not just yoga pants they save. The amount of trash they get is wasting their time, when they could be restocking shelves with actual items people want.
@user-yx9sp3sq8p Check with the place you're donating to first. I run a charity shop in the UK and we have a lot of rules about what we can and can't sell. If it's broken it can't be sold.
@@TerryWThomas oh come on now, don't be such a dick. I work at a place where we've got a lot of donations & like @paisleyhunter said, we need to get rid of 75% of it, sometimes even more. Plus we have pay for the dispostion. Money that we could spend much more wisely. Never spend something you wouldn't like to use when in need. It's not about yoga pants without tags, it's about awfully ripped clothes, dirty faded underwear, electrical devices without plugs, jackets without zippers & so much more. We try to look at as many donations as possible before handing them in so that we don't have to dispose of too much unusable scrap. You aren't a hero for spending rubbish. Even poor people have a dignity that needs to be respected. Wherever you take your donations in kind, we aren't a garbage dump where you exchange your waste for a clear conscience.
We live on an half acre, so a lawnmower is a must. A native garden is a lovely idea for a small yard but if you live in a subdivision that has an HOA, it would be a defiinite no-no.
if you have threatened species of plants they cant legally tell you no from what I know! I'd totally plant endangered species if you want a native yard
Good list. I never even remembered I have that stuff, stuck in a cabinet, until you mentioned it. I’m trying to declutter, if for no other reason than to cut down on daily decision making: less stuff, less options. Less options, less anxiety.
Maybe it's different, but I buy a bag of Basmati Rice & keep in the freezer. When I want a pot of rice for my Hubby & me, I measure out a cup into a pot, wash/rinse several times to remove excess starch, measure appropriate amount of water, add a little butter, some salt, stir, set on range, set on Medium High, KEEP AN EYE ON IT JUST A FEW MINUTES UNTIL STARTS TO SIMMER, lower heat to low, cover with lid & just a few minutes later water is all absorbed & rice is tender ready - so easy - & I don't need another appliance.
Thank you for mentioning native plants!!! Totally agree with the uselessness of lawns and the obsession about "maintaining" them -- typically with toxic products. I became part of the less-lawn/no-lawn movement almost 10 yrs ago and love the beauty of my native plantings (trees, shrubs, perennials). The huge variety of insects (dragonflies), pollinators and wildlife that share my mini-ecosystem is so wondrous to watch!
25 years ago I got tired of grass, called a garden center and has them come out and plant all the white pine and lilacs that could reasonably fit on my property. Took a few years for them to reach the size needed but the shade they now throw has murdered my grass via a thick bed of pine needles. My one acre of grass is now down to a small opening in the back and front and a narrow strip along the street. Takes ten minutes to mow the front in the summer. I only mow the back maybe twice a year with a weed whacker. .
I am a custodian in an elementary school. The amount of small rugs, lamps, nick-knacks, twinkle lights, banners, posters, welcome mats, etc are ridiculous. We are only contracted to clean the permanent classrooms items (floors, doors, cubbies, etc) and the teachers never clean their extras. It leads to an extremely dirty, dusty, cluttered environment. They are always stressed, but I think the work environment they have created adds to this.
I have noticed this since my child started school 25 years ago. Classrooms are too cluttered. There's too much visual simulation. It wasn't like this when I was a child in the 1960s.
Same with bathmat here, but that's because the floor is so cold and slippery, I can not stand in the bathroom without a mat. Kitchenmat though... I don't even want to think about it. The floor in the kitchen is somehow always disgusting and luckily easy to wipe.
I had a yard sale and had so many reusable grocery bags that I gave one to anyone who bought something. People really loved the surprise of having a bag to carry their items in!
TY for being so straight forward and to the point! I purge a year , every 6 months, everything in my apt. It is a great " Ahhhhhhh" to get rid of the "crap" I thought I needed!
Rice cooker is the one appliance that I couldn’t live without. 😂😂😂 I move every couple or so years, and I always bring my old one if I’m moving domestically, if I move out of the country to a new place, I make sure to buy a new one.
Same here - I know you can technically make rice in a pot but I can never get it right 🥹 the rice maker does it perfect every single time without me needing to look over it.
Exactly. When I make rice in a pot, I invariably burn it. I let my daughter take our rice cooker when she moved out last year and lasted about a month before buying a new one.
I LOVE the cooked Aldi rice!! It's SO nice! I'd just beg they make a RECYCLABLE container, and not those useless pouches! You can't even put kitchen trash in them! (Peels, wrappers, pits, things like that), because they don't zip. .
I get the idea of throw pillows on the couch (and you are right, the number does indeed matter, I have two, I have a tiny couch). But I never got the memo why we should have them on the bed.
Watching this video was eye-opening-I never thought about how many unnecessary items I have in my home that just take up space. I can totally relate to the idea of minimalism and simplifying life. I'm definitely going to start decluttering and getting rid of things I don't need anymore after seeing this.
That's awesome, Patti! I will say - if you have things that you actually need, use and love - then definitely keep them! This list is just to give some ideas on things that we sometimes hang on to that we can let go of :) it's a process!
Thank you for talking about native gardens! This is something ive been working slowly at over the years, each year i add it greatly reduces mowing and looks amazing!
Spouse and I are retirees and have a combination native (California) garden and some other plants that I love/want (some, like rosemary and lavendar, might as well be California natives - others, like roses, not so much) . When my children were little, I just kept grass around their outdoor play structure. The grassy area was so limited that my gardener just used a weed wacker to keep it under control.
You are definitely right about the waste of space of having a different types of glasses for every beverage. While I’m a big believer in rags, I’m not ready to give up paper towels.
Hi from the UK. I totally agree with you. We all need to look at what we really need as opposed to what we want? Give, recycle ,sell on, donate, ... Depending on the situation of oneself...❤
I didn’t get a rice cooker until I was in my 50s and I absolutely love it. It’s a game changer. No more burnt rice and it stays warm until dinner is ready.
8:20 Professional gardener here. "Native" garden beds as well as other beds often need more time and effort to weed, trim, mulch and keep problem free than a simple climate suited lawn. Even artificial turf often needs weeding. If lawn grows ok without feeding or much extra water, the occasional mow can be less hassle than native beds.
And people put all those chemicals on grass lawns and it's also monoculture which is bad for the environment. Every professional landscapers you say you are should know that. We all need to be moving to more native landscaping. Maybe not the whole yard but definitely need to start looking at that. I only have a small area of yard and I'm steadily overseeding it with clover and it's working great. Much less care and no need to spray a whole bunch of chemicals and kill off our environment
I learned the hard way. Put in shrubs and flowers to replace yard. Now I am almost 90 and have no one to help maintain the yard. Grass and weeds invade via wind and birds. Regret is a late warning.
Dear GOD !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! I SOOOOOO need this video!!!!!!!!! I could open a craft store in my house! Also,,, a pots and pans store, casserole dishes ??? yep! plastic dishes and storage containers ? You betcha! a bedspread and quilt store, pillows too ! Linnens galore !!! some I've never used or even taken out of the packaging a sewing supply store, (!!!) I own 4 machines and I can barely sew a hem. a decoupage store (you would not believe the decorative paper supply I own) a silk scarf store ! a jewelry store ! ( I actually have a jewelry closet, it's a walk in !))) a sporting goods store:tennis, golf, skiing (snow), swimming, athletic gear pocket book and purses, by the scores ! sunglasses beach bags, and don't even get me started on all the e n d l e s s tech stuff. not to mention THE CORDS !!!! I have all this because,,,"Someday I might need this ,,,,,,,,,,,,," And yes ..... I also have a therapist. She is helping me get rid of my shit,,, !!!!
Sounds like your kiddos have grown up, flew the nest. That's a good time to downsize things in the house that you don't need so much of anymore. My kids took some and others I gave away. Just like we did all this shopping when starting out, now we don't need the same things anymore. I keep what I like. If it's 20 pillows so be it.
One day I realized how much I had and that I ran out of space, thinking I needed a larger space (!). Suddenly I realized how much money I’d wasted buying things I didn’t actually need. What if I had actually saved all that money? It was mindlessness. Really think about what you use and discard/donate the balance. You’ll be lighter mentally and emotionally and probably wealthier in the long term.
Great motivation to declutter. I started switching out my lawn for rocks and flowers last year. It's prettier, can't say it's less work, but the pops of color and hard combined with softness is peaceful and pretty. Thanks for your channel
Taryn, thank you! We are at a similar stage of the process of decluttering towards minimalism. I agree with every item you've suggested. If anyone is reading this and is unsure whether you can live without those throw pillows and fancy glasses (or anything else she suggests here), you can!! We also use mason jars to drink out of and we store our foods in the fridge inside them and use them to take food to work. Saves us so much time and dishes! Enjoy your day, and thanks for the video!
Good ideas :) If you have pets, keep at least 1 roll of paper towels handy. Reusing a cloth after cleaning up pet messes is kinda gross & unsanitary. (You can use TP, but it's pricey.)
Yes that is what I keep mine for mostly.. my dogs like to eat grass or have upset tummies on occasion definitely better than anything else to pick up that yack. Anna In Ohio
Most of this happens because we've had 'waste not, want not' drilled into us, along with 'save it for a rainy day' and 'keep a spare, just in case.' :)
Yeah, I declutter every month, and my husband thinks soon we won't be having any more things in the house to use. But honestly, there are things that just sit around for ages, but my husband would ask for it as soon as I got rid of it. So weird!
I've stopped listening to music that have -too much words in-, and this have improved my life fr. Ppl don't think twice about how much music actually impact our thoughts, like majority of the lyrics are negative and toxic
I am a practicalist - the things I try to surround myself with are the things that get used all the time, or that genuinely make me feel happy for some reason or another. The clutter enemies are those things that 1) I don’t want (why keep them?) 2) don’t need (who am I fooling?) 3) don’t use (may have been bought with good intentions, but why suffer the clutter?). As a senior I have for many years been doing a slow motion decluttering - it’s wonderful to reclaim open space. I have been steadily rehoming all the useless to me stuff so that my family won’t have that burden when I’m gone. It’s also more enjoyable not to be weighed down with an excess lifetime accumulation.
@Thomas. Swedish death cleaning. I've been decluttering for more than 20 years. 67 is my age. We inherited a lot from various sources. Many were dishware. Furniture. Our house was overly cluttered with inherited items. Even though they may have had some value, I had to look at my future. I saw things that I had that I knew that none of my children would want. As well as grandchildren. So I gradually sold., gave away, gave to friends and family, donated, and the house is much neater looking now and I've given some people things that they will really treasure. I I know my grandchildren and my daughters have no interest in dishware from the '40s and thirties. I liked it. I remembered my grandma using it. But now they won't have any memories that associate much with that. I did use some of the dishwares at Thanksgiving time. There's more to be said about that but I just have a much cleaner house now with far far less stuff
@@bmarieluvstheearth3879 Yay - that's the spirit! What has happened is that when many of us were young we didn't have that much stuff, certainly not fine china or silverware and it was a big deal to receive these treasures in an inheritance. But times have changed and modern families have no interest in fine china collections or real silver or gold silverware (for special occasions to show off) . Same for furniture. I can remember receiving some beautiful rosewood furniture from a great grandmother that were old when she got them. They didn't fit with anything I had, and so off to the antique store they went. I see these things show up on Antiques Roadshow and as much as I might remember seeing them and enjoying them in relatives homes when I was young, they hold close to zero interest from today's young adults.
Oh now I'm watching your mindful meditation while cleaning video. I'm so there with you!!! My love language is Acts of Service so I really do like cleaning and cooking for others. It doesn't have to be a chore!
I bring all of my old vases to the florist . I just brought in about 15 vases after getting for my bday , etc . They welcome the vases and give me fresh flowers in exchange.
Our apartment building has a special room near the entrance door where people can leave things for the free use of others wherever they declutter or move away.
I use Dawn dishwasher liquid for nearly everything, including the toilet. If it's safe enough to wash oil-soaked birds, it's safe enough to clean my house.
This is such a great list - totally bookmarking this. Mystery cords and cables are the bane of my existence! And I’m scared to throw them away since I don’t know what they go to lol. I love my popcorn maker, but totally have too many drinking glasses and reusable bags - your list felt customized for me!
NYC no longer routinely hands out plastic grocery bags in stores, so I hang onto all the ones I can get from street fruit/vegetable vendors and doggie bags, to use for throwing out kitty litter. I always have a modest stock. I can always find uses for the reusable shopping totes, and have enough that I can give them away freely.
One thing i did was get storage containers that all use the same lid. All are square, the same dimensions except for the height. So, all the different size containers use the same lid. All the containers stack, and all the lids stack and seat within each other. I've used this system for over a decade because it works so well.
if you learn how to sew with Terry cloth you can Cut up the old sad towels and turned them in to wash cloths, cleaning cloths. if you're going to give up paper towels, you're gonna need something to replace them and you don't have to go out and buy some thing! You could salvage the good parts of towels and create a cool turban with a seam or two and a piece of elastic looped on the back. You can make cute hooded towels for babies, maybe dye it, if it's discolored. If you ever have a pipe burst in your house, as we did in multiple places, having a stash of towels is a great thing to prevent a big problem from becoming huge. I'm all in favor of donating things to animal shelters and to people who are fostering dogs. But don't overlook these other great opportunities!
I confess I save my old towels for when the plumber comes. They also frequently seem to need a shallow dish to catch drips from the radiators as they work on them.
@@debramccafferty2918 - Heck, they would be good for me! I’ve been known to tuck cloth napkins into my purse when I know I’m going to a restaurant in a nice outfit. 🤣🤣🤣 and I figure that Cutting a slightly ridiculous figure is worth saving my outfits!
If you can’t use vinegar in your homemade cleaner because of natural surfaces, use isopropyl alcohol instead and absolutely only distilled water, otherwise with water and soap alone, you’re likely turning your spray bottle into a Petrie dish. If you don’t like the smell, add some alcohol-based essential oils like lemon verbena, lavender or eucalyptus.
I feel like part of the club here. I have old walkmans (like 1980s), Hummel figurines, plates from Gma before she passed, a collection of radios I never use, old silverware that I had when I first moved into an apartment....I have to declutter. It's the sentimental stuff that's hard.
A suggestion for sentimental items: take a photo, write a memory, put in a notebook (just one), send the item off to donation or discard/pass on. Eventually even the notebook may no longer be relevant.
Absolutely correct on all these items. I laughed when you went through these items as nearly every home doesn't need them. Great and wise video. I wish you well.
Love the tip about making your own cleaner. Don't know where I heard this but it was recommended to use distilled water to avoid bacteria, etc. in plain water that could be harmful over time. Have you ever heard this?
I have heard this! I think it becomes a problem if you make the cleaner and then have it around for a long time (like many weeks or months). The way I get around it is I'll make a small amount every time I clean and I'll use it up in a couple of days and that seems to work!
I also make up my own cleaners using mainly plain tap water plus white vinegar, isopropyl alcohol, washing up liquid etc in varying amounts. I use up one bottle and then clean it well before refilling. You could use boiled water if you are worried!
I can only use distilled water in my CPAP machine. It inhibits bacteria growth. I now make my homeade cleaners with distilled water for this very reason.
Love this! Love the environmental consideration. It really is holistic, isn't it? What comes into our homes goes out of our homes, somehow, eventually. It's good to be mindful of what we bring in, how we use it, and how we dispose of it. Great tips, thanks! 👏💫
Old towels are a must for me! I have cats and a lot of rough cleaning to be done out here in the country. I don't use paper towels much so I cut up and use old ratty towels for all sorts of things. I pretty much wear out and use up every toweling, sheeting or bedding item that comes into this house. I live alone and keep nice sets of towels and bedding items for guests.
The one-time use extra plastic shopping bags are good to take to charities. They use them as shopping bags for their customers. When I have way more than I'll ever use for bathroom trashcan liners, that's what I do. They might not be great, but at least they're getting reused. I use reusable as much as I can, but I still have an overwhelming amount from before I switched over. I literally have a bag of bags for charity. Lol.
useful tips..I am stuggling to get rid of all these things that you mentioned and yes, "might need this" thoughts keep me keeping this things, occupying space and leading me to go feel depression! I am motivated to clean up things and declutter my apartment. For the craft supply and art supply, you are so very right. I love working on craft projects, love oli painting and jewelry making, I have all the leftover stuff and very hard to let that go! My DIL syas, Mom, you can get new stuff when you want to work on a project , just let go this clutter, She is right just as you are right. I will try to make up my mind! 😀 Thanks.
I parted with a bunch of paint I had bought to paint glass (only used it once!). The good thing is, I never missed it. I bet you can even donate to a school for art projects, they'd love to use it 😊
Can you get new stuff all the time though? Craft supplies are expensive! I don't have enough disposable money like that. My craft stuff stays. I've used leftovers many times.
I agree with everything...unfortunately we have to keep reusable bags because colorado banned plastic bags. But we immediately put them backn in the car after grocery day.
About an hour ago I finished packing up all of my CDs to take to the library! I can’t remember the last time I used one. I did take a photo of the playlists of mixtapes people made for me over the years. I’ll download songs I want on my playlist. I’m not attached to physical objects in general, so it’s always a great feeling to get stuff out of the house.
I am guilty of having too many of some of them, especially glasses and cleaning supplies. This video inspires me to de-clutter my house (again). Thanks!
OMG! Can't be without paper towels! Buy them on sale and keep at least 10 rolls on hand. I guarantee that I'm not going to wash one more load of anything, and certainly not something that comes out of the package squeaky clean and ready to use. When I wash anything to be used in the kitchen, I use very hot water and make sure to keep those items separate from the rest of the laundry so as to maintain as hygienic a cloth as possible. I'm lazy, so there's no way on God's green earth I'm going to make extra work for myself. Preserving my time and energy is my priority.
Live in Europe for a little and you see how wasteful americans are-use hand towels, microfiber, etc-20 years ago, they were used for very little. Microfiber cleans SO MUCH BETTER. Look at cleaning teams-they dont use paper towels because they don’t work well.
Bamboo paper towels are wonderful! And you are so right about abandoned craft supplies. I had a few, started more during Covid! , and they take up so much room.
When I first get up, part of the routine is gently bending over the bathtub and combing my hair forward. I then massage my scalp for 30 seconds. This gets rid of so much loose hair and the bathtub hair catcher is cleaned out the next time I have a shower. This saves a lot of work and feels great.
I discovered you and have watched video after video today. You really pulled me in with pointing out microfiber is bad for the environment and with recommending diy natural cleaners. But I subcribed when you said to plant a native garden and you won't need a lawnmower. You are on my wave length!! I've been doing this gradually in my yard for the sake of wildlife, water and fresh air, and the process is almost complete. Once established, many native plants are self-sufficient. And it's beautiful!
Mark all cables w tape and Sharpie. If you have several power cords, say 2 prong female or 3 slot female 110 power cords, put them all in.a ziplock bag. They don't go out of style and very common. Under penalty of death, do the same w keys. Scotch tape over the key w Sharpie. The tape will last quite some time. Use pencil marks on stuff so you don't leave stuff hanging out for years you never touch. Books, magazines, craft stuff, clothes. Piece of paper w the date in a box last time you opened it.
Don't get me started on throw pillows. About 30 years ago, I had a worn couch. Instead of replacing it, I got lots of throw pillows. 30 years later, they are stacked up in a spare bedroom. I can only imagine the dirt, food particles, and dust that perhaps some sort of ultra-violet light would reveal. But I doubt a donation center would want 30 year old throw pillows. So there they sit. I could throw 1 a week away with the normal trash, I suppose.
We're still in a state with free plastic bags. I'll never get rid of mine! They're perfect for bathroom garbage cans and cat litter liners. Free is wonderful!
I really felt it when crafts were mentioned. I have a whole load of paints, card paper, and what not lying around, taking up half the space in my room. I keep thinking I'll use them, but I use such little bits of them that they're not reducing at all. I love the idea of donating the unused stuff to a donation center where it will be used. Thank you!
I have tiny carpets to hide ugly floors, but they're 100% washable rag rugs that are 4.00 at Menard's Also have a scrap rug from Maui in 2012 to stand on after a shower. The puppy took it for herself and she's now going to be 12! Because puppies HAVE TO be in bathroom w you! Trust me on this. I use them for coming in on the sun porch. So dogs don't drag yard filth through the entire house. I don't have any I can't wash.
I recently did a clean out again, and my god it felt good. I donated so much that havent been toutched in years. I have more to go through but it reminded me of about five years ago before a really shitty time for me, and i had 80 clothing items in total!! And happy! I want back to that. 👀
I love being a minimalist makes cleaning the house so much easy you can figure out where all your items are because it’s stored away properly and best thing is I have a shit ton of kitchen gadgets, but I use them all religiously so they’re not going anywhere, but because I don’t have a crap ton of things in my house, they are on a shelf side-by-side nicely placed and I’ve got a five tier shelf times two that They’re all on when I want it. I can go downstairs grab it bring it up and use it, clean it and put it back down! By the way, my quesadilla maker is one of our favorites and also our pizza oven. 4:46
When I moved here (in a hurry) I had a lot of things that shouldn't have been moved; So I found a local vet that used towels and sheets and the like, and hauled them over to them for the animals they took care of. I still had linen for beds I hadn't had for over a decade and didn't fit anything I presently have. I'm keeping the rice cooker; I'll die on that hill. Agreed on the vases; When Mom passed, she had 9, and that was after I'd talked her into getting rid of some. The folks used paper towels, and once those are gone, I'm switching to cloth; Already given cases of those away to family. I'm using dried out wet wipes for napkins; I don't use wet wipes, but might as well use them for something and not replace them. Main reason I'm doing this is so that I can find what I need, when I need it. Moving from a 2200 sq foot home to one that's not quite 1200, its...been interesting.
I recently visited a small store in the middle of nowhere, Colorado. They sold reusable paper towels which were made by the owners daughter. I bought some and LOVE them. I'm excited to save money and space on paper towels.
Today I'm sharing 20+ common things your home does not need! You can declutter these items today. Click here for a clean & tidy home! www.youtube.com/@tarynmaria_?sub_confirmation=1
Items mentioned:
Bambooee paper towels: amzn.to/3Svs3c4
Nutribullet blender: amzn.to/3SeJZpU
Join my mailing list for emails that will make your life easier! eepurl.com/iB2aE2
Decluttering playlist: th-cam.com/video/_St9jcbHTJc/w-d-xo.html
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April >
When my son was in kindergarten I had to buy some fabric for a little project he was doing in class. I put the excess in the bottom of my sewing basket. It's still there. He's now 41.
LOL
This gave me a good laugh - I love it! Thank you for sharing :)
Why is it so hard to get rid of craft supplies?
@heather_rose_ Thats so funny🤣 Thanks for sharing your experience. I found your post so endearing as I am busy decluttering my home as a first time empty nester.
lovethissssss
I periodically box up my old vases and return them to a local flower shop where they can be reused. My florist loves them!
That is so great!!
PErfect recycle !!!
I do the same thing! Our local florist loves receiving them back to reuse.
What a fab ideax
I’ve never thought of taking the vases there.
Reuseable bags live in my car. I only overbuy bags because i left mine at home. Storing them in the car means i have them when im shopping.
Thank you for sharing!! :)
My trunk is full of reusable bags. I always forget to bring them into the store with me.
I have sewn a special bag for them that hangs in my car so they don't fly around in the car. I fold the and fit them and it looks very neat.
Mine stay in a big bag, in the trunk
Use them to haul stuff to the thrift store and leave them there. Oh, she says that later in the video! ❤
I am so much happier after I've decluttered. The feeling of less stuff is SOOO freeing. You just feel light.
So very true!
I used all my plastic grocery bags in my waste baskets! Saves me money 😀😀😀
Me too! And for picking up dog poo. I am mad our grocery store only has paper bags now, which are useless. We just burn them.
I have an old house that used to have a very drafty basement. Our pipes froze a few times in the winter. I took lots of the plastic grocery bags and shoved them into all the cracks. We've never had frozen pipes since.
Yeah but most people get 15 to 30 bags per trip. How many bags per week do you use? How many do you use per week?
How many times do you shop per month?
So many people complained about this issue in my state too. Everyone realized they don’t use that many bags compared to how many they needed. I haven’t bought a bag in MONTHS and I use the ones my brothers buy once in a while and I’ve never been out.
Also if you use the collapsible box bags they carry a lot of items, are organized neatly and don’t kill your hands like the plastic bags. Putting away items are also much faster and you don’t have to deal with the mess of 30 freaking bags.
Overall it benefited our family far more than hindering us.
I never have more than 5 bags per trip, they are neatly in a bag holder in my entry, and I use them regularly. You do you, I’m happy recycling.
I've never had more than 10 bags on a trip, and usually much less. I keep them in a bag holder in my mudroom and use them for trash liners in 5 rooms, trash bags for our cars and picking up dog poo in the yard. They get used!
Love all these suggestions!
My husband and I are in our 70s, and unfortunately we’ve had to buy items like long-handled electric scrub brushes, long-handled reachers/grabbers, safety ladders, and rolling carts to transport items while using a cane, etc.
But, we no longer store items on any of our top shelves (why ask for trouble?). That required a LOT of decluttering.
We are changing our overhead light fixtures to LED ceiling lights - we’ll never change a ceiling bulb again!!!
We got rid of all area rugs, as they are trip hazards, and so much extra work to keep clean.
We’ve really cut down on decor and artwork. It’s so much less work for us now. And our environment is much calmer.
When we want seasonal decor, we usually just display fresh flowers, greens - items found in nature. We come up with a few easy-but-special displays each season.
We’re also going to hire a cleaning service who will come occasionally to clean our “public” rooms only. That means locking anything we don’t want seen or taken into our bedroom closet (bedroom to be locked). This seems like a small chore, but actually requires a lot of thought and effort.
Even though we made these changes because we’re old, I think younger people would appreciate making them, too. After the initial planning and work, home life will be easier, simpler, and safer.
Great advice 😊
Love this - thank you so much for all of the advice! 😊
I am in the process of doing the same thing. I think the kids think I am crazy. But I am enjoying my home MUCH better now!!
Amazing!!@@embr4065
You can have more kitchen cabinet space by cutting down on highly-processed and high-carb food. I no longer waste space on boxes of pasta, packages of rice, baking mixes, loaves of bread, or junk food. My freezer has much more space without frozen pizzas and more junk food. I don’t have single-use appliances either. Cooking is so much easier and I truly enjoy feeling good about what I eat. It’s taken over a year to make the transition, but I will never go back.
Once I've moved into apartment where previous residents left about 100 dry clean clothes hangers. I've collected all of the and returned to a closest dry clean. They were very happy 🙂
That's amazing!
Brilliant 👍🏽
Those things are nasty. They are so thin they poke divots in all the clothes you hang on them. Then they bend and break.
I take mine back in.
@@forannies sure, come to visit
I need small toiletries. They are a blessing for any food bank or homeless shelter. I collect them and give them away in the homeless kits I make
That’s fantastic!
We brought all of ours to a Church that was making up Bags for the Homeless people with Toiletries, Clothing, Socks, Shoes, Snackbars, Foods, few Btls of Water, Pocket Bibles, some of us typed, printed cards or letters to put in Bags too etc... (NO $ because they might use for Alcohol, Drugs, Gambling and that is exactly what some of them said to us, that they didn't want any Temptation that made them Homeless in the 1st place)! It was so very sad 😢 there was so many more than we thought! GOD BLESS US ALL EVERYWHERE, EVERYONE BLESS GOD!
AMEN 🙏🙏🙏 😇
Great idea , wonderful ❤️
I also do bags for the homeless ministry I volunteer with! It's such a blessing to help the homeless!
My granddaughters use them to wash plastic baby dolls, lol. Keeps them busy.
I love sea shells, one way I display them is to put them in vases. It makes me happy.
Love that!!
And our homes are for keeping us happy right on
Yes love seashells
I purchased a very large glass bowl at thrift to put all the sea shells in as we collect them from the beach...it's an excellent family memory 😍
❤
We do have a popcorn machine and I gave it to my now teenage son's when they were really little as they got to school age they could easily and safely make popcorn for themselves with no oil etc. Best investment ever and it was used so much for school dances, parties, sleepovers, snacks and movie nights. They still love it
Awesome!
I love my popcorn maker too!
We have a plastic microwave popcorn bowl. It gets a lot of use. But really no need for a popcorn maker with heating element etc.
I will never get rid of my rice maker. Using the stove requires me to watch it carefully. The steamer can be left alone and has auto shut off. To each his own.
Thanks for sharing!
I love my rice maker! Use it ALL the time
Same! You can pry that thing from my cold, dead hands! A pot on the stove is the worst! X'D
Agreed .
Steamer guarantee rice perfection .
@@7Write4This9Heart7your killing me smalls 🤣🤣🤣
I love paper towels!!! Never getting rid of those!!
I use microfiber cloths and sponges, fabric napkins. I use 1 roll of paper towels every 2-3 months. When you live in Europe, you learn quickly how to conserve.
I need paper towels to dry the fish on before I dust it with flour before pan frying. Using a tea towel is possible but that also creates more laundry.
@@juliehock6059 Paper towels are so handy for so many things. Especially using them to clean the toilet subfaces and things like that,. Much more sanitary.
@@abbeygrantham1191 I keep a tub of Dettol antibacterial Wet wipes in my toilet room. Wipe all surfaces, door handles and light switch with them - done.
Yeah, not cleaning up cat messes with cloths. Ick. lol
I collected those vases for some reason and gave them to a wedding planner who does decor on the cheap. Was glad she could use them.
Great idea!
Awesome 👏🏿
Stained towels are awesome to soak up water dripping from your tires in the garage. For those of us who live in cold climates. Also, I use them when my kids are sick and I don’t want them to vomit on their bed. If they vomit, I can throw the towel out or I can wash it.
I use stained towel for when I dye my hair and older towels for my pets.
Yes agree only get rid of towels if they are ripped or have holes when then I use them to clean then throw out
I recycle them for rags I use.
I would cover the child's pillow with a towel, just in case, but don't recall it getting soiled, the child can use a plastic bowl set by their bedside or by their pillow.
@@sparra3819 Use a stainless steel bowl. Use as little plastic, especially for children, as possible. Stainless steel bowls are lightweight.
It also helps to tell the people in your life that you are trying to declutter and downsize. So much of my clutter ended up in my apartment in the form of birthday and Christmas gifts. I had to tell my friends and family that I had no more room or need for another bottle of perfume, or lotion, or large kitchen items (unless I specifically requested them). I don't want any more decorative tins. I live in a NYC apartment and don't have unlimited space. People may not like the idea of gift wish lists for the holidays, but I have found them to be SO helpful. Instead of getting a million more T-shirts I have nowhere to store, I now get things I actually need/want. I'm also happy with gifts that take up no room, like tickets to a show or something edible. And I try to be just as mindful when giving gifts, especially to people with kids.
So true, and I totally love the idea of wishlists for gifts! So so much better to give, and receive gifts that people will find useful and that they will want 😊
I recently told my son that I no longer want any "Stuff". His choices of gifts since I told him that has improved greatly. 🤩
I did this too. Where I struggle is I've especially told people not to buy me house plants .... but I keep getting them. The damn things won't die and just keep flowering so will have to put my big girl pants on and give them away. A shame as many are stunning but there are too many.
Absolutely! You give a couple of things to charity, then people give you more "stuff". It's a nightmare.
Wine bottle opener is still needed... Not all wines are twist top, just the cheaper ones.
Not for me. Only own one.
Yeah - I thought that one could be iffy :)
Indeed, only the very cheapest are!
Just came to say the same thing! And I own several and use them!😂
But only if you actually drink wine lol.
I do use plastic bags and paper towels because I do have a cat.
Yup, makes sense!
Cords and chargers - I take a 1” piece of painters tape and fold together around cord then label with perm marker. So much less stressful when something needs charging vs going through 3-4 chargers to find the one that fits.
Great idea!!
I just use a Sharpie to write on the charger.
yes I label mine when I buy something new. Otherwise it's a nightmare matching them up.
This is exactly what I do. Been doing this for a few years and it really helps with the stress of cables. Those that aren't labelled because they have no use (or I have a LOT of them, lol) get tossed.
Just a gentle reminder... please dont donate broken items, items you would not buy, or worn out. Donation centers throw out 75% of donations. Please dont make more work for them.
Thank you for the reminder! :)
One man's trash is another man's treasure. There are many people who shop at donation centers for broken items that they can restore, re-purpose, or use as parts for other items. Not everyone is looking to only buy yoga pants with tags on them.
@user-yx9sp3sq8p I think you missed the point. They throw away 75% of the donations they get. Im a drug and alcohol first contact for the Salvation Army, it's not just yoga pants they save. The amount of trash they get is wasting their time, when they could be restocking shelves with actual items people want.
@user-yx9sp3sq8p Check with the place you're donating to first. I run a charity shop in the UK and we have a lot of rules about what we can and can't sell. If it's broken it can't be sold.
@@TerryWThomas oh come on now, don't be such a dick.
I work at a place where we've got a lot of donations & like @paisleyhunter said, we need to get rid of 75% of it, sometimes even more. Plus we have pay for the dispostion. Money that we could spend much more wisely.
Never spend something you wouldn't like to use when in need.
It's not about yoga pants without tags, it's about awfully ripped clothes, dirty faded underwear, electrical devices without plugs, jackets without zippers & so much more.
We try to look at as many donations as possible before handing them in so that we don't have to dispose of too much unusable scrap.
You aren't a hero for spending rubbish.
Even poor people have a dignity that needs to be respected.
Wherever you take your donations in kind, we aren't a garbage dump where you exchange your waste for a clear conscience.
So happy that almost all those things had already been decluttered in my home.
Awesome!
We live on an half acre, so a lawnmower is a must. A native garden is a lovely idea for a small yard but if you live in a subdivision that has an HOA, it would be a defiinite no-no.
Yep, definitely not possible in some areas (esp. with some of those HOAs!)
@@tarynmaria_ Really annoying
if you have threatened species of plants they cant legally tell you no from what I know! I'd totally plant endangered species if you want a native yard
Yeah, we have an acre.
Exactly! If the HOA requires a grass lawn, even if you can plant flower beds, a lawn mower is necessary.
I liked the way that you went through them all, quickly and clearly. No long intros or waffle. Nice
Thank you!
Love how direct and fast you get to the point! If someone doesn’t get to the point quickly I just scroll on. Love your channel!
Yay! Thank you so much!
I eliminated the clutter and the house is soothing and elegant now.
Amazing!
Good list. I never even remembered I have that stuff, stuck in a cabinet, until you mentioned it. I’m trying to declutter, if for no other reason than to cut down on daily decision making: less stuff, less options. Less options, less anxiety.
That is the perfect "why" for decluttering! Wishing you luck!
My family and I eat a lot of rice, so in my house, a rice cooker is an absolute MUST! I couldn’t function without one.
When moving to Hawaii I was told on the way to my new home stop by the store to buy a rice cooker. Yup! Did that.
Same. Rice cooker is a recommend. One of the few extra appliances I use. Everyone I know lives their rice maker.
Maybe it's different, but I buy a bag of Basmati Rice & keep in the freezer. When I want a pot of rice for my Hubby & me, I measure out a cup into a pot, wash/rinse several times to remove excess starch, measure appropriate amount of water, add a little butter, some salt, stir, set on range, set on Medium High, KEEP AN EYE ON IT JUST A FEW MINUTES UNTIL STARTS TO SIMMER, lower heat to low, cover with lid & just a few minutes later water is all absorbed & rice is tender ready - so easy - & I don't need another appliance.
every pan is a rice cooker
Exactly! Rice is the easiest thing to cook and any pot will do.
Thank you for mentioning native plants!!! Totally agree with the uselessness of lawns and the obsession about "maintaining" them -- typically with toxic products. I became part of the less-lawn/no-lawn movement almost 10 yrs ago and love the beauty of my native plantings (trees, shrubs, perennials). The huge variety of insects (dragonflies), pollinators and wildlife that share my mini-ecosystem is so wondrous to watch!
Love that!!!!
25 years ago I got tired of grass, called a garden center and has them come out and plant all the white pine and lilacs that could reasonably fit on my property. Took a few years for them to reach the size needed but the shade they now throw has murdered my grass via a thick bed of pine needles. My one acre of grass is now down to a small opening in the back and front and a narrow strip along the street. Takes ten minutes to mow the front in the summer. I only mow the back maybe twice a year with a weed whacker. .
I have a mini clover lawn
@@gialollobrigida1713 It is invasive and like ,y chickweed fights to colonize the other 3/4s of my backyard
where do your kids play?
I am a custodian in an elementary school. The amount of small rugs, lamps, nick-knacks, twinkle lights, banners, posters, welcome mats, etc are ridiculous. We are only contracted to clean the permanent classrooms items (floors, doors, cubbies, etc) and the teachers never clean their extras. It leads to an extremely dirty, dusty, cluttered environment. They are always stressed, but I think the work environment they have created adds to this.
It could be! Thank you for letting me know sharing! 😊
There’s no question clutter equals anxiety.
I have noticed this since my child started school 25 years ago. Classrooms are too cluttered. There's too much visual simulation. It wasn't like this when I was a child in the 1960s.
@@kamwatkins1957 bring this up to the principal of the school and suggest some changes
Kitchen and bath mats are a must for me.
Same with bathmat here, but that's because the floor is so cold and slippery, I can not stand in the bathroom without a mat.
Kitchenmat though... I don't even want to think about it. The floor in the kitchen is somehow always disgusting and luckily easy to wipe.
My dogs love to curl up on the kitchen mat.
I had a yard sale and had so many reusable grocery bags that I gave one to anyone who bought something. People really loved the surprise of having a bag to carry their items in!
What a great idea!
PLUS--having a yard sale gets rid of your extra clutter and it's always good to have that extra money !
I’ve done this too!! It’s such a great way to give away excess bags, of which I have way too many.
I colour my own hair so the old towels are very handy. Great vid btw. Well done
Thank you so much!
Indeed! I color my own hair too. You definitely have to have extra towels
TY for being so straight forward and to the point! I purge a year , every 6 months, everything in my apt. It is a great " Ahhhhhhh" to get rid of the "crap" I thought I needed!
Thank you so much!
Rice cooker is the one appliance that I couldn’t live without. 😂😂😂 I move every couple or so years, and I always bring my old one if I’m moving domestically, if I move out of the country to a new place, I make sure to buy a new one.
Same here - I know you can technically make rice in a pot but I can never get it right 🥹 the rice maker does it perfect every single time without me needing to look over it.
My son loves making rice for himself lol@@choconutbiscuit
Exactly. When I make rice in a pot, I invariably burn it. I let my daughter take our rice cooker when she moved out last year and lasted about a month before buying a new one.
😮not parting with my rice cooker! Nope! Never!
I LOVE the cooked Aldi rice!! It's SO nice! I'd just beg they make a RECYCLABLE container, and not those useless pouches! You can't even put kitchen trash in them! (Peels, wrappers, pits, things like that), because they don't zip. .
3 minutes in and thank you for talking about throw pillows. My house has too many of them and it's time i declutter them 😊😊
I can't quit throw pillows!
My bed used to be the worst offender! 😊
I get the idea of throw pillows on the couch (and you are right, the number does indeed matter, I have two, I have a tiny couch). But I never got the memo why we should have them on the bed.
Watching this video was eye-opening-I never thought about how many unnecessary items I have in my home that just take up space. I can totally relate to the idea of minimalism and simplifying life. I'm definitely going to start decluttering and getting rid of things I don't need anymore after seeing this.
That's awesome, Patti! I will say - if you have things that you actually need, use and love - then definitely keep them! This list is just to give some ideas on things that we sometimes hang on to that we can let go of :) it's a process!
@@tarynmaria_ Yeah! thanks😉
Thank you for talking about native gardens! This is something ive been working slowly at over the years, each year i add it greatly reduces mowing and looks amazing!
That’s so awesome!! 🤩
Spouse and I are retirees and have a combination native (California) garden and some other plants that I love/want (some, like rosemary and lavendar, might as well be California natives - others, like roses, not so much) . When my children were little, I just kept grass around their outdoor play structure. The grassy area was so limited that my gardener just used a weed wacker to keep it under control.
You are definitely right about the waste of space of having a different types of glasses for every beverage. While I’m a big believer in rags, I’m not ready to give up paper towels.
Love the idea of keeping lids on storage containers. Helps keep me from panicking and buying more.
So true! :)
Hi from the UK. I totally agree with you. We all need to look at what we really need as opposed to what we want? Give, recycle ,sell on, donate, ... Depending on the situation of oneself...❤
Thank you so much! ❤
Seeing as I have mobility issues, I don't have throw rugs and I recently got rid of my bathroom rug and just use an old bath towel instead.
I didn’t get a rice cooker until I was in my 50s and I absolutely love it. It’s a game changer. No more burnt rice and it stays warm until dinner is ready.
Thank you for sharing!
I'm not a cook, but weirdly I can do rice. Taking it off the burner as it absorbs the water helps me.
8:20 Professional gardener here. "Native" garden beds as well as other beds often need more time and effort to weed, trim, mulch and keep problem free than a simple climate suited lawn. Even artificial turf often needs weeding. If lawn grows ok without feeding or much extra water, the occasional mow can be less hassle than native beds.
Thanks for sharing!
Okay, as long as the grass requires very little water. I have yet to see a lawn that requires little water. We need to conserve water.
And people put all those chemicals on grass lawns and it's also monoculture which is bad for the environment. Every professional landscapers you say you are should know that.
We all need to be moving to more native landscaping. Maybe not the whole yard but definitely need to start looking at that. I only have a small area of yard and I'm steadily overseeding it with clover and it's working great. Much less care and no need to spray a whole bunch of chemicals and kill off our environment
@@altereddogmaif you live in a wet climate believe me there is no need to water the grass.
I learned the hard way. Put in shrubs and flowers to replace yard. Now I am almost 90 and have no one to help maintain the yard. Grass and weeds invade via wind and birds. Regret is a late warning.
Dear GOD !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! I SOOOOOO need this video!!!!!!!!!
I could open a craft store in my house!
Also,,, a pots and pans store, casserole dishes ??? yep!
plastic dishes and storage containers ? You betcha!
a bedspread and quilt store, pillows too !
Linnens galore !!! some I've never used or even taken out of the packaging
a sewing supply store, (!!!) I own 4 machines and I can barely sew a hem.
a decoupage store (you would not believe the decorative paper supply I own)
a silk scarf store ! a jewelry store ! ( I actually have a jewelry closet, it's a walk in !)))
a sporting goods store:tennis, golf, skiing (snow), swimming, athletic gear
pocket book and purses, by the scores !
sunglasses
beach bags,
and don't even get me started on all the e n d l e s s tech stuff. not to mention THE CORDS !!!!
I have all this because,,,"Someday I might need this ,,,,,,,,,,,,,"
And yes ..... I also have a therapist. She is helping me get rid of my shit,,, !!!!
Thank you for sharing!! I hear you on all of this STUFF!! :)
Maybe gift some if it to family💗
Sounds like your kiddos have grown up, flew the nest. That's a good time to downsize things in the house that you don't need so much of anymore. My kids took some and others I gave away. Just like we did all this shopping when starting out, now we don't need the same things anymore. I keep what I like. If it's 20 pillows so be it.
One day I realized how much I had and that I ran out of space, thinking I needed a larger space (!). Suddenly I realized how much money I’d wasted buying things I didn’t actually need. What if I had actually saved all that money? It was mindlessness. Really think about what you use and discard/donate the balance. You’ll be lighter mentally and emotionally and probably wealthier in the long term.
Hi! Homeless shelters can always use the cooking supplies! Many other things too but that's a constant need
Great motivation to declutter. I started switching out my lawn for rocks and flowers last year. It's prettier, can't say it's less work, but the pops of color and hard combined with softness is peaceful and pretty. Thanks for your channel
That is so great, I love that!!
Taryn, thank you! We are at a similar stage of the process of decluttering towards minimalism. I agree with every item you've suggested. If anyone is reading this and is unsure whether you can live without those throw pillows and fancy glasses (or anything else she suggests here), you can!! We also use mason jars to drink out of and we store our foods in the fridge inside them and use them to take food to work. Saves us so much time and dishes! Enjoy your day, and thanks for the video!
Thank you so much for the great comment and the words of encouragement to others! Have a great day!!
Good ideas :)
If you have pets, keep at least 1 roll of paper towels handy. Reusing a cloth after cleaning up pet messes is kinda gross & unsanitary. (You can use TP, but it's pricey.)
Yes! Thank you!
Yes that is what I keep mine for mostly.. my dogs like to eat grass or have upset tummies on occasion definitely better than anything else to pick up that yack. Anna In Ohio
Most of this happens because we've had 'waste not, want not' drilled into us, along with 'save it for a rainy day' and 'keep a spare, just in case.' :)
Very true!
Yeah, I declutter every month, and my husband thinks soon we won't be having any more things in the house to use. But honestly, there are things that just sit around for ages, but my husband would ask for it as soon as I got rid of it. So weird!
Too funny!!!
I've stopped listening to music that have -too much words in-, and this have improved my life fr. Ppl don't think twice about how much music actually impact our thoughts, like majority of the lyrics are negative and toxic
YES! And TV shows too!! 100 percent. Thank you for sharing!
I agree! I'm so glad that others notice this too. Thanks for your content, it's helpful
This is really important!
What kind of music do you listen to that's toxic. I listen to 40's through the 70's.
Only rap music is crappy!
I am a practicalist - the things I try to surround myself with are the things that get used all the time, or that genuinely make me feel happy for some reason or another. The clutter enemies are those things that 1) I don’t want (why keep them?) 2) don’t need (who am I fooling?) 3) don’t use (may have been bought with good intentions, but why suffer the clutter?). As a senior I have for many years been doing a slow motion decluttering - it’s wonderful to reclaim open space. I have been steadily rehoming all the useless to me stuff so that my family won’t have that burden when I’m gone. It’s also more enjoyable not to be weighed down with an excess lifetime accumulation.
Thank you for sharing!
@Thomas. Swedish death cleaning. I've been decluttering for more than 20 years. 67 is my age. We inherited a lot from various sources. Many were dishware. Furniture. Our house was overly cluttered with inherited items. Even though they may have had some value, I had to look at my future. I saw things that I had that I knew that none of my children would want. As well as grandchildren. So I gradually sold., gave away, gave to friends and family, donated, and the house is much neater looking now and I've given some people things that they will really treasure. I I know my grandchildren and my daughters have no interest in dishware from the '40s and thirties. I liked it. I remembered my grandma using it. But now they won't have any memories that associate much with that. I did use some of the dishwares at Thanksgiving time. There's more to be said about that but I just have a much cleaner house now with far far less stuff
@@bmarieluvstheearth3879 Yay - that's the spirit! What has happened is that when many of us were young we didn't have that much stuff, certainly not fine china or silverware and it was a big deal to receive these treasures in an inheritance. But times have changed and modern families have no interest in fine china collections or real silver or gold silverware (for special occasions to show off) . Same for furniture. I can remember receiving some beautiful rosewood furniture from a great grandmother that were old when she got them. They didn't fit with anything I had, and so off to the antique store they went. I see these things show up on Antiques Roadshow and as much as I might remember seeing them and enjoying them in relatives homes when I was young, they hold close to zero interest from today's young adults.
Oh now I'm watching your mindful meditation while cleaning video. I'm so there with you!!! My love language is Acts of Service so I really do like cleaning and cooking for others. It doesn't have to be a chore!
Yay, I love that! And I think that is my love language too!!
I bring all of my old vases to the florist . I just brought in about 15 vases after getting for my bday , etc . They welcome the vases and give me fresh flowers in exchange.
Our apartment building has a special room near the entrance door where people can leave things for the free use of others wherever they declutter or move away.
So smart!
Most wines are twist off? Girl, what wine are you drinking? 😅
Haha I don’t even know 😂
Most of the wines I drink are with corks. The wine corks remover doesn't take up much space at all to keep
Real, quality wine is always corked.
Screw top wine is usually cheap rubbish....sort of alcohol we bought for student parties....half a century ago.😂
Uh…
@@catrionamacfarlane4949 bs. Not NZ or Australian wines. We don’t import cork.
I use Dawn dishwasher liquid for nearly everything, including the toilet. If it's safe enough to wash oil-soaked birds, it's safe enough to clean my house.
I so agree!
Aurikatarina, the Finnish cleaner, says that for most things, you only need dishsoap for the grease and vinegar for the limescale.
@margaret… Oil-soaked birds? When was the most recent oil tanker spill that resulted in oil-soaked birds?
@@gwarlow I think you can google that for yourself. How long ago it was has nothing to do with the fact that Dawn is what was used to clean them.
@@gwarlow Have you seen shell's situation, by any chance? In Africa? Look at the documentary.
This is such a great list - totally bookmarking this. Mystery cords and cables are the bane of my existence! And I’m scared to throw them away since I don’t know what they go to lol. I love my popcorn maker, but totally have too many drinking glasses and reusable bags - your list felt customized for me!
Awesome I’m so glad!!
NYC no longer routinely hands out plastic grocery bags in stores, so I hang onto all the ones I can get from street fruit/vegetable vendors and doggie bags, to use for throwing out kitty litter. I always have a modest stock. I can always find uses for the reusable shopping totes, and have enough that I can give them away freely.
One thing i did was get storage containers that all use the same lid. All are square, the same dimensions except for the height. So, all the different size containers use the same lid. All the containers stack, and all the lids stack and seat within each other. I've used this system for over a decade because it works so well.
Great idea!
if you learn how to sew with Terry cloth you can Cut up the old sad towels and turned them in to wash cloths, cleaning cloths. if you're going to give up paper towels, you're gonna need something to replace them and you don't have to go out and buy some thing!
You could salvage the good parts of towels and create a cool turban with a seam or two and a piece of elastic looped on the back. You can make cute hooded towels for babies, maybe dye it, if it's discolored. If you ever have a pipe burst in your house, as we did in multiple places, having a stash of towels is a great thing to prevent a big problem from becoming huge. I'm all in favor of donating things to animal shelters and to people who are fostering dogs. But don't overlook these other great opportunities!
I confess I save my old towels for when the plumber comes. They also frequently seem to need a shallow dish to catch drips from the radiators as they work on them.
I use my towels for making adult bibs. I have a disability and use them but they would be good to make and donate to a nursing home.
@@debramccafferty2918 - Heck, they would be good for me! I’ve been known to tuck cloth napkins into my purse when I know I’m going to a restaurant in a nice outfit. 🤣🤣🤣 and I figure that Cutting a slightly ridiculous figure is worth saving my outfits!
Spot on... never seen such a great list!!!!
Thank you so much!!
If you can’t use vinegar in your homemade cleaner because of natural surfaces, use isopropyl alcohol instead and absolutely only distilled water, otherwise with water and soap alone, you’re likely turning your spray bottle into a Petrie dish. If you don’t like the smell, add some alcohol-based essential oils like lemon verbena, lavender or eucalyptus.
Awesome, thank you for sharing that recipe!
Besides, the vinegar smell dissipates quickly.
I feel like part of the club here. I have old walkmans (like 1980s), Hummel figurines, plates from Gma before she passed, a collection of radios I never use, old silverware that I had when I first moved into an apartment....I have to declutter.
It's the sentimental stuff that's hard.
Awww - well keep your sentimental stuff and start with the things you don't care as much about. That's the easiest way!
A suggestion for sentimental items: take a photo, write a memory, put in a notebook (just one), send the item off to donation or discard/pass on. Eventually even the notebook may no longer be relevant.
Another solution is to regard what you have in your house as not being a problem, so none of it matters. Saves a lot of time.
yes this
Love this! 😂
😂yes
I have read this comment a few times and it is over my head. I want to understand, can you explain differently?
She means: why bother? Just let things be. Dont declutter.
Absolutely correct on all these items. I laughed when you went through these items as nearly every home doesn't need them. Great and wise video. I wish you well.
Thank you so much!
Love the tip about making your own cleaner. Don't know where I heard this but it was recommended to use distilled water to avoid bacteria, etc. in plain water that could be harmful over time. Have you ever heard this?
I have heard this! I think it becomes a problem if you make the cleaner and then have it around for a long time (like many weeks or months). The way I get around it is I'll make a small amount every time I clean and I'll use it up in a couple of days and that seems to work!
I also make up my own cleaners using mainly plain tap water plus white vinegar, isopropyl alcohol, washing up liquid etc in varying amounts.
I use up one bottle and then clean it well before refilling.
You could use boiled water if you are worried!
Good idea! Thank you!@@twittlypoo
I can only use distilled water in my CPAP machine. It inhibits bacteria growth. I now make my homeade cleaners with distilled water for this very reason.
Love this! Love the environmental consideration. It really is holistic, isn't it? What comes into our homes goes out of our homes, somehow, eventually. It's good to be mindful of what we bring in, how we use it, and how we dispose of it. Great tips, thanks! 👏💫
You are so welcome! 😊
I keep the vases and buy friends fresh flowers on special occasions and give them in the vase. Repurposed!!
I love that!
You had me at native garden. I plan to do this when I buy my future home. Best recommendation of all.
PS I love gardening.
Ahhh love that! I love gardening too!!
Old towels are a must for me! I have cats and a lot of rough cleaning to be done out here in the country. I don't use paper towels much so I cut up and use old ratty towels for all sorts of things. I pretty much wear out and use up every toweling, sheeting or bedding item that comes into this house. I live alone and keep nice sets of towels and bedding items for guests.
Thank you for sharing!
in my bathroom counter surface and showers/tubs, there is hair. i use paper towels to pick up the hair .
You are so brave - thank you for the common sense and inspiration 👍
Brave?
The one-time use extra plastic shopping bags are good to take to charities. They use them as shopping bags for their customers. When I have way more than I'll ever use for bathroom trashcan liners, that's what I do. They might not be great, but at least they're getting reused. I use reusable as much as I can, but I still have an overwhelming amount from before I switched over. I literally have a bag of bags for charity. Lol.
Great idea - thank you for sharing!
useful tips..I am stuggling to get rid of all these things that you mentioned and yes, "might need this" thoughts keep me keeping this things, occupying space and leading me to go feel depression! I am motivated to clean up things and declutter my apartment. For the craft supply and art supply, you are so very right. I love working on craft projects, love oli painting and jewelry making, I have all the leftover stuff and very hard to let that go! My DIL syas, Mom, you can get new stuff when you want to work on a project , just let go this clutter, She is right just as you are right. I will try to make up my mind! 😀 Thanks.
I parted with a bunch of paint I had bought to paint glass (only used it once!). The good thing is, I never missed it. I bet you can even donate to a school for art projects, they'd love to use it 😊
Can you get new stuff all the time though? Craft supplies are expensive! I don't have enough disposable money like that. My craft stuff stays. I've used leftovers many times.
I agree with everything...unfortunately we have to keep reusable bags because colorado banned plastic bags. But we immediately put them backn in the car after grocery day.
I wish we could do that too - I left mine in the car once, and someone broke our window! But it is a great idea! 😊
About an hour ago I finished packing up all of my CDs to take to the library! I can’t remember the last time I used one. I did take a photo of the playlists of mixtapes people made for me over the years. I’ll download songs I want on my playlist. I’m not attached to physical objects in general, so it’s always a great feeling to get stuff out of the house.
I still have a bunch of DVDs I need to donate - I love that you can take them to the library, I am going to look into that!
I use all the plastic bags that they give me for poop bags so I don't have to buy them 😂
The daycare that I work out always needs plastic bags - we reuse them for clothes that have to be sent home soiled.....
The few I have come in handy. Glad I held on to them.
I use the plastic grocery bags as a trash bag in the small bathroom trash cans and also for my dog’s poop bag. Saves me money in two ways.
kinda big for poop
@@amitisshahbanu5642 ah no It's the perfect size because I have a gigantic 108 lb German Shepherd, I have four German Shepherds all together.
I am guilty of having too many of some of them, especially glasses and cleaning supplies. This video inspires me to de-clutter my house (again). Thanks!
You are so welcome!
WOW paper towels!! I can’t live without paper towels I use them every moment I wash my hands cleaning
Not me - washable towels all the way!
Yeah I know to each their own 😀 nice video I certainly enjoyed watching and also will be doing a lot of what you have suggested thanks for sharing!
Awesome, thank you so much!@@sadie4289
OMG! Can't be without paper towels! Buy them on sale and keep at least 10 rolls on hand. I guarantee that I'm not going to wash one more load of anything, and certainly not something that comes out of the package squeaky clean and ready to use. When I wash anything to be used in the kitchen, I use very hot water and make sure to keep those items separate from the rest of the laundry so as to maintain as hygienic a cloth as possible. I'm lazy, so there's no way on God's green earth I'm going to make extra work for myself. Preserving my time and energy is my priority.
Live in Europe for a little and you see how wasteful americans are-use hand towels, microfiber, etc-20 years ago, they were used for very little. Microfiber cleans SO MUCH BETTER. Look at cleaning teams-they dont use paper towels because they don’t work well.
Bamboo paper towels are wonderful! And you are so right about abandoned craft supplies. I had a few, started more during Covid! , and they take up so much room.
Yes! Love my bamboo paper towels too!
Needed these videos thanks . Clutter accumulates and most of the things I accumulate I dont use.
I hear you! Thank you so much!
@@tarynmaria_ thank you for your tips.
When I first get up, part of the routine is gently bending over the bathtub and combing my hair forward. I then massage my scalp for 30 seconds. This gets rid of so much loose hair and the bathtub hair catcher is cleaned out the next time I have a shower. This saves a lot of work and feels great.
Thanks for sharing!!
Tiny carpets. Would that be a mat? 🤣🤣🤣🤣
Finally found someone with some sense on decluttering. 👍 functional decor best advice for me.
Thank you!
Donate those small toiletries to the homeless. They do appreciate them.
Thank you!
I discovered you and have watched video after video today. You really pulled me in with pointing out microfiber is bad for the environment and with recommending diy natural cleaners. But I subcribed when you said to plant a native garden and you won't need a lawnmower. You are on my wave length!! I've been doing this gradually in my yard for the sake of wildlife, water and fresh air, and the process is almost complete. Once established, many native plants are self-sufficient. And it's beautiful!
Love it!!! I'm so glad you're here and your garden sounds amazing!!
Mark all cables w tape and Sharpie. If you have several power cords, say 2 prong female or 3 slot female 110 power cords, put them all in.a ziplock bag. They don't go out of style and very common.
Under penalty of death, do the same w keys. Scotch tape over the key w Sharpie. The tape will last quite some time.
Use pencil marks on stuff so you don't leave stuff hanging out for years you never touch. Books, magazines, craft stuff, clothes. Piece of paper w the date in a box last time you opened it.
Thank you for sharing these tips!!
Great post ... even in just getting people to view things differently. I'm now wondering about converting my lawn ....
Love it! Thank you so much for watching!
Don't get me started on throw pillows. About 30 years ago, I had a worn couch. Instead of replacing it, I got lots of throw pillows. 30 years later, they are stacked up in a spare bedroom. I can only imagine the dirt, food particles, and dust that perhaps some sort of ultra-violet light would reveal. But I doubt a donation center would want 30 year old throw pillows. So there they sit. I could throw 1 a week away with the normal trash, I suppose.
Paper towels are very useful for everything even when I'm running out of toilet paper it's great to used!
We're still in a state with free plastic bags. I'll never get rid of mine! They're perfect for bathroom garbage cans and cat litter liners. Free is wonderful!
In Canada we have banned all single use plastic. Everyone has adapted easily to bringing their own bags or purchasing paper ones.
Nothing is really free. Those plastic bags come with a price to pay downstream, for everyone.
@@altereddogma Thanks for pointing this out. Cheers.😊
I really felt it when crafts were mentioned. I have a whole load of paints, card paper, and what not lying around, taking up half the space in my room. I keep thinking I'll use them, but I use such little bits of them that they're not reducing at all. I love the idea of donating the unused stuff to a donation center where it will be used. Thank you!
You are so welcome!
I have tiny carpets to hide ugly floors, but they're 100% washable rag rugs that are 4.00 at Menard's Also have a scrap rug from Maui in 2012 to stand on after a shower. The puppy took it for herself and she's now going to be 12! Because puppies HAVE TO be in bathroom w you! Trust me on this.
I use them for coming in on the sun porch. So dogs don't drag yard filth through the entire house.
I don't have any I can't wash.
Puppies definitely have to be in the bathroom! So cute!
I recently did a clean out again, and my god it felt good. I donated so much that havent been toutched in years. I have more to go through but it reminded me of about five years ago before a really shitty time for me, and i had 80 clothing items in total!! And happy! I want back to that. 👀
Love it, great job!
FYI Toast people. If your toaster breaks, just use a frying pan for a few minutes on either side. No oil or butter or anything needed. :D
Great idea!!
I love being a minimalist makes cleaning the house so much easy you can figure out where all your items are because it’s stored away properly and best thing is I have a shit ton of kitchen gadgets, but I use them all religiously so they’re not going anywhere, but because I don’t have a crap ton of things in my house, they are on a shelf side-by-side nicely placed and I’ve got a five tier shelf times two that They’re all on when I want it. I can go downstairs grab it bring it up and use it, clean it and put it back down! By the way, my quesadilla maker is one of our favorites and also our pizza oven. 4:46
Sounds awesome, great job!!
When I moved here (in a hurry) I had a lot of things that shouldn't have been moved; So I found a local vet that used towels and sheets and the like, and hauled them over to them for the animals they took care of. I still had linen for beds I hadn't had for over a decade and didn't fit anything I presently have. I'm keeping the rice cooker; I'll die on that hill. Agreed on the vases; When Mom passed, she had 9, and that was after I'd talked her into getting rid of some. The folks used paper towels, and once those are gone, I'm switching to cloth; Already given cases of those away to family. I'm using dried out wet wipes for napkins; I don't use wet wipes, but might as well use them for something and not replace them. Main reason I'm doing this is so that I can find what I need, when I need it. Moving from a 2200 sq foot home to one that's not quite 1200, its...been interesting.
Great job downsizing, it's not easy. Thank you for sharing!
I recently visited a small store in the middle of nowhere, Colorado. They sold reusable paper towels which were made by the owners daughter. I bought some and LOVE them. I'm excited to save money and space on paper towels.
That is awesome!
@@shirleyhall1924 Does the daughter own a paper factory?
@@josephineananda no she makes them out of cloth
@@shirleyhall1924 Then they are not paper towels.
I never thought of using my steam cleaner on the wall. I'll try it.
It’s great in bedrooms and bathrooms!