THANK YOU for watching, we're SO grateful for you!!! See the replays from our Fall Guest Series here (including a fun visit with Cas from Clutterbug!): www.ithinkwecouldbefriends.com/2020/11/10/fall-guest-series/ I hope you have a really good day!!! - Dawn
Thank you, Dawn! I get stuck on the first question - am I capable? I subconsciously want to do things perfectly, but I know I'm not capable of doing things perfectly, so I don't do them.
WOW much needed... Also, I know it has been an escape for me... I love vicariously through you and others... because I don’t have the energy and pain overwhelms me! Thank you for :MY DOPAMINE RUSH! 😆
@@heidilarson5109 I tell clients "Progress" over "Perfection"... Strive to just doing a bit at a time... Maybe that will help you?! Have a great day. Blessings.
Dawn, I am not a minimalist. I am probably a maximalist. I am not even really trying to declutter right now. But you know what? I just like you. And I especially like that you let everyone be themselves. You do not push. You just offer. I like that.
I have to share this positive decluttering story from today. I’d purged through my Christmas decorations (though I was bummed I couldn’t get it down to one tote like Dawn!) and decided in advance to donate it to a family that couldn’t afford decorations this year. I posted on Nextdoor asking if anyone knew of someone who could use them. Not even an hour later, I had a private message from a mom of two who had lost her job in March and was having a hard time getting by on her husband’s income. I took the box to her doorstep this evening, and she’d left me a note thanking me profusely for the items. She said she wanted to pay me back and pay it forward once they could afford it. I replied to her on Nextdoor that I don’t want her to pay me back, and I thanked her for letting me give her those things. What a blessing it was for ME to get rid of 56 Christmas items and give them to her! Merry Christmas everyone! 😊🎁🎄
I did the same 4 years back and I am so glad I did that. My life is so much better. I am more content and fulfilled instead of feeling like a loser looking at all the awesome things everyone else is doing.
I deleted the Facebook app from my phone and only login once every few weeks on my big computer... Other than TH-cam I have no other social media I would never have it any other way! Amulya has a good point, it’s fun to see what other people are doing and can certainly be motivating, but it’s so much more rewarding to be doing things yourself!
Utube takes the place of relaxing like someone would use a TV. I only come on utube when I have free time, I hardly go on Facebook, I’m not a person who enjoys reading, but utube is only when everything is done for the day, I do use it as a reward I also put AirPods on and when I’m cleaning or decluttering, I listen to podcast
I have fizzled a little bit, too. I have a box of craft supplies that I took on a scrapbooking retreat, and they are still sitting in my living room to be unpacked from over a month ago. And I have outdoor pillows sitting on a chair that need to be bagged up and put away till spring. My small dining room table is cluttered with coupons, bills, and sticky notes, and has been that way for a couple of months. It would probably only take me 20 minutes to get it cleaned off. Need to get er done!
I guess I'm not the only person who's stalled. I read an article along this theme. "There's no such thing as laziness, but there are unseen barriers." There's always a reason we're not doing what we want to be doing. I knew this. But I couldn't find the motivation to get back to decluttering. Thanks for the great tip.
Quarantine has definitely got me going to declutter and minimalize. Was on a roll in June and sold a lot of things that wasn't being used. I fizzled out and just started back up again. I by no means am I a hoarder, but have a lot of stuff. Watching your videos has helped significantly and I am grateful for you helping me get off my rear to get going again. Thank you so much!
Dawn this changed my life!!! Thank you!! I had a box of paper in my closet. I'd walk by and in my head I would think that box has complicated paper and I won't know what to do with it. I even took it out to deal with and it sat out for days and then put it back😭 Then I watched your video and took that box out. I knew I could do it and that it would be worth it. I would spend time sorting a bit each day until it was done. All the time I was working on paper I was never afraid or discouraged. I'd spend some time on it by sorting it out on the floor into categories and take a big pile of shredding to the shredder. Each day the amount in the box got smaller and I gained more confidence. It took a few days but even that was not discouraging because I knew I could and that it would be worth it. Thanking the Lord for you and your video!!🙏🤩
Dawn! 😲😲😲😲 How did you know that I needed to see this?!?! I was laying in bed this morning thinking “ ugh, I got nothing done yesterday and I can’t get motivated to even care! “. Then here you are, at the top of my TH-cam feed and you tell me EXACTLY what I needed to hear😍 So please please please know that you helped me today! (Not to mention, back when I started watching you I was super focused and purging closets, shelves, etc!!!!) So, thank you!!!!❤️😉
I just finished our family's last space to declutter. Thank you for your tips, guidance, and encouragement to stay motivated. God bless you & your beautiful family❤
@@wildminders247 thank you! It really does feel good. So much easier to take care of our home, and really does give us peace. Stick with it! So worth it in the end. God bless & Happy holidays❤
I've been listening to a lot of podcasts, and only listed to them when I'm on my feet, either cooking, cleaning, yardwork, laundry, etc. Because they are long - 45min to an hour+ , and I feel like I can multitask while listening. Now it's such a routine, I feel like I can sit down if I turn on a podcast!
Hello from Wisconsin! I've felt that for the last 10 years I've done a good job of not letting stuff pile up, but since I found your channel a few weeks ago, I think I've taken about 11 garbage bags of stuff to the domain center and it has felt so great! Thank you for motivating me again to take this next step. As I'm watching tv now I mentally go through my closets and cabinets trying to think of things to get rid of. Hope you're all staying healthy! 💜
We are a family of 7 and I'm almost always pretty much caught up on laundry because I started rewarding myself that if I'm doing laundry I can watch you youtube.
Needed this today! Between breaking my tailbone and then my daughter coming into contact with a positive covid contact (we are all negative, but she needs to still self isolate) I feel soooo unmotivated and constantly feeling down! Today I am getting back on routine and doing what I can!
You're right...".decluttering is worth it...one millionth percent"...I've been thru my house several times...and, STILL, I feel there is more to go thru...right now, I'm going thru music. If you know anything about musicians...they have quite a bit of music...it's like a hobbyist...MANY tools and supplies...it's ALOT. BUT, I'm getting the victory...YEAY...YES..SO WORTH IT!! One point, I felt you brought out that I wanted to mention....is when we feel stressed over this project...we ZONE OUT...IE. TH-cam videos. I heard a sermon this morning about when it "gets hard"...we run. I realized for the first time ...this is SO TRUE... but, your question was, "is it worth it?!?" YES, IT IS !!!😀
WOW! “Is it worth it” You nailed it!!!! I say that because I think my answer lately has been NO. Here’s my rant: I am the only one decluttering (and that’s overwhelming & lonely). No one else seems to care if it’s done or not. And, if I don’t do it today or tomorrow or next month, who is going to care. Because sometimes, I don’t care either. Sad I know but it’s true for me. “Is it worth it” morphs into “am I worth it”. Often times, my answer is no. 😔 I do however love the idea of using what I’ve been abusing (my phone lol) as a reward when I’ve accomplished something.
Girl, I feel you. I am the only to do that too. But her words of "Too much inventory to manage" has really stuck with me. Since others in my household don't seem to care or are too little to know the difference, I am the gate keeper in my household and I will say what needs to be decluttered. I also find it very refreshing when I can share with a friend what I am doing or before and after photos from the both of us. Its fun!
I totally sympathize with you, Jody. I have 3 teens and the hubby, none of whom are interested in decluttering let alone minimizing. When I clear out space it seems like someone fills it up soon after, namely my husband lol. It’s a process. It took us years to developed these habits so I figure it won’t change over night...or in a few months in my case. Hang in there, my friend. 🙂 Progress is progress even if it’s only one person out of five working on it.
@@heathersmeather reading this I totally had a flashback to 5 years ago when I started decluttering. My husband would fill up the brand new clean/empty spaces, so I started putting empty storage containers on shelves as place fillers 😂. The good news is that it may have taken several years, but my husband is finally seeing the value of having less inventory and is on board now with being minimal.
I think these last 2 years of decluttering it has finally stuck with my hubby! We finally cleared out storage and now working through small areas that always fill up! Like dawn has said in the past it's easy to replace or repurchase missed items...we are finally current with having all the digital shows... disney plus, Netflix, amazon, and those few dollars a month replace hundreds of DVDs, books I try to do the x amount in x amount out then! And small bites at a time! One area a week or 15 mins a day! Some days I spend on the whole house then I'll go weeks before I feel like doing it again... it is exhausting!
I needed this today! I was on a roll with the decluttering before Thanksgiving, but after the holiday break got into a lag. LoL! I’m back at it today. 🙌 I love to listen to your YT videos while in decluttering. Getting helpful tips while I’m in the process is super motivating and keeps me going. 😁
@@tgayer1 LoL! Well I decluttered all the kids clothes and toys, plus my whole closet and wardrobe, and part of my bathroom in 3 days and then nothing for 5 days so it felt like a set back. 😂😂🤣
I watched all the Marie Kondo episodes to pump me up to declutter, but then I ran out of episodes. So glad I discovered your channel to make my TH-cam time productive, and to have a like-minded person to relate to. Thanks!
Dawn I watched your video with Diane about turning off social media. I did it over thanksgiving and I could really tell a difference not checking it all the time. I also wanted to thank you for the motivation to declutter my Christmas decorations. I got rid of 70% of my stuff and it feels awesome.
You can go into your YT settings and set a usage reminder. Just set it for the length of time you’ve decided on as your usual reward. When you’ve reached that limit, YT stops whatever you’re watching and gives the reminder with an option to stop or “Dismiss” the alarm and keep watching. I live alone, am retired, and have nothing to stop me from just being on YT all day! So this comes in handy. When I get the reminder, I decide whether to stop and pick it up later where I left off (TIP - if it’s not a channel you subscribe to and get notifications for, save to watch later or you may never find it again 😂) or whether I’m so close to being done I can finish my video. But you have to stay on top of that and not just slide in into the next video!
Great idea! Also, you can go to “Library “ and then go to “History “ and it will bring up the videos you have watched, starting with the last one you viewed. It makes it easy to pick back up where you left off if you forget to save to “watch later.” 😊
I love this video. I am decluttering here and there. We have 3 kids and we homeschool. One of the biggest things for me is I get overwhelmed with the messes that are left out throughout the day. We try and clean as we go but with the age differences of our kids and me not wanting to have a lot fall on my now 13 year old now from the 5 and 2 year old. It's a work in progress. We are working through a home refinance and the appraiser came today in a 14 hour notice. It wasn't the way I wanted it but it was another wake up call that I needed to be a better homemaker. Thank you for being motivated and helping us. also, when shoving things under the sink and in the dishwasher as he was measuring the outside of the house, the clear counter was really nice.
Thank you for all that you do!! You have guided me through getting rid of about 75%of our belongings. Btw-we had an organized house before but getting rid of the visual clutter and most of the stuff in our closets has had an amazing effect on the calm feeling in our home. So-thank you for being such a blessing.
I love the idea of putting a reward for yourself in place when you accomplish a difficult task. I used to think the satisfaction of completing the task alone was enough to motivate me but no longer. Good talk about dopamine research at the end. I listen to you tube WHILE decluttering! That's so encouraging too 😁
I always listen to your videos when I clean. It's like a podcast for me. Your such a blessing to me! Iv been detoxing TV and youtube with my 4 year old. She started to scream if we would turn things off and she'd cry begging to watch tv. Now she earns tv time and has a timer going, and she knows when it goes off she needs to go play. ❤️
Just found you a week ago. I'm ALL in! Love how authentic you are!! (I'm watching you on TH-cam right now instead of doing my homework--and I'd rather go declutter something than do homework!) Really am ready for a huge shift in how I handle stuff and my life. Thank you so much!
I needed to hear this. I had to move my mom to assisted living at the end of 2019. I had the task of clearing out her house. What a job that was! I have never seen so much stuff! Donate, sell & pitch. Trying to figure out what she may still need or want, I now have a lot of her stuff at my house. The clutter causes too much stress. But I literally look at it and my mind just shuts down. After watching your video I realize I've been on my phone way too much! I'm going to use your tips for motivation. Thank you!
Praying for peace and strength as you deal with those items. It is a tough task, but well worth it in the end. Still, it won’t be a dopamine rush. Maybe put on some music or something that makes you happy while you sort? Either way, I will be praying you can make it through. 😊🙏🏽
My mom and I had to do this with my grandma and it's either in our basement or a storage unit. My mom never wanted to go through it. Fast forward my grandma passed and it's been even more difficult for my mom. I wish you luck in handling everything because it's something we're still trying to do.
When my parents passed away, I did not actually have to sort everything in their house, I just had to pick out what I wanted to keep and then haul it over to my house. A lot of boxes and furniture ended up in my small living room and dining room, and it was just debilitating. I watched TV and played on the internet to avoid looking at it. I’m so thankful to be on the other side of that. Blessings to you as you go through this. You can do it!
I love your videos. I started watching your videos in April 2020. Thanks to you, my house is Decluttered and we'll organized!!!!! My kitchen counter tops are cleared off except for my Keurig. I use that everyday. My closets are all cleared. I got rid of about 85% of my clothes, shoes, coats. My dressers and nightstands have been cleared off except for my lamps. Living room and dining room are totally decluttered. I have a huge breakfast bar that is royally cleared off and really has opened up my kitchen. You've made my house look so opened and airy!! I also got rid of a lot of storage boxes that was holding stuff that I never went to look for, so what was I holding onto them. I got rig of the storage boxes and what was in them. I feel so GOOD standing in my house and looking around and seeing how airy and clear every room is!!! I get a lot of compliments. I love my new life. Thank you so much for sharing your life., because you've made mine so much better. 💕💖💕
I believe you help a lot of people. Your contribution is way bigger than minimalism... it is about helping people to live happier by spending more time with their family and eliminating stress.
Wow! Fantastic presentation of information! I find often, too, with making our videos on our channel that I put if off because I don't feel capable of creating what I want to do. But reminding myself that it's worth it is such a great motivator. I agree, we need to talk to ourselves and communicate with ourselves that what we are doing is worth it and will have great payoffs in the end. And I agree, that we get so much more reward in our brain activity by being online vs doing real life tasks. Thanks again for all the great information!
The trouble when I give myself a reward is which lovely thing to choose to do! I spin, I weave, I knit, I machine embroider, I lacemake and do dressmaking. I would much rather be doing those things than tidying though I know it has to be done but, being disabled, I find it difficult to push round the vacuum cleaner and to put things into other rooms where, perhaps, they should live. I liked your paperwork decluttering video so I will try and give that a go. That would be a mammoth task but needs to be done first so I can see and clean my carpet, settee and coffee table!!
Dawn! I found you a few weeks ago and your videos and Cas’s have reinvigorated my motivation to declutter and get my house back! I spent the day yesterday decluttering and quarantining clothes that are too small and have been breaking my heart for 3 years. I cannot tell you what a blessing this is. Thank you for reminding me that I AM CAPABLE!! Merry Christmas 🎄
i use motivational videos for cleaning and decluttering in the background. also, for exercise, falling asleep, , learning new skill, positive thinking... youtube is a goldmine for motivation...
Hey! Love your videos. I’m a mental health professional and your idea is great, especially when you do the reward(listening to a video, etc) WHILE you’re cleaning. If we do it after, it can just encourage us to rush. Doing the fun thing during the activity gives that little extra dopamine hit like you said
I also live in Minnesota with kids and I invested in some good winter outdoor gear because we STILL NEED to go outside if we can't go to the gym or indoor play spaces. It's not even an option for us to stay indoors all winter. We will bundle up and go out every weekend. Spending time outdoors is strongly linked to decreased depression. I treat it as the counter balance to screen time.
One of the daunting parts of decluttering is passing stuff along and not adding to landfill. That takes effort, not all places take everything. I appreciate that you don't just say "throw it out," "take out trash bags" nad mention donation.
I am so glad I stumbled on to your channel a couple of weeks ago. Although I am older than you and your sister (and should apparently be wiser, as the saying goes) I've already learned so much--and you always give me things to think about. This post in particular struck me, and I've never thought about motivation in that way. You really are helping people like me, who love to shop but hate the clutter that results from it. You've made decluttering and reducing "inventory" far less of a scary notion. Thank you so much!
Thank you so much for having this conversation. I lost my motivation and I have found myself on my phone more. Then I feel guilty at night when I go to bed. You’re amazing ❤️
I'm thinking this is probably one of the best of your videos !! Dopamine is why I watch organizing and sewing You Tube videos instead of decluttering. Use it as a reward. Genius!! Thank you. although I do not like that I am a junkie.
Dawn, you are such a good speaker! Do you follow notes or can you just remember what you want to say? I know that you're passionate about this topic so I'm sure that helps with the flow but seriously, you are an excellent speaker and your videos are so easy to watch!!! You also do a great job with filming and editing. Great videos! I reward myself with TH-cam videos when I am working. It motivates me to get up and do the work and it helps me to keep going. I have a degenerative issue with my back and I have a lot of pain, being up and working hurts. Apparently dopamine is also a natural painkiller so this makes total sense why it helps me. Thanks for the great video!
I have been decluttering since I 'met' you. I won't be as minimalist as you but you have certainly inspired me. I love this video and I am folding my washing as I am listening to it lol
Discovered your channel a few weeks ago at the beginning of the massive declutter/deep clean project I’ve been doing. It’s been very helpful. And you’re right, as the house is getting to be a nicer place to live I am feeling better about myself. As to using my phone for motivation, I joined a declutter group on FB and we post our before and afters and motivate each other. I get a dopamine hit from the “ atta-boys” I get. 😁
It is amazing that you used Scott Gellers video. I work in behavioral change around safety and use that video to show how we can change our mindsets and how behaviors can be changed with different rewards.
I believe what you are describing here, with peaks in summer and low points in fall/winter, is our normal reaction to the changing seasons in the northern midwest. If the reaction is severe, it could be seasonal affective disorder. The "pandemic" implications aside, every year of my life moves in this pattern: feeling on top of the world in mid-summer and sinking to the low points shortly before Christmas (and dreading Christmas in the process). I know I'll feel a million times better with the start of the new year, and I'm guessing so will a whole lot of people living in the northern midwest.
Yes! I’ve been trying to cut back and this is a good thought process. Also, that shirt/scarf combo looks beautiful and cozy on you all at once! Love it!
I SO needed this today! I am addicted to my phone/social media. That is not a good thing in these times. It is affecting my mental health and causing me to be less productive. I like the idea of using your phone or computer as a reward for motivation. Brilliant! I have an inner brat who is very bratty sometimes, but now she will have to wait for rewards! LOL! Thanks for all you do!
Great reminder! Thank you! 💗 i have been in a place where i need to start some declutter and all of what you shared is spot on, in my opinion. One thing I would like to share that has helped me in the past is asking myself WHY, i want to do XYZ. So for de cluttering, as an example..i remind myself of WHY i want to de clutter in the first place. This WHY question and motivation, applies to all things in life. So.. if i need a reminder and motivation..i go back to my WHYs. And if that WHY has changed, then I need to take note of that and evaluate. Hope that might help someone else. Have a great week !!!! We got this👍
I’ve been rewarding myself with your posts since I found your channel. As soon as I see a new video I open it up, pause it, and find the next frog in line that I need to swallow. I used to do it with books; chore, chapter, chore, chapter.... but then I discovered audiobooks and I could work and listen at the same time. My productivity increased enormously, but I didn’t take any breaks, ever. Somehow it diminished both the being present in what I was doing ( St. Teresa style) and the deep satisfaction of reading a book. Now I save the audiobooks for bedtime and reward myself with screen time.
I think examining our motives is so helpful. I know that some of the attitudes that kept me from decluttering were not being "wasteful" and not wanting to offend someone. I now know, thanks to you, that it is more wasteful for me to keep closets and cupboards full of unused items. Frankly, most people don't remember what they give to others. So I got over that one pretty quickly. Like so many, I just found your videos this year. You and Cas, from clutterbug have been so helpful! I am starting to realize that all the items I've had sitting around have been causing me a lot of stress! Giving myself permission to let go of things we don't use has been freeing!! You mentioned decluttering the linen closet. I did that recently and it has been one of the best things I have ever done! Doing a load of towels each week is so simple and I know that they all fit right back into their place. No piles, no having to run the dryer again because there are so many towels in there and they don't dry in one run! So wonderful and most definitely worth the time. And it is now "upstairs the hall closet " because it holds more than just linens! What I am struggling with now is making sure I don't pass too many items to my daughter who will be setting up her first home with her new husband in mid-December! I want her to realize she can live with so much less than she realizes! No big wedding, of course, since it's 2020, so not a lot of wedding presents which I think will turn out to be a real blessing! Thanks again for sharing your life with us!!
9 minutes in and i stopped the video to tackle my spare room! I got rid of a trunk load of things a few weeks ago but I never finished so now my reward is watching the rest of this video when I’m finished with the room,,!, Thanks for the push Dawn!!, 🖐
This was so timely! I have felt all that stuff you talked about. Interestingly enough, I was preparing some acorn squash to make soup from it while I was watching this! So I got a win win while listening! This is my 2nd Christmas since I started decluttering with you and when I decorated the house last night I used fewer items than I had the past year (and I felt I decluttered those Christmas items good last year!), so I will be decluttering more in that area. Thanks for all you share Dawn, your talks to me on TH-cam really has helped!
This TH-cam channel has become my new *news/fb/Instagram* replacement... 😆 as I would rather hop on here and be filled with decluttering motivation and faith based content from you and Diana!Dawn you’re doing such a great job!!! 👏🏼❤️
Dawn you're so right, I'm really hard on myself when it comes to my clutter because I CREATED IT. But I feel like I make excuses for myself too. I work very hard more mentally NOT PHYSICALLY like Tom lol, so when I get home I just want to mentally relax and we all know how fast tbe weekend is over just by running the normal chores. So I have to try real hard to get motivated and actually do something.
Awww...so THAT'S why I have gotten a million things done around the house in the past 2 years..it's your videos, Dawn😉 I used to use TH-cam for a reward at the gym and these days, while I clean/declutter/exercise at home!! Thankful for your content!!
I use audio books to reward myself while doing dishes and laundry and other house work. When I have an interesting story to listen to I actually get a little excited to do laundry! It's the Pavlov effect for sure. 😊
I'm definitely watching this video in order TO motivate myself. I play podcasts (sometimes in a language I'm studying to be be useful), play music, or run TH-cam to make the decluttering/cleaning more enjoyable if I'm not feeling a push. I often pick these types of videos.
Just finished watching The Social Dilema on Netflix and your message just reminded me of what they are talking about when it comes to social media usage. It’s crazy and really eye opening. I tend to go to Social media to scape my homework assignments. Is crazy because I tend to do them last minute and end up so stressed because I waited so long and end up getting A’s and B’s but this just makes me think that I overthink everything too much even though am capable of doing it. Great tips, thank you for sharing and I enjoy your videos!
I watch your videos while I do dishes and fold (yes I fold 😉) my laundry. It makes me look forward to cleaning up! And a clean kitchen is great too. Double dopamine hit! 😂 Thanks for being awesome!
Found your video really helpful as lately have hit a brick wall with decluttering. Have felt unmotivated, finding excuses to avoid tackling tasks. You've given me a different perspective on the issue and will watch this again to recap your great advice.
LITERALLY took the day off of work and with the help of my 19 year old and spent the last 4 hours purging my breezeway, dining room, hallway, living room and big bathroom (didn’t have the time during the shut down this past spring as was still working but am taking a “voluntary” early retirement as of 12/23)...moved to the basement so AFTER the first of the year will go through to donate or sell (could only get my sons help for a small amount of time so wanted to take advantage of it )
Today is Moving Day, and I am overwhelmed even though I've been preparing for over a year. I see this just popped up, and i'm so glad for your company.
The practical advice is uncanny. I NEED to declutter, badly!!! I’m so thankful to have found you. I’ve watched a few of your videos today on what I need to start with and my summer shoes are finally stored and I got rid of one pan in the kitchen 😂 But hey, it’s a start. Thanks so much for taking your time to help me. Now, I just watched a 15 minute video so I’m going to start dinner. 💯
I unknowingly have these exact same questions with a big project at our apartment I'm doing lately. With decluttering I never seem to ask myself those questions. thanks for pointing it out in this video!
We did take a few boxes to goodwill this past weekend. Stuff I hadn't looked at in more than 3 years. I didn't think, I just put it in the donate box. Feels good.
My goal this weekend is to fill two medium sized boxes for donation, but I am having the hardest time getting going. This came at just the right time! Thank you.
I have been following you for over a year now and you are awesome! I always put your videos on while doing dishes or mopping. It helps keep me motivated! Thank you!
The Dopamine Rush is a necessary issue to tackle. Watching movies seems more mood lifting than tidying up but both can be done simultaneously and a tidy space thereafter is fulfilling.
I have had several pieces of furniture leave the house this week. And sending a big car load to the reopened thrift store tomorrow. I find that the nice weather (it is now Summer in Australia) really helps with my motivation. Plus we have come out of lockdown which has also helped. My ‘reward’ is not being able to put up the Christmas tree until the stuff in the way is gone. It’s working.
I totally loved this video.. I was struggling to clean out the deck and I wanted to get rid of everything but but my partner wanted to hold on to this huge pile of old stuff. I now realized that pile has stopped my motivation it’s a literal road block preventing me from moving forward.
Dawn you’re so funny 😍 First the Bundt tins and now you’re telling us to stop watching TH-cam 🤔😆 Joking aside, Yes, this is a great way of getting things done. As ever, thank you 🙏🏼 Love you! x
I was thinking sometimes when you're overwhelmed, it's kind of a combination of not feeling capable & the reward isn't satisfying enough. Not capable of getting it done in the time frame you'd prefer & the reward of each small task feels too small to be worth it. That's what I'm facing with 2 houses to declutter as we care for my MIL with all the daily battles of that & homeschooling. It definitely is a lot to overcome!
This one really hit home for me! Thank you. I tried tackling a frog yesterday, got a good start then just hit a wall. The frogs all of a sudden seemed huge. This helps with the motivation. Thanks Dawn
Loved seeing you intro after so long I was missing it “hi I am dawn from minimal min I am married to Tom and we have four kids ages 6 through 11” ♥️♥️♥️♥️♥️♥️
THANK YOU for watching, we're SO grateful for you!!! See the replays from our Fall Guest Series here (including a fun visit with Cas from Clutterbug!): www.ithinkwecouldbefriends.com/2020/11/10/fall-guest-series/ I hope you have a really good day!!! - Dawn
Thank you, Dawn! I get stuck on the first question - am I capable? I subconsciously want to do things perfectly, but I know I'm not capable of doing things perfectly, so I don't do them.
WOW much needed... Also, I know it has been an escape for me... I love vicariously through you and others... because I don’t have the energy and pain overwhelms me! Thank you for :MY DOPAMINE RUSH! 😆
@@heidilarson5109 I tell clients "Progress" over "Perfection"... Strive to just doing a bit at a time... Maybe that will help you?! Have a great day. Blessings.
@@heidilarson5109 I totally feel the same way. I read somewhere "Done is better than perfect." I wrote it on a stickie. And added. "Just start."
Thank you! ❤️
Dawn, I am not a minimalist. I am probably a maximalist. I am not even really trying to declutter right now. But you know what? I just like you. And I especially like that you let everyone be themselves. You do not push. You just offer. I like that.
Exactly! That’s how I feel, too!
What a lovely thing to say!
YES!!! You are my dopamine provider!!!🥰
I have to share this positive decluttering story from today. I’d purged through my Christmas decorations (though I was bummed I couldn’t get it down to one tote like Dawn!) and decided in advance to donate it to a family that couldn’t afford decorations this year. I posted on Nextdoor asking if anyone knew of someone who could use them. Not even an hour later, I had a private message from a mom of two who had lost her job in March and was having a hard time getting by on her husband’s income. I took the box to her doorstep this evening, and she’d left me a note thanking me profusely for the items. She said she wanted to pay me back and pay it forward once they could afford it. I replied to her on Nextdoor that I don’t want her to pay me back, and I thanked her for letting me give her those things. What a blessing it was for ME to get rid of 56 Christmas items and give them to her! Merry Christmas everyone! 😊🎁🎄
Wow! Your post not only touched my heart but inspired me. What a kind and wonderful gesture !
I'm so glad I got rid of my social media. All I have is TH-cam. I never thought of using it as a reward. Thank you for the idea.
I did the same 4 years back and I am so glad I did that. My life is so much better. I am more content and fulfilled instead of feeling like a loser looking at all the awesome things everyone else is doing.
I take breaks often but have really thought about deleting my accounts altogether. It is easy to fall down the rabbit hole.
I deleted the Facebook app from my phone and only login once every few weeks on my big computer... Other than TH-cam I have no other social media I would never have it any other way! Amulya has a good point, it’s fun to see what other people are doing and can certainly be motivating, but it’s so much more rewarding to be doing things yourself!
Utube takes the place of relaxing like someone would use a TV. I only come on utube when I have free time, I hardly go on Facebook, I’m not a person who enjoys reading, but utube is only when everything is done for the day, I do use it as a reward
I also put AirPods on and when I’m cleaning or decluttering, I listen to podcast
I did the same about 2 or 3 years ago, I got rid of social media. I feel so much better not having it. I just have TH-cam.
You have such a talent for motivating people!! Thank you for all your advice and keep it coming!! Best wishes from France. 😀
Sometimes I diffuse lemon, orange and lime essential oils when I need the pick me up. They energize me and it cleans the air at the same time.
Marie Kondo says to change the environment when you feel stuck, so that is a perfect example!
Good point!!
Ahhh! The pure delight of zesting an orange on a January day.
Dawn, what would we do without you?!? You're my FAVORITE TH-camr!!!
It’s like you knew I needed this. I was on such a good roll but kinda fizzled and I needed this to get busy again! ♥️
I know, that's exactly how I feel too. Very timely, Dawn, thank you 👍
I have fizzled a little bit, too. I have a box of craft supplies that I took on a scrapbooking retreat, and they are still sitting in my living room to be unpacked from over a month ago. And I have outdoor pillows sitting on a chair that need to be bagged up and put away till spring. My small dining room table is cluttered with coupons, bills, and sticky notes, and has been that way for a couple of months. It would probably only take me 20 minutes to get it cleaned off. Need to get er done!
Me too
you always address the junk in our heads that stop us from being productive. Thank you sweet lady
I guess I'm not the only person who's stalled. I read an article along this theme. "There's no such thing as laziness, but there are unseen barriers." There's always a reason we're not doing what we want to be doing. I knew this. But I couldn't find the motivation to get back to decluttering. Thanks for the great tip.
Quarantine has definitely got me going to declutter and minimalize. Was on a roll in June and sold a lot of things that wasn't being used. I fizzled out and just started back up again. I by no means am I a hoarder, but have a lot of stuff. Watching your videos has helped significantly and I am grateful for you helping me get off my rear to get going again. Thank you so much!
Dawn this changed my life!!! Thank you!! I had a box of paper in my closet. I'd walk by and in my head I would think that box has complicated paper and I won't know what to do with it. I even took it out to deal with and it sat out for days and then put it back😭 Then I watched your video and took that box out. I knew I could do it and that it would be worth it. I would spend time sorting a bit each day until it was done. All the time I was working on paper I was never afraid or discouraged. I'd spend some time on it by sorting it out on the floor into categories and take a big pile of shredding to the shredder. Each day the amount in the box got smaller and I gained more confidence. It took a few days but even that was not discouraging because I knew I could and that it would be worth it. Thanking the Lord for you and your video!!🙏🤩
Ladies, don't listen to yourself : talk to yourself.
Aye to the Men!
Wow!
Dawn! 😲😲😲😲
How did you know that I needed to see this?!?! I was laying in bed this morning thinking “ ugh, I got nothing done yesterday and I can’t get motivated to even care! “. Then here you are, at the top of my TH-cam feed and you tell me EXACTLY what I needed to hear😍
So please please please know that you helped me today! (Not to mention, back when I started watching you I was super focused and purging closets, shelves, etc!!!!) So, thank you!!!!❤️😉
I just finished our family's last space to declutter.
Thank you for your tips, guidance, and encouragement to stay motivated.
God bless you & your beautiful family❤
Wow! Congratulations
🥳 I hope I can say this soon too! My goal is to clear by December 31st... not to perfection but clearer, calmer, happier! 🤲🏼🤗
@@wildminders247 thank you! It really does feel good. So much easier to take care of our home, and really does give us peace. Stick with it! So worth it in the end.
God bless & Happy holidays❤
@@mamabear4576 Thank you x I’ll let you know how it all goes 🙏🏻
I've been listening to a lot of podcasts, and only listed to them when I'm on my feet, either cooking, cleaning, yardwork, laundry, etc. Because they are long - 45min to an hour+ , and I feel like I can multitask while listening.
Now it's such a routine, I feel like I can sit down if I turn on a podcast!
I love to declutter. It clears my head and makes me feel light and FREE!
Hello from Wisconsin! I've felt that for the last 10 years I've done a good job of not letting stuff pile up, but since I found your channel a few weeks ago, I think I've taken about 11 garbage bags of stuff to the domain center and it has felt so great! Thank you for motivating me again to take this next step. As I'm watching tv now I mentally go through my closets and cabinets trying to think of things to get rid of. Hope you're all staying healthy! 💜
We are a family of 7 and I'm almost always pretty much caught up on laundry because I started rewarding myself that if I'm doing laundry I can watch you youtube.
Really good idea. I think I will try that! Thanks.
Needed this today! Between breaking my tailbone and then my daughter coming into contact with a positive covid contact (we are all negative, but she needs to still self isolate) I feel soooo unmotivated and constantly feeling down! Today I am getting back on routine and doing what I can!
You're right...".decluttering is worth it...one millionth percent"...I've been thru my house several times...and,
STILL, I feel there is more to go thru...right now,
I'm going thru music.
If you know anything about musicians...they have quite a bit of music...it's like a hobbyist...MANY tools and supplies...it's ALOT.
BUT, I'm getting the victory...YEAY...YES..SO WORTH IT!!
One point, I felt you brought out that I wanted to mention....is when we feel stressed over this project...we ZONE OUT...IE.
TH-cam videos.
I heard a sermon this morning about when it "gets hard"...we run.
I realized for the first time ...this is SO TRUE... but, your question was, "is it worth it?!?"
YES, IT IS !!!😀
WOW!
“Is it worth it”
You nailed it!!!!
I say that because I think my answer lately has been NO.
Here’s my rant: I am the only one decluttering (and that’s overwhelming & lonely). No one else seems to care if it’s done or not. And, if I don’t do it today or tomorrow or next month, who is going to care. Because sometimes, I don’t care either. Sad I know but it’s true for me.
“Is it worth it” morphs into “am I worth it”. Often times, my answer is no. 😔
I do however love the idea of using what I’ve been abusing (my phone lol) as a reward when I’ve accomplished something.
Girl, I feel you. I am the only to do that too. But her words of "Too much inventory to manage" has really stuck with me. Since others in my household don't seem to care or are too little to know the difference, I am the gate keeper in my household and I will say what needs to be decluttered. I also find it very refreshing when I can share with a friend what I am doing or before and after photos from the both of us. Its fun!
I totally sympathize with you, Jody. I have 3 teens and the hubby, none of whom are interested in decluttering let alone minimizing. When I clear out space it seems like someone fills it up soon after, namely my husband lol. It’s a process. It took us years to developed these habits so I figure it won’t change over night...or in a few months in my case. Hang in there, my friend. 🙂 Progress is progress even if it’s only one person out of five working on it.
@@heathersmeather reading this I totally had a flashback to 5 years ago when I started decluttering. My husband would fill up the brand new clean/empty spaces, so I started putting empty storage containers on shelves as place fillers 😂. The good news is that it may have taken several years, but my husband is finally seeing the value of having less inventory and is on board now with being minimal.
You ARE worth it!
I think these last 2 years of decluttering it has finally stuck with my hubby! We finally cleared out storage and now working through small areas that always fill up! Like dawn has said in the past it's easy to replace or repurchase missed items...we are finally current with having all the digital shows... disney plus, Netflix, amazon, and those few dollars a month replace hundreds of DVDs, books I try to do the x amount in x amount out then! And small bites at a time! One area a week or 15 mins a day! Some days I spend on the whole house then I'll go weeks before I feel like doing it again... it is exhausting!
I needed this today! I was on a roll with the decluttering before Thanksgiving, but after the holiday break got into a lag. LoL! I’m back at it today. 🙌 I love to listen to your YT videos while in decluttering. Getting helpful tips while I’m in the process is super motivating and keeps me going. 😁
Okay, you are putting the rest of us to shame! Thanksgiving was only five days ago! That’s not a very long slump! 😂😂😂
@@tgayer1 LoL! Well I decluttered all the kids clothes and toys, plus my whole closet and wardrobe, and part of my bathroom in 3 days and then nothing for 5 days so it felt like a set back. 😂😂🤣
I watched all the Marie Kondo episodes to pump me up to declutter, but then I ran out of episodes. So glad I discovered your channel to make my TH-cam time productive, and to have a like-minded person to relate to. Thanks!
Dawn I watched your video with Diane about turning off social media. I did it over thanksgiving and I could really tell a difference not checking it all the time. I also wanted to thank you for the motivation to declutter my Christmas decorations. I got rid of 70% of my stuff and it feels awesome.
You can go into your YT settings and set a usage reminder. Just set it for the length of time you’ve decided on as your usual reward. When you’ve reached that limit, YT stops whatever you’re watching and gives the reminder with an option to stop or “Dismiss” the alarm and keep watching. I live alone, am retired, and have nothing to stop me from just being on YT all day! So this comes in handy. When I get the reminder, I decide whether to stop and pick it up later where I left off (TIP - if it’s not a channel you subscribe to and get notifications for, save to watch later or you may never find it again 😂) or whether I’m so close to being done I can finish my video. But you have to stay on top of that and not just slide in into the next video!
Great idea! Also, you can go to “Library “ and then go to “History “ and it will bring up the videos you have watched, starting with the last one you viewed. It makes it easy to pick back up where you left off if you forget to save to “watch later.” 😊
I love this video. I am decluttering here and there. We have 3 kids and we homeschool. One of the biggest things for me is I get overwhelmed with the messes that are left out throughout the day. We try and clean as we go but with the age differences of our kids and me not wanting to have a lot fall on my now 13 year old now from the 5 and 2 year old. It's a work in progress. We are working through a home refinance and the appraiser came today in a 14 hour notice. It wasn't the way I wanted it but it was another wake up call that I needed to be a better homemaker. Thank you for being motivated and helping us. also, when shoving things under the sink and in the dishwasher as he was measuring the outside of the house, the clear counter was really nice.
Thank you for all that you do!! You have guided me through getting rid of about 75%of our belongings. Btw-we had an organized house before but getting rid of the visual clutter and most of the stuff in our closets has had an amazing effect on the calm feeling in our home. So-thank you for being such a blessing.
I love the idea of putting a reward for yourself in place when you accomplish a difficult task. I used to think the satisfaction of completing the task alone was enough to motivate me but no longer. Good talk about dopamine research at the end. I listen to you tube WHILE decluttering! That's so encouraging too 😁
I always listen to your videos when I clean. It's like a podcast for me. Your such a blessing to me!
Iv been detoxing TV and youtube with my 4 year old. She started to scream if we would turn things off and she'd cry begging to watch tv. Now she earns tv time and has a timer going, and she knows when it goes off she needs to go play. ❤️
Just found you a week ago. I'm ALL in! Love how authentic you are!! (I'm watching you on TH-cam right now instead of doing my homework--and I'd rather go declutter something than do homework!) Really am ready for a huge shift in how I handle stuff and my life. Thank you so much!
Decluttering can be a reward for finishing homework!
I needed to hear this. I had to move my mom to assisted living at the end of 2019. I had the task of clearing out her house. What a job that was! I have never seen so much stuff! Donate, sell & pitch. Trying to figure out what she may still need or want, I now have a lot of her stuff at my house. The clutter causes too much stress. But I literally look at it and my mind just shuts down. After watching your video I realize I've been on my phone way too much! I'm going to use your tips for motivation. Thank you!
Praying for peace and strength as you deal with those items. It is a tough task, but well worth it in the end. Still, it won’t be a dopamine rush. Maybe put on some music or something that makes you happy while you sort? Either way, I will be praying you can make it through. 😊🙏🏽
Check out "The Clutter Fairy" here on TH-cam. She has lots of great content on decluttering for older family or estates.
My mom and I had to do this with my grandma and it's either in our basement or a storage unit. My mom never wanted to go through it. Fast forward my grandma passed and it's been even more difficult for my mom. I wish you luck in handling everything because it's something we're still trying to do.
When my parents passed away, I did not actually have to sort everything in their house, I just had to pick out what I wanted to keep and then haul it over to my house. A lot of boxes and furniture ended up in my small living room and dining room, and it was just debilitating. I watched TV and played on the internet to avoid looking at it. I’m so thankful to be on the other side of that. Blessings to you as you go through this. You can do it!
@@tacos_are_life Thank you!
Turn on some music ! That always helps! Everyone will get moving!
I have recently started working on minimizing and I find your videos so practical and aspirational in a real life way.
I love your videos. I started watching your videos in April 2020. Thanks to you, my house is Decluttered and we'll organized!!!!! My kitchen counter tops are cleared off except for my Keurig. I use that everyday. My closets are all cleared. I got rid of about 85% of my clothes, shoes, coats. My dressers and nightstands have been cleared off except for my lamps. Living room and dining room are totally decluttered. I have a huge breakfast bar that is royally cleared off and really has opened up my kitchen. You've made my house look so opened and airy!! I also got rid of a lot of storage boxes that was holding stuff that I never went to look for, so what was I holding onto them. I got rig of the storage boxes and what was in them. I feel so GOOD standing in my house and looking around and seeing how airy and clear every room is!!! I get a lot of compliments. I love my new life. Thank you so much for sharing your life., because you've made mine so much better. 💕💖💕
I believe you help a lot of people. Your contribution is way bigger than minimalism... it is about helping people to live happier by spending more time with their family and eliminating stress.
Wow! Fantastic presentation of information! I find often, too, with making our videos on our channel that I put if off because I don't feel capable of creating what I want to do. But reminding myself that it's worth it is such a great motivator. I agree, we need to talk to ourselves and communicate with ourselves that what we are doing is worth it and will have great payoffs in the end. And I agree, that we get so much more reward in our brain activity by being online vs doing real life tasks. Thanks again for all the great information!
The trouble when I give myself a reward is which lovely thing to choose to do! I spin, I weave, I knit, I machine embroider, I lacemake and do dressmaking. I would much rather be doing those things than tidying though I know it has to be done but, being disabled, I find it difficult to push round the vacuum cleaner and to put things into other rooms where, perhaps, they should live. I liked your paperwork decluttering video so I will try and give that a go. That would be a mammoth task but needs to be done first so I can see and clean my carpet, settee and coffee table!!
I love this tip! Reframing and rewarding.
I watch videos, yours and others and declutter at the same time. I see how much I get done whilst watching a video. This works for me.
Dawn! I found you a few weeks ago and your videos and Cas’s have reinvigorated my motivation to declutter and get my house back! I spent the day yesterday decluttering and quarantining clothes that are too small and have been breaking my heart for 3 years.
I cannot tell you what a blessing this is. Thank you for reminding me that I AM CAPABLE!!
Merry Christmas 🎄
i use motivational videos for cleaning and decluttering in the background. also, for exercise, falling asleep, , learning new skill, positive thinking... youtube is a goldmine for motivation...
Hey! Love your videos.
I’m a mental health professional and your idea is great, especially when you do the reward(listening to a video, etc) WHILE you’re cleaning. If we do it after, it can just encourage us to rush. Doing the fun thing during the activity gives that little extra dopamine hit like you said
I watch TH-cam vids while decluttering/cleaning house. Makes the tasks more fun, and makes me more likely to do them. Win/win for me! 😁
I do the same thing 😁
I also live in Minnesota with kids and I invested in some good winter outdoor gear because we STILL NEED to go outside if we can't go to the gym or indoor play spaces. It's not even an option for us to stay indoors all winter. We will bundle up and go out every weekend. Spending time outdoors is strongly linked to decreased depression. I treat it as the counter balance to screen time.
One of the daunting parts of decluttering is passing stuff along and not adding to landfill. That takes effort, not all places take everything. I appreciate that you don't just say "throw it out," "take out trash bags" nad mention donation.
I am so glad I stumbled on to your channel a couple of weeks ago. Although I am older than you and your sister (and should apparently be wiser, as the saying goes) I've already learned so much--and you always give me things to think about. This post in particular struck me, and I've never thought about motivation in that way. You really are helping people like me, who love to shop but hate the clutter that results from it. You've made decluttering and reducing "inventory" far less of a scary notion. Thank you so much!
Thank you so much for having this conversation. I lost my motivation and I have found myself on my phone more. Then I feel guilty at night when I go to bed. You’re amazing ❤️
We are all the same right?!
@@rosiehoy4736 Yep!
I'm thinking this is probably one of the best of your videos !! Dopamine is why I watch organizing and sewing You Tube videos instead of decluttering. Use it as a reward. Genius!! Thank you. although I do not like that I am a junkie.
Dawn, you are such a good speaker! Do you follow notes or can you just remember what you want to say? I know that you're passionate about this topic so I'm sure that helps with the flow but seriously, you are an excellent speaker and your videos are so easy to watch!!! You also do a great job with filming and editing. Great videos! I reward myself with TH-cam videos when I am working. It motivates me to get up and do the work and it helps me to keep going. I have a degenerative issue with my back and I have a lot of pain, being up and working hurts. Apparently dopamine is also a natural painkiller so this makes total sense why it helps me. Thanks for the great video!
Dawn and Diana were in radio for a while.
I have been decluttering since I 'met' you. I won't be as minimalist as you but you have certainly inspired me. I love this video and I am folding my washing as I am listening to it lol
Discovered your channel a few weeks ago at the beginning of the massive declutter/deep clean project I’ve been doing. It’s been very helpful.
And you’re right, as the house is getting to be a nicer place to live I am feeling better about myself.
As to using my phone for motivation, I joined a declutter group on FB and we post our before and afters and motivate each other. I get a dopamine hit from the “ atta-boys” I get. 😁
It is amazing that you used Scott Gellers video. I work in behavioral change around safety and use that video to show how we can change our mindsets and how behaviors can be changed with different rewards.
I believe what you are describing here, with peaks in summer and low points in fall/winter, is our normal reaction to the changing seasons in the northern midwest. If the reaction is severe, it could be seasonal affective disorder. The "pandemic" implications aside, every year of my life moves in this pattern: feeling on top of the world in mid-summer and sinking to the low points shortly before Christmas (and dreading Christmas in the process). I know I'll feel a million times better with the start of the new year, and I'm guessing so will a whole lot of people living in the northern midwest.
Yes! I’ve been trying to cut back and this is a good thought process. Also, that shirt/scarf combo looks beautiful and cozy on you all at once! Love it!
I SO needed this today! I am addicted to my phone/social media. That is not a good thing in these times. It is affecting my mental health and causing me to be less productive. I like the idea of using your phone or computer as a reward for motivation. Brilliant! I have an inner brat who is very bratty sometimes, but now she will have to wait for rewards! LOL! Thanks for all you do!
Great reminder! Thank you! 💗 i have been in a place where i need to start some declutter and all of what you shared is spot on, in my opinion. One thing I would like to share that has helped me in the past is asking myself WHY, i want to do XYZ. So for de cluttering, as an example..i remind myself of WHY i want to de clutter in the first place. This WHY question and motivation, applies to all things in life. So.. if i need a reminder and motivation..i go back to my WHYs. And if that WHY has changed, then I need to take note of that and evaluate. Hope that might help someone else. Have a great week !!!! We got this👍
Thank you, thank you, THANK YOU!!! Extremely helpful insights, advices and tips!
I’ve been rewarding myself with your posts since I found your channel. As soon as I see a new video I open it up, pause it, and find the next frog in line that I need to swallow.
I used to do it with books; chore, chapter, chore, chapter.... but then I discovered audiobooks and I could work and listen at the same time. My productivity increased enormously, but I didn’t take any breaks, ever. Somehow it diminished both the being present in what I was doing ( St. Teresa style) and the deep satisfaction of reading a book.
Now I save the audiobooks for bedtime and reward myself with screen time.
“Slimed” -such an accurate description of what that feels like! Great video 💛
I decluttered my installed apps on my phone. After watching you for 10 minutes came back on going to add to watch later for motivation
Thank you so much for your videos!! You have been such a motivator for me to get rid of so much of our stuff. Your channel is a HUGE blessing!!
I think examining our motives is so helpful. I know that some of the attitudes that kept me from decluttering were not being "wasteful" and not wanting to offend someone. I now know, thanks to you, that it is more wasteful for me to keep closets and cupboards full of unused items. Frankly, most people don't remember what they give to others. So I got over that one pretty quickly.
Like so many, I just found your videos this year. You and Cas, from clutterbug have been so helpful! I am starting to realize that all the items I've had sitting around have been causing me a lot of stress! Giving myself permission to let go of things we don't use has been freeing!!
You mentioned decluttering the linen closet. I did that recently and it has been one of the best things I have ever done! Doing a load of towels each week is so simple and I know that they all fit right back into their place. No piles, no having to run the dryer again because there are so many towels in there and they don't dry in one run! So wonderful and most definitely worth the time. And it is now "upstairs the hall closet " because it holds more than just linens!
What I am struggling with now is making sure I don't pass too many items to my daughter who will be setting up her first home with her new husband in mid-December! I want her to realize she can live with so much less than she realizes! No big wedding, of course, since it's 2020, so not a lot of wedding presents which I think will turn out to be a real blessing!
Thanks again for sharing your life with us!!
9 minutes in and i stopped the video to tackle my spare room! I got rid of a trunk load of things a few weeks ago but I never finished so now my reward is watching the rest of this video when I’m finished with the room,,!, Thanks for the push Dawn!!, 🖐
This was so timely! I have felt all that stuff you talked about. Interestingly enough, I was preparing some acorn squash to make soup from it while I was watching this! So I got a win win while listening! This is my 2nd Christmas since I started decluttering with you and when I decorated the house last night I used fewer items than I had the past year (and I felt I decluttered those Christmas items good last year!), so I will be decluttering more in that area. Thanks for all you share Dawn, your talks to me on TH-cam really has helped!
This TH-cam channel has become my new *news/fb/Instagram* replacement... 😆 as I would rather hop on here and be filled with decluttering motivation and faith based content from you and Diana!Dawn you’re doing such a great job!!! 👏🏼❤️
Dawn you're so right, I'm really hard on myself when it comes to my clutter because I CREATED IT. But I feel like I make excuses for myself too. I work very hard more mentally NOT PHYSICALLY like Tom lol, so when I get home I just want to mentally relax and we all know how fast tbe weekend is over just by running the normal chores. So I have to try real hard to get motivated and actually do something.
Awww...so THAT'S why I have gotten a million things done around the house in the past 2 years..it's your videos, Dawn😉 I used to use TH-cam for a reward at the gym and these days, while I clean/declutter/exercise at home!! Thankful for your content!!
I use audio books to reward myself while doing dishes and laundry and other house work. When I have an interesting story to listen to I actually get a little excited to do laundry! It's the Pavlov effect for sure. 😊
Love this video, i'm going to do it. Thanks Dawn. Watching your channel is my reward.
Yes! Hit the nail on the head again, Dawn! :)
Yes I like it! The reward😄
Also enjoyed Joshua.B latest on gratitude, gives us a dopamine release aswell I believe!
I tend to watch videos while I am cleaning to help me motivate and I happen to be watching this video today! The bathroom got cleaned yay!
I'm definitely watching this video in order TO motivate myself. I play podcasts (sometimes in a language I'm studying to be be useful), play music, or run TH-cam to make the decluttering/cleaning more enjoyable if I'm not feeling a push. I often pick these types of videos.
Just finished watching The Social Dilema on Netflix and your message just reminded me of what they are talking about when it comes to social media usage. It’s crazy and really eye opening. I tend to go to Social media to scape my homework assignments. Is crazy because I tend to do them last minute and end up so stressed because I waited so long and end up getting A’s and B’s but this just makes me think that I overthink everything too much even though am capable of doing it. Great tips, thank you for sharing and I enjoy your videos!
I watch your videos while I do dishes and fold (yes I fold 😉) my laundry. It makes me look forward to cleaning up! And a clean kitchen is great too. Double dopamine hit! 😂 Thanks for being awesome!
You are absolutely right! What a lovely idea. Thank you for all you do Dawn.
Found your video really helpful as lately have hit a brick wall with decluttering. Have felt unmotivated, finding excuses to avoid tackling tasks. You've given me a different perspective on the issue and will watch this again to recap your great advice.
What a great idea to use TH-cam or FB as a 15 minute reward! Super motivator! ❤️
Also ... love your outfit today! So cute!
LITERALLY took the day off of work and with the help of my 19 year old and spent the last 4 hours purging my breezeway, dining room, hallway, living room and big bathroom (didn’t have the time during the shut down this past spring as was still working but am taking a “voluntary” early retirement as of 12/23)...moved to the basement so AFTER the first of the year will go through to donate or sell (could only get my sons help for a small amount of time so wanted to take advantage of it )
Today is Moving Day, and I am overwhelmed even though I've been preparing for over a year. I see this just popped up, and i'm so glad for your company.
The practical advice is uncanny. I NEED to declutter, badly!!! I’m so thankful to have found you. I’ve watched a few of your videos today on what I need to start with and my summer shoes are finally stored and I got rid of one pan in the kitchen 😂 But hey, it’s a start. Thanks so much for taking your time to help me. Now, I just watched a 15 minute video so I’m going to start dinner. 💯
I listen to podcasts as I clean or declutter and it makes what was an unenjoyable task, into a sum what enjoyable task.
Thank you!!! Its so true in what your saying! I aways do the reward thing to myself to get things done round my house 🏠
Thank you for help!!! ❤💖❤
I unknowingly have these exact same questions with a big project at our apartment I'm doing lately. With decluttering I never seem to ask myself those questions.
thanks for pointing it out in this video!
I think what is needed is a monthly checklist to keep those cleaned areas that way!!!
We did take a few boxes to goodwill this past weekend. Stuff I hadn't looked at in more than 3 years. I didn't think, I just put it in the donate box. Feels good.
I do that too! Screen time is a reward or in the background helping me do boring things like ironing or walking on the treadmill 👍🏻
My goal this weekend is to fill two medium sized boxes for donation, but I am having the hardest time getting going. This came at just the right time! Thank you.
I love your family - Diana included! Your videos are so perfect for me.
I have been following you for over a year now and you are awesome! I always put your videos on while doing dishes or mopping. It helps keep me motivated! Thank you!
Thank you for this I have been feeling unmotivated lately and I needed some ideas and different ways To power through it.
The Dopamine Rush is a necessary issue to tackle. Watching movies seems more mood lifting than tidying up but both can be done simultaneously and a tidy space thereafter is fulfilling.
I have had several pieces of furniture leave the house this week. And sending a big car load to the reopened thrift store tomorrow. I find that the nice weather (it is now Summer in Australia) really helps with my motivation. Plus we have come out of lockdown which has also helped. My ‘reward’ is not being able to put up the Christmas tree until the stuff in the way is gone. It’s working.
Thank you for the inspiration to put the phone up. It does relax me and help me escape and now I know why.
I totally loved this video.. I was struggling to clean out the deck and I wanted to get rid of everything but but my partner wanted to hold on to this huge pile of old stuff. I now realized that pile has stopped my motivation it’s a literal road block preventing me from moving forward.
Dawn you’re so funny 😍 First the Bundt tins and now you’re telling us to stop watching TH-cam 🤔😆
Joking aside, Yes, this is a great way of getting things done. As ever, thank you 🙏🏼 Love you! x
I was thinking sometimes when you're overwhelmed, it's kind of a combination of not feeling capable & the reward isn't satisfying enough. Not capable of getting it done in the time frame you'd prefer & the reward of each small task feels too small to be worth it. That's what I'm facing with 2 houses to declutter as we care for my MIL with all the daily battles of that & homeschooling. It definitely is a lot to overcome!
This one really hit home for me! Thank you. I tried tackling a frog yesterday, got a good start then just hit a wall. The frogs all of a sudden seemed huge. This helps with the motivation. Thanks Dawn
Loved seeing you intro after so long I was missing it “hi I am dawn from minimal min I am married to Tom and we have four kids ages 6 through 11” ♥️♥️♥️♥️♥️♥️