Me too. My home is just the essentials, plus a non-essential, a vase of flowers on the dining room table or coffee rable - that is my small luxury for myself. What I do struggle with s all my notes, I seem to create paperwork - drives me nuts.
I chuckle at my little quirk- just as a like my personal space, I also think my stuff enjoys a little breathing room; so none of my items are packed too close together ( except my books, I think they like to snuggle).
I'm just starting to declutter, it feels great? I'm not a minimalist but would like to ge. My husband and I are retired. My husband hangs on to more things then I. If he wanted to be a minimalist I would be like yes!
Since I’m retired and I spend most of my time at home, I simplify my wardrobe majorly. I have 15 of the same tank tops shorts, sports bra and every two weeks I do laundry. I actually have gotten some bags in which I put in one pair of socks, one pair, underwear, one pair of shorts, one bra and one top. And then I put these bags in my drawers every morning. I just grab one bag put it in the bathroom and get dressed when I come out of the shower. I called it the Steve Jobs method and it works.
I'm on a journey to simplifying. I'm overwhelmed with the amount of stuff. Reminds me of a scripture (whether you believe or not); "For where your treasure is, there your heart will be also." Matthew 6:21 I do not want my heart focused on STUFF. Wonderful video and instructions. Thank you. New subscriber. YAY
Wise decision. Most of my life I haven't had one, even when my children were young. Sure, you can find many good productions from BBC etc., but I see TV mainly as a way to keep us deaf and blind, and make us crave more. Which is not the way I want to live my life. I prefer a free and independent way, and minimalism helped a lot :-)
With Netflix You're going to pay for Movies You're not even going to watch. I would rather just rent one Movie on Google TV if I really want to watch it in a Blue Moon. That can be once every 6 months, year or even 2 years. There's enough Movies and TV series on TH-cam that You only pay for data
@@Julia-zz1gqjust start with one room / area at a time. Set a timer maybe 15 minutes to do as much as you can quickly so you’re not overthinking everything. Once the timer goes off you can stop but you might want to continue when you see how much progress you’ve made. Don’t get caught up doing anything else like cleaning or organizing while decluttering. You can do that later. Have boxes / bags for your stuff. Throw away, sell, donate, keep. Once you’re done get rid of those things so you don’t change your mind. Make a SMALL sentimental box if you need to.
@@Julia-zz1gq it has taken me nearly 4 years. It really is overwhelming and some days it felt endless and I would then leave it for weeks but believe me when you have done it you really do think twice about buying stuff. Start with one room and one piece if item in that room - you’ll get there eventually. Wishing you lots of success x
@@Julia-zz1gq You aren't going to get it all done in one go. Have two strategies that I like to use together. 1) Quick and easy - if I have some spare time, I say to myself "Go and find 20 things anywhere in my home to get rid of". It is easy to find 20 things. If you are motivated, you may go off and find another 20 things, but don't worry if you are not. 2) Room by Room - Pick a room each week and spend some time in that room decluttering. Don;t worry if you don't get it all done. The next week pick another room. When you have gone through all the rooms, go back to the first room and then go through all of them again. At some point you will be able to go into a room, open all the cupboards and see you have nothing left to get rid of as you use it all. An alternative is to take everything out of a room except furniture. Pack it all away into a box. Clean and hoover the room. Re-arrange furniture if you like. Now live in that room for a month. If you find you need something, such as a lamp by your bed or sofa, take it out of the box and put it back. At the end of the month, open up the box and use it to style your room only using items that enhance and make it look beautiful or that you think you will use at some point. Household Paperwork, pick a category. eg Water bills, go through that category and get rid as much as possible. Move onto next category. When done, go back to the first and go though it all again.
@@Julia-zz1gqit was extremely stressful for me as well. It took me a little over 4 years with working full time out of the home. I would pre plan days for an area and mentally get ready for the day. My last big push was my kids school things I had saved in large bins, this was 2 summers ago and it was so stressful I cried and had to take a lot of breaks and give myself grace to go through those emotions. I actually got a mild case of shingles first time ever about 2 weeks after which I do think it was the intense stress of deciding what few things to keep and what to let go. I will say I started the 4 year journey with easy clothes which at the time that didn't even feel easy!!! I would have flashes of remembering an item of clothing I donated and feel very stressed, then the feeling would pass and I just dealt with it. Slowly it got easier kind of like a muscle when you work out, very painful at first then with practice and time it gets easier and you are able to tackle the more important hoard later on. I listened to a lot of declutter podcasts, a lot of declutter you tube videos and read every book I could on decluttering. It finally hit me you are more important than the stuff, and the donating (some new expensive stuff in my case) was painful as far as I kept obsessing over the money lost but then I realized someone out there less fortunate might love and use those items which feels really good. Sorry for the book if you even see this but my heart connected to your comment because I was the same way when I started. I also enlisted family for my first true attempt at clothes and cooked nachos and called it a dehoarding party lol. I was sweating and honestly kept way more that first time even with trusted family suggestions😂 then like a year later I went through what I had kept and thought why did I keep these but at the time I just couldn't let as much go. Give yourself compassion and grace, it is hard and takes practice as with any other skill and you will be successful!
Our family has decluttered a lot since we've moved to our new home last year. It felt great! Now I'm doing another declutter because now the less stuff feels like too much!
I have found the same thing! And each Declutter inspires the next one. I am determined that whenever we move again, I’d like to be ready instead of paying other people to transport things I don’t really want to bring with me. At my age, I’m expecting the next place to be smaller anyway, but I love enjoying “negative space.”
Less clothes …. Omg !!!! LOL I just did a major renovation of the “garage “ , it’s really my art museum , I couldn’t believe how life stressing it was to tackle the garage/ museum. Its a joy now to use !
Thumbs up on Furniture reduction for anyone who cannot walk freely and easily around every part of their home, and access electrical outlets, baseboards and corners to clean, And have plenty of room to walk around the bed to make it in the morning. I’ve become a big fan of wall-mounted furnishings, and the idea of keeping all your clothes in a closet that is fitted out with some drawers.
The Bible tells something similar: When goods increase, they are increased that eat them: and what good is there to the owners thereof, saving the beholding of them with their eyes? (Ecclesiastes 5:11, KJV)
This list has me thinking of making another pass through of the house. There are always things that creep in. Great video. I look forward to them every Friday evening.😊
You'll be shocked at how much time your phone can take from you without ever being aware. Yet so many will say they do not have time to cook , exercise etc.
Joshua, please share what cleaning supplies you use. Most people I know have too much bedding/sheets and towels! We live in NY so we have mostly cold months, we reduced our bedding-each bed has a set of fleece sheets for Fall/Winter and 1 set of cotton sheets for Spring/Summer. 2 bath and hand towels per person. 1 blanket and quilt per bed, a few throws to cozy up in the living room, the rest was donated either to a thrift store or older stuff to the local animal shelter. 4 gabage bags full! Best decluttering category we have done.
I have wanted to try this, but my concern is, what happens if someone gets sick and the linens need to be washed because of a mess that happens in the bed? The sick person needs a fresh change of sheets/blankets in the night, perhaps, when laundry cannot conveniently be completed, and the person needs to be put comfortably back into the bed? But I guess they could temporarily use their second off-season set.
@@pollyburroughs2027I’m pretty minimalist (apart from a million houseplants!!) but I think a couple of spares for such a scenario is very sensible. Extreme minimalism is fine….until there’s a crisis, something’s soiled, broken, lost. There’s an important differentiation to be made between superfluous and way too little!! 👍🏻
@@LouciferFlump- I agree and that’s why I have a few more linens and towels than I enjoy keeping neatly folded on the shelf. And we have three guest rooms that are often all full. And yes, sometimes people get sick and the bedrooms become nursing wards, pretty much. It doesn’t happen often, but when it does, I’m happy for the extra sheets.
Adding to that, I seldom buy any flavor ice cream but vanilla. I purchase a high quality brand and then we add our own flavorings and toppings! Much tastier and satisfying!
@@softsophisticateExactly. And we humans continue living this way even though we see how catastrophic it is for the environment, and even though we can imagine what kind of a world we will leave for later generations. Who will one day look back at our generations and be disgusted.
I feel the same way when I go to yard sales or thrift stores 🫣 I'm glad that items may get a second or third life, but when I see all the unnecessary less-desired objects it always reminds me how much STUFF we humans produce... especially in developed countries. And it's been going on for decades.
I'm definitely not a minimalist and enjoy decorating. I have however discovered that the older I get the more I dislike clutter and have started cleaning out closets and cupboards more and more.
As a young widow with a daughter(alone in cleaning and organizong our life)i live in a huge house and still i'm plenty of free time:i'm a minimalist,this is my secret!
So glad I saw this!!! I have donated so much and I feel Great bc of it!! I can't Thank you enough! This is again great advice!! My home and life is so much Better!! We all benefit when we donate!! I love my house now!!♥️
Thumbs up on reducing and curating one’s personal care world. In addition to being much less toxic, i’ve saved a lot of money while still enjoying a few little splurges to create my own curated natural, personal care collection of DIY product, Local artisan soap, essential oil, and attractive containers and tools made from Natural and recycled materials for the most part. Very few commercial products pass my threshold, And I love having a bathroom that feels a little bit like a spa.
Massively decluttered my short sleeve and sleeveless shirts. It is so easy to pick out my clothes for the day now! Since I only kept my favorites, there's less of "Well, I haven't worn this shirt in awhile so I guess I should go ahead and wear it today." Definitely a mood enhancer.
A friend (sadly, now deceased), was moving. She had a huge home full of decor items for every season and holiday. She offered me boxes of stuffed animals and silk flowers. I took one small stuffed bear in a Halloween costume. She also had roomsful of craft items, clothing, and more. Mutual friends and family took what they wanted. There was still plenty for 2 garage sales and charity donations. Tina, Al's wife
I’m sorry for your loss. Situations like that remind me that other people don’t usually want your stuff very much. And they might take some out of sentiment, but not really be glad later that they did. I’ve helped people move who kept way too much stuff. It has definitely been part of the inspiration for me to never, ever, EVER leave a big mess for others to clean up after I die.
Good list, I would add this: buy or rent a home with no yard or a small yard. Yards take a lot of time or money, or both, to maintain. Also if you do want a big yard, set it firmly in your mind from the outset that you will take responsibility for handling all the maintenance. Also that you won’t spend more than your spouse is comfortable with. Honey-do-lists are evil. So don’t try to make your spouse realize your vision for you.
1: clothes 2:21 simplify getting ready, fewer decisions, less shopping, laundry routine and space required to store. 2: kitchenware 2:46 streamline meal prep and clean up 3: toys 3:16 fewer toys nurtures creativity and helps kids learn to clean up their own things at the end of the day 4: decorations 3:46 keep the most meaningful and beautiful - owning less is more time recaptured 5: self care supplies 4:26 a curated selection declutters space and the routine 6: furniture 4:55 over furnished space is harder to clean and consumes time. 7: cleaning supplies 5:29 choose a few multi use items to simplify routine, decisions and space to store them 8: garage clutter 6:16 do your garage items get in the way? 9: TVs and digital screens 6:53 the avg person uses 3 hours in front of a screen of some type.
Thank you. I have a day free tomorrow and I will work on getting rid of items I no longer want/use. Great video, your calming nature makes your videos enjoyable 😊
I buy a huge bottle of extra strength Dawn about once a year. I use it for SO many cleaning projects! That, Lysol, vinegar, Bar Keepers Friend and baking soda handle pretty much all my cleaning needs.
I like to keep it simple as well. Barkeepers friend is useful whenever I need a cleaner with oxalic acid in it. But when I need something to scrub with that is non-toxic and effective, I go to old school Bon Ami. To get the one with the simplest ingredient profile I had to order directly from the company. But I really like it for the things that baking soda just doesn’t deal with properly.
The idea that possessions which were meant to save us time often don't is SO true. This is why I have lived fridge-free, dishwasher-free and washing machine free for more than 2 years now. I used to spend SO much time cleaning my fridge and throwing away food I forgot about. Now I just buy the fresh stuff I need for the day, cook it and eat it. Not hard. No fridge cleaning ever required, and no food wastage ever. I'll never need to fix a broken appliance, or obtain movers to move them if I ever change house. I also save money on electricity. Yes, it does require going to the shops either daily or every second day. But that's easy where I am. I am fully convinced I save time overall by doing this, and improve my health. Also, as far as a washing machine goes, I used to have one... sometimes it would leak and then I would need to get it repaired. Such a pain. Now I just go to the laundromat. It's no longer my responsibility to purchase or care for a machine. And I am sure it is more ecological for the whole community to share a machine, than for every individual to own one. A dishwasher is also a waste of time for me, since I only have a small amount of dishes. Quicker to just wash them by hand than load and unload them into some supposed "time saving device" that requires expensive tablets and itself needs to be cleaned.
Super interesting! I don’t live in walking distance of a grocery store, and we periodically have storms and hurricanes and floods, and the meat at the stores is increasingly questionable. So I’m all about the freezer with half of a calf in it with a generator. But then again, when the disasters strike, there’s more of everything for the people who didn’t plan ahead. I guess it all depends on where you live, what challenges you face, how far away you are from food sources, etc. During the last storm, the power outages shut down nearly every restaurant, and people had no food because the stores were also closed. The power outages not only went on for days, but a month later some people still don’t have it back. And we have a generator because… We’ve lived through two weeks without air conditioning in a tropical area where the temperatures regularly hit over 100° during hurricane season. But I still loved hearing how minimal your lifestyle is. It sounds absolutely lovely!
And PS, we went without a dishwasher for years, and it was no big deal. But I love my speed queen laundry machine. The closest laundromat is a good, 20 minutes away by car.
I moved to the Philippines from Canada. It was winter when I left so, my clothes were for winter. It's mostly summer at 38°C in the Philippines. I have been hand washing my house clothes every day to save on electricity. I frankly cannot use the winter clothes here. I didn't have house clothes in Canada either. They were used clothes from The Thrift Store. After housework, it's impossible not to shower. I've perspired a lot and gotten dirty. I only have three leggings and three shirts. I wash them each time I shower while in the shower. I need a few more house clothes to change to after showering and when I have my period to maintain cleanliness. I've never had the overflowing wardrobe typical of North Americans because I grew up with hand-me-downs from my older sisters. I am slightly taller and bigger than anyone that I know of here in the Philippines. Other women's clothes won't fit me. I definitely need it or when I am sick and can't hand wash my clothes, I would have to keep wearing them soiled. Here in the Philippines, not showering and changing into clean clothes after housework or heavy perspiration is a sign of poor hygiene.
I’ve lived in hot, humid weather all my life and I’m tall, even for an American among Americans. Shopping for clothes is not my favorite thing to do, It’s hard to find things that fit me the way I like. But instead of leggings, have you thought about making some loose linen pants? Even a linen blend? I absolutely love these for the summertime and it’s a pretty simple sewing project even if you have the most basic skills. And if you don’t have the skills, they aren’t that hard to come by. I feel so wonderfully cool in the heat when I wear them! I know they have a reputation for wrinkling, but here’s what I do: after I wash them, I hang them up, upside down with the hanger, holding the hem. Then I add a heavier hanger, or some other kind of weight to the waist. The weight helped pull the wrinkles out. I use a small table fan to move air around it, and that further helps “iron“ the pants, so they come out crispy and smooth. If I am in a hurry, I will sometimes put them in my dryer on cold tumble before hanging them like that - just to shake the extra moisture out of them first. I learned that trick from an Italian who loves to wear linen all the time. He just hangs his linen items with a weight. The table fan doesn’t pull Nearly the same electricity as the dryer. And I dry a lot of things that way instead of in my dryer. It actually helps my clothing last a lot longer, as well. (All of the lint in the lint trap in the dryer is basically your clothing - falling apart) That’s why I almost never need to go shopping anymore.
Thumbs up on reclaiming the garage. In our neck of the woods, there’s not much that can endure the extreme heat of summer, and that helps control what hangs out there. But even so, it turns into a waystation for items that are hard to make decisions about, sometimes.
I love your videos, Joshua Becker. They are so helpful and inspiring. To add another facet to the clothing discussion, for me instead of less clothing, what helps is fewer styles of clothing so that it's easier and quicker to decide. But a greater number of clothing items helps me because I have to do laundry less often, and this saves me time. So I find that more clothes but many duplicates saves the most time. My biggest takeaway from this video is to be more intentional and not waste time on unnecessary things or activities. They add up! Thank you for all the tips. It keeps us on track. so appreciated.
Started down the path of moderation & minimalism…. Can’t believe how much consumerism has grabbed hold of “us” 3 “New” storage places have sprung up within 3 miles of my home…and there were already two storage companies close!!! 🙃
It is shocking to me - The way people pay so much more to store stuff than the stuff is actually worth! Those storage places are meant to be temporary, like when you store things away while you show off your house to best advantage during the selling process. My goal for the next move is to not even need a storage unit at all, Unless there is a big lag time between leaving one house and being able to get into the next one.
So true! It’s also so hard to get to this level. Using time wisely beginning with less screen time is probably the hardest thing at this time of our society. Secondly decluttering, we (myself included) can always have some sort of excuse to not do this. Thank you for the reminder. I personally will try doing better. A simple life makes for a happy life.❤
I agree with this list. I did them on my own life except the kitchenware since I still live with my parents. It did wonders! And I'm watching myself out too being self-aware and mindful in case I plan to re-include similar items again in my life. It feels good when I started to let go and it feels good seeing so much space now. I love empty spaces. Now it's either I maintain or go through all my stuff again because I might have missed something!
Excellent video! For anyone looking for a great multi cleaner try Dr. Bronner’s Sal Suds. It is concentrated so must be diluted, but you can literally clean everything in your house-- floors, bathroom, mirrors, kitchen, etc. You can even wash your dishes and clothes. A 32 oz bottle typically last 1 year with weekly use. This and a disinfectant to sanitize certain areas is all I use to clean. A good disinfectant is Odor Ban.
@@MaxineAnne77 Yes Dr. Bronner! Voice typing ugh! I like their Castile soaps, unfortunately I cannot use the castile soaps as I hard water and it leaves a film on everything and my skin dry.
I’m not Joshua Becker but I will share what I use. Norwex microfiber cloths for wiping down counters, kitchen appliances, quick bathroom sink wipe down, windows, mirrors. Washable and reusable. Norwex mirror/window cloth for polishing after using the microfiber cloth. Washable and reusable. Young Living Thieves household cleaner. A tiny bit goes a long way! Dilute in a spray bottle for cleaning tables, countertops, cabinets, anything really. Also use in a mop bucket for mopping floors. As an alternative to the Thieves cleaner. Take citrus peels, put in a jar and fill jar with vinegar. Let sit in the fridge for about two weeks. Then use in a spray bottle, half citrus vinegar half water. For mopping use half plain vinegar half water. Soft Scrub for deep cleaning toilets, showers, and sinks. After a kitchen sponge is too worn out for dishes, use it for cleaning bathrooms. Baking soda and vinegar. Pour into toilets to scrub and disinfect.
Vinegar Bicarbonate soda Borax A shop bought anti mould shower spray Windex I use old newspapers to clean windows. I make rags from old, worn out clothes.
Thumbs up on decreasing decoration, for me. My taste has not stayed uniformly the same over the years. At least I kept the decor turning over. Now I’m in the mood to get rid of all but what is truly meaningful and attractive to me. It’s like anti-nesting, anti-cocooning.
We have 5 cats and 2 dogs. Not a minimalist with them but I am with stuff. I gave up on cat beds because the cats love to sit in the cardboard boxes. We have 2 cat trees and 2 cat shelves that are decorative and look really nice. It keeps floor space more open.
It's so ridiculous when people say everyone has 24 hours a day.And we've always just had 24 hours a day.But the thing of it is some of us are single.We have the whole load on ourselves.Other people are married.They have 2 people to share the loads.So there are big differences in why things can't get done
I agree with you to a point but what about when one spouse has a chronic illness or disability and their husband or wife has to be their primary carer? I had to hold down a job, look after my husband for 7 years 'til he died and help my daughter with her babies as they were born, all at the same time. For those 7 years I had to do everything on my own as hubby couldn't help me. What got done got done. Everything else went out the window.
I can see your point. I think Amazon buying should be meaningful. I am personally an Amazon and eBay shopper and I have not set foot inside a mall in close to 15 years. I think if I actually shopped in a mall like in the old days I would be making a lot more spontaneous purchases without any research and then regretting them. Yes, you can still do the same thing with Amazon, however, I carefully read all the reviews before I make a decision. Usually, I have 20 items sitting in my wish list sometimes for months before I pull the trigger. This way, each purchase has a lot more meaning and I know exactly what I'm buying so it is not a regret the moment I get it in the mail. When I was still going through my decluttering phase a while back, my hard rule was for anything new I buy, I had to get rid of at least three other things by donating or selling. I'm more relaxed about it now since I don't have as much as I used to
@@kimgordon3695 your comment makes partial sense. Yes, there is a fee only if you're a prime member, but you don't have to be a prime member to shop on Amazon. It is not like Costco or Sam's. I'm a prime member only a couple of times a year when I need to do some batch purchases, and then I cancel. The only benefit here is that sometimes you get a lower price than non-prime members and you get faster shipping, but most of the time I don't mind waiting a couple more days on something and I don't really watch anything on Amazon Prime or shop at Whole Foods or use other Amazon perks. You can do the same with Netflix. If you know there's a show you want to watch on Netflix but you don't want to pay a monthly fee just batch watch something in one month and then cancel and don't resubscribe for months until you know something else is coming up. This also builds excitement and is more rewarding My most meaningful membership is TH-cam Premium. I get so much benefit out of it. I hate commercials and ads of any kind so I pay to not have them on TH-cam. TH-cam is what I watch 98% of my TV watching time so I don't regret it one bit. I reduced in so many areas of my life that this is worth it. It is my only ongoing subscription every month.
@@poolboyinla they are, especially if they're coming directly from China and you don't mind waiting a couple of more weeks. Sometimes that makes it harder to return things, so I still make careful considerations and sometimes pay a few dollars more from a seller in the US knowing I can return much easier, but these are still quite few purchases that I make under these conditions. Sometimes I save the same things on both eBay and Amazon on my wish list on both for comparison as far as price goes and it can go either way
I was raised in Mexico and we didn’t have much material possessions but life was beautiful, meaningful rich in community but I was culture shock with America hyper consumerism, always chasing the next thing, more debt, more work and life more surpercial and not meaningful.
So did you go home where Life is more sane? One of my best friends came from Tampico, and was just a few blocks from the beach. I would’ve loved to live there, with the ocean as a back up grocery store. Her grandma had a garden and chickens.
@@CEO-tp3go - I’m married to a Mexican and spent a lot of time there over the years with friends and family, so…another side of Mexicans I’ve known the past 40 years is: obsession with name brands, chasing the next thing, shopping like crazy when they travel, incredibly wasteful and full of disregard for the environment, class snobbery, dressing to make sure you signal what class you belong to, treating servants like they are invisible (Though some families are polite, others are not), telling people what they want to hear vs the truth, the filthiest, most disgusting, feces-smeared bathrooms on the road (all the way from the border to Mexico City, though it has improved significantly over the years with toll roads), priests preaching socialism instead of the gospel on Sundays, paying off cops and border guys as a matter of habit, Mail theft as a routine occurrence, no faith in a long-corrupt government/voting system, and now a place where services offered by cartels are better than what people get from the government, & guns are highly restricted yet criminals have no problem obtaining them. Every country has a dark side. I appreciate the wonderful part of Mexico. You have yet to discover the wonderful about the United States….and it is amazing.
I long ago learned the beauty of doing a weekly brain dump which usually takes several pages - then scrutinize and pick out the 6 most important and each day I do one of those- I only chose 6 because Sunday is rest day.
I don’t mind having “wall clutter”. I like a lot of things on the wall. It helps insulate and sound proof the house too. I do not like surface clutter though. I try not to have a bunch of nick nacks out that don’t have a purpose.
Im constantly decluttering my clothes. They get holes and dont get replaced. No kids so no toys. We have very few decorations and often forget to put those few up. I make my own cleaning products.
the cleaning products is such a good tip. i literally only have all purpose cleaner, floor cleaner and glass cleaner. and lysol wipes if they count. i think anything else is unnecessary.
Spend time and money on family, loved ones and experiences, preferably with the former, not on (needless) stuff! ❤ Also, spend money to 'buy time'. By that I mean your freedom and being stress-free is more important is and well worth spending some money on, for instant, for grocery delivery (you even buy less if you shop online) I am someone who hates grocery shopping. I eliminated this annoyance + stress from my life + I spend way less (no impulse buys!)
Several yrs ago I stopped watching TV due to rls but even if I didn't have rls I would have cut back. Now I watch no more then 1 hr a week and don't miss it. TH-cam I at l east learn something from it.as far as games I only play a couple and I do crafts ,sketch, write letters, clean, see those I love.spend time with pets. Help others.im 68 wish I learned earlier but at least my life is full of happy days.
Thank you for this video to keep us in check of our stuff. I’m finding it very difficult to minimise my clothes,it’s just so hard. Do decorations mean Ornaments we have?🤔
Well, I started by moving along items I hadn't worn in one year. First, I moved everything to the left half of my closet, then as I wore something, it got put away on the right-hand side. After one year, you've run through all the seasons, and it becomes obvious what you are not using. Then I gave myself permission to toss/donate what wasn't working for me, for whatever reason. I still keep a few pricier items, like my big London Fog coat that only gets worn once in a blue moon, but you get my drift. As for ornaments, I believe they fall firmly in the category of decorations. I thought it would be tough to clear out our Christmas decorations, but it was not. (I was really surprised to discover that hubby agreed with me on what should go.) I started with a nice pile of items that had "seen better days" and still seem to find a couple of things to let go of every year. Just get started with something you are tired of shoving around. You'll love the feeling and want to let go of more and more!
Probably cut down some time at the gym. That will give me more time to play guitar. Besides, if I get any more swole I'll have to clutter my closet with new clothes that my chest won't rip. Good looking out doc
I’ve taken my time to learn how to master these areas and I’m currently working on the “kitchenware & self-care supply” I am using up my self-care items and finding affordable options to replace them. I am also using less. My system for cosmetics is, I use up the expensive items first. So a cleanser for the face or a lipstick. It then gets replaced and some items never get replaced. I also grocery shop very minimally. I find ways to use up every fresh vegetable to reduce waste. Yesterday, I removed 9 kitchen items out of the kitchen. It feels nice to be able to see into a drawer without digging through unnecessary items. 😊❤
I noticed that old people who had used a lot of skin care. Products didn’t look so great. I stopped using nearly all of them along time ago. I mostly use plain water on my face. Oil cleansing. The occasional natural exfoliant. A very simple make up routine with a Christina compact of mineral make up, a touch of mascara and lipgloss. That’s about it. And typically everyone thinks I’m 10 years younger than I actually am because my skin looks really good. Giving up most carbs and plant based oils was a Game changer For my general health, which also reflected itself in my skin. Expensive doesn’t necessarily mean it’s gonna make you more beautiful. Just saying.
@@bitrudder3792 I think these are great choices and yes there are lots of overpriced items that lure us in. It’s all very liberating to let go of the unnecessary ♥️
I have a lot of black as well, but I’m breaking out of that pattern. My coloring is cool and muted, and even though I have high contrast, Black is not my most becoming color, even if it is the most convenient color. If black is your becoming color, go for it! And if it’s not, you might want to phase over into a basic neutral that makes you look more beautiful, with a healthy glow.
The more stuff we have, the more money and time to attain and maintain them. Stuff is active, not passive. It takes up mental and physical space.
So true. Stuff is active, not passive 🧸💡
I love this statement!! " Stuff is active, not passive"; the cherry on top of an already fantastic video. Thankyou ❤
My dear old dad always used to say; “the less you have, the less you worry about”.
@@trish-f5t - This is true to a point, and the WEF wants to sell you on the idea that you will “own nothing, and be happy.”
I love minimalism. Some are called to it and some are not. I am one who is definitely called to it. I love it.
Me too. My home is just the essentials, plus a non-essential, a vase of flowers on the dining room table or coffee rable - that is my small luxury for myself.
What I do struggle with s all my notes, I seem to create paperwork - drives me nuts.
I chuckle at my little quirk- just as a like my personal space, I also think my stuff enjoys a little breathing room; so none of my items are packed too close together ( except my books, I think they like to snuggle).
I'm just starting to declutter, it feels great? I'm not a minimalist but would like to ge. My husband and I are retired. My husband hangs on to more things then I. If he wanted to be a minimalist I would be like yes!
My dad said, "The more your own, the more you're a slave to."
The more you own, the more that owns you. Everything you own needs to be cared for in some way, even if it's only stored or dusted.
I believe that with all my heart. Stuff seems to call out to me - "wash me, put me away, dust me..." - never-ending 😮
My dad too!
So true. Wise dad.
The more you have, the more you have to handle it.Move it around, touch it, store it.
Since I’m retired and I spend most of my time at home, I simplify my wardrobe majorly. I have 15 of the same tank tops shorts, sports bra and every two weeks I do laundry. I actually have gotten some bags in which I put in one pair of socks, one pair, underwear, one pair of shorts, one bra and one top. And then I put these bags in my drawers every morning. I just grab one bag put it in the bathroom and get dressed when I come out of the shower. I called it the Steve Jobs method and it works.
Less screen time is definitely the winner. For all of us who say we don’t have enough time, I can guarantee our screen time is way too high.
my screen time is full of wathching minimializm videos from Joshua
“Spend more time caring for yourself and less time trying to decide how.” Brilliant! 💡
I'm on a journey to simplifying. I'm overwhelmed with the amount of stuff. Reminds me of a scripture (whether you believe or not); "For where your treasure is, there your heart will be also."
Matthew 6:21 I do not want my heart focused on STUFF. Wonderful video and instructions. Thank you. New subscriber. YAY
Also, "lay aside every weight."
@@lurlenejones456 indeed! 👏
Same here!!!
Thanks
My Confirmation textword, how cool to see it in this context! 🙂
I quit watching TV 14 years ago. Best decision ever.
Wise decision. Most of my life I haven't had one, even when my children were young.
Sure, you can find many good productions from BBC etc., but I see TV mainly as a way to keep us deaf and blind, and make us crave more.
Which is not the way I want to live my life.
I prefer a free and independent way, and minimalism helped a lot :-)
My TV is TH-cam
Same here! No point of having TV at home.
Every body tells me to get Netflix. I don’t want to watch more TV.
With Netflix You're going to pay for Movies You're not even going to watch. I would rather just rent one Movie on Google TV if I really want to watch it in a Blue Moon. That can be once every 6 months, year or even 2 years. There's enough Movies and TV series on TH-cam that You only pay for data
Finally finished decluttering and living with more minimalism - actually found the benefits yesterday when cleaning. The chores are done in no time.
how did you declutter? it's so overwhelming and emotional for me
@@Julia-zz1gqjust start with one room / area at a time. Set a timer maybe 15 minutes to do as much as you can quickly so you’re not overthinking everything. Once the timer goes off you can stop but you might want to continue when you see how much progress you’ve made. Don’t get caught up doing anything else like cleaning or organizing while decluttering. You can do that later. Have boxes / bags for your stuff. Throw away, sell, donate, keep. Once you’re done get rid of those things so you don’t change your mind. Make a SMALL sentimental box if you need to.
@@Julia-zz1gq it has taken me nearly 4 years. It really is overwhelming and some days it felt endless and I would then leave it for weeks but believe me when you have done it you really do think twice about buying stuff.
Start with one room and one piece if item in that room - you’ll get there eventually. Wishing you lots of success x
@@Julia-zz1gq
You aren't going to get it all done in one go.
Have two strategies that I like to use together.
1) Quick and easy - if I have some spare time, I say to myself "Go and find 20 things anywhere in my home to get rid of". It is easy to find 20 things. If you are motivated, you may go off and find another 20 things, but don't worry if you are not.
2) Room by Room - Pick a room each week and spend some time in that room decluttering. Don;t worry if you don't get it all done. The next week pick another room. When you have gone through all the rooms, go back to the first room and then go through all of them again.
At some point you will be able to go into a room, open all the cupboards and see you have nothing left to get rid of as you use it all.
An alternative is to take everything out of a room except furniture. Pack it all away into a box. Clean and hoover the room. Re-arrange furniture if you like.
Now live in that room for a month. If you find you need something, such as a lamp by your bed or sofa, take it out of the box and put it back.
At the end of the month, open up the box and use it to style your room only using items that enhance and make it look beautiful or that you think you will use at some point.
Household Paperwork, pick a category. eg Water bills, go through that category and get rid as much as possible. Move onto next category. When done, go back to the first and go though it all again.
@@Julia-zz1gqit was extremely stressful for me as well. It took me a little over 4 years with working full time out of the home. I would pre plan days for an area and mentally get ready for the day. My last big push was my kids school things I had saved in large bins, this was 2 summers ago and it was so stressful I cried and had to take a lot of breaks and give myself grace to go through those emotions. I actually got a mild case of shingles first time ever about 2 weeks after which I do think it was the intense stress of deciding what few things to keep and what to let go. I will say I started the 4 year journey with easy clothes which at the time that didn't even feel easy!!! I would have flashes of remembering an item of clothing I donated and feel very stressed, then the feeling would pass and I just dealt with it. Slowly it got easier kind of like a muscle when you work out, very painful at first then with practice and time it gets easier and you are able to tackle the more important hoard later on. I listened to a lot of declutter podcasts, a lot of declutter you tube videos and read every book I could on decluttering. It finally hit me you are more important than the stuff, and the donating (some new expensive stuff in my case) was painful as far as I kept obsessing over the money lost but then I realized someone out there less fortunate might love and use those items which feels really good. Sorry for the book if you even see this but my heart connected to your comment because I was the same way when I started. I also enlisted family for my first true attempt at clothes and cooked nachos and called it a dehoarding party lol. I was sweating and honestly kept way more that first time even with trusted family suggestions😂 then like a year later I went through what I had kept and thought why did I keep these but at the time I just couldn't let as much go. Give yourself compassion and grace, it is hard and takes practice as with any other skill and you will be successful!
I’m in no spend month challenge. (Clothes and household goods). Just focusing in my 4 walls. Housing, transportation, utilities, and food.
Spend more time caring for yourself 🎯
The way you advise people is really outstanding. Thank you for your assistance.
Our family has decluttered a lot since we've moved to our new home last year. It felt great! Now I'm doing another declutter because now the less stuff feels like too much!
I have found the same thing! And each Declutter inspires the next one. I am determined that whenever we move again, I’d like to be ready instead of paying other people to transport things I don’t really want to bring with me. At my age, I’m expecting the next place to be smaller anyway, but I love enjoying “negative space.”
Less clothes …. Omg !!!! LOL
I just did a major renovation of the “garage “ , it’s really my art museum , I couldn’t believe how life stressing it was to tackle the garage/ museum. Its a joy now to use !
Thumbs up on Furniture reduction for anyone who cannot walk freely and easily around every part of their home, and access electrical outlets, baseboards and corners to clean, And have plenty of room to walk around the bed to make it in the morning.
I’ve become a big fan of wall-mounted furnishings, and the idea of keeping all your clothes in a closet that is fitted out with some drawers.
The Bible tells something similar:
When goods increase, they are increased that eat them: and what good is there to the owners thereof, saving the beholding of them with their eyes? (Ecclesiastes 5:11, KJV)
Always appreciate your advice. Less screen time would not only find more time but also better mental clarity and health.
less stuff is best. im 85 and get rid of stuff except when i get stuck what to get rid of. thanks for your help.
This list has me thinking of making another pass through of the house. There are always things that creep in. Great video. I look forward to them every Friday evening.😊
You'll be shocked at how much time your phone can take from you without ever being aware. Yet so many will say they do not have time to cook , exercise etc.
Joshua, please share what cleaning supplies you use. Most people I know have too much bedding/sheets and towels! We live in NY so we have mostly cold months, we reduced our bedding-each bed has a set of fleece sheets for Fall/Winter and 1 set of cotton sheets for Spring/Summer. 2 bath and hand towels per person. 1 blanket and quilt per bed, a few throws to cozy up in the living room, the rest was donated either to a thrift store or older stuff to the local animal shelter. 4 gabage bags full! Best decluttering category we have done.
Yes please
I have wanted to try this, but my concern is, what happens if someone gets sick and the linens need to be washed because of a mess that happens in the bed? The sick person needs a fresh change of sheets/blankets in the night, perhaps, when laundry cannot conveniently be completed, and the person needs to be put comfortably back into the bed? But I guess they could temporarily use their second off-season set.
@@pollyburroughs2027I’m pretty minimalist (apart from a million houseplants!!) but I think a couple of spares for such a scenario is very sensible. Extreme minimalism is fine….until there’s a crisis, something’s soiled, broken, lost.
There’s an important differentiation to be made between superfluous and way too little!! 👍🏻
@@LouciferFlump thanks for this thoughtful reply.
@@LouciferFlump- I agree and that’s why I have a few more linens and towels than I enjoy keeping neatly folded on the shelf. And we have three guest rooms that are often all full. And yes, sometimes people get sick and the bedrooms become nursing wards, pretty much. It doesn’t happen often, but when it does, I’m happy for the extra sheets.
I'm always amazed at all the unnecessary crap available in the stores 😮 We could do with a lot smaller, fewer stores.
Yes and what a wast of earth's resources that will all end up in the landfill.
Agreed!!
Adding to that, I seldom buy any flavor ice cream but vanilla. I purchase a high quality brand and then we add our own flavorings and toppings! Much tastier and satisfying!
@@softsophisticateExactly. And we humans continue living this way even though we see how catastrophic it is for the environment, and even though we can imagine what kind of a world we will leave for later generations. Who will one day look back at our generations and be disgusted.
I feel the same way when I go to yard sales or thrift stores 🫣 I'm glad that items may get a second or third life, but when I see all the unnecessary less-desired objects it always reminds me how much STUFF we humans produce... especially in developed countries. And it's been going on for decades.
I'm definitely not a minimalist and enjoy decorating. I have however discovered that the older I get the more I dislike clutter and have started cleaning out closets and cupboards more and more.
Joshua Becker, amazing content keep it up
Always good advice. Watching your videos each week keeps me on track to keep worldly goods to a minimum
As a young widow with a daughter(alone in cleaning and organizong our life)i live in a huge house and still i'm plenty of free time:i'm a minimalist,this is my secret!
Sending you my deep condolences 🙏🍀 I wish you strength and caring people in this hard time. All the best to you and your daughter🍀
Keeping life simple is definitely a strength. May God bless 🙌 ❤
I hope you are enjoying all that empty space! I love that sort of space for dancing and playing…
So glad I saw this!!! I have donated so much and I feel Great bc of it!! I can't Thank you enough! This is again great advice!! My home and life is so much Better!! We all benefit when we donate!! I love my house now!!♥️
Thumbs up on reducing and curating one’s personal care world. In addition to being much less toxic, i’ve saved a lot of money while still enjoying a few little splurges to create my own curated natural, personal care collection of DIY product, Local artisan soap, essential oil, and attractive containers and tools made from Natural and recycled materials for the most part. Very few commercial products pass my threshold, And I love having a bathroom that feels a little bit like a spa.
We also gave up t.v. LOVE IT get so much done and it helps that we love music and we are in our 70s
Massively decluttered my short sleeve and sleeveless shirts. It is so easy to pick out my clothes for the day now! Since I only kept my favorites, there's less of "Well, I haven't worn this shirt in awhile so I guess I should go ahead and wear it today." Definitely a mood enhancer.
A friend (sadly, now deceased), was moving. She had a huge home full of decor items for every season and holiday. She offered me boxes of stuffed animals and
silk flowers. I took one small stuffed bear in a Halloween costume. She also had roomsful of craft items, clothing, and more. Mutual friends and family took what
they wanted. There was still plenty for 2 garage sales and charity donations. Tina, Al's wife
I’m sorry for your loss. Situations like that remind me that other people don’t usually want your stuff very much. And they might take some out of sentiment, but not really be glad later that they did.
I’ve helped people move who kept way too much stuff. It has definitely been part of the inspiration for me to never, ever, EVER leave a big mess for others to clean up after I die.
Good list, I would add this: buy or rent a home with no yard or a small yard. Yards take a lot of time or money, or both, to maintain. Also if you do want a big yard, set it firmly in your mind from the outset that you will take responsibility for handling all the maintenance. Also that you won’t spend more than your spouse is comfortable with. Honey-do-lists are evil. So don’t try to make your spouse realize your vision for you.
I love a big yard! It is well worth having.
1: clothes 2:21 simplify getting ready, fewer decisions, less shopping, laundry routine and space required to store.
2: kitchenware 2:46 streamline meal prep and clean up
3: toys 3:16 fewer toys nurtures creativity and helps kids learn to clean up their own things at the end of the day
4: decorations 3:46 keep the most meaningful and beautiful - owning less is more time recaptured
5: self care supplies 4:26 a curated selection declutters space and the routine
6: furniture 4:55 over furnished space is harder to clean and consumes time.
7: cleaning supplies 5:29 choose a few multi use items to simplify routine, decisions and space to store them
8: garage clutter 6:16 do your garage items get in the way?
9: TVs and digital screens 6:53 the avg person uses 3 hours in front of a screen of some type.
Thankyou
Thank you. I have a day free tomorrow and I will work on getting rid of items I no longer want/use.
Great video, your calming nature makes your videos enjoyable 😊
Oh, how I needed this today... Thanks for your time and effort to direct me and others in the right direction of peaceful lives.
I buy a huge bottle of extra strength Dawn about once a year. I use it for SO many cleaning projects! That, Lysol, vinegar, Bar Keepers Friend and baking soda handle pretty much all my cleaning needs.
I like to keep it simple as well. Barkeepers friend is useful whenever I need a cleaner with oxalic acid in it. But when I need something to scrub with that is non-toxic and effective, I go to old school Bon Ami. To get the one with the simplest ingredient profile I had to order directly from the company. But I really like it for the things that baking soda just doesn’t deal with properly.
The idea that possessions which were meant to save us time often don't is SO true. This is why I have lived fridge-free, dishwasher-free and washing machine free for more than 2 years now. I used to spend SO much time cleaning my fridge and throwing away food I forgot about. Now I just buy the fresh stuff I need for the day, cook it and eat it. Not hard. No fridge cleaning ever required, and no food wastage ever. I'll never need to fix a broken appliance, or obtain movers to move them if I ever change house. I also save money on electricity. Yes, it does require going to the shops either daily or every second day. But that's easy where I am. I am fully convinced I save time overall by doing this, and improve my health. Also, as far as a washing machine goes, I used to have one... sometimes it would leak and then I would need to get it repaired. Such a pain. Now I just go to the laundromat. It's no longer my responsibility to purchase or care for a machine. And I am sure it is more ecological for the whole community to share a machine, than for every individual to own one. A dishwasher is also a waste of time for me, since I only have a small amount of dishes. Quicker to just wash them by hand than load and unload them into some supposed "time saving device" that requires expensive tablets and itself needs to be cleaned.
wow you inspire me.
I learned alot from u.. deciding to go mashine free myself... God bless u
This comment is helpful, I was thinking to buy fridge. Now, decided not to. Thank you
Super interesting! I don’t live in walking distance of a grocery store, and we periodically have storms and hurricanes and floods, and the meat at the stores is increasingly questionable. So I’m all about the freezer with half of a calf in it with a generator. But then again, when the disasters strike, there’s more of everything for the people who didn’t plan ahead. I guess it all depends on where you live, what challenges you face, how far away you are from food sources, etc. During the last storm, the power outages shut down nearly every restaurant, and people had no food because the stores were also closed. The power outages not only went on for days, but a month later some people still don’t have it back. And we have a generator because… We’ve lived through two weeks without air conditioning in a tropical area where the temperatures regularly hit over 100° during hurricane season.
But I still loved hearing how minimal your lifestyle is. It sounds absolutely lovely!
And PS, we went without a dishwasher for years, and it was no big deal. But I love my speed queen laundry machine. The closest laundromat is a good, 20 minutes away by car.
Thank you. You know, I know all these things, but it sure helps to have the reminder!!
Sounds like a great fit for tackling the KonMari method on the whole house! Thank you for reinforcing what I have been postponing for several years!
Love your clear direct and, if I must say, decluttered delivery :)!!
I moved to the Philippines from Canada. It was winter when I left so, my clothes were for winter. It's mostly summer at 38°C in the Philippines. I have been hand washing my house clothes every day to save on electricity. I frankly cannot use the winter clothes here. I didn't have house clothes in Canada either. They were used clothes from The Thrift Store. After housework, it's impossible not to shower. I've perspired a lot and gotten dirty. I only have three leggings and three shirts. I wash them each time I shower while in the shower. I need a few more house clothes to change to after showering and when I have my period to maintain cleanliness. I've never had the overflowing wardrobe typical of North Americans because I grew up with hand-me-downs from my older sisters. I am slightly taller and bigger than anyone that I know of here in the Philippines. Other women's clothes won't fit me. I definitely need it or when I am sick and can't hand wash my clothes, I would have to keep wearing them soiled. Here in the Philippines, not showering and changing into clean clothes after housework or heavy perspiration is a sign of poor hygiene.
I’ve lived in hot, humid weather all my life and I’m tall, even for an American among Americans. Shopping for clothes is not my favorite thing to do, It’s hard to find things that fit me the way I like. But instead of leggings, have you thought about making some loose linen pants? Even a linen blend? I absolutely love these for the summertime and it’s a pretty simple sewing project even if you have the most basic skills. And if you don’t have the skills, they aren’t that hard to come by. I feel so wonderfully cool in the heat when I wear them! I know they have a reputation for wrinkling, but here’s what I do: after I wash them, I hang them up, upside down with the hanger, holding the hem. Then I add a heavier hanger, or some other kind of weight to the waist. The weight helped pull the wrinkles out. I use a small table fan to move air around it, and that further helps “iron“ the pants, so they come out crispy and smooth. If I am in a hurry, I will sometimes put them in my dryer on cold tumble before hanging them like that - just to shake the extra moisture out of them first.
I learned that trick from an Italian who loves to wear linen all the time. He just hangs his linen items with a weight.
The table fan doesn’t pull Nearly the same electricity as the dryer. And I dry a lot of things that way instead of in my dryer. It actually helps my clothing last a lot longer, as well. (All of the lint in the lint trap in the dryer is basically your clothing - falling apart) That’s why I almost never need to go shopping anymore.
Thumbs up on reclaiming the garage. In our neck of the woods, there’s not much that can endure the extreme heat of summer, and that helps control what hangs out there. But even so, it turns into a waystation for items that are hard to make decisions about, sometimes.
I love your videos, Joshua Becker. They are so helpful and inspiring. To add another facet to the clothing discussion, for me instead of less clothing, what helps is fewer styles of clothing so that it's easier and quicker to decide. But a greater number of clothing items helps me because I have to do laundry less often, and this saves me time. So I find that more clothes but many duplicates saves the most time. My biggest takeaway from this video is to be more intentional and not waste time on unnecessary things or activities. They add up! Thank you for all the tips. It keeps us on track. so appreciated.
You hit it on the head, things we buy steal our time, so true.
Started down the path of moderation & minimalism….
Can’t believe how much consumerism has grabbed hold of “us”
3 “New” storage places have sprung up within 3 miles of my home…and there were already two storage companies close!!! 🙃
It is shocking to me - The way people pay so much more to store stuff than the stuff is actually worth! Those storage places are meant to be temporary, like when you store things away while you show off your house to best advantage during the selling process. My goal for the next move is to not even need a storage unit at all, Unless there is a big lag time between leaving one house and being able to get into the next one.
Hi, I just want you to know that I really love your videos and I'm very happy when listening to them. Thank you for your work.
So true! It’s also so hard to get to this level. Using time wisely beginning with less screen time is probably the hardest thing at this time of our society. Secondly decluttering, we (myself included) can always have some sort of excuse to not do this. Thank you for the reminder. I personally will try doing better. A simple life makes for a happy life.❤
Thank you for your much needed advice for simple living.🙏
I agree with this list. I did them on my own life except the kitchenware since I still live with my parents.
It did wonders! And I'm watching myself out too being self-aware and mindful in case I plan to re-include similar items again in my life. It feels good when I started to let go and it feels good seeing so much space now. I love empty spaces. Now it's either I maintain or go through all my stuff again because I might have missed something!
You are telling the truth well. So helpful to us living passively, without intention
You make Such a Difference for me !!!
Great words of wisdom as usual. Thank you for this video.
Excellent video! For anyone looking for a great multi cleaner try Dr. Bronner’s Sal Suds. It is concentrated so must be diluted, but you can literally clean everything in your house-- floors, bathroom, mirrors, kitchen, etc. You can even wash your dishes and clothes. A 32 oz bottle typically last 1 year with weekly use. This and a disinfectant to sanitize certain areas is all I use to clean. A good disinfectant is Odor Ban.
I think you mean "Dr Bronner's" Sal Suds. I'm a big fan of his peppermint soap too.
@@MaxineAnne77 Yes Dr. Bronner! Voice typing ugh! I like their Castile soaps, unfortunately I cannot use the castile soaps as I hard water and it leaves a film on everything and my skin dry.
Thank you for sharing 🌷
Thanks I’ll check into it
QUESTION: What are the few cleaners that you mentioned? Thank you.
The pointers addressed in the video are so important and least talked about. Kudos to your research for bringing such an awesome video ❤
Would you consider sharing those few cleaning products? I’m interested is streamlining. Thank you!
I’m not Joshua Becker but I will share what I use.
Norwex microfiber cloths for wiping down counters, kitchen appliances, quick bathroom sink wipe down, windows, mirrors. Washable and reusable.
Norwex mirror/window cloth for polishing after using the microfiber cloth. Washable and reusable.
Young Living Thieves household cleaner. A tiny bit goes a long way! Dilute in a spray bottle for cleaning tables, countertops, cabinets, anything really. Also use in a mop bucket for mopping floors.
As an alternative to the Thieves cleaner. Take citrus peels, put in a jar and fill jar with vinegar. Let sit in the fridge for about two weeks. Then use in a spray bottle, half citrus vinegar half water. For mopping use half plain vinegar half water.
Soft Scrub for deep cleaning toilets, showers, and sinks. After a kitchen sponge is too worn out for dishes, use it for cleaning bathrooms.
Baking soda and vinegar. Pour into toilets to scrub and disinfect.
Vinegar
Bicarbonate soda
Borax
A shop bought anti mould shower spray
Windex
I use old newspapers to clean windows. I make rags from old, worn out clothes.
@@freedomcraft9 Thank you!.
@@nicolecarter1072 Thank you!
@@freedomcraft9Thank you, you are very generous with your knowledge 🌷
Thank you for this video.
Thumbs up on decreasing decoration, for me. My taste has not stayed uniformly the same over the years. At least I kept the decor turning over. Now I’m in the mood to get rid of all but what is truly meaningful and attractive to me. It’s like anti-nesting, anti-cocooning.
We have 5 cats and 2 dogs. Not a minimalist with them but I am with stuff. I gave up on cat beds because the cats love to sit in the cardboard boxes. We have 2 cat trees and 2 cat shelves that are decorative and look really nice. It keeps floor space more open.
It's so ridiculous when people say everyone has 24 hours a day.And we've always just had 24 hours a day.But the thing of it is some of us are single.We have the whole load on ourselves.Other people are married.They have 2 people to share the loads.So there are big differences in why things can't get done
Who's fault is that?
@@poolboyinla what a nice comment. Thank you.
@@elizabethsydnor5247 Thank you. I'm a very helpful guy.
Why is it ridiculous to say when it is a fact - you mean because it's stating the obvious?
I agree with you to a point but what about when one spouse has a chronic illness or disability and their husband or wife has to be their primary carer? I had to hold down a job, look after my husband for 7 years 'til he died and help my daughter with her babies as they were born, all at the same time. For those 7 years I had to do everything on my own as hubby couldn't help me. What got done got done. Everything else went out the window.
If I had that many cabinets in my kitchen my counters would be clutter free 😌
Everyone in a NYC sized apartment knows that you don't own anything that you don't need. 450 square feet is possible without suffering.
Lol...yeah, same here.😂
Oh. Joshua Becker. Such a great message!
Thank you for the inspiring video !
You are the best on TH-cam ❤Thank you for your videos!🙏🏻
I wish my husband would stop buying off Amazon
I can see your point. I think Amazon buying should be meaningful. I am personally an Amazon and eBay shopper and I have not set foot inside a mall in close to 15 years. I think if I actually shopped in a mall like in the old days I would be making a lot more spontaneous purchases without any research and then regretting them. Yes, you can still do the same thing with Amazon, however, I carefully read all the reviews before I make a decision. Usually, I have 20 items sitting in my wish list sometimes for months before I pull the trigger. This way, each purchase has a lot more meaning and I know exactly what I'm buying so it is not a regret the moment I get it in the mail. When I was still going through my decluttering phase a while back, my hard rule was for anything new I buy, I had to get rid of at least three other things by donating or selling. I'm more relaxed about it now since I don't have as much as I used to
He may not realize there is a annual fee. Talk to him. He will probably cancel! ❤
@@kimgordon3695 your comment makes partial sense. Yes, there is a fee only if you're a prime member, but you don't have to be a prime member to shop on Amazon. It is not like Costco or Sam's. I'm a prime member only a couple of times a year when I need to do some batch purchases, and then I cancel. The only benefit here is that sometimes you get a lower price than non-prime members and you get faster shipping, but most of the time I don't mind waiting a couple more days on something and I don't really watch anything on Amazon Prime or shop at Whole Foods or use other Amazon perks. You can do the same with Netflix. If you know there's a show you want to watch on Netflix but you don't want to pay a monthly fee just batch watch something in one month and then cancel and don't resubscribe for months until you know something else is coming up. This also builds excitement and is more rewarding
My most meaningful membership is TH-cam Premium. I get so much benefit out of it. I hate commercials and ads of any kind so I pay to not have them on TH-cam. TH-cam is what I watch 98% of my TV watching time so I don't regret it one bit. I reduced in so many areas of my life that this is worth it. It is my only ongoing subscription every month.
Yeah, most things are cheaper on ebay.
@@poolboyinla they are, especially if they're coming directly from China and you don't mind waiting a couple of more weeks. Sometimes that makes it harder to return things, so I still make careful considerations and sometimes pay a few dollars more from a seller in the US knowing I can return much easier, but these are still quite few purchases that I make under these conditions. Sometimes I save the same things on both eBay and Amazon on my wish list on both for comparison as far as price goes and it can go either way
Agree on every point!
"Spend more time caring for yourself, and less time trying to decide how." Yup.
Brilliant 👍🌟
I was raised in Mexico and we didn’t have much material possessions but life was beautiful, meaningful rich in community but I was culture shock with America hyper consumerism, always chasing the next thing, more debt, more work and life more surpercial and not meaningful.
So did you go home where Life is more sane?
One of my best friends came from Tampico, and was just a few blocks from the beach. I would’ve loved to live there, with the ocean as a back up grocery store. Her grandma had a garden and chickens.
@@CEO-tp3go - I’m married to a Mexican and spent a lot of time there over the years with friends and family, so…another side of Mexicans I’ve known the past 40 years is: obsession with name brands, chasing the next thing, shopping like crazy when they travel, incredibly wasteful and full of disregard for the environment, class snobbery, dressing to make sure you signal what class you belong to, treating servants like they are invisible (Though some families are polite, others are not), telling people what they want to hear vs the truth, the filthiest, most disgusting, feces-smeared bathrooms on the road (all the way from the border to Mexico City, though it has improved significantly over the years with toll roads), priests preaching socialism instead of the gospel on Sundays, paying off cops and border guys as a matter of habit, Mail theft as a routine occurrence, no faith in a long-corrupt government/voting system, and now a place where services offered by cartels are better than what people get from the government, & guns are highly restricted yet criminals have no problem obtaining them.
Every country has a dark side. I appreciate the wonderful part of Mexico. You have yet to discover the wonderful about the United States….and it is amazing.
I long ago learned the beauty of doing a weekly brain dump which usually takes several pages - then scrutinize and pick out the 6 most important and each day I do one of those- I only chose 6 because Sunday is rest day.
Great video 😊
I don’t mind having “wall clutter”. I like a lot of things on the wall. It helps insulate and sound proof the house too. I do not like surface clutter though. I try not to have a bunch of nick nacks out that don’t have a purpose.
Yes - they become items to dust frequently
Im constantly decluttering my clothes. They get holes and dont get replaced. No kids so no toys. We have very few decorations and often forget to put those few up. I make my own cleaning products.
so good! i'd love to know what multipurpose items you guys have found work well :)
Any suggestions on how to get paper clutter in order?
What are your specifics keeping your papers tidy?
the cleaning products is such a good tip. i literally only have all purpose cleaner, floor cleaner and glass cleaner. and lysol wipes if they count. i think anything else is unnecessary.
Thanks Joshua 👍
Thank you
Excellent Advice!!!
Loved this ❤
Spend time and money on family, loved ones and experiences, preferably with the former, not on (needless) stuff! ❤ Also, spend money to 'buy time'. By that I mean your freedom and being stress-free is more important is and well worth spending some money on, for instant, for grocery delivery (you even buy less if you shop online) I am someone who hates grocery shopping. I eliminated this annoyance + stress from my life + I spend way less (no impulse buys!)
Very helpful. Thankyou
Love these tips ❤
Thank you! ❤
Very encouraging
Several yrs ago I stopped watching TV due to rls but even if I didn't have rls I would have cut back. Now I watch no more then 1 hr a week and don't miss it. TH-cam I at l east learn something from it.as far as games I only play a couple and I do crafts ,sketch, write letters, clean, see those I love.spend time with pets. Help others.im 68 wish I learned earlier but at least my life is full of happy days.
The whole point of minimalism is to maximize things that really matter, like freedom, health,
I've been decluttering all of last week. 😁
This is so true thank you for this video.
thanks for this video👍
❤ Love this!
Things. That's so true.
Good words
thank you
Thank you for this video to keep us in check of our stuff. I’m finding it very difficult to minimise my clothes,it’s just so hard. Do decorations mean Ornaments we have?🤔
Well, I started by moving along items I hadn't worn in one year. First, I moved everything to the left half of my closet, then as I wore something, it got put away on the right-hand side. After one year, you've run through all the seasons, and it becomes obvious what you are not using. Then I gave myself permission to toss/donate what wasn't working for me, for whatever reason. I still keep a few pricier items, like my big London Fog coat that only gets worn once in a blue moon, but you get my drift. As for ornaments, I believe they fall firmly in the category of decorations. I thought it would be tough to clear out our Christmas decorations, but it was not. (I was really surprised to discover that hubby agreed with me on what should go.) I started with a nice pile of items that had "seen better days" and still seem to find a couple of things to let go of every year. Just get started with something you are tired of shoving around. You'll love the feeling and want to let go of more and more!
An easy start is to try on every piece of clothing you own and give away anything that doesn't fit comfortably.
Guilty of #8 thank you for reminding me. 😊🥰🙏🏻
Probably cut down some time at the gym. That will give me more time to play guitar. Besides, if I get any more swole I'll have to clutter my closet with new clothes that my chest won't rip. Good looking out doc
I’ve taken my time to learn how to master these areas and I’m currently working on the “kitchenware & self-care supply” I am using up my self-care items and finding affordable options to replace them. I am also using less. My system for cosmetics is, I use up the expensive items first. So a cleanser for the face or a lipstick. It then gets replaced and some items never get replaced. I also grocery shop very minimally. I find ways to use up every fresh vegetable to reduce waste. Yesterday, I removed 9 kitchen items out of the kitchen. It feels nice to be able to see into a drawer without digging through unnecessary items. 😊❤
I noticed that old people who had used a lot of skin care. Products didn’t look so great. I stopped using nearly all of them along time ago. I mostly use plain water on my face. Oil cleansing. The occasional natural exfoliant. A very simple make up routine with a Christina compact of mineral make up, a touch of mascara and lipgloss. That’s about it. And typically everyone thinks I’m 10 years younger than I actually am because my skin looks really good.
Giving up most carbs and plant based oils was a Game changer For my general health, which also reflected itself in my skin.
Expensive doesn’t necessarily mean it’s gonna make you more beautiful. Just saying.
@@bitrudder3792 I think these are great choices and yes there are lots of overpriced items that lure us in. It’s all very liberating to let go of the unnecessary ♥️
I have mostly black clothes, my niece once look in my closet and said you have enough black clothes for going to 50 funerals.
I think we must be related…xx😂
😂😂😂😂 love it!
Black is a good dress up & casual color. Also, coffee & other stains Don't show, as on pastels.
I have a lot of black as well, but I’m breaking out of that pattern. My coloring is cool and muted, and even though I have high contrast, Black is not my most becoming color, even if it is the most convenient color.
If black is your becoming color, go for it! And if it’s not, you might want to phase over into a basic neutral that makes you look more beautiful, with a healthy glow.