Thanks so much for having me on your podcast, Cas! It’s so fun and helpful to exchange experiences and ideas like this - let’s all learn from each other. 🙏❤️
Sorry for your loses, we are just living through this as a family we have lost 9 family and friends in 7 mths. It’s been a huge rollercoaster of emotions. It’s so helped tonight hearing we are not alone💔❤️ Thank you
I listened to this podcast on your site Marissa, and again today on Cas's site. It was maybe my favorite podcast I've ever listened to. Thanks to you both!
It was heartbreaking to hear how painful comments can be on TH-cam about the way some people perceive your home and your children’s rooms. I believe that when people are stuck in their mess and their clutter they feel threatened by seeing others with clean, fresh spaces. They are stuck and can’t imagine changing their own circumstances. I hope you can continue to give them grace and you continue to realize it’s about ‘them’ and not you. Thank you Marissa and Cas for your thoughts and insights in this interview. I’m thinking hard about my 10 things and how they take a place of honour in my life.
Yay! Two of my favorite TH-camrs together! Great conversation!! I will say that I thought I had regret about a couple things that I decluttered that were semi-sentimental, BUT I really felt guilty that I didn't want or need them. Though the emotions are similar they're actually quite different.
Our home is much more minimalist than most Americans. Close friends hadn't been in our home for a year, and her comment was: "your house is too steril", I was a little put out, but didn't say anything. I babysit their three children, ( for free, all the time), at their home. Their house is so overwhelming, chaotic, and hoarded, dirty, etc. I understand that coming from that to our clean and curated home is where her comment came from. They are still friends and her husband has asked me to help them get their home in control. I have sent them to both of your channels and physically went over to help them declutter. Each time I go there, I notice things are just a bit cleaner and better. Thank you both for helping so many!
I was afraid I would declutter too much and my home echo and look not lived in. After several months it actually feels great to me. I love being in a room and not feeling stressed.
WOW, I think maybe she was just jealous of how beautiful your home was. I would help if they want it but,hoarding is a big problem and they have to be taught to declutter/purge and to do that monthly till the house is under control. You could try helping on the weekends? Make sure to take the stuff when you leave or it will go back in the house when you leave. Perhaps, have them go with you? To take it to a drop-off site. Good luck😬💜
My mother had a clean house but don't look in the cabinets and closets. Lol. My family is very minimalist but my late husband was completely opposite. It was always a struggle to keep our home clean. It's taken me over three years to declutter and I'm still not done. My twin sister visited a couple of weeks ago and commented I don't have much on the walls. She's not one of the minimalist sisters. It took six weeks to clean the garage. Laid out big tarps on the patio and sorted everything like with like and donated a lot. Then had it painted and dropped down a set of cabinets that were too high to use. So much better. Starting on the 12 tubs of Christmas decor this week which I didn't use when we had cats. They were naughty kitties. All the decluttering makes me feel like I can breathe. Thanks for the great videos.
21:00 there are motion sickness wrist bands with a marble that gets placed over the acupuncture on inside of the wrist. Or you can just rub them. Bend your wrist. Go 3 fingers toward elbow from the crease below the palm and rub right in the center.
There's a big difference between a cluttered home and a well curated place that tells stories. My brother had A LOT of cool things in his home with his wife but it was clean and tidy. I really loved it.
I was looking for comments like this! I love the things I have curated and the memories attached to them are meaningful to me, but my home is organized and clean. I want the things in my home to tell our story. I think there's a spectrum of Things in a house, and either end can be weird.
That's a great comment 👍 people think decluttered means a blank space. Not at all! You could have the loudest patterns and colours and decor and still have only the objects you NEED
I agree - I'm such a visual person, and I love places filled with interesting things, but it still bothers me when there's too much chaos. Cas and Dawn (Minimalist Mom) have helped me to understand how each person will have a different comfort level when it comes to visual busyness, and how to look for the sweet spot for you and your family.
I think for people who have had chaotic youths or chaotic young adult lives, minimalism is therapy. But me, I had such a warm cozy house in my youth and very loving parents, and to me having certain things in my space feels cozy and reminds me of my warm loving parents. It feels like home. I am Not excessively just putting things in my home, but I do want things with purpose and meaning that bring me the warmth just sitting alone in my space.
Marissa is SUCH a good person, it is so clear. I've been following her for years and no matter how many times I've heard her tell her back story I get something different from it each time. So inspiring. ❤
love this!!!! thank you both! Cas, I propose you consider stopping describing yourself as lazy. It is negative with no redeeming aspects. How about “I have different priorities on how I spend my time & energy.” please review your resume & realize how opposite of lazy you are. You are a Rockstar!! Highly accomplished!❤
Absolutely, Cas. Your time and energy is used how you NEED it to be used. I have C-PTSD, Fibromyalgia, Hypothyroidism. Not calling myself negative names is a self-love things I must do. I've had people in my life that were hard on me because they didn't get what was holding me back. I don't hate my body for it's weaknesses. I know now to give thanks for what it can do.
Yes, Cas, I would also love to not hear you call yourself lazy! In this example, you use the term to describe a desire for efficiency, or in other words, getting things done quick and easy. So call it what it is! You love an efficient, streamlined process that gives you time and mental energy for all the other things you love. This isn’t laziness, it’s a strategy.
I think we can make our home cosy with color too. On the wall, the sofa. I have a pink & purple kitchen! Now I am decluttering and people think I have new furniture. But it was there all the time 🎉
To get used to that bare feeling, I cleared one space...the bathroom counter and had it completely clear. It ended up helping me get used to that feeling and I ended up loving the sparseness which I never imagined was possible!!
I don't want to live with clutter, but I don't want my home stripped down so much that it feels/looks like a hotel rooms! I like having books and magazines on the tables next to sofas and chairs, my cookbooks and my grandmas' aprons (which I use) displayed in my kitchen, my magnets collected on our travels displayed on the refrigerator, my collection of vintage handkerchiefs used as the valence over the kitchen windows, and my collection of crystal pendants hanging in the south windows and throwing their rainbows on the walls and ceilings, and other meaningful possessions displayed where I can see and use them.
Marissa, thanks so much for being vulnerable! Sometimes we have feelings about an item and mistake that feeling for sorrow that we let it go. Your saying the jewelry box made your mother happy but it didn't make you happy is huge! Thanks, Cas, for all you do to encourage us. Both of you are amazing!
I was at Target yesterday. I've been purrty good at seeing stuff, saying, "That's cute", & walking past without stopping. Such as the sparkly rhinestone encrusted platform heels I saw yesterday. 😹
When I go to the grocery shore I am literally calculating where everything will fit on my bicycle. It’s been the biggest thing that has helped us cut down. On the other hand it’s very easy to online shop.
I completely agree regarding clutter feeling normal to some people and they struggle making a transition to less clutter. Unfortunately and some households actual abuse of some type feels normal as well. Also I think due to some types of dysfunction in some homes, people kind of hide behind their stuff like a child hugging a teddy bear when they are afraid
18:51 This is why I have groceries delivered. It costs more per item, I know, but it saves me from compulsive shopping and buying stuff that I already have. I can easily just go look at what’s in stock before adding it to the cart. It saves me time as well! I get my daily tasks done while I’m waiting.
You can create a feeling of "coziness" with colors and textures. I find that I can get the same feeling with warm paint colors or natural fibers/textures in my couch or a soft fluffy blanket or a plant or two... but you can still do this without adding stuff!
I gave away my Wedding, China and Crystal on Buy Nothing.. Our local Buy Nothing group is really great and it makes it feel like I live in a small town rather than the city. And I know it went to somebody who is really going to enjoy using that crystal and China for their first Thanksgiving in their new home here. When I drive by their house, I always brings a smile to my face.
I have been slowly decluttering for years so while I am not a minimalist (clothes and books are my downfall!) the house is pretty spare Recently we moved to Bermuda for several months - and are living with 5 suitcases of our stuff. Such changes here - no closets, no pantry, high prices and a temporary stay means less shopping. And no box stores, no dollar stores etc makes a big difference
As a minimalist cricket, I loved listening to this episode and will definitely check out A to Zen Life. Ten of your favorite possessions was a great question! Living a minimalist lifestyle - and not an extreme one - I've heard my share of negative commentary but in my sixties, I could care less what anyone thinks of what's best for me. The most surprising was "How can anyone live like this?" from a former landlord. Pardon me, would you prefer a hoarder tenant? 😆 There are folks who will comment harshly no matter what. To you and Marissa, do what feels right for you, keep on sharing your best self and tune out the "misery loves company" people. They only seek out decluttering and minimalism content to criticize, not to learn and grow.
I used to move furniture and locations - found out it was to give me something to do instead of dealing with my issues. Chaos helped distract me from healthy things to do.
Cas and Marissa, you are two of my favorite TH-camrs. Marissa, I admired your home in Germany, the simplicity of it, it’s calming and comfortable space. Your boys were so blessed to have so much space to play and use their imaginations. Cas, I love your methods to declutter, you have guided me in my downsizing journey. I’m still not sure what bug I am, but enjoy the simplicity and ease of maintenance of my home. I’m an artist, I just do drawings and watercolor, having given up a menagerie of crafts and “stuff”. Perhaps I’ll get to the level of Marissa’s minimalism, but I am so at peace with the level of organization that you have taught me. Thank you to both of you. This was a wonderful collaboration.
❤❤❤ lovely podcast. Was crying right with you. I have been on my journey since I stumbled upon Cas back when her channel is not what it is now. She got me started and if I look back my life was a HOT mess much like where Cas started.. my items where overflowing everywhere and it was overwhelming. I still have a long journey ahead of me but I'm still going and its getting better and better. 😊 you ladies give us real person real life experiences. Keeps me watchin
For AtoZenLife: I have struggled with motion sickness my entire life. If the children can sit by the window and lean their head against the metal pillar or the window itself so that they feel the vibrations in their head, this may help. I also suggest avoiding dairy an hour or so before car rides. If the children like sugar free mint flavor gum, it may help more than bubblegum. Once they are tall enough to ride in the front seat, this can be a game changer. Cars with a "sporty" ride are easier for me than cars with a "luxury" ride.
This was great! Our parent's generation (if you're Gen-X or older Millennial) were raised by people who survived the Great Depression and WWII, and that informed so much of their life. The Great Generation and the Boomers were also really the first generations which could easily accumulate more than they every possibly needed, so very easily. When my MIL went to school, she was on the upper end of the economic scale because she was one of the kids that had more than one dress. Now children (especially girls) have so many clothes they could wear a different thing every month and not wear everything they own. It's really powerful to move beyond the generational fear that we will get rid of something that is still useful or "just in case", but also beyond the idea that having more is BETTER, or that we should get things just because they're cute. I'm doing a tip I got, I think from Cas, which is that every time I get something new in a box, I HAVE to fill the box it came in and let that stuff go. Amazon kills me because the boxes are usually comically large, but that is just as good a reason as any to try to get the things I need through someone local. And to really make sure I NEED it.
I cleaned out one of three (!) kitchen junk drawers and a box of gloves & scarves in the hall closet while I listened. I adore you both! I use my china for family gatherings to make memories. It's collected a few chips over 38 years, but those signify time spent with family. It's worth the hand washing. We also use my Mom's crystal at the same time. We are worth it. If it all just sat in the hutch, it would be gone. Thanks, ladies!
This was wonderful, helpful, and touching. Marissa- I’m prone to getting weepy too, and am always embarrassed when it happens. But your grief over your losses connects you to others who also grieve. Cas- I love your 10 things list idea. Making that list really prioritizes things. Dana K. White’s container concept (put in your favorite things first) and Matt Paxton’s advice to find the small number of truly precious things and display them, are variations of your Ten Precious Things list. I made my list right away (admittedly going up to 14). It will be interesting to measure all the other stuff against these 14 treasures. Thank you both!
I'm German, and it's so funny and interesting to hear you guys talk about the different shopping experience. When Marissa said she'd been amazed how little stuff we seem to own: just a few days ago, my parents and I decluttered our attic, and referring to that experience alone - I definitely would not agree that Germans don't own MUCH stuff! 😂
I grew up in a home where my parents also had a hard time letting go of things. We had an attic and a garage and a backyard, etc. My parents did take things to Goodwill and do yard sales, etc. and my mom said she decluttered my toys pretty frequently when I wasn’t home 😅 but I moved SO MANY TIMES and would always cling to things thinking they would preserve the memories. My parents divorced and I moved abroad for school and after college, and my stuff kept coming with me. Even if I decluttered things before a move, I still had a lot. Now I am a mom and I discovered the Montessori method when my son was a baby and I loved the concept of a “prepared space” with beauty and not a lot of clutter. I keep most of his toys and things put away and organized by category and rotate them and he loves seeing our space when it’s clean and there are “new” things out. I think that transferred over to me and it’s been a slow process of decluttering over a number of years. I got rid of most of my “sentimental” items and T-shirts and things I kept for no reason. I also didn’t connect as much with the KonMari method of doing everything in a week or so. I agree that I don’t really regret anything I got rid of. I am about to have my second child and have been nesting and decluttering and organizing and one afternoon I sat in my living room and just relaxed for a while and it was so refreshing. I looked around and didn’t feel overwhelmed at all the things I “should” do and just got to enjoy my home ❤ We live in a “small” place by American standards - no garage, no attic, no extra rooms, no playroom or den. I have to keep clutter down because it’s a necessity but also having less and having it put away nicely so I know where it is has been so eye opening and life changing. I remember going to friends’ houses and thinking “Wow they have so much stuff it’s overwhelming!” Or “Wow how is their house so clean and tidy?” And I would ask my tidy friends and they said, “First, you have to get rid of stuff!” I loved the chat with both of you and I love all your videos!! Thanks for being the background noise for me when I am decluttering hahahah
We would buy extras at yard sales or thrift stores for when the ones we had broke. We decluttered 3 toaster ovens and 2 computer monitors and loads more. I think our little house weighs a lot less after our big closet declutter a few years ago.
I will never be a minimalist - the look and feel of those homes are just not for me. But I have done a lot of downsizing and decluttering and organization the past few years to a point where I feel comfortable in my space, not overwhelmed by my stuff, and can keep those spaces clean most of the time. I have also found a time organizing system that I am comfortable with and have been using for several years now. All of that leaves me happy and at peace - finally.
I would never want to criticize someone who found a system that works for them, but I do feel judged by minimalists. I declutter a lot. I want everything in my home to either be something I actually use, or something I really like. I love having lots of fun stuff to look at and use in my home.
Oh my!! Yes our (UK) houses are tiny compared to US houses! So when I see your gorgeous almost empty cupboards! I have the same stuff but still look rammed 😢
I relate so much to this, so many losses at once and now a garage and storage full of dead people's things. It's so hard to let go. It takes so long and each decision is so draining. Your story always gives me hope that one day I can get through it all.
I decluttered a large Rubbermaid container of travel memorabilia while watching and listening to this. Now I will look for a pretty and much smaller container to put in what I am keeping. Foldout city maps and generic pamphlets from our travels now fill my recycling box. I probably decluttered 75% and what I am now keeping is truly memorable. Most was paper clutter that did not add to my memories. These shows always inspire me to really look and see what I am choosing to keep. Thanks - I have been following you both for years.
so cool to hear you comment the European homes and other differencies. Never thought our spaces might be experienced that way 😅 (...we do say everythink is bigger in the US)
It is so funny to hear you talk about europe. Its also a reason a lot of declutter/minimalist channels are a bit useless for me as a dutch person. But glad u came in with organizing styles instead of all those frugal tips i already naturally did :D (but still fun to see that people oversees had to actually think about this)
Foods containing malic acid will help immensely with car sickness. My son-in-law was extremely motion sick, and we were on a cruise. He was miserable until the porter brought him three green apples. The porter told him to chew the apples, and spit out the pulp. He was better almost immediately. To translate that into a more convenient form for us, we found Warheads. The candy contains malic acid just like the green apples. A little bit of a warhead goes a long way to making a long trip more manageable
I can totally relate to not wanting to get rid of things that belong to a loved one! My husband passed in 2011 after an 8-year illness and I have gotten rid of a lot of his things but it was extremely painful and it took me many years to get to the point where I could actually look through them not cry the entire time!
What she said about the thrift store is also my weakness. I’ll drop items off around back and then drive around and go inside to look for “treasures”. Gradually learning to simply leave.
A to Zen is the first channel I came across. Thank you for getting me on my declutter journey. Thank you Marissa 🎉 I am half between a minimalist and a declutterer
This was a wonderful podcast. I really appreciate hearing the perspective from someone who has endured such loss as that has been my life as well and it’s hard to find empathetic voices in this area. I’m not a fan of the well-intentioned “memories are not the things” bs because it takes time to process and that message can feel belittling to a griever. Tangible items do trigger memories and when that is all you have, it’s excruciating. I tend to think of it like Dana’s container method. Our memory bank is a container as well and in stress we can’t hold it all in our brains. The items may need to do that work for a while and it’s okay. I love how most of her top ten items were actually belongings of loved incorporated into her daily life. She seems like a beautiful soul. ❤️
Cozy is made by the environment, but not necessarily by the amount of stuff. It is affected by color, and texture, along with the items that decorate. For some people that is a lot of stuff surrounding them, but that's an individual thing. But it's not just a feeling or "love", it is created by the environment.
I feel so grateful to my mom that she teached us to declutter and give away clothes. Parents helped a lot to poor families when i saw conditions they live then i understood why its good to give away to make other children happier.
Oh my, a lot of what you both ladies shared have happened to me! My mom recently passed away and right now every item of hers that she left at my house, I cared for her her last months, just bring me sadness. I am a ladybug so it appears like I might not have much, just don’t open any drawers or closets! My mom used to tell me my house looked sad and my mother in law seems to think I need paintings and Knick Knacks and all sorts of things, but because that’s how SHE likes her home.
My daughter and I get crazy motion sick and we live in Texas, so we're constantly in the car. We keep a small jug of ginger peppermint tea in the fridge all the time and we both grab a tumbler full everytime we leave the house. Helps massively. We also learned to do the pressure points in the hand and ears to alleviate the nausea.
I love both of you!!! I have watched all of your content and you keep me motivated. THANK YOU! ❤❤ I lived in Japan for 7 years, in a much smaller space than I grew up in and I loved it. Returning to the US I gathered more “stuff”, inherited more “stuff” then my husband passed away, and our our children grew up and now all have their own homes…and I slowly realized I truly was a house wife, married to this house and all of the “stuff”. Taking care of it all was overwhelming! Over the past 10 years I have easily gotten rid of 95% all I own. Most to friends and our local Buy Nothing group. It feels AMAZING!!!!!!!!!!
11:36 Thank you for sharing! I totally needed to hear all of this. I feel like I don’t even want to sell anything. I just like finding people who I know would enjoy those things. My hardest items are scrapbook paraphernalia and school items now that I’m retired.
Two peeps who have helped me a lot. I remember when Marissa had like around 10k followers!! Good stuff. And I remember Cas’s Ted Talk. I’m 48, not quite a minimalist, but getting there. No trash in the house, nothing I don’t really use, not too much in the walls. I DO have a closet with waaaaay too full with clothes in like 4 sizes. I have professional clothes, lounge clothes, formal wear, casual stuff. I do use the container method and have done so for years. I have been an organization and clean freak for over 2 decades. And I love listening to videos still on decluttering and organizing :) Here’s to reduction of the mental load! Love from LA!
I always watch you with gréât pleasure. You have such à good energy. But this épisode blow my mind. I find many things about me. Thank you both. Greetings from Romania (East Europe).
There used to be static strips that would hang down from the bumper and drag on the road. I have no idea if they still sell them but they worked so well for me. The testing was done on dogs who had car sickness - so the was no placebo effect. I still get car sick unless I am the driver. So when travelling with others I sip ginger water or have ginger candies
❤❤6:27 Cas, saying you're lazy and had a victim mentality and wanted things to come easy without working for them is the OPPOSITE of what I've seen in you over and over again.🤓💖You are a fricking DYNAMO, and persisting to find your way to the tools you needed for success despite unrecognized ADHD and internalized shame from people who don't get it makes those early days an achievement too. Learned helplessness is common and *understandable* in ADHD, and it takes GUTS and GRIT to keep searching for answers even without hope. My harsh inner critic and internalized shame from others flare when I take on extra hard challenges that are worse with ADHD (like moving!), but the truth is you are a CHAMPION and an inspiration!!!!! Thank you for giving me hope and tools I need. < : - ) 👏❤🏆😃🏆❤👏
We lived in Germany and had the motion sickness issue too. I bought wristbands that had a bead in them that pressed against a certain wrist pressure point. That worked.
Thank you, Cas! I really relate to @AtoZenLife's experiences. My mom,dad, brother, and grandparents' photos and documents are overwhelming. I do have them categorized as "Ancestry" in 2 large boxes. Plus, I have 2 large boxes + of my own printed photos. Occasionally, I will start in one of my photo boxes and shred the extras and bad photos. Recently I started thinking about mailing some to extended family members. I still feel sad and miss my "first family" (mom, dad & little brother), some times more than others. You, two ladies, are so awesome. I love the openess and honesty. I can't express how refreshing it is!
I've cleared my entryway. However, it is my drop zone f9r taking things in and out. I will say that when I first did it, it was such a relief. This weekend, I started on my master. What I noticed e is the two types of responses I have. When I cleared the hall entryway, I felt instant relief and agreed this is what I want to feel. Clearing .y mastsr...which wasn't much decluttering but did do deep cleaning...I felt a.sense of peace.
My sister says the same thing about my home, Cas. She wouldn't want to live in such a sparce, open space. I don't say to her that hers is cluttered. I don't know why she feels like she can say that.
Gems galore! Loved Marissa's comments about clutter as noise, & unfinished salvage projects also making *time* & *energy* feel cluttered. And Cas's insights at 25:40 were pure gold! Because of ADHD, I battle the lure of feel-good projects over fundamentals every day, so being reminded how much BETTER it feels to give yourself a clean slate declutter & do daily dishes & clean helps! *Thank you both!* 😀👏
2000 sq feet sounds very big to me and 4000sq feet with two barns unimaginable! I think that it is what you were introduced to as a child which determines space. I live in Ottawa, Canada and I grew up with 4 family members and a dog in a 1200 sq foot home and it always felt big enough to me. There was one very smal bathroom and later another put in the basement. We didn’t have a garage or attic, but there was an unfinished basement which was our indoor playroom, slowly came to have divisions for two guest rooms and a laundry room. I think because we were encouraged to spend so much time outside it never felt cramped.
Marissa, thank you for sharing your story with us. You have motivated me to do better. I'm so sorry for all the loss in your life. It's hard to have so much loss at such a young age.❤ Even though I know it's best to let it go, I can so relate to your statement about the feeling of dishonoring and disrespecting my Mom. 😢 She kept everything and thought it wasteful not to keep everything. That generation grew up with nothing and went through things we will hopefully never know in our own life. We have so much to be grateful for. Cass, thanks for all you do! You are such an inspiration to all of us Clutterbugs. ❤
Love the Podcast, thanks so much. Totally identify with Marissa's life experiences. When I went to Italy, I WAY, WAY over-packed. I was in southern Italy and realized I just could not handle all the bags and clothes I brought but did not need (it was my first trip to Europe). I asked my hosts, and others there where was the "donation center," like the Salvation Army where I could donate my unneeded, excess items. They did not even understand the concept of what I was talking about.... those type of "donate your unneeded stuff" places do not exist there... I was quite surprised to understand that Europeans do not hoard and stuff and overbuy and hang onto stuff. It was very eye-opening... and I never over-packed again.
8:39 ugh dealing with this now. On top of the grief. It sucks soooo bad, and yea you have your memories but it’s like DAMN this person was here living and breathing and now they’re just gone from this world. Forever. It feels so unfair. Wtf 😢
THIS WAS/IS AWESOME!!!! I was introduced to minimalism with Marisa, then I “met” Cass! , NOW it’s come full circle! I’m so grateful for and to you both!!!!!
Message for Marissa: I always thought your boys' room looked clean, neat, and tidy. With plenty of clear space to play with their toys. I'm 70 years old. I grew up in the 50's and 60's. We didn't have a lot of toys. We mostly played outside unless the weather was bad, and then we played in our rooms. We had plenty of room to let our imaginations run free.
I had the same experience as you - I'm 78. There just wasn't a lot of stuff TO buy ,like there is now, even if we'd had the money, which we didn't. I'm grateful for growing up that way.
In the last couple of years I have gotten rid of a lot, and am still paring down. Getting rid of clothes / shoes is a game changer. I still have more clothes to get rid of, but seriously folks, it feels so good to have a closet with room and has only stuff you want to wear.
Listening to Marissa’s story about her mom’s jewelry box made me realize that it’s most likely that it’s us that attaches the importance and sentiment to these items. Our parents may have looked at a lot of these items as just things that they owned; unless of course it’s something that belonged to their parent, etc. Then they were the ones who attached the sentiment.
I learned from Brené Brown that people are critical or judgy of areas where they feel insecure. I think the people “used to” chaos don’t like the chaos and are insecure about it. I’m chaotic myself (working on it though!) but I have friends with immaculate homes that feel perfectly warm and cozy.
Thanks for sharing! I’ve been very intentional about my sentimental items and really using them or displaying them vs leaving them in a box or something. Love that tip!
Thanks so much for having me on your podcast, Cas! It’s so fun and helpful to exchange experiences and ideas like this - let’s all learn from each other. 🙏❤️
You’re a great team. Loved your content along with Cass
Thank you for sharing with Cas. I am heading to your channel shortly.😊
Sorry for your loses, we are just living through this as a family we have lost 9 family and friends in 7 mths.
It’s been a huge rollercoaster of emotions.
It’s so helped tonight hearing we are not alone💔❤️
Thank you
I listened to this podcast on your site Marissa, and again today on Cas's site. It was maybe my favorite podcast I've ever listened to. Thanks to you both!
Yeah Marissa! I've been following you longer than I've followed Cass. Love ya lady :)
It was heartbreaking to hear how painful comments can be on TH-cam about the way some people perceive your home and your children’s rooms. I believe that when people are stuck in their mess and their clutter they feel threatened by seeing others with clean, fresh spaces. They are stuck and can’t imagine changing their own circumstances. I hope you can continue to give them grace and you continue to realize it’s about ‘them’ and not you. Thank you Marissa and Cas for your thoughts and insights in this interview. I’m thinking hard about my 10 things and how they take a place of honour in my life.
Yay! Two of my favorite TH-camrs together! Great conversation!! I will say that I thought I had regret about a couple things that I decluttered that were semi-sentimental, BUT I really felt guilty that I didn't want or need them. Though the emotions are similar they're actually quite different.
Our home is much more minimalist than most Americans. Close friends hadn't been in our home for a year, and her comment was: "your house is too steril", I was a little put out, but didn't say anything. I babysit their three children, ( for free, all the time), at their home. Their house is so overwhelming, chaotic, and hoarded, dirty, etc. I understand that coming from that to our clean and curated home is where her comment came from. They are still friends and her husband has asked me to help them get their home in control. I have sent them to both of your channels and physically went over to help them declutter. Each time I go there, I notice things are just a bit cleaner and better. Thank you both for helping so many!
You're a good friend. 👍
If you’re looking at someone’s house full of crap- chances are, you’re looking at an empty bank account.
I was afraid I would declutter too much and my home echo and look not lived in. After several months it actually feels great to me. I love being in a room and not feeling stressed.
@hippodinoreserve6090 that's so true.
WOW, I think maybe she was just jealous of how beautiful your home was. I would help if they want it but,hoarding is a big problem and they have to be taught to declutter/purge and to do that monthly till the house is under control. You could try helping on the weekends? Make sure to take the stuff when you leave or it will go back in the house when you leave. Perhaps, have them go with you? To take it to a drop-off site. Good luck😬💜
I like how Marissa said about the digital frame "that might be a purchase for the future." It reminds me to be thoughtful about every purchase.
I thought the same exact thing! Oh, right… think before you buy 🧐🧐🧐
My mother had a clean house but don't look in the cabinets and closets. Lol. My family is very minimalist but my late husband was completely opposite. It was always a struggle to keep our home clean. It's taken me over three years to declutter and I'm still not done. My twin sister visited a couple of weeks ago and commented I don't have much on the walls. She's not one of the minimalist sisters. It took six weeks to clean the garage. Laid out big tarps on the patio and sorted everything like with like and donated a lot. Then had it painted and dropped down a set of cabinets that were too high to use. So much better. Starting on the 12 tubs of Christmas decor this week which I didn't use when we had cats. They were naughty kitties. All the decluttering makes me feel like I can breathe. Thanks for the great videos.
21:00 there are motion sickness wrist bands with a marble that gets placed over the acupuncture on inside of the wrist. Or you can just rub them. Bend your wrist. Go 3 fingers toward elbow from the crease below the palm and rub right in the center.
There's a big difference between a cluttered home and a well curated place that tells stories. My brother had A LOT of cool things in his home with his wife but it was clean and tidy. I really loved it.
I was looking for comments like this! I love the things I have curated and the memories attached to them are meaningful to me, but my home is organized and clean. I want the things in my home to tell our story. I think there's a spectrum of Things in a house, and either end can be weird.
That's a great comment 👍 people think decluttered means a blank space. Not at all! You could have the loudest patterns and colours and decor and still have only the objects you NEED
I agree - I'm such a visual person, and I love places filled with interesting things, but it still bothers me when there's too much chaos. Cas and Dawn (Minimalist Mom) have helped me to understand how each person will have a different comfort level when it comes to visual busyness, and how to look for the sweet spot for you and your family.
I think for people who have had chaotic youths or chaotic young adult lives, minimalism is therapy. But me, I had such a warm cozy house in my youth and very loving parents, and to me having certain things in my space feels cozy and reminds me of my warm loving parents. It feels like home. I am Not excessively just putting things in my home, but I do want things with purpose and meaning that bring me the warmth just sitting alone in my space.
Marissa is SUCH a good person, it is so clear. I've been following her for years and no matter how many times I've heard her tell her back story I get something different from it each time. So inspiring. ❤
love this!!!! thank you both! Cas, I propose you consider stopping describing yourself as lazy. It is negative with no redeeming aspects. How about “I have different priorities on how I spend my time & energy.” please review your resume & realize how opposite of lazy you are. You are a Rockstar!! Highly accomplished!❤
Absolutely, Cas. Your time and energy is used how you NEED it to be used. I have C-PTSD, Fibromyalgia, Hypothyroidism. Not calling myself negative names is a self-love things I must do. I've had people in my life that were hard on me because they didn't get what was holding me back. I don't hate my body for it's weaknesses. I know now to give thanks for what it can do.
Yes, Cas, I would also love to not hear you call yourself lazy! In this example, you use the term to describe a desire for efficiency, or in other words, getting things done quick and easy. So call it what it is! You love an efficient, streamlined process that gives you time and mental energy for all the other things you love. This isn’t laziness, it’s a strategy.
I think we can make our home cosy with color too. On the wall, the sofa. I have a pink & purple kitchen! Now I am decluttering and people think I have new furniture. But it was there all the time 🎉
To get used to that bare feeling, I cleared one space...the bathroom counter and had it completely clear. It ended up helping me get used to that feeling and I ended up loving the sparseness which I never imagined was possible!!
I don't want to live with clutter, but I don't want my home stripped down so much that it feels/looks like a hotel rooms! I like having books and magazines on the tables next to sofas and chairs, my cookbooks and my grandmas' aprons (which I use) displayed in my kitchen, my magnets collected on our travels displayed on the refrigerator, my collection of vintage handkerchiefs used as the valence over the kitchen windows, and my collection of crystal pendants hanging in the south windows and throwing their rainbows on the walls and ceilings, and other meaningful possessions displayed where I can see and use them.
Marissa, thanks so much for being vulnerable! Sometimes we have feelings about an item and mistake that feeling for sorrow that we let it go. Your saying the jewelry box made your mother happy but it didn't make you happy is huge!
Thanks, Cas, for all you do to encourage us. Both of you are amazing!
It’s actually good to see value in things… it means you are a very caring person…
I was at Target yesterday. I've been purrty good at seeing stuff, saying, "That's cute", & walking past without stopping. Such as the sparkly rhinestone encrusted platform heels I saw yesterday. 😹
Interesting tidbit. Historically, at least in Stuttgart, homes were taxed on the number of "rooms" in the home & closets were counted as "rooms".
When I go to the grocery shore I am literally calculating where everything will fit on my bicycle. It’s been the biggest thing that has helped us cut down. On the other hand it’s very easy to online shop.
I buy 8 milk at the Costco, every time, to fill a fridge, i have only rest of the space for other things
(Kids go through that milk in 10 days)
I completely agree regarding clutter feeling normal to some people and they struggle making a transition to less clutter. Unfortunately and some households actual abuse of some type feels normal as well. Also I think due to some types of dysfunction in some homes, people kind of hide behind their stuff like a child hugging a teddy bear when they are afraid
Those motion sickness glasses seriously work well! Got them for our daughter and granddaughter to wear in the car. It totally worked!
18:51 This is why I have groceries delivered. It costs more per item, I know, but it saves me from compulsive shopping and buying stuff that I already have. I can easily just go look at what’s in stock before adding it to the cart. It saves me time as well! I get my daily tasks done while I’m waiting.
You can create a feeling of "coziness" with colors and textures. I find that I can get the same feeling with warm paint colors or natural fibers/textures in my couch or a soft fluffy blanket or a plant or two... but you can still do this without adding stuff!
I gave away my Wedding, China and Crystal on Buy Nothing.. Our local Buy Nothing group is really great and it makes it feel like I live in a small town rather than the city. And I know it went to somebody who is really going to enjoy using that crystal and China for their first Thanksgiving in their new home here. When I drive by their house, I always brings a smile to my face.
❤ this podcast is very meaningful and encouraging to me. Thank you for sharing such a personal journey.
I have been slowly decluttering for years so while I am not a minimalist (clothes and books are my downfall!) the house is pretty spare
Recently we moved to Bermuda for several months - and are living with 5 suitcases of our stuff.
Such changes here - no closets, no pantry, high prices and a temporary stay means less shopping. And no box stores, no dollar stores etc makes a big difference
As a minimalist cricket, I loved listening to this episode and will definitely check out A to Zen Life. Ten of your favorite possessions was a great question! Living a minimalist lifestyle - and not an extreme one - I've heard my share of negative commentary but in my sixties, I could care less what anyone thinks of what's best for me. The most surprising was "How can anyone live like this?" from a former landlord. Pardon me, would you prefer a hoarder tenant? 😆 There are folks who will comment harshly no matter what. To you and Marissa, do what feels right for you, keep on sharing your best self and tune out the "misery loves company" people. They only seek out decluttering and minimalism content to criticize, not to learn and grow.
I am so thrilled to hear you two ladies. Watch both of you all the time. 😊
I used to move furniture and locations - found out it was to give me something to do instead of dealing with my issues. Chaos helped distract me from healthy things to do.
Yes. In the past I furnished much of my home from other peoples discards.
Cas and Marissa, you are two of my favorite TH-camrs. Marissa, I admired your home in Germany, the simplicity of it, it’s calming and comfortable space. Your boys were so blessed to have so much space to play and use their imaginations. Cas, I love your methods to declutter, you have guided me in my downsizing journey. I’m still not sure what bug I am, but enjoy the simplicity and ease of maintenance of my home. I’m an artist, I just do drawings and watercolor, having given up a menagerie of crafts and “stuff”. Perhaps I’ll get to the level of Marissa’s minimalism, but I am so at peace with the level of organization that you have taught me. Thank you to both of you. This was a wonderful collaboration.
I went from a 5 bedroom house to a 2 bedroom apt. We're cramped!
❤❤❤ lovely podcast. Was crying right with you. I have been on my journey since I stumbled upon Cas back when her channel is not what it is now. She got me started and if I look back my life was a HOT mess much like where Cas started.. my items where overflowing everywhere and it was overwhelming. I still have a long journey ahead of me but I'm still going and its getting better and better. 😊 you ladies give us real person real life experiences. Keeps me watchin
For AtoZenLife: I have struggled with motion sickness my entire life. If the children can sit by the window and lean their head against the metal pillar or the window itself so that they feel the vibrations in their head, this may help. I also suggest avoiding dairy an hour or so before car rides. If the children like sugar free mint flavor gum, it may help more than bubblegum. Once they are tall enough to ride in the front seat, this can be a game changer. Cars with a "sporty" ride are easier for me than cars with a "luxury" ride.
This was great! Our parent's generation (if you're Gen-X or older Millennial) were raised by people who survived the Great Depression and WWII, and that informed so much of their life. The Great Generation and the Boomers were also really the first generations which could easily accumulate more than they every possibly needed, so very easily. When my MIL went to school, she was on the upper end of the economic scale because she was one of the kids that had more than one dress. Now children (especially girls) have so many clothes they could wear a different thing every month and not wear everything they own. It's really powerful to move beyond the generational fear that we will get rid of something that is still useful or "just in case", but also beyond the idea that having more is BETTER, or that we should get things just because they're cute.
I'm doing a tip I got, I think from Cas, which is that every time I get something new in a box, I HAVE to fill the box it came in and let that stuff go. Amazon kills me because the boxes are usually comically large, but that is just as good a reason as any to try to get the things I need through someone local. And to really make sure I NEED it.
Marissa’s insight - use or display the special things you inherit otherwise off-load them
I cleaned out one of three (!) kitchen junk drawers and a box of gloves & scarves in the hall closet while I listened. I adore you both! I use my china for family gatherings to make memories. It's collected a few chips over 38 years, but those signify time spent with family. It's worth the hand washing. We also use my Mom's crystal at the same time. We are worth it. If it all just sat in the hutch, it would be gone. Thanks, ladies!
Two of my favorite ladies!
Sea Bands are amazing for carsick kids!
This was wonderful, helpful, and touching. Marissa- I’m prone to getting weepy too, and am always embarrassed when it happens. But your grief over your losses connects you to others who also grieve.
Cas- I love your 10 things list idea. Making that list really prioritizes things. Dana K. White’s container concept (put in your favorite things first) and Matt Paxton’s advice to find the small number of truly precious things and display them, are variations of your Ten Precious Things list. I made my list right away (admittedly going up to 14). It will be interesting to measure all the other stuff against these 14 treasures. Thank you both!
I'm German, and it's so funny and interesting to hear you guys talk about the different shopping experience. When Marissa said she'd been amazed how little stuff we seem to own: just a few days ago, my parents and I decluttered our attic, and referring to that experience alone - I definitely would not agree that Germans don't own MUCH stuff! 😂
I grew up in a home where my parents also had a hard time letting go of things. We had an attic and a garage and a backyard, etc. My parents did take things to Goodwill and do yard sales, etc. and my mom said she decluttered my toys pretty frequently when I wasn’t home 😅 but I moved SO MANY TIMES and would always cling to things thinking they would preserve the memories.
My parents divorced and I moved abroad for school and after college, and my stuff kept coming with me. Even if I decluttered things before a move, I still had a lot.
Now I am a mom and I discovered the Montessori method when my son was a baby and I loved the concept of a “prepared space” with beauty and not a lot of clutter. I keep most of his toys and things put away and organized by category and rotate them and he loves seeing our space when it’s clean and there are “new” things out.
I think that transferred over to me and it’s been a slow process of decluttering over a number of years. I got rid of most of my “sentimental” items and T-shirts and things I kept for no reason. I also didn’t connect as much with the KonMari method of doing everything in a week or so.
I agree that I don’t really regret anything I got rid of. I am about to have my second child and have been nesting and decluttering and organizing and one afternoon I sat in my living room and just relaxed for a while and it was so refreshing. I looked around and didn’t feel overwhelmed at all the things I “should” do and just got to enjoy my home ❤
We live in a “small” place by American standards - no garage, no attic, no extra rooms, no playroom or den. I have to keep clutter down because it’s a necessity but also having less and having it put away nicely so I know where it is has been so eye opening and life changing. I remember going to friends’ houses and thinking “Wow they have so much stuff it’s overwhelming!” Or “Wow how is their house so clean and tidy?” And I would ask my tidy friends and they said, “First, you have to get rid of stuff!”
I loved the chat with both of you and I love all your videos!! Thanks for being the background noise for me when I am decluttering hahahah
I am going to start 👏
We would buy extras at yard sales or thrift stores for when the ones we had broke. We decluttered 3 toaster ovens and 2 computer monitors and loads more. I think our little house weighs a lot less after our big closet declutter a few years ago.
My favorite organization & minimalist TH-camrs ❤
I will never be a minimalist - the look and feel of those homes are just not for me. But I have done a lot of downsizing and decluttering and organization the past few years to a point where I feel comfortable in my space, not overwhelmed by my stuff, and can keep those spaces clean most of the time. I have also found a time organizing system that I am comfortable with and have been using for several years now. All of that leaves me happy and at peace - finally.
I would never want to criticize someone who found a system that works for them, but I do feel judged by minimalists. I declutter a lot. I want everything in my home to either be something I actually use, or something I really like. I love having lots of fun stuff to look at and use in my home.
Great conversation, lets do this again.
Oh my!! Yes our (UK) houses are tiny compared to US houses! So when I see your gorgeous almost empty cupboards! I have the same stuff but still look rammed 😢
I love the 10 special things - aunt’s quilt, dad’s knives, etc.
Cas - among your many talents you are very good at interviewing people! Love it!
I relate so much to this, so many losses at once and now a garage and storage full of dead people's things. It's so hard to let go. It takes so long and each decision is so draining. Your story always gives me hope that one day I can get through it all.
I decluttered a large Rubbermaid container of travel memorabilia while watching and listening to this. Now I will look for a pretty and much smaller container to put in what I am keeping. Foldout city maps and generic pamphlets from our travels now fill my recycling box. I probably decluttered 75% and what I am now keeping is truly memorable. Most was paper clutter that did not add to my memories. These shows always inspire me to really look and see what I am choosing to keep. Thanks - I have been following you both for years.
so cool to hear you comment the European homes and other differencies. Never thought our spaces might be experienced that way 😅 (...we do say everythink is bigger in the US)
It is so funny to hear you talk about europe. Its also a reason a lot of declutter/minimalist channels are a bit useless for me as a dutch person. But glad u came in with organizing styles instead of all those frugal tips i already naturally did :D (but still fun to see that people oversees had to actually think about this)
When I look at Marissa's old home in Germany, I feel "freedom". Free from chores so I can do the things I truly enjoy.
Foods containing malic acid will help immensely with car sickness. My son-in-law was extremely motion sick, and we were on a cruise. He was miserable until the porter brought him three green apples. The porter told him to chew the apples, and spit out the pulp. He was better almost immediately. To translate that into a more convenient form for us, we found Warheads. The candy contains malic acid just like the green apples. A little bit of a warhead goes a long way to making a long trip more manageable
That's wild! I didn't know why sour things work.
Cas, this is your best interview yet. The level of energy and compassion between the two of y’all was just what I needed today!
I can totally relate to not wanting to get rid of things that belong to a loved one! My husband passed in 2011 after an 8-year illness and I have gotten rid of a lot of his things but it was extremely painful and it took me many years to get to the point where I could actually look through them not cry the entire time!
What she said about the thrift store is also my weakness. I’ll drop items off around back and then drive around and go inside to look for “treasures”. Gradually learning to simply leave.
A to Zen is the first channel I came across. Thank you for getting me on my declutter journey. Thank you Marissa 🎉 I am half between a minimalist and a declutterer
This was a wonderful podcast. I really appreciate hearing the perspective from someone who has endured such loss as that has been my life as well and it’s hard to find empathetic voices in this area. I’m not a fan of the well-intentioned “memories are not the things” bs because it takes time to process and that message can feel belittling to a griever. Tangible items do trigger memories and when that is all you have, it’s excruciating. I tend to think of it like Dana’s container method. Our memory bank is a container as well and in stress we can’t hold it all in our brains. The items may need to do that work for a while and it’s okay. I love how most of her top ten items were actually belongings of loved incorporated into her daily life. She seems like a beautiful soul. ❤️
Cozy is made by the environment, but not necessarily by the amount of stuff. It is affected by color, and texture, along with the items that decorate. For some people that is a lot of stuff surrounding them, but that's an individual thing. But it's not just a feeling or "love", it is created by the environment.
I feel so grateful to my mom that she teached us to declutter and give away clothes. Parents helped a lot to poor families when i saw conditions they live then i understood why its good to give away to make other children happier.
Enjoying my subscription to this channel ❤❤
Oh my, a lot of what you both ladies shared have happened to me! My mom recently passed away and right now every item of hers that she left at my house, I cared for her her last months, just bring me sadness. I am a ladybug so it appears like I might not have much, just don’t open any drawers or closets! My mom used to tell me my house looked sad and my mother in law seems to think I need paintings and Knick Knacks and all sorts of things, but because that’s how SHE likes her home.
My daughter and I get crazy motion sick and we live in Texas, so we're constantly in the car. We keep a small jug of ginger peppermint tea in the fridge all the time and we both grab a tumbler full everytime we leave the house. Helps massively. We also learned to do the pressure points in the hand and ears to alleviate the nausea.
You can try the level horizon glasses too.
Lol she just talked about them after I wrote this
I love both of you!!! I have watched all of your content and you keep me motivated. THANK YOU! ❤❤
I lived in Japan for 7 years, in a much smaller space than I grew up in and I loved it. Returning to the US I gathered more “stuff”, inherited more “stuff” then my husband passed away, and our our children grew up and now all have their own homes…and I slowly realized I truly was a house wife, married to this house and all of the “stuff”. Taking care of it all was overwhelming!
Over the past 10 years I have easily gotten rid of 95% all I own. Most to friends and our local Buy Nothing group.
It feels AMAZING!!!!!!!!!!
11:36 Thank you for sharing! I totally needed to hear all of this. I feel like I don’t even want to sell anything. I just like finding people who I know would enjoy those things. My hardest items are scrapbook paraphernalia and school items now that I’m retired.
Two peeps who have helped me a lot. I remember when Marissa had like around 10k followers!! Good stuff. And I remember Cas’s Ted Talk.
I’m 48, not quite a minimalist, but getting there. No trash in the house, nothing I don’t really use, not too much in the walls.
I DO have a closet with waaaaay too full with clothes in like 4 sizes. I have professional clothes, lounge clothes, formal wear, casual stuff. I do use the container method and have done so for years.
I have been an organization and clean freak for over 2 decades. And I love listening to videos still on decluttering and organizing :)
Here’s to reduction of the mental load!
Love from LA!
Follow both of you ladies. 😊
I always watch you with gréât pleasure. You have such à good energy. But this épisode blow my mind. I find many things about me. Thank you both. Greetings from Romania (East Europe).
There used to be static strips that would hang down from the bumper and drag on the road. I have no idea if they still sell them but they worked so well for me. The testing was done on dogs who had car sickness - so the was no placebo effect. I still get car sick unless I am the driver. So when travelling with others I sip ginger water or have ginger candies
❤❤6:27 Cas, saying you're lazy and had a victim mentality and wanted things to come easy without working for them is the OPPOSITE of what I've seen in you over and over again.🤓💖You are a fricking DYNAMO, and persisting to find your way to the tools you needed for success despite unrecognized ADHD and internalized shame from people who don't get it makes those early days an achievement too. Learned helplessness is common and *understandable* in ADHD, and it takes GUTS and GRIT to keep searching for answers even without hope. My harsh inner critic and internalized shame from others flare when I take on extra hard challenges that are worse with ADHD (like moving!), but the truth is you are a CHAMPION and an inspiration!!!!! Thank you for giving me hope and tools I need. < : - )
👏❤🏆😃🏆❤👏
We lived in Germany and had the motion sickness issue too. I bought wristbands that had a bead in them that pressed against a certain wrist pressure point. That worked.
One of my favourite videos from both of you! Thank you :)
Thank you, Cas! I really relate to @AtoZenLife's experiences. My mom,dad, brother, and grandparents' photos and documents are overwhelming. I do have them categorized as "Ancestry" in 2 large boxes. Plus, I have 2 large boxes + of my own printed photos. Occasionally, I will start in one of my photo boxes and shred the extras and bad photos. Recently I started thinking about mailing some to extended family members. I still feel sad and miss my "first family" (mom, dad & little brother), some times more than others. You, two ladies, are so awesome. I love the openess and honesty. I can't express how refreshing it is!
I've cleared my entryway. However, it is my drop zone f9r taking things in and out. I will say that when I first did it, it was such a relief. This weekend, I started on my master. What I noticed e is the two types of responses I have. When I cleared the hall entryway, I felt instant relief and agreed this is what I want to feel. Clearing .y mastsr...which wasn't much decluttering but did do deep cleaning...I felt a.sense of peace.
My sister says the same thing about my home, Cas. She wouldn't want to live in such a sparce, open space. I don't say to her that hers is cluttered. I don't know why she feels like she can say that.
I love these two women...their calming voice, advice and life expeience is just so beautiful. Blessings form Venezuela
Cas! Drink your water! So important. I use the yeti bottles too. Game changer!
Gems galore! Loved Marissa's comments about clutter as noise, & unfinished salvage projects also making *time* & *energy* feel cluttered. And Cas's insights at 25:40 were pure gold! Because of ADHD, I battle the lure of feel-good projects over fundamentals every day, so being reminded how much BETTER it feels to give yourself a clean slate declutter & do daily dishes & clean helps! *Thank you both!* 😀👏
2000 sq feet sounds very big to me and 4000sq feet with two barns unimaginable! I think that it is what you were introduced to as a child which determines space. I live in Ottawa, Canada and I grew up with 4 family members and a dog in a 1200 sq foot home and it always felt big enough to me. There was one very smal bathroom and later another put in the basement. We didn’t have a garage or attic, but there was an unfinished basement which was our indoor playroom, slowly came to have divisions for two guest rooms and a laundry room. I think because we were encouraged to spend so much time outside it never felt cramped.
And we weren’t minimalists, but we were growing up in a time with single income and not the same amount of marketing as it is now
Marissa, thank you for sharing your story with us.
You have motivated me to do better.
I'm so sorry for all the loss in your life. It's hard to have so much loss at such a young age.❤
Even though I know it's best to let it go, I can so relate to your statement about the feeling of dishonoring and disrespecting my Mom. 😢
She kept everything and thought it wasteful not to keep everything. That generation grew up with nothing and went through things we will hopefully never know in our own life. We have so much to be grateful for.
Cass, thanks for all you do! You are such an inspiration to all of us Clutterbugs. ❤
Love the Podcast, thanks so much. Totally identify with Marissa's life experiences. When I went to Italy, I WAY, WAY over-packed. I was in southern Italy and realized I just could not handle all the bags and clothes I brought but did not need (it was my first trip to Europe). I asked my hosts, and others there where was the "donation center," like the Salvation Army where I could donate my unneeded, excess items. They did not even understand the concept of what I was talking about.... those type of "donate your unneeded stuff" places do not exist there... I was quite surprised to understand that Europeans do not hoard and stuff and overbuy and hang onto stuff. It was very eye-opening... and I never over-packed again.
8:39 ugh dealing with this now. On top of the grief. It sucks soooo bad, and yea you have your memories but it’s like DAMN this person was here living and breathing and now they’re just gone from this world. Forever. It feels so unfair. Wtf 😢
I already follow Cas. Now I have a new person - Marissa. Thanks Cas. I need all the motivation I can get.❤❤❤❤
My son is motion sick as well he wears pressure point bracelets which have helped a lot.
When I look at your space I feel calmness and warmth. I feel like I could close my eyes in a space like yours I think I would feel peace and freedom
I watch you both religiously and it works great to see you in a video together again.
THIS WAS/IS AWESOME!!!! I was introduced to minimalism with Marisa, then I “met” Cass! , NOW it’s come full circle! I’m so grateful for and to you both!!!!!
Message for Marissa: I always thought your boys' room looked clean, neat, and tidy. With plenty of clear space to play with their toys. I'm 70 years old. I grew up in the 50's and 60's. We didn't have a lot of toys. We mostly played outside unless the weather was bad, and then we played in our rooms. We had plenty of room to let our imaginations run free.
I had the same experience as you - I'm 78. There just wasn't a lot of stuff TO buy ,like there is now, even if we'd had the money, which we didn't. I'm grateful for growing up that way.
In the last couple of years I have gotten rid of a lot, and am still paring down. Getting rid of clothes / shoes is a game changer. I still have more clothes to get rid of, but seriously folks, it feels so good to have a closet with room and has only stuff you want to wear.
Listening to Marissa’s story about her mom’s jewelry box made me realize that it’s most likely that it’s us that attaches the importance and sentiment to these items. Our parents may have looked at a lot of these items as just things that they owned; unless of course it’s something that belonged to their parent, etc. Then they were the ones who attached the sentiment.
Marissa was so sweet and had so many helpful ideas, and I love her sentimentality cuz that’s me
I learned from Brené Brown that people are critical or judgy of areas where they feel insecure. I think the people “used to” chaos don’t like the chaos and are insecure about it. I’m chaotic myself (working on it though!) but I have friends with immaculate homes that feel perfectly warm and cozy.
I love both of you ladies!
Thanks for sharing! I’ve been very intentional about my sentimental items and really using them or displaying them vs leaving them in a box or something. Love that tip!
Two of my favorite TH-camrs in one space. I love the meeting of your minds. Thank you ladies.
I was so excited when I saw this thumbnail! Love you both and thank you SO much for this! ❤😊
This was great! Thank you…🤗
I taught my kids, "Did you know you needed it before you left the house?" LOL