I recently saw a comment on a channel by a woman who said that people are only decluttering because the books and media told them too. That they should keep their stuff. Spoken like a person who has not had to clear out a relatives home after they passed/had to move. I had to clear out my Grandmothers home as we needed to sell her home for her care. She led a spartan lifestyle (thank goodness), but it was still a lot of work. My FIL house had to be put up for sale for his care, he had more stuff than my Grandma. Not to mention the times I have helped friends clear out their relatives places. My Father passed and he had two storage lockers full of sports memorabilia plus a room at my parents house that was full. It took my sister and I around two years off and on to sell that stuff for our Mom. This put me over the edge. I do not want someone to have to go through what we went through on my behalf. I am not a hoarder, but had a lot of stuff. I am not, nor will I be, a minimalist by any means. However, I have managed to get rid of around 50% of our stuff. It is an ongoing process. Good luck everyone!
My mom did hoard, and family did not help for various legit reasons (mostly). I had all the same reasons. I’m making a season of elimination happen now!
Thank you, yes! I feel for you and this is a good message! In age of consumerism, please people, please declutter once or twice a year. And do it larger scale when reaching 50's. It's so unfair to the family who will aid the elderly if they persist with living in own home...Unless they are super active seniors and do minimize. I'm 68, husband 71. We've moved several times, downsized twice, now two storage lockers only until we decide to buy small or build small. I've moved dozens of times when young in family of 9. Aided moving friends and family many times. Aided moving our adult children many times... Aided with clearing elderly relatives homes many times. We lost 9 family( Aunts/Uncles step parents, cousins just before covid. Lost Mom 2022. Mom.lived In single wide mobile home with two add on rooms, a carport and large 15 x 15 shed. Sis lived with her. The stuff we hauled out of there was ridiculous. Most to dump, lots given away. Sis still took a lot when we got her moved to the Coast. My step Mom says she's going to live as long as she can in a quite remote area..so that will be a job too. However she's decluttering each year. But still has lots. She's 86. Still golf's, walks, gave up curling last year. We've just packed up moving from a tiny house, and now helping our daughter, son in law prepare to sell their house, with barn property. They will hopefully move to 2000 Sq ft for rest of their lives. I'm exhausted..still helping older sis who needs hip surgery..in-between packing, decluttering at daughters ( pregnant(. Watching grandson.. So, agree with you, older people need to downsize, or at least declutter yearly.. give heirlooms to children each year! It's hard enough doing Estate paperwork, let alone work of emptying lifelong possessions.
@@coolwater55 you can well imagine the nightmare I had to deal with, because my parents upsized after us kids were out of the house, claiming that they needed a large enough house to host families with grandchildren. I have one picture of a family gathering from 1991 and, they never hosted another family gathering! Family did not want to help them clean out when they needed it and my dad was afraid to clean it out when my mom first went in memory care. He didn’t want to return to the house that he built, I imagine for good reason, with the horrible memories of what I found. Neglected my house for four years while I was helping my parents and have to figure out what to do with the stuff that I don’t want inside that my dad thought was necessary to bring from his house, like his snow boots. He was no longer shoveling snow, since 2021.
I'm a 78 year old man, and I'd add this advice to much younger people, such as those that are just starting out and don't really own anything. First thing to understand is that everything you buy or acquire somehow will require some level of your time and space; the obvious thing is not to buy it in the first place. Live very frugally and carefully. All those shiny things come out of your income. Why buy a book when you can go to the library and get it for free and you aren't looking after it, lugging around for the rest of your born days, only at some point having to figure out how to get rid of it. Things used to cost a lot more, relatively speaking, than they do now. 'Cheap' is a drug: don't take it. Mini -storage businesses never used to exist; now they are everywhere and well used. They are full of 'stuff' cluttering people lives and that is one way to get it out of sight. Don't buy it in the first place!
A very, very wise advice and so true. I am way younger, but I came to the same conclusion. After wild consumering young adult years I've made a U turn as I volonteered at clothes swap and saw the insane amount of clothes women store in their wardrobes. Plenty of stuff was brand new, with a price tag, never worn. We've started composting, repairing clothes and small machines, making our own candles and soap, growing our own vegetables, participate in sharing economy...But our chicken are the champions of recycling - they eat bran which is a mill waste, cooked potato that can't be sold because of its shape and is also a waste and old bread from bakeries and shops that isn't sold. And they give eggs, meat and poo for compost. Oh, and the sum at the bank keeps growing and growing..
@@anitagorse9204 Good for you. And this way of thinking should be taught in school. It is, after all, just common sense thinking about how to live your life: ie live it for quality not quantity.
Before I moved from a 2000 sq ft house to a condo in another state, I had to seriously downsize. I had 4 garage sales, listed stuff on fb and OfferUp, had Salvation Army pick up some furniture and took a ton to goodwill in many trips. I narrowed it down to a U-Haul pod and what would fit in my minivan.
I’m doing the same exact thing! Sold sooo much and donated a small box truck load. Pod arrives in a few days. I’m down to 20 totes and 2 leather recliners. Very calming now. I’ll purchase a new small dining set when I land :)
I the summer of 2021, when I was 57, and my husband 62…we UPSIZED…into a 3300sq ft home on acreage…I have had SO MUCH FUN decorating my larger home, and doing gnome/fairy and floral gardens outside. I’m a very organized person(almost OCD), so my seasonal/holiday decor items are very organized and have lots of room to store them. I decorate with a plan and buy only what I’ve got a PLAN for in an arrangement….I see the BIGGEST problem is people purchase things they see they like, but WITHOUT having a pre-conceived plan on HOW TO USE IT….We have only ONE life…so I’m doing this WHILE I STILL CAN…when I cannot take care of it all, and get too tired to decorate, I’ve got a plan to sell it!
I’ve found that donation centers don’t want a lot of items. Sets of rarely used dishes for example. Even ones that are still for sale on the company’s web site. Very discouraging.
To get rid of my stuff I had a yard sale. Everything was $1 Clothes, table, chair, skis, books……… Everything! I made $600 and got rid of 90% of my stuff. People were buying stuff they didn’t really need or want but it was only a dollar so they bought it anyway.
We bought our home in June of last year. We downsized our stuff considerably. We have nothing in storage, nothing in boxes, not even a junk drawer. Our garage only has our two cars and nothing else. It feels good that we have a very organized and clean home. I don't want to leave our son with a bunch of our stuff when we pass.
Yay that's the way it should be. Been left with a lot of stuff after family members die. I call all the members friends and remaining relatives and tell them to take anything they want or need. Then I donate the good stuff etc. clothes. And I dump the rest. And or recycle.🤪 It's a lot work. it's a blessing when the elders are alive to have their own estate sale or auction. But sadly it doesn't always happen that way.
Please ask him first if he would like some items from you, for memories' sake. I've seen many examples of people who rush to declutter and don't think that maybe someone in the family might want the items. I treasure my things from grandma and mom. People come and go, money comes and goes but momentos of good times and good people who enriched your life when they shared it with you, remain. I still remember the contents if my grandmother's trinket drawer, I wish my uncle hadn't thrown those things out. They were important to me but he didn't ask. I only have a couple of things of hers in the end. It's sad when things filled with meaning and memories are discarded. There's too much declutterring frenzy.
@diorrybak335 being our only child, he will get the house and the belongings in it. Photos and other things such as some wood toys from his childhood. We just don't have clutter anywhere. It's a very organized home, including our library room. Our son has actually been selling his old gaming stuff and has made a lot of money to put in his savings account. So he's decided not to hold onto things he doesn't want as well.
As a senior I no longer want all my stuff. Sick of it. I’ve been giving away tons and have a lot more to go. It feels great. I say let someone else enjoy it.
Convincing my wife is almost impossible. I have no problem getting rid of stuff. Most of the clutter is in the basement. I donated a lot of old clothes on our last move. I also gave away a snow blower and mower to a neighbor since I was moving to a 55 and over. We still have too much for our next and last move.
@@kimberlydepreyhaving worked with a family member with this kind of feelings, that’s gonna hurt too much. Perhaps as a final step? She’s got a need for the stuff, not a greed for it. I don’t understand why. Refocusing onto experiences with living the new place over things helped me ease them into donating. Took time.
Basements flood, you could make a case for going through the stuff to find what you guys would like to protect, and along the way toss the garbage (as in actual garbage) and duh donations (which is the stuff that you’re like, why do we have this?). Dana K. White has a declutterring method that isn’t emotional, it’s based on the space that you have and making things only better as it’s no mess. She’s got videos on TH-cam for free info and books if you prefer, but it’s pretty simple. Might work for you as it’s not you trying to pry things away, she can keep anything, just not everything.
@@desereetouchet9294 Omigosh! My mom (born 1928) loved to save department store boxes, ribbons, tissue paper. And Christmas stuff that was NEVER used. I hired an African man to clean out that big laundry room. It took him just 20 minutes, we took 12 garbage bags out the back door. I was so happy, I gave him all the cash I had, $140.
My nephew living with his aunt and he pays no rent and hasn't for several yrs, he helps out around the house, he has been cleaning up her house for the last 4 yrs as she is a hoarder and he's been getting rid of stuff including some of his possessions to their local goodwill, other antique stores etc and he pays for gas to use her truck which he does on a regular basis and helps with groceries, every month. He has money, a job but doesn't make enough money to be able to pay rent but he tries Bless his heart for @ least trying and caring enough to want to help her make her living conditions more livable, and sanitary
The cost of living and rents are through the roof it's way more than what he makes working and it's hard for him to try and save any money most paydays but some paydays he manages to be able to save even a little bit and put it away
Have been married twice. Both of my husbands felt entitled to "help" me purge unnecessary stuff when we moved. I noticed that they both removed things of great memories or sentimental value to me. All of their keepsakes remained. My adult son has done the same thing. I refuse to let anyone else touch my things anymore. If they want to toss my stuff, I'll be dead soon enough.
Yes! My spouse got rid of all my pictures. Pix of me, my family, my friends, my pets throughout my entire life. My baby pix. My parents baby pix. Everything. Irreplaceable items. They also sold gifts given to me by friends and relatives. Things I inherited from my relatives. Gifts from them. Pocketed all the money. All their crap stayed and they want the gifts they gave me, that they already sold, back!
Sometimes it’s just best to give away your SELL pile, especially when you know damn well it will sit around sabotaging your goals for a year and a day.
@@bahba9247 Believe me, you never regret it. I don’t have time to sell things on eBay and trot my rear end to the post office. Once that stuff is gone it’s off your mind 🌸
@@bahba9247 I always have a free box at my yard sales. I set it out by the curb so that people can pick through it on their way out. I also keep adding to it as the day goes on or the second day. It helps me not be left with things that I will have to haul off in the end🙂
Thank you to all people that donates. When you have a destroyed home and must buy all the things all over again it will ruin you so to get the chance to buy second helps a lot. Thank you!
That's good to hear, because this is the result I want - need! My ongoing health issues make housework hard so with 'stuff' cluttering my home it is harder still. Good to know you are keeping on top of it as that is another issue.
Hurricane Katrina was a major help in getting rid of "stuff/everything" for me and my family. One of the best/worst things in my life. Recovery is a marathon, not a sprint.
Same for me, exept it was the '94 Northridge earthquake for me. Shoveling broken, percieved "Tresures" into a dumpster was difficult for about an hour...but I was then hit by the epiphany that it's just stuff. Massively liberating!!! 👍😃
I furnished my first apt off the curb and was pleased with my thrift. Even now I get pleasure cooking in the pots and pans my grandparents started housekeeping with in 1923!!!
I was watching a TH-camr that was answering her viewer’s questions about why she didn’t save the clothes that her kids outgrew as hand me downs being that she had 9 or 10 kids . They lived in a very small 3 bedroom house ,she said she didn’t have the room or time or energy to be maintaining a bunch of old clothes. She also said everything we have will eventually be trash . I find that I need to just let it go ,and stop trying to find the ‘perfect’ place for it to go. When I donate clothes I don’t agonize over if a garment is good enough and would people want it .I trash socks,underwear,torn or stained items and donate the rest and let them decide if it is OK to keep. I don’t want to burden myself babysitting a bunch of ‘trash’.
You are now burdening the charity workers. Just toss. Save the charity tine and money. Now they have to arrange for disposal of your garbage. That's not fair or helpful.
@@rubyannr6898 I don’t give them the bad stuff but if it is questionable I donate it. I figure that got some free good stuff they can use what they can and trash the rest. I was wearing the items in the not so distant past someone else might need them.
@beckyshell4649 That sounds utterly reasonable. Some people hear, "Let them sort it," and that's the end of the thought process. Your way sounds good for everyone.
@@rubyannr6898 A burden through your eyes is a paycheck and food on the table for another. And places like good will are non profit not a charity. The ceo of good will makes MILLIONS 2”while NOT paying his staff a living wage. I donate to local banks who also are non profit but employee local workers and often run local food banks.
My parents weren't exactly hoarding stuff, but they stored everything for decades and I mean everything. It took us 5 years to declutter. I figured out there's zero chance I will be able to sell everything so I decided to donate. I loaded my car four to five times a year with everything from tech to clothes to kitchen machines and took it to bring-take events, organized by sahms with large families. What was left went to Caritas/Red Cross. My estimate is we donated 20.000-25.000€ worth - sorry, not sorry for every single piece of crap. Breathing easier is more precious than money.
Start minimizing as early as possible before a move. It'll take longer, be harder than you think. I was moving cross country, already a minimalist, and I assessed every item asking myself if It fits with the new life I want for myself. Too many of us haul baggage around most of our life because we think we should. I was able to get all worldly possessions in my suv, turn the key and head out to the new life.
I have been decluttering for a couple of weeks and have already decluttered much over the last 4 years. Yep! I'm a collector. I have gotten rid of most of my collections. I was thinking recently, we spend the first part of our lives collecting and the last part getting rid of it. Before I said this to a friend, she said she heard someone say it. I think much of the younger generation has figured it out. They are having experiences, instead of collecting "stuff."
I am 50 with a 78 yr old mother and we both have huge decluttering jobs ahead of us. I have two kids in high school and desperately want a peaceful house with children for what feels like the little time I have left with them. But I also desperately want to help my mother get hers done - once and for all. Just wanted to say - I've not even made it past the second segment of the video yet. And I have rewound it now 5 times. I'm trying to take it all in b/c it seems there are some valuable tips, advice and methods to be shared here. But sir you are talking SO fast and moving from point to point at breakneck speeds. Not speaking for everyone, but many people with "clutter issues" are intelligent, creative individuals - but who have ADD/ADHD or at the very least executive functioning/information processing issues. Many of us canNOT listen, follow along, keep up, take in, process, and retain -- the information you're attempting to share, b/c of the impossibly rapid, complex, and multi-sensorial confounding and distracting way in which you're presenting it. I have a double MA degree so anyone thinking it's a matter of intelligence - that's not the case. All I can say is thank goodness it IS a video and we CAN pause/rewind/repeat. But just wanted to share a little constructive feedback from people who do really want to hear what you have to say, sans the anxiety induced and extra time & effort needed to take it all in. Ok, that's all. Back to segment 2. 🎬Take six.
@@morningglory9288 I would take the photos out of the frames and shred them. You can do this with a loving thought like you might have at a funeral. Then donate the frames for someone else to use. Note - I’ve actually done this and it felt good.
@@morningglory9288 Mom ended up filling a large trashbag full of photos taken by my grandmother, who was the family shutterbug; it's easy when you don't know the people in the photos, and can't remember the events they were taken at.
I don't agree. I can understand your ideas towards photos and frames but furniture that's been in my family and many are antiques, are saved for usefulness, love of the people handing them down, and love of the finely made antiques and real wood as opposed to particle board furniture sold out there today! My issue in downsizing those pieces is they're no longer valued. Millennials and younger don't care for them it's not their style and are content with cheaply made faux wood or alloy metals, none of which will last well. -so it kills me knowing what the monetary value was 15 years or more ago.
I’m using “Swedish Death Cleaning”. My husband and his brothers and spouses had to clean out his Mom’s house after she died. It took a couple of days to remove all the “stuff”. After that, I swore my kids would never have to do that for me. I think with all the decluttering I’ve done it should only take a few hours to clean out our house. I enjoy the lack of “baggage”.
@@Artanis1000 True...nothing says "flaming liberal" more than a man-bun. But the GOOD news is Jerry can't do that, even if he tried...so I'm not sure which side of the aisle he personally is on. ;-) Otherwise, de-cluttering is an important topic, especially as we get older, and also if we want to make things easier for those who will pick up after us. And as well, if WE want to live more freely/lightly (!) vs. our "stuff" being a burden (anchor) tying us down, especially if/when it's time to pack it all up and move somewhere else. I just wish I didn't have so much trouble achieving MY de-cluttering goals. -- BR
A key to sanity is controlling the inflow of items. I've learned to avoid "sets" which are designed to encourage consumers to spend "just a bit more" for extra items they don't need or use. One is left juggling extra possessions in an effort to access the items actually used then throwing away the unused portion/item of the set. Whether it's cookware, glassware, cosmetics/polish, tools, office supplies, cleaning supplies, linens/sheets, socks, food, etc. I buy the best quality of an item that I want/need and avoid extras of any kind.
My mom was a hoarder and I watched people's mouths drop with disgust as they entered our house and saw stuff was stacking on top of everything else, including the chairs so guests could not even sit down. It was embarrassing, but my mom thought all of her items were worth something, even the $1 beanie babies and the ceramic angels. It just kept getting worse and worse. My brother and I live very simple with little because we have trauma from our childhood.
Was she a child of the depression? That era produced so much trauma. I've known more than a few raised in the poverty of that era become "collectors." And then they pass that trauma on to their kids. I have to work VERY hard to not hoard. My mom didn't/doesn't do it in the true sense, but if something is "good" she has a death grip on it. I have areas of my home where I just pile stuff up, and I honestly look at it and wonder: what am I thinking with this? And start sorting it out. The programming that we get growing up is so hard to shake.
Your Mother had a mental illness. Hoarding is about not being worthy; not being good enough; and fear. Sorry no one tried to actually help her but rather enabled her.
I had started dating a woman I knew for years, and after about a year we decided to move in together. I had never seen her apartment.... big mistake... once I saw it. I helped get her cleared up over a couple months after the official move, but it didn't take long for things to start piling up. I'm the exact opposite person...so it put quite the strain on our relationship. In the end it didn't work out, but I did realize she didn't want to live that way, it's was clear she didn't know how to only live with what you actually need or use, or not to buy ten of something when you only needed one, it was a deep seeded emotional thing that causes that behaviour.
I once put everything in a room. Then every time I needed it, I took it out. Then after a year, I took what was left in the room to auction. It sold for $1.
Sadly many of my older friends have so much clutter and it is as if they are hanging on as they firmly deny the final chapters of their lives. When I suggest the "Swedish death cleaning" effort they claim loudly--very loudly--that their children WANT the crap they have accumulated. It is so very sad.
My grandmother had a sale without telling any of us and got rid of all of the old photos and family heirlooms so there is that side of it too. When she passed she had nothing of any interest left. My take is you ask and even pass it along ahead of time. If nobody is interested then you have the answer.
I was forced to "clean out" my 79-year-old father's home. It was more like listing everything for FREE on Craigslist. NO ONE wanted to pay for any of his hoarded stuff. Not only did he have too much, but the stuff was also so neglected that it wasn't worth anything. He couldn't discern between what was worth keeping and what wasn't. He needed help and assistance to make decisions. However, he wouldn't accept help. Not only that but he wasted so much money on repeated purchases. I didn't mind clearing out the clutter because he is my dad. Nothing was sold. All of the stuff was donated to Goodwill/Salvation Army or friends. No one showed up to the sale. Most of the stuff ended up on the sidewalk and eventually picked up by the trash collector. NOTE to hoarders. IF you have too much stuff to maintain the items/home, the stuff is worthless.
This is great for getting me going. You do imply that one has the space to start making all the different piles of things however. I actually have been throwing things out every week since a bad builder wrecked my house and caused the chaos I am trying to sort out now. By getting rid of several bags of excess above the normal weekly rubbish, I start to see hope for the time soon when I do a great sort-out into 'rubbish', 'keep' 'donate' piles. I want to put in a word for the older folk like me who have become disabled and are in pain. The younger generation do not understand how difficult this makes life. For example, carrying the washing downstairs is a major task now and extremely painful and leaves me in such pain I can hardly do anything else. Being old, alone and in pain is very difficult and prevents me doing the things I want to do.
@ellyess7203 - This is true for so many of us. I may decide to go through all of our books and give some away, for example, but then I realize I really need to do laundry, or clean bathrooms, etc. These days I can do one extra thing per day only, or the pain will knock me down and I won't even be able to cook dinner. A friend in the same condition hires someone to help her do it, but I can't afford that. I don't have a solution, but am sending you an empathetic hug.
Maam, I'm 72 yrs old & was only able to walk max 400 steps a day. I bought a Near Infrared mat & a belt size pad 4 wks ago... ive stopped my pain meds, up to 5000 steps every other day (2500 alternate days) & have lost 15 lbs. I feel great mood too. Plesse look into YTube vids talking about tjis new therapy. Canadian researchers are also finding huge improvements with dementia, Parkisons & brain injured people! Goid luck, God bless
Cleaning out my mom’s home was a back-breaking, time consuming, heartbreaking experience. I couldn’t take the majority of it. Some of it had to be thrown out which adds guilt to the mix. I lived far away and couldn’t sell anything. It was all too overwhelming. Give your treasures to loved ones while you are alive. Although you may be surprised to find they don’t want the things you assume they would treasure. I hate it when old people say their children should clean out their homes as though it is their duty. It’s so selfish. Just know that many of the things you love will end up in the trash.
I went to rn estate sale yesterday and realized that I don’t want my kids to have to do this when I die. (I’m 60.). Swedish Death Cleaning for me. I also give anything that my kids tell me they want when I die NOW. I’ve already enjoyed them so I’m happy to let it go. My oldest daughter had my china and silver and I’ll borrow it if I need it. I donate everything else starting at the school I teach at bi donated all of my camera and video equipment to our Yearbook Club. To quote the Red Hot Chili Peppers 🌶️ “Give it away. Give it away. Give it away now!”
Great for an analytical person with lots of stuff. Great for Swedish Death cleaning. I make it easy. 10 minutes a day. I can do that. Now I'm organized enough that right now I'm letting go of 3 things a day, trash or donate. I keep a bag by the front door putting donates in as I go. I take it to a donation center once a week. It's not always easy letting go thinking I may need or want it later that's most people's major 'LET IT GO' issue. Si now I think of it as giving to someone else. Makes it eadier.
It’s marvellous that you are making a real effort to turn your house into a home again. You won’t regret it, it will be an enormous weight off your shoulders, it’s very freeing. I’ve moved house a lot over the years and have had to declutter each time ~ it’s amazing how much ‘stuff’ we collect over time, that we don’t actually need. I saw an article on Swedish Death Cleaning ~ intrigued by the title, I read it and it reminded me of the awful job I had of clearing my mother’s house , garage and garden after she died. It was so stressful on top of my grief and everything else. I don’t want my children, who all have health problems and other difficulties to have to deal with all my ‘stuff’ when I die, so like the Swedish custom, I have got rid of almost everything I DONT NEED. I still have some things to sort out now I’ve moved to a much smaller home but like you, I’m getting there. Your family will be grateful for many reasons.
I got over my "might need it later" mindset that was keeping my home cluttered, when I retired and volunteered once a week (still do) at a non-profit social service organization that provides food and clothing to very low income families in my surrounding communities. Seeing the tears of joy on a young couple's faces when they are able to get warm clothes for their children, or cooking utensils for their new home after living in their car for a year, or appropriate clothes for a job interview, etc. etc., really helped me understand how privileged I am to have been able to accumulate all that clutter in the first place! Now when I have something I'm not using, I don't ask myself if it's something I should keep for that unlikely "just in case" scenario, and instead think about how much the item is going to mean to someone who needs a helping hand. It's a win-win.
But can you find it all the time right away when you need it? And if looking for it say with people watching is it sort of embarrassing? I said the same thing for years. I’m only 30. And realize I serious need to declutter and get rid of stuff. I have TONS of stuff! I begin realizing about six months ago that there’s really no point in having all the stuff when I need something there’s just so much crap for me to find that one item
I couldn't DISAGREE more! I ONLY buy used stuff these days, for about 15 years now. I have found the most amazing treasures for a fraction of the cost of retail, and it is FUN! I found at Goodwill for example a beautiful, ornate, gold fireplace screen locally at Goodwill and paid about $35, later finding it in a Frontage catalogue for like $350! My whole house is full of pre-owned stuff. Why should I buy new crap made in China?!
My house too is nearly all furnished with pre-owned items and all my family's clothing are pre-owned (except for underwear & socks). I was able to keep our family of 4 in a presentable home & garments on a salary of $25K for about 10 years. As retirees now, we have even less money but we need nothing because we learned to re-purpose most things, donate or gift others with good items no longer needed or beloved, and had the JOY of living a simplified lifestyle while never going in to debt--even during years of under-employment or layoffs. When simplicity but Beauty become a lifestyle, much much LESS is wanted while basic needs never are neglected.
It can be overwhelming. Just throw 2 items you don't need every week. That's over 100 items a year tossed out, or 1,000 items in 10 years. Plus, AVOID buying things you don't really need.
Thank you for your timely video. Going through this now…a second time! Got rid of a lot of my parents things when they passed 12+ years ago. We are in our 70’s and I’m decluttering again, the rest of mom’s things and mine. (Not touching hubby’s things as he’s not ready). Taking clothes to free store, books and magazines to library, junk to thrift store, electronics to Best Buy to recycle. Have 30+ boxes ready for auctioneer I’ve worked with before to pick up as there are a lot of antiques. The kids don’t want any of it.
Excellent..I had to play it 7 times cuz cognitive self but at least don't give up folks If I had given up I wouldn't have 4 1/2 years clean and sober off of every illicit drug and pharmaceutical addictive cigarettes and booze right now so never never give up never and I love you
@@JB-3794 Our local rural thrift shops are smaller than my living room and won't take more than a box of stuff at a time. We are an hour and a half from Goodwill, etc. and they will not pick up from here. It is hard to get a thrift store to take stuff here.
@@JB-3794I got news for you: your relatives are gonna dedicate one day - MaX - to cleaning out your house and 99% of it is going into a huge dumpster.
I have lived in the same small house for nearly 45 years. In the first week, I had a revelation. No one else was g oing to dump the trash or take the trash cans to the street for pick up. Eventually, I had a revelation that if I wanted to enjoy life, I had to get rid of stuff before I got sick and things were overwhelming. It is June 2024. I don't try to sell things on the internet. Currently there are two piles in the living room. One pile is waiting the repair of the road to the boy scout camp. Last time, I made the trip. This time a truck will be sent. Over in another corner is the general donation pile. My girl friend adds to it. If the maid doesn't want the items, we drive to Goodwill. The last trip was two weeks ago. The current project is going through the bedding. By the end of the day, there will be nothing that is ill fitting or stained. There will be a spare set of bedding.
I am age 81 and " trying " to get the wife to let go. She has 20 year old clothes all neatly stacked in the walk in closet, neatly because I did it. She grew up very poor in the Philippines so I often think perhaps it is harder to get rid of something because she had so little. I personally am going to sell or donate some old Disney comics, reprints because the originals went 50 years ago. Western dvd's, a set of ten Silver western medals that took me 10 years to complete the set. Old memories are the hardest to let go but like you said, can I or will I ever use it again. Will I ever watch the movies again, No. Gone, Big items are not a problem, it is the STUFF in drawers, closets, shelves that are the hardest to get rid of. YOUR KIDS ' DO NOT ' WANT YOUR STUFF, unless it has a President's picture on it.
I’m a grown “kid” of a mom in the same situation. My stepfather just passed and he was a pack rat lol. My mom is bit of one too. She’s trying to clear things out now. Soooo tough!
She's got to get over all of that. Maybe take her to counseling? Believe me; nobody wants all that stuff! As a child of someone like that I didn't. Plus, your having grief from the loss also especially if it's sudden.
It's so much better for the environment to shop at yard sales and thrift stores, too. It keeps still-useful items out of the landfill, AND saves the energy and resources needed to manufacture a new item.
When my 95 year old mother died and the lawyer read the will, my sister inherited mom’s house and all the contents. I turned to my sister and happily said, “You lose”.
I'm 74. I get rid of stuff every day. There are Hoarders in my family, so if I don't use it or wear it, I toss it or give it away. I seldom buy anything new. I'm emptying my top shelves because my climbing days are limited. Tina, Al's wife
I'm 78, and wish my life was that easy. My significant other raises a big fuss with everything I try and toss. So its a nibble, nibble process getting rid of anything that isn't mine.
Excellent presentation. It was logical and orderly. The part about the satisfaction felt when the space is clean is so true. It is the same when you began saving and investing money as well.
You would be surprised what people will buy, if priced right: Scrap wood, CDs, appliances. However, you have to decide what your time is worth. Also, a sign on your lawn with free can do wonders. Lots of poor people around and lots of hoarders.
My neighbor regularly puts things out on the curb with a Free sign, and it usually goes in a couple days. I assume he's also posting on Craig's List or FB so people know it's there. Some of it would be easier to throw in the trash, but if it's free someone will usually take it.
I'm glad you mentioned bagster. I'd say for most things just put it out in your municipal trash. But I did get Bagster once. My house had a lot of junk from the previous owners. A lot of it was a pile of cement blocks behind the garage. So I got the bagster and carefully followed their rules on placing heavy stuff at the bottom and how to position it in the driveway. I then had extra room and got rid of a dilapidated deck and fence. It was very nice when someone from the area drove by my house stopped and complimented me on how much nicer things looked. I also recommend looking at your property from your neighbor's property. It gives you a perspective of what needs to be cleaned up!
We are moving to what will be our last house and decluttering. This is the house my son will have after we are gone . Luckily, we have very similar tastes, so we are just doing the new home furnishings, etc, in what I know we both enjoy. I've asked him and made sure he won't have to deal with anything except the folder containing all needed legal documents after I'm gone. My father left no will, etc, and I REFUSE to have my son deal with too much as I know how it is. It's to much to go thru the stuff,deal with finances, etc
It's off topic from the decluttering conversation, but get your son set up as Power of Attorney on your accounts. I've found that the PoA that the lawyer drew up seems to be not good enough for the broker and insurance and hospital/medical system - they all want their own forms, and they legally can't talk to him about anything without that. I don't know about the bank as my parents added me to their accounts many years, ago and they would occasionally request that I write a check to make sure the bank doesn't fuss over my signature. It's also been a godsend to know my parent's email password, as that's where notices of missed payments or payments coming due get sent, so I could track things down. My folks moved to Assisted Living yet still refuse to sell the house, so being able to find the service companies so that they get paid was essential. With most payments these days being automated, it's helpful for day to day life, but the day will come when those payments can be discontinued. For when/if your organization skills start going, it's also helpful to call any service companies now and ask that the son be added as an alternate contact, I did that with the plumber that they use and with the pool company (local company) and a couple others, they carried the bill for 6 months and never cut them off, until I started checking my parent's emails and saw that it wasn't getting paid. Edit: It's probably sufficient to write down/share your userID and pw for many sites such as utilities that are on autopay, but for bank/brokerage/insurance/medical, do it the right way and set up the PoA. For years my father shared his brokerage PW with me, but at one point I called them to ask a question about his account, and even though I had my father's permission to log on, I could literally see the Rep doing a face palm when I said I knew the account info with my father's permission. Not having the proper paperwork on file opens them to a lot of liability, so do it the right way to make things easier in the long run.
Jerry, thank you so much. I’ve been avoiding the much needed declutterring in my house, but you have given me some good advice on how to tackle my clutter.
Sounds like you had a plan of action and you made it happen. Thanks for taking the time to share your story with others here on this channel to let them know they can do it too.
@JerryPinkas IT wasn't easy ....I had to go through every drawer and just have no mercy on...Old Books , Coffee Pots ..Grills ...Pans...cleaning stuff...Storage cases....magazines...comics...Old gadgets ...junk silverware...DVD cases..."STUFF I don't need". I used contractor bags to get rid of it ALL and NOW live clutter free !!!
In my experience when I have a clean up I suddenly find that within 2 weeks I need some of the items I threw out, some of which I hadn't used for years! Example: I kept my last pay slip from a previous job for 15 years. I cleared out all my old papers and about 10 days later it was televised by the company that old staff were eligible for a pension if they could produce proof of employment, so I lost out big time. Also gave my gardening tools away and also valuable copper fire irons as I lived in an apartment and then circumstances changed and found I had to go out and buy replacements. Be careful what you throw away!
@@MaryDefatte mine was in the early 1990s before I had a decent computer and the internet was just starting out. It's much easier these days - all we had then was print
Getting rid of excess furniture can be needed. Sometimes if you have shelves and drawers they just get filled up. I got rid of old furniture that was too big and found i didnt need a lot of stuff that stored in them.
as someone who can easily help others declutter their space, separating and making the piles, I find it much more tedious for myself. I found the tip on making a list of specific areas and time frames helpful, as well as the touch it once and ask the 3 questions. thank you
So so glad you enjoyed this helpful video. Truly appreciate you taking the time to watch it and to comment here on this channel and share your experience with others.
I'm gonna do a box sale Load up similar items into one box Put a ten dollar price on it Take the whole box Make bigger bills Get to re-home more stuff! But, ya got to stick to the no picking rule! It's the whole box, or nothing. peace
Your video came up on my YT feed so I thought I'd scope it out while I ate my lunch. You seem like a very nice man who sincerely wants to help people with their clutter situation. My only issue is with the sorting into piles.....THEN using the One Touch method. At that point, you've already touched it twice. I won't directly promote a decluttering expert's channel here, but IMHO, there is a better, simpler way to declutter....a "no-mess" decluttering system. If I had to come back to piles everywhere and go through all that stuff AGAIN, I would be discouraged. I think that's why many people are largely unsuccessful at decluttering. Once someone declutters enough, the organizing part is mostly done. 🙂
That sounds like Dana K White's method! The very best method of downsizing your stuff and you never have piles of stuff to be tripping over. I highly recommend her TH-cam channel.
One thing I've done 4 times in the past 10 years is rent a dumpster. In my hometown. It's like $350 for five days. I've used it to declutter storage space that resembled hoarders. Garage spaces. Etc. Also, had some old photos that appeared to have the beginnings of mold. Painstakingly scanned them. Organized them. Through out the really bad ones. This took at least 40 hours. But it kept memories that could go to multiple people when they were on the same photo.
I recently moved out of 1000 square-foot house where I had lived for seven years into the 1440 square-foot house that I share with my wife in retirement. It’s amazing how much my process of decluttering matched your suggestions.
What has worked best for me is to take everything out of a section, then put back the absolute keepers. Psychologically, this helps me because I've made all the important decisions right at the beginning. Sorting the remainder into piles then seems less stressful because it's just the "left-over" stuff.
Jerry, sometimes I ,like I also did my father get mad at you. But after some thought and realizing you are usually exactly right I wipe my runny nose and follow your advice. ❤
Have had several clean outs to make space and from changing premises. After disposing of several irreplaceable items I now sort stuff and leave it a few months then return and review and generally salvage about 10 - 20% out of the selection.
My difficulty is a spouse who will not let go of anything, stuff from childhood 60 years ago, papers and stuff in boxes and barrels inherited from parents, a sibling and even a cousin. Not a hoarder, but close to it. Very frustrating, and depressing.
I am that spouse to a degree. Wife died two years ago July and I now have her stuff as well as mine to go through. One box at at time. Same way you eat an elephant - one bite at a time.
I have been getting rid of stuff for years. My basement was a huge mess of things I dont want anymore. It was a good place to store things "just in case". Laat year my roof was replaced and the contrator ordered a trash bin that was to large for the project. Well! I had a timeline to toss out what I didnt need. And I spent a week not over thinking about each item. What a relief! I have empty bins and shelving now. I will donate that stuff to charity.
Wow, I'm glad that worked for you! It can be so hard to get rid of things, but it's always so freeing when you do! Thanks for watching and commenting here on this channel.
I start with the recycling. That gets a lot out of the way quickly usually in 15’. I sort by glass, magazines/papers, and plastics 1&2. That goes right to the hatch of my van as soon as I have enough of any of the three to take my next time I pass by there. Touching only once does it work for me but I am glad it does for you. I put like things together then I can evaluate how many of something I have asked myself which of them are still serving me? Ones that do not get donated. I check with family first then onto a charity. I rarely sell any item. I will donate a large chest of drawers and a triple dresser at some point to charity that is able to pick it up. If that doesn’t work, I will call that junk service that make sure to take it to a charity. If I get overwhelmed, I will do just a category. Such as when I cleaned up work table, I will deal with just the paperwork or just pharmaceuticals or just pens making sure they all work anyway so good to hear your tips. Definitely one step at a time.
When you D clutter, you can also have another pile of stuff you’re not sure about right now and should probably keep longer so you can decide later If you get rid of something, you’re not sure about too soon, you could end up wanting or needing it back later, but it’s already gone That’s why you should have a pile of stuff you’re unsure about right now
I have so many duplicate pools and could not use them even when I had 2 hands working I have one hand working down so I don't need all that duplication so thank you for the motivation
I went to an estate sales and there were several boxes of formal silverware for sale. I wonder if these were acquired from multiple deceased relative estates. How else would somebody have that many sets?
Timely topic for me. I am starting to declutter and identifying valuable major newer items to sell. Huge life changes also take some transition/processing time so I've let go in layers like an onion but need to make some greater steps even without a fixed timeline. My place is not cluttered but this is extreme downsizing so will do some initial donations and determine what to sell and then ask a family member to help price some things.
You sound like me. Picky and snobbish about the items I bring in...Lol It's hard to get rid of high quality items. My house doesn't look like an episode of hoarders, it's actually nice stuff.
I do front yard give aways instead of garage sales. It helped me declutter because I could get rid of anything and everything, even small items, like hairpins I didn't want anymore.
Even half used cosmetics or cleaning products I didn't like. I just took care for everything to be clean and neat looking. It was great. If it only sell or only donate, you'll end up throwing a lot of things that aren't eligible for that
I used to donate all the time, but not anymore. The reason why is that places that accept donations charge people too much money for items that they received for free.
It depends. I think if you can find a place that is supporting what you think is a good cause and you're confident that most of the profits are going to support that cause, ( rather than a gravy train for the people running it ) it doesn't make sense for the charity to sell the item for very little only to have it bought and sold on immediately by someone else because they're getting such a good deal.
Sounds like Goodwill, a for-profit corporation masquerading as a charity. Habitat for Humanity takes almost everything including building materials, furniture, housewares and books. I also donate to several local "real, charities that take clothing for people who are homeless or getting back on their feet from homelessness. Look around and you will likely find a good place for donations.
Yeah, this is a great video. This is what I’m trying to do get rid of stuff I don’t want donate first go through the stuff I don’t know whether I want to keep her cell step-by-step. I really appreciate this video. Thank you.😁👍❤️
* I * want my stuff. My books,my wedding china,etc. Why do I have to pare down to please my future heirs? A few days of sorting and donating for them versus me having to live in bleak austerity for years? NOPE! :) ❤
I am starting this process now. I get overwhelmed and do not or know where or how to begin. So I have set a goal date to be done by October 1st, by going one room at a time every week. I look forward to the day when my life, my house, is more streamlined and the peace and sense of freedom it will afford me.
When I saw the title, my initial thought was not what he was thinking at all, and he's right, you do need to declutter your place every so often. I totally understand how it can be overwhelming, but something Mack of Midwest Cleaning has said as he does this, both as a living, but as a hobby/special interest (he's autistic) is start on one section of the room, and work your way around it, clearing/cleaning a 4x4 Ft section, even if first just to utilize as a clean landing for your cleaning supplies, moving them as needed to another clean area as you go around the room. Since he was cleaning/clearing out of hoarding homes, there was no time for sorting out for recycling, trash etc as one, where he lives is mostly small towns without the ability to recycle so most items that do get tossed, get tossed into a dumpster in many cases. Also, if dealing with a hoarder, getting rid of stuff will likely make the issue worse, not better. So best to sort items in like/similar items into tubs and consolidate as much as you can, tossing pure trash so they can get around the house. If the hoarder goes into therapy and gets help, then they can get to where they are ready to get rid of much more stuff. Sometimes, just cleaning a home is getting it to a livable state, IE, getting rid of any biohazards that are present in the home, like rat feces, dead nats, dog/cat feces, dead/expired food being among the tasks. But for the rest of us, it simply means getting rid of items no longer of use to us, recycle, upcycle, sell or donate, and then toss the rest. I often do similar when I'm in a deep cleaning mode and do expect things to get worse, then better as you go through the room. Once, a few years ago, I went through my office and shredded 21Lbs of old stuff like taxes I no longer needed to keep, old receipts, junk mail that might get into the wrong hands, those with forms for credit cards for instance and I took all that to the UPS store and used their shredding service, paying $1 a pound to have it shredded, so $21 later, it was gone. Worth every penny, and all I had to do was stuff the shredding bin(s). Doing this periodically like yearly helps keep things at bay and the job never gets too out of hand.
Moving from 56 squaremeter to 34 squaremeter..I have decluttered alot...it still will be 2 room and a kitchen...but lot smaller..not only decluttering things but also downsizing squaremeter..and I have no car!! Im i happy? Yes! Will i stay in a bedsofa ? Yes! Can you live in a very small space and still be happy? Yes! Do you go more outdoors? Yes! Because you only sleep and eat at home! Hace a wonderful day!!!
Actually, instead of spending your time making lists, just start picking things up and putting the to-go stuff in a bag or a box. Keep going till you're done. I used to be a "list-maker", I have wasted A LOT of time making lists. Just grab a box or a bag, go to the room that's the most like an obstacle course and get r' done!
I recently saw a comment on a channel by a woman who said that people are only decluttering because the books and media told them too. That they should keep their stuff. Spoken like a person who has not had to clear out a relatives home after they passed/had to move. I had to clear out my Grandmothers home as we needed to sell her home for her care. She led a spartan lifestyle (thank goodness), but it was still a lot of work. My FIL house had to be put up for sale for his care, he had more stuff than my Grandma. Not to mention the times I have helped friends clear out their relatives places. My Father passed and he had two storage lockers full of sports memorabilia plus a room at my parents house that was full. It took my sister and I around two years off and on to sell that stuff for our Mom. This put me over the edge. I do not want someone to have to go through what we went through on my behalf. I am not a hoarder, but had a lot of stuff. I am not, nor will I be, a minimalist by any means. However, I have managed to get rid of around 50% of our stuff. It is an ongoing process. Good luck everyone!
Been there, done that! Experience and pain teaches, better to learn from other's pain!
I'm 73 and decluttering because I don't want my relatives to be stuck in the same way.
My mom did hoard, and family did not help for various legit reasons (mostly). I had all the same reasons.
I’m making a season of elimination happen now!
Thank you, yes! I feel for you and this is a good message!
In age of consumerism, please people, please declutter once or twice a year.
And do it larger scale when reaching 50's.
It's so unfair to the family who will aid the elderly if they persist with living in own home...Unless they are super active seniors and do minimize.
I'm 68, husband 71. We've moved several times, downsized twice, now two storage lockers only until we decide to buy small or build small.
I've moved dozens of times when young in family of 9.
Aided moving friends and family many times. Aided moving our adult children many times...
Aided with clearing elderly relatives homes many times.
We lost 9 family( Aunts/Uncles step parents, cousins just before covid. Lost Mom 2022.
Mom.lived In single wide mobile home with two add on rooms, a carport and large 15 x 15 shed.
Sis lived with her. The stuff we hauled out of there was ridiculous. Most to dump, lots given away.
Sis still took a lot when we got her moved to the Coast.
My step Mom says she's going to live as long as she can in a quite remote area..so that will be a job too. However she's decluttering each year.
But still has lots. She's 86. Still golf's, walks, gave up curling last year.
We've just packed up moving from a tiny house, and now helping our daughter, son in law prepare to sell their house, with barn property. They will hopefully move to 2000 Sq ft for rest of their lives.
I'm exhausted..still helping older sis who needs hip surgery..in-between packing, decluttering at daughters ( pregnant(. Watching grandson..
So, agree with you, older people need to downsize, or at least declutter yearly.. give heirlooms to children each year!
It's hard enough doing Estate paperwork, let alone work of emptying lifelong possessions.
@@coolwater55 you can well imagine the nightmare I had to deal with, because my parents upsized after us kids were out of the house, claiming that they needed a large enough house to host families with grandchildren. I have one picture of a family gathering from 1991 and, they never hosted another family gathering!
Family did not want to help them clean out when they needed it and my dad was afraid to clean it out when my mom first went in memory care.
He didn’t want to return to the house that he built, I imagine for good reason, with the horrible memories of what I found.
Neglected my house for four years while I was helping my parents and have to figure out what to do with the stuff that I don’t want inside that my dad thought was necessary to bring from his house, like his snow boots. He was no longer shoveling snow, since 2021.
I'm a 78 year old man, and I'd add this advice to much younger people, such as those that are just starting out and don't really own anything. First thing to understand is that everything you buy or acquire somehow will require some level of your time and space; the obvious thing is not to buy it in the first place. Live very frugally and carefully. All those shiny things come out of your income. Why buy a book when you can go to the library and get it for free and you aren't looking after it, lugging around for the rest of your born days, only at some point having to figure out how to get rid of it.
Things used to cost a lot more, relatively speaking, than they do now. 'Cheap' is a drug: don't take it. Mini -storage businesses never used to exist; now they are everywhere and well used. They are full of 'stuff' cluttering people lives and that is one way to get it out of sight. Don't buy it in the first place!
A very, very wise advice and so true. I am way younger, but I came to the same conclusion. After wild consumering young adult years I've made a U turn as I volonteered at clothes swap and saw the insane amount of clothes women store in their wardrobes. Plenty of stuff was brand new, with a price tag, never worn. We've started composting, repairing clothes and small machines, making our own candles and soap, growing our own vegetables, participate in sharing economy...But our chicken are the champions of recycling - they eat bran which is a mill waste, cooked potato that can't be sold because of its shape and is also a waste and old bread from bakeries and shops that isn't sold. And they give eggs, meat and poo for compost. Oh, and the sum at the bank keeps growing and growing..
@@anitagorse9204 Good for you. And this way of thinking should be taught in school. It is, after all, just common sense thinking about how to live your life: ie live it for quality not quantity.
I love my IPad for downloading and reading books. The only ones I have kept are my watercolor instruction books and it's great.
As much as lies within you - stop buying 😂
8:12 @@JimLambrick
Before I moved from a 2000 sq ft house to a condo in another state, I had to seriously downsize. I had 4 garage sales, listed stuff on fb and OfferUp, had Salvation Army pick up some furniture and took a ton to goodwill in many trips. I narrowed it down to a U-Haul pod and what would fit in my minivan.
I’m doing the same exact thing! Sold sooo much and donated a small box truck load. Pod arrives in a few days. I’m down to 20 totes and 2 leather recliners. Very calming now. I’ll purchase a new small dining set when I land :)
Well done
I the summer of 2021, when I was 57, and my husband 62…we UPSIZED…into a 3300sq ft home on acreage…I have had SO MUCH FUN decorating my larger home, and doing gnome/fairy and floral gardens outside. I’m a very organized person(almost OCD), so my seasonal/holiday decor items are very organized and have lots of room to store them. I decorate with a plan and buy only what I’ve got a PLAN for in an arrangement….I see the BIGGEST problem is people purchase things they see they like, but WITHOUT having a pre-conceived plan on HOW TO USE IT….We have only ONE life…so I’m doing this WHILE I STILL CAN…when I cannot take care of it all, and get too tired to decorate, I’ve got a plan to sell it!
@@1timeslime971 OK
I’ve found that donation centers don’t want a lot of items. Sets of rarely used dishes for example. Even ones that are still for sale on the company’s web site. Very discouraging.
To get rid of my stuff I had a yard sale.
Everything was $1
Clothes, table, chair, skis, books……… Everything!
I made $600 and got rid of 90% of my stuff.
People were buying stuff they didn’t really need or want but it was only a dollar so they bought it anyway.
Wow they should watch this video!
Brilliant!
Good on you
I think I may try a $1 sale
If I had known I'd have come and bought loads. I love stuff. Don't know what's wrong with you all!!!
We bought our home in June of last year. We downsized our stuff considerably. We have nothing in storage, nothing in boxes, not even a junk drawer. Our garage only has our two cars and nothing else. It feels good that we have a very organized and clean home. I don't want to leave our son with a bunch of our stuff when we pass.
Yay that's the way it should be. Been left with a lot of stuff after family members die. I call all the members friends and remaining relatives and tell them to take anything they want or need. Then I donate the good stuff etc. clothes. And I dump the rest. And or recycle.🤪 It's a lot work. it's a blessing when the elders are alive to have their own estate sale or auction. But sadly it doesn't always happen that way.
Please ask him first if he would like some items from you, for memories' sake. I've seen many examples of people who rush to declutter and don't think that maybe someone in the family might want the items. I treasure my things from grandma and mom. People come and go, money comes and goes but momentos of good times and good people who enriched your life when they shared it with you, remain. I still remember the contents if my grandmother's trinket drawer, I wish my uncle hadn't thrown those things out. They were important to me but he didn't ask. I only have a couple of things of hers in the end. It's sad when things filled with meaning and memories are discarded. There's too much declutterring frenzy.
@diorrybak335 being our only child, he will get the house and the belongings in it. Photos and other things such as some wood toys from his childhood. We just don't have clutter anywhere. It's a very organized home, including our library room. Our son has actually been selling his old gaming stuff and has made a lot of money to put in his savings account. So he's decided not to hold onto things he doesn't want as well.
Not even a junk drawer? Now you're talking crazy!
Wow! I aspire to be like you.
As a senior I no longer want all my stuff. Sick of it. I’ve been giving away tons and have a lot more to go. It feels great. I say let someone else enjoy it.
I’m 58, my husband is 61…. We’re downsizing our stuff now. Don’t want our kids to have to decide all that. Too much work
Convincing my wife is almost impossible. I have no problem getting rid of stuff. Most of the clutter is in the basement. I donated a lot of old clothes on our last move. I also gave away a snow blower and mower to a neighbor since I was moving to a 55 and over. We still have too much for our next and last move.
Put the extra in storage and have her pay for it. Maybe that will show her the cost of hanging onto things. Too harsh?
@@kimberlydepreyhaving worked with a family member with this kind of feelings, that’s gonna hurt too much. Perhaps as a final step?
She’s got a need for the stuff, not a greed for it. I don’t understand why.
Refocusing onto experiences with living the new place over things helped me ease them into donating. Took time.
Basements flood, you could make a case for going through the stuff to find what you guys would like to protect, and along the way toss the garbage (as in actual garbage) and duh donations (which is the stuff that you’re like, why do we have this?). Dana K. White has a declutterring method that isn’t emotional, it’s based on the space that you have and making things only better as it’s no mess. She’s got videos on TH-cam for free info and books if you prefer, but it’s pretty simple. Might work for you as it’s not you trying to pry things away, she can keep anything, just not everything.
@@desereetouchet9294 Omigosh! My mom (born 1928) loved to save department store boxes, ribbons, tissue paper. And Christmas stuff that was NEVER used. I hired an African man to clean out that big laundry room. It took him just 20 minutes, we took 12 garbage bags out the back door. I was so happy, I gave him all the cash I had, $140.
Clutter is a deadbeat roommate that never leaves the house and pays no rent.
Or any roommate..
My nephew living with his aunt and he pays no rent and hasn't for several yrs, he helps out around the house, he has been cleaning up her house for the last 4 yrs as she is a hoarder and he's been getting rid of stuff including some of his possessions to their local goodwill, other antique stores etc and he pays for gas to use her truck which he does on a regular basis and helps with groceries, every month. He has money, a job but doesn't make enough money to be able to pay rent but he tries Bless his heart for @ least trying and caring enough to want to help her make her living conditions more livable, and sanitary
The cost of living and rents are through the roof it's way more than what he makes working and it's hard for him to try and save any money most paydays but some paydays he manages to be able to save even a little bit and put it away
@@e.r.470 Is he working on getting some kind of training or education to enable him to make more money?
Is Clutter a cat?
Have been married twice. Both of my husbands felt entitled to "help" me purge unnecessary stuff when we moved. I noticed that they both removed things of great memories or sentimental value to me. All of their keepsakes remained. My adult son has done the same thing. I refuse to let anyone else touch my things anymore. If they want to toss my stuff, I'll be dead soon enough.
I'm so sorry you experienced that. That's so unfair and cruel.
Funny how people who re marry tend to find mates with the same habits…😮
I'm sorry that happened to you. People shouldn't touch other folks things.
It is likely your "precious" stuff will get tossed. Take a photo of your sentimental stuff and save your son a lot of trouble. Just sayin'
Yes! My spouse got rid of all my pictures. Pix of me, my family, my friends, my pets throughout my entire life. My baby pix. My parents baby pix. Everything. Irreplaceable items. They also sold gifts given to me by friends and relatives. Things I inherited from my relatives. Gifts from them. Pocketed all the money. All their crap stayed and they want the gifts they gave me, that they already sold, back!
The comment section is just as valuable to read as the video to watch.
I want to be able to hear the comments as I'm doing chores. I love reading comments.
Sometimes it’s just best to give away your SELL pile, especially when you know damn well it will sit around sabotaging your goals for a year and a day.
I'm almost there. If I can't get it together and have a garage sale this summer it's getting donated!
@@bahba9247 Believe me, you never regret it. I don’t have time to sell things on eBay and trot my rear end to the post office. Once that stuff is gone it’s off your mind 🌸
If you are selling, it has to be worth at least 50$ or have some other historical/sentimental value. What is worth less, just toss it away/donate.
@@bahba9247 I always have a free box at my yard sales. I set it out by the curb so that people can pick through it on their way out. I also keep adding to it as the day goes on or the second day. It helps me not be left with things that I will have to haul off in the end🙂
You made me laugh out loud. I do agree with you.
I donate to a thrift store where proceeds go to rescue and foster animals. Makes it easier to let go of things knowing it will save a kitten 🤷♀️
Where is the thrift store? I would love to donate there! What a great cause!
I wish I knew of one. The place I go donates to their church, which is better than Goodwill where they are so rude.
I do the same. I donate to a thrift store that helps poor and homeless people.
That's great! God Bless you for thinking of that 🤗🤗
@@wendyeskelin8765 Do they blast awful music at your Goodwill ? It's so bad at ours you can't think to shop. We stopped going ( Mrs. Z)
Thank you to all people that donates. When you have a destroyed home and must buy all the things all over again it will ruin you so to get the chance to buy second helps a lot. Thank you!
This is a beautiful reminder that second hand sales really do help people ❤
I'm glad to hear you are finding this helpful.
I did it several years ago. My house is easy to clean now and I stay on top of it. The feeling is so good
That's good to hear, because this is the result I want - need! My ongoing health issues make housework hard so with 'stuff' cluttering my home it is harder still. Good to know you are keeping on top of it as that is another issue.
That's okay for you. To us it sounds like bare, bleak & boring to live there.
Hurricane Katrina was a major help in getting rid of "stuff/everything" for me and my family.
One of the best/worst things in my life.
Recovery is a marathon, not a sprint.
💕
Same for me, exept it was the '94 Northridge earthquake for me.
Shoveling broken, percieved "Tresures" into a dumpster was difficult for about an hour...but I was then hit by the epiphany that it's just stuff.
Massively liberating!!! 👍😃
I furnished my first apt off the curb and was pleased with my thrift. Even now I get pleasure cooking in the pots and pans my grandparents started housekeeping with in 1923!!!
Agreed. I really enjoy my unique collections. They give me comfort in some way, like my dog.
I was watching a TH-camr that was answering her viewer’s questions about why she didn’t save the clothes that her kids outgrew as hand me downs being that she had 9 or 10 kids . They lived in a very small 3 bedroom house ,she said she didn’t have the room or time or energy to be maintaining a bunch of old clothes. She also said everything we have will eventually be trash . I find that I need to just let it go ,and stop trying to find the ‘perfect’ place for it to go. When I donate clothes I don’t agonize over if a garment is good enough and would people want it .I trash socks,underwear,torn or stained items and donate the rest and let them decide if it is OK to keep. I don’t want to burden myself babysitting a bunch of ‘trash’.
You are now burdening the charity workers. Just toss. Save the charity tine and money. Now they have to arrange for disposal of your garbage. That's not fair or helpful.
@@rubyannr6898 I don’t give them the bad stuff but if it is questionable I donate it. I figure that got some free good stuff they can use what they can and trash the rest. I was wearing the items in the not so distant past someone else might need them.
@beckyshell4649 That sounds utterly reasonable. Some people hear, "Let them sort it," and that's the end of the thought process. Your way sounds good for everyone.
@@rubyannr6898 A burden through your eyes is a paycheck and food on the table for another.
And places like good will are non profit not a charity. The ceo of good will makes MILLIONS 2”while NOT paying his staff a living wage. I donate to local banks who also are non profit but employee local workers and often run local food banks.
Absolutely right.
My parents weren't exactly hoarding stuff, but they stored everything for decades and I mean everything. It took us 5 years to declutter. I figured out there's zero chance I will be able to sell everything so I decided to donate. I loaded my car four to five times a year with everything from tech to clothes to kitchen machines and took it to bring-take events, organized by sahms with large families. What was left went to Caritas/Red Cross. My estimate is we donated 20.000-25.000€ worth - sorry, not sorry for every single piece of crap. Breathing easier is more precious than money.
Start minimizing as early as possible before a move. It'll take longer, be harder than you think. I was moving cross country, already a minimalist, and I assessed every item asking myself if It fits with the new life I want for myself. Too many of us haul baggage around most of our life because we think we should. I was able to get all worldly possessions in my suv, turn the key and head out to the new life.
GOOD FOR YOU. This must've been an awesome feeling!
I used to do that. What happened?
You still need a place to sleep and a place to sit, was the plan to buy new (to you) at your new home?
@@deadcatbounce3124 If I felt as if I needed it, yes.
@okiejammer2736 Yes, most freeing experience of my life. For the first time in a long long time I felt really alive.
I have been decluttering for a couple of weeks and have already decluttered much over the last 4 years. Yep! I'm a collector. I have gotten rid of most of my collections. I was thinking recently, we spend the first part of our lives collecting and the last part getting rid of it. Before I said this to a friend, she said she heard someone say it. I think much of the younger generation has figured it out. They are having experiences, instead of collecting "stuff."
I am 50 with a 78 yr old mother and we both have huge decluttering jobs ahead of us. I have two kids in high school and desperately want a peaceful house with children for what feels like the little time I have left with them. But I also desperately want to help my mother get hers done - once and for all.
Just wanted to say - I've not even made it past the second segment of the video yet. And I have rewound it now 5 times. I'm trying to take it all in b/c it seems there are some valuable tips, advice and methods to be shared here.
But sir you are talking SO fast and moving from point to point at breakneck speeds. Not speaking for everyone, but many people with "clutter issues" are intelligent, creative individuals - but who have ADD/ADHD or at the very least executive functioning/information processing issues. Many of us canNOT listen, follow along, keep up, take in, process, and retain -- the information you're attempting to share, b/c of the impossibly rapid, complex, and multi-sensorial confounding and distracting way in which you're presenting it.
I have a double MA degree so anyone thinking it's a matter of intelligence - that's not the case.
All I can say is thank goodness it IS a video and we CAN pause/rewind/repeat. But just wanted to share a little constructive feedback from people who do really want to hear what you have to say, sans the anxiety induced and extra time & effort needed to take it all in.
Ok, that's all.
Back to segment 2.
🎬Take six.
Dana K White on TH-cam. Her method works. It works well with helping a loved one to declutter their stuff and for you to declutter your stuff.
Guilt is clutter. We keep things out of guilt. And it becomes a huge burden.
Like old family framed photographs. It's sentimental, you feel you should hold on to them, but they're literally strangers to you. What to do?
@@morningglory9288 I would take the photos out of the frames and shred them. You can do this with a loving thought like you might have at a funeral. Then donate the frames for someone else to use. Note - I’ve actually done this and it felt good.
@@morningglory9288 Mom ended up filling a large trashbag full of photos taken by my grandmother, who was the family shutterbug; it's easy when you don't know the people in the photos, and can't remember the events they were taken at.
I don't agree. I can understand your ideas towards photos and frames but furniture that's been in my family and many are antiques, are saved for usefulness, love of the people handing them down, and love of the finely made antiques and real wood as opposed to particle board furniture sold out there today! My issue in downsizing those pieces is they're no longer valued. Millennials and younger don't care for them it's not their style and are content with cheaply made faux wood or alloy metals, none of which will last well. -so it kills me knowing what the monetary value was 15 years or more ago.
I’m using “Swedish Death Cleaning”. My husband and his brothers and spouses had to clean out his Mom’s house after she died. It took a couple of days to remove all the “stuff”. After that, I swore my kids would never have to do that for me. I think with all the decluttering I’ve done it should only take a few hours to clean out our house. I enjoy the lack of “baggage”.
The swirling is making me ill. I'll listen, but I will not watch!
swirling effect makes video spin it makes you not watch
I doubt he has anything worth listening to, anyway.
Lost me at pics of man buns.
@@Artanis1000 True...nothing says "flaming liberal" more than a man-bun. But the GOOD news is Jerry can't do that, even if he tried...so I'm not sure which side of the aisle he personally is on. ;-)
Otherwise, de-cluttering is an important topic, especially as we get older, and also if we want to make things easier for those who will pick up after us. And as well, if WE want to live more freely/lightly (!) vs. our "stuff" being a burden (anchor) tying us down, especially if/when it's time to pack it all up and move somewhere else.
I just wish I didn't have so much trouble achieving MY de-cluttering goals.
-- BR
@@billredding2000 Insensitive comment on my part. Decluttering a family member's house and it's overwhelming. Good video overall.
A key to sanity is controlling the inflow of items. I've learned to avoid "sets" which are designed to encourage consumers to spend "just a bit more" for extra items they don't need or use. One is left juggling extra possessions in an effort to access the items actually used then throwing away the unused portion/item of the set. Whether it's cookware, glassware, cosmetics/polish, tools, office supplies, cleaning supplies, linens/sheets, socks, food, etc. I buy the best quality of an item that I want/need and avoid extras of any kind.
That is good advice. Thank you. Never thought of it that way.
So so true in every respect! Especially the part where he says 'nobody wants your junk even if you think it is not junk!
well, that will not be your problem
Jerry, i am going through this right now! Moving to Myrtle beach in three weeks thanks to your wonderful team. I love you guy's your the best!
Thank you Susie! We are super excited for you! And so glad to help you with your plan! :) See you soon
I slowly decluttered when preparing to move from a large 3 bedroom house to a 4 room cottage.
No regrets. I review my stuff every season.
Dear sir - please don’t overuse the swirling effect- it’s so distracting but great content.
swirling effect makes the video spin
Agree. I just listen to it, but I had to quit watching. Also, the background itself is wavy.
Totaly agree.
Yup
Don't distract from your content. I had to look away to hear your advice.
My mom was a hoarder and I watched people's mouths drop with disgust as they entered our house and saw stuff was stacking on top of everything else, including the chairs so guests could not even sit down. It was embarrassing, but my mom thought all of her items were worth something, even the $1 beanie babies and the ceramic angels. It just kept getting worse and worse. My brother and I live very simple with little because we have trauma from our childhood.
It’s a disease…. Hoarding gives them a sense of comfort they never had before.
Was she a child of the depression? That era produced so much trauma. I've known more than a few raised in the poverty of that era become "collectors." And then they pass that trauma on to their kids. I have to work VERY hard to not hoard. My mom didn't/doesn't do it in the true sense, but if something is "good" she has a death grip on it. I have areas of my home where I just pile stuff up, and I honestly look at it and wonder: what am I thinking with this? And start sorting it out. The programming that we get growing up is so hard to shake.
Your Mother had a mental illness. Hoarding is about not being worthy; not being good enough; and fear. Sorry no one tried to actually help her but rather enabled her.
I had started dating a woman I knew for years, and after about a year we decided to move in together. I had never seen her apartment.... big mistake... once I saw it. I helped get her cleared up over a couple months after the official move, but it didn't take long for things to start piling up. I'm the exact opposite person...so it put quite the strain on our relationship. In the end it didn't work out, but I did realize she didn't want to live that way, it's was clear she didn't know how to only live with what you actually need or use, or not to buy ten of something when you only needed one, it was a deep seeded emotional thing that causes that behaviour.
I once put everything in a room. Then every time I needed it, I took it out. Then after a year, I took what was left in the room to auction. It sold for $1.
Sadly many of my older friends have so much clutter and it is as if they are hanging on as they firmly deny the final chapters of their lives. When I suggest the "Swedish death cleaning" effort they claim loudly--very loudly--that their children WANT the crap they have accumulated. It is so very sad.
My grandmother had a sale without telling any of us and got rid of all of the old photos and family heirlooms so there is that side of it too. When she passed she had nothing of any interest left. My take is you ask and even pass it along ahead of time. If nobody is interested then you have the answer.
I was forced to "clean out" my 79-year-old father's home. It was more like listing everything for FREE on Craigslist. NO ONE wanted to pay for any of his hoarded stuff. Not only did he have too much, but the stuff was also so neglected that it wasn't worth anything. He couldn't discern between what was worth keeping and what wasn't. He needed help and assistance to make decisions. However, he wouldn't accept help. Not only that but he wasted so much money on repeated purchases. I didn't mind clearing out the clutter because he is my dad. Nothing was sold. All of the stuff was donated to Goodwill/Salvation Army or friends. No one showed up to the sale. Most of the stuff ended up on the sidewalk and eventually picked up by the trash collector. NOTE to hoarders. IF you have too much stuff to maintain the items/home, the stuff is worthless.
This is great for getting me going. You do imply that one has the space to start making all the different piles of things however. I actually have been throwing things out every week since a bad builder wrecked my house and caused the chaos I am trying to sort out now. By getting rid of several bags of excess above the normal weekly rubbish, I start to see hope for the time soon when I do a great sort-out into 'rubbish', 'keep' 'donate' piles.
I want to put in a word for the older folk like me who have become disabled and are in pain. The younger generation do not understand how difficult this makes life. For example, carrying the washing downstairs is a major task now and extremely painful and leaves me in such pain I can hardly do anything else. Being old, alone and in pain is very difficult and prevents me doing the things I want to do.
@ellyess7203 - This is true for so many of us. I may decide to go through all of our books and give some away, for example, but then I realize I really need to do laundry, or clean bathrooms, etc. These days I can do one extra thing per day only, or the pain will knock me down and I won't even be able to cook dinner. A friend in the same condition hires someone to help her do it, but I can't afford that. I don't have a solution, but am sending you an empathetic hug.
There are now people who will come and help you declutter! It's wonderful ❤
Maam, I'm 72 yrs old & was only able to walk max 400 steps a day.
I bought a Near Infrared mat & a belt size pad 4 wks ago... ive stopped my pain meds, up to 5000 steps every other day (2500 alternate days) & have lost 15 lbs. I feel great mood too. Plesse look into YTube vids talking about tjis new therapy. Canadian researchers are also finding huge improvements with dementia, Parkisons & brain injured people! Goid luck, God bless
Cleaning out my mom’s home was a back-breaking, time consuming, heartbreaking experience. I couldn’t take the majority of it. Some of it had to be thrown out which adds guilt to the mix. I lived far away and couldn’t sell anything. It was all too overwhelming. Give your treasures to loved ones while you are alive. Although you may be surprised to find they don’t want the things you assume they would treasure. I hate it when old people say their children should clean out their homes as though it is their duty. It’s so selfish. Just know that many of the things you love will end up in the trash.
I went to rn estate sale yesterday and realized that I don’t want my kids to have to do this when I die. (I’m 60.). Swedish Death Cleaning for me. I also give anything that my kids tell me they want when I die NOW. I’ve already enjoyed them so I’m happy to let it go. My oldest daughter had my china and silver and I’ll borrow it if I need it. I donate everything else starting at the school I teach at bi donated all of my camera and video equipment to our Yearbook Club.
To quote the Red Hot Chili Peppers 🌶️ “Give it away. Give it away. Give it away now!”
Great for an analytical person with lots of stuff. Great for Swedish Death cleaning. I make it easy. 10 minutes a day. I can do that. Now I'm organized enough that right now I'm letting go of 3 things a day, trash or donate. I keep a bag by the front door putting donates in as I go. I take it to a donation center once a week. It's not always easy letting go thinking I may need or want it later that's most people's major 'LET IT GO' issue. Si now I think of it as giving to someone else. Makes it eadier.
It’s marvellous that you are making a real effort to turn your house into a home again. You won’t regret it, it will be an enormous weight off your shoulders, it’s very freeing. I’ve moved house a lot over the years and have had to declutter each time ~ it’s amazing how much ‘stuff’ we collect over time, that we don’t actually need.
I saw an article on Swedish Death Cleaning ~ intrigued by the title, I read it and it reminded me of the awful job I had of clearing my mother’s house , garage and garden after she died. It was so stressful on top of my grief and everything else. I don’t want my children, who all have health problems and other difficulties to have to deal with all my ‘stuff’ when I die, so like the Swedish custom, I have got rid of almost everything I DONT NEED. I still have some things to sort out now I’ve moved to a much smaller home but like you, I’m getting there. Your family will be grateful for many reasons.
I got over my "might need it later" mindset that was keeping my home cluttered, when I retired and volunteered once a week (still do) at a non-profit social service organization that provides food and clothing to very low income families in my surrounding communities. Seeing the tears of joy on a young couple's faces when they are able to get warm clothes for their children, or cooking utensils for their new home after living in their car for a year, or appropriate clothes for a job interview, etc. etc., really helped me understand how privileged I am to have been able to accumulate all that clutter in the first place! Now when I have something I'm not using, I don't ask myself if it's something I should keep for that unlikely "just in case" scenario, and instead think about how much the item is going to mean to someone who needs a helping hand. It's a win-win.
I love my stuff. In fact I have everything I want to own. Whatever needs fixed, I got the part and and tool to fix it with.
But can you find it all the time right away when you need it? And if looking for it say with people watching is it sort of embarrassing? I said the same thing for years. I’m only 30. And realize I serious need to declutter and get rid of stuff. I have TONS of stuff! I begin realizing about six months ago that there’s really no point in having all the stuff when I need something there’s just so much crap for me to find that one item
I couldn't DISAGREE more! I ONLY buy used stuff these days, for about 15 years now. I have found the most amazing treasures for a fraction of the cost of retail, and it is FUN! I found at Goodwill for example a beautiful, ornate, gold fireplace screen locally at Goodwill and paid about $35, later finding it in a Frontage catalogue for like $350! My whole house is full of pre-owned stuff. Why should I buy new crap made in China?!
You are so right!!!
Yeah clutter is great. Keep cluttering with other people's cast-offs!
Debbie, I both agree and disagree with you.
Yes, I do try not to buy new stuff if I can help it.
My house too is nearly all furnished with pre-owned items and all my family's clothing are pre-owned (except for underwear & socks). I was able to keep our family of 4 in a presentable home & garments on a salary of $25K for about 10 years. As retirees now, we have even less money but we need nothing because we learned to re-purpose
most things, donate or gift others with good items no longer needed or beloved, and had the JOY of living a simplified lifestyle while never going in to debt--even during years of under-employment or layoffs. When simplicity but Beauty become a lifestyle, much much LESS is wanted while basic needs never are neglected.
Your audience is older, we don't appreciate the constant swirling graphics.....
I couldn't finish because I just couldn't stand it.
Ditto👍👩🏻🦳
Same here.
Yes, COMPLETELY ANNOYING. and ridiculous
AI generated
It can be overwhelming. Just throw 2 items you don't need every week. That's over 100 items a year tossed out, or 1,000 items in 10 years. Plus, AVOID buying things you don't really need.
I sold my collections for $$$$; 1980’s skateboards, Schwinn Krate Stingrays. Now, I have a lot of garage space!
I’m with you. Sounds like we have/had the same things. Stingrays, 80’s bmx, Sims skateboards and vintage t shirts were my big bank items
Yay you😊
The trick is finding value.
Thank you for your timely video. Going through this now…a second time! Got rid of a lot of my parents things when they passed 12+ years ago. We are in our 70’s and I’m decluttering again, the rest of mom’s things and mine. (Not touching hubby’s things as he’s not ready). Taking clothes to free store, books and magazines to library, junk to thrift store, electronics to Best Buy to recycle. Have 30+ boxes ready for auctioneer I’ve worked with before to pick up as there are a lot of antiques. The kids don’t want any of it.
I found a charity that meant a lot to me, and I happily donated many things. It was liberating. Those things were oppressing and taking up space.
Oh gawd, I wish I could get rid of the crap in my house. Especially the crap other people have left here!
Can't you? If other people have left it there, send it to them or tell them to come get it?
@@ChrisJohnston-z7u you might want to tag the correct person.
Excellent..I had to play it 7 times cuz cognitive self but at least don't give up folks
If I had given up I wouldn't have 4 1/2 years clean and sober off of every illicit drug and pharmaceutical addictive cigarettes and booze right now so never never give up never and I love you
If you ever hate getting rid of things just imagine that if you died tonight what would happen to that stuff anyway.
Hopefully it will go to a thrift store where people who need it can buy it. People DO want our old stuff.
@@JB-3794 Our local rural thrift shops are smaller than my living room and won't take more than a box of stuff at a time. We are an hour and a half from Goodwill, etc. and they will not pick up from here. It is hard to get a thrift store to take stuff here.
@@JB-3794I got news for you: your relatives are gonna dedicate one day - MaX - to cleaning out your house and 99% of it is going into a huge dumpster.
I have lived in the same small house for nearly 45 years. In the first week, I had a revelation. No one else was g
oing to dump the trash or take the trash cans to the street for pick up. Eventually, I had a revelation that if I wanted to enjoy life, I had to get rid of stuff before I got sick and things were overwhelming.
It is June 2024. I don't try to sell things on the internet. Currently there are two piles in the living room. One pile is waiting the repair of the road to the boy scout camp. Last time, I made the trip. This time a truck will be sent. Over in another corner is the general donation pile. My girl friend adds to it. If the maid doesn't want the items, we drive to Goodwill. The last trip was two weeks ago.
The current project is going through the bedding. By the end of the day, there will be nothing that is ill fitting or stained. There will be a spare set of bedding.
Your audio is great. The video portion is very busy! So choppy! Wiggley transitions are distracting. I would enjoy a calmer approach.
I am age 81 and " trying " to get the wife to let go. She has 20 year old clothes all neatly stacked in the walk in closet, neatly because I
did it. She grew up very poor in the Philippines so I often think perhaps it is harder to get rid of something because she had so little. I
personally am going to sell or donate some old Disney comics, reprints because the originals went 50 years ago. Western dvd's, a set of
ten Silver western medals that took me 10 years to complete the set. Old memories are the hardest to let go but like you said, can I or will I
ever use it again. Will I ever watch the movies again, No. Gone, Big items are not a problem, it is the STUFF in drawers, closets, shelves that
are the hardest to get rid of. YOUR KIDS ' DO NOT ' WANT YOUR STUFF, unless it has a President's picture on it.
I’m a grown “kid” of a mom in the same situation. My stepfather just passed and he was a pack rat lol. My mom is bit of one too. She’s trying to clear things out now. Soooo tough!
@@kimberlydeprey 😄
President's picture! 😂😂😂
She's got to get over all of that. Maybe take her to counseling? Believe me; nobody wants all that stuff! As a child of someone like that I didn't. Plus, your having grief from the loss also especially if it's sudden.
I'm in the same boat...Filipino wife
Every time I get rid of something I don’t use or need anymore I suddenly in the not so distant future need that item. Murphy’s law maybe?
Normal. It happens. Something not used for years once tossed will be needed within a week.😂
Make the swirling stop I’m getting sick
No more Jerry videos for me.
Get off of my lawn! 😂
People are constantly shopping at thrift stores and garage sales, so YES, people DO want other people's stuff.
Yes, they do and sometimes there are much better bargains than the brand new stores offer.
And a lot of the crap on the shelves doesn't move because it's crap.
It's so much better for the environment to shop at yard sales and thrift stores, too. It keeps still-useful items out of the landfill, AND saves the energy and resources needed to manufacture a new item.
Depends what it is.
I love my stuff. I wish i could live in a warehouse still having stuff like toys or books, even cars from decades ago.
When my 95 year old mother died and the lawyer read the will, my sister inherited mom’s house and all the contents. I turned to my sister and happily said, “You lose”.
That gave me a good laugh
Does this mean, the house was a "hot mess"?
I'm 74. I get rid of stuff every day. There are Hoarders in my family, so if I don't use it or wear it, I toss it or give it away. I seldom buy anything new. I'm emptying
my top shelves because my climbing days are limited. Tina, Al's wife
I'm 78, and wish my life was that easy. My significant other raises a big fuss with everything I try and toss. So its a nibble, nibble process getting rid of anything that isn't mine.
Thanks for that nudge about the top shelves you can't reach any more. My tomorrows job! 😁
This would be so much better without the annoying whooshing sound every time the picture changes. Couldn't watch the whole video. Irritating.
Thanks it just takes time and a helper. Too bad no helpers. I just need to get started. Getting started is the key.
When I declutter a specific room, I usually clutter my other rooms
Exactly.
😄
Yes, there is some truth to that.
If you don't use it, lose it.
Decluttering is supposed to be getting things out of the house - not moving from room to room. That is what "tidying" is for. lol
Excellent presentation. It was logical and orderly. The part about the satisfaction felt when the space is clean is so true. It is the same when you began saving and investing money as well.
I can honestly say I'm not attached to Things anymore. It's a good feeling!
You would be surprised what people will buy, if priced right: Scrap wood, CDs, appliances. However, you have to decide what your time is worth. Also, a sign on your lawn with free can do wonders. Lots of poor people around and lots of hoarders.
My neighbor regularly puts things out on the curb with a Free sign, and it usually goes in a couple days. I assume he's also posting on Craig's List or FB so people know it's there. Some of it would be easier to throw in the trash, but if it's free someone will usually take it.
I'm glad you mentioned bagster. I'd say for most things just put it out in your municipal trash. But I did get Bagster once. My house had a lot of junk from the previous owners. A lot of it was a pile of cement blocks behind the garage. So I got the bagster and carefully followed their rules on placing heavy stuff at the bottom and how to position it in the driveway. I then had extra room and got rid of a dilapidated deck and fence. It was very nice when someone from the area drove by my house stopped and complimented me on how much nicer things looked. I also recommend looking at your property from your neighbor's property. It gives you a perspective of what needs to be cleaned up!
We are moving to what will be our last house and decluttering. This is the house my son will have after we are gone . Luckily, we have very similar tastes, so we are just doing the new home furnishings, etc, in what I know we both enjoy. I've asked him and made sure he won't have to deal with anything except the folder containing all needed legal documents after I'm gone. My father left no will, etc, and I REFUSE to have my son deal with too much as I know how it is. It's to much to go thru the stuff,deal with finances, etc
It's off topic from the decluttering conversation, but get your son set up as Power of Attorney on your accounts. I've found that the PoA that the lawyer drew up seems to be not good enough for the broker and insurance and hospital/medical system - they all want their own forms, and they legally can't talk to him about anything without that. I don't know about the bank as my parents added me to their accounts many years, ago and they would occasionally request that I write a check to make sure the bank doesn't fuss over my signature. It's also been a godsend to know my parent's email password, as that's where notices of missed payments or payments coming due get sent, so I could track things down. My folks moved to Assisted Living yet still refuse to sell the house, so being able to find the service companies so that they get paid was essential. With most payments these days being automated, it's helpful for day to day life, but the day will come when those payments can be discontinued.
For when/if your organization skills start going, it's also helpful to call any service companies now and ask that the son be added as an alternate contact, I did that with the plumber that they use and with the pool company (local company) and a couple others, they carried the bill for 6 months and never cut them off, until I started checking my parent's emails and saw that it wasn't getting paid.
Edit: It's probably sufficient to write down/share your userID and pw for many sites such as utilities that are on autopay, but for bank/brokerage/insurance/medical, do it the right way and set up the PoA. For years my father shared his brokerage PW with me, but at one point I called them to ask a question about his account, and even though I had my father's permission to log on, I could literally see the Rep doing a face palm when I said I knew the account info with my father's permission. Not having the proper paperwork on file opens them to a lot of liability, so do it the right way to make things easier in the long run.
Jerry, thank you so much. I’ve been avoiding the much needed declutterring in my house, but you have given me some good advice on how to tackle my clutter.
There are several items I got rid of stuff that I wish I could get back. If you take care of items it is a collection, if you don't it is clutter.
I started my Spring Cleaning in JANUARY and kept it up until September and got rid of 90 percent of my stuff !!!
Sounds like you had a plan of action and you made it happen. Thanks for taking the time to share your story with others here on this channel to let them know they can do it too.
@JerryPinkas IT wasn't easy ....I had to go through every drawer and just have no mercy on...Old Books , Coffee Pots ..Grills ...Pans...cleaning stuff...Storage cases....magazines...comics...Old gadgets ...junk silverware...DVD cases..."STUFF I don't need". I used contractor bags to get rid of it ALL and NOW live clutter free !!!
@@frankesposito2182. WELL DONE. It took me months too. But what a feeling of liberation afterwards.
In my experience when I have a clean up I suddenly find that within 2 weeks I need some of the items I threw out, some of which I hadn't used for years! Example: I kept my last pay slip from a previous job for 15 years. I cleared out all my old papers and about 10 days later it was televised by the company that old staff were eligible for a pension if they could produce proof of employment, so I lost out big time. Also gave my gardening tools away and also valuable copper fire irons as I lived in an apartment and then circumstances changed and found I had to go out and buy replacements. Be careful what you throw away!
In the case of paperwork, such as paystubs, I scan and save to an external hard drive.
@@MaryDefatte mine was in the early 1990s before I had a decent computer and the internet was just starting out. It's much easier these days - all we had then was print
@@jpatpat9360 Understand completely, same here on that time.
Getting rid of excess furniture can be needed. Sometimes if you have shelves and drawers they just get filled up. I got rid of old furniture that was too big and found i didnt need a lot of stuff that stored in them.
as someone who can easily help others declutter their space, separating and making the piles, I find it much more tedious for myself. I found the tip on making a list of specific areas and time frames helpful, as well as the touch it once and ask the 3 questions. thank you
So so glad you enjoyed this helpful video. Truly appreciate you taking the time to watch it and to comment here on this channel and share your experience with others.
I'm gonna do a box sale
Load up similar items into one box
Put a ten dollar price on it
Take the whole box
Make bigger bills
Get to re-home more stuff!
But, ya got to stick to the no picking rule!
It's the whole box, or nothing.
peace
Your video came up on my YT feed so I thought I'd scope it out while I ate my lunch. You seem like a very nice man who sincerely wants to help people with their clutter situation. My only issue is with the sorting into piles.....THEN using the One Touch method.
At that point, you've already touched it twice. I won't directly promote a decluttering expert's channel here, but IMHO, there is a better, simpler way to declutter....a "no-mess" decluttering system. If I had to come back to piles everywhere and go through all that stuff AGAIN, I would be discouraged. I think that's why many people are largely unsuccessful at decluttering. Once someone declutters enough, the organizing part is mostly done. 🙂
Yes Dana’s system rules!
That sounds like Dana K White's method! The very best method of downsizing your stuff and you never have piles of stuff to be tripping over. I highly recommend her TH-cam channel.
The moment I heard him saying to create piles, I was like "nooooo"! And then to go back and re-sort through things again?
Everything you own...also owns YOU.
-Tyler Durden
One thing I've done 4 times in the past 10 years is rent a dumpster. In my hometown. It's like $350 for five days. I've used it to declutter storage space that resembled hoarders. Garage spaces. Etc. Also, had some old photos that appeared to have the beginnings of mold. Painstakingly scanned them. Organized them. Through out the really bad ones. This took at least 40 hours. But it kept memories that could go to multiple people when they were on the same photo.
Why do I miss some of my stuff after I get rid of it
I recently moved out of 1000 square-foot house where I had lived for seven years into the 1440 square-foot house that I share with my wife in retirement. It’s amazing how much my process of decluttering matched your suggestions.
Nothing I have not heard before but I need to do it. Thank you.
Me too, I know it all in theory but it's getting my head - and bad back - in the right place to start! Good luck. xxx
What has worked best for me is to take everything out of a section, then put back the absolute keepers. Psychologically, this helps me because I've made all the important decisions right at the beginning. Sorting the remainder into piles then seems less stressful because it's just the "left-over" stuff.
Thanks for sharing your method!
Jerry, sometimes I ,like I also did my father get mad at you. But after some thought and realizing you are usually exactly right I wipe my runny nose and follow your advice. ❤
Have had several clean outs to make space and from changing premises. After disposing of several irreplaceable items I now sort stuff and leave it a few months then return and review and generally salvage about 10 - 20% out of the selection.
My difficulty is a spouse who will not let go of anything, stuff from childhood 60 years ago, papers and stuff in boxes and barrels inherited from parents, a sibling and even a cousin. Not a hoarder, but close to it. Very frustrating, and depressing.
I am that spouse to a degree. Wife died two years ago July and I now have her stuff as well as mine to go through. One box at at time. Same way you eat an elephant - one bite at a time.
Show your spouse this note you have posted, it may give the jolt needed! Good luck.
I have been getting rid of stuff for years. My basement was a huge mess of things I dont want anymore. It was a good place to store things "just in case". Laat year my roof was replaced and the contrator ordered a trash bin that was to large for the project. Well! I had a timeline to toss out what I didnt need. And I spent a week not over thinking about each item. What a relief! I have empty bins and shelving now. I will donate that stuff to charity.
Wow, I'm glad that worked for you! It can be so hard to get rid of things, but it's always so freeing when you do! Thanks for watching and commenting here on this channel.
I just go though the house periodically to donate stuff. It is much easier than doing it all at once. I also try to avoid buying things I don't need.
I start with the recycling. That gets a lot out of the way quickly usually in 15’. I sort by glass, magazines/papers, and plastics 1&2. That goes right to the hatch of my van as soon as I have enough of any of the three to take my next time I pass by there. Touching only once does it work for me but I am glad it does for you. I put like things together then I can evaluate how many of something I have asked myself which of them are still serving me? Ones that do not get donated. I check with family first then onto a charity. I rarely sell any item. I will donate a large chest of drawers and a triple dresser at some point to charity that is able to pick it up. If that doesn’t work, I will call that junk service that make sure to take it to a charity. If I get overwhelmed, I will do just a category. Such as when I cleaned up work table, I will deal with just the paperwork or just pharmaceuticals or just pens making sure they all work anyway so good to hear your tips. Definitely one step at a time.
When you D clutter, you can also have another pile of stuff you’re not sure about right now and should probably keep longer so you can decide later
If you get rid of something, you’re not sure about too soon, you could end up wanting or needing it back later, but it’s already gone
That’s why you should have a pile of stuff you’re unsure about right now
I have so many duplicate pools and could not use them even when I had 2 hands working I have one hand working down so I don't need all that duplication so thank you for the motivation
I had a friend who had no fewer than 12 dinner sets because every time an older relative died no one wanted the dinner set she took it.
I went to an estate sales and there were several boxes of formal silverware for sale. I wonder if these were acquired from multiple deceased relative estates. How else would somebody have that many sets?
Timely topic for me. I am starting to declutter and identifying valuable major newer items to sell. Huge life changes also take some transition/processing time so I've let go in layers like an onion but need to make some greater steps even without a fixed timeline. My place is not cluttered but this is extreme downsizing so will do some initial donations and determine what to sell and then ask a family member to help price some things.
The problem I have is its all good stuff. I wouldn't have brought it home if it wasnt! 😊
You sound like me. Picky and snobbish about the items I bring in...Lol
It's hard to get rid of high quality items.
My house doesn't look like an episode of hoarders, it's actually nice stuff.
I do front yard give aways instead of garage sales. It helped me declutter because I could get rid of anything and everything, even small items, like hairpins I didn't want anymore.
Even half used cosmetics or cleaning products I didn't like. I just took care for everything to be clean and neat looking.
It was great. If it only sell or only donate, you'll end up throwing a lot of things that aren't eligible for that
That always works to move things quick. Thanks for sharing your strategy.
I used to donate all the time, but not anymore. The reason why is that places that accept donations charge people too much money for items that they received for free.
It depends. I think if you can find a place that is supporting what you think is a good cause and you're confident that most of the profits are going to support that cause, ( rather than a gravy train for the people running it ) it doesn't make sense for the charity to sell the item for very little only to have it bought and sold on immediately by someone else because they're getting such a good deal.
That is very true. People who do not really need the item buying and reselling is what has ruined thrifting for the needy.
SO what do you do with the things you no longer want/need?
Like Goodwill. What a scam!
Sounds like Goodwill, a for-profit corporation masquerading as a charity. Habitat for Humanity takes almost everything including building materials, furniture, housewares and books. I also donate to several local "real, charities that take clothing for people who are homeless or getting back on their feet from homelessness. Look around and you will likely find a good place for donations.
Yeah, this is a great video. This is what I’m trying to do get rid of stuff I don’t want donate first go through the stuff I don’t know whether I want to keep her cell step-by-step. I really appreciate this video. Thank you.😁👍❤️
* I * want my stuff. My books,my wedding china,etc. Why do I have to pare down to please my future heirs? A few days of sorting and donating for them versus me having to live in bleak austerity for years? NOPE! :) ❤
I am starting this process now. I get overwhelmed and do not or know where or how to begin. So I have set a goal date to be done by October 1st, by going one room at a time every week. I look forward to the day when my life, my house, is more streamlined and the peace and sense of freedom it will afford me.
I don’t want to get rid of anything I have.
Ha ha, sounds like me.
When I saw the title, my initial thought was not what he was thinking at all, and he's right, you do need to declutter your place every so often. I totally understand how it can be overwhelming, but something Mack of Midwest Cleaning has said as he does this, both as a living, but as a hobby/special interest (he's autistic) is start on one section of the room, and work your way around it, clearing/cleaning a 4x4 Ft section, even if first just to utilize as a clean landing for your cleaning supplies, moving them as needed to another clean area as you go around the room.
Since he was cleaning/clearing out of hoarding homes, there was no time for sorting out for recycling, trash etc as one, where he lives is mostly small towns without the ability to recycle so most items that do get tossed, get tossed into a dumpster in many cases.
Also, if dealing with a hoarder, getting rid of stuff will likely make the issue worse, not better. So best to sort items in like/similar items into tubs and consolidate as much as you can, tossing pure trash so they can get around the house. If the hoarder goes into therapy and gets help, then they can get to where they are ready to get rid of much more stuff.
Sometimes, just cleaning a home is getting it to a livable state, IE, getting rid of any biohazards that are present in the home, like rat feces, dead nats, dog/cat feces, dead/expired food being among the tasks. But for the rest of us, it simply means getting rid of items no longer of use to us, recycle, upcycle, sell or donate, and then toss the rest.
I often do similar when I'm in a deep cleaning mode and do expect things to get worse, then better as you go through the room. Once, a few years ago, I went through my office and shredded 21Lbs of old stuff like taxes I no longer needed to keep, old receipts, junk mail that might get into the wrong hands, those with forms for credit cards for instance and I took all that to the UPS store and used their shredding service, paying $1 a pound to have it shredded, so $21 later, it was gone. Worth every penny, and all I had to do was stuff the shredding bin(s).
Doing this periodically like yearly helps keep things at bay and the job never gets too out of hand.
Moving from 56 squaremeter to 34 squaremeter..I have decluttered alot...it still will be 2 room and a kitchen...but lot smaller..not only decluttering things but also downsizing squaremeter..and I have no car!! Im i happy? Yes! Will i stay in a bedsofa ? Yes! Can you live in a very small space and still be happy? Yes! Do you go more outdoors? Yes! Because you only sleep and eat at home! Hace a wonderful day!!!
Actually, instead of spending your time making lists, just start picking things up and putting the to-go stuff in a bag or a box. Keep going till you're done. I used to be a "list-maker", I have wasted A LOT of time making lists. Just grab a box or a bag, go to the room that's the most like an obstacle course and get r' done!
How about can I live without it? For me that's the only question that works.