This may seem like something a crazy person does BUT does anyone else sometimes play her videos over and over to self motivate while trying to stay focused on tasks at hand? She is awesome! I love her prospective on decluttering! Thank you Lord for ladies like her!❤
Yes! Honestly sometimes I get a couple of minutes in - literally 2 or 3 - and end up decluttering a space for the duration of the video and then have to go back to rewatch it 😄
I was worried that I might donate some thing that was worth money. As I decluttered I realized that I was not going to take the time to sell anything. So I donated all of it. I feel happy with my decisions. Another great video.
So true! Ya have to decide what is worth more to you. Taking the time to photograph, list, and deal with possible buyers or just putting it in a box so you no longer have to deal with it.
Same here, donated hundreds of pounds worth of items the last few weeks. Sadly though I think I may have also accidentally donated our second set of car keys, cannot find them anywhere after all my decluttering, oops!!!! 😳
Thanks for saying this. This is always my problem, I think, I spent money on the item so I should sell it. TBH it takes a lot of effort to post something on ebay etc.
This was many years ago, my daughter and I were looking through some 'sentimental' stuff. A Raggedy Anne doll I had made for her 20 years earlier was looked at and then donated. With that decision my daughter observed that everything in our house has to be looked at by her eventually (meaning after I am gone). Every piece of paper I keep has to be evaluated by her: important or shredding?. Since then it has been easy to 'reduce my inventory'. I keep hearing my daughter's words, I often share her remarks with others, hoping that they will see what a burden I could leave behind, or not. Thank you, I have enjoyed your teaching. It's fun to see your building/remodeling projects. Greetings from New Hampshire
Great advice. When my mom passed away 12 years ago I had SO much to go through. It was exhausting and there was really ver little that any of us wanted to keep.
@@jennywoods9122 thank you for sharing that. As a older woman I would not want to burden my children with that & come to think of it my mom's stuff we had to go through was like mine. Books never read, project materials for things that weren't going to get done, what I now call "my piles of someday"
I think your Faith has helped you in decluttering. Seriously, my Mom always seemed to have a fear of the future and would never get rid of anything on the basis of "what if things get worse? What if I have even less money/resources?" Having faith and trust in something larger than yourself helps you to know that tomorrow will be ok without that item. :)
Sayings that help me: (for family items) “I am not your museum.” “The memory is in my brain, not in this inanimate object.” “That person did not gift you this to punish you with it”-or if they did, you probably don’t owe them your suffering, lol!
That is what I said after a major fire here, we lost everything. My mom and husband cried over everything lost but I always said the memory is in my brain.
Items that belonged to grandparents or my father are difficult to let go. My mom says - “it was theirs to use while they were here, and they’re not here anymore.” I keep my favorite items and let go of the others. My mom giving that permission to pass on items for others to use or enjoy has been helpful.
Your mom is very helpful. 👌🏼 We use the “thanksgiving dishes” from our grandparents since years as our daily dishes. I think we also have the right to use it in an other form. 🍽
Thank you Dawn! Love your videos. I’m 2 years into my minimalism journey and I’m still amazed at the sense of peace that it brings to our home. We just don’t really argue anymore as I’m rarely stressed and the kids know how to look after belongings both in their rooms and in the family rooms. I’m forever grateful to you for these inspirational videos each week. Now I have done the bulk of the decluttering I love the diy videos the most 😊
this is so true. I see it as just things ....they used them and now they're not here to use them anymore. If it's sentimental and brings me joy to use it too then I keep it, otherwise it can bring someone else joy. It won't erase the memory of your loved one to pass it on.
Yes! I was hung up this past week-end, with several items from my closet as I stored spring/ summer clothes abd brought out fall / winter (we live in Wisconsin). And out of the blue, I thought "would I buy this if I were out shopping today?" and BOOM! Decision made - again and again -- and every time the decision was "into the Goodwill box!"
Dawn: "I'm asking you to trust me." Everyone watching: "I trust you." What's been helping in our household is when I play your videos on our main TV in the living room. Because I hear my family say things that tell me that they were listening (even though they were playing a game on the computer etc.). They are hearing and absorbing the messages about managing inventory and not having more than we need to meet our basic needs. Thanks for renewing my motivation. I'm off to peel another layer off the onion.
What a cute idea! Before we moved to Europe I had my kids watch the Marie Kondo Netflix videos and that also helped us a LOT. Good luck with your onion, you’ll get there! 🧅
Hi hope you are all well.Great ideas , I’m decluttering. I had breast cancer , I was overwhelmed after my oppressions . Every where I looked made me agitated, way to much inventory. My girls came and helped with two large cupboards. I am doing the others . I have done my kitchen as well. Thank you for your videos , they have helped me so much ❤️❤️❤️❤️❤️
When we were looking for a house about 5 years ago; I realized that we had way too much because we were renting a much smaller house than we had been in previously. I have never had an issue with donating a few bags of stuff, but I never was what I would consider a minimalist. Living in the small house helped me to realize we could live with much less. I had 4 of my kid's clothes in 1 closet and color coated my boys clothes hangers because they are only 20 months apart. Fast forward 5 years more and we are moving again and my husband blessed me with your amazing videos. We had to put our move on hold and will be moving in the spring. I have probably got rid of 60 garbage bags of stuff!! Our life is so much easier and when you have 5 kids at home and you have a bunch of showings every week, it sure makes life easier when you have less in your home 😁
I appreciate all your videos. I have been throwing things away like crazy these past few days, along with some donations. I commented on one of your videos the first day i heard you talk about managing your household inventory. I commented how i was frustrated that all my storage space was full and stuff was not easily accessible....just lost in the piles on shelves. Well, as i was throwing things away today, it felt SO good, and i realized I grew up thinking i always had to find a storage spot for stuff. Never ever throw things out once you buy it, that would be wasteful! But just find a nook for it. With that mentality, i grew up never questioning whether I'd need an item again soon, or ever. It just went straight to storage on a shelf forever. But today alone i got rid of so much stuff, 5 trash bags for donations and 5 equivalent sized boxes of trash (and I've been at it since Tuesday!!!)! I just needed someone to tell me it is ok to throw things away. Thank you so much! I am quickly on my way to managing my household the way I've always wanted!
Love your channel, Dawn! I've been de-cluttering now for about 3 months, and I've noticed that, just like you said, it goes in layers. The first layer was easy (obvious overstock, things I never use)..the second layer was a little harder (maybe I'll wear/use it again?) but now it's getting easier again, because I'm seeing the benefits. I love opening my closet to clothes that have spaces between them!! Today I saw empty spots in my kitchen drawers and smiled. I still have a way to go, but so thankful for your help in this process.
I'm ready to "gain momentum" and I'm ready to "gain confidence" in letting the excess go. It's videos like this that I watch & rewatch for inspiration. Today while shopping I picked up a serving bowl and thought "Do I really need this?" I put it back!
Love this! I wish Dawn would tackle how to shop more. I do look at things at the store as stuff I'm going have to face as clutter down the road. Do I want to agonize in a year about keeping this?? I'll save my brain and my money and put it back.
A while ago I was at the dollar store and found this unusually cute wall hanging that was better quality than you would expect for the dollar tree. I picked it up and thought “For only $1, I can find SOMEWHERE to hang this!!” The more I carried it around, the heavier the burden became of WHERE I could put it in the house. I have textured plaster walls too, so hanging things is a pain and command strips don’t stay. I suddenly realized I was going down the wrong path and ditched the wall hanging and left the store. I felt like I dodged a bullet 😆 It was difficult to tear it out of my hand but I felt so free leaving empty handed!
Thanks Dawn, another great video. I can attest that having both a garbage bag and donation box on hand makes the task of decluttering so much easier. I've found that once an item is placed in either I've officially let go. If I leave stuff in piles out in the open I am more likely to second guess myself, wondering if I should keep and then get frustrated. I've also begun to develop a routine...I wake up pour myself a cup of coffee and set off to an area I want to clear up. Once the coffee cup is empty (or cold) I stop, pour a second cup and officially start my day feeling good about having that done.
I zone clean. Every week when I am in that zone, I pick a shelf, cabinet or closet and declutter that. It literally takes minutes to declutter this way! I always have a donation bag set aside and ready to go when it's filled. This has worked wonders for me in keeping organized!
Love you, Dawn! ♡ I passed my 1 year of quarantining dishes I had put and forgot completely about. When we cleaned out the garage in preparation for our move those boxes were clearly labeled and dated and I confidently and EXCITEDLY said goodbye to them. That 1 year flew by. 😂🥰
I needed this today. Thank you. I spent about 30 minutes today straightening my daughter's room. She has a lot of dolls and stuffed animals. I took the ones out of the pet nets and put them in the garage, then put most of what was on her bed in the nets. I'm unsure what I want to do with the ones I took out of her room. It has helped in the past to go back to it a little later. Then, I don't feel as attached to things as I felt the first time I considered letting it go.
My girls have never met a stuffed animal they didn't like...they are 4 &7. I clean out their rooms when they aren't home. They know if they cant keep their rooms clean then I have to do it for them....which means some if their rarely played with toys will go missing. They always play the best after a clean out bc the room is spacious and only toys they actually play with are left.
I keep in mind the fact that I'm not going anywhere for at least 9 months because I'm teaching at home full time until at least next August. I feel good about giving things to my local Humane Society, which has a resale shop. All of the proceeds benefit the animals. So I give them my very best items and drive away with such joy!
De-cluttering mantra ... if in doubt, throw it out, or donate! I'm getting ready to de-clutter a second closest in my master bedroom that is basically a utility/linen closet for larger things that don't fit in my kitchen. I live in a mobile home. Moving linens to dresser drawers in rooms where they are used - to free up more space. My kitchen cabinets are typically mobile home size (very small) and not practical for larger items like slow cookers, food sealer, etc that I do use, but not enough to take up valuable real estate in kitchen. Want to make space in cabinets to put things that I can slide in/slide out only when I need them so my counter tops look as nice as yours, Dawn! This is the second time in about two years I've attacked closets. I have not missed one thing I've gotten rid of previously. I'm lovin' it!
I ask myself: Who get more joy out of this object- Me keeping it? Or someone finding a fantastic deal on it at the thrift store? I’ve been so excited to find great second hand deals and love the idea of giving that experience to someone else!
Such great advice. I've been trying to declutter even before I came across your channel. And I can honestly say I have taken so many trips to Goodwill and I can't remember a single thing that I gave to them! Out of sight out of mind literally!
I have watched and shared this video several times. When I wonder do I want to manage this item. I decide once and don’t think about it again. My friend and her husband were here the other day and they said how my home feels calmer. They said I have motivated them. That makes me feel happy. I send her your videos and she really enjoys them. There daughter is married and has four kids. She follows you also. I told them I really don’t remember what I donated or got rid of. This video Is one of my favorites. It has helped me so much. Thank you Dawn you will never know how much you have helped me.
A lot of what you’ve said in different videos is exactly how I’ve felt. The efforts to keep things tidy but yet feeling that it’s still not because of too much to handle and manage. Thanks for all the help!
You really help me; am 74 working through stuff since 2017; love the word “inventory bc I was once in the Antique Biz & still have a lot of it; thank you... 💕💕
Hello Dawn, I'm a home organizer in France and I just discovered your channel. I love your videos and there are so many to watch, it's delighting. A big bravo, your family is too cute ! Thank you 🧡
I've downsized a ton over the past few years and consider myself quite minimalist, but this is the thing that is now tripping me up: this entire year of 2020 as I've been trying to save money and not shop very much, so I've been "shopping my own stash" -- rediscovering overlooked items in my home, and enjoying using them. Like cookbooks that have not been used in a long time, craft supplies that my daughter can now use. I guess these all count as "use it" items in the "use it or lose it" ultimatum. Probably would benefit from simplifying more, but can't seem to bring myself to do it this year when I'm enjoying having these extra things around.
Great suggestions, thank you! One question I always ask myself when decluttering is this: What is the worst thing that could happen if I donate this? It immediately brings perspective to the topic at hand. Sometimes I ask what is the best thing that could happen. I usually like that idea better. Also, when I think back over all the things I've donated over the course of my life, there are precious few things I really miss. Reminding myself of this fact helps, too. Thanks again. Your channel is so inspiring. I'm a long way from minimalism - and probably never will embrace it as fully as you have - but watching your videos has changed the way I think about my possessions. This Christmas, I anticipate passing on quite a few decorations to family and friends. After that? Who knows? ~ Lisa
Thank you Dawn! This video is exactly what I needed to watch today! I set a goal for November that everyday I will declutter something in my home and today it was books. I love books and want to keep them all! So, I took a break to watch your video and afterwards it was much easier to just let more of my books go to someone who needs them. Also, I have found that when I say, "Someone else could really use this item," it detaches my feelings from the item and it's easier to let it go and be donated.
Dawn, You are a ray of sunshine. I love your videos - so helpful and encouraging. You have a beautiful family and Tom's skills never cease to amaze me! Thank you for all that you do!
When cleaning my kids' rooms, we invariably get hung up on all the crafts and drawings and coloring pages they make. Our mantra is "the fun was in the making." I hold things up and if they love love to look at it we keep it. If they hesitate, we ask if "the fun was in the making" of it? And if that is correct, we let it go. Sometimes I hear them say it to themselves as they throw things away.
Thanks for the ideas. I almost always throw coloring pages but save drawings. More personality is in them that will be fun to look back on. I also sometimes just snap photos and add a couple art pieces to our yearly family memory book. If I asked my kids they'd want to keep everything. Good for you for teaching them life skills.
My kindergartener has a box. She hands me papers I acknowledge them, listen to any stories then it's her job to decide if they are treasure or recycling she has to move her papers herself. we haven't filled her treasures box just yet but almost as need to go through it very soon
Something that has been really helpful to me is to finish the “what if” thought and add a “then.” So many times I was keeping things because of what-ifs like “What if we went on vacation?” Or “What if we lost power?” But I wouldn’t bother to think it through and add a “then” solution. I have found that actually finishing that thought and coming up with other solutions that would work if I did not have the things in those situations is very helpful to me. For example, maybe I don’t need these five extra quilts I was keeping “just in case” because IF we lost power I still could get by without them because THEN we could get by with the blankets already on our beds and just put on an extra layer of clothes.
I recently found your videos and have since decluttered and organized my pantry and helped my adult daughter go through years of items, toss and give away several bags, and make accessible some of her most sentimental items that had been buried in a box. The idea that we aren't required to keep things has been freeing. Blessings!
Wow I am watching this video and I go to comment and I am 703 on the comments list , so brilliant, so glad I am not alone in this challenge , I was going to say “ struggle” but corrected myself, as it is do able . I would hear Dawn talk about being stuck, frozen , to get into the next place to declutter . I thought what does she mean ,the bathroom and kitchen were a lot of work but it was smooth sailing. BUT , when I was considering doing the office , yuk . I froze . Then I watched this video and set a time limit , then decided to clean and prepare the office to be worked on , then went and did something easier for me ,(as I had already started to declutter my clothes ) I went and did more in my wardrobe. I now am realising that all these strategies are vital in my ability to work through this process. It’s a hole new learning curve for me , inventory !! wow I can’t wait till I am living in freedom .
This came on the perfect day,! I was getting ready to have a yard sale and this popped up and I was listening to you as I was getting ready to set more stuff out and decided “nope! I’m not gonna do this, it’s going to the donation center and I hope someone is excited to find this” as you say. So thanks again for doing what you do!
YES to everything you said!!! Ever since you called it inventory management, my switch flipped and now all I see is inventory. I want it all gone lol Lety from Chicago 💞
I always like your "quarantine " bin idea. I did that when I started last year and found we did not miss the things that were in there one bit. That really helped boost my confidence.
Dawn I have to thank you for being such an inspiration to me. I donated 6 boxes of Halloween decorations this year. It felt so good to have 2 bins to deal with. And for Thanksgiving I just decorated my mantle and it is enough for me. I always have your advice about managing your inventory in the back of my mind. Now I can’t wait to get to my Christmas decorations and get that weight off my mind.
This is so good! I'm always inspired by your videos. I've been clearing away... usually when I have a block of time off of work so I can devote a whole day to a space and still have a decent weekend. This has made clearing away some areas go quite slow. Recently, I decided to give myself more rest. I'm going to bed earlier and not spending as much screen time at night. My energy is fresh in the morning and I've been able to clear away areas I thought I'd never get to. It's a bit of a surprise to find myself easily clearing away items that had previously been stumbling blocks. I think I've found my momentum. Also, the limited time before work is a helpful constraint. I'm going to apply the "one year" rule to some projects that have been around for way past that amount of time. I've always thought I might get to them. Now I don't think so. Thanks for the tips.
I have been binge-watching your channel because I'm stuck and needed to step back, recalibrate, and wrap my brain around a path forward. We're under construction and navigating some significant workflow issues with a house we outgrew 2 kids ago, so projects, construction, decluttering, and now homeschooling is a chess game. My 13 yo son was watching some with me last night and said I needed to have my own channel. Our clutter challenge has been our growing family and getting a generous family to understand our space constraints. I've pretty much been decluttering for the last decade! But it started out just trying to fill a diaper box with stuff I could purge in the normal course of our day as I was juggling nursing babies and my husband's business startup. I've even brought in a professional organizer for a few hours when I needed more hands, and her reply was that I have some great systems, I'm just outnumbered. I wish I could've finished purging and organizing before we started homeschooling because it's hard to juggle...and I'm SO CLOSE! But I joke that living in construction is like one of those tile puzzles--we have to move 10 pieces to get one in place. Anyway...I was going to say on another video that you needed Beddy's for your kiddos...not surprised to see you've found them in this more recent video. We only have one set of linens per person as well.
I like to do that too! Sometimes, the night before I make a quick pass of house, basement, garage for anything that really is garbage. Sometimes embarrassing some of the stuff we hung on to. 😏
Great tip, I do this on purpose as well. I put things out the say before and people usually pick it up before the trash men even get to it which is a total win.
Omg. I feel the same , after I do put-stuff in the trash bin ,I feel better when the truck takes it away . I am trying feels to to see the difference 🙂 watching Dawn really helps me 👍
After storing my grandmother’s fine china for years, it finally hit me: just keep the pieces that I would actually use. So I kept all the dinner plates and donated all the serving pieces, teacups, saucers, sugar bowl, etc. It cleared out a lot of space, but it feels like a really good compromise. I think the whole huge set was overwhelming so I never used them.
The same thought occurred to me! Like I am never going to have 12 people over so why would I need that many place settings? I’m keeping only what I will use.
I can't believe I'm actually commenting! I love you so much! LOL! I have not been able to apply too much of what I've learned yet. But it always makes so much sense! One huge hesitation for tackling my clutter is applying the one year rule. I have a MILLION education items, activities, and games. I haven't used most, as they are stored and stacked and cluttering up everything. EVERYTHING! My kids are still young at 7, 5, and 3. Many things we can use now, but many of them are more appropriate for the time period over the next few years. I don't want to get rid of things we haven't used, and things I've forgotten about because they are so AMAZING and can be used in the near future. (Or NOW, if I was more organized.) What do I do? I'm SO SICK of a cluttered home, but also so hesitant to part with quality items. (I am a teacher, but brought my classroom home when I became an online teacher 3 years ago.....I also homeschool and need my kids to use quality materials while I teach live classes during the day.) Wow, after typing this, I feel even more stuck in a mess! Thanks for any help! You are the best!!!
I am in the same boat, and in a sea of cement! Soooooo stuck!....except that I have everything home due to a long term medical leave....and no kids. I don't want to get rid of things in case I get better and can go back, also because I LOVE much of it, especially the children's books and games, and because I'm sure, to some extent, because getting rid of it takes away the evidence I did teach and some identity attachment, and also for the amount of money I've spent on it all. Yet, it's cluttering my apartment, taking up too much space, and in all honesty, there are some less-than-positive feelings around it all, too, because I'm no longer teaching/had to leave when I didn't want to/have been ill for several years now... I'm also very sentimental and have a hard time decluttering most things, although I've had a few tiny successes there with linens and a couple of kitchen items The books and educational items are, for me, a much much more difficult category of things to let go of....
I had/have a whole room of art supplies and a "kids cabinet" for all the kid crafts/educational stuff. I took time every couple months to pull out a new batch of stuff to do for the upcoming months from the kids cabinet and made that accessible, putting away the last months.
Donated, recycled, and trashed the contents of 12 garbage bags this past week. I’ve loved binging your videos and getting inspiration and tips! Thanks Dawn! :)
I am soooo glad I found your channel! We're a new army family with a toddler boy. I've had to completely rethink our home organization with my husband's gear and our son's toys now that we're in a smaller space than we're used to. And knowing that we'll have to move again in less than 2 years really motivated me to get rid of so much! Thank you, Dawn! Your videos make my day! ❤️
You Have such a nice attitude to decluttering, I love to watch these videos, they motivate instead of making me feel helpless - and these tips work! Thanks from Germany, stay healthy!
Something that I think about when decluttering is “Do I want my kids to deal with this when I’m gone?” When my parents passed away I was responsible for taking care of their house and belongings. My sweet mother and dad never got rid of anything. I don’t want my kids to go through that. I keep things that I need and use. I also keep things that bring me great joy. I also have a ‘one in, one out’ rule. If I bring something new into the house then something must either be thrown away or donated.
That is what I have been saying lately....”Do I want my kids to deal with this when we are gone”. We are in our mid sixties, so I am trying to work on this now.
This is also the question that I ask myself to help me declutter, "Do I want my kids to deal with this when I am gone"? I too was responsible for taking care of the belonging of my uncle and then my parents when they passed away. I display the items that bring me joy and keep the items that I can use.
I'm so glad I found you!! I have very little energy these days & have 3 rooms I need to go through plus closets, cabinets etc. Every time I go into the junk room, yes, a ROOM, most people have junk drawers!, I have a catch all room! I pick up something then I become overwhelmed & I would sit & cry but I can't reach the chair & there's no room on the floor. Many things back there just need a home, I mean the things that will not be donated or thrown away. For example, I told my husband that I don't like his work clothes & gear on his dining room chair so he puts it in the backroom, some on the floor, bookcase, & boxes that are back there. His stuff needs a home when he is not using it. What do you do for things like that? You need to keep them but they are homeless so you can't put them away!! I also have 2 grown up children who when they left home left tons of stuff in their rooms!! My daughter, especially, she's been gone 4 years & in the midst of the rumble my husband set up a table for painting trim work & all the things he uses are spread all over. I don't know where to start!!!
My issue has been for the past year I have being basically housebound. Prior to being struck down with chronic pain since last December, I was a gym goer with a great social life. Now am faced with so many items in my wardrobe and around my home that I know I cannot wear or use right now and it is mentally affecting me. I am in two minds to once and and for all donate most of it and start again once I get my life back in order. So happy I saw this right now, as I have been feeling really low these past several days. I now know what needs doing, thank you
I was a going to the gym too. Then I had to change the plan! A few years ago, I had shingles 3x in 8 months around my left side. Didn't know what it was until the 3rd time with blisters. Each time I couldn't hardly get up or drive for a week or two bc the pain. My Chiropractor told me, you have to get up and get moving. That was better than any medicine, except for prayer! That said, I'm going to pray for you and encoursge you to get up and set a 5 or 10 minute timer and start to go through things. You will be encouraged and strengthened with every little bit of progress. You can ask Jesus to sort with you, He's always willing to help when we ask.😊
Syl, what happened? That is me, I went from being a fitness instructor to chronic pain and inflammation. 2 yrs of no answers, possibly lyme which I did not test positive for (tested months after removing the tick) fibromyalgia, arthritis. I can relate. I do what suggested above. When I have more energy I tackle more projects but I try to always accomplish something. Praying for wellness for you!
Ten years into this journey I’ve found something I wish I still owned. I was making a flan and I didn’t have a big enough ovenproof pan for the Bain Marie. One item....10 years!
I love how you cover so many different angles regarding minimalism! I’m always learning from you. I’ve decluttered a lot this year and my husband, several times, has asked about such and such item (stuff we didn’t use for a long time) and all the sudden wants to use it. 😬 I feel a tinge of guilt when he’s looking for an item I got rid of. We haven’t needed to repurchase anything so we’ve gotten by without the missing items in the end.
I posted in the facebook group how those 5 minute chunks added up to 2 full big boxes of good condition donation stuff, winter stuff too which means that since we are in cold weather now people can actually use it, i felt great and i dis it with 3 kids around some times and that gave me even more power ( and wanting to pull my hair out sometimes too hehheh 💪🏻) thanks for all the tips and tricks and sticky notes! Have an amazing day and again thanks a ton from ur amiga in Spain! 😘😘😘😘 off to bed now! ☺️
I already clicked on thumbs up as soon as this came up!! So nice of you to donate all that stuff.. Not maintaining stuff is what I want!! :) Thank you for sharing this!
My mom once said, all plants go their way..I was shocked! Today, I got to remind her of that saying. And from what I've learned watching your videos is, you don't need to be a part of the next journey this item takes (donations, etc), you just need to send it onto its journey. My mom was so inspired by things I told her I've learned from your channel, I think she is going to be decluttering her home now ❤🙌
I love what you said about using the black garbage bag. My experience with this concept was loading two clear storage bins full of clothes for donation into the back seat of my car. Well every time I got into my car I could see things in there that I really liked and had second thoughts about. Fortunately a lot of it was the result of my losing weight so I couldn't take some of them back.. anyway this went on for quite some time. I would even show them to friends and got rid of some of them that way. Instead of just taking them and donating them and being done with it. Well I finally did it. They're gone and I realized a huge relief. But not without the guilt and the loss lol my consolation to myself when I feel that way is that somebody is going to get those clothes and they will wonderful things and they will love them 😊 thank you for all your wonderful suggestions and demos I really enjoy watching your videos so much
One thing I thought of when you started this is the rules. If there are certain things, or groups of things, you want to completely eliminate from your life, that would be a great rule to have. Anytime I come across x, y, or z, it goes right to the bag/box to go. Thats one way to make decisions ahead of time.
Yes, I handed in the very last assignment for my master's degree yesterday and am not planning to continue in academia. I'm kinda looking forward to going through all my papers and throwing away everything university-related that is not a completed thesis, diploma or a book I love. I'll wait until I have that diploma, but when that moment comes, the "anything study related" rule will be applied rigorously!
There is nothing wrong with trying to sell things. My motto is "some people's trash is other people's treasure". I've been putting stuff on Offer Up and Facebook Marketplace. Just have to make the time available. I don't hold things for people as some had never shown up.. First come, first serve. The only time I hold things is for previous customer. Has not failed me yet. The last two days I've sold over 300.00. If anything is left over I will donate to our local Rescue Mission Thrift Store. Good luck with your endeavors!
Dawn you would be proud! I’m using your inspiration in my staging business. Oh my goodness! I had toooo much deco! Guess what? Using your coaching, I’ve drilled down to cut unused inventory and I feel so much better. “If it has not been used in one year....”. Yep!! Thank You 😊
I find it helps to start with the easy stuff, the things you know you want to declutter. It will build up your confidence and get the ball rolling. Then you'll see the progress and want to keep going.
You're great. I just discovered you on TH-cam last week and have watched so many of your videos. You're so smart and inspiring, and your decluttering tips have worked so well. I've only decluttered a few small spaces so far but my husband and I already feel a big difference in our tiny house. The "time will tell" bin and the question of "do I want to manage this inventory?" have been game-changers. Also, having all my materials ready before I start made all the difference (trash bag, donation, and TWT bins). Thank you and please keep sharing your decluttering journey!
I've listened to at least 10 of your videos while sorting for moving and right when I'm stuck you've said something that got me going again. Thank you! Feeling productive!
I've found for me that keeping an empty box by the front door that I can walk to and throw items I'm not using in helps. This is for like in between decluttering sessions, when I'm just daily living and come across something I don't want or forgot about. I throw it in the box as I go so I don't forget about it again, and if the box gets full its time to make a donation run. Its a visual reminder that things need to go out and are on their way out the door. Also as a junk pile eyesore, its a relief to get it out of my living room
Hardest for me is getting rid of those things that represent who I wish I was ( ie I have never used these craft items/ games but if I was a good mom I would )
Honestly, I get sooo motivated by watching your videos. I am someone who never really HAD to declutter anything or get rid of stuff. I always had a storage space, a garage or my parents house to store things - never really thinking twice about it! Until I started feeling that all of my stuff made me anxious and stressed out. I recently got rid of TONS of my stuff but I have a looong way to go still 😂I was sick last week so I sat at home and watched so many of your videos (some several times) and now I feel like I don't have time to go back to work since I have so much motivation to continue decluttering! 😂😂 Thank you Dawn for being awesome support!! You are making a difference all the way across the seas in the very north part of Sweden where I live :)
Love Cass and you, of course! I'm a bee, btw. GYST, But First, Coffee and AtoZenlife are others I've picked up lately as well. Been watching loads of ya'lls videos over the past year or so and have decluttered 17 shopping bags + some smallish types of furniture, blankets and what not since October! And when I donate the latest batch of stuff, i almost immediately start another donation pile or sometimes some things go into gifts for fam/friends for bdays and xmas if I know they'll like them. Always feels so good to be able to do that! It keeps me inspired!
Craft supplies are my main stressor just now... I've decided to declutter by starting a business sewing neckwarmers and earwarmers and I'm trying really hard not to accidentally buy more than I started with 😉😂 I was inspired to do this by one of your recent videos where you talked about this stuff. Use it or lose it 😉 We're mid renovations with 4 kids like you too so cash is handy!! Looking forward to the Facebook videos 😊 X x x
Always a morale booster... u know exactly the problem & simple solutions too... great... u r named so correctly ..DAWN. Bringing hope & joy... God bless u all
I’ve been following your channel for a few years. I first got into organizing and decluttering when I had kids and lived in a very tiny house. We have since moved to a more practical house but still had way too much stuff. I stopped buying stuff, but really struggled with letting go of gifts and family items I didn’t really want or need. Recently I’ve been fed up with maintenance of all of my stuff, and I’m letting go of the guilt. Happy to report that last night we parked BOTH cars in the garage for the very first time. Thank you for your inspiration and guidance!
I just watched the video you posted with cas. And I been binge watching your videos maybe near two weeks. And just jumped into it. So far my husband has been supportive I would love the minimal look I think we are gonna fall somewhere in the middle between you in cas. But I filled the car last week with kids stuff have another load of kids stuff to take out not to mention some of my stuff. It feels so good. I can’t wait for all of it to be done and over so I can just sit back and smile and relax. And I have found it’s gotten easier to make the one time decision it’s going.
I love the 5 minute tip. I get hung up all the time with starting the process because I feel like I need a ton of time. I get exhausted mentally if I spend too long, so instead I just continue adding more stuff to declutter because I never start the clearing out. I love your videos!
Having a box/bag at the ready is SO SMART. That has been my barrier that I hadn’t even really realized. I have my “piles,“ and I know what I want to donate, but I haven’t had the bags and/or boxes ready, which is why my piles have sat around for MONTHS. Great tip!
I have been on a minimalism journey for probably the past 3-4 years and it has been wonderful. I am not a naturally sentimental person and so parting with excess and things I’m not using has always been fairly easy. BUT what has really gotten me lately is that this past summer my grandmother passed away and about a month ago we held a family auction to sell her things. The things that I bought are so precious to me and remind me of her and listening to my mom and her siblings talk about memories associated with certain items was so interesting and fun. I want to be able to pass on family keepsakes and sentimental items to my kids and for them to someday say “oh I remember that; we used to do.... with it” so suddenly I feel very stuck and don’t want to get rid of anything.🤦♀️ I need some rational thinking on this one.
This is the video I’ve been waiting and searching for! Since I started my minimalist journey and first began decluttering 5 years ago I’ve found passing on the remaining items I’ve been holding onto but don’t use or sometimes don’t like as much as other stuff but am attached too to be very difficult. It’s very much an emotional attachment/subjective type thing like you said I really like how you said to deal with it, very helpful, gonna reassess some my belongings and way I tackle it and think of it. Gives everything a year. This morning I’ve already made the decision that I’m ready to let go or pass on or repurpose my late dogs collar and bandana and such after like 5+ years now just figuring out how to deal with it but the fact I made that decision and grew to do that is huge I would’ve not been able to do that before ready to grow once I do I’ve decided instead I’ll print out pictures of him to have around or on my phone
It has gotten so easy for me to donate, I think because I am on year 3, when I drive away from thrift store, I really don’t ever think of the item again... love just owing only what I need or love ❤️
Thank you for your tips and encouragement, Dawn. I appreciate what you said about donating (that someone else will be able to enjoy the item)...this made me feel better about things I was unsure I wanted to let go of.
I remember 3 things that I struggled with was A) kitchen bowls B) boy jeans in the attic for the future C) kid workbooks. The kitchen bowls- I paused one of your videos a few months ago, let go of the glass bowls and I don't miss them at all! Someone else sold them and got $20 from them and it makes me happy that they made a profit. The jeans- I had 3 bins of boy jeans in bigger sizes, 3/4th of the jeans the boys didn't even like. I can easily go to goodwill and find a pair of jeans if I need an extra pair. All of those jeans are gone and not missed, no mental and physical clutter anymore. Kid workbooks- I had a organized hoarder issue with these books! I had over 60 workbooks! I pared it down to 2 bins, then 1 bin and now I have 3 books left. I have until the end of next summer to use them or pitch them. Just this week my daughter has been struggling with telling time and I bought a new workbook at Target. Only one at the dollar spot and she did all the work- it's thrown out and out of the house already. Point of the story NOTHING I got rid of do I miss. Even when I donated a telling time workbook, it was bought in less than 10 minutes for $1. To make it clear also I do not have a bunch of money to rebuy things nor do I want all that stuff again- all of these products that I can buy again are no more than $10 bought max 3x a year.
I love your videos. You are so inspiring and have such great energy. I love the interactions with your hubby and your sister. I spent my "staycation" minimizing and organizing my home. It was so much fun! Thanks for all you do, please continue inspiring us. 🥰
Thanks Dawn. I've been doing the donation box and rubbish bag for a few weeks now and I am letting go of items so much more quickly. Enjoying how practical your videos are.
For FIRST-timers to decluttering with fear of parting with ANYthing.....from a reformed hoarder......the first step I took when decluttering was bag/box the liked-but-unneeded items I "thought" I wanted to declutter but wasn't sure. It was scary just to do that much. But I DID NOT get rid of them....I put the boxes out of the way. I let myself think about what was in them. And made myself think about giving them away. Since they were not gone, I could calm my fears and ease myself through the emotions of parting with them, and tell myself how cute the outfits would be on someone they would fit and that they would come to enjoy wearing/using them as I used to. Eventually I realized I couldn't/wouldn't wear/use them but others could share my joy of them. That help me let go. Once I realized I wasn't pulling items back anymore, I began to trust my judgement of what I could let go off and not miss. So far I haven't made a "wrong" decision...but I often do think about my favorite things that I parted with and wonder who is enjoying them now😊 Sort of like grown children....you love them, but you have to let them go out into the world!
So happy to hear your guests will also be on TH-cam. I will try to join on facebook, but I have never done one of these. But love Cass. Hope to see you there!
Dawn - You are such a Godsend.. I am so glad that one of your TH-cam videos came up on my feed! Your positive attitude, clarity of purpose/approach are just what I need to get motivated again on a journey to truly decluttering our place as we plan to move this year sometime! I already feel I will be successful this time before I have begun.. thanks so much!!
You always have such great tips! Not really related exactly to this video but yesterday my 6 year old son said “I kinda like getting rid of stuff, mom” I asked him why. He said “because when my room gets messy, I only have to take care of a little bit of stuff” Exactly my feelings on it!!
I found you through your video on the decluttering technique of taking items directly to their home/location as you delcutter and it has changed things immensely! Plus taking 10-15 minutes at a time all add up!
One thing that really helps me part with things I truly value but don't need anymore is to give them away to a friend or acquaintance who I know will love and cherish them. I worry that if I donate it, it will end up in a landfill somewhere, instead of going to someone who could really use it, so it gives me peace of mind to know that my once-loved belongings will go to someone else who can love them as their own. I usually post a picture of it on Facebook and ask if anyone wants it. Everything always finds a new home that way 💕
Progress inspires me to keep going. Starting with something easy (like kitchen cups or the linen closet) worked for me. If you get some decluttering experience under your belt, you feel more confident making decisions as things get tougher (more sentimental). I also really like what you say about donating something now so it can actually get USED! So many times I've pulled a clothing item out of storage and the elastic is bad or there's a stain that has shown up and no NOBODY can use it. I donate things NOW so that they are still "in style" and not ruined from being in storage. I don't know if that's really a decision making "rule" I have for myself, but it is something I consider and it helps to feel better about letting something go.
Love, love , love these tips! Very simple and practical! You touched upon a very important component/ road block to decluttering - lack of self confidence and fear of making the wrong decision. Thank you! Now, I can look at this project objectively!
Thank you Thank you Thank you Thank you 💗 this week I went to the store, picked up an impulse item walked to the next isle and boom your motto popped into my head ( I can’t think of the exact wording now) “if your unsure don’t buy it” it was the first time where I was 100% confident to put an item back on the shelf 🤩 .. I was a chronic impulse buyer for a long time and over this past year began to declutter but defiantly doing better this past month after finding your channel ... Thank you for all your content 🙌
I sincerely struggle from the mental concept of "but I could use this someday". I'm working really hard to try to tackle smaller parts of my house and recognize that those are probably my favorite parts of the house right now because they are becoming more streamlined and efficient to live in. I'm also a person who struggles with sentimental items. I think part of it comes down to the influence that I had from my great-grandmother who was a young married woman with a small child during the great depression. it's alarming how quickly that kind of thing basically turns into hoarding, but it's also hard to overcome that mentality of, well, I shouldn't just throw it away. I'm trying to remember to grant myself grace when I choose my family and my sanity over being super saving. I love that you shared that with us! I will definitely give the bag and box concept ago with 5 minute chunks and see how that works. I know that when I have a receptacle ready for the things I want to get rid of it is easier to part with stuff.
You can do it! The more practice you get, the easier it gets. Keep your eyes open too for all the "I didn't use that someday and now no one can" moments. This happens a lot with food and long term storage items for me that get ruined or go bad. Someone will be really happy to find the stuff you get rid of for thousands of reasons!! Be not afraid! You can find freedom in letting go! ❤️
in the great depression area of they had thrift stores which I don't think they did it was nothing like today. that is useful would it be more useful for someone else. yes I can reuse that zipper from the broken reusable bag but I don't see much in this season but there might be someone out there who needs a zipper so you donate it where they can find it. is it useful or is it useful for me.
This may seem like something a crazy person does BUT does anyone else sometimes play her videos over and over to self motivate while trying to stay focused on tasks at hand? She is awesome! I love her prospective on decluttering! Thank you Lord for ladies like her!❤
Yes!!
Yes! Honestly sometimes I get a couple of minutes in - literally 2 or 3 - and end up decluttering a space for the duration of the video and then have to go back to rewatch it 😄
Yes I do. It keeps me inspired!
Yes!
Doing it now!
I was worried that I might donate some thing that was worth money. As I decluttered I realized that I was not going to take the time to sell anything. So I donated all of it. I feel happy with my decisions. Another great video.
So true! Ya have to decide what is worth more to you. Taking the time to photograph, list, and deal with possible buyers or just putting it in a box so you no longer have to deal with it.
Samen here... It's such a mental (and time consulting) task to TRY and sell. I end up donating almost everything
Same here, donated hundreds of pounds worth of items the last few weeks. Sadly though I think I may have also accidentally donated our second set of car keys, cannot find them anywhere after all my decluttering, oops!!!! 😳
I did the same thing. I was more interested in just getting stuff out of the house. Nothing I was donating was worth much, anyway.
Thanks for saying this. This is always my problem, I think, I spent money on the item so I should sell it. TBH it takes a lot of effort to post something on ebay etc.
This was many years ago, my daughter and I were looking through some 'sentimental' stuff. A Raggedy Anne doll I had made for her 20 years earlier was looked at and then donated. With that decision my daughter observed that everything in our house has to be looked at by her eventually (meaning after I am gone). Every piece of paper I keep has to be evaluated by her: important or shredding?. Since then it has been easy to 'reduce my inventory'. I keep hearing my daughter's words, I often share her remarks with others, hoping that they will see what a burden I could leave behind, or not. Thank you, I have enjoyed your teaching. It's fun to see your building/remodeling projects. Greetings from New Hampshire
Great advice. When my mom passed away 12 years ago I had SO much to go through. It was exhausting and there was really ver little that any of us wanted to keep.
@@jennywoods9122 thank you for sharing that. As a older woman I would not want to burden my children with that & come to think of it my mom's stuff we had to go through was like mine. Books never read, project materials for things that weren't going to get done, what I now call "my piles of someday"
Can you please talk to my mother in law??! ;-)
This is the idea behind Swedish death cleaning
So true.
I think your Faith has helped you in decluttering. Seriously, my Mom always seemed to have a fear of the future and would never get rid of anything on the basis of "what if things get worse? What if I have even less money/resources?" Having faith and trust in something larger than yourself helps you to know that tomorrow will be ok without that item. :)
Jennifer . I completely agree ! I think this is a really powerful observation !!! - Emily
THIS!
This is one of the most important comments I've ever read. Thank You!
Powerful words!
Totally agree
Sayings that help me: (for family items) “I am not your museum.” “The memory is in my brain, not in this inanimate object.” “That person did not gift you this to punish you with it”-or if they did, you probably don’t owe them your suffering, lol!
This is awesome 😂👍
Great sayings. I am going to use this! I have 2 closet filled with adult kids things and inherited items...none of which I can use.
LOVE THIS! 🙌 THANKS =)
That is what I said after a major fire here, we lost everything. My mom and husband cried over everything lost but I always said the memory is in my brain.
Thank you. These are great.
I struggle the most with getting rid of presents I’ve received.
Items that belonged to grandparents or my father are difficult to let go. My mom says - “it was theirs to use while they were here, and they’re
not here anymore.” I keep my favorite items and let go of the others. My mom giving that permission to pass on items for others to use or enjoy has been helpful.
I'm been following minimalism stuff for 7 years and I've never heard it put quite like your Mom. Well said.
I cant tell you how helpful that wisdom is to me right now. thank you
Your mom is very helpful. 👌🏼
We use the “thanksgiving dishes” from our grandparents since years as our daily dishes. I think we also have the right to use it in an other form. 🍽
Thank you Dawn! Love your videos. I’m 2 years into my minimalism journey and I’m still amazed at the sense of peace that it brings to our home. We just don’t really argue anymore as I’m rarely stressed and the kids know how to look after belongings both in their rooms and in the family rooms.
I’m forever grateful to you for these inspirational videos each week. Now I have done the bulk of the decluttering I love the diy videos the most 😊
this is so true. I see it as just things ....they used them and now they're not here to use them anymore. If it's sentimental and brings me joy to use it too then I keep it, otherwise it can bring someone else joy. It won't erase the memory of your loved one to pass it on.
Asking: would I buy this again, right now. Always gets me 😂
Yes! I was hung up this past week-end, with several items from my closet as I stored spring/ summer clothes abd brought out fall / winter (we live in Wisconsin). And out of the blue, I thought "would I buy this if I were out shopping today?" and BOOM! Decision made - again and again -- and every time the decision was "into the Goodwill box!"
I wouldn’t buy so many things but I some items I need in the inbetween. 😋
Yes! And would I even pay $1 for this item I'm spending so much energy into contemplating.
this is a great tip!
That's my #1 question, too! Makes some of the other questions irrelevant, actually.
Dawn: "I'm asking you to trust me."
Everyone watching: "I trust you."
What's been helping in our household is when I play your videos on our main TV in the living room. Because I hear my family say things that tell me that they were listening (even though they were playing a game on the computer etc.). They are hearing and absorbing the messages about managing inventory and not having more than we need to meet our basic needs. Thanks for renewing my motivation. I'm off to peel another layer off the onion.
My five and seven year old watch Dawn's toy series all the time and love them 😂😂 I'm really grateful it makes decluttering so much easier!!!
Lol! My husband now quotes Dawn-isms at me
What a cute idea! Before we moved to Europe I had my kids watch the Marie Kondo Netflix videos and that also helped us a LOT. Good luck with your onion, you’ll get there! 🧅
Oooh I NEED TO DO THAT!!! I normally just listen on my phone, but I NEED my family to listen also!
Yes! Yesterday we ran an errand and my five year old said "why are we going to pick this up, you're probably just going to give it away!"
Hi hope you are all well.Great ideas , I’m decluttering. I had breast cancer , I was overwhelmed after my oppressions . Every where I looked made me agitated, way to much inventory. My girls came and helped with two large cupboards. I am doing the others . I have done my kitchen as well. Thank you for your videos , they have helped me so much ❤️❤️❤️❤️❤️
I hope you are doing well now ❤️
God Bless You 🦋💐🦋🙋♀️😘💕💝
When we were looking for a house about 5 years ago; I realized that we had way too much because we were renting a much smaller house than we had been in previously. I have never had an issue with donating a few bags of stuff, but I never was what I would consider a minimalist. Living in the small house helped me to realize we could live with much less. I had 4 of my kid's clothes in 1 closet and color coated my boys clothes hangers because they are only 20 months apart. Fast forward 5 years more and we are moving again and my husband blessed me with your amazing videos. We had to put our move on hold and will be moving in the spring. I have probably got rid of 60 garbage bags of stuff!! Our life is so much easier and when you have 5 kids at home and you have a bunch of showings every week, it sure makes life easier when you have less in your home 😁
I appreciate all your videos. I have been throwing things away like crazy these past few days, along with some donations. I commented on one of your videos the first day i heard you talk about managing your household inventory. I commented how i was frustrated that all my storage space was full and stuff was not easily accessible....just lost in the piles on shelves. Well, as i was throwing things away today, it felt SO good, and i realized I grew up thinking i always had to find a storage spot for stuff. Never ever throw things out once you buy it, that would be wasteful! But just find a nook for it. With that mentality, i grew up never questioning whether I'd need an item again soon, or ever. It just went straight to storage on a shelf forever. But today alone i got rid of so much stuff, 5 trash bags for donations and 5 equivalent sized boxes of trash (and I've been at it since Tuesday!!!)! I just needed someone to tell me it is ok to throw things away. Thank you so much! I am quickly on my way to managing my household the way I've always wanted!
Love your channel, Dawn! I've been de-cluttering now for about 3 months, and I've noticed that, just like you said, it goes in layers. The first layer was easy (obvious overstock, things I never use)..the second layer was a little harder (maybe I'll wear/use it again?) but now it's getting easier again, because I'm seeing the benefits. I love opening my closet to clothes that have spaces between them!! Today I saw empty spots in my kitchen drawers and smiled. I still have a way to go, but so thankful for your help in this process.
I'm ready to "gain momentum" and I'm ready to "gain confidence" in letting the excess go. It's videos like this that I watch & rewatch for inspiration. Today while shopping I picked up a serving bowl and thought "Do I really need this?" I put it back!
That’s a big shift!! Yay
Love this! I wish Dawn would tackle how to shop more. I do look at things at the store as stuff I'm going have to face as clutter down the road. Do I want to agonize in a year about keeping this?? I'll save my brain and my money and put it back.
A while ago I was at the dollar store and found this unusually cute wall hanging that was better quality than you would expect for the dollar tree. I picked it up and thought “For only $1, I can find SOMEWHERE to hang this!!” The more I carried it around, the heavier the burden became of WHERE I could put it in the house. I have textured plaster walls too, so hanging things is a pain and command strips don’t stay. I suddenly realized I was going down the wrong path and ditched the wall hanging and left the store. I felt like I dodged a bullet 😆 It was difficult to tear it out of my hand but I felt so free leaving empty handed!
I do this !🤗
Thanks Dawn, another great video. I can attest that having both a garbage bag and donation box on hand makes the task of decluttering so much easier. I've found that once an item is placed in either I've officially let go. If I leave stuff in piles out in the open I am more likely to second guess myself, wondering if I should keep and then get frustrated. I've also begun to develop a routine...I wake up pour myself a cup of coffee and set off to an area I want to clear up. Once the coffee cup is empty (or cold) I stop, pour a second cup and officially start my day feeling good about having that done.
I zone clean. Every week when I am in that zone, I pick a shelf, cabinet or closet and declutter that. It literally takes minutes to declutter this way! I always have a donation bag set aside and ready to go when it's filled. This has worked wonders for me in keeping organized!
Love you, Dawn! ♡ I passed my 1 year of quarantining dishes I had put and forgot completely about. When we cleaned out the garage in preparation for our move those boxes were clearly labeled and dated and I confidently and EXCITEDLY said goodbye to them. That 1 year flew by. 😂🥰
I needed this today. Thank you. I spent about 30 minutes today straightening my daughter's room. She has a lot of dolls and stuffed animals. I took the ones out of the pet nets and put them in the garage, then put most of what was on her bed in the nets. I'm unsure what I want to do with the ones I took out of her room. It has helped in the past to go back to it a little later. Then, I don't feel as attached to things as I felt the first time I considered letting it go.
My girls have never met a stuffed animal they didn't like...they are 4 &7. I clean out their rooms when they aren't home. They know if they cant keep their rooms clean then I have to do it for them....which means some if their rarely played with toys will go missing. They always play the best after a clean out bc the room is spacious and only toys they actually play with are left.
@@YPEFFLE Yes. I have noticed that my daughter plays more every time I declutter.
You're on fire!! 🔥 The objective/scientific perspective of the last two videos has been super inspiring and super useful!! Thanks so much!
I keep in mind the fact that I'm not going anywhere for at least 9 months because I'm teaching at home full time until at least next August. I feel good about giving things to my local Humane Society, which has a resale shop. All of the proceeds benefit the animals. So I give them my very best items and drive away with such joy!
You're awesome.👍 ❤
So do I
De-cluttering mantra ... if in doubt, throw it out, or donate! I'm getting ready to de-clutter a second closest in my master bedroom that is basically a utility/linen closet for larger things that don't fit in my kitchen. I live in a mobile home. Moving linens to dresser drawers in rooms where they are used - to free up more space. My kitchen cabinets are typically mobile home size (very small) and not practical for larger items like slow cookers, food sealer, etc that I do use, but not enough to take up valuable real estate in kitchen. Want to make space in cabinets to put things that I can slide in/slide out only when I need them so my counter tops look as nice as yours, Dawn! This is the second time in about two years I've attacked closets. I have not missed one thing I've gotten rid of previously. I'm lovin' it!
I ask myself: Who get more joy out of this object- Me keeping it? Or someone finding a fantastic deal on it at the thrift store? I’ve been so excited to find great second hand deals and love the idea of giving that experience to someone else!
Such great advice. I've been trying to declutter even before I came across your channel. And I can honestly say I have taken so many trips to Goodwill and I can't remember a single thing that I gave to them! Out of sight out of mind literally!
I have watched and shared this video several times. When I wonder do I want to manage this item. I decide once and don’t think about it again. My friend and her husband were here the other day and they said how my home feels calmer. They said I have motivated them. That makes me feel happy. I send her your videos and she really enjoys them. There daughter is married and has four kids. She follows you also. I told them I really don’t remember what I donated or got rid of. This video Is one of my favorites. It has helped me so much. Thank you Dawn you will never know how much you have helped me.
A lot of what you’ve said in different videos is exactly how I’ve felt. The efforts to keep things tidy but yet feeling that it’s still not because of too much to handle and manage. Thanks for all the help!
You really help me; am 74 working through stuff since 2017; love the word “inventory bc I was once in the Antique Biz & still have a lot of it; thank you... 💕💕
Hello Dawn, I'm a home organizer in France and I just discovered your channel. I love your videos and there are so many to watch, it's delighting. A big bravo, your family is too cute ! Thank you 🧡
I've downsized a ton over the past few years and consider myself quite minimalist, but this is the thing that is now tripping me up: this entire year of 2020 as I've been trying to save money and not shop very much, so I've been "shopping my own stash" -- rediscovering overlooked items in my home, and enjoying using them. Like cookbooks that have not been used in a long time, craft supplies that my daughter can now use. I guess these all count as "use it" items in the "use it or lose it" ultimatum. Probably would benefit from simplifying more, but can't seem to bring myself to do it this year when I'm enjoying having these extra things around.
Great suggestions, thank you! One question I always ask myself when decluttering is this: What is the worst thing that could happen if I donate this? It immediately brings perspective to the topic at hand. Sometimes I ask what is the best thing that could happen. I usually like that idea better. Also, when I think back over all the things I've donated over the course of my life, there are precious few things I really miss. Reminding myself of this fact helps, too.
Thanks again. Your channel is so inspiring. I'm a long way from minimalism - and probably never will embrace it as fully as you have - but watching your videos has changed the way I think about my possessions. This Christmas, I anticipate passing on quite a few decorations to family and friends. After that? Who knows? ~ Lisa
I love that you're always positive and enthusiastic Dawn. Thank you! Sarah x
Thank you, I really appreciate that!!!
Thank you Dawn! This video is exactly what I needed to watch today! I set a goal for November that everyday I will declutter something in my home and today it was books. I love books and want to keep them all! So, I took a break to watch your video and afterwards it was much easier to just let more of my books go to someone who needs them. Also, I have found that when I say, "Someone else could really use this item," it detaches my feelings from the item and it's easier to let it go and be donated.
Just cleaned in my boys' room. So overwhelming. Excited to watch this to calm down. 😊
Dawn,
You are a ray of sunshine. I love your videos - so helpful and encouraging. You have a beautiful family and Tom's skills never cease to amaze me! Thank you for all that you do!
When cleaning my kids' rooms, we invariably get hung up on all the crafts and drawings and coloring pages they make. Our mantra is "the fun was in the making." I hold things up and if they love love to look at it we keep it. If they hesitate, we ask if "the fun was in the making" of it? And if that is correct, we let it go. Sometimes I hear them say it to themselves as they throw things away.
I love this! ❤
Thanks for the ideas. I almost always throw coloring pages but save drawings. More personality is in them that will be fun to look back on. I also sometimes just snap photos and add a couple art pieces to our yearly family memory book. If I asked my kids they'd want to keep everything. Good for you for teaching them life skills.
Whoa. That's awesome!
My kindergartener has a box. She hands me papers I acknowledge them, listen to any stories then it's her job to decide if they are treasure or recycling she has to move her papers herself. we haven't filled her treasures box just yet but almost as need to go through it very soon
@@gettintherejanice6216 my daughter wants to keep everything. So the box, I.e. limited space is the only thing that works
Dawn, I can't help complimenting your looks! You keep looking better and better with each video! Well done! You are an inspiration.
Something that has been really helpful to me is to finish the “what if” thought and add a “then.” So many times I was keeping things because of what-ifs like “What if we went on vacation?” Or “What if we lost power?” But I wouldn’t bother to think it through and add a “then” solution. I have found that actually finishing that thought and coming up with other solutions that would work if I did not have the things in those situations is very helpful to me. For example, maybe I don’t need these five extra quilts I was keeping “just in case” because IF we lost power I still could get by without them because THEN we could get by with the blankets already on our beds and just put on an extra layer of clothes.
I recently found your videos and have since decluttered and organized my pantry and helped my adult daughter go through years of items, toss and give away several bags, and make accessible some of her most sentimental items that had been buried in a box. The idea that we aren't required to keep things has been freeing. Blessings!
Wow I am watching this video and I go to comment and I am 703 on the comments list , so brilliant, so glad I am not alone in this challenge , I was going to say “ struggle” but corrected myself, as it is do able . I would hear Dawn talk about being stuck, frozen , to get into the next place to declutter . I thought what does she mean ,the bathroom and kitchen were a lot of work but it was smooth sailing. BUT , when I was considering doing the office , yuk . I froze . Then I watched this video and set a time limit , then decided to clean and prepare the office to be worked on , then went and did something easier for me ,(as I had already started to declutter my clothes ) I went and did more in my wardrobe. I now am realising that all these strategies are vital in my ability to work through this process. It’s a hole new learning curve for me , inventory !! wow I can’t wait till I am living in freedom .
This came on the perfect day,! I was getting ready to have a yard sale and this popped up and I was listening to you as I was getting ready to set more stuff out and decided “nope! I’m not gonna do this, it’s going to the donation center and I hope someone is excited to find this” as you say. So thanks again for doing what you do!
YES to everything you said!!! Ever since you called it inventory management, my switch flipped and now all I see is inventory. I want it all gone lol
Lety from Chicago 💞
I wish I had your energy!!
You are awesome and fast. I had to watch this twice to get it to sink in. Great tips Thanks.
I always like your "quarantine " bin idea. I did that when I started last year and found we did not miss the things that were in there one bit. That really helped boost my confidence.
Dawn I have to thank you for being such an inspiration to me. I donated 6 boxes of Halloween decorations this year. It felt so good to have 2 bins to deal with. And for Thanksgiving I just decorated my mantle and it is enough for me. I always have your advice about managing your inventory in the back of my mind. Now I can’t wait to get to my Christmas decorations and get that weight off my mind.
Holiday decorations were a tough one for me but streamlining has been such a relief!
This is so good! I'm always inspired by your videos. I've been clearing away... usually when I have a block of time off of work so I can devote a whole day to a space and still have a decent weekend. This has made clearing away some areas go quite slow. Recently, I decided to give myself more rest. I'm going to bed earlier and not spending as much screen time at night. My energy is fresh in the morning and I've been able to clear away areas I thought I'd never get to. It's a bit of a surprise to find myself easily clearing away items that had previously been stumbling blocks. I think I've found my momentum. Also, the limited time before work is a helpful constraint. I'm going to apply the "one year" rule to some projects that have been around for way past that amount of time. I've always thought I might get to them. Now I don't think so. Thanks for the tips.
I have been binge-watching your channel because I'm stuck and needed to step back, recalibrate, and wrap my brain around a path forward. We're under construction and navigating some significant workflow issues with a house we outgrew 2 kids ago, so projects, construction, decluttering, and now homeschooling is a chess game. My 13 yo son was watching some with me last night and said I needed to have my own channel. Our clutter challenge has been our growing family and getting a generous family to understand our space constraints. I've pretty much been decluttering for the last decade! But it started out just trying to fill a diaper box with stuff I could purge in the normal course of our day as I was juggling nursing babies and my husband's business startup. I've even brought in a professional organizer for a few hours when I needed more hands, and her reply was that I have some great systems, I'm just outnumbered. I wish I could've finished purging and organizing before we started homeschooling because it's hard to juggle...and I'm SO CLOSE! But I joke that living in construction is like one of those tile puzzles--we have to move 10 pieces to get one in place. Anyway...I was going to say on another video that you needed Beddy's for your kiddos...not surprised to see you've found them in this more recent video. We only have one set of linens per person as well.
My tip: Declutter on garbage day or the day before so once you throw it away there is no going back!
I like to do that too! Sometimes, the night before I make a quick pass of house, basement, garage for anything that really is garbage. Sometimes embarrassing some of the stuff we hung on to. 😏
Great tip, I do this on purpose as well. I put things out the say before and people usually pick it up before the trash men even get to it which is a total win.
Really good idea!
Omg. I feel the same , after I do put-stuff in the trash bin ,I feel better when the truck takes it away . I am trying feels to to see the difference 🙂 watching Dawn really helps me 👍
Same here. Fill the bin every Monday. Black bags as well. 45 gallon. Those go in the trunk for thrift.
I come back and listen to this over and over. Thank you Dawn!!
After storing my grandmother’s fine china for years, it finally hit me: just keep the pieces that I would actually use. So I kept all the dinner plates and donated all the serving pieces, teacups, saucers, sugar bowl, etc. It cleared out a lot of space, but it feels like a really good compromise. I think the whole huge set was overwhelming so I never used them.
Great idea!
Your comment and this video is 2 years ago but…. I have just done exactly this this morning with my gram’s tea sets too! ❤️
The same thought occurred to me! Like I am never going to have 12 people over so why would I need that many place settings? I’m keeping only what I will use.
I can't believe I'm actually commenting! I love you so much! LOL! I have not been able to apply too much of what I've learned yet. But it always makes so much sense! One huge hesitation for tackling my clutter is applying the one year rule. I have a MILLION education items, activities, and games. I haven't used most, as they are stored and stacked and cluttering up everything. EVERYTHING! My kids are still young at 7, 5, and 3. Many things we can use now, but many of them are more appropriate for the time period over the next few years. I don't want to get rid of things we haven't used, and things I've forgotten about because they are so AMAZING and can be used in the near future. (Or NOW, if I was more organized.) What do I do? I'm SO SICK of a cluttered home, but also so hesitant to part with quality items. (I am a teacher, but brought my classroom home when I became an online teacher 3 years ago.....I also homeschool and need my kids to use quality materials while I teach live classes during the day.) Wow, after typing this, I feel even more stuck in a mess! Thanks for any help! You are the best!!!
I am in the same boat, and in a sea of cement! Soooooo stuck!....except that I have everything home due to a long term medical leave....and no kids. I don't want to get rid of things in case I get better and can go back, also because I LOVE much of it, especially the children's books and games, and because I'm sure, to some extent, because getting rid of it takes away the evidence I did teach and some identity attachment, and also for the amount of money I've spent on it all. Yet, it's cluttering my apartment, taking up too much space, and in all honesty, there are some less-than-positive feelings around it all, too, because I'm no longer teaching/had to leave when I didn't want to/have been ill for several years now... I'm also very sentimental and have a hard time decluttering most things, although I've had a few tiny successes there with linens and a couple of kitchen items The books and educational items are, for me, a much much more difficult category of things to let go of....
I had/have a whole room of art supplies and a "kids cabinet" for all the kid crafts/educational stuff. I took time every couple months to pull out a new batch of stuff to do for the upcoming months from the kids cabinet and made that accessible, putting away the last months.
Donated, recycled, and trashed the contents of 12 garbage bags this past week. I’ve loved binging your videos and getting inspiration and tips! Thanks Dawn! :)
I am soooo glad I found your channel! We're a new army family with a toddler boy. I've had to completely rethink our home organization with my husband's gear and our son's toys now that we're in a smaller space than we're used to. And knowing that we'll have to move again in less than 2 years really motivated me to get rid of so much! Thank you, Dawn! Your videos make my day! ❤️
You Have such a nice attitude to decluttering, I love to watch these videos, they motivate instead of making me feel helpless - and these tips work! Thanks from Germany, stay healthy!
I can't wait for the guest videos.👏👏
Me too!!
Something that I think about when decluttering is “Do I want my kids to deal with this when I’m gone?” When my parents passed away I was responsible for taking care of their house and belongings. My sweet mother and dad never got rid of anything. I don’t want my kids to go through that. I keep things that I need and use. I also keep things that bring me great joy. I also have a ‘one in, one out’ rule. If I bring something new into the house then something must either be thrown away or donated.
That is what I have been saying lately....”Do I want my kids to deal with this when we are gone”. We are in our mid sixties, so I am trying to work on this now.
This is also the question that I ask myself to help me declutter, "Do I want my kids to deal with this when I am gone"? I too was responsible for taking care of the belonging of my uncle and then my parents when they passed away. I display the items that bring me joy and keep the items that I can use.
I need the one in, one out rule...I buy new towels, dont throw out the old ones, tomorrow in going through my towels. I have probably 15 its crazy lol
I'm so glad I found you!! I have very little energy these days & have 3 rooms I need to go through plus closets, cabinets etc. Every time I go into the junk room, yes, a ROOM, most people have junk drawers!, I have a catch all room! I pick up something then I become overwhelmed & I would sit & cry but I can't reach the chair & there's no room on the floor. Many things back there just need a home, I mean the things that will not be donated or thrown away. For example, I told my husband that I don't like his work clothes & gear on his dining room chair so he puts it in the backroom, some on the floor, bookcase, & boxes that are back there. His stuff needs a home when he is not using it. What do you do for things like that? You need to keep them but they are homeless so you can't put them away!!
I also have 2 grown up children who when they left home left tons of stuff in their rooms!! My daughter, especially, she's been gone 4 years & in the midst of the rumble my husband set up a table for painting trim work & all the things he uses are spread all over. I don't know where to start!!!
My issue has been for the past year I have being basically housebound. Prior to being struck down with chronic pain since last December, I was a gym goer with a great social life.
Now am faced with so many items in my wardrobe and around my home that I know I cannot wear or use right now and it is mentally affecting me. I am in two minds to once and and for all donate most of it and start again once I get my life back in order. So happy I saw this right now, as I have been feeling really low these past several days. I now know what needs doing, thank you
I was a going to the gym too. Then I had to change the plan!
A few years ago, I had shingles 3x in 8 months around my left side. Didn't know what it was until the 3rd time with blisters. Each time I couldn't hardly get up or drive for a week or two bc the pain. My Chiropractor told me, you have to get up and get moving. That was better than any medicine, except for prayer! That said, I'm going to pray for you and encoursge you to get up and set a 5 or 10 minute timer and start to go through things. You will be encouraged and strengthened with every little bit of progress. You can ask Jesus to sort with you, He's always willing to help when we ask.😊
@MaryWeeps PrayRosary that is a brilliant idea. Will give that a go
@@turnfromsin2Jesus I just wrote at the top of Dawn's printable, "Ask Jesus to sort with me." I am so very grateful to know He will. Thank you.
Syl, what happened? That is me, I went from being a fitness instructor to chronic pain and inflammation. 2 yrs of no answers, possibly lyme which I did not test positive for (tested months after removing the tick) fibromyalgia, arthritis. I can relate. I do what suggested above. When I have more energy I tackle more projects but I try to always accomplish something. Praying for wellness for you!
Ten years into this journey I’ve found something I wish I still owned. I was making a flan and I didn’t have a big enough ovenproof pan for the Bain Marie. One item....10 years!
I love how you cover so many different angles regarding minimalism! I’m always learning from you. I’ve decluttered a lot this year and my husband, several times, has asked about such and such item (stuff we didn’t use for a long time) and all the sudden wants to use it. 😬 I feel a tinge of guilt when he’s looking for an item I got rid of. We haven’t needed to repurchase anything so we’ve gotten by without the missing items in the end.
My husband's the same! Suddenly, after never having used my kit hen funnel, he asked, where's our funnel?"!
I posted in the facebook group how those 5 minute chunks added up to 2 full big boxes of good condition donation stuff, winter stuff too which means that since we are in cold weather now people can actually use it, i felt great and i dis it with 3 kids around some times and that gave me even more power ( and wanting to pull my hair out sometimes too hehheh 💪🏻) thanks for all the tips and tricks and sticky notes! Have an amazing day and again thanks a ton from ur amiga in Spain! 😘😘😘😘 off to bed now! ☺️
I already clicked on thumbs up as soon as this came up!! So nice of you to donate all that stuff.. Not maintaining stuff is what I want!! :) Thank you for sharing this!
That's so kind of you-- THANK YOU!!!
I always like it before I even watch it. I’ve never found one that I didn’t like.
@@Texasmom Me too!
@@TheMinimalMom honestly I cannot thank u enough 💓
My mom once said, all plants go their way..I was shocked! Today, I got to remind her of that saying. And from what I've learned watching your videos is, you don't need to be a part of the next journey this item takes (donations, etc), you just need to send it onto its journey. My mom was so inspired by things I told her I've learned from your channel, I think she is going to be decluttering her home now ❤🙌
I love what you said about using the black garbage bag. My experience with this concept was loading two clear storage bins full of clothes for donation into the back seat of my car. Well every time I got into my car I could see things in there that I really liked and had second thoughts about. Fortunately a lot of it was the result of my losing weight so I couldn't take some of them back.. anyway this went on for quite some time. I would even show them to friends and got rid of some of them that way. Instead of just taking them and donating them and being done with it. Well I finally did it. They're gone and I realized a huge relief. But not without the guilt and the loss lol my consolation to myself when I feel that way is that somebody is going to get those clothes and they will wonderful things and they will love them 😊 thank you for all your wonderful suggestions and demos I really enjoy watching your videos so much
One thing I thought of when you started this is the rules. If there are certain things, or groups of things, you want to completely eliminate from your life, that would be a great rule to have. Anytime I come across x, y, or z, it goes right to the bag/box to go. Thats one way to make decisions ahead of time.
Well said 🙌
That’s a good idea!
yes I love having any pre made decisions.
Yes, I handed in the very last assignment for my master's degree yesterday and am not planning to continue in academia. I'm kinda looking forward to going through all my papers and throwing away everything university-related that is not a completed thesis, diploma or a book I love. I'll wait until I have that diploma, but when that moment comes, the "anything study related" rule will be applied rigorously!
Watching these videos helps me to clear out unused stuff that has been sitting on shelves for ages. thanks
My issue is I always think, “could I sell this?” 😂
There is nothing wrong with trying to sell things. My motto is "some people's trash is other people's treasure". I've been putting stuff on Offer Up and Facebook Marketplace. Just have to make the time available. I don't hold things for people as some had never shown up.. First come, first serve. The only time I hold things is for previous customer. Has not failed me yet. The last two days I've sold over 300.00. If anything is left over I will donate to our local Rescue Mission Thrift Store. Good luck with your endeavors!
“Use it or lose it!” Sell it NOW, or get rid of it.
I think that way about craft fairs...."I could make that!". But I never do...
Dawn you would be proud!
I’m using your inspiration in my staging business. Oh my goodness! I had toooo much deco! Guess what? Using your coaching, I’ve drilled down to cut unused inventory and I feel so much better.
“If it has not been used in one year....”. Yep!!
Thank You 😊
I find it helps to start with the easy stuff, the things you know you want to declutter. It will build up your confidence and get the ball rolling. Then you'll see the progress and want to keep going.
You're great. I just discovered you on TH-cam last week and have watched so many of your videos. You're so smart and inspiring, and your decluttering tips have worked so well. I've only decluttered a few small spaces so far but my husband and I already feel a big difference in our tiny house. The "time will tell" bin and the question of "do I want to manage this inventory?" have been game-changers. Also, having all my materials ready before I start made all the difference (trash bag, donation, and TWT bins). Thank you and please keep sharing your decluttering journey!
I really appreciate and enjoy you sharing the psychology/science behind the “why”. Thanks for always bringing a fresh approach to minimalism!
I've listened to at least 10 of your videos while sorting for moving and right when I'm stuck you've said something that got me going again. Thank you! Feeling productive!
I've found for me that keeping an empty box by the front door that I can walk to and throw items I'm not using in helps. This is for like in between decluttering sessions, when I'm just daily living and come across something I don't want or forgot about. I throw it in the box as I go so I don't forget about it again, and if the box gets full its time to make a donation run. Its a visual reminder that things need to go out and are on their way out the door. Also as a junk pile eyesore, its a relief to get it out of my living room
We’re painting our master closet so I will need these helpful tips as I put things/clothes back in😬
Hardest for me is getting rid of those things that represent who I wish I was ( ie I have never used these craft items/ games but if I was a good mom I would )
One of my favorite videos of yours, thanks for the support, so relatable and I love your kind tone.
Honestly, I get sooo motivated by watching your videos. I am someone who never really HAD to declutter anything or get rid of stuff. I always had a storage space, a garage or my parents house to store things - never really thinking twice about it! Until I started feeling that all of my stuff made me anxious and stressed out. I recently got rid of TONS of my stuff but I have a looong way to go still 😂I was sick last week so I sat at home and watched so many of your videos (some several times) and now I feel like I don't have time to go back to work since I have so much motivation to continue decluttering! 😂😂 Thank you Dawn for being awesome support!! You are making a difference all the way across the seas in the very north part of Sweden where I live :)
Love Cass and you, of course! I'm a bee, btw. GYST, But First, Coffee and AtoZenlife are others I've picked up lately as well. Been watching loads of ya'lls videos over the past year or so and have decluttered 17 shopping bags + some smallish types of furniture, blankets and what not since October! And when I donate the latest batch of stuff, i almost immediately start another donation pile or sometimes some things go into gifts for fam/friends for bdays and xmas if I know they'll like them. Always feels so good to be able to do that! It keeps me inspired!
Craft supplies are my main stressor just now... I've decided to declutter by starting a business sewing neckwarmers and earwarmers and I'm trying really hard not to accidentally buy more than I started with 😉😂 I was inspired to do this by one of your recent videos where you talked about this stuff. Use it or lose it 😉 We're mid renovations with 4 kids like you too so cash is handy!! Looking forward to the Facebook videos 😊 X x x
Always a morale booster... u know exactly the problem & simple solutions too... great... u r named so correctly ..DAWN. Bringing hope & joy... God bless u all
I’ve been following your channel for a few years. I first got into organizing and decluttering when I had kids and lived in a very tiny house. We have since moved to a more practical house but still had way too much stuff. I stopped buying stuff, but really struggled with letting go of gifts and family items I didn’t really want or need. Recently I’ve been fed up with maintenance of all of my stuff, and I’m letting go of the guilt. Happy to report that last night we parked BOTH cars in the garage for the very first time. Thank you for your inspiration and guidance!
I loved last week’s Maslow’s hierarchy of needs. It really made what you’ve been saying all along in an easy and understandable way.
I just watched the video you posted with cas. And I been binge watching your videos maybe near two weeks. And just jumped into it. So far my husband has been supportive I would love the minimal look I think we are gonna fall somewhere in the middle between you in cas. But I filled the car last week with kids stuff have another load of kids stuff to take out not to mention some of my stuff. It feels so good. I can’t wait for all of it to be done and over so I can just sit back and smile and relax. And I have found it’s gotten easier to make the one time decision it’s going.
I love the 5 minute tip. I get hung up all the time with starting the process because I feel like I need a ton of time. I get exhausted mentally if I spend too long, so instead I just continue adding more stuff to declutter because I never start the clearing out. I love your videos!
Having a box/bag at the ready is SO SMART. That has been my barrier that I hadn’t even really realized. I have my “piles,“ and I know what I want to donate, but I haven’t had the bags and/or boxes ready, which is why my piles have sat around for MONTHS. Great tip!
I have been on a minimalism journey for probably the past 3-4 years and it has been wonderful. I am not a naturally sentimental person and so parting with excess and things I’m not using has always been fairly easy. BUT what has really gotten me lately is that this past summer my grandmother passed away and about a month ago we held a family auction to sell her things. The things that I bought are so precious to me and remind me of her and listening to my mom and her siblings talk about memories associated with certain items was so interesting and fun. I want to be able to pass on family keepsakes and sentimental items to my kids and for them to someday say “oh I remember that; we used to do.... with it” so suddenly I feel very stuck and don’t want to get rid of anything.🤦♀️ I need some rational thinking on this one.
This is the video I’ve been waiting and searching for! Since I started my minimalist journey and first began decluttering 5 years ago I’ve found passing on the remaining items I’ve been holding onto but don’t use or sometimes don’t like as much as other stuff but am attached too to be very difficult. It’s very much an emotional attachment/subjective type thing like you said I really like how you said to deal with it, very helpful, gonna reassess some my belongings and way I tackle it and think of it. Gives everything a year. This morning I’ve already made the decision that I’m ready to let go or pass on or repurpose my late dogs collar and bandana and such after like 5+ years now just figuring out how to deal with it but the fact I made that decision and grew to do that is huge I would’ve not been able to do that before ready to grow once I do I’ve decided instead I’ll print out pictures of him to have around or on my phone
It has gotten so easy for me to donate, I think because I am on year 3, when I drive away from thrift store, I really don’t ever think of the item again... love just owing only what I need or love ❤️
Thank you for your tips and encouragement, Dawn. I appreciate what you said about donating (that someone else will be able to enjoy the item)...this made me feel better about things I was unsure I wanted to let go of.
I remember 3 things that I struggled with was A) kitchen bowls B) boy jeans in the attic for the future C) kid workbooks. The kitchen bowls- I paused one of your videos a few months ago, let go of the glass bowls and I don't miss them at all! Someone else sold them and got $20 from them and it makes me happy that they made a profit. The jeans- I had 3 bins of boy jeans in bigger sizes, 3/4th of the jeans the boys didn't even like. I can easily go to goodwill and find a pair of jeans if I need an extra pair. All of those jeans are gone and not missed, no mental and physical clutter anymore. Kid workbooks- I had a organized hoarder issue with these books! I had over 60 workbooks! I pared it down to 2 bins, then 1 bin and now I have 3 books left. I have until the end of next summer to use them or pitch them. Just this week my daughter has been struggling with telling time and I bought a new workbook at Target. Only one at the dollar spot and she did all the work- it's thrown out and out of the house already. Point of the story NOTHING I got rid of do I miss. Even when I donated a telling time workbook, it was bought in less than 10 minutes for $1. To make it clear also I do not have a bunch of money to rebuy things nor do I want all that stuff again- all of these products that I can buy again are no more than $10 bought max 3x a year.
I love your videos. You are so inspiring and have such great energy. I love the interactions with your hubby and your sister. I spent my "staycation" minimizing and organizing my home. It was so much fun! Thanks for all you do, please continue inspiring us. 🥰
Thanks Dawn. I've been doing the donation box and rubbish bag for a few weeks now and I am letting go of items so much more quickly. Enjoying how practical your videos are.
For FIRST-timers to decluttering with fear of parting with ANYthing.....from a reformed hoarder......the first step I took when decluttering was bag/box the liked-but-unneeded items I "thought" I wanted to declutter but wasn't sure. It was scary just to do that much. But I DID NOT get rid of them....I put the boxes out of the way. I let myself think about what was in them. And made myself think about giving them away. Since they were not gone, I could calm my fears and ease myself through the emotions of parting with them, and tell myself how cute the outfits would be on someone they would fit and that they would come to enjoy wearing/using them as I used to. Eventually I realized I couldn't/wouldn't wear/use them but others could share my joy of them. That help me let go. Once I realized I wasn't pulling items back anymore, I began to trust my judgement of what I could let go off and not miss. So far I haven't made a "wrong" decision...but I often do think about my favorite things that I parted with and wonder who is enjoying them now😊 Sort of like grown children....you love them, but you have to let them go out into the world!
So happy to hear your guests will also be on TH-cam. I will try to join on facebook, but I have never done one of these. But love Cass. Hope to see you there!
I think she said she would post the videos on her blog, which is called IThinkWeCouldBeFriends.
Dawn - You are such a Godsend.. I am so glad that one of your TH-cam videos came up on my feed! Your positive attitude, clarity of purpose/approach are just what I need to get motivated again on a journey to truly decluttering our place as we plan to move this year sometime! I already feel I will be successful this time before I have begun.. thanks so much!!
You always have such great tips!
Not really related exactly to this video but yesterday my 6 year old son said “I kinda like getting rid of stuff, mom” I asked him why. He said “because when my room gets messy, I only have to take care of a little bit of stuff”
Exactly my feelings on it!!
I found you through your video on the decluttering technique of taking items directly to their home/location as you delcutter and it has changed things immensely! Plus taking 10-15 minutes at a time all add up!
Rummikub tournaments will always be a sweet quarantine memory for our family! We played it daily.
Yep we do too!
Same!! Also we love Sleeping Queens!
One thing that really helps me part with things I truly value but don't need anymore is to give them away to a friend or acquaintance who I know will love and cherish them. I worry that if I donate it, it will end up in a landfill somewhere, instead of going to someone who could really use it, so it gives me peace of mind to know that my once-loved belongings will go to someone else who can love them as their own. I usually post a picture of it on Facebook and ask if anyone wants it. Everything always finds a new home that way 💕
Progress inspires me to keep going. Starting with something easy (like kitchen cups or the linen closet) worked for me. If you get some decluttering experience under your belt, you feel more confident making decisions as things get tougher (more sentimental).
I also really like what you say about donating something now so it can actually get USED! So many times I've pulled a clothing item out of storage and the elastic is bad or there's a stain that has shown up and no NOBODY can use it. I donate things NOW so that they are still "in style" and not ruined from being in storage. I don't know if that's really a decision making "rule" I have for myself, but it is something I consider and it helps to feel better about letting something go.
Love, love , love these tips! Very simple and practical! You touched upon a very important component/ road block to decluttering - lack of self confidence and fear of making the wrong decision. Thank you! Now, I can look at this project objectively!
Thank you Thank you Thank you Thank you 💗 this week I went to the store, picked up an impulse item walked to the next isle and boom your motto popped into my head ( I can’t think of the exact wording now) “if your unsure don’t buy it” it was the first time where I was 100% confident to put an item back on the shelf 🤩 .. I was a chronic impulse buyer for a long time and over this past year began to declutter but defiantly doing better this past month after finding your channel ... Thank you for all your content 🙌
I sincerely struggle from the mental concept of "but I could use this someday". I'm working really hard to try to tackle smaller parts of my house and recognize that those are probably my favorite parts of the house right now because they are becoming more streamlined and efficient to live in. I'm also a person who struggles with sentimental items. I think part of it comes down to the influence that I had from my great-grandmother who was a young married woman with a small child during the great depression. it's alarming how quickly that kind of thing basically turns into hoarding, but it's also hard to overcome that mentality of, well, I shouldn't just throw it away. I'm trying to remember to grant myself grace when I choose my family and my sanity over being super saving. I love that you shared that with us! I will definitely give the bag and box concept ago with 5 minute chunks and see how that works. I know that when I have a receptacle ready for the things I want to get rid of it is easier to part with stuff.
The I could use this someday... Is my biggest problem when it come to storage areas like the basement or garage.
I didn't read your whole story, but if it causes a stuggle, maybe it should go bye bye?
You can do it! The more practice you get, the easier it gets. Keep your eyes open too for all the "I didn't use that someday and now no one can" moments. This happens a lot with food and long term storage items for me that get ruined or go bad. Someone will be really happy to find the stuff you get rid of for thousands of reasons!! Be not afraid! You can find freedom in letting go! ❤️
in the great depression area of they had thrift stores which I don't think they did it was nothing like today. that is useful would it be more useful for someone else. yes I can reuse that zipper from the broken reusable bag but I don't see much in this season but there might be someone out there who needs a zipper so you donate it where they can find it. is it useful or is it useful for me.