Thank YOU for watching and Thank you Helix for sponsoring! Visit helixsleep.com/minimalmom to get 20% off your Helix mattress + 2 Free Pillows! Offers subject to change. I hope your holiday preparations are coming together well! Love, Dawn
My holiday decorations were ALL donated I finally decided that 75 was too old to be climbing a ladder decorating my 9ft tree and hanging garland over all my windows. Does my house look a little BAH HUMBUG yes it does, but the stress of decorating is off the table and my Christmas closet is pretty much empty which is a good thing because I had to get on a ladder to lift totes off the top shelves and falling is a serious consideration at my age. 😅🎄
I totally understand - I'm the woman who always had to have the 9ft fresh fabulously decorated tree - at 69 I decided that I'm over it. This year I have a 2.5ft fresh tree that cost $15 from Costco! I love it! I have some really nice Christmas ornaments that I will pass on to my 30 yr old daughter when she is ready to take them but I've let go of almost everything else and I'm thrilled. I do have an entire Dickens Village that I'm not sure what to do with but I certainly didn't put it out this year.
The best advice I ever saw was to buy rolls of wrapping paper that have patterns you can use for both birthdays and Christmas. This year I have been using a paper which has white stars on a red background. Last year I had silver stars on a gold background.
Shira Gill recommends just using brown kraft paper year round for wrapping. You can embellish it with anything for the occasion, or color/stamp/decorate the paper itself. Get creative and personal! Great idea!
I don’t know but this video hit home hard. I’ve been a fan for years. And you are so right. Start now so next year at this time it will be better. Thank you for all that you do and share.
All really great advice. I just threw out dog toys this morning and went through several bins this year and did the memory box. Decided not to keep SO MANY old ornaments ( three bins). Decided to get rid of two sets of Christmas dishes. Decided to go with white dishes and change out placemats, table clothes. No regret here in Texas. Went through my pantry the week after Thanksgiving. I’m all good on this video. Also went through winter clothes. Donated lots.
Thanks for addressing grief. My dad died on Dec. 25th 3 years ago, & this year leading up to Christmas feels harder than last year. Not sure why, but I know that grief isn't rational i.e. it involves feelings. So I'm giving myself permission to feel the sadness without trying to overanalyze it, & to go a bit easier on myself this season.
I'm so sorry for your loss. My step-father died on Christmas Day 1999. It does get a little easier as time passes - but I certainly understand that having a loved one die on a special holiday just seems extra sad. Wishing the best for you.
I decluttered a whole huge tote of Christmas decor when I was setting stuff up. I just put it on my front porch and posted on my neighborhood Facebook page that it was all free and it was gone pretty quickly. I did the same thing with party supplies and ribbons a few months ago and it works great!
I cut all my seasonal decor down by at least half during the pandemic when I had nothing but time. Even have a memory bin like you showed us here. This year has been serious painful and debilitating health issues for me. My husband is now in a cast and I've had to do all the household things that he does while I have daily pain myself. I don't even know how I put one foot in front of the other. There are times when life teaches you what limitations are, how to lean into your faith, and this year has been that for us. Decided enough is enough! I put out the things I really love (eye opener!) that bring me joy, the smaller tree that I love is going up, gifts getting wrapped we're calling it good and I'm not hosting even one thing! Even scaled down the gifting this year. I guess when you feel like you can't take even one step further, you should just learn take a break! p.s. We don't need a 7.5 foot tree. That's gotta go! 🙃
Thank you, Dawn, for sharing your journey over the past many years. I have watched your videos faithfully even though I have been a natural minimalist all my adulthood-I am 70 yrs old. I share a home with family where almost all of my belongings fit sparingly into a bedroom, its bath, a pantry shelf, a fridge shelf. . .. You get the idea. And that’s more than enough space. . .. Oddly what I need to learn is to admit when a garment is worn out and needs to be replaced and then to make the effort to do so. And I do want to declutter my computer files. Still, I feel lonely not having anyone who wants and has time to talk about minimalism. Do you know people who have never had the need to do much decluttering yet still want to talk about living with less?
- Holiday decor - Limit Holiday memorabilia - Expired Pantry items - sad mattress that is unrestful or uncomfortable to sleep on - excess winter coats/hats/boots - someone else needs these items in winter! - Gift wrap that you haven't used and are unlikely to do so, crumpled wrap - kids toys (btw, other parents on a limited budget might love to find these things at the local thrift store!) - declutter conversation giving kids unrealistic gift expectations, help them look forward to other holiday activities -
Bake cookies together, make baskets of the cookies for neighbors or church friends, etc., tell stories about past Christmas with loved ones that are gone, teach the young ones family Christmas recipes.. tell the Story of the True Meaning of Christmas.... lots of fun to be had.... other than opening gifts 🎁
I am still grieving the loss of my beloved sister-in-law whom we lost 2 years ago around Christmas time, and last Christmas we also lost our senior kitty. Both losses really knocked the wind out of us, and it shows in how I decorated this year. I really toned down how much I put out, and gave a lot away, and it feels peaceful, yet still festive. I like your idea of a Christmas memory box. I might see of that is something that would work for us. At least I decluttered my gift wrap today! Happy Holidays 🌲
Hi Dawn 👋🏻 We are moving Grandma to Assisted Living. So, I gathered all of her Christmas stuff. I packed 1 bin of stuff to decorate her new space. Took pics of the rest to post on the family FB page. My cousins picked up a box full, and I dropped some off at the thrift store. I even threw away a set of sad candles. 😮 😂 I've come a long way. Thank goodness because I've got a big project ahead of me taking care of grandma's things.
My keys to scaling back are: no more Santa, and secret Santa. I don’t buy gifts from Santa any more- huge money saver! And since we only have 1 secret Santa to buy for, the cost went down even more. This way, we can spend our money on a get away- more family time and less screens is a huge win in my book!🎉
Cheistmas doesn't have to be perfect. It has been a doozey of a year for many, things happen to us, we lose loved ones, health problems, etc. But if we remember it about Jesus's birthday, it gives us hope and peace. Immanuel...God with us.
For packing fragile items in a basket gift, I used my shredded paper from junk mail. No need to purchase any and its recyclable. I also save metal tins that I give to use for gifts.
Dawn, thank you for your passion and work devoted to helping us live well. When the world has us feeling like we are swimming upstream, you are right there beside us, cheering us on and holding out your hand. That is such a wonderful gift! On the topic of Christmas traditions, decorating and grieving.... we lost my Dad in 2023. Mom turned 80 just 4 days later. It was a really hard year, particularly since so many of the traditions really seemed empty without him. So, we switched things up a bit. My youngest sister and her children showed up to decorate the tree and the living room, while her husband strung the Christmas lights along the railings of the porches. My husband and I changed up our annual visit home from October to Christmas so she wouldn't be alone in the house. My brother and his wife had us all over for Christmas Eve. And, rather than a Christmas Day feast, we had frozen Chinese food. It was NOT the Christmas of our memories, but it WAS the Christmas we needed it to be and it brought us all more joy and peace than we could have hoped. As I type this, my youngest sister and her crew are at Mom's again... decorating the tree and the living room. And, come Friday morning, my husband and I will begin the 1000 mile drive to go "home for Christmas". We will stop along the way to pick up some frozen Chinese food. And we will have a wonderful Christmas. Because none of it is about what's under the tree. It's about the memories and the traditions - old and new.
Hi Dawn! I’m pregnant with my first, and we live in a pretty small house. What are your tips for a first-time mom to not let all the baby stuff get out of hand, especially when we have lots of well-meaning relatives excited for us after 6 years of infertility. Thanks for any tips & love watching your channel! 👋🏻
Remember something as a mom: You only really need food diapers and clothes. The rest is extra and terribly unnecessary. (Some things like wraps or a swing can be helpful) but you don’t NEED anything else! Signed a mom of a very large family.
What I would recommend after walking through what you had mentioned is 1. Thanking them and receiving the gift whether or not you like it. 2. Figure out what you’d like to keep and only cut the tags off and wash those items (it’s actually a lot of work to remove all the tiny tags and prewash). 3. Take all the extra items to a pregnancy resource center! They are SO extremely grateful to receive items and it feels good to know that they’ll be used by people who need things and don’t necessarily have the family and support systems that we do.
@@LivFowler77I love that. Our local pregnancy center gets so much from us including diapers. I typically use reusable diapers now days and I hate cutting tags off new clothes (esp bull new clothes) when I have perfectly great hand me downs or local thrift shop cuties. It doesn’t make sense to me to use brand new clothes they’ll only wear once. (To original post) Gosh and please mama, don’t buy new anything. Put what you save in a little jar for your sweet baby when they get older or when you and dad hit a rough spot as baby takes more financial strain on y’all.
Let them - Do as you wish with the items. We were married 8 years before kids. One thing that became front and center is the joy it gave to our relatives. We did not buy gifts for our kids, but hosted holiday and birthdays. More than enough gifts to open.
My daughter’s birthday is in late December. She started opening one gift a day until Christmas, then all of us opened a gift a day through Epiphany. Most gifts are small and personal. Her birthday is special & so is the Christmas season. We still do this 30 years later (I’m baking her birthday cake now)
Dawn, I am a minimalist and have been for a long time. I finally went through my bows and gift bags and ribbons. Some of them were so old they had faded and were degrading. So ironic how much I declutter and yet there is always something else. I am doing the minute to win it with my great niece for Christmas Eve so I’m really looking forward to some quality time and fun! I remember when you did the games video years ago. It inspired me.
Thanks for giving me permission to get rid of annoying toys that were gifted to us. A Singing Machine that collects dust and a Furby that haunts my dreams. It's harder to let go of things my kids grew out of. A Bumbo seat and baby clothes are so hard to see go but reminding myself my kids are not stuff and a baby could use it right now let's me move on. Being thankful my kids got to use these things and gifting another person with them gives me joy.
Grief is hard, especially during this time of the year. My mom went to be with the Lord 3 years ago on Christmas Day and will be 2 years in Feb for dad. The grief is still so real.
With you on using the overwhelmed feeling to help declutter! You've helped me realize how much excess stuff leads to anxiety. When it was time to decorate this year I just put out our favorite decorations and donated the rest. I actually enjoyed the process of admiring my favorites and it felt so good to let the rest go (and hope someone shopping at the thrift store enjoys the really nice items I said goodbye to!) Donated/threw out (tossed the not so nice or even handmade by my children items... Tho don't worry we still have PLENTY 😂) probably over 30% of what I had.
I decluttered gift wrap stuff and threw away a lot that was just garbage. I also posted ornaments that are nice but didn’t use this year on a local buy nothing facebook page. It made someone’s day! 🎉
I'm currently going through two spare bedrooms that we use for crafts and workouts (along with extra storage in the closets). I'm finally let go of the craft supplies - those things I tried and didn't go back to. I also found stuff that I forgot I had. It feels sooooooo good - like a huge weight has been lifted off my shoulders. And, I can find things easier (imagine that). I'm also decluttering gift wrapping stuff: boxes, crumpled tissue paper, gift bags while still maintaining the lowest inventory possible. (My husband and I decided a few years ago to stop wrapping gifts to each other: we don't have kids so it's really easy). Thank you for the inspiration. I'm not stopping!
I just have a small Xmas tree and a candle bridge on my window now. I have totally scaled back my decorations. I donated all the ones I no longer use. It takes me ten minutes to put up and then take down. Love your videos Dawn ❤
I love decluttering on a time crunch. I don’t even remember half of the “special” stuff I throw out. And the other half I know I made a good choice because it was at some point reallllly stressing me out as a pressure point, enough to toss it when I was in a time pinch! Old food=reason to get backyard chickens.
I’m hoping to transition to using only edible ornaments for the tree next year. I’m tired of storing ornaments. I only want to store a tree stand and lights. Food ends up being eaten or gifted. Paper ornaments can be made and recycled. Then I’ll have zero ornament storage! 😁
Checked out your tshirt backyard orphans and that looks like an amazing organization. I can say as a retired social worker of 35 years, there are never enough foster families
Me too. My husband is taking up the carpet and putting flooring down in our 11 year olds room this week. I’m going to use this time to go thru her stuff again. Her brain can’t manage very much stuff no matter how I try to help her get organized. Not sure what I’m going to do but I’m going to have her pick her favorite pieces of jewelry and some other things. She gets frustrated because she always has a mess. She has too many clothes too which she can’t seem to put away if she takes them down and decides to not wear.
I have an 'in depth' pantry. When I started it, it served 3 people, but now it's just me. So, I went through the inventory, and anything that was over the 'best by' date, I put on top of the fridge or in a book case that's right by the kitchen. Visible, accessible. And I've done a pretty good job of grinding my way through cans of soup or whatever. Of course, I vary that with fresh food, but mainly, I work my way through the 'older' stuff. That also includes cans that have minor dents in the can, as that can affect integrity of the contents. Obviously, any can that bulges or isn't sealed, out it goes. I'm not gambling with that.
Brought out all of our holiday decor and sorted into trash, donate, keep. We decluttered about half. This year we also did this with Halloween and Thanksgiving/Fall decorations.
So excited there will be an app in the future! I don't have a Facebook account (and don't ever want one), so I've never been able to take advantage of some of the programs in the past.
@@anmbia Just explain that it's not their birthday, but Jesus's. It's so hard to get the commercialism out of the Holidays anymore. Also, having them help pick out things for those less fortunate might be helpful?
Dan, I was so surprised to hear that you are doing the workbook that David Kessler put together. He is absolutely amazing and has played a big role in the work that I do as a counselor. That is just so awesome that you found him as he is one of a kind.And as you know so much of the roadblocks that we faced from time to time regarding clutter goes back to unresolved grief.
I went through all my Christmas decor and was brutal about getting rid of the stuff I was on the fence about. I will reassess when I put everything back too.
This was my first year decorating the tree with the cats having access so some fragile ornaments didn't get put out but I'm not ready to declutter them. There are others I am ready to let go of.
Thank you for your encouraging guidelines! My mission for the next 14 days: fill up that donate box for Goodwill of all my nice clothes I am not wearing: sweaters, coats, new pants with tags still on them and I will turn them in within a few days to make new, fresh items available for the Goodwill stores to put out in time for Christmas. Time has told and it is 2 years now that I am back into smaller sizes and I am not going back. Those clothing items are practically brand new if not actually truly brand new and I know someone will be so glad to get them. And I will be so glad to get them out! Edited to add: I am now nearing the sunset of my years and when I think back to what stands out about celebrations when I was younger was never the opening of gifts - it centered on family activities. We had a favorite movie we watched and we ate brownies and had cocoa. And throughout a long holiday day when the highlight quickly went by (such as gift openings), we always had a late-in-the-day activity we could partake of, like a homemade meal, so that the day ended with a sense of unity and gratitude for one another. Those are the lasting memories and the real foundations on which a sense of togetherness and belonging were built. It makes me trust in my heart that this is where the joy lives and it has been there through thick and thin all of my life.
I tried to find out more about your membership group but failed. Will you please give me another link? You have helped me so much more than you can imagine. Thank you.
We love our gifts. But this year we are doing a Nerf War. Adults & Kids. Still like to shop for my grands. They got scooters and clothing - very usable
My favorite definition of "minimalism" is Joshua's - can't remember the exact wording, but it's something to the effect of "the intentional promotion of the things that matter and the removal of anything that detracts from it". I like that one because it leaves it entirely up to each person what and how much to keep and get rid of, because what matters and what detracts from it will vary from one person to the next, and can also vary from one stage of life to the next. I know for a fact that some minimalists keep sensory kits because, for those people, they're at a stage in life where those fall into the category of "things that matter", while I'm sure there are other minimalists out there who don't keep them because, for those people, they're at a stage in life where those fall into the category of "things that detract from it". There's no specific set of rules that all minimalists follow - it's up to each person to decide how he/she wants to do it.
It took you longer to write this complaint then it would have to fast forward through the “commercial.” She’s providing excellent content for free, I think we can be gracious about dealing with her sponsor ads.
Well everybody is free to have their own opinion and that's mine..not a thing in Canada for girls to wear baseball caps . Everyone's free to have their opinion including me that's not being rude that's just being truthful..
Unfortunately, you get verbally attacked here if you have a difference of opinion. A lot of the followers do the very thing they accuse others of doing.
Thank YOU for watching and Thank you Helix for sponsoring! Visit helixsleep.com/minimalmom to get 20% off your Helix mattress + 2 Free Pillows! Offers subject to change. I hope your holiday preparations are coming together well! Love, Dawn
My holiday decorations were ALL donated I finally decided that 75 was too old to be climbing a ladder decorating my 9ft tree and hanging garland over all my windows. Does my house look a little BAH HUMBUG yes it does, but the stress of decorating is off the table and my Christmas closet is pretty much empty which is a good thing because I had to get on a ladder to lift totes off the top shelves and falling is a serious consideration at my age. 😅🎄
I totally understand - I'm the woman who always had to have the 9ft fresh fabulously decorated tree - at 69 I decided that I'm over it. This year I have a 2.5ft fresh tree that cost $15 from Costco! I love it! I have some really nice Christmas ornaments that I will pass on to my 30 yr old daughter when she is ready to take them but I've let go of almost everything else and I'm thrilled. I do have an entire Dickens Village that I'm not sure what to do with but I certainly didn't put it out this year.
The best advice I ever saw was to buy rolls of wrapping paper that have patterns you can use for both birthdays and Christmas. This year I have been using a paper which has white stars on a red background. Last year I had silver stars on a gold background.
Shira Gill recommends just using brown kraft paper year round for wrapping. You can embellish it with anything for the occasion, or color/stamp/decorate the paper itself. Get creative and personal! Great idea!
I buy white/silver or white/gold in a pattern that work for Christmas and weddings.
Great idea!
I don’t know but this video hit home hard. I’ve been a fan for years. And you are so right. Start now so next year at this time it will be better. Thank you for all that you do and share.
All really great advice. I just threw out dog toys this morning and went through several bins this year and did the memory box. Decided not to keep SO MANY old ornaments ( three bins). Decided to get rid of two sets of Christmas dishes. Decided to go with white dishes and change out placemats, table clothes. No regret here in Texas. Went through my pantry the week after Thanksgiving. I’m all good on this video. Also went through winter clothes. Donated lots.
Not even 2 minutes in and I have to say I love the idea of a Christmas memory bin! Thank you!
Hi Lynn, how's your day going with you?
We try to take a long neighborhood walk or a hike that the whole family can handle on Christmas Day. Always my favorite tradition
Thanks for addressing grief. My dad died on Dec. 25th 3 years ago, & this year leading up to Christmas feels harder than last year. Not sure why, but I know that grief isn't rational i.e. it involves feelings. So I'm giving myself permission to feel the sadness without trying to overanalyze it, & to go a bit easier on myself this season.
Hugs to you! ❤
I'm so sorry for your loss. My step-father died on Christmas Day 1999. It does get a little easier as time passes - but I certainly understand that having a loved one die on a special holiday just seems extra sad. Wishing the best for you.
I use the gift bags to help with decluttering. I put stuff in it that I’m donating.
A GREAT IDEA 🎉
I decluttered a whole huge tote of Christmas decor when I was setting stuff up.
I just put it on my front porch and posted on my neighborhood Facebook page that it was all free and it was gone pretty quickly.
I did the same thing with party supplies and ribbons a few months ago and it works great!
I cut all my seasonal decor down by at least half during the pandemic when I had nothing but time. Even have a memory bin like you showed us here. This year has been serious painful and debilitating health issues for me. My husband is now in a cast and I've had to do all the household things that he does while I have daily pain myself. I don't even know how I put one foot in front of the other. There are times when life teaches you what limitations are, how to lean into your faith, and this year has been that for us. Decided enough is enough! I put out the things I really love (eye opener!) that bring me joy, the smaller tree that I love is going up, gifts getting wrapped we're calling it good and I'm not hosting even one thing! Even scaled down the gifting this year. I guess when you feel like you can't take even one step further, you should just learn take a break! p.s. We don't need a 7.5 foot tree. That's gotta go! 🙃
Hugs! ❤
I see Christmas everywhere, I just don't feel it. But, I will give it time and count my blessings!
Thank you, Dawn, for sharing your journey over the past many years. I have watched your videos faithfully even though I have been a natural minimalist all my adulthood-I am 70 yrs old. I share a home with family where almost all of my belongings fit sparingly into a bedroom, its bath, a pantry shelf, a fridge shelf. . .. You get the idea. And that’s more than enough space. . .. Oddly what I need to learn is to admit when a garment is worn out and needs to be replaced and then to make the effort to do so. And I do want to declutter my computer files. Still, I feel lonely not having anyone who wants and has time to talk about minimalism. Do you know people who have never had the need to do much decluttering yet still want to talk about living with less?
- Holiday decor
- Limit Holiday memorabilia
- Expired Pantry items
- sad mattress that is unrestful or uncomfortable to sleep
on
- excess winter coats/hats/boots - someone else needs these items in winter!
- Gift wrap that you haven't used and are unlikely to do so, crumpled wrap
- kids toys (btw, other parents on a limited budget might love to find these things at the local thrift store!)
- declutter conversation giving kids unrealistic gift expectations, help them look forward to other holiday activities
-
Bake cookies together, make baskets of the cookies for neighbors or church friends, etc., tell stories about past Christmas with loved ones that are gone, teach the young ones family Christmas recipes.. tell the Story of the True Meaning of Christmas.... lots of fun to be had.... other than opening gifts 🎁
I am still grieving the loss of my beloved sister-in-law whom we lost 2 years ago around Christmas time, and last Christmas we also lost our senior kitty. Both losses really knocked the wind out of us, and it shows in how I decorated this year. I really toned down how much I put out, and gave a lot away, and it feels peaceful, yet still festive. I like your idea of a Christmas memory box. I might see of that is something that would work for us. At least I decluttered my gift wrap today! Happy Holidays 🌲
Hi Dawn 👋🏻
We are moving Grandma to Assisted Living. So, I gathered all of her Christmas stuff. I packed 1 bin of stuff to decorate her new space. Took pics of the rest to post on the family FB page. My cousins picked up a box full, and I dropped some off at the thrift store. I even threw away a set of sad candles. 😮 😂 I've come a long way. Thank goodness because I've got a big project ahead of me taking care of grandma's things.
My keys to scaling back are: no more Santa, and secret Santa. I don’t buy gifts from Santa any more- huge money saver! And since we only have 1 secret Santa to buy for, the cost went down even more. This way, we can spend our money on a get away- more family time and less screens is a huge win in my book!🎉
Cheistmas doesn't have to be perfect. It has been a doozey of a year for many, things happen to us, we lose loved ones, health problems, etc. But if we remember it about Jesus's birthday, it gives us hope and peace. Immanuel...God with us.
For packing fragile items in a basket gift, I used my shredded paper from junk mail. No need to purchase any and its recyclable. I also save metal tins that I give to use for gifts.
Dawn, thank you for your passion and work devoted to helping us live well. When the world has us feeling like we are swimming upstream, you are right there beside us, cheering us on and holding out your hand. That is such a wonderful gift!
On the topic of Christmas traditions, decorating and grieving.... we lost my Dad in 2023. Mom turned 80 just 4 days later. It was a really hard year, particularly since so many of the traditions really seemed empty without him. So, we switched things up a bit. My youngest sister and her children showed up to decorate the tree and the living room, while her husband strung the Christmas lights along the railings of the porches. My husband and I changed up our annual visit home from October to Christmas so she wouldn't be alone in the house. My brother and his wife had us all over for Christmas Eve. And, rather than a Christmas Day feast, we had frozen Chinese food. It was NOT the Christmas of our memories, but it WAS the Christmas we needed it to be and it brought us all more joy and peace than we could have hoped.
As I type this, my youngest sister and her crew are at Mom's again... decorating the tree and the living room. And, come Friday morning, my husband and I will begin the 1000 mile drive to go "home for Christmas". We will stop along the way to pick up some frozen Chinese food. And we will have a wonderful Christmas. Because none of it is about what's under the tree. It's about the memories and the traditions - old and new.
Beautifully written!
Hi Dawn! I’m pregnant with my first, and we live in a pretty small house. What are your tips for a first-time mom to not let all the baby stuff get out of hand, especially when we have lots of well-meaning relatives excited for us after 6 years of infertility. Thanks for any tips & love watching your channel! 👋🏻
Remember something as a mom:
You only really need food diapers and clothes. The rest is extra and terribly unnecessary. (Some things like wraps or a swing can be helpful) but you don’t NEED anything else!
Signed a mom of a very large family.
What I would recommend after walking through what you had mentioned is 1. Thanking them and receiving the gift whether or not you like it. 2. Figure out what you’d like to keep and only cut the tags off and wash those items (it’s actually a lot of work to remove all the tiny tags and prewash). 3. Take all the extra items to a pregnancy resource center! They are SO extremely grateful to receive items and it feels good to know that they’ll be used by people who need things and don’t necessarily have the family and support systems that we do.
In lieu of presents ask for gift cards to a grocery store or big box store. Then you can purchase what you need when you need.
@@LivFowler77I love that. Our local pregnancy center gets so much from us including diapers.
I typically use reusable diapers now days and I hate cutting tags off new clothes (esp bull new clothes) when I have perfectly great hand me downs or local thrift shop cuties. It doesn’t make sense to me to use brand new clothes they’ll only wear once.
(To original post) Gosh and please mama, don’t buy new anything. Put what you save in a little jar for your sweet baby when they get older or when you and dad hit a rough spot as baby takes more financial strain on y’all.
Let them - Do as you wish with the items. We were married 8 years before kids. One thing that became front and center is the joy it gave to our relatives. We did not buy gifts for our kids, but hosted holiday and birthdays. More than enough gifts to open.
My daughter’s birthday is in late December. She started opening one gift a day until Christmas, then all of us opened a gift a day through Epiphany. Most gifts are small and personal. Her birthday is special & so is the Christmas season. We still do this 30 years later (I’m baking her birthday cake now)
Dawn, I am a minimalist and have been for a long time. I finally went through my bows and gift bags and ribbons. Some of them were so old they had faded and were degrading. So ironic how much I declutter and yet there is always something else. I am doing the minute to win it with my great niece for Christmas Eve so I’m really looking forward to some quality time and fun! I remember when you did the games video years ago. It inspired me.
Thanks for giving me permission to get rid of annoying toys that were gifted to us. A Singing Machine that collects dust and a Furby that haunts my dreams. It's harder to let go of things my kids grew out of. A Bumbo seat and baby clothes are so hard to see go but reminding myself my kids are not stuff and a baby could use it right now let's me move on. Being thankful my kids got to use these things and gifting another person with them gives me joy.
Grief is hard, especially during this time of the year. My mom went to be with the Lord 3 years ago on Christmas Day and will be 2 years in Feb for dad. The grief is still so real.
With you on using the overwhelmed feeling to help declutter! You've helped me realize how much excess stuff leads to anxiety. When it was time to decorate this year I just put out our favorite decorations and donated the rest. I actually enjoyed the process of admiring my favorites and it felt so good to let the rest go (and hope someone shopping at the thrift store enjoys the really nice items I said goodbye to!) Donated/threw out (tossed the not so nice or even handmade by my children items... Tho don't worry we still have PLENTY 😂) probably over 30% of what I had.
I decluttered gift wrap stuff and threw away a lot that was just garbage. I also posted ornaments that are nice but didn’t use this year on a local buy nothing facebook page. It made someone’s day! 🎉
I'm currently going through two spare bedrooms that we use for crafts and workouts (along with extra storage in the closets). I'm finally let go of the craft supplies - those things I tried and didn't go back to. I also found stuff that I forgot I had. It feels sooooooo good - like a huge weight has been lifted off my shoulders. And, I can find things easier (imagine that). I'm also decluttering gift wrapping stuff: boxes, crumpled tissue paper, gift bags while still maintaining the lowest inventory possible. (My husband and I decided a few years ago to stop wrapping gifts to each other: we don't have kids so it's really easy). Thank you for the inspiration. I'm not stopping!
I’m so done with Christmas gift wrap! I bought those fabric Santa Bags… I will reuse them for my husband and young adult sons.
I just have a small Xmas tree and a candle bridge on my window now. I have totally scaled back my decorations. I donated all the ones I no longer use. It takes me ten minutes to put up and then take down. Love your videos Dawn ❤
I have been steady decluttering forever. What I have, I use it. If not, it’s donated, given away or junked.
I love decluttering on a time crunch.
I don’t even remember half of the “special” stuff I throw out. And the other half I know I made a good choice because it was at some point reallllly stressing me out as a pressure point, enough to toss it when I was in a time pinch!
Old food=reason to get backyard chickens.
I’m hoping to transition to using only edible ornaments for the tree next year. I’m tired of storing ornaments. I only want to store a tree stand and lights. Food ends up being eaten or gifted. Paper ornaments can be made and recycled. Then I’ll have zero ornament storage! 😁
Checked out your tshirt backyard orphans and that looks like an amazing organization. I can say as a retired social worker of 35 years, there are never enough foster families
Looking forward to after Christmas to get back into decluttering in a big way❤
Me too. My husband is taking up the carpet and putting flooring down in our 11 year olds room this week. I’m going to use this time to go thru her stuff again. Her brain can’t manage very much stuff no matter how I try to help her get organized. Not sure what I’m going to do but I’m going to have her pick her favorite pieces of jewelry and some other things. She gets frustrated because she always has a mess. She has too many clothes too which she can’t seem to put away if she takes them down and decides to not wear.
We only put up our small tree this year and my front door and porch has nothing on it. It honestly felt so good!! ❤
Yes! Decluttering is a great mental health helper!
I have an 'in depth' pantry. When I started it, it served 3 people, but now it's just me. So, I went through the inventory, and anything that was over the 'best by' date, I put on top of the fridge or in a book case that's right by the kitchen. Visible, accessible. And I've done a pretty good job of grinding my way through cans of soup or whatever. Of course, I vary that with fresh food, but mainly, I work my way through the 'older' stuff. That also includes cans that have minor dents in the can, as that can affect integrity of the contents. Obviously, any can that bulges or isn't sealed, out it goes. I'm not gambling with that.
Great video. I didn’t get out my tree. I just didn’t feel like it. That’s ok.
Cute cap look and love your hair length! You look years younger!
Brought out all of our holiday decor and sorted into trash, donate, keep. We decluttered about half.
This year we also did this with Halloween and Thanksgiving/Fall decorations.
So excited there will be an app in the future! I don't have a Facebook account (and don't ever want one), so I've never been able to take advantage of some of the programs in the past.
Kids toys! Last year (2023) I had 4 gifts each for my 2 grandchildren and my grandson actually said "Is that it?" This year he only gets 2.
Oh my! 😅
We give 3 gifts for the 3 Wiseman. Its not their birthday, it's Christ. Gently bring that up. A book, a toy and a piece of clothing.
My son is the same way, he just wants a huge pile of gifts to open. I'm trying to limit my parents to 3 gifts per kid, but it isn't going well
@@anmbia Just explain that it's not their birthday, but Jesus's. It's so hard to get the commercialism out of the Holidays anymore. Also, having them help pick out things for those less fortunate might be helpful?
Thank you for the inspiration.
Eek first minute!!!!!!!!! Love you and all you do, Dawn!
I didn’t even know they made draw string wrapping bags. I’m going to have to look into buying some
Great video and so right !
I just dated and organized my pantry, Jan 1 ,2025 is at the front. On each shelf
Great video right before the holidays! ❤️🎄
Never thought of that, thanks!
Dan, I was so surprised to hear that you are doing the workbook that David Kessler put together. He is absolutely amazing and has played a big role in the work that I do as a counselor. That is just so awesome that you found him as he is one of a kind.And as you know so much of the roadblocks that we faced from time to time regarding clutter goes back to unresolved grief.
I went through all my Christmas decor and was brutal about getting rid of the stuff I was on the fence about. I will reassess when I put everything back too.
This was my first year decorating the tree with the cats having access so some fragile ornaments didn't get put out but I'm not ready to declutter them. There are others I am ready to let go of.
Thank you for your encouraging guidelines! My mission for the next 14 days: fill up that donate box for Goodwill of all my nice clothes I am not wearing: sweaters, coats, new pants with tags still on them and I will turn them in within a few days to make new, fresh items available for the Goodwill stores to put out in time for Christmas. Time has told and it is 2 years now that I am back into smaller sizes and I am not going back. Those clothing items are practically brand new if not actually truly brand new and I know someone will be so glad to get them. And I will be so glad to get them out! Edited to add: I am now nearing the sunset of my years and when I think back to what stands out about celebrations when I was younger was never the opening of gifts - it centered on family activities. We had a favorite movie we watched and we ate brownies and had cocoa. And throughout a long holiday day when the highlight quickly went by (such as gift openings), we always had a late-in-the-day activity we could partake of, like a homemade meal, so that the day ended with a sense of unity and gratitude for one another. Those are the lasting memories and the real foundations on which a sense of togetherness and belonging were built. It makes me trust in my heart that this is where the joy lives and it has been there through thick and thin all of my life.
😂🤣😂. Holiday Slime... now that's a new one.
I did an anti wrapping paper year and used nothing but reusable draw string gift bags. I'll probably never buy wrapping paper again
AKA Kenneth Bailey 😊😊😊
I just buy it as i use it now and if i have a brand new roll will keep it for next year but thats it.
I tried to find out more about your membership group but failed. Will you please give me another link? You have helped me so much more than you can imagine. Thank you.
The link to her membership group is in the description.
@ I tried that.
@ Oh, sorry.
@ I know you were just trying to help. Merry Christmas!
@ Merry Christmas to you also.🎄🙏
Hey 👋👋👋👋
dog toys on the agenda. 🎄
What is the game they are playing on the clip with Joshua? Each person has a little green board in front of them on the table.
We love our gifts. But this year we are doing a Nerf War. Adults & Kids. Still like to shop for my grands. They got scooters and clothing - very usable
aloha, mahalo, happy holidays
❤❤❤❤❤❤
We did less this year because Thanksgiving was later. It's still nice, but there won't be as much to put away.😊😊😊
I reuse the Amazon gift bags every year lol
Yippee new video ❣️❣️❣️
Can you offer another video about toy and kid declutter? I know you have in the past but I'm still struggling.
Do minamilists keep sensory kits?😂
My favorite definition of "minimalism" is Joshua's - can't remember the exact wording, but it's something to the effect of "the intentional promotion of the things that matter and the removal of anything that detracts from it". I like that one because it leaves it entirely up to each person what and how much to keep and get rid of, because what matters and what detracts from it will vary from one person to the next, and can also vary from one stage of life to the next. I know for a fact that some minimalists keep sensory kits because, for those people, they're at a stage in life where those fall into the category of "things that matter", while I'm sure there are other minimalists out there who don't keep them because, for those people, they're at a stage in life where those fall into the category of "things that detract from it". There's no specific set of rules that all minimalists follow - it's up to each person to decide how he/she wants to do it.
🎄🎄🎄🏡
Kinda feel like we're only tuning in every Tuesday to hear about the same mattress every week
It took you longer to write this complaint then it would have to fast forward through the “commercial.” She’s providing excellent content for free, I think we can be gracious about dealing with her sponsor ads.
@@nicolemartin8737I just fast forward past it.
Sponsors allow videos to be seen without paying for each.
I don't get the wearing baseball caps lol
What is there to “get“? She wanted to wear a hat, so she put one on. Do you question guys who wear baseball caps, too?
Rude!!
I wear hats when I have bad hair days 😂
Well everybody is free to have their own opinion and that's mine..not a thing in Canada for girls to wear baseball caps . Everyone's free to have their opinion including me that's not being rude that's just being truthful..
Unfortunately, you get verbally attacked here if you have a difference of opinion. A lot of the followers do the very thing they accuse others of doing.