Thank you Helix for sponsoring! Visit helixsleep.com/minimalmom to get 20% off your Helix mattress, plus two free pillows! Thank YOU for watching!!! - Dawn
When I click on your channel now, I always ask what you’ll be selling. This is at odds with your content. Once in awhile is one thing. But maybe it’s too much.
I seriously want to thank you for your Helix recommendation! We got our Sunset Elite about a week ago. I have been having some of the best sleep ever, and waking up not in pain has been awesome. Thanks tons!
I remember a quote saying "whichever thing you chose, you will have misery... but if you chose what you KNOW, you will at least know what misery you are in for"
Tonight someone called and said they were going to pop over to visit and they would be here in 5 minutes. Before I simplified my home, I would have been in panic mode, rushing around trying to pick up and clean up. A few times I wound up in tears because it was so embarrassing and just awful. Tonight, I looked around, smiled, and started some coffee. A simplified home is SO worth it. Even when family members are not on board. And I truly cannot think of a single thing I regret getting rid of.
Yes! The first time it "hit me" was because it was our Pastor and his wife "just in the neighborhood". Wow. I said "come on in" and didn't have to apologize for anything. :)
These are goals!! 🎉 the only time I was able to have people over without worry, was a 7-week period when our house was on the market. So much stuff was out of the house and we could clean so much quicker.
I donated a decorative souvenir to our community thrift store about 3 years ago and sort of regretted it thereafter. I liked the item, and it didn't take up much space at all, but it was gone forever... until I was at an estate sale last month. There was my souvenir (complete with my hand written note on the bottom stating where I had originally bought it)! I bought it back for only $1. I may eventually be ready to donate it again, but for now I'm enjoying having it back.
@@wendyeskelin8765 I couldn't believe it. I picked it up and excitedly showed it to my friend, saying I used to have one exactly like it and was sorry I had gotten rid of it. I turned it over, and on the bottom was my handwritten note "Bought in Beijing 1987". Yea!
If you only knew how much you have changed my life, you’d be SHOCKED. It’s been years simplifying my home. I’m still on it but I’m wiser and I do things with confidence thanks to you and your wonderful content. I’m a 36 year old man who is slowly but surely building a life around life and not things. Thank you from the bottom of my heart
I decluttered an ice cube tray after we moved to a new house with an ice maker in the freezer. Then my wife wanted to make frozen coffee ice cube. Lo and behold, she used the gingerbread man silicone molds we still have (I make them every Christmas and love them!) to freeze coffee so then we had adorable gingerbread man shaped coffee ice cubes for our summer ice coffee. It reminded me of the snowman in Frozen singing about summer!
I don't mean to be too parasocial, but the "you're doing a great job" at the end made my postpartum, tired self burst into tears (in a good way). Thanks for the light you shine, Dawn!
For my 10th wedding anniversary, my husband and I celebrated by wearing our wedding attire and "running" (and walking) a 10K for 10 years. I knew I didn't want my wedding gown in my closet anymore, and my daughter didn't want it, she wants to get her own, and I bought it used anyway so there were no resale shops that would want it either. By doing this for our anniversary, I now have more pictures of me in my wedding gown, with my husband in his suit. Afterwards I felt confident in tossing it because it was used for its purpose - twice - and the memories are amazing to have forever and I don't need the dress for those memories because I have the photos. Also, if I wanted to keep the wedding gown after the 10K race, I could get it cleaned because after my wedding reception it was full of sweat and dirt from the floor anyway, just like after a 10K race. The race watchers were all cheering for my husband and I as well, while we ran together through the race of our marriage. It was a very symbolic celebration! And 10 years was the right race for us because I'm not sure I'd be able to run a marathon in my wedding gown (or even in workout gear!) - but feel free to modify this idea for your marriage memories! 👰🤵♂️💒❤
Such a great idea!😊 We just celebrated our 10th anniversary last year...and after moving 5x already since getting married, I decided to get rid of my wedding dress just before our move this spring. Unfortunately I hadn't had it cleaned well after the wedding, and it had a lot of discoloration after 10 years already. So I just trashed it. Was hard to make the decision, but after deciding to let it go I have no regrets. No need to keep stuff that isn't being used.👍
Love this! Today is my 8th and I don’t quite fit my wedding dress anymore. Maybe this will be some inspiration for my husband and I to do this together!
@rebekahtyler7406 Congratulations on 8 years!!! And yes, you should definitely do this!! It was an amazing, memorable experience - maybe even moreso than my busy wedding day!
I've often said "For every hundred things I've gotten rid of, there's usually one thing that shouldn't have gone. But the VALUE of the 99% of the things that NEEDED to go FAR OUTWEIGHS the one thing that I shouldn't have let go!"
When my children were young and I was trying to minimize my inventory I was decluttering my sewing room and got rid of old patterns my mom had given to me. Now that my kids are adults and my mom has passed away I wish I would have kept the vintage patterns for sentimental reasons. However one of the most important things my mom gave me was her patience, time and her talent teaching me how to love sewing. That’s when I feel closest to her - and I’m pretty good at it😉. Thank you for always encouraging people to focus on the importance of moments.
Hey, I’ve decluttered at least 80% in the past three years. Funny, I was on a mission a few months ago to try to think of ANYTHING I could regret decluttering, and the only thing I could think of was that it would have been handy to have the baby activity center back because one of my twins was starting to put weight on her legs. The following weekend, I went to our local free store… and there it was! IT CAME BACK TO US ❤🎉 Just when we needed it. God is great! He always makes sure we have what we need when we need it. Now I just trust in God that if I make a mistake decluttering, he will provide an answer.
I decluttered all my wedding cards - no regrets there, they were all just “congratulations! Love x and y”. But I realised the card from my gran was in there and that was the last time I saw her before she passed. And yes, when I realised, I was really sad. BUT I reframed it in my mind. If she’d left the card at home and I’d never even received it, would I have loved her any less? Would I have fewer memories of her? Would I remember her less vividly or less fondly? The answer to all those questions is of course no. And that let me come to peace with not having the card. (I would have been sadder had it had a long message of love and advice but luckily it didn’t).
Last weekend I recruited by husband to " hold my donation bag " while I decluttered by closet. If I ask him, "should I get rid of...?" He will always say "Yes" (doesn't matter what it is!) and if I have to ask then I probably can let go of it, I just need the reinforcement. I started to say, "If I need it again, I will just have to buy it" and in the bag it goes. I can now see the floor of my walk in closet and I think I am ready for a second pass. I can't see myself repurchasing anything, and I have already has some regrets in the past, but I never had to "go naked" because I purged a piece of clothing. I appreciate your posts, they really keep me motivated. I need it for my sanity! I notice when I don't watch consistently, I fall into a rut. THANK YOU SO MUCH!!!
I started with minimalism many years ago, I have never ever regretted it. What follows minimalism often is simplicity in so many additional forms, ….getting out of debt, living within your means, and just generally simplifying so many life choices. It really has been a huge blessing in my life.
I'm really hoping to shift my decluttering onto my finances, which aren't in a great state. Made a first move today by reducing my broadband costs by switching to a different supplier, and cancelling Paramount+. Lots more to do, but your comment gives me some hope on the financial stuff! 🙂
Turned in weird CPU on electronic recycle day, later found out old business phones couldn’t be returned without the weird CPU that was really the server…so donated the phones. No harm done
My piano teacher in college would write “Forgive” on my music if she saw me spending my mental energy on kicking myself over a mistake while I was still playing the piece rather than immersing myself in the music. Another music professor would say to us “you’re worried about the 2 or 3 notes you just played wrong. What about the 4,000 notes you played correctly?”
Two teachers in their perfect roles instead of all of the meanies who make children feel foolish & hate music. Bless them both. 🥰 Hope you write them each to remind them about this beautiful kindness and how it’s stayed with you all this time. I’ll bet it would make their day (or that of their loved ones if they’re not around anymore!)
When performing, I sometimes say, “I forgive me” if I make a mistake. It makes it so much easier letting go of guilt and frustration and allows me to keep going without the burden of having to stop and fix the mistake.
I have another suggestion for a place to donate wedding dresses (or any formal Gown)…local community theater. They can remake them into period dresses, and local theater groups are often on a tight budget. I used to do musical theater and it was really helpful 🥰
I really like the idea of letting the thrift stores 'hold' my stuff for me, and if I need it again, I pay a little 'rent' and buy it again. For instance, I threw my daughter a baby shower this past weekend, and I had to buy a few platters. A couple at the thrift store, a few at the dollar store. Cost maybe 20 bucks total, and I didn't have that clutter in my house for the past 9 years since I had my last need for such things
Same here. I was basically glued to my mom’s hip, growing up. We were always together and I enjoyed being around her no matter what she was doing. As I got older I got bogged down by clutter that I was holding onto because I didn’t want my mom to ask me “do you still have that dish someone gave you?” So I just kept it all and realized that I paid to have a storage unit moved onto my property just for the stuff that I shoved in boxes and saved because I didn’t want to stand up for myself. I finally found the courage to tell her, respectfully, that just because it was nice, if I never use it and it stays in boxes stored away, then it was no good to me. She will never understand because she holds on to everything and each item she has holds special meaning and a picture of the item will never be enough for her. I’m praying that someday she will change. Myself and my sister do not want to have to go through all her things when her time on this earth is up and her health isn’t getting any better but she won’t let anyone go through her things, for fear that they won’t know what it means to her and they may toss it without asking 😢
"You did the best you could with the information you had at that time." SO GOOD. I wish this could soak into my brain a lot sooner and easier than later.
Love the replacement budget. Here's an idea... everytime you stop your self from doing an impulse purchase, put half of that amount into a replacement budget and the other half into a vacation budget. Tripple bonus... you did not add clutter to the house, you can declutter knowing you have what if funds, and money for someing fun.
Wow I’m early to a Minimal Mom video! Dawn, you’ve helped me so much as a 23 year old mother of two. I’m so thankful I’ve learned so much about minimalism so early into my motherhood journey. Thank you for all you do!
We had to move home last year after living in one place for over ten years, we are in our 50’s and had accumulated so much ‘stuff’! From your videos I started to declutter before the move, we got rid of so much, 2 skips (UK) and donations, gave away, sold and the rest to the tip. It was life changing! I’m still continuing to go through and declutter. I do monthly and then now 3 months, if I haven’t used it, it doesn’t spark joy…it goes! It’s so easy to clean now and we both feel so much better. So thank you so much ❤.
I've made mistakes by accepting things. When my mother and mother-in-law died 3 months apart, we brought home things and my husband said, "Just shove it somewhere. We'll deal with it later." Then there were all his hobbies, work, and assorted stuff that filled the garage, storage building and basement. We quietly left it alone. Now he has passed on 6 years ago. So, there's all this stuff that I have to declutter, I'm by myself, and I'm battling cancer (along with insurance issues). I know what to do with the paper stuff because I'm a history person, so that's easy. The getting started is the hardest.
So sorry to hear of your loss. The clutter creeps up when life throws road blocks sometimes, I know mine did. Sending you so much love and healing ❤️🩹. Best of luck with your treatment.
Sorry you're going through this. I had a young daughter in congestive heart and kidney failure, my husband asked for a divorce, and my mom died (I'm an only child). Had to physically and emotionally put stuff in a corner for quite awhile . Took years to really feel I'd finally dug out but that's ok. Also advise ( if you can) get help. Stuff can weigh you down!
I got started by using the day the dumpster goes to the street for pickup. My goal was to fill the dumpster every Tuesday. I put the dumpster right outside the back door. I worked one room at a time until I ran out of things to throw away, donate or give away. Then I moved onto another room. It worked for me pretty well. It wasn't too time consuming, and I actually started looking forward to my decluttering day.
@@barqu1636 , I did something similar - and for me the day before trash pickup was also a Tuesday!! Every Tuesday I still plan the things I'm going to get rid of - even if I'm just going to trim a bush in the yard and load up the branches in the trash receptacle!!!
I have regretted a couple of things but eventually forgot about them. I did re-buy something once, then never used it, and ended up decluttering it again 🤦🏻♀️
I did that.. with my juicer 😂 felt so stupid. But I learnt from that. When things are out of my house now, they don’t come back. And I’m perfectly fine with using my blender, so I forgive myself.. 😅
We did that with a bread maker. Got rid of it.. and then a few years later my husband wanted to start making bread again. I researched and found a great one, spent a good amount of money on it and he made bread like two times and there it sits.
I regretted decluttering my slow cooker, bought again then decluttered it again. It takes 3 hrs to cook something that can be done in 1 hr in the Instant Pot, so I never used it again.
Same. A Valentine’s Day plate. I guess I’m drawn to them! But when I’m home, I wish it was a plain red plate, so that I could use it during other holidays through the year.
As a newly wed couple, my husband's grandmother gave us her old waffle iron. You need to know I love waffles, but this was so dirty and grimy (just from 50 years of regular use), that I donated it (because I didn't have the energy or heart to clean it). That was 40 years ago and it's the only thing I've ever regretted giving away and it haunted me ... until now. Your comment that we sometimes glorify the item as time passes is certainly true of this item. If I really focus on the reason I gave it away, I would probably do the same thing today. Regret gone. Thank you for this reality check perspective !!
The wiring in old vintage appliances isn’t the best and if the waffle iron was heavily used, so was the wiring. You may have saved yourself and your husband from a fire emergency by tossing the old waffle maker.
I started 15 months ago after seeing Dawns videos and have purged so much, so many car loads. I still continue to minimize. I am a youngish mom of 4 kiddos. I cannot tell you what I’ve all donated, it’s been so much- and I also have no regrets. I can’t encourage you all enough to let it go, and if you donated something you shouldn’t have, shoot but let it go also! ❤
Dawn, I’ve simplified my stuff as things have change through my life…kids get older, kids to college, kids moved out, kids marrying, retirement, becoming a grandmother, etc. I’ve never regretted simplifying. It’s always made me relax and have time to breathe in the beauty of life. The only thing that shocks me is how attached I was to the peer pressure then. All the money I spent on clothing, furniture and decor over the decades is mind boggling. Thanks for keeping the value of a simplified life foremost in your videos. 🌸
The me who misses the item is idealizing the situation- I only think I’d use it because it’s gone. If I had it I guarantee I wouldn’t use it (because that’s why I decluttered it!)
Such lovely and sensitive stories about regrets. I regret nothing out of the thousands of things I donated. Actually, I regret getting to the point of having so much stuff it ruined my life, and not decluttering 10 years earlier.
Dawn, millions of blessings to you and the earth shattering peace/wisdom you provide! In the last few serious years of minimizing, I’ve decluttered thousands of items, cleared out both my parents homes when they transitioned to care, and when I retired from teaching. Of all the identity, fantasy, transitional, sentimental, craft, etc items, I only replaced a French press and a can opener that I decluttered. HOWEVER, my life is simple, low stress, clutter free, easy to clean, and I’ve donated items to people who really need and love the things. I’ve met people in my neighborhood thru the “buy nothing group” and their joy has filled me up and my connection to them as neighbor means waaay more than any “thing”. I’m eternally grateful to you ❤
Great video, Dawn! This will definitely help me move forward with a new mindset. Example about “using something else”: I ran out of ziplock bags about 2 years ago and decided to pause purchasing them until I needed one. For over a year, I never needed a ziplock bag. Married my new husband last June, and he had a ton of ziplock bags stored up. Now I seem to use them every day, just because they’re available. But I NEVER “needed” a ziplock bag when I didn’t have one. I used glass jars, wax paper, whatever and it was painless. Yes, necessity is the mother of invention and you will find a way. Great point! Thank you for encouraging us all.
One of the (many!) reasons I love what you've taught me about decluttering is that I can apply the same strategies to keeping my barns/farm decluttered too! Having a house as well as 2 sheds and 2 barns is a lot of potential inventory to manage and can be very overwhelming so I am so thankful to God that I found you, Dawn! Thank you! :)
Our minds also play a trick on us. Once something is decluttered, I will often think of ways I _could_ have used it. I never thought of those uses while I had the item, but decluttering it brings on so many instances of " I really could have used that item on this project or that project!" I counter that though by reminding myself that this is just a reflex my brain has, so it is not really a problem that I got rid of the item. Also, since I enjoy making things, I used to come up with so may projects I _could_ use that items for in the future. But the truth is, I don't really want to do that project, my mind is just grasping for reasons to keep things. I have enough projects that i really want to do, I don't need to make up projects just to have a reason to keep more stuff.
I’ve been married for 55 years, have two sons and two granddaughters who don’t have any interest in most of our “stuff”. Last week I thought of some things I never got to have: a KitchenAid stand mixer, a grandfather clock, etc. All space-hogs. But I got the one huge space-hog we bought for our 20th anniversary - a beautiful ebony 7 foot long grand piano, that has given me pleasure every single day since it was delivered. I am grateful for this thing that most people never get to have, and I’m working on getting over the sadness at not getting the other things…and it’s all just things….
New to your channel. Very recently I was watching one of your posts, one test was if something makes you think about a person that has made you feel a certain way, mine was not worthy enough (family). I immediately got up and awkwardly moved a desk to my SUV late one evening and also added a couple of little throw blankets that was associated with the same family member. Took it to the thrift store the next morning. I felt good about it until I was talking to my daughter and she wanted it, lol (was this a mistake). Glad I watched your post about making mistakes. I have released this quilt after thinking this family member has not been nice to my daughter, so now the desk is out of my atmosphere. Thank you for you great advice.
The ones I really regretted decluttering were the ones that were really difficult to repurchase/replace, like old record albums, unique jewelry or a manual grain roller that was difficult to find again. It didn't stop me from decluttering, which I still do on a regular basis, but taught me not to be in haste to declutter unique items without thought. Now, for those unique or more expensive items, I will put them aside or store them away - which I have the room to do it - so it's not a problem.
The graphic at the end is so spot on!! Messy middle, tipping point and then this all-out declutterring until I was almost sad that I didn’t have another room to go through!!! Maintenance is the place to be where my home takes very little of my time now. Love a simplified life!!
I declutterred my home, no regrets. Can’t wait to do the garage this fall when the weather breaks. I set up tables at my curb, yard sale style, with a big sign that says FREE STUFF! Whatever is left, about half, goes to goodwill
Oh my goodness I just thought about that and watching this video! I was just going to put things on the curb and say free please take and keep it neat! ❤
To me a decluttered house is way more valuable than a small item here or there that I might have to replace someday. If I have to spend $15 to rebuy something, it doesn’t even compare to the value of a calm and peaceful home. Great video as always, Dawn. ❤
20 years ago My Mother-law, Mother and step Mother died within 8 months. My husband inherited ALOT of figurines and tchotchkes. My Mother was a collector of crafts…we’re talking floor to ceiling, wall to wall and my step Mother lived in another state so I flew out and it took a long time to clean so I wound up bringing too much home with me. I was ok getting rid of things by re-homing them but had a hard time throwing out. I was sure my nieces and nephews and brother would like certain things and they did but it cost me hundreds of dollars to send it. My Mothers house took 8 months to clean. I literally had a heart attack because of the enormous stress. My brother left all the stuff in storage and it had to be thrown out. So now I can look back and realize I should have kept 1 item for each person that they wanted (unless they came to get more) and just donated everything. When we moved to our new home I took 70 boxes with me. It’s taken 20 years to go through the stuff….and no one misses a thing…
That is such a burden you had to take on. I'm sorry it was so stressful that it caused you some major health issues! Sometimes we try to do and do and do, but it never usually ends up being a good idea in the end.
I can feel your pain. Thanks for sharing and inspiring others. Hate to admit this, but we cleared out my inlaws place in 3 days. Horribly stressful, but was able to walk away saying it was finished. We had the grands come out to help and let them pick whatever they wanted. Each only picked an item or two. Bless you for taking on that task and respecting her belongings...
I have regretted things, but what’s so funny if I didn’t regret them enough to go buy them again. And another amazing side effect getting rid of so much of my stuff is that I don’t feel like anxiety when I go in store anymore… I used to feel like I wanted to buy stuff and I needed to buy stuff and now I don’t
I always misplace my chapstick and then have to rebuy. Asked my frugal sis what she does if she can't find her chapstick and she said she just uses Vaseline temporarily and it always turns up : )
We have already reached the give it away for free here on the west coast. It’s happening because people moving out of state have run out of time and are begging people to come and take away their stuff. When so much stuff is free, it’s hard to actually sell your stuff. I know that personally with a couch that we tried to sell. A very nice couch too. We even set it in the driveway with a big free sign. Finally one night it disappeared. Good thing too, because we would have had to take it to the dump.
I am sitting here in tears and not because of decluttering mistakes but because from your video I can help teach my daughter a Life lesson hopefully that will touch her heart. She started her first real job in a field that she loves. She worked at an animal shelter that had no organization or support from management for the employees. She then did internships for college classes and was she pretty much just observing and didn't do much hands on. She now has a full-time position but has only been there three months. She is having a tough time right now feeling discouraged by her progress because she's mostly hearing negative comments during her evaluations. It has mostly been things she has not learned yet or was only exposed to and is just now beginning to practice. I feel they truly believe in her and want her to do well and she's taking it as criticism and not training. I'm going to tell her this from your success diagram........"Starting something new is stressful, you get to a messy Middle point where you're not quite at the point of successful progress and it takes time and energy, then you get to a point of progress and accomplishment and feeling confident and stronger . You move on to fine-tuning and settling into your comfort zone that is all your own." I wanted to say that I've watched you for years and I have taken so much to heart and put some into action and decluttering and I appreciate you so much! You have such a beautiful soul of understanding.❤
This is my third year on the "Dawn train" I still have a ways to go, but the ideas of memory boxes and the "time will tell" bin have really helped me deal with the loved iitems. I have missed a couple of things, but right now I can't even remember what they were!! Having the space is so much better than having the stuff. Thank you Dawn. Also, when I've had a bad day, Diana always makes me feel better. I love you both like friends. I pray you both have continued blessings and laughter. Thirdly, I've been on the Dave Ramsey train also since 1994. He used to be on a radio show, here in Nashville, called "The Money Game'. He kept me out of debt my whole life. He is another blessing.
❤❤After years of decluttering my own possessions, my husband finely let me help him with his. It is more about storage solutions for his Butterfly (clutterbug) brain, but I am so thrilled. We are not finished, but I can already feel the difference in the house. My mental health is improving item by item.
Mine is finally doing the same! It started with socks and t-shirts and has moved on to electronic equipment. I'm looking forward to the year he'll be ready to declutter sports magazines from the 1990s! ETA: 2 months later, he's decluttering his desk and asking me to declutter our office supplies so he can use a small chest of drawers for the items previously piled all over the desk. He's now considering drawer dividers to contain those items. I'm slowly helping his cricket self simplify his living spaces, as he works on them in his own time.
I put my wire whisk into a donation box and away it went. One day I was making cornbread looked for my wire whisk -- GONE! Next time I was close to the battered woman's thrift store I ran in and grabbed a wire whisk 99¢. Another time I put my blender in a donation box, went to the pantry to get my blender and was shocked it wasn't there, but I looked in my donation box and fished it out, it is back in my pantry. Donated four eight-inch nonstick skillets because I wasn't using them, then hubby passed away and now I cook for one and I need my eight-inch skillets. Other than those items I have no regrets about the truck loads of stuff I've decluttered.
I decluttered my kitchen and when my husband looked for his cheese slicer, it was gone. He was not a happy camper and I bought another one. Don’t regret decluttering at all. Less clutter equals peace of mind to me.
Dawn, you mentioned how good it feels to be creative about finding something else to get a job done. You are so right! I was laid off several years ago, and my husband and I decided to live more frugally until I found another job. If something broke, we figured out how to fix it instead of rushing out to buy a replacement. If we needed something that we didn't already own, we borrowed it from friends/family or we found something else to use instead. It felt so good, and it was actually a lot of fun. I'm thankful for that period in our lives because it changed how we think about and handle 12:38 our money and possessions. Thank you for sharing your decluttering journey! I find it so inspiring!
I listened to your messages a long time ago and was able to accomplish things by following your instructions on everything needed to have a home. The areas I organized are still organized, and that is over a year ago. Lately, I have had so much clutter and no energy or desire to start. I thought, why is this so hard for me again? Then, I realized I was not listening to your messages anymore. I just got busy with life, so now I'm making it a point to listen to you daily. The information you shared regarding how things affect you mentally and you find you can't do something because of the clutter even though you want to do it. I don't know exactly what you said, but your message helped me to let go of that negative thought process and just start. Thank you so much for all your messages. They really really help in many, many ways. Super big hugs. I tell people I don't want to be a minimalist. I want to be a medium list. I only want in my house what I need daily.
Our home runs so much more efficiently after decluttering, that even if I had a budget of $1000 for things that I accidentally decluttering, we would have already saved that within the first year of living in a highly simplified home. And I have no regrets.
I decluttered my childhood toys and items I collected. I never thought I would need these things….well I now have grandchildren and I am really regretting getting rid of the barbies (including barbie clothes my mom had made), a special stuffed animal and doll house furniture 😢. I try to tell myself that they are being used by someone who needed them more, but it is difficult sometimes.
I saved my son's action figures for many years, waiting for grandchildren. I had a whole bin full of them. All in great condition (my son loved them and took great care of them) and mostly irreplaceable because they're no longer manufactured. I was blessed with grandsons! When they were more than old enough to enjoy the action figures, I brought out the bin. A couple of them were actually a bit old for action figures, but I waited because I was overly cautious. I thought those toys were so awesome, and my grandsons would treasure them just like my son had. They destroyed most of them. I was so disappointed. I found a few that were still intact and donated them. Sometimes reality is completely different from what we envisioned. I wish I had donated everything to begin with like you did, instead of storing them for years and building up a beautiful scenario in my head, then getting disappointed.
@@JamieM470 Except if you have donated them, there's a good chance that you'd be writing a comment now about how you wished you'd kept them. You'd still be under the impression that your grandsons would have treasured the toys.
@@Smithpolly Yes, that was my point exactly! The OP regrets decluttering special toys. Maybe if she'd saved them, she would regret that like I do. I regret saving them. Maybe if I'd donated them, I'd regret that like she does. Dawn is right. Both of us are wasting mental space on a presumption that the choice not made would have turned out better. It's a presumption. A fantasy. Reality may have been very different.
I have "regretted" a few things that I've decluttered but not enough to make me stop decluttering. Decluttering changed my life! It's given me peace in my home now. And I'm so Thankful for Dawn - finding your channel - I turn you on and you're here with me while I declutter. 😂 Then once I'm done, I step back and seriously marvel at the area 😂😂😂
Yes I’ve decluttered things that I wish I hadn’t but I truly believe this “ give and it shall be given unto you” so it seems I always come out better in the long run. Live generously and give with a generous heart this is what I try to live by.
Hi Dawn! I love that you discuss regret. And other concepts like decision fatigue, and inventory. But about regret, I wondered if you had ever heard the quote by FEDERICO FELLINI: "Regret is a waste of time; it is the past crippling you in the present." Ever since I heard that quote, it has blessed my life over and over. As soon as I feel my mind lean towards regret, or feel that familiar clutching feeling of it in my being, I repeat that quote to myself and I'm able to release the regret and just appreciate the learning experience for what it was/is. You, too, have been a blessing to me. Thank you for all you do!
I think the challenge with abundance vs the scarcity time being not that long ago is we can still fear that that type of time is so close to us, so what prevents it from happening again? The pandemic and job loss kind of shook us a bit.
Your videos have been and still are só helpfull in my decluttering proces. It feels like you’ve become a good friend even though we’ve never met or will meet (I live in the Netherlands). So far no recent regrets, only one from my past. I was fortunate to have known my great grandmother as a kid. When she passed away I was given her beautiful ‘toy’ horse she always had on display. As a 9 year old at the time my passion was horses and I really loved that decoration horse and always played with it when we visited her. When I moved out of my parents house at age 19 my interests had shifted and I got rid of the horse, no longer grieving over my great grandmothers passing. But when I got older I regretted that decision because it was the only tangible object I had of her. And in my memory the horse grew more beautiful every year. But what’s done is done and no 20/20 rule can help me here so I just keep the memory.
Dawn I have been following you for 5 years, you are my favourite youtuber, such an inspiration. I found you when I wanted to change how my house looked messy, I wanted a more minimal life. Whenever I need to do housework I put your videos on and I work. I have changed a lot in this years thanks to you! Greetings from Croatia!
Ah - that piece on regret is so helpful. I'm massively decluttering and there are some cool sport-items I barely used that I'm now selling on marketplace. They feel like lost dreams of sorts, BUT, your video made me realize that it's precisely BECAUSE I purchased certain things (like a powerkite) that I discovered there was no place anywhere near my home to fly it. Had I not bought one, I probably would have fantasized about all the powerkiting I could have done in my area... Same for a bunch of other things. Buying them and trying to make them work in my life taught me a lot about the practicalities of my life. So now it's easier to see something that sounds fun and think through the practical ins and outs. Less item-FOMO :)
I hear you on the lost dreams feeling, I'm dealing with that now. I think that is a great lesson that you took away from the kite and helpful! Thank you.
I started decluttering my home 9 months ago. I notice lately that I can’t even remember how cluttered it was. I agree that part of the regret bias is that by decluttering you remember for a short period that you had the item in your posession. Having a decluttered home has made my stress level a lot lower.
I spent all day yesterday dawn going through my whole downstairs and kids room organized, decluttered theres so much peace mind now! THANK YOU for the encouragement Dawn. As mom of two Littles this helped my stress alot today being able actaully relax with my kids with not looking at stuff I know needs taken care of.
Thank you so much for yet another great video Dawn. The voices from your community are gold! We've been decluttering for the past three years (ever since our first son was born and I felt like the worst mother on earth, because I couldn't keep up a clean house, find time to do laundry, cook fresh meals every single day and still look as juvenile and fabulous as all the moms on social media) We have come such a long way. Living minimal is the best gift we could have given ourselves. The little bit of house work is easy to handle, I truly enjoy keeping house, cooking and baking with our son or by myself and when guests are coming over, they are always impressed with our peaceful home and want to know all about minimalism and how we manage to keep everything so clean and calm. I still watch every single video from your channel, because I love to keep on track and I am far from being immune to a good commercial for some super practical product we absolutely need to purchase RIGHT NOW (did somebody say kitchenaid?). Of course, there are still corners of our basement I don't totally love, but I know, I will be able to tackle even those harder spaces with the tools learned on this channel. I love you Dawn and I am so glad I found your channel. Thank you so so much for your work!
I love this video. Thank you! I am sure that I spent more than 100 dollars a year in the past replacing things I knew I had but just couldn't or didn't have the energy to find. Allowing for that budget should I mistakenly declutter something makes so much sense. By the way, I have regretted having to discard things I never got around to using because I forgot i had it, more than I would regret having to replace something I go rid of and then found a use for.
The fear of getting rid of something valuable is exactly why people keep too much. I'm so glad you and Dana talk about your space being more important than your stuff. It's helped me let go of perfectly good things that I will never ever use
THank you, Dawn. I really like your "time will tell" bin. I just use it as a concept as I'm going thru things thinking, if there is room for it, I can leave it for now.
I've gotten to the point that am fine tuning (I think) but I miss when I was tearing through a space and filling up my car...it felt so good 👍. I only made one "mistake" I tossed out my guest parking permit. But it's not a big deal. Thanks for another great video. Regret is like worry, a waste of time and energy....it changes nothing.
Wonder if, with all your gardening /yard work /camping skills -you’ve tossed or donated anything from there, that you regret? Actually miss seeing updates on your garden, camper, and pet life!
Well, I am relatively «new» into this. Couple of years, only this year serious. Despite what I wrote under this, I find decluttering old sentimental things making it easier to feel the moment in my heart. Or the person or memory and these things to be clearer in my heart rather than connected to the item. I managed to declutter a sweater I thought about alot after, bc the fit and color where so good!. Luckily for me, I had just packed it away, and found it in my last years winter wardrobe I had completely forgotten about. (I decluttered probably 50more pieces, everyone except this sweater) bc I already made my four season perfect wardrobe. I also thought I made a mistake by throwing away a new charger, turns out my cat had played with it and pushed it under the couch. Found it a few months later 😹
We recently stayed in an airbnb house and every drawer that wasn't a dresser was full of stuff others had left, batteries, travel sized lotion, shampoo, tea, sugar, hairdryer box, spices etc. etc. There were probably 150 dvd movies. Quite honestly it was sort of a turnoff to have so much junk that was either obviously left by previous guests or just overboard niceties by the owners.
I use rental homes as my example of a streamlined home, but we stayed at one that had everything circa 1960, including the spice collection, blender, dull knives, etc.
I recently decluttered my summer wardrobe. What is hardest for me is letting go of guilt of spennding all that money and be now in a position to throw it away because it does not fit me anymore or it never did or i changed my style.
Clothes was hardest for me too. I had various sizes and seasons. It's a tough one. I did one overall large sweep.. then I did another large round and now I just toss them to a donation pile when I try it on or I skim past it a bunch of times and never choose it. A few things still had tags so I know what you mean about the guilt.
The money is already gone. Let the guilt go. It does not being the money back! Even if you sell it, you will not get full price and there is the time and effort put into selling it.
What's helped me is realizing that clothing depreciates big time and that I find long lasting second hand items for similar or greater value but at a low price. Also taking note of the details that I didn't enjoy so I don't buy things with it again.
If you sent your clothes to a second-hand shop, it might help to know that people were probably really grateful to get them! Most of my life, I've not been able to afford new clothes, and I've always been so thankful to people who declutter good clothes from their wardrobes and send them to second-hand shops so I can buy them at prices I can afford!
I just gave away a LOT of crafting stuff to 2 people in a "buy nothing" group in my city. They were so happy. It felt good. Taking these types of items to Goodwill or Salvation Army doesn't do that for me, but better than nothing. This has really motivated me to give away more. Motivation is my main mind block.
Dawn, I love your curls! You message today is amazing! You are so right about regrets, and I love your new take on things we wish we'd done differently. We truly don't know that another way would have turned out better. Great video! ❤
I started listening to Dr. Ellen Langer over a month ago.. I absolutely love her! I've heard her in so many interviews. When she spoke about choices.. I immediately applied it to decluttering! Love her way of thinking!
I like to do that too! Mainly the toaster and can opener. get put in the cupboard. I do have crocks with cooking utensils out because I use them all the time, and it's easier to find things, and it doesn't take up that much room. We don't have a lot of counter space, but we do have a big island which is a life saver when cooking.
I wish i could get my family on board lol. I totally have the minimalist mindset and feel much more relaxed in decluttered spaces. I literally feel like a weight is lifted from my shoulders when i declutter something. But it never lasts long. 🙁
There have been a few times that I have donated or sold an item and then later could have used. It stings for a minute...but to keep myself from dwelling on it I think about how stressed and icky I felt when someone wanted to stop by or how much work it would take to get our house ready to host a birthday or small family event and how much I avoided it before decluttering. I think of it like the old time scales...peace and ease of maintenance on one side...and the thing I regret in the other. The peace always wins.
I sit down once a week and watch all my favorite youtubers. I want you to know you are such a bright and shinning person your videos always make me feel happy and cheerful. I have no sisters but if i lived in a world where i could have sisters you would be on my "please god let her be my sister" list. Thank you for sharing your world with us.
I am not new to decluttering but lately I have been accumulating too much. Anyhow, I really enjoy your videos, I body double with it and it works wonders ! I don’t have many spoon so I am very slow, but eventually it will get better!
I have minimal spoons too so I totally understand slow. It took me a year to declutter our home. It was tidy already but we ( retired Boomers) had so much stuff. I didn’t want to burden our children with tons of stuff we could donate now. Slow and steady wins the race. You are doing a great job. ❤
Loving your attitude and perspective! I’ve been in this relationship going on 12 years. Prior to this, I had an organized, clean home. NOT minimal… but definitely not cluttered. 2018 we sold his house and all of his 1500 sq ft stuff came to live in my 1400 sq ft home… it was insane. We then sold mine and bought a 4000 sq ft 1913 home. We had a flood during the pandemic that took two years to complete. (Everything went to storage in a chaotic panic) Here we are 2024… I have been talking about you and your videos for a couple of years. He is emotionally attached to everything. I suggested a daily game of ‘declutter’… He seemed on board, but I’m the only one playing. I make a point of talking about it every day when we get home from work. My plan is to(as you’ve said) be the example. *wish me luck You inspire me so much! 🩵
I love the “Success Path” graph you showed! ✨After like 7-10 years of decluttering coming from a place of scarcity mindset… I feel I’m making quick decluttering progress and I starting some fine-tuning which makes me feel so much better about my progress. I really felt some progress when I started doing some fine-tuning because that’s where you realize… oh this project would have taken me weeks to complete, but I’ve finished reorganizing/decluttering the kitchen during the children’s nap time! 😮😅
Did Dawn get rid of her blender, then repurchased? I’m confused…. I was waiting to see if that subject came up but never did. I have a solution to decluttering remorse. If you can find several ways to use one item then that’s more useful to keep than one single use item.
me too! that's a really expensive blender so I feel like that whole thumbnail and prop was super clickbaity. she even pointed to it and referred to it abstractly as a "$90 thing..." it's like a $500 blender...
This was an excellent video, Dawn. It really gave me some info to keep in mind as I continue to sort through our belongings. We often tend to focus more on the past regret of those few items we wish we had kept, rather than the blessing brought from donating everything else that we rarely used and have since forgotten about. Thank you for the various ways to re-think the donation of those few “later regretted” items.
I have been a minimalist for years and have had two items I regretted getting rid of. One near the begging of my decluttering and one recently. The one recently I found something else I could use in place of it and the one a long time ago I have forgotten what it was so maybe it really isn’t a regret anymore. 😂
I regret that I did't declutter earlier, it would save me so much time, money, space & health. But with kids it's constant battle. I'm more pissed of things that I' m finding expired or broke or unuseful than that I thrown away many other stuff. Thank You Dawn & all you guys for encuragement ❤
I've struggled with getting grid of expensive, useful items in the past. Selling them was too complicated, but I want to make sure that they were appreciated. What I do now, is stick a bit of masking tape on the item with a very brief description, before donating. That way, I feel a thrift store has a better chance of pricing it appropriately and knowing what they have. It means I can hand it over, guilt-free. So much quicker than selling, but gives the item validation for me. An example label might be "Steam cleaner, purchased from new a year ago, barely used, cost £130". Having worked in charity shops here in the UK, I know that items come in and can be puzzling for volunteers in terms of brand or how appealing shoppers may find it. Not knowing what it is, they mark it up for a couple of pounds when in reality, the charity could have generated extra money for their cause if they'd known what they had. So I feel a brief note on the item helps me, and helps the charity too.
I was talking to a friend on the phone for an hour or two. My kids figured out how to unlock the baby lock on the trash can. They tossed a bunch of books and dress up stuff and dollar tree toys. Rather than sorting through it and trying to discipline them, I took out the trash! I should thank them for decluttering for me. But I never would have felt brave enough to say “goodbye” to their belongings like that if I hadn’t been at the “fed-up” stage to simply let go of things like that. Fingers crossed it will be a learning experience for my 2 & 3 year olds.
My home is still super cluttered, but after redoing my kitchen and decluttering it 4 years ago, I can honestly say that my buying habits of what I bring into the kitchen itself is where it started. But now I make more and more conscious choices with my purchasing of items in my whole life and not just my kitchen- I take account of where I would use blank appliance, space in my drawer, etc. So realistically I only buy replacement things for stuff I run out of or damage beyond repair, etc. And I make more trips to the dump than I did before so that even if I'm not doing a big deep clean and declutter, I am getting THAT item or those items out and away from my house so I'm still making my living space better rather than the same or worse. The amount of money I have saved with these decisions has outweighed any other stress or replacing items. I buy food items in bulk to save money and freezer meal prep and small homesteading so it does require equipment and space but I started with keeping the appliances and decluttering pots and pans and Tupperware and recycle bin went the cool whip containers (you're from Minnesota just like me so you get it) and honestly I have since decluttered 3 appliances, replaced 2, and added 1 new one. As far as Tupperware, pans, etc ... I bought 1 additional 9x13 so I now own 2. That whole storing them with lids on has been revolutionary in my kitchen space. It is these little things that really add up over time. Do I live in as simple of a house as I want? No. Far from it. I don't know if I will ever. But, Day by day, month by month, year by year, less stuff comes in, more stuff leaves, and my purchasing power has been so much more effective in my long term financial goals. My youngest LOVES the time will tell bin also and she has since changed her outlook on toys, etc as well (she's currently 12)
And when you know better you do better! You do the best you can with the information you have and when you know better (information) then you do better! That last bit is so comforting I think! Now I know better but, if I didn’t know, how could I make a good decision??? Don’t beat your self up for not knowing!!! Just do better now!
Big life hack I do is I label all chargers (lead an plug) with what it's for, eg camera make model. Then now I can quickly tell what I need and what can declutter. Definitely makes it less stressful all round. Love ur videos thank you
I needed to hear this thank you!! I have had some regret lately, but it doesn’t negate the fact that I’ve gotten rid of so many things that we didn’t need and my house is now peaceful!
This is excellent advice. The reason I hold onto everything is that thought of I paid for it, I might as well keep it FOREVER 😖 Truly I haven't regretted anything. Usually when I go digging for that thing I saved, it's unusable, not actually what I wanted, or something I like much better has come out & is affordable. I'm preaching to myself, but let's go forward and declutter & simplify our lives.
Whenever I do a big declutter, I always give away *one* thing I want to use again later. So I have just _accepted_ that this will always happen. But the decluttering of all those other things is SO valuable, it is usually worth it. Sometimes when I eventually replace it, I get a *smaller* one!
I always turn on your videos when I need motivation or am cleaning, decluttering and organizing. I've gotten caught up in the trap lately of thinking that I need to have certain things around the house to be properly organized, but every single time that happens, I get overwhelmed and go back to simplifying. ❤
The only thing I truly regret decluttering is old journals without going through each one. A lot of what was in them I don’t care about but I did jot special notes down about my littles - what they were saying, funny little stories etc and I was so overwhelmed I just trashed the whole box without making sure to pull any of those pages out.
I am definitely in the messy middle! I feel like my whole house is a mess but less of a mess than when I started. I have gotten rid of a few things that I thought oh I could have used that but really I probably wouldn't have. Currently trying to declutter toys which is becoming very challenging but I have two boxes packed for donations for far and two to sell at a consignment sale so we are getting there yay!
That's exactly how I think about every aspect of life too. No regrets has always been my motto since my early teenage years and experiencing failure or things out of my control.
So far only one regret... I decluttered our "extra" blender vessel about a year ago because we only need one... I regret that now as the seal for the one I kept blew out and will cost us $150 to replace 😳still trying to save up for that... Hubby wasn't thrilled but is thankfully very forgiving! 💜 we've just been living without smoothies and adjusting out habits... But a disappointment for sure!
Thank you Helix for sponsoring! Visit helixsleep.com/minimalmom to get 20% off your Helix mattress, plus two free pillows! Thank YOU for watching!!! - Dawn
When I click on your channel now, I always ask what you’ll be selling. This is at odds with your content. Once in awhile is one thing. But maybe it’s too much.
I seriously want to thank you for your Helix recommendation! We got our Sunset Elite about a week ago. I have been having some of the best sleep ever, and waking up not in pain has been awesome. Thanks tons!
@@AyaMorgaine I’m SO glad to hear this!!!
I remember a quote saying "whichever thing you chose, you will have misery... but if you chose what you KNOW, you will at least know what misery you are in for"
Tonight someone called and said they were going to pop over to visit and they would be here in 5 minutes.
Before I simplified my home, I would have been in panic mode, rushing around trying to pick up and clean up. A few times I wound up in tears because it was so embarrassing and just awful.
Tonight, I looked around, smiled, and started some coffee.
A simplified home is SO worth it. Even when family members are not on board. And I truly cannot think of a single thing I regret getting rid of.
Yes! This! Get that coffee ready and visit.
Gosh that’s so inspiring, thanks for reminding us that it can actually happen!
A big compliment I received was from my sister when she said your house is always company ready.😊
Yes! The first time it "hit me" was because it was our Pastor and his wife "just in the neighborhood". Wow. I said "come on in" and didn't have to apologize for anything. :)
These are goals!! 🎉 the only time I was able to have people over without worry, was a 7-week period when our house was on the market. So much stuff was out of the house and we could clean so much quicker.
I donated a decorative souvenir to our community thrift store about 3 years ago and sort of regretted it thereafter. I liked the item, and it didn't take up much space at all, but it was gone forever... until I was at an estate sale last month. There was my souvenir (complete with my hand written note on the bottom stating where I had originally bought it)! I bought it back for only $1. I may eventually be ready to donate it again, but for now I'm enjoying having it back.
Oh wow, how crazy is that ! I guess the universe heard you thinking of wanting it back. ( ha ha ) What are the chances ! I love this story.
@@wendyeskelin8765 I couldn't believe it. I picked it up and excitedly showed it to my friend, saying I used to have one exactly like it and was sorry I had gotten rid of it. I turned it over, and on the bottom was my handwritten note "Bought in Beijing 1987". Yea!
Great story! That’s so crazy.
At least you didn’t see it on Antiques Roadshow with a very high value!!
If you only knew how much you have changed my life, you’d be SHOCKED. It’s been years simplifying my home. I’m still on it but I’m wiser and I do things with confidence thanks to you and your wonderful content. I’m a 36 year old man who is slowly but surely building a life around life and not things. Thank you from the bottom of my heart
I decluttered an ice cube tray after we moved to a new house with an ice maker in the freezer. Then my wife wanted to make frozen coffee ice cube. Lo and behold, she used the gingerbread man silicone molds we still have (I make them every Christmas and love them!) to freeze coffee so then we had adorable gingerbread man shaped coffee ice cubes for our summer ice coffee. It reminded me of the snowman in Frozen singing about summer!
I don't mean to be too parasocial, but the "you're doing a great job" at the end made my postpartum, tired self burst into tears (in a good way). Thanks for the light you shine, Dawn!
🥹
Sending you a hug💞
I hope you have good postpartum care @beat9903, it’s so important!
You’re doing a great job mama!!! I remember the exhaustion all too well. Sending prayers that you will have some rest and be refreshed ❤
For my 10th wedding anniversary, my husband and I celebrated by wearing our wedding attire and "running" (and walking) a 10K for 10 years. I knew I didn't want my wedding gown in my closet anymore, and my daughter didn't want it, she wants to get her own, and I bought it used anyway so there were no resale shops that would want it either. By doing this for our anniversary, I now have more pictures of me in my wedding gown, with my husband in his suit. Afterwards I felt confident in tossing it because it was used for its purpose - twice - and the memories are amazing to have forever and I don't need the dress for those memories because I have the photos. Also, if I wanted to keep the wedding gown after the 10K race, I could get it cleaned because after my wedding reception it was full of sweat and dirt from the floor anyway, just like after a 10K race. The race watchers were all cheering for my husband and I as well, while we ran together through the race of our marriage. It was a very symbolic celebration! And 10 years was the right race for us because I'm not sure I'd be able to run a marathon in my wedding gown (or even in workout gear!) - but feel free to modify this idea for your marriage memories! 👰🤵♂️💒❤
I love everything about this :)
Such a great idea!😊 We just celebrated our 10th anniversary last year...and after moving 5x already since getting married, I decided to get rid of my wedding dress just before our move this spring. Unfortunately I hadn't had it cleaned well after the wedding, and it had a lot of discoloration after 10 years already. So I just trashed it. Was hard to make the decision, but after deciding to let it go I have no regrets. No need to keep stuff that isn't being used.👍
Such a great story!!❤
Love this! Today is my 8th and I don’t quite fit my wedding dress anymore. Maybe this will be some inspiration for my husband and I to do this together!
@rebekahtyler7406 Congratulations on 8 years!!! And yes, you should definitely do this!! It was an amazing, memorable experience - maybe even moreso than my busy wedding day!
I've often said "For every hundred things I've gotten rid of, there's usually one thing that shouldn't have gone. But the VALUE of the 99% of the things that NEEDED to go FAR OUTWEIGHS the one thing that I shouldn't have let go!"
When my children were young and I was trying to minimize my inventory I was decluttering my sewing room and got rid of old patterns my mom had given to me. Now that my kids are adults and my mom has passed away I wish I would have kept the vintage patterns for sentimental reasons. However one of the most important things my mom gave me was her patience, time and her talent teaching me how to love sewing. That’s when I feel closest to her - and I’m pretty good at it😉. Thank you for always encouraging people to focus on the importance of moments.
Hey, I’ve decluttered at least 80% in the past three years. Funny, I was on a mission a few months ago to try to think of ANYTHING I could regret decluttering, and the only thing I could think of was that it would have been handy to have the baby activity center back because one of my twins was starting to put weight on her legs. The following weekend, I went to our local free store… and there it was!
IT CAME BACK TO US ❤🎉
Just when we needed it.
God is great! He always makes sure we have what we need when we need it. Now I just trust in God that if I make a mistake decluttering, he will provide an answer.
the true cycle in recycling!
God is good 💯
AMEN
@@beep-beepwatermelon4203 God is Good 🙏
I decluttered all my wedding cards - no regrets there, they were all just “congratulations! Love x and y”. But I realised the card from my gran was in there and that was the last time I saw her before she passed. And yes, when I realised, I was really sad. BUT I reframed it in my mind. If she’d left the card at home and I’d never even received it, would I have loved her any less? Would I have fewer memories of her? Would I remember her less vividly or less fondly? The answer to all those questions is of course no. And that let me come to peace with not having the card. (I would have been sadder had it had a long message of love and advice but luckily it didn’t).
Last weekend I recruited by husband to " hold my donation bag " while I decluttered by closet. If I ask him, "should I get rid of...?" He will always say "Yes" (doesn't matter what it is!) and if I have to ask then I probably can let go of it, I just need the reinforcement. I started to say, "If I need it again, I will just have to buy it" and in the bag it goes. I can now see the floor of my walk in closet and I think I am ready for a second pass. I can't see myself repurchasing anything, and I have already has some regrets in the past, but I never had to "go naked" because I purged a piece of clothing. I appreciate your posts, they really keep me motivated. I need it for my sanity! I notice when I don't watch consistently, I fall into a rut. THANK YOU SO MUCH!!!
I started with minimalism many years ago, I have never ever regretted it. What follows minimalism often is simplicity in so many additional forms, ….getting out of debt,
living within your means, and just generally simplifying so many life choices. It really has been a huge blessing in my life.
I'm really hoping to shift my decluttering onto my finances, which aren't in a great state. Made a first move today by reducing my broadband costs by switching to a different supplier, and cancelling Paramount+. Lots more to do, but your comment gives me some hope on the financial stuff! 🙂
Right! When we stop mindlessly consuming we become savers
Turned in weird CPU on electronic recycle day, later found out old business phones couldn’t be returned without the weird CPU that was really the server…so donated the phones. No harm done
So true. Especially the older I get.
My piano teacher in college would write “Forgive” on my music if she saw me spending my mental energy on kicking myself over a mistake while I was still playing the piece rather than immersing myself in the music. Another music professor would say to us “you’re worried about the 2 or 3 notes you just played wrong. What about the 4,000 notes you played correctly?”
That’s a great thing to keep in mind about parenting. Forgive ourselves for the off notes and remember the countless pretty songs.
Wow! That’s powerful!
Two teachers in their perfect roles instead of all of the meanies who make children feel foolish & hate music. Bless them both. 🥰 Hope you write them each to remind them about this beautiful kindness and how it’s stayed with you all this time. I’ll bet it would make their day (or that of their loved ones if they’re not around anymore!)
L@@modfarmgirl5671
When performing, I sometimes say, “I forgive me” if I make a mistake. It makes it so much easier letting go of guilt and frustration and allows me to keep going without the burden of having to stop and fix the mistake.
I have another suggestion for a place to donate wedding dresses (or any formal
Gown)…local community theater. They can remake them into period dresses, and local theater groups are often on a tight budget. I used to do musical theater and it was really helpful 🥰
My daughter wore my wedding dress as Buttercup in a school play. I loved it. ❤
That's such a great idea!
Thank you for this idea!!! I have a formal I need to get rid of and I’d rather donate than sell it for next to nothing.
Love this!
I really like the idea of letting the thrift stores 'hold' my stuff for me, and if I need it again, I pay a little 'rent' and buy it again. For instance, I threw my daughter a baby shower this past weekend, and I had to buy a few platters. A couple at the thrift store, a few at the dollar store. Cost maybe 20 bucks total, and I didn't have that clutter in my house for the past 9 years since I had my last need for such things
My biggest decluttering critic is my mother. Thank you Dawn for the encouragement that I'm doing the right thing for my family! ❤
Same here. I was basically glued to my mom’s hip, growing up. We were always together and I enjoyed being around her no matter what she was doing.
As I got older I got bogged down by clutter that I was holding onto because I didn’t want my mom to ask me “do you still have that dish someone gave you?”
So I just kept it all and realized that I paid to have a storage unit moved onto my property just for the stuff that I shoved in boxes and saved because I didn’t want to stand up for myself. I finally found the courage to tell her, respectfully, that just because it was nice, if I never use it and it stays in boxes stored away, then it was no good to me.
She will never understand because she holds on to everything and each item she has holds special meaning and a picture of the item will never be enough for her. I’m praying that someday she will change. Myself and my sister do not want to have to go through all her things when her time on this earth is up and her health isn’t getting any better but she won’t let anyone go through her things, for fear that they won’t know what it means to her and they may toss it without asking 😢
@@MightyWarrior4Jesus I'm sorry you've had to deal with that!
"You did the best you could with the information you had at that time." SO GOOD. I wish this could soak into my brain a lot sooner and easier than later.
Love the replacement budget. Here's an idea... everytime you stop your self from doing an impulse purchase, put half of that amount into a replacement budget and the other half into a vacation budget. Tripple bonus... you did not add clutter to the house, you can declutter knowing you have what if funds, and money for someing fun.
Wow I’m early to a Minimal Mom video! Dawn, you’ve helped me so much as a 23 year old mother of two. I’m so thankful I’ve learned so much about minimalism so early into my motherhood journey. Thank you for all you do!
I can't imagine how my life would have been different if I had this kind of education at my fingertips at your age. I'm so glad you have this!
We had to move home last year after living in one place for over ten years, we are in our 50’s and had accumulated so much ‘stuff’! From your videos I started to declutter before the move, we got rid of so much, 2 skips (UK) and donations, gave away, sold and the rest to the tip. It was life changing! I’m still continuing to go through and declutter. I do monthly and then now 3 months, if I haven’t used it, it doesn’t spark joy…it goes! It’s so easy to clean now and we both feel so much better. So thank you so much ❤.
Just realized, I remember the regret, but I don't remember the item. That speaks volumes.
I've made mistakes by accepting things. When my mother and mother-in-law died 3 months apart, we brought home things and my husband said, "Just shove it somewhere. We'll deal with it later." Then there were all his hobbies, work, and assorted stuff that filled the garage, storage building and basement. We quietly left it alone. Now he has passed on 6 years ago. So, there's all this stuff that I have to declutter, I'm by myself, and I'm battling cancer (along with insurance issues). I know what to do with the paper stuff because I'm a history person, so that's easy. The getting started is the hardest.
So sorry to hear of your loss. The clutter creeps up when life throws road blocks sometimes, I know mine did. Sending you so much love and healing ❤️🩹. Best of luck with your treatment.
Sorry you're going through this.
I had a young daughter in congestive heart and kidney failure, my husband asked for a divorce, and my mom died (I'm an only child). Had to physically and emotionally put stuff in a corner for quite awhile . Took years to really feel I'd finally dug out but that's ok. Also advise ( if you can) get help. Stuff can weigh you down!
I got started by using the day the dumpster goes to the street for pickup. My goal was to fill the dumpster every Tuesday. I put the dumpster right outside the back door. I worked one room at a time until I ran out of things to throw away, donate or give away. Then I moved onto another room. It worked for me pretty well. It wasn't too time consuming, and I actually started looking forward to my decluttering day.
@@barqu1636 , I did something similar - and for me the day before trash pickup was also a Tuesday!! Every Tuesday I still plan the things I'm going to get rid of - even if I'm just going to trim a bush in the yard and load up the branches in the trash receptacle!!!
Praying for you!
I have regretted a couple of things but eventually forgot about them. I did re-buy something once, then never used it, and ended up decluttering it again 🤦🏻♀️
I did that.. with my juicer 😂 felt so stupid. But I learnt from that. When things are out of my house now, they don’t come back. And I’m perfectly fine with using my blender, so I forgive myself.. 😅
We did that with a bread maker. Got rid of it.. and then a few years later my husband wanted to start making bread again. I researched and found a great one, spent a good amount of money on it and he made bread like two times and there it sits.
Yup I’ve done that with various items some sooo expensive. Life evolves and sometimes we need to move with what’s important at the time.
I regretted decluttering my slow cooker, bought again then decluttered it again. It takes 3 hrs to cook something that can be done in 1 hr in the Instant Pot, so I never used it again.
Same. A Valentine’s Day plate. I guess I’m drawn to them! But when I’m home, I wish it was a plain red plate, so that I could use it during other holidays through the year.
As a newly wed couple, my husband's grandmother gave us her old waffle iron. You need to know I love waffles, but this was so dirty and grimy (just from 50 years of regular use), that I donated it (because I didn't have the energy or heart to clean it). That was 40 years ago and it's the only thing I've ever regretted giving away and it haunted me ... until now. Your comment that we sometimes glorify the item as time passes is certainly true of this item. If I really focus on the reason I gave it away, I would probably do the same thing today. Regret gone. Thank you for this reality check perspective !!
The wiring in old vintage appliances isn’t the best and if the waffle iron was heavily used, so was the wiring. You may have saved yourself and your husband from a fire emergency by tossing the old waffle maker.
I started 15 months ago after seeing Dawns videos and have purged so much, so many car loads. I still continue to minimize. I am a youngish mom of 4 kiddos. I cannot tell you what I’ve all donated, it’s been so much- and I also have no regrets. I can’t encourage you all enough to let it go, and if you donated something you shouldn’t have, shoot but let it go also! ❤
Dawn, I’ve simplified my stuff as things have change through my life…kids get older, kids to college, kids moved out, kids marrying, retirement, becoming a grandmother, etc. I’ve never regretted simplifying. It’s always made me relax and have time to breathe in the beauty of life. The only thing that shocks me is how attached I was to the peer pressure then. All the money I spent on clothing, furniture and decor over the decades is mind boggling. Thanks for keeping the value of a simplified life foremost in your videos. 🌸
The me who misses the item is idealizing the situation- I only think I’d use it because it’s gone. If I had it I guarantee I wouldn’t use it (because that’s why I decluttered it!)
Such lovely and sensitive stories about regrets. I regret nothing out of the thousands of things I donated.
Actually, I regret getting to the point of having so much stuff it ruined my life, and not decluttering 10 years earlier.
My wedding dress was used to make my twin girls their christening dresses. It was a great use. I still have them 34 years later. My mom made them.
🥰
Dawn, millions of blessings to you and the earth shattering peace/wisdom you provide! In the last few serious years of minimizing, I’ve decluttered thousands of items, cleared out both my parents homes when they transitioned to care, and when I retired from teaching. Of all the identity, fantasy, transitional, sentimental, craft, etc items, I only replaced a French press and a can opener that I decluttered. HOWEVER, my life is simple, low stress, clutter free, easy to clean, and I’ve donated items to people who really need and love the things. I’ve met people in my neighborhood thru the “buy nothing group” and their joy has filled me up and my connection to them as neighbor means waaay more than any “thing”. I’m eternally grateful to you ❤
Great video, Dawn! This will definitely help me move forward with a new mindset.
Example about “using something else”: I ran out of ziplock bags about 2 years ago and decided to pause purchasing them until I needed one. For over a year, I never needed a ziplock bag. Married my new husband last June, and he had a ton of ziplock bags stored up. Now I seem to use them every day, just because they’re available. But I NEVER “needed” a ziplock bag when I didn’t have one. I used glass jars, wax paper, whatever and it was painless. Yes, necessity is the mother of invention and you will find a way. Great point! Thank you for encouraging us all.
One of the (many!) reasons I love what you've taught me about decluttering is that I can apply the same strategies to keeping my barns/farm decluttered too! Having a house as well as 2 sheds and 2 barns is a lot of potential inventory to manage and can be very overwhelming so I am so thankful to God that I found you, Dawn! Thank you! :)
Yes!! I have used all I did in my home to declutter and keep my classroom an organized and simplistic uncharted space for me and my students!!!
Our minds also play a trick on us. Once something is decluttered, I will often think of ways I _could_ have used it. I never thought of those uses while I had the item, but decluttering it brings on so many instances of " I really could have used that item on this project or that project!" I counter that though by reminding myself that this is just a reflex my brain has, so it is not really a problem that I got rid of the item.
Also, since I enjoy making things, I used to come up with so may projects I _could_ use that items for in the future. But the truth is, I don't really want to do that project, my mind is just grasping for reasons to keep things. I have enough projects that i really want to do, I don't need to make up projects just to have a reason to keep more stuff.
I’ve been married for 55 years, have two sons and two granddaughters who don’t have any interest in most of our “stuff”. Last week I thought of some things I never got to have: a KitchenAid stand mixer, a grandfather clock, etc. All space-hogs. But I got the one huge space-hog we bought for our 20th anniversary - a beautiful ebony 7 foot long grand piano, that has given me pleasure every single day since it was delivered. I am grateful for this thing that most people never get to have, and I’m working on getting over the sadness at not getting the other things…and it’s all just things….
New to your channel. Very recently I was watching one of your posts, one test was if something makes you think about a person that has made you feel a certain way, mine was not worthy enough (family). I immediately got up and awkwardly moved a desk to my SUV late one evening and also added a couple of little throw blankets that was associated with the same family member. Took it to the thrift store the next morning. I felt good about it until I was talking to my daughter and she wanted it, lol (was this a mistake). Glad I watched your post about making mistakes. I have released this quilt after thinking this family member has not been nice to my daughter, so now the desk is out of my atmosphere. Thank you for you great advice.
The ones I really regretted decluttering were the ones that were really difficult to repurchase/replace, like old record albums, unique jewelry or a manual grain roller that was difficult to find again.
It didn't stop me from decluttering, which I still do on a regular basis, but taught me not to be in haste to declutter unique items without thought.
Now, for those unique or more expensive items, I will put them aside or store them away - which I have the room to do it - so it's not a problem.
The graphic at the end is so spot on!! Messy middle, tipping point and then this all-out declutterring until I was almost sad that I didn’t have another room to go through!!! Maintenance is the place to be where my home takes very little of my time now. Love a simplified life!!
I declutterred my home, no regrets. Can’t wait to do the garage this fall when the weather breaks. I set up tables at my curb, yard sale style, with a big sign that says FREE STUFF! Whatever is left, about half, goes to goodwill
Oh my goodness I just thought about that and watching this video! I was just going to put things on the curb and say free please take and keep it neat! ❤
To me a decluttered house is way more valuable than a small item here or there that I might have to replace someday. If I have to spend $15 to rebuy something, it doesn’t even compare to the value of a calm and peaceful home. Great video as always, Dawn. ❤
20 years ago My Mother-law, Mother and step Mother died within 8 months. My husband inherited ALOT of figurines and tchotchkes. My Mother was a collector of crafts…we’re talking floor to ceiling, wall to wall and my step Mother lived in another state so I flew out and it took a long time to clean so I wound up bringing too much home with me.
I was ok getting rid of things by re-homing them but had a hard time throwing out.
I was sure my nieces and nephews and brother would like certain things and they did but it cost me hundreds of dollars to send it. My Mothers house took 8 months to clean. I literally had a heart attack because of the enormous stress. My brother left all the stuff in storage and it had to be thrown out. So now I can look back and realize I should have kept 1 item for each person that they wanted (unless they came to get more) and just donated everything. When we moved to our new home I took 70 boxes with me. It’s taken 20 years to go through the stuff….and no one misses a thing…
That is such a burden you had to take on. I'm sorry it was so stressful that it caused you some major health issues! Sometimes we try to do and do and do, but it never usually ends up being a good idea in the end.
I can feel your pain. Thanks for sharing and inspiring others. Hate to admit this, but we cleared out my inlaws place in 3 days. Horribly stressful, but was able to walk away saying it was finished. We had the grands come out to help and let them pick whatever they wanted. Each only picked an item or two. Bless you for taking on that task and respecting her belongings...
I have regretted things, but what’s so funny if I didn’t regret them enough to go buy them again. And another amazing side effect getting rid of so much of my stuff is that I don’t feel like anxiety when I go in store anymore… I used to feel like I wanted to buy stuff and I needed to buy stuff and now I don’t
The amount of mistakes I’ve made decluttering is still less than the amount of times I would’ve double purchased something because I can’t find it
I always misplace my chapstick and then have to rebuy. Asked my frugal sis what she does if she can't find her chapstick and she said she just uses Vaseline temporarily and it always turns up : )
💯
Good point! I never thought of it this way.
We have already reached the give it away for free here on the west coast. It’s happening because people moving out of state have run out of time and are begging people to come and take away their stuff. When so much stuff is free, it’s hard to actually sell your stuff. I know that personally with a couch that we tried to sell. A very nice couch too. We even set it in the driveway with a big free sign. Finally one night it disappeared. Good thing too, because we would have had to take it to the dump.
I am sitting here in tears and not because of decluttering mistakes but because from your video I can help teach my daughter a Life lesson hopefully that will touch her heart. She started her first real job in a field that she loves. She worked at an animal shelter that had no organization or support from management for the employees. She then did internships for college classes and was she pretty much just observing and didn't do much hands on. She now has a full-time position but has only been there three months. She is having a tough time right now feeling discouraged by her progress because she's mostly hearing negative comments during her evaluations. It has mostly been things she has not learned yet or was only exposed to and is just now beginning to practice. I feel they truly believe in her and want her to do well and she's taking it as criticism and not training. I'm going to tell her this from your success diagram........"Starting something new is stressful, you get to a messy Middle point where you're not quite at the point of successful progress and it takes time and energy, then you get to a point of progress and accomplishment and feeling confident and stronger . You move on to fine-tuning and settling into your comfort zone that is all your own."
I wanted to say that I've watched you for years and I have taken so much to heart and put some into action and decluttering and I appreciate you so much! You have such a beautiful soul of understanding.❤
There is always a cost to education. It's all part of learning and growing.
That's an excellent mindset! Thank you
This is my third year on the "Dawn train" I still have a ways to go, but the ideas of memory boxes and the "time will tell" bin have really helped me deal with the loved iitems. I have missed a couple of things, but right now I can't even remember what they were!! Having the space is so much better than having the stuff. Thank you Dawn. Also, when I've had a bad day, Diana always makes me feel better. I love you both like friends. I pray you both have continued blessings and laughter. Thirdly, I've been on the Dave Ramsey train also since 1994. He used to be on a radio show, here in Nashville, called "The Money Game'. He kept me out of debt my whole life. He is another blessing.
❤❤After years of decluttering my own possessions, my husband finely let me help him with his. It is more about storage solutions for his Butterfly (clutterbug) brain, but I am so thrilled. We are not finished, but I can already feel the difference in the house. My mental health is improving item by item.
Mine is finally doing the same! It started with socks and t-shirts and has moved on to electronic equipment.
I'm looking forward to the year he'll be ready to declutter sports magazines from the 1990s!
ETA: 2 months later, he's decluttering his desk and asking me to declutter our office supplies so he can use a small chest of drawers for the items previously piled all over the desk. He's now considering drawer dividers to contain those items. I'm slowly helping his cricket self simplify his living spaces, as he works on them in his own time.
I put my wire whisk into a donation box and away it went. One day I was making cornbread looked for my wire whisk -- GONE! Next time I was close to the battered woman's thrift store I ran in and grabbed a wire whisk 99¢. Another time I put my blender in a donation box, went to the pantry to get my blender and was shocked it wasn't there, but I looked in my donation box and fished it out, it is back in my pantry. Donated four eight-inch nonstick skillets because I wasn't using them, then hubby passed away and now I cook for one and I need my eight-inch skillets. Other than those items I have no regrets about the truck loads of stuff I've decluttered.
I use the wait and see box for larger more expensive items.
I decluttered my kitchen and when my husband looked for his cheese slicer, it was gone. He was not a happy camper and I bought another one. Don’t regret decluttering at all. Less clutter equals peace of mind to me.
So sorry your husband passed away 😢
Dawn, you mentioned how good it feels to be creative about finding something else to get a job done. You are so right! I was laid off several years ago, and my husband and I decided to live more frugally until I found another job. If something broke, we figured out how to fix it instead of rushing out to buy a replacement. If we needed something that we didn't already own, we borrowed it from friends/family or we found something else to use instead. It felt so good, and it was actually a lot of fun. I'm thankful for that period in our lives because it changed how we think about and handle 12:38 our money and possessions.
Thank you for sharing your decluttering journey! I find it so inspiring!
I listened to your messages a long time ago and was able to accomplish things by following your instructions on everything needed to have a home. The areas I organized are still organized, and that is over a year ago.
Lately, I have had so much clutter and no energy or desire to start. I thought, why is this so hard for me again? Then, I realized I was not listening to your messages anymore. I just got busy with life, so now I'm making it a point to listen to you daily.
The information you shared regarding how things affect you mentally and you find you can't do something because of the clutter even though you want to do it. I don't know exactly what you said, but your message helped me to let go of that negative thought process and just start.
Thank you so much for all your messages. They really really help in many, many ways. Super big hugs. I tell people I don't want to be a minimalist. I want to be a medium list. I only want in my house what I need daily.
Our home runs so much more efficiently after decluttering, that even if I had a budget of $1000 for things that I accidentally decluttering, we would have already saved that within the first year of living in a highly simplified home. And I have no regrets.
I decluttered my childhood toys and items I collected. I never thought I would need these things….well I now have grandchildren and I am really regretting getting rid of the barbies (including barbie clothes my mom had made), a special stuffed animal and doll house furniture 😢. I try to tell myself that they are being used by someone who needed them more, but it is difficult sometimes.
I saved my son's action figures for many years, waiting for grandchildren. I had a whole bin full of them. All in great condition (my son loved them and took great care of them) and mostly irreplaceable because they're no longer manufactured.
I was blessed with grandsons! When they were more than old enough to enjoy the action figures, I brought out the bin. A couple of them were actually a bit old for action figures, but I waited because I was overly cautious.
I thought those toys were so awesome, and my grandsons would treasure them just like my son had.
They destroyed most of them. I was so disappointed.
I found a few that were still intact and donated them.
Sometimes reality is completely different from what we envisioned.
I wish I had donated everything to begin with like you did, instead of storing them for years and building up a beautiful scenario in my head, then getting disappointed.
@@JamieM470 Except if you have donated them, there's a good chance that you'd be writing a comment now about how you wished you'd kept them. You'd still be under the impression that your grandsons would have treasured the toys.
@@Smithpolly Yes, that was my point exactly!
The OP regrets decluttering special toys. Maybe if she'd saved them, she would regret that like I do.
I regret saving them. Maybe if I'd donated them, I'd regret that like she does.
Dawn is right. Both of us are wasting mental space on a presumption that the choice not made would have turned out better.
It's a presumption. A fantasy. Reality may have been very different.
@@JamieM470 The funny thing about what I did, I saved the action figures, hot wheels and legos...guess what the girls and boys both play with 😂
I have "regretted" a few things that I've decluttered but not enough to make me stop decluttering. Decluttering changed my life! It's given me peace in my home now. And I'm so Thankful for Dawn - finding your channel - I turn you on and you're here with me while I declutter. 😂
Then once I'm done, I step back and seriously marvel at the area 😂😂😂
Yes I’ve decluttered things that I wish I hadn’t but I truly believe this “ give and it shall be given unto you” so it seems I always come out better in the long run. Live generously and give with a generous heart this is what I try to live by.
Hi Dawn! I love that you discuss regret. And other concepts like decision fatigue, and inventory. But about regret, I wondered if you had ever heard the quote by FEDERICO FELLINI: "Regret is a waste of time; it is the past crippling you in the present." Ever since I heard that quote, it has blessed my life over and over. As soon as I feel my mind lean towards regret, or feel that familiar clutching feeling of it in my being, I repeat that quote to myself and I'm able to release the regret and just appreciate the learning experience for what it was/is. You, too, have been a blessing to me. Thank you for all you do!
I think the challenge with abundance vs the scarcity time being not that long ago is we can still fear that that type of time is so close to us, so what prevents it from happening again? The pandemic and job loss kind of shook us a bit.
Your videos have been and still are só helpfull in my decluttering proces. It feels like you’ve become a good friend even though we’ve never met or will meet (I live in the Netherlands).
So far no recent regrets, only one from my past. I was fortunate to have known my great grandmother as a kid. When she passed away I was given her beautiful ‘toy’ horse she always had on display. As a 9 year old at the time my passion was horses and I really loved that decoration horse and always played with it when we visited her.
When I moved out of my parents house at age 19 my interests had shifted and I got rid of the horse, no longer grieving over my great grandmothers passing.
But when I got older I regretted that decision because it was the only tangible object I had of her. And in my memory the horse grew more beautiful every year. But what’s done is done and no 20/20 rule can help me here so I just keep the memory.
Dawn I have been following you for 5 years, you are my favourite youtuber, such an inspiration. I found you when I wanted to change how my house looked messy, I wanted a more minimal life. Whenever I need to do housework I put your videos on and I work. I have changed a lot in this years thanks to you! Greetings from Croatia!
Ah - that piece on regret is so helpful. I'm massively decluttering and there are some cool sport-items I barely used that I'm now selling on marketplace. They feel like lost dreams of sorts, BUT, your video made me realize that it's precisely BECAUSE I purchased certain things (like a powerkite) that I discovered there was no place anywhere near my home to fly it. Had I not bought one, I probably would have fantasized about all the powerkiting I could have done in my area... Same for a bunch of other things. Buying them and trying to make them work in my life taught me a lot about the practicalities of my life. So now it's easier to see something that sounds fun and think through the practical ins and outs. Less item-FOMO :)
I hear you on the lost dreams feeling, I'm dealing with that now. I think that is a great lesson that you took away from the kite and helpful! Thank you.
@@wendyeskelin8765❤
I started decluttering my home 9 months ago. I notice lately that I can’t even remember how cluttered it was. I agree that part of the regret bias is that by decluttering you remember for a short period that you had the item in your posession. Having a decluttered home has made my stress level a lot lower.
I spent all day yesterday dawn going through my whole downstairs and kids room organized, decluttered theres so much peace mind now! THANK YOU for the encouragement Dawn. As mom of two Littles this helped my stress alot today being able actaully relax with my kids with not looking at stuff I know needs taken care of.
Thank you so much for yet another great video Dawn. The voices from your community are gold!
We've been decluttering for the past three years (ever since our first son was born and I felt like the worst mother on earth, because I couldn't keep up a clean house, find time to do laundry, cook fresh meals every single day and still look as juvenile and fabulous as all the moms on social media)
We have come such a long way. Living minimal is the best gift we could have given ourselves. The little bit of house work is easy to handle, I truly enjoy keeping house, cooking and baking with our son or by myself and when guests are coming over, they are always impressed with our peaceful home and want to know all about minimalism and how we manage to keep everything so clean and calm.
I still watch every single video from your channel, because I love to keep on track and I am far from being immune to a good commercial for some super practical product we absolutely need to purchase RIGHT NOW (did somebody say kitchenaid?). Of course, there are still corners of our basement I don't totally love, but I know, I will be able to tackle even those harder spaces with the tools learned on this channel.
I love you Dawn and I am so glad I found your channel. Thank you so so much for your work!
I love this video. Thank you! I am sure that I spent more than 100 dollars a year in the past replacing things I knew I had but just couldn't or didn't have the energy to find. Allowing for that budget should I mistakenly declutter something makes so much sense. By the way, I have regretted having to discard things I never got around to using because I forgot i had it, more than I would regret having to replace something I go rid of and then found a use for.
The fear of getting rid of something valuable is exactly why people keep too much. I'm so glad you and Dana talk about your space being more important than your stuff. It's helped me let go of perfectly good things that I will never ever use
THank you, Dawn. I really like your "time will tell" bin. I just use it as a concept as I'm going thru things thinking, if there is room for it, I can leave it for now.
I've gotten to the point that am fine tuning (I think) but I miss when I was tearing through a space and filling up my car...it felt so good 👍.
I only made one "mistake" I tossed out my guest parking permit. But it's not a big deal. Thanks for another great video. Regret is like worry, a waste of time and energy....it changes nothing.
Wonder if, with all your gardening /yard work /camping skills -you’ve tossed or donated anything from there, that you regret? Actually miss seeing updates on your garden, camper, and pet life!
Well, I am relatively «new» into this. Couple of years, only this year serious. Despite what I wrote under this, I find decluttering old sentimental things making it easier to feel the moment in my heart. Or the person or memory and these things to be clearer in my heart rather than connected to the item.
I managed to declutter a sweater I thought about alot after, bc the fit and color where so good!. Luckily for me, I had just packed it away, and found it in my last years winter wardrobe I had completely forgotten about. (I decluttered probably 50more pieces, everyone except this sweater) bc I already made my four season perfect wardrobe.
I also thought I made a mistake by throwing away a new charger, turns out my cat had played with it and pushed it under the couch. Found it a few months later 😹
We recently stayed in an airbnb house and every drawer that wasn't a dresser was full of stuff others had left, batteries, travel sized lotion, shampoo, tea, sugar, hairdryer box, spices etc. etc. There were probably 150 dvd movies. Quite honestly it was sort of a turnoff to have so much junk that was either obviously left by previous guests or just overboard niceties by the owners.
I use rental homes as my example of a streamlined home, but we stayed at one that had everything circa 1960, including the spice collection, blender, dull knives, etc.
I recently decluttered my summer wardrobe. What is hardest for me is letting go of guilt of spennding all that money and be now in a position to throw it away because it does not fit me anymore or it never did or i changed my style.
Clothes was hardest for me too. I had various sizes and seasons. It's a tough one. I did one overall large sweep.. then I did another large round and now I just toss them to a donation pile when I try it on or I skim past it a bunch of times and never choose it. A few things still had tags so I know what you mean about the guilt.
The money is already gone. Let the guilt go. It does not being the money back! Even if you sell it, you will not get full price and there is the time and effort put into selling it.
What's helped me is realizing that clothing depreciates big time and that I find long lasting second hand items for similar or greater value but at a low price. Also taking note of the details that I didn't enjoy so I don't buy things with it again.
If you sent your clothes to a second-hand shop, it might help to know that people were probably really grateful to get them! Most of my life, I've not been able to afford new clothes, and I've always been so thankful to people who declutter good clothes from their wardrobes and send them to second-hand shops so I can buy them at prices I can afford!
But it will probably make you more aware of what new clothes you spend money on in the future.
I just gave away a LOT of crafting stuff to 2 people in a "buy nothing" group in my city. They were so happy. It felt good. Taking these types of items to Goodwill or Salvation Army doesn't do that for me, but better than nothing. This has really motivated me to give away more. Motivation is my main mind block.
Dawn, I love your curls! You message today is amazing! You are so right about regrets, and I love your new take on things we wish we'd done differently. We truly don't know that another way would have turned out better. Great video! ❤
I started listening to Dr. Ellen Langer over a month ago.. I absolutely love her! I've heard her in so many interviews. When she spoke about choices.. I immediately applied it to decluttering! Love her way of thinking!
I just put the Vitamix in a cabinet. I like the freed up counter space.
I like to do that too! Mainly the toaster and can opener. get put in the cupboard. I do have crocks with cooking utensils out because I use them all the time, and it's easier to find things, and it doesn't take up that much room. We don't have a lot of counter space, but we do have a big island which is a life saver when cooking.
Side note: Would love it if you did another hair & makeup video! The one you did a while back was so helpful!!
I wish i could get my family on board lol. I totally have the minimalist mindset and feel much more relaxed in decluttered spaces. I literally feel like a weight is lifted from my shoulders when i declutter something. But it never lasts long. 🙁
There have been a few times that I have donated or sold an item and then later could have used. It stings for a minute...but to keep myself from dwelling on it I think about how stressed and icky I felt when someone wanted to stop by or how much work it would take to get our house ready to host a birthday or small family event and how much I avoided it before decluttering. I think of it like the old time scales...peace and ease of maintenance on one side...and the thing I regret in the other. The peace always wins.
I sit down once a week and watch all my favorite youtubers. I want you to know you are such a bright and shinning person your videos always make me feel happy and cheerful. I have no sisters but if i lived in a world where i could have sisters you would be on my "please god let her be my sister" list. Thank you for sharing your world with us.
I am not new to decluttering but lately I have been accumulating too much. Anyhow, I really enjoy your videos, I body double with it and it works wonders ! I don’t have many spoon so I am very slow, but eventually it will get better!
I have minimal spoons too so I totally understand slow. It took me a year to declutter our home. It was tidy already but we ( retired Boomers) had so much stuff. I didn’t want to burden our children with tons of stuff we could donate now. Slow and steady wins the race. You are doing a great job. ❤
Loving your attitude and perspective!
I’ve been in this relationship going on 12 years. Prior to this, I had an organized, clean home. NOT minimal… but definitely not cluttered. 2018 we sold his house and all of his 1500 sq ft stuff came to live in my 1400 sq ft home… it was insane. We then sold mine and bought a 4000 sq ft 1913 home. We had a flood during the pandemic that took two years to complete. (Everything went to storage in a chaotic panic)
Here we are 2024… I have been talking about you and your videos for a couple of years. He is emotionally attached to everything. I suggested a daily game of ‘declutter’…
He seemed on board, but I’m the only one playing. I make a point of talking about it every day when we get home from work.
My plan is to(as you’ve said) be the example.
*wish me luck
You inspire me so much! 🩵
I love the “Success Path” graph you showed! ✨After like 7-10 years of decluttering coming from a place of scarcity mindset… I feel I’m making quick decluttering progress and I starting some fine-tuning which makes me feel so much better about my progress. I really felt some progress when I started doing some fine-tuning because that’s where you realize… oh this project would have taken me weeks to complete, but I’ve finished reorganizing/decluttering the kitchen during the children’s nap time! 😮😅
Did Dawn get rid of her blender, then repurchased? I’m confused…. I was waiting to see if that subject came up but never did. I have a solution to decluttering remorse. If you can find several ways to use one item then that’s more useful to keep than one single use item.
me too! that's a really expensive blender so I feel like that whole thumbnail and prop was super clickbaity. she even pointed to it and referred to it abstractly as a "$90 thing..." it's like a $500 blender...
This was an excellent video, Dawn. It really gave me some info to keep in mind as I continue to sort through our belongings. We often tend to focus more on the past regret of those few items we wish we had kept, rather than the blessing brought from donating everything else that we rarely used and have since forgotten about. Thank you for the various ways to re-think the donation of those few “later regretted” items.
I have been a minimalist for years and have had two items I regretted getting rid of. One near the begging of my decluttering and one recently. The one recently I found something else I could use in place of it and the one a long time ago I have forgotten what it was so maybe it really isn’t a regret anymore. 😂
I regret that I did't declutter earlier, it would save me so much time, money, space & health. But with kids it's constant battle. I'm more pissed of things that I' m finding expired or broke or unuseful than that I thrown away many other stuff. Thank You Dawn & all you guys for encuragement ❤
I've struggled with getting grid of expensive, useful items in the past. Selling them was too complicated, but I want to make sure that they were appreciated. What I do now, is stick a bit of masking tape on the item with a very brief description, before donating. That way, I feel a thrift store has a better chance of pricing it appropriately and knowing what they have. It means I can hand it over, guilt-free. So much quicker than selling, but gives the item validation for me.
An example label might be "Steam cleaner, purchased from new a year ago, barely used, cost £130". Having worked in charity shops here in the UK, I know that items come in and can be puzzling for volunteers in terms of brand or how appealing shoppers may find it. Not knowing what it is, they mark it up for a couple of pounds when in reality, the charity could have generated extra money for their cause if they'd known what they had. So I feel a brief note on the item helps me, and helps the charity too.
I was talking to a friend on the phone for an hour or two. My kids figured out how to unlock the baby lock on the trash can. They tossed a bunch of books and dress up stuff and dollar tree toys. Rather than sorting through it and trying to discipline them, I took out the trash! I should thank them for decluttering for me. But I never would have felt brave enough to say “goodbye” to their belongings like that if I hadn’t been at the “fed-up” stage to simply let go of things like that. Fingers crossed it will be a learning experience for my 2 & 3 year olds.
My home is still super cluttered, but after redoing my kitchen and decluttering it 4 years ago, I can honestly say that my buying habits of what I bring into the kitchen itself is where it started. But now I make more and more conscious choices with my purchasing of items in my whole life and not just my kitchen- I take account of where I would use blank appliance, space in my drawer, etc. So realistically I only buy replacement things for stuff I run out of or damage beyond repair, etc. And I make more trips to the dump than I did before so that even if I'm not doing a big deep clean and declutter, I am getting THAT item or those items out and away from my house so I'm still making my living space better rather than the same or worse. The amount of money I have saved with these decisions has outweighed any other stress or replacing items. I buy food items in bulk to save money and freezer meal prep and small homesteading so it does require equipment and space but I started with keeping the appliances and decluttering pots and pans and Tupperware and recycle bin went the cool whip containers (you're from Minnesota just like me so you get it) and honestly I have since decluttered 3 appliances, replaced 2, and added 1 new one. As far as Tupperware, pans, etc ... I bought 1 additional 9x13 so I now own 2. That whole storing them with lids on has been revolutionary in my kitchen space. It is these little things that really add up over time. Do I live in as simple of a house as I want? No. Far from it. I don't know if I will ever. But, Day by day, month by month, year by year, less stuff comes in, more stuff leaves, and my purchasing power has been so much more effective in my long term financial goals. My youngest LOVES the time will tell bin also and she has since changed her outlook on toys, etc as well (she's currently 12)
And when you know better you do better! You do the best you can with the information you have and when you know better (information) then you do better! That last bit is so comforting I think! Now I know better but, if I didn’t know, how could I make a good decision??? Don’t beat your self up for not knowing!!! Just do better now!
Big life hack I do is I label all chargers (lead an plug) with what it's for, eg camera make model. Then now I can quickly tell what I need and what can declutter. Definitely makes it less stressful all round. Love ur videos thank you
I needed to hear this thank you!! I have had some regret lately, but it doesn’t negate the fact that I’ve gotten rid of so many things that we didn’t need and my house is now peaceful!
This is excellent advice. The reason I hold onto everything is that thought of I paid for it, I might as well keep it FOREVER 😖 Truly I haven't regretted anything. Usually when I go digging for that thing I saved, it's unusable, not actually what I wanted, or something I like much better has come out & is affordable. I'm preaching to myself, but let's go forward and declutter & simplify our lives.
Whenever I do a big declutter, I always give away *one* thing I want to use again later.
So I have just _accepted_ that this will always happen. But the decluttering of all those other things is SO valuable, it is usually worth it. Sometimes when I eventually replace it, I get a *smaller* one!
I always turn on your videos when I need motivation or am cleaning, decluttering and organizing. I've gotten caught up in the trap lately of thinking that I need to have certain things around the house to be properly organized, but every single time that happens, I get overwhelmed and go back to simplifying. ❤
The only thing I truly regret decluttering is old journals without going through each one. A lot of what was in them I don’t care about but I did jot special notes down about my littles - what they were saying, funny little stories etc and I was so overwhelmed I just trashed the whole box without making sure to pull any of those pages out.
I am definitely in the messy middle! I feel like my whole house is a mess but less of a mess than when I started. I have gotten rid of a few things that I thought oh I could have used that but really I probably wouldn't have. Currently trying to declutter toys which is becoming very challenging but I have two boxes packed for donations for far and two to sell at a consignment sale so we are getting there yay!
Heyyyyy been loving your content. Beginner minimalist here ! Love from Iowa!!! ❤❤❤❤❤
I'm so glad to hear this Amy! We midwesterners have to stick together!!! ;)
That's exactly how I think about every aspect of life too. No regrets has always been my motto since my early teenage years and experiencing failure or things out of my control.
So far only one regret... I decluttered our "extra" blender vessel about a year ago because we only need one... I regret that now as the seal for the one I kept blew out and will cost us $150 to replace 😳still trying to save up for that... Hubby wasn't thrilled but is thankfully very forgiving! 💜 we've just been living without smoothies and adjusting out habits... But a disappointment for sure!
Why not just buy a new blender?