NRM DeCluttering 35 Years of...Stuff
ฝัง
- เผยแพร่เมื่อ 3 ก.ค. 2023
- I have embarked on a journey to possessing essential items only. Just the things I need to live a good, fulfilling, and joyful life. Free from distractions. Free from clutter. Free from...stuff.
Let me know what you think in the comments. Is this for you?
Thank you to those who reminded me. Here is the George Carlin clip on “Stuff.” • George Carlin Talks Ab...
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I started this channel in order to document life as it gets lived. It's about where I live, how I live, where I travel, why I travel, and so much more. Eclectic is a good word for the content to be found here. I hope you will come along for the ride!
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We spend the first half of our lives collecting stuff and the second half getting rid of it all. What you own, owns you. Life is so much brighter and lighter when you are free from clutter.
What you own owns you. Very powerful words.
I’m learning this lesson at 40! Americans collect way too much crap smh.
Well said!
So true! But that is the cycle of life.
@@jenn9579Only if you choose that cycle.
Ask yourself how you come to believe you need something. More often than not, it’s because someone else (real person or advertisement persona) has it.
“You” doesn’t mean you, personally. Almost all of us do it…..like good little followers of the American Dream.
Nothing wrong with being 65 in your parent’s basement. I’m right there with you. After my divorce, I got a house with a full finished basement where my oldest daughter lived until she married. Mom got Alzheimer’s - my parents had a larger house that was getting too much for my dad to handle while caring for mom. I asked them to move in with me and I took the “basement.” Mom passed a few years ago and now my dad (who is 91) is on the main floor and I’m downstairs. It’s a perfect situation for both of us and I wouldn’t have it any other way.
Good for you. Caring for a loved one with Dementia is hard. ❤😢
I just sold my place and moved my recently disabled mom out of her multi level home of 42 years, helped her buy a smaller, simpler place, and moved in with her to look after her.
Bless you
My hero.
Quality time with loved ones--priceless.
I retired, and then my husband passed away. I was left with all of this to clear out. My son even said to me, "Please don't leave me your house and all this stuff, I wouldn't know what to do with it!" Got me thinking. Our kids don't want our knickknacks, our furniture, our dishes. There are not enough lifetimes to go thru all of this. It literally made me panic. I started the process of what you are doing. Thanks for this video.
My condolences on the loss of your husband. ❤️
swedish dead cleaning
I lost my husband 11 years ago. We were both young and had just bought a house and didn’t get a chance to unpack because we wanted new flooring and I have a lot of inherited china. So here I am … 11 years later and I still haven’t been through all of the boxes! I wish that I had done it even 9 years ago. Now I’m living alone and don’t have any room!
My son told me the same thing !!! He said get rid of it !!! But I don’t want to, but I’m not taking it with me either !!!
@@jorgemendes1484yrs
I really like that term essentialism instead of minimalism. I could get on board with that
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Agreed. A term more people can relate to, that is more realistic, pragmatic, practical and purposeful, that is not a compromise, and that doesn't evoke a bare bones bland room, with just 3 items in it, for the "minimal" sake of it.
You haven’t lost your mind. You’ve found it ❤
Of all the things that I have lost, I miss my mind the most.
@@patrickbodine1300 By your reply, it’s quite obvious you have not! However, your humor is enjoyable 🤭
The word “minimalism “ never sat well with me, but “essentials “ feels right. Thank you for sharing.
I can't wait to see the room makeover. Marie
Very refreshing
@@mikemcgeary2638same here...I hate that word! It usually means all straight furniture with no character, also. And not even essentials!
So refreshing to watch a gentleman of a certain age talk about “stuff”! You are a natural to the camera.
As a semi-retired educator and professional speaker, i agree. You have a relaxed, friendly, and clear presentation style... doing as my editor advised me to do: " keep it light, bright and tight".
I had not thought of a variation on minimalism ...essentialism. Bravo! to you for suggesting a philosophy that works for me. (and probably for many others ). I'm off, to start living the lifestyle that expresses who I am NOW.
Thank you both for your kind words!
I agree fully!!
Hi there, thankyou for sharing, plse can you tell me why you are storing things else where, to me thats just shufflings around from one spot to another, i have found the more furniture ie cupboards and boxes the more you feel the need to fill them, its crazy and greedy, i need to declutter again. I went too far and felt i was eliminating my life, my daughter passed away 4 months ago and her take on life was, experiences over possessions, one smart girl.❤❤❤❤❤
@@jacquelinemcgowan8164 They are only being moved temporarily while I decide if I’m keeping the bed or changing it. Trying to keep it all together until then. Thank you for watching!
You didn't lose your mind. I had several aha moments when I pulled out EVERYTHING from one category, makeup, toiletries, clothes, and piled them up. After I got over the embarrassment, realizing how much money I wasted, I pulled out the expired things and trashed several hundreds of dollars worth of products, then I went through the rest and realized that I had more stuff than I could ever use in the next 5 years minimum. I donated a lot to my housekeeper. The most important thing I did though, was to STOP SHOPPING. And every time I thought I needed more organizers, I went instead through my things and thinned out the stuff. It feels really good. I still have too much stuff, but it's a process. I'm working on it.
Thank God I am not the only one who feels terribbly embarrassed by all the hundreds of dollars I spent on crap and have to declutter it all....hundreds of dollars or products for all and everything....I fall for the advertisements.
@@danzbutrfly best part, now you know...good on you!
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Boy, did that sound familiar! I will have to say, however, that my wife is the primary reason we have so much "stuff." She has a hard time getting rid of anything. I also retired when I was 65, and now I am 75 and still covered up in "stuff." When I retired, I decided to learn how to go about selling things online. After watching many hours of TH-cam videos, to learn about reselling, I opened an eBay store and started listing things. Over the past several years I have sold several thousand dollars worth of "stuff," and I contribute all of my profit to various conservation and environmental education projects. So...we still have WAY TO MUCH STUFF, but now we call it inventory. LOL
I love the idea of “essentialism” even more than “minimalism”. Thank you for sharing this term.
agreed i love that after this video, i now know the difference. ❤
I agree with you, Essentialism is a better description then Minimalism,
Oh yes, its a much better term! Things that are essential to some, might be clutter for other.... I really need to write that term and put it where i can see it everyday!
I have been trying to get my head around being a minimalist for years, now i know why it never worked for me 😃
@11p22e33t44e thank you, I will look him up .
I feel sooo relieved that whilst what I have may seem as clutter to others, are actually my essentials lol.
But, in reality, I do need to get rid of a LOT of stuff 🤔
I love your video. You are helping more people than you know.
We lived in the country for 41 years, so “stuff” had a whole other dimension. What we learned:
1. I thought a 17 yard dumpster was too big; I was wrong.
2. If we were stuck between “keep” or “toss,” we tossed.
3. If we thought “the kids will probably want that,” we were probably wrong.
4. We found lots of places to take donations of things we did’t think ANYBODY would want.
5. When we said “enough,” we went through again and found more stuff to get rid of.
Result: we went from a 1700 sq. ft. house on a basement with garage to a 1200 sq. ft. condo with a modest storage area….and everything we had fit quite comfortably, NO extra storage anywhere.
When I had to clean out my parents' house and dad's workshop we filled and emptied a thirty yard dumpster three times. And that was AFTER multiple truck loads of furniture and other STUFF was repurposed to other people.
@@eddiebattles6493I did that, too, with my parents stuff. We moved them 3 times. Ugh! Now I’m on the other end of it and I need to pare down. It’s really hard!
Doing the same myself…yup, your questions sum up my process, too. 😊I really like the term essential better than minimal. I’m going by the motto (and no,it’s not on a plaque 🙄)
Only permit those things in your home which you find useful or beautiful, preferably both
@mencken8 : 2. If we were stuck between “keep” or “toss,” we tossed.
That is a keeper! Thank you for saying that!
"3. If we thought “the kids will probably want that,” we were probably wrong."🤣🤣🤣😂😂😄
Suffered thru trauma my entire childhood, my heart was empty into adulthood. So I bought stuff. Realized I was trying to fill the emptiness of my soul. Corners scared me so I filled them with stuff. 64…healed from allot I’ve lived thru and now, I’m committed to decluttering. I tell myself that I’d bought all this stuff, to bless others. Now, it’s time to give it to them…whoever them is 😊☺️😉. Decluttering is a good thing. Can’t say I’ll embrace essentialism, but I definitely don’t need everything I have. Giving to Salvation Army, Goodwill, Hope Chest 2-local domestic violence store. Bottom line, someone will be blessed by what I’ve spent too much $$ buying. Thanks for your video…it’s encouraging.
That is a great way to look at it. I have kept all of my babies' clothes. It is so hard to let go of them.
@@SamanthaSweetAnne
Yes it is!! My sone was a preemie. Born at 24 weeks, he was so tiny…
I understand everything you have written. I too fill my heart with stuff. I think I have enough time to reverse this and try to deal with my trauma another way. Good luck with everything x
Why not sell it ?
I truly wish you much joy and peace for the rest of your days. You deserve it. Good luck with your decluttering project.
Well, thank you! I'm 58 now and my wife and me have been collecting stuff for as long as we live in our house which is 33 years. It has bothered me for years, but my wife doesn't want to throw away anything and I let that stop me. I cleaned out my parents house, so I should know better. So, I will start today with looking at my stuff and doing away with what I don't use or need. Thanks for the inspiration! 👍
You got this. Lead by example, and you both will savor the clean space.
I don't wanna have nothing. But I am sorting thru and getting rid of.
I had a yard sale when I retired. What didn't sell went to goodwill. My home looks bare but no way I was lugging that stuff back inside
My husband doesn't want to part with anything that "might be of use", so I'm starting to go through my own things, the kitchen, and bathrooms. I'm determined to start this journey in 2024. I'm tired of feeling like Cinderella, while the rest of the family has fun,
Clutter is a cushion to keep you safe from the cold world - it takes a brave and honest heart to deliberately live without armour.
Well said 👌🙏
Thank you for this comments. Just perfect to really get me going faster
Clutter is like a cave. Some of us feel more comfy with things we love around us.
Profound. Certainly rings true for me.
@@tauisuitonu8505yes!!
I think as we get older we realize how “stuff” really weighs us down. I’m 64, retired and I’m dealing with this now. I had 2 houses full of all this “stuff”, I had a fish camp and a home. I recently sold my house and camp and moved into a much smaller home to be debt free for retirement and I am juggling trying to manage all of this. I will be doing some serious downsizing. I grew up poor so I spent my whole life collecting and buying but now it doesn’t mean the same to me. A clean, simple house is what I want now. The struggle is real. ❤❤❤❤
Yes. The struggle is very real. I was hanging on to stuff accumulated through 2 marriages and divorces. Breaking free of the “stuff defines me” cycle is both scary and liberating.
I agree, the struggle is very real! I'm 59 and 'm at this point too. I can't believe the amount of things accumulated in my home (well, also because an aunt died leaving me all her stuff, and my parents too... So there are LOTS of things that arrived in my home that way). I'm working at making space in my wardrobe, but can you believe I managed to give away 8 large bags full of towels, sheets, blankets, etc. and my wardrobes are still full? (only, not so full as before.. You opened the doors and there was a solid wall of stuff)
It's really a struggle...
I'm also 64, retired two years. Have been decluttering off and on now for the last year. It feels so much better getting rid of stuff I don't really need.
I don't want our kids to have to do this for us when we're gone
Also hopefully some of our donated stuff is being used and appreciated by others.
Why keep the furniture. Sell or give away.
Yes the struggle is real !!!!❤
Myself and my 4 siblings are clearing out our parents’ brick ranch (mom passed away in March). They’d been there more than 30 years and, though not hoarders, accumulated a lot of things. What strikes me as we’re working hard to empty the place out is how many items had sentimental value to them, yet I don’t think they’d looked at them in years. Just things they wanted or couldn’t bear to toss out. Interestingly, the vast majority of it is has no sentimental value to us kids. We have at least another month of work ahead of us… my wife and I promised ourselves we’ll strive to put our only child in a better situation after we’re gone. Would NOT want her to try doing this on her own. So here we are, in our early 60s, decluttering a bit at a time. My commitment is to get at least a couple items out of our house every few weeks.
My condolences on your loss. Attachment to memories through the things we own is a powerful force. Good luck in your journey!
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@@kzZnAT0r 💚
I’m 44 and have a very simple life. I’m not a materialistic person. I don’t get excited or happy over a kitchen table, or counter or car or house. I’m happy on life, I love spreading kindness and all about making things easier. The more you buy, the more you have to clean. I agree with everything you said and you are right on track. Keep on keeping on 😊❤
Classic humble brag
@@kennyg1358 ew no. Just trying to support and share with others that you don’t need to have nice things to be happy. It’s just more work for you in the long run.
Couldn't agree more 👍
@@mel4856 thank you :)
@@darla218 I feel the same, so many people equate happiness these days with buying things. I love being out in nature, seeing the animals, living simply, and just enjoying those simple moments and joys. Keep on enjoying your happy things too 😊 🌿⚘
Love seeing more mature voices on this platform. Your wisdom and guidance are very much needed. Thank you!
De-cluttering is real therapy ... it clears the mind for new pastures and future expansion.
I'm retiring in 6 weeks, I've already started decluttering. Such a task but such a good feeling to see all of this unneeded stuff going. Cleansing for the soul.
Happy retirement. Enjoy it
Enjoy your retirement 🤍
Your video helped me realize something I've been suppressing for years. Years of buying and collecting nonsense to mask my trauma. I know it may not make sense to many, hell, I didn't even understand it for years. Thank You. ❤
My husband and I were not able to have children the “old-fashioned way.” For reasons I won’t go into we didn’t adopt. I have spent so much money on decor and jewelry. Moms sometimes comment, in a nice way actually, about my beautiful things that they don’t have. I tell them I didn’t have kids to spend $ on. I would rather have had the kids.
I but stuff to.try and escape my depression but the clutter makes me more depressed. So I understand similarly the link to mental health/trauma and buying things to "find happiness".
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I am a guy, age 65 and retired, who has been on a downsizing quest for a couple years. I've watched so many videos here about 'Swedish Death Cleaning' and 'Stuff That Doesn't Spark Joy'. Almost all these advice videos are by young women, or by young men advocating total minimalism. Which is fine. But I was starting to feel like I was the only older, retired guy tackling a life's worth of accumulation.
Thank you for sharing your inspiring video.
Thank you! For sharing your struggle. I totally agree. So many videos are made by women. Almost like men aren’t supposed to worry about it. LOL
@@TheNewRetiredMe It makes me laugh when I see articles titled "Declutter your entire house in one day". What very few decluttering gurus mention is that even though the goal is the same, the tactics of achieving it are very personal and incremental in nature. Absorb all the good advice and come up with the method that works for you.
@user-ju2cb1mj2l - you are NOT alone! As a mom of 7, grandmom of 23 and counting - it's important to downsize!! None of my kids want the stuff!!
@@debnelson3979 So true! My daughter has already told me she's renting a dumpster when the time comes, lol. Seriously though it put things into perspective when it comes to mindlessly buying more stuff and I have started downsizing already, even though I don't plan to move.
@@carolperdue7534 - Aw Carol! My oldest said he was just going to "torch" the place! He's my most unsentimental one, though. Fortunately, I have five daughters that won't let him to that! Though they are all more on the minimal side, I at least have the feeling that they will "look" before they just torch it all! LOL!
I have only lived in 2 homes and at 73 I have 4 generations of 'stuff' in drawers, closets, boxes in the basement, & garage.. After 45 years in my home, you can imagine what has been collected. Thank you for reminding us about 'what is essential', a full heart and appreciation.
I’m so happy 😊
Same here - kids don’t want it so I sell it and use $ to fix house or go on cruise
you sound just like me.Over whelming to me
I collect, then purge the house, then I buy more, then purge, buy more, purge.😂😅😅
@@lindadavis5668clearly... you have too much money 😂
Good for you - you are not crazy. At age 50, I sold everything I had from my 3,000 sf home. Put what I needed in my Jeep and moved to Mexico. Life changed and I moved back to the US and at 69 years old I’ve buried myself with stuff again. I remember the feeling of freedom without “stuff” and I am starting to declutter and minimize my 2,400 sf home. I’m loving it. With every thing I get rid of, I gain more peace. Keep going.
stop keeping up with the jones, move to a mobile home. haha, that you can't do. ok a tiny home then
You haven't lost your mind, you've found it. It can be a difficult process. I am a widower who has to come to terms with the fact that the life we built together doesn't exist anymore, and it ain't easy. I still live, alone, in a 4 bedroom house, which is nuts.
Thanks for sharing. It might just be inspirational.
I'm not a widow, but I have downsized in stages: first from the huge house to a large 2 bedroom condo (which I enjoyed for 21 years) and now to a smaller condo. I think it was easier that way. Just a thought.
After clearing out my father’s home and my best friend’s home, I’m clearing out mine as well. Don’t want my daughters to go through a mess once I’m gone.
as a daughter i was glad my father hadnt much stuff left in his life. he was sick and nurses took care of him. they kept everything in perfektion, but still me and my brother had to empty the flat. it was less, but still much to do. i dont want to imagine, hoe mich it is to do with a full house 😮
There's a Swedish book about doing this. They call it 'Death Cleaning' - so your Kids won't have to do it after you die. Not a happy term, but a good idea.
@@suzannederringer1607 Unless you wanna punish them, then you leave it for them to do! Lol Just joking, really!
@@suew4609 with that you only punish people who really need these things, so DONATE 😉
Well done! My dad died eight years ago. He had survived my mom by 25 years and another wife as well. I was charged with emptying the house he had lived in for 55 years. All I had to do was take all the stuff outside for the collectors to take it to the tip! They removed eight tip truck loads. The tipping fees alone cost a fortune! These men did a great job. I’m now 74, with a terminal illness. I had vowed and declared that I wouldn’t do the same to my children but I’m not doing it fast enough. Thanks for the timely reminder. To leave it for my children must be one of the most selfish things I could do. I don’t want to be that person. Thank you.
it is called the "Swedish Death Cleaning"
@@janicevin4207 Thank you for this. I looked it up on Google and some of the ideas are very useful (I hope!). It’s good to know.
Great video. This has been on my mind, too. And I am starting tomorrow. Thanks for the push. ♥️
Wishing you the best kimlowe
Haha before you even said it, I was thinking of Carlin's "A Place for my Stuff." Brilliant!
I turned 60 this year, big new house, no furniture, no room for furniture, have multiple storage units in multiple states..... Clutter. Mine, my kids', stuff previous home owner left.... Im buried well ahead of my demise. Can't afford a dumpster..... Overwhelmed but I think this video helped. Bless you.
I am in the process of decluttering my life of 50 years of stuff. Having grown up poor I tend to hold onto stuff that I might need someday. Starting during the isolation of the pandemic I started getting rid of stuff. My favorite way to declutter is to place stuff on the curb with a free sign. It's a good feeling when someone takes the item. I have been asked why I do not sell items, I do not want to deal with people for a few dollars.
You are also helping people who have little which is always a good thing to do. When we got our first small home, the elderly lady donated some of her furniture to us. It was such a blessing and I still think of her kindness to us as a blessing.
I like to put stuff on the curb, too. Our town used to have a spring cleaning day. It was so much fun to see our stuff disappear.
Yes, and I was one that picked up some of the stuff. My brother just helped me clear my outbuilding, having to break down some of the old furniture with a hammer. It went from bad to worse over the years. I meant to refurbish, repaint, etc. all these treasures! (I am an artist). Got rid of tons of old frames beyond saving. Some trash. Shame on me!@@carlacrawford9322
I do the same thing. Street corner is one of my first outlets, especially for larger items. Also, the club house at a trailer house park. That's for smaller items, good quality clothing, craft items, and food stuffs. Disappears. Large furniture goes to veteran's who do pick up. Yes, it's a good feeling to get it out of my house and someplace where it's used. Little by little, it's going.
I'm always leary of people (strangers) coming to my home anyway, so curbing and giving (drop off style) is the way I will go. I have SO much stuff(junk, crap, but it seemed important at the time). But grew up without a bunch of money and I had 6 kids, so hand-me-downs was my life.
As a senior myself, making your home easier to move around is essential. Moving around large pieces of furniture is an accident waiting to happen and the beginning of our decline. Remove scatter rugs, especially if they cover wires, add handle bars where needed and for goodness sakes, stop storing stuff that requires a ladder to retrieve! OK, gotta get back to decluttering. This video has incentivized me.
I so agree with the comment about large pieces of furniture. I routinely give away to the church flea market to support summer camp, gave away a closet full of teaching materials to a local daycare (still need to clear out more of that), and still, my garage has too much stuff in it. I have had to tell my children, "No!" as they seem to think my house is their storage facility. No is a very nice word. I do need to get rid of more "heavy" furniture as they interfere with my cleaning.
For us seniors, it’s very important that we stop storing stuff that requires a ladder to retrieve. The risk of losing our balance while climbing a ladder is not worth it.
If you're short, using a step stool or stepladder is a necessity. I aim for keeping what I use most often within my reach, but some items used once every two weeks are too high for me to reach without the step stool.
When the kitchen renovations are more nearly complete, a few if the higher placed items will be lower.
Having to move everything out of the kitchen made me aware of how many things lived there that didn't need to be there.
Some items have left the house altogether; others will be kept somewhere else in the house and brought into the kitchen when needed.
Stop storing stuff that requires a ladder resonates with me. I am 65 and almost broke my neck trying to pull down a bedspread that I still didn’t use. Now I have decided everything on top is going. Thank you!
I am a 72 year old woman. I bought a motorcycle lift and used it to lift heavy furniture so I could place furniture sliders under the furniture. Under other things (floor speakers, etc.) I put on plant casters. Makes mopping, baseboard cleaning, under bed (yes, the king sized bed, too!) a breeze.
I know,I have a house full of crap. You’ve started me off now,thank you. Declutter begins today! ❤️👏🏻👏🏻👏🏻
I watched you for the first time today. Laughed all the way through. I'm a widow and understand every word you said. I've downsized many times. And now live alone and
still have too much stuff. So I will giggle to myself as I do it again, getting rid of more stuff. Especially stuff I don't even like.
Can't wait to see what you do with that room .
All the best to you. Thanks for the fun video.
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After my wife died in 2017 after giving up the house and moving to an apartment in 2016, after a couple years of intense grief I realized how much crap we had, and I decided to un clutter my Apartment and life, and being a disabled 61yr old widower with a cat I realized I didn't need all the stuff, I put a lot of stuff out by the dumpster where people take the stuff they want, cleaned out the garage so I could leave the door open when I go out, I hadn't even watched TV in a year or so, so that went also as did the bulky TV cabinet, I kept two comfey chairs and a couch, the cat uses these, a small sideboard and a coffee table and nice bedroom set from my late parents, my computer table a secretary and two folding chairs from the folding table set I gave away, a nice desk and my late Mother in law's china cabinet, to display some keepsakes from my wife and family, and my small Matchbox car collection, my Guitars , books CDs DVDs two cat trees an end table and two nice lamps, it's like a weight was lifted off me, I have nobody left alive to clean out my apartment when I croak, but whomever does wont have much to toss in the trash, I have nothing of any real value, when my Downstairs neighbor died of covid a couple of years ago his friend took three weeks to remove thousands of books this guy had, all rotten trash, terrible, I prefer the term Minimalist, so I only keep what I use and need, I would never live in a retirement community as we saw all the restrictions they put on my MIL and those that live there, worse then an HOA, I don't care for restrictions, please do some research about these places before moving in to one, sorry for the long rant, great video and God bless you all
Thanks for the rant, I have always been skeptical about retirement communities.
What you described is so true. Unfortunately, many can’t accept the fact of getting rid of their junk.
@@11p22e33t44e Yes, I guess minimalist would leave one sitting naked in an empty apartment, haha
I've lived in two different retirement communities and both worked quite well for me. No restrictions that I've come across.
I am still downsizing. Have gotten rid of two storage units, one to go. Plus there's too much stuff in my bedroom.
I'm looking forward to getting rid of my stuff, but with being a sentimental type, it's sooo difficult. Eyes on the prize.
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We are on our third retirement! I’m 75 and my husband is 80. When he retired from the Navy, we bought a house and settled down as we had a teenager and we wanted a regular life and live the American Dream. Within a couple years we realized it was a mistake. We liked moving and seeing new places, new people. So after 22 years and Hurricane Katrina he retired from his job, we sold the house, bought an RV. We spent about 15 years traveling.About three years ago after a couple medical scares we retired again, the traveling was more work than fun. We still live in our RV near family. They want us to find an apartment or retirement community…we would have to get furniture! I realized when we sold our house, no one wanted our ‘stuff’ not even family. I’ve been getting rid of stuff for years! Still have a ton, even in this RV. You’re not crazy, as we age we gain wisdom!
Found this channel by accident. In April of 19 I lost my Mom. I'd been living with her to take care of her because she was elderly. I retired at 60 because of Mom's health; I too am 65. I actually did what you're talking about in this video. Essentialism, not minimalism. I however feel it is an ongoing process. I'm about to go through my clothes (shirts, coats, shoes, hats, etc..) again this week. Great idea for a video. One push back, I "don't" consider myself "Old."😏
My condolences on your loss. It is definitely a lifelong process. I’m posting more on that soon.
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Seeing this video gave me new ideas to pursue. I am 78 and have been accumulating things for 60 years. Never getting rid of anything - I might use this someday! I am now focusing on getting rid of stuff! Not only my household stuff, but a garage full of tools, with many duplicates. Your philosophy and success has given me a better outlook on STUFF! Thank you!
My husband retired and we thought about downsizing which spurred us to declutter. So far, we've donated 50 filled contractor bags of stuff to Habitat for Humanity and another 10-15 contractor bags filled with clothes to the local school thrift store. It's been such a pain that we've sworn not to buy anything we absolutely don't need.
I’m in that process right now. Lordy, what a tedious JOB.
Yes! And I am dreading facing my hoarders life and I am now 74 !
@@gortagnan One day at a time, pal - it's how we did it. Also, take one cabinet or closet in a room and finish it and then move on to the next, etc. It gets way too overwhelming if you start in 1 place and get distracted and move on to another room - ask me how I know this! 😃
@@abbyrock5684 Thanks for your suggestion as that’s been my problem exactly! I become so overwhelmed by the sheer volume of stuff that I have to go through, that I literally do anything to avoid going through it all. Especially sentimental stuff, it practically paralyzes me to even think of parting with that sort of stuff.
@@Mustnt_Grumble Sentimental stuff is off limits, lol. I did get large plastic bins for each of our children's keepsakes and one for family keepsakes. It's nice because our grandchildren enjoy going through their parents things.
Once you start going through things, it becomes easier to say, "Donate".
My advice for those watching. don’t wait until you retire to declutter your home start now! Makes life easier, live with less.
I do that from time to time, feels goooood!
I have been on my jouney for a couple years and it’s an ongoing thing for me. It has made me think twice before buying and bring things in my home. Is it perfect? No, but more manageable. I’m loving his video and can’t wait to show it to hubby…nickname “ Just In Case” 😂
@@lindag5076 Hi Linda! I do declutter videos on my channel if you are interested.
I'm in my early 30's. I've been on the declutter journey for 5-10 years. It's just slow going with chronic illness and very young kids
@@YasuTaniina Keep at it darling! I suffer from bouts of depression on & off since I had my thyroid removed in 2012. So my house gets cluttered up again during those times and no decluttering gets done just the basics so I totally get that. Well I/we feel better we can do better. Hang there 💜👍
I’m going through the same process. I finally got tired of hauling everything around when I move. 😬
A breath of fresh air, someone not doing the minimalism thing! I see red, when I hear people say to trash those family photos, because you can scan them and look at them on your phone. Or to pitch something only because you haven't used it the past 6 months or year. Sounds like you have found that happy middle ground.
No, you have NOT lost your mind. You are practical and a planner. Stuff weighs you down. Guess what--you will NOT miss a thing!!
I would take stuff to the goodwill and after 2 months I forgot what I got rid of!😂😂
My wife doesn’t understand people with stuff stored long term in storage units and came up with a very good point about them. A 10’ x 10’ storage unit is about $160/ month in the US and a lot of storage units are storing junk and furniture. So at $1920 per year after 5 years you will have spent close to $10k in storage. For that money you could go out and buy all new furniture and it makes that junk very expensive.
Great video, thanks. Cheers, Stuart 🇦🇺
You're exactley right. It don't make any dollars and cents lol.
I've said the same thing to my significant other. He's slowly catching on. Hoarding is a mental thing.
I have had a storage unit for 6vyrs or so. I did the math & yes I could of bought all new stuff for a whole house with the $$ I spent in the storage fees. My issue is in my 70s I don't have anyone to help me move, sell or trash it.Especially since it is always hot here in a unit..Smothering 🔥 here
I had STUFF in storage one time and half of it was ruined from dampness, I'll never do that again!
@@toosexy7955 Yep, wasted money.
You have not lost your mind. I have rented a booth space in a flea market to sell my unwanted/needed stuff. What doesn’t sell goes to the Good Will. So I am making a little money while having a hobby at age 65. I am having a ball looking at the report everyday to see what I sold. I spend 3 hours a week in the booth rearranging and adding new stuff. I spend 2 to 3 hours a week at yard sales or Good Will adding stuff to my booth that i otherwise do not already own. This satisfies my shopping needs. I spend a few hours researching and pricing my stuff. This give me something to do in my retirement other than crocheting {which I love}.
Finally, someone in my age range talking about decluttering. Thank you! Yes, I kept my dinning table, mostly due to the fact I have so many solid wood pieces I've inherited, and I rethought how they could be used, break from the 'fixed' ideas. My dressers hold my spices, pantry items, pet supplies. My kitchen table? My large cook prep space, crafting, company gather spot. Any dresser top is lined and used for my cooking tools I use for prep, especially my crockpots. I like to prep cook for the month, so my freezer has ready meals for me. Your dresser with the shelves, I have my own version of it. I made that my bookcase (hidden) and my sheets went into the drawers. Top is spring, bottom is winter for my bedding.
I downsized and decluttered in Dec 2021 into a studio apartment. The process was physically and mentally exhausting, but well worth the effort. I am 68 years old, retirement is not an option yet, and I love my scaled down lifestyle. I hope your video will inspire others.
66 and still working as a nurse, thought I’d be living in my current apartment forever, circumstances happen and I’m moving to a 2 bedroom duplex ( actually lived in the duplex 16 years ago Lol) it’s my son and I and we enjoyed living there but it has significantly less storage space so I am going through tons of “ stuff “😑as much as I hate moving it’s a “ new start” so I’m tossing what I don’t need or want or won’t have room to store and looking forward to our fresh start 😊😊😊
at age 15 (I am now 47), I was a minimalist. life is much easier when you simply don't care about stuff and just enjoy life for what you value (unless it is stuff). I find it surprising that old people actually continue to buy stuff they will never even use, let alone "collect." they forget they are leaving the planet soon as per the stats of lifespan, if not earlier.
@@defaultworkouts Maybe that’s why they still buy stuff they will never use. Denial of mortality. I am now old enough to ask myself, will I ever wear this again in my life? Will I ever use this item again in my life? How many of these do I really need?
@@susanmarie2231 people love to collect or just have stuff "in case" or maybe live with their fantasy self. I tried my best since I was a teenager to never get into that mindset. I use what I need on the spot and that's that. rarely have I needed to repurchase something again and I definitely do NOT collect stuff! it is ALL junk lest you buy stuff to resell like baseball cards but then again real estate or stocks are a better bet over time...
@@susanmarie2231I can see that because I don't think my parents planned for old age or their mortality
I wish my dad and his partner could have come to this realization. For many people the idea of their stuff is comforting. And then as children we are left to clean and purge later. I have so much respect for this man and his ability to embrace change.
there are older people that grew up with very little. so for many there might be a need/desire to have more/collect. im just glad i see it right now, so i have time to declutter get rid of things and have my space feel calm and peaceful because it currently does not.
I just had to move my mother into assisted living. She didn’t want to live with me and my wife (she did not want to submit). For the better part of three months, my wife and I had to spend cleaning out my Mom’s house of all her stuff. For years, I had asked her to clear out her stuff, but she refused. In a way, Im glad that I had to do the cleaning before she died rather than after. At least now she knows how much work cleaning her stuff up was. It is very wrong to leave your junk for someone else to clean up. These are the things one should learn in childhood. Clean up your own dishes. Clean up your own room. Take your cart back to the store. Etc. etc. It isn’t someone else’s job.
Well said . Had to do it for my mother when she moved house. 3 weekends solid. Bloody ridiculous- I was furious 🤨
@@mafp22w My MIL was so selfish. We cleaned her house for sale so she could move into my daughter's family home. She had her bedroom and living room furniture moved to daughters home. Insisted that my daughter had to get rid of her furniture which she did. Complete junk arrived and was furious that her dishes were no where to be found the 1st day. She's in an assisted living home now and with 1/10th of her crap.
I'm finally able to forgive her.
@@serenityinside1 That’s all, three weekends? What are you complaining about? I spent several years cleaning out my parents place going over there once a week or twice a week. They moved three times as an elderly couple, and my mother have an Alzheimer’s, even though we begged our father not to buy another house he couldn’t stay very long in. The man drove me crazy. He wouldn’t listen to any advice. In the end, it was my sister and I, and then we had to sort out his financial mess! Just know you didn’t have it so bad!
Just found your channel and I couldn’t agree with you more. In the past 4 years, I’ve whittled my way down from an 1100sf house, to a 21 foot travel trailer, to a park model (essentially a single wide with an addition). I’m in the process of selling that and moving to a small 5th wheel in the country on family land, and I’m super excited. I was so overwhelmed by all the ‘stuff’...like I was tied down to/by everything. When I decided to downsize, it was fairly easy. I went room by room asking myself one question, “will my kids want to deal with this (picture, bowl, etc.) when I’m gone?” That made the purge very easy. Now I have a few kitchen items, minimal clothing, and probably too many art supplies, but I’m not completely insane, so I’m keeping them. 🤣 I feel so much lighter, and can really focus on the simplicity and beauty of faith, family, and friends. Kudos to you for simplifying your life!
I just turned 61 years old and I’ve felt so bogged down by all the stuff in my home. A lot of what I have was given to me by my parents. I was a “good girl” and gladly accepted it, because that made them happy. Something’s I really wanted d/t their antique quality. Other items I’ve stored in my garage and attic. I’ve recently started the process of only keeping what I need. I donate to the less fortunate and I’ve been selling items online. It feels so good to lift that weight of clutter. Best wishes ~
I am sooo there! My Mom was a hoarder. Not a filth hoarder….a very organized hoarder. We had a four bedroom house growing up. As each one of my siblings and I left home, our room was filled from floor to ceiling with stuff. She passed away and it took me and 3 of my siblings weeks to sort through her “stuff”. We donated a lot of it and then we had a three day yard sell. At the end of the yard sell we gave everything to a couple that had a second hand shop. That’s when I realized how hard it is on your loved ones to go in and sort through and get rid of “stuff”.
I did all that with my mothers house as well. So hard to part with pieces of their life, your early life, all while mourning their passing. I came home and started decluttering my house. I don’t want my kids to go through this.
@@LoisDiCicco I'm in the same mindset. I do not want my children to end up this burden.
What do you do with generations of family photos from parents and grandparents??!!! My son isn’t interested in them; but, they have been cherished for 3 generations. I am at a complete loss as to what to do with them.
@@rpl1421Did your parents have any siblings or cousins? Maybe they (or their children) might be interested in the photos.
@@rpl1421Also, have you considered having the photos digitally scanned at high resolution and then stored on a computer, CD or some other electronic storage? (Of course, that type of storage leads to its own headaches, but at least you could dispose of the original physical photos and feel a lot less guilty over it…)
This story sounds so familiar- my daughter was the one that got me started about 15 years ago. I am 67 now she came to me and said mom don’t leave all this stuff for us to go through at first I was deeply hurt and then I started looking around and realized how much we collected over the years..So I am always downsizing- I have an empty box always available to put stuff in.
I just decluttered the kitchen last winter,am now focused on a storage closet.
The garage is almost empty. I’m on board 👍🏻
Good for you!
Good for you and good for your daughter for speaking so plainly to you about the need to get rid of the excess stuff. She is absolutely right - our kids do not have the space for our stuff nor will they have the time to do the decluttering for us.
Great idea, always have an empty box ready
Hi Becky! Reading your msg sounds so familiar with my 2,daughters & my son!!!! After their Nan passed( my Dear Mum) the girls said to me( my youngest daughter is very straight to the point and say it how it is!!!) " Mum! Sort out your blooming stuff cos if you should pass away we won't have time to grieve as we will be too busy ( excuse me!) getting rid of all your SH*T"!!!!!!!!!!😏 I didn't take too kindly to that remark but in reality she had a strong point!!!!!!! My son~(iL) says to me I procrastinate too much!!!!!! I will have to deal with it soon!!!!!!
I'm sure like you & your daughter, Becky I will & know I will feel much better for DOING IT!!!! It's making that START!!!!
For Pete´s sake, I am sure if you leftboxes full of diamonds no one would complain about having to clean up! Most forget very quickly they are one of the reasons their parents have things around.
I just found your channel. You have presented very interesting and valid points. I really enjoy your videos.
Clicked like immediately after seeing the thumbnail. I’d much rather listen to the advice whose been there and done all that (and creating great content!) to teach me because no one ever took the time. Thank you! I needed this.
I'm 61 my husband is 67. We opened a booth at the flea market as we start downsizing our home. Thought we might get lucky and make a little cash as we thin out our stuff.
We are loving the feeling that we are getting as we get rid of stuff. We downsized our house four years ago, and that's when we started thinning out the house. We love it!!! More time to figure what we love doing. We love travel in a simple way , spending time developing our community, spending time with grandchildren, cooking quality meals that keep us super healthy.
We were all tricked into believing that stuff is the key to happiness.
my parents choose stuff instead off a relationship with their kids. I can't wait till they die and we can be free from their greed.
About 10 years ago I cleaned out my parents’ house of 50+ years of things. So much stuff that I don’t even remember seeing before. That is the time that I started cleaning out my house. I still have more than I need, but am changing my mindset on buying stuff.
There is this book about "swedish death cleaning". I still need to read it.
@@liatori6214 Great reference! Decluttering impacts us directly as well as whoever will be cleaning up after we are gone. It is scary to realize how much stuff we accumulate over decades. Sorting through it and getting rid of it is difficult and required multiple iterations. The stuff is literally weighing us down. If I were to advise my younger self, I would say "Live minimally and save maximally".
I think thats where most of us start to realize how much "stuff" we have amassed along the years, is when we have to clean out our parents house. Im "essentializing" my stuff so my kids dont have to do it.
My Aunt's house in 2012 did that for me.
My Mom had presents over a decade old in the closet. I stopped buying a lot of stuff. I keep trying to figure the wisest clothes to keep.... I had some clothes I tossed then I needed later and it wasted money to have to replace.
That's how it happened for me too! Lord my mom had so much stuff. Rooms of stuff! I didn't want my kids to have to go through that so i came home from that experience with a new mindset.
No, I don't think you've lost your mind. I've lived in the same home for over 30 years. I've recently started the de-cluttering process, which can be daunting at times! That which I have accomplished has been rewarding enough to keep going! I've watched many minimalism TH-cam videos for inspiration, and I knew that wasn't quite the right approach for me. The concept of essentialism? Perfect! Thank you! 😊
Essentialism, what a great word! I like watching minimalist videos as they give me ideas and push me to ask myself if i really need what i have, but I've never considered myself an actual minimalist.
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One drawer, one cabinet, one closet at a time! Feels good to declutter 💜
It is amazing!
Nice approach.
That's the way we have to do it; otherwise, we feel overwhelmed and never tackle it.
That is what I am doing!!! It feels so great.
@@LynneC44 Excellent!
My husband and I started getting rid of stuff 10 years ago. Eventually we decided to move into a garage apartment that is 320 square feet and is behind his moms house. His dad had just died and his mom was 89. We stored furniture in a shop behind our house and moved in with a bed, couch, chair, and two cabinets. After three years we sold our house to our daughter and family so we had to cull what was in the shop. We saved some tubs of memorabilia and 4 pieces of furniture. That went into a shed by our apartment. His mom is 94 and very healthy but has slowed down a lot. We keep the yard and help out as she needs us. Someday when she dies we will sell her house and all she has kept and hopefully move into a small apartment with our few belongings. So much easier to choose and move when we don’t have all the things we used to have. Our children will bless us for getting rid of our own things like the book Swedish Death Cleaning says and not leave it to them like our parents did us. So for now we are 71 year old children living behind mom.
I can totally relate. :)
My fav takeaway: not merely giving up on things but creating an opportunity to use a space more meaningfully
I retired at the end of 2019 and have been working on decluttering our house but have lots more to do unfortunately. I wasn't "brutal" enough on what to get rid of so now have lots more to deal with. My problem is that I love decor and thrifting decor. I was selling stuff on eBay for a while but that got too time consuming, and folks didn't want to pay me a reasonable price for a lot of what I was selling. I have also been helping my 83-year-old mom declutter her house since I retired. She lives 40 minutes away from me so we can't spend as much time on decluttering her house as we probably need to, but we have gotten rid of a lot of stuff from her house. I have a spot where I put things that I have decided to donate and when I get a significant amount, I take it to the thrift store. Watching your videos has helped inspire me to get rid of more stuff. I watch other TH-camrs that have helped inspire me and keep me motivated to keep decluttering.
This couldn’t of come at a more perfect time. I’ve been struggling so long holding onto and still bringing in stuff I don’t need at 73 just lost my husband my precious dog am still caregiver for handicap brother but drowning in stuff I don’t even want or need. You have blessed my with courage to do what I need to do to stay healthy. Stuff drags you down. Thank you
You can do it! Free yourself from stuff. I'm 51 and still stuck with so much stuff that I work thru a little but I just wish it was all gone. Good luck!
Thank for this. I am working on getting rid of stuff!
Sorry your dog died. That hurts 🐶💔😢
And your Husband too, of course. 💐 ❤
Being 73 as well...we spent the last 10 yrs caregiving my in-laws and their stuff, my wife has been dragging her feet about emptying our house, now she and I are using walkers (temporarily I hope), but zero chance we can go up to the "bonus room" where the real hoard is.
Strike now while you are healthy. Loss of a companion is devastating, my heart goes out to you. You are not alone
My opinion: EVERYTHING you said makes perfect sense. Every time I hear the word 'minimalism', I cringe. It makes me think of a bland, sterile, LIFELESS, uncomfortable existence.
But, ESSENTIALISM, now that's something I can wrap my head around. Not crowded or cluttered, but comfortable and colorful.
Yes, now I have a whole new way to view things.
Congratulations on your journey to becoming an 'essentialist', and thank you for sharing your outlook with the rest of us. 💚😊💚
Perfectly stated!
Thanks for the great topic😊!!
I am 88, still good health going thru stuff I have to give away. I feel so free doing this. I don’t want my children to have to do this. Really like your video.🙋🏼♀️
Hi Lovely Dorothy/Very Inspirational!!! - Here's to the next 88!!!!!Cheers from Canada!!!!
I’ve been doing the same thing for the last 5 years. I am 66. At first, I thought I might have to sell my house, my former husband and I were going through a divorce. Luckily, I was able to weather that storm (hurricane) and I still have my house. I made weekly trips to the landfill and the local donation centers. Even now, after 5 years, I still look around here with a critical eye and take things I thought I “needed “ with me on my regular trips to the landfill. I have probably reduced my inventory by 75%. It feels so good. I still work full time and my house is small. But it feels spacious to me, because it’s not cluttered and crowded with “stuff “. I’ve always been a fan of George’s bit on stuff!
I like how he skips the trauma of divorce. He’s a survivor.
You’re spot on!!!! We’re doing the same thing. You’re not old… and neither are we!!!😂🌹
My husband is home in hospice care now. I love him dearly, but am actually looking forward to getting rid of tons of stuff that he is attached to and I am not. I think it will help me in the grieving process as well. This may seem harsh to many people, but I just want to simplify my life. Thank you for the push!
There’s nothing harsh whatsoever. Your husband is in your heart, not stuff that isn’t being used.
I've been widowed 15 years and am still getting rid of my husband's things. It is a process, you need not rush. Some things will be easy to part with, others not. Tossing his toothbrush was actually difficult, it was me facing reality that he wasn't coming back. I keep a spot in the garage for the boxes of things I'm parting with next. Then I have an annual garage sale to help with being on a fixed income. Widowhood is not an easy road, but my faith in Jesus Christ has been an anchor to hold in every storm I've faced. 💖 May the Lord bless you as well. 💖
After my husband died it took me 10 months of hard work to get rid of stuff. My plan was to move back to Canada to be near my kids and help with grandkids. In the end I called an auction company to take away the rest. I just couldn’t do it anymore. I am now back in Canada starting over in my home town. I need to declutter again! I loved the video, very inspiring ❤
Its okay!!! My mother passed away a few years ago. I was so happy to get rid of CLUTTER. the clutter was a symbol of her sickness for me. Keeping the most precious possesiobs was hard. I don't have the space or money to keep everything. I do regret some items I parted ways with. Had to clear and sell her home as fast as i could, buy over all happy im not paying storage on a massive unit. I do have a small storage unit and that is manageable.
Part with clutter and don't feel bad about keeping some things. You can always part ways with it later. I wish I had been able to take a little more time but that's life. Good luck to you❤
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Thank you all for your thoughts. Yes, there is so much clutter, mine and my husband's and for some reason, him being in hospice really makes me want to clean house of all our clutter. There are a few things to save, but he will always be in my heart and not in the stuff. @@stephaniealva8025
You hit the nail on the head! I think at 73 I am becoming a hoarder. Thanks for the encouragement to essentialize my life.
It must be the age of 70! I live in 450 square feet I have to much stuff. I resettled in my home town in Michigan from Chicago a
I loved this. I'm 59 and feel exactly the same. It's so refreshing.
I’m not quite 55 and I collect junk, just accumulate, sad! God’s pretty good at cleaning house for me, though. Had a big house fire just a couple years before the Joplin Tornado- wiped out both times! Now I fear I’m overdue…
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I like that word and concept. “Essentialism” I don’t identify with a minimalist exactly but I can identify with holding on to essentials.
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I totally agree, I'm slowly getting rid of ALL MY STUFF!! It's very freeing!!
I love this - listening to a wise person who has been through different phases of life. This is REAL WISDOM.
Well the YT algorithm finally gave me a video that I appreciate 😂
Im a 61 yr old widow sharing a house with my two youngest kids and a granddaughter.
I gave up the master suite and moved into the downstairs bed room ...and am processing through 33 years of accumulated STUFF.
I'll follow you for inspiration on how to redefine my space to reflect my current interests and needs.
Thanks for being brave enough to share your journey😊
😂 you tube gave me the same 🎉 a video I like too
Thank you..I struggle using the term minimalist. Essentialist...perfect!
8 months out from this vid..I watched it. At a time I'm - once again! - culling my possessions.
Your "re-definition" of having less ..i e. *not* minimalism! Instead.. "essentialism"...is such a better way of owning things! Thank you!
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@@akontarini Coming from you, Ma'm! That 100 means a lot!
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It's me again. I stsrted with "essential' & moved a very little bit into "minimalism". There *is*, IMO, a difference. Slight..but significant. Still looking at my "stuff" with first thought "Is this *essential*? It helps *me*
keep focused. Family pics are not "essential* but try to trash them & I may cut your hands off!😂
I'm belaboring the point, but thank you so much for that one word...essential.
My husband and I have just hit 65, and we constantly discuss this. I worked from ages 15-58, and I have an entire life based on teaching. Lots of books, clothes, shoes, collections, etc. It seems like a good time to listen to my husband and begin to pare things down.
I often go through my stuff to get rid of things I don't use. It's also about thinking that kids or siblings will have to take care of this once you're not here anylonger.
Nothing wrong with books..if You use them and makeYou happy though 😉
@@radisrose..Or maybe finding some great retro-treasure among them😊. ..As long as your stuff is well-kept, not up to ceiling and house is clean, you do not have to worry about it, i'd say...
Being a teacher myself over the years you build up on resources that probably you haven't used for ages. It is hard to get rid of teaching material but then nothing lasts forever.
Get rid of everything. You don’t need it.
Good Morning! I have no idea why this video popped up on my Home page but boy did I need to hear your challenge/message. I’m 67, an empty nester, in a house full of memories & collections I no longer deem essential! I appreciate the spark you’ve ignited! Also reading the comments encourages me to know there are others who are in this stage of life as well. It’s time to make this a priority…
Thank you! I'm just now catching up on all the new comments, and they are so encouraging to me as well!
Good for you! Don't leave it for somebody else to go through!!!
You speak words of wisdom my friend.
@@TheNewRetiredMeThank you. The comments are very helpful and motivating. You hit a home run with this video.
Almost 70 and newly retired too. My father was a real mister fix-it, never threw out anything 'cause it might be used to repair something - sometime - somewhere. I must have learned that lesson very well because I also tend to keep all sorts of odds and ends - you never know. And then when I finally toss something because it's taking space I need for something else, the next day I need that something.
As a child of immigrants, we had few objects from the old country and so every little thing became precious. The thought of throwing something out was almost a sin against the fading memories of the past.
After they died, it was my job to clean their house. It took more than a year to go through all of the stuff they collected and I still have boxes that need to be sorted.
Thanks for the wake-up call before it is too late. Definitely don't want someone else to go through that exercise.
#Essentialist
I like it!! 😎
It's a good mindset sir. I am 68 and both of my parents recently died. The amount of STUFF I had to go through was stunning to me. My dad passed first, then two years later my mom passed. I don't want my children to have such a daunting task.
Same here! When my grandmother died I had to go through all her possessions because my mom was not able to, she had so much stuff she NEVER USED. I donated most of it, I drove it away with my full car countless times. That's why I decided to live minimal
Exactly what motivates me. I'm 64 and I don't want my son to be burdened with my stuff. Most of it supports the house and I'm in under 1k sq feet. I love black trash bags.
10 years ago I said to my hubby, 'we're not really' stuff' people, so if we don't buy stuff we don't need, we can work less' and we did. That's not to say we hadn't accumulated stuff we liked or needed but we didn't need a TV in every room or 50 pairs of shoes each.
I appreciate your input on reducing the clutter. I loved my Mom and Dad dearly and when they eventually moved to an assisted living apartment, we three kids did out best to clear out the house we had grown up in. Mom and Dad had lived in that house for 65 years. It was overwhelming!!!!! And out of sentiment, I kept a lot of things that I probably shouldn't have. I now have my house full of that stuff, my Mother-in-law's stuff (really nice stuff!!) and our collections for the 23 years we have been in this house. Now I am overwhelmed with all of my STUFF! Our two kids and their spouses don't want it, so........... Bottom line is that all this stuff weighs me down. I want rid of it. I don't want my kids to have to deal with it, but I just don't know what to do with all of it.
Donate donate donate…. You can try to sell some of it if you have time, maybe just the really nice stuff. It isn’t hard to google it and see what’s it’s worth. But if it’s overwhelming just donate it.
I was struggling with downsizing until I realized that our local church has a thrift store that raises money for their mission programs. Giving them my valuable clutter really helped me not feel guilty about downsizing.
Thank you, sir! Great quality content!
This morning, a perfect example of how accumulation happens: My wife and I were preparing a crock pot meal. She was measuring a couple of ingredients and said “Next time we go to the store, I want to get another set of measuring spoons.” Which would be the third or fourth set rattling around in various drawers, along with four or more sets of measuring cups, multiple sets of funnels, large, medium and small, wooden spoons, spatulas, tongs, etc. The trap is that when something new comes in, NOTHING goes out. The ‘logic’ is now we have a spare. Want to talk appliances? Crock pot, Bread machine, vegetable steamer (we do use that a lot), 3 sizes of blender, an industrial-strength mixer (I call it the ‘cement mixer), electric frying pan (plus 3 sizes of stove top frying pans), 4 sizes of pasta cookers. Then there’s the ‘once in a blue moon’ articles: tabletop cheese slicer, scale, cake dish, deviled egg dish, various thermoses and commuter cups, insulated lunch bags. That’s just hte kitchen, and I know I left some things out. (Sigh).
So true.
Then pack it up and take it to a charity shop…TODAY!!
What’s stopping you both .. jeez 🙄
@@serenityinside1 Domestic Tranquility..
As a start, to decluttering, IF that is your goal, I suggest, if you have the room, removing all the extras to a passive storage area, only keeping the items that are used regularly in your active living areas. It makes negotiating our daily lives so much easier & keeps rooms like the bathroom & kitchen functional & easy to clean. Keeping 'active' & 'passive' storage areas keeps my sanity, as I live in a small home.
@@serenityinside1 Fear of getting chewed out by his wife, probably! 😉
My wife and I have been married slightly more than 52 years as I type this. And, OMG....... We're wanting to find a nice apartment (preferably in a 55+ community), and we're just now starting the "essentialism" process. We have stuff from her folks. We have stuff from my folks. We have stuff from where we have no idea. We've recently gone through a ton of old paperwork from things 20 years ago. Anything we find that we 'think' we might need, I scan and save as a digital file - which takes up a lot less room than 50 pounds of paperwork. It's gonna take a bit of time, but I really like your ideas on it.
Paper piles/boxes are my biggest problem! I love the scanning idea
Boy, oh boy!!! I am you! I'm going through paperwork. I got rid of about 20 years worth of bills and receipts. My credit union has a free shred day each year and I was able to take several boxes. It was in boxes in the back of my closet. It was a good feeling to unload!! That was just the beginning. I'm making progress, but it's slow go. Thanks for the inspiration.
See Jerry Pinkus on 55+ communities.
You can take things you want shredded to any office max or similar. They charge by the pound. It’s very cheap.
Trying to maximize open space in our small apartment. Glad I found your channel
Admitting that you bought things you didn't need is the first big step to cleaning out/unloading/selling these "things." We tried tag sales, but even with low prices few people came to buy. We also had problems with theft for the first time in all the years of running tag sales. We decided to donate the things we no longer needed or wanted to a variety of area charities. Ex. We cleaned out 40 years' worth of flower pots, planters, urns,
gardening tools to the local garden club. We donated new curtains, shower curtains, drapes, comforters, sheet sets to a charity where profits go to a children's hospital. We found a good home for all our dog supplies with a number of rescues/shelters in town and the surrounding area. For all the miscellaneous "stuff," we donated it to a church's thrift shop which serves the elderly and needy in town. Clothing went to a number of town charities, church groups, and even overseas charities. I cleaned out towels, toiletries, and lots of soaps, and we gave three big boxes filled with items from our linen closets to a charity sending these things to the Ukraine. Kitchen items---Revere Ware pots that were my mother's, mixing bowls, dinnerware, etc. went to a charity that provides fire victims with
goods that they have immediate need for. Some of our furniture also went to that charity.
I have to admit that it took us a full year to scour the house, garage, basement, shed, and closets, but we like the lean, modified look----pictures off the walls, family photos limited to a few, not the 25 my husband loved in the living room; vases, plants, plant stands, bric-a-brac all gone to new homes and new people who will learn to treasure them as we once did.
I don't regret that we bought the things we ended up donating. We've been married for 52 years now, and we've lived in this same house for 48 years. Our sons are grown, with families of their own. We did invite them and our daughters-in-law to come through the house and take things that they fancied or wanted for their children. A few boxes of things went out that way, but even the family members realized eventually they, too, would have to clean things out. Life is like that----we go through life, and from childhood we begin collecting. As adults we fall in love with things that in hindsight we should have never purchased. The items from our travels proved very popular at one of the charities---as a volunteer there told us, "I know whatever you donated will sell quickly. Lots of our customers can't afford travel these days, or they're too ill to go. But they'll love what you donated and want to take it home. It will remind them of exotic places." So, in the end,
we have a house that's been "purged" of 50 some odd years of odds and ends. It's amazing what you really don't need in life. It's not the things, but the people, that matter.
We could all lose 50-60% of the “stuff” we’ve accumulated. Probably more.
Yes you realize that when you stay in a hotel for a week or two
And not only that, but when we pass away, 90% or more just gets thrown out anyway.
Your children will love you even more now that you're proactive, moving unnecessary stuff out. Two men and a truck charge $250 per hour to pack and move boxes. God bless!
We're talking about this in our family right now, my father-in-law passed away. He didn't have very much stuff, but it is still a lot to manage. This has made us more aware and proactive for our other living parents that they need to start trimming down all of the unnecessary items from their homes.
Also, this has put in perspective the need for stuff vs stuff we use. We can see pretty clearly now after all of this that we don't need even half of what we have sitting in our storage/basement. Thanks for a great video outlining your journey to a simpler lifestyle!
Wisdom shared. Thank you!
Oh yeah, same story here. Semi-retired at 67, still work a bit part-time remotely, but living in a large 3-family house that I am renovating and with 30 years worth of stuff I was too busy to deal with when I was working. I would just throw stuff into a box and think I'll deal with that "some day". Well, "some day" has arrived. It is a huge amount of work, between renovations and cleanout it is a full-time job. I go through the house room by room, box by box and just ask one or two questions: will I use this sometime in the next 2 years , can I sell or donate it somewhere? If no to both it goes in the trash.
It's actually pretty satisfying to clean all this stuff out. And what I am finding is that I have at least three of everything. This is because before I could never find an item, even if I knew I had it somewhere. It was sitting in the bottom of a box somewhere. Gosh I could have saved a bunch of time and money simply by organizing my stuff a long time ago. And had an aesthetically more pleasing environment to live in.
64 and retiring. I recently moved my 90-ish year old parents from their home to an apartment. We had to rent a large dumpster to collect all their “stuff”. That had a deep impact on me and I won’t be doing that to my children/grandchildren. I’ve embraced Essentialism after reading Greg McKeown’s book. I have a vision of my home feeling like a beautiful Airbnb-welcoming and spacious even though my home is not large. You know what you don’t see in an Airbnb? Clutter! At least not the ones I choose to rent. I’ve put the days of organizing and re-organizing clutter behind me and I haven’t looked back. Freedom from the things that owned me! Good luck!
Well Said ❤
Omgosh so doing the same thing and i feel the same about not doing this to my children and grandchildren
Airbnb? Not a good comparison since nobody really lives there people are only passing through
I love your word, "essentialism." Even though I watch minimalism videos for encouragement, I am not a minimalist by a long shot. I have started my downsizing/decluttering journey in the past year. I am 55 and I do not need all this junk in my home!! I can't wait to see your final result!!
Thank you!
This video was suggested by YT… pretty cool. I watch minimalist for the comradely, I watch extreme cleaning videos to keep me motivated.
😊
I'm working on it! Thanks for the encouragement!
I think we all fell prey to thinking that we needed more of everything. Fancy dishes for special occasions, lots of decorator items, on and on. I'm constantly unloading and my friends think I'm crazy to get rid of so much but I feel sometimes like I can't breath. I don't want my children to have to deal with all the stuff when I'm gone. I had to do it for my parents and in-laws. Now I know better.
Very helpful! I have "grief" clutter. I shared a home with my mom, my son and one of my brothers. They have all passed away and all of their stuff is still here years later.
You can do this! You are here and deserve somekind of restart! ❤️
I feel you ❤ much love to you, Bless you as yr heart heals & move as slowly as you need to ~ to release whatever you are ready to ~
I'm in my parents house who both passed & I nursed my Mum in her illness until the end in 2019.
All her clothes are still in the wardrobe & it's so hard to declutter, I'm not ready to realse her either yet. But in time I hope I can, ~ & I hope you can find yr way through yr heartache too 😘
God bless you!
Thank you for sharing this, and my deepest condolences to you. I lost my parents in 2021 to that "flu" that can't be named here on YT, so really I do relate to you. Please be kind to yourself.
Thank you all for your kind words of encouragement. My condolences to those also dealing with grief. Peace to you all!
Absolutely brilliant video. We’re 67 & 58, both retired. We have started Swedish Death Cleaning our home. Passing on things we no longer need/want. Gifting items now, instead of putting them in a will, getting our home in order for an easier, more peaceful life with less clutter/stress. It’s quite a process but proving to be worth the effort already.
We do not want our family to be clearing out loads of STUFF whilst grieving. This was what my husband & I had to do for our parents. We’re lessening the load.
Best wishes 💜
Thing is the kids will just throw everything out. My mom was like that. What ever we didn't take went straight into the bin. I got a set of pretty pink bowls that must have been bought in the 50s from that clean out. What ever was treasured was tossed.
We've been slowly giving the kids whatever they ask for. I need to have a garage sale, a HUGE garage sale, lol!
It feels good to get rid of it! Your children will Thank You! We were left with 65 years of stuff! Nothing worth much and ended up having to pay more than it’s worth to haul out of their home.
@@thebucksstophere8870 Thanks for the motivation. I don't need to do that to my kids
I’ve been doing the Swedish Death Cleaning, too. It was hard at first. Even after donating bags and bags of clothes, barely a dent. Worried how I could part with treasured objects. Years went by, but now, it’s easy. Just do it! It makes other people so happy to get cool stuff for free, and the cleared-out space gives our minds a place to breath!
Yes, I am also in the process of Swedish Death Cleaning. I guess this will be our thing but our neighbor started this and unfortunately I was her target for her stuff. Why, I don't know as the last thing I needed was more stuff.
❤ I wanted to share something with you.
I have 4 children as they were groing up each of them had a tv in their room 🤯
As they grew older I started asking them to keep they rooms neat
They went away to school but my son was still at home.
I started studying different cultures lifes and came with a conclusion that yes we have a life that God has bless us and we have everything we want.
Other countries don't have that luxury.
I asked my son to keep his room clean, well my words went in one ear and out the other.
So I decided that if you don't take care of what is given to you then you don't need it.
My son came home from work and the only things that were in his room was his books, clothing and essentials.
Every thing was given away to a family in need.
He was without words. He asked me "what am I supposed to use as pillow" my answer was "your books"
Totally agree, we kinda did the same when we moved to Japan. Love you style. Keep it up!
Good video. I’m 61. Divorced for 6 years after a 30 year marriage to a wife whose favorite leisure activity was spending my earnings shopping. I have been getting rid of crap I don’t need for years and practicing essentialism, for the most part. It’s great, but every few months I haul more things away to the Salvation Army or the dump or the trash can or I sell better things off on eBay and FB Marketplace. I have not regretted a single thing I’ve let go of. It really makes my life easier and more pleasant,
Your ex wife needs help. Shopping becomes an addiction as a bandaid for deeper hurts. It’s very possible she cannot help the urge to shop without professional help.
@@AMcDub0708 She does. I hope she got help.