Thank you Helix Sleep for sponsoring! Click here helixsleep.com/minimalmom to get 25% off your Helix mattress (plus two FREE pillows!) during their Presidents’ Day Sale, which ends February 29th. If you miss this limited time offer, you can still get 20% off using my link! Offers subject to change. And thank YOU for watching!!! - Dawn
It is so painful to me when you call yourself a loser in some of your videos. It’s a word that should never be used toward anyone. And name calling should have no place on our lips. Your kids will watch these one day and feel influenced by hearing their mother call herself a name repeatedly. There are ways to be honest while still protecting our hearts, families and reputations!
Dawn, do they pick up the old mattress? When I buy a mattress from a store, they pick it up. So what happens to the old mattress? Those are hard to dispose of.
@theminimalmom is the Helix mattress designed to be used without box springs below it? Asking because both our mattress and box springs are past their expiration dates. Also regarding having the kids change cleaning tasks. I would use the “Teaching Hospital methodology” which is an opportunity to help the kids to strengthen their skills in training other people to perform a task. Rotate the kids tasks with the understanding that if they have questions or need help, they first ask the brother or sister that previously performed the task for help. The kids should ask you or Tom for help only if the sibling cannot answer the question. In addition to developing teaching skills, I think it encourages empathy because often it seems like someone else’s assignments are easier until we need to perform the tasks ourselves. As always, I love your videos!
@judysbakeryandtestkitchen1654 I just got a Helix mattress a week ago. The old mattress is not picked up. My old one is in good shape (just too soft for me). You might consider calling some charity thrift stores that offer furniture pick-up to see if they take mattresses. Another option is to offer it for free on Facebook marketplace (I did this once and it was successful). If neither of these options work, you can see if your local waste management company offers a bulk pick-up.
We have farming friends that have five children. After school they all headed to the barn to milk cows, feed pigs and chickens etc. Every child had age appropriate chores, even the little ones, two year old collected chicken eggs, older kids cleaned stalls and milked cows. Every few days, they rotated who the “ barn boss” was, even the younger children got their turn. They were responsible for making sure each child completed their chores. It taught them all to be fair and have empathy for each other, and how to cooperate with each other for a common goal.
More importantly, it taught them responsibility (for themselves and animals), routines, specific skills, and knowledge they will (may) need later in life. Your friends are wise parents; learning responsibility, relationship to work (of any kind - physical and mental), and leadership(!) at an early age is a very smart move. It is the most demanding form of parenting - much more than, for example, "helicoptering," lol, because it requires parents to be willing to "waste" time by teaching kids to do a chore (everything takes 3-4 times more time than if mom/dad did it themselves), to be patient with the first mistakes and imperfections and willingness to trust your small one that they eventually will be capable of doing it. Maybe not that perfectly from the beginning, but one nice day, your son may surprise you by building his first very own tiny shed/house at the end of your yard, or your daughter may bake you the best cake you ever ate or whatever else. Kids are like sponges; they pick up everything they see/hear and what we teach them - consciously but also otherwise. Sweeping the path from A to Z is a reliable way to raise incapacitated, unmotivated, bored, unsuccessful, insecure, anxious, and unhappy kids/ future adults.
@@xpsxps1339you are so right. I am currently struggling with our 9 year old daughter, she takes forever to get anything done. She has always been like this, it's the only "negative" feedback we have ever gotten from all of her teachers. I don't want to be a helicopter parent, but she is very forgetful and easily distracted. Just last week she left the house with out her snack and her laptop, she commented that her backpack was lighter, I was the one that asked her if she had packed her snack and then she realised she had not. We went back into the house and when she opened her backpack did I spot that her laptop was not in there. It's a constant struggle to give her space and to make sure that she actually has everything she needs for the day.😔
You're too young to know her but Erma Bombeck once said in regards to her cleaning style: "I sweep the room with a look". Her humor was so important to my Mom. I remember my mom laughing while reading Erma's column in the newspaper (wow- I sound so old- only 59). Good memories.
My sister and I learned to love Erma Bombeck because mom did. She was so hilarious and totally understood what housekeeping was really about. I need to go find a couple of her books!😂
I am a professional cleaner, and I’m “married” to my favorite cleaners because they are effective. I’ve tried many new products over the years, and even occasionally added a new one to my arsenal, so I’m not opposed to trying new things or learning a new technique. But, there is power in realizing that even in the area of cleaning, companies are trying to sell you. They want you to believe that you have a problem only their product can fix. I say find freedom in sticking to what you know works for you.
After trying so many, I did some research. Now I only use a bottle of half/half strong vinegar and water, and dish soap. It's actually so interesting how little we really need!
My routine of washing bedding finally came when my work allowed us to work for home on Fridays. I throw the bedding in the wash before heading to my computer and in the dryer when I take a bathroom break. Then, I put it back on the bed at lunch time. I wash the bedding every other Friday on the same day I get paid. I’ve trained my brain to say, “If it’s payday, it’s bedding day!” Makes it easy and I never have to wonder when I last washed it.
Oh Dawn... I was enjoying a relaxed state watching you do dishes - until I saw you pull out what looked like a sharp knife from the water. A year or so ago, I gave myself a deep painful slice from a knife while doing dishes, simply by reaching into a sudsy sink and searching by hand for the next thing to pull out of the water. I am 64 years old, have washed dishes by hand for 25 years, and that had never happened to me before. I urge everyone to never put anything sharper than a table knife down into soapy water with other things. It's an accident waiting to happen. Ok. That's all for my PSA. Loved the video. I'm learning in my 60's that a minimized house is so much easier to keep clean. And more enjoyable to ciean.
I did that too! I now have a scar on my thumb. The worst part is that I didn't initially realize that I had done it because the knife was new and very sharp. I only realized it had happened after I noticed the blood in the water! 😬 That was an interesting day.
@megankuchta9145 I always did that too. But I stand by my PSA. 1) Things have a way of migrating in a sink of dishes, and 2) It's easy in the hustle of washing things up to completely forget a knife is down in that sudsy water. I'm pretty sure when I sliced my hand, that was the case. My husband saw me sometimes doing exactly as you described and urged me not to do that. I don't humble easily, but boy... I wish I had listened, and not had to learn the hard way.
When I worked a restaurant job in my twenties, they had us all get a certification in knife safety - it’s something they should teach everyone in school! I’m still horrified by how my husband will walk around with knives or hand them to someone sharp point out, or chop food with fingers right in the way. I always keep dirty knives to the side of the sink by the soap and wash them last, put them away first once dry.
What I want to know is does it take more time out of your life? If I clean once for a couple of hours it is very difficult since I do not maintain, but maintaining means thinking about everything 24/7 and constantly scanning for mess and picking things up. That sounds like it never ends, like it has no beginning or end. Also wiping surfaces that look clean just goes against my nature.
@@anatosic7323 if it only takes you a couple of hours to clean your house then you’re doing it right already. I’m pretty minimalist and I’m good at picking up but if I want to actually clean clean the house it takes me about four hours but then I’m old so things take me longer. I have mixed feelings, cleaning a little bit every day it feels like you’re constantly cleaning, but then cleaning all at once is exhausting. I do believe in picking up every day, not leaving things out, not having knickknacks or clutter. My favorite mantra is nothing on the floor, except furniture legs and then I’ve added trash cans to that. It’s so much easier to clean. Also, Wet and Forget for the shower is the best thing ever invented.
I just want to say thank you! A year ago i was struggling with my home at 59 yrs of age, and stressed and overwhelmed. And i didnt even know why i felt that way. Then one day in January 2023 your video popped up on TH-cam. Just out of curiosity i clicked on it. And my "aha" moment came when you said "Your stuff is inventory that you have to manage; how much time and energy do you have to 'manage' your inventory." The light finally came on for me in my mind! I understood why i was stressed and overwhelmed. I had too much stuff to manage. I listened to several more of your videos and through you also found Dana and Cass. The 3 of you helped me so much in getting my home and life back in control. ❤much love and gratitude from this grandmother! ❤
Ok ladies I am going back to January. I need that light bulb moment. Ugh I never get anything done cause I am overwhelmed. Praying 🙏 I can have that moment of understanding 😊.
Audiobooks and earbuds! As long as I'm listening to an audiobook, I don't mind cleaning. One thing I like to do is pairing, pair something you don't really like to do with something that you like to do so it makes it more enjoyable.
Yes! This is the only way I do my deep cleaning. I listen to Dawn, Diana, or Diane in Denmark and they are the motivation for my to keep my house nice for me and my family.
Years ago I figured out I had four basic house chores: cleaning, tidying, decluttering, and organizing. I finally figured out I can only pick 2 of them to do at one time; any more than that and I wind up exhausted or only half-finished.
First time commenting, I am handicapped. You are so right about the five minutes. I gained so much self confidence back just seeing what I can do 5 minutes a few times a day. Thank you so much It helps. I have a housekeeper once a week for deeper cleaning but they still don’t do it all it takes every one doing their part
I'm finally, at age 80, getting my house decluttered. I've been surprised to find that I am enjoying cleaning in the decluttered areas that I could not clean before. Watching cleaning videos has helped, because I also never learned HOW to clean. Who knew that the baked on crud around my electric stove burners comes off easily when it is hot, but not when it is cold.
74........decluttering for my son, but I get to give the stuff to where I want it to go ....now. I'm leaving what I use today, what I need to maintain the house and yard....what I actually wear. I recently found a young family man that wanted any construction materials I had. Good usable wood, wall panels, metal sheets.......stuff I didn't want to throw away, but didn't know what to do with. He is happy and grateful......and so am I:)
@@martaescobar7625 For anyone who doesn't know a particular person who wants it, there may be a Habitat for Humanity ReStore or something similar near you that will take donations of construction materials.
@@martaescobar7625As the granddaughter of hoarders, I can assure you that your son will be very grateful that you are doing this for him. I'm not sure I will be that lucky to have them declutter their house, garage, shed, yard and possibly storage units. Oh, and at one point they were storing things at relatives houses. Not sure if they are now. Do you think it would be a good idea to bring up the idea of them decluttering their house for the sake of the family. My mom and uncle will NOT bring it up. They also think they will be the ones cleaning out the hoard. However, they are getting older too and I'm not sure they will be able to physically handle all of that when the time comes. My mom already has arthritis and cannot lift a lot. I'm worried this will end up being MY job to go through everything they leave behind.
Hey Dawn, I'd rather sit reading a mystery with my diet caffeine free coke too. My problem is that is usually what I do instead of decluttering or cleaning! I rationalize that at my particular season of life, 83 years old and a widow with 4 very much grown children who all live far away, that I'm entitled to do whatever it is that I want to do. My best motivation occurs when one of the adult children announces an upcoming visit. They range in age from 46 to 57 and the eldest is a grandfather. I keep reminding myself that I don't want to leave them with a giant mess when I am gone and that works some of the time. On the other hand, my health is good and I hate to waste whatever good months or years that I have left doing activities that I don't find particularly rewarding. It's a conundrum.
Life is short! Read a book, enjoy a few moments of You Time. My assumption is that a single woman has a relatively tidy home… 30 min of reading can still work and you probably maintain a wonderful home! 🎉
83 years of a busy life: you are entitled to everything. I am 65 and I started decluttering only because I am too lazy to maintaining the stuff. With personel I would have done nothing.
Intuitive cleaner here. I’m 69 yo, single with 4 cats. I’ve decluttered a lot so it is pretty easy to keep tidy. I’ve tried making a cleaning schedule, but I never stick with it. I do wash dishes everyday,laundry as needed, and clean the cat area several times a week. The rest of the house gets done when I think about it. I no longer worry about people stopping by unannounced because the house never looks bad.
Love this video so much! I do have a cleaning schedule that I follow most of the time, but I also apply intuitive cleaning. Every night I assess what chores were completed during the day and look at what is scheduled so I can prioritize and make changes as needed. This only takes me a few mins, and helps me get ready and motivated for the next day!
I agree about rotating duties for a couple reasons:1) It makes a well-rounded adult who has learned how to do everything well (as hubby said) and figured out where they excel, and has already learned how to make it a habit, 2) It breeds a lot of appreciation/compassion for the job someone else used to do when you have to do it, 3) Someone new might find a tip, trick or technique that can help others do it better/easier. 5) Our brains get stimulated and excited when we learn a new thing, 4) People may get burned out doing the same thing. But rotating once a year is fine, it let's people take plenty of time to get through the learning curve and find a rhythm.
I'm a Cricket. I love routines. I love details. My kids alternated chores each week. One boy and one girl. They both learned how to do dishes, clean the bathroom, mop, dust, and vacuum. Do laundry. And they are adults now who are responsible for their own homes. I'm an empty nester now and I have to clean it all myself again.
I love that you say "I feel like a loser..." and then provide solutions that actually work so that I don't have to feel like a loser, too. Your content is extremely REAL and very helpful. Thank you!
I think I learned the idea of 5 minutes matters from my mom 30 years ago. She was a very organized and productive person, one of those people who just had it together. I remember being a young mom (I’m 56 now) and using little bits of time here and there and doing little tidies. Must’ve learned it from my mama. I saw how much those minutes helped and I’ve done it all this time. When you introduced 5 minutes matters, I was cheering you on because I know how valuable it is. 🎉 The inventory idea is what blew my mind!! Thank you, Dawn!!!
Love your videos! Something I learned from my Indian husband that saves me a lot of time: when washing dishes, keep all dirty items on the counter. Fill the sink up closest to the counter with warm soapy water. Submerge as many dishes as you can into the water. Then wash each dish and keep it in the other side of the sink. When all dishes are cleaned you can rinse everything at one time and put it to dry on the other counter. Or if you only have one counter, it can go back where the original dirty dishes sat. When turning the water on and off after each dish, it takes so much more time. Set a timer and see for yourself:) It’s awesome. As a former teacher I always told my student’s parents that getting kids involved in cleaning and tidying is easy if you make it fun. The fact that you’re tying their privileges to their routines is a game changer. The more difficult and time consuming a task, the more they get to do after. Brilliant! I also love how you focus on the importance of declutterring. Too many channels just show you how to move your stuff around but getting rid of things is THE MOST IMPORTANT part of a calm home. ❤
I just came back from my "errand day" and the kids were late for their naps (which was okay because usually they full on skip it when I haven't planned the errands well enough) and there were wooden blocks and books all over the floor from when they were playing this morning before we left, some dishes in the sink from last night that got in there after I had washed what was in the sink, and groceries on the table and counters. I usually turn on TH-cam during the kids' nap so I can do chores in a more enjoyable way but I had noticed that, lately, the videos I had been watching required me to watch a lot, I couldn't just listen and occasionally look. I realized it was slowing me down a lot. I decided to watch this video this time (and I'm a regular, I really like this channel) and see how efficient I could be rather than just go into sloth mode and in the time of that video, I was able to put toys and books away, sweep the living room, put groceries and grocery bags away, wash dishes, move a load of laundry, clean my kitchen counter, and get some leftovers ready for me to start eating :) Thank you for the content you make Dawn! It's been a huge help for me over the last two years, when I really started my decluttering journey. I feel like it's time for another big purge. I've become too comfortable with the clutter we've accumulated in the last few months and cleaning is getting more difficult than if was when I had just decluttered our space. Thank you again! You're awesome!
Like you I used to think that cleaning was doing everything top to bottom through the entire house in ine day. It was exhausting. It used to take so long to clean my house. Then I learned about house cleaning lists. Doing certaing things each day of the week. That worked better but still I got wore out. My house is large so it still took me all day to do. After finding you and Cass, I started decluttering my entire house. It took five years to clean out everything. Now I am down to where my house is comfortable. Its so easy to clean now. We have way less clutter and I tidy up daily and I can as I go when I cook. So my cleaning tasks are more as they need to be done. Its so much less stressful. And it just feels more natural. so in the morning when implanning my day, i will decided what area needs cleaning that day and ill add it to my to do list for the day.
I am in this process now. Second year! It is better, but now I started to feel that I have too many small decorations, too many plants in my balconies, kitchen tools also starts to bother me....😂 As this point all the decluttering process seems never ending!
Took me 2 tries to get through the video bc my sick daughter needed me, but I got 4 Walmart bags of clothes and kid shoes sorted for donations while watching. Also sorted laundry and put away.. and cleaned up some of my room. Thank you Dawn 💝
Love having my house down to a few minutes per room! When my toddler grandson comes over, I just play all day with him. I let whatever messes happen...bc when he goes home, it literally takes a few minutes to put back together. We have so much fun, and no stress whatsoever.
My mother taught me that if your toilet is clean, beds made, and dishes done, your house looks fine. She would do other cleaning but told me to have these three things done on a daily basis.
While I get where you are coming from, I do all these things, but my house looks almost like a hoarders house due to severe clutter covering every surface. Decluttering is happening, but slowly.
When I was a young girl my mother kept the house clean and tidied up throughout the week. On Saturday morning we all deep cleaned the house. We kept the same chores. I hated doing the same chore so when I was married and had kids I rotated the chores. Old school here where you kept everything in case you needed it and to save money. I did not mind keeping track of everything. It did not bother me and my house was picked up and clean. It was just what you did and did not think about it but got it done. I am now a widow for two years and now I find it hard to tidy and clean. And the stuff is bothering me now. 🎉I have been trying to get rid of stuff but find it very hard. I have 50 years of items saved in my home. I know I have to let go because the house is too big and becoming too much for me, so in future I will be moving either into a one bedroom place or moving in with my daughter. I feel like everything is sentimental, memories, and stories. I watch your channel, and I have purchased your book. They have helped me but the going is slow. I am now seeing that there are items I don’t use especially in the kitchen as my cooking habits for one is entirely different from cooking for a family. I have learned that my children do not want the items I have, so it is just me hanging on. Thanks for doing these videos.
Bless you. I'm seventy and I feel your pain. My kids don't want my stuff either, some handed down through a few generations. If you can't bear to rid yourself of it, at least pack it away, maybe get the kids to help. Decluttering my kitchen was such a big help to me. It made keeping my kitchen clean so much easier and made cooking easier, too. Maybe start there.
Your kids don’t care about grandma’s gold cutlery or gold rimmed dishes that were worth a fortune as they want to choose their own stuff for the way their house looks. It’s not their job to keep your memories alive with the stuff either. In the old days our parents passed down everything including portraits etc… because everything was expensive or hard to replace so even couches and beds were passed down, but now it’s maybe for their first apartment a few non breakable dishes but they’ll build their own lives
I worked in an elementary school for years. One day, I was given a hand-made plaster hot dog on a bun. The fun part was the hot dog WAS a DOG, laying on a bun with mustard and ketchup on its back. I loved the gesture so I took a photo of it. After 30 years, the item is long gone, but the photo lives on and still makes me smile! Hugs, Ms. Cooper!
I decided if I did not use something, I would pass it on by donating, consigning, or selling on Facebook while it was still in condition for someone else to use it. It feels good to live in my decluttered space. I am 69, and wish I had gotten rid of my 'security' stuff long ago.
I constantly remind myself that letting go of the “thing” does not mean letting go of the memory. Literally yesterday, I parted with a shirt my dad left at my house when he died. That was 32 years ago. (I almost pulled it out of the box a dozen times before I made it to the thrift shop.) I still have the same memories, though ❤️
I downsized, decluttered, and have a robo vac. I am 76, live alone, and tidy as I go. I take great pride in my tidy home, that’s my motivator. I keep the dishes done, countertop clear and clean and once a week deep clean the bathroom. On an as needed basis I scrub the kitchen floor, bathroom and closet floor. It takes me five minutes to dust my whole apartment including the baseboards and window sills. For some reason I could easily put that off. Now the thing I don’t do often is the top of the fridge. I’m short, my daughter borrowed my little ladder and won’t give it back for fear I will use it! lol. The motivator there is if I’m expecting a tall person to visit! lol! About a cleaning woman….. Dawn, you do so much, work, projects, plan, home school, manage the home and family, etc. you need and deserve to get some help. I had a neighbor once, she was a veterinarian, her hobby was competitive horse riding, her husband was an ER dr. They had no children. She sat on my deck one day and said she was having trouble keeping up with her house….dhhhh! I told her to get someone to come in once a week. She did. Best advice ever! (She looked at me like I was a role model!) that was quite a few years ago. The best thing I did for myself was get the robo vac. Her name is Rosie. If that broke and the tv broke, I would replace the robo vac first!
The robovac I have at home is named Rosie as well (after The Jetsons)! I loved her so much, even if I still need to dust bust the nooks and crannies, that I got one for our family business. His name is Alfred, after Batman's butler, since he both helps me clean AND take care of our business. Should you get your step ladder back to clean the top of your fridge (or, have your daughter do it since she's concerned), lay dishtowels, newspaper, etc up their afterwards to keep it clean and catch any grime from then on. No more having to scrub it! Just swap and wash or toss and replace. You can even use a grabber to shift it into place without climbing and Dollar Tree carries those if you don't have one already. In fact, my grabber has become an essential part of my cleaning kit since bending down is not always feasible thanks to some damage to my back.
We love Buddy, our Eufy robovac! My husband uses him and just has to vacuum the thick rug we have in the living room. We were getting bad about the kitchen so now take turns washing dishes and picking up and it stays clean now. We downsized to a 1 story which makes it so much easier. My biggest chore right now is to go through our non-digital photos and scan what's really important.
I love the vinegar/dish soap solution for my shower. I actually have a dish wand (the kind with the sponge and the tube to fill with dish soap), I fill it with the vinegar/dish soap solution and keep it in my shower. Then about 2-3 times a week - at the end of my shower, while I'm still in the shower with the water running - I sponge/scrub down the full shower. Keeps it clean - and I don't have to go clean the shower on a separate occasion. Thanks Dawn for all your other great tips - decluttering has 100% made cleaning easier!!!
I recently learned that the vinegar neutralizes the soap's cleaning power. The soap is more effective without the vinegar and vice versa. Things you learn!
It would depend on the ph of the soap in question. If a true “soap” like Castile, yes vinegar neutralizes it. But if a detergent, like dish soap, both are acidic and so they can be mixed with improved cleaning power.
@@MyFocusVariesAh, you’re right, I had that mixed up. I was thinking of how Castile soap is extremely alkaline and it does even split like curdled milk when mixed with vinegar. But yes, dish soap is neutral to mildly alkaline. Still I wonder why people find the dish soap-vinegar mix so effective?
@@jhjln8712 hard to guess. I stopped adding vinegar to my homemade mix and it works just great. Maybe it's mostly the scrubbing that is most of the effect.
It sounds dumb, but as an adult I had to learn what cleaning actually meant. When my mom told us to clean up when we were kids, she really met tidy up or pick up our things, not actually clean. I use very specific language with my kids now because I don't want the same thing to happen to them. 😂
I was a professional housekeeper before I became a sahm, and I had no clue why I struggled so much with keeping my house clean lol but it was picking up that I was clueless about. I was always cleaning houses that were already tidy. They would tidy before we got there.
My mother never showed me much about the cleaning part and when I left home around 23 years of age it was very difficult to figure out how to do the cleaning and how often it should be done. My job was to tend to the younger siblings so all I did was play with them and didn't learn any concrete skills on how to run my own house!
Thank you for commenting about this. My gosh my parents always yelled at me about having messy room but NEVER showed me or told us how to clean. My step mom was a very ocd person and she always did everything herself becasue it had to be done a certain way. I didn’t know to clean from top to bottom or how often to do things etc etc. I’ve always felt messy!! My sisters were very born organized but I’m incredibly creative and my spaces have always been messy. I bought my home 23 years ago and tried desperately to have a nice clean organized home. But with such a big home, used to living In small apartments with my 2 children, it got out of hand quickly. I am a creator and I do a lot of different things that take up space.
Not dumb at all. I can still remember vividly be told to clean my room. I sat on the floor looking at the pile of clothes not knowing what to do. What she really meant was to put away the clothes and I didn't have the space for it. It has been a life long struggle. No ones fault really.
Like Dawn and many of you I love my mom so much, but my parents were workaholics. They owned a restaurant and put in 50 to 80 hours per week each! My mom cooked breakfast and took us to school then off to work. She got ofd just in time to pick us up, do homework or run us to appointments, then was expected to have dinner on the table by 5 pm. My dad would come home and we ate as a family... most nights. After dinner, my mom went to work again and sometimes my dad did too, other times he stayed home. My sister and I were told to clean the dishes and kitchen and do the laundry, including theirs. When someone was coming over, my mom would frantically say CLEAN THE HOUSE! And she, my sister, and myself would jump up and do as much tidying up as we could. It wasn't uncommon to have a heap of clean clothes on the couch which needed hung and folded. I don't blame my parents. I know they did the best they could. My mom keeps a super tidy and clean house now, ever since retirement in 2004. But like others stated, I was just yelled at to clean my room and told how messy I was. 😢 They never showed me how to declutter, organize, or clean. I'm 47 now and feeling sick and tired of all the clutter!!!!! 😢 I feel like just putting 90% of it in the trash. Ugh. Pray for me. 🙏
I use a “graduating” system for my kids… example, the oldest would help put metal bowls and silverware away from the dishwasher but when his younger sister was then able to help with those items, we graduated him to putting the rest of the dishes as well as the other utensils on the counter. For us, it’s based on our daughter’s abilities (she has Down syndrome) so when she’s ready to move up, we give her the jobs her brother used to do and graduate him to something harder.
A definite yes to cleaning routines! My morning includes emptying the dishwasher, starting a load of laundry, wiping down the bathrooms, and vacuuming. I can accomplish all of that in a short time and feel ready to take on the world when I am finished. You, Cas. Dana, and Diane in Denmark have been my mentors on this journey. Thank you!
I have been decluttering on the regular for years. It's definitely an ongoing process. I feel so much better mentally and it takes so much less time to clean. Having ur house "company ready" at all times is a game changer. Ur great in talking everything through and offering encouragement and solutions and permission to make mistakes, "fail", and try different systems until u find one that works. I used to have sooooo much stuff. Ugh! So much happier now!!!! 🎉🎉🎉🎉❤❤❤❤
Love your methods, great personality❤ I've been doing Flylady for years. Decluttering is key, 1 hour Home Blessing on Monday, every week a different room. Short cleaning tasks. It's a process, not an overnight fix. Thank you, and Happy Mother's Day❤
Another BRIL video ! I am 75 and for MANY years a perfectionist with endless lists and strict routines. I worked full time for many years.Never been so happy and relaxed as I have been for the last 3 years by being an intuitive cleaner. My friends and family are amazed at my new laid back "style". Thank you for all the advice and tips I have enjoyed by following you since the start of the pandemic.
I’m going through chemo treatments at this time and for several upcoming months. I’m grateful you taught me to decliutter bc cleaning is much easier than it would have been. I won’t be working on decluttering until i have my regular energy back. We are empty nesters and have found we can manage the daily cleaning for the time-being. Thank you Dawn.
Good luck with your treatment! I wish I had someone to come clean the bathrooms and kitchen floor for me while I was in treatment. (5 years ago). It wiped me out. I am only now declutterring so if I have another physical or psychological challenge (lost both parents recently) and my energy levels is low, I can keep it under control and feel better in my space during the low times.
My husband cleaned the house while I was gone one day. When I got back, I was like, "wow, you did all of that?? That must've been so much work!" He says, "it really wasn't that hard." I've only decluttered the kitchen so far, but those magic words of it not feeling as hard were music to my ears. We have so much left to do still, but this was great motivation to keep going! Thank you for these videos. I watch you any time I need an extra boost - both for your positive attitude and encouragement, and for the decluttering motivation! And, let's be real, sometimes just to be reminded that I'm not a bad -fill in the blank - just that I'm managing too much inventory. Thanks again! ♡
Something my DinL OFTEN says when she visits my house is, "your house is so peaceful." I believe what she's really noticing is the clean kitchen surfaces, the lack of clutter throughout & the calming effect created by having an easily maintained home. It pleases me, for her, that she has found a place of respite. ♡♡♡
I'm a cozy minimalist (not extreme). The benefit of owning fewer items (but enough) and smaller homes (but enough) can not be overemphasized. There is so much more to life than managing (extra) stuff. Yes I have a routine. I listen to music when I'm cleaning. It isn't as enjoyable without music. Sometimes I time tasks by the length of a song or two, etc. LOL. Maybe that would be a way to get children involved, tidying up for the length a couple of their favorite songs?
1. Thank you for all of your amazing, free content! Been following (and minimizing!) for years. 2. Love how you respect and honor your mama-always. 3. Own the cleaning lady thing. It’s just one part of your day you outsource, like grocery delivery. Good for you.
You can just fill a gallon ziploc bag with the mix over the showerhead. You dont need much mix because the bag wraps around the shower head. Wrap the top of the plastic bag with a large rubber band or ziptie and let it sit overnight hanging there. In the morning remove the bag and give it a quick scrub. And turn on the shower head to rinse the inside. Always works great.❤
You mentioned clutter on the floor again. At my age (almost 70) it is a matter of safety to keep the floors clear of debris, clothing, boxes etc. Plus it just looks so much better. 😊
I use microfiber cloths and water for glass--if its the outside glass, i use Meyer's day grass scented dish soap that i use for my dishes... and water. I add a little bleach to Meyer's Day fresh grass scent all purpose for floors and counters. and I use citric acid/hot water for hard water stains and the stove top. that's it.
I've been watching you for years so I've seen how you've changed, simplified, improved or grown and how your children have grown as well. What I appreciate about your methods and messages is how well you've parented your children in these areas. When I was young with small children, I did more for them than I should have, instead of training them with 5 minute tasks. I had no patience to teach them when it took so much less time to do it myself. I've never minded cleaning so your message about decluttering has helped me immensely. I was so good at organizing my cupboards and drawers, it wasn't until stuff just didn't fit anymore that I started to declutter. I have decluttered a few things I wish I hadn't but the amount of times I needed those items was so seldom it really doesn't matter. Thanks for all your videos. I really enjoy them.
I am Mom to 2 adult sons. And I also found that I could clean and tidy quicker and more effectively than they could ( like making their beds). However, both my “boys” are independent men who manage their homes and possessions very effectively in spite of not having been given structured chores. I guess they learned good housekeeping habits from being exposed to an orderly home. And they’re both good cooks too. 😊
I’m sooo intimidated by a space that isn’t clean or picked up. But of course it always takes so much less time and energy than I think. The things I picked up from the fly lady were absolute life changing things. Getting dressed to shoes was the absolute biggest. Not staying in pajamas or sweats just makes you feel like you’re ready for the day and especially when you don’t work outside the home. It’s soooo important. Also swish and swipe bathrooms is just a godsend!!!!
Just wanted to let you know that you have helped at least one person, that person being me. I so enjoy doing something purposeful for my home while watching/listening to you. I"m currently decluttering a file cabinet as you speak. Thank you 😃
For those concerned about microfiber cloths, clean them in a “guppy bag” in your machine. It is a fine mesh enclosed bag that lets water in and keeps microplastics out of the water supply.
I just decided to go old school and use cotton cloths, usually old towels cut up. I don't find that the microfiber cloths are the miracle tool everyone described them as. Old towels are lint free because they're...old.
I would love a video on how you simplify the cooking part of the household. When I heard you spend 40 minutes a day on everything INCLUDING cooking, that is what made me scratch my head! It takes me an hour to cook.
I would love a list of the things your house keeper is cleaning every 2 weeks, so I could try to add them to my list. I do ok with the daily tidy, dishes, and laundry. But when it comes to a deep clean I’m not sure how often and which things should be on the list. I over clean certain things and let others get grimy.
I’m also great with daily chores but struggle with getting the deep cleaning done. Even if I tell myself I’ll tackle a larger chore a bit each day it is still an effort.
When i had a fortnightly cleaner, I got her to do the bathrooms (she did a fantastic job getting our very old sinks and showers looking better than they had in a long time, over time), mopping because I hate it, and wiping down the kitchen. Every now and then I would ask her to clean the oven, when I noticed it needed doing. We had an older house then and I was doing more on my own as my partner was in the office every day. Now we're in a new house and he's able to do more, it's so true it's easier to keep things clean then to get them clean, so I haven't got a new cleaner for the new house - my routine keeps everything clean, and I also bought a spray mop so i don't hate mopping any more! Lifechanger. I would say get a cleaner to do what you hate 😂 that's what i did and it helped so much for that old house.
As always thanks for all your help Dawn. I make sure 5 things are done every day. Dishes, laundry bedding, toilet, floors. I don't always do these every day. But as long as they are done I feel like I can keep my house in order. ❤
I think it's hard to wrap your mind around the layers of cleaning because if someone asks what I'm doing this weekend, the natural response is "I gotta clean my house." And that's what I'm going to say every weekend because when I say clean, what I really mean is tackle the mountains of laundry, do all the dishes, go through the mail that's piled up through the week, declutter and tidy basically. But in their mind, when they come over, my house is going to be SPARKLY clean because they think I'm actually cleaning and I obviously do it every weekend so it should be spotless. I would guess that part of Tom's reasoning for suggesting rotating chores, is so that every child learns how to do that skill.
Weh, so what's this about now? High rises and affective ways of relaxing ontop of the latest and thanks for the fast fix tower ontop of the city! Oh wait, my wife got that! Not good. She's finally turning white again and looks prettier and talks more nice each day! What an overated scare
I love that you said chore charts made you feel like it was one more thing you failed at. That is exactly how I feel lol. I print them out, hype them up with the kids and then promptly get derailed about two days in. Glad I’m not alone. 💜
Love the dynamic! Hope the dad didn't feel shut down at the end, he seems very supportive, I think he's right about making sure the kids are well rounded if they got good at getting their cleaning area task down! Sometimes it's good to let the men lead, even if it's not their area of expertise! It's always good to get an outside perspective from your husband! I recently learned this when my husband tried to help rearrange things, I didn't want to try his way out but we both learned a lot and ended up finding a way we both were satisfied with in terms of our room when we got married, but it took being open to his leadership! ❤️ Really enjoying this channel and all the wonderful content!
I have done Fly Lady 15 minutes a day for 15 years. That keeps me very on top of things. Diane in Denmark came later. But what you new gen of organizers really need to acknowledge is FlyLady’s impact on home management. The decluttering because you cannot organize clutter… to 5 minute matters.. meal planning… load of laundry a day… No way I spend 2-3 hours a day on housework with FL. Bathroom swish and swiped daily. Kitchen sink night clean. Menu planning… Dont make it more complicated. Nor do you need gizmos and products to get there.
I was the youngest of four kids. We ALL played sports, BOTH my parents were coaches and involved in the sports. the four of us changed our assigned chores every week. It worked just fine. We can ALL cook and clean and take over for our spouses when needed in just about ANY capacity. Rotatable chores. GREAT IDEA!
Dawn. Tip..... vacuum those hardwood floors with the Dyson. It's faster and cleaner. Sweeping with a broom is really just pushing that dirt around even when you "sweep" the bits. Love your channel
I love your view of keeping the same chore for an extended period of time. We switched to weekly rotation and it's still too much for me to keep track of. I'm always getting on to the wrong kid and asking things of the wrong person. I'm going to try a monthly rotation and see how it goes and if it's still too hard for me. maybe make it quarterly! I just know my kids get bored doing the same chore for a long period of time so I'm changing it only for them. I would LOVE for them to stick to the same chore for a whole year! lol!! As always- Thanks Dawn!!
I do not wear outside shoes inside. I have a pair of house shoes (slip ons) designated for only inside. Helps tremendously to keep floors clean. P.S. I love washing dishes, putting on a drying rack to air dry and put away. My husband and I race to see who is going to empty the dishwasher or put away so satisfying to finish! And sometimes I let him win😂!
Same with taking shoes off, i got the kids into that habit and it's amazing how much of a difference it makes. And this is proof positive that the world is full of all kinds- i hate doing dishes! I like folding clothes, and 'straightening up' things, putting stuff away. We're all different, it's great 😊
I loved it when your husband said, "I thought this was a cleaning video, not a parenting video. " He has so much to learn about women. Everything intertwines with women and men compatlrtmentalize things.
Dawn I want to thank you for how your videos have helped me!! We sold our house last august and we’ve been living in my parents basement and I’m so thankful before we sold the house we had decluttered and donated so many of our possessions!! I feel like it definitely made the transition easier. Also as my husband, me, our 3 year old, and our 8 month old girl live in such small quarters we realize you don’t need much to get by!! God is so good!!
Decluttering has absolutely made a difference for me! Having fewer things - especially on the surfaces and floors is key. I have a weekly cleaning schedule, that works really well for me, and I do one load of laundry everyday. I also clean my sink every day - this combined with decluttering were turning points for me.
We used to have a friend/cleaning lady who came to clean our house every 2 weeks and one of my favorite things about it was that it was just a good bi-weekly reset on our house. It was always hard to get ready for her to come (we hadn’t decluttered much yet) but it was so worth it. Plus the cleaning that I was never going to be able to get to with my 5 young kids (that were homeschooled) actually got done. She was amazing! ❤
I determined I'm a zone cleaner, I do one area per day, and also split it by task for a couple - so i vacuum half the house one day, the other half the next, do one bathroom one day and the ensuite the next. Because I'm doing each zone at least once a week, I clean slightly different parts over time and nothing gets too filthy.
I think using a check list is so cool, I have tried and tried it has worked for me for about 5 minutes !!! LOL I am a as needed cleaner. I am much better at it lately since I have been in the habit of decluttering. My children have also been raised in a messy house. Not so much when they were real little but after their father and I divorced, I didn't have much time or energy to clean during the week. Now, I just don't like to clean! So the more I declutter, the easier it is! Thanks Dawn.
I agree with Tom as well! We just started doing “zones” this month in our house. I told the kids we would be switching monthly. Our reasoning is that this will give us the opportunity to teach them how to care for each area AND give them a break from an area that’s maybe not their favorite.
I've heard of and used a unique kind of checklist where you have tasks organized in a list/binder where every time you do a task, note the date. So it becomes a "last time I did/cleaned ___" sort of list. Then, next time you have time to clean, you can note what has been the most neglected instead of relying on memory.
My latest game-changer is "daily shower spray"!! I mean, I only use it every couple of days, but it still prevents soap scum and hard-water mineral build-up. Has made my bi-weekly "official" shower clean so much easier.
Yes! I am 73 years old and have finally discovered the joys of a shower spray. We used to wipe down the shower every day, but soap scum would still build up. Not anymore! I use it every three days or so and I have not had to scrub since.
We have always squeegeed our shower out every night (who ever has the last shower of the day) and every couple of nights we spray some n Ph7 neutral cleaner on as well then dry the whole thing out with a towel. My parents also did this and it means that very rarely do we need to use anything harsher to clean it with and because the shower is mostly dry it never goes mouldy. Only takes a couple of minutes because it’s done t like this all the time.
@@martimar7181 It's natural-ish, so there is actually an ingredient list: water, cocamidopropyl betaine, and citric acid. Unscented. Makes me wonder if one could concoct something similar oneself? Or even just dilute all-purpose cleaner. Hmm.🤔
Following your videos and declutterring ruthlessly has cut down my housework so much! I’m currently 8 months pregnant with a 3 and almost 5 year old, and having things decluttered has helped so much in this stage of being exhausted and unable to bend over 😅 it’s easier for my husband to help clean as well because everything has a place! He teases me for talking about declutterring so much, but truly it’s been such a blessing!
Intuitive cleaner here! Love that! ❤ I’m single now and have a chronic illness. I decluttered when I moved from my house and now have this lovely minimalist apartment that is a perfect “Goldilocks” just right fit. I’ve always been tidy and liked cleaning, but radical decluttering brought great freedom like never before! I have a “shoeless in the house” policy. Germs on shoes creep me out, and my house is way cleaner w/o them. Better for feet too, and some other benefits. I only need to do laundry 1x week, dust, vac, damp mop every 1-2 weeks, and do the deeper cleaning stuff as needed. I did my blinds with you today Dawn! I find that the basic diy cleaners are best, and I can add essential oil if I want some extra zing. I also put EO on the vac filter. I wipe the counters and sinks daily and run the dishwasher as needed. The whole shebang is maybe 15 mins/week. Thanks Dawn for making my life SO easy and GREAT! ❤❤❤❤
My routine has simplified since reading How to Clean House While Drowning. Focusing on keeping my house functional rather than perfect has been life changing. I make my bed, do a load of laundry and dishes, and run my robot vacuum every day. I tidy as I go throughout my day. Then I do a 10 minute reset of my living spaces after dinner. I have my house cleaned twice a month for 2 hours, alternating between upstairs and downstairs. A couple times a year I’ll have the cleaner do a deep clean on the kitchen or primary bath since those get the most use. I am disabled so focusing my energy on the things that accumulate daily keeps my house functional and someone else deals with things like scrubbing my shower and cleaning the inside of the microwave. I used to keep my house spotless and that was one of the things that was most upsetting about becoming disabled. Having this new focus on functionality has allowed me to save some of my precious energy for more enjoyable activities.
I am a ALL or nothing cleaner. I set my timer for 10 minutes but often keep resetting it until the room is totally clean. The timer gets me motivated though and I find that most of the time it’s just a matter of trying to beat the clock ⏰ or getting off my butt and moving, but the clock is a must for decluttering. I look for overall garbage first and then move on to a specific area.
I quit Flylady because I just cant' get the emotional clutter gone. But I have never heard of Diane in Denmark. Might have to look her up. Pam Young from Sidetracked Home Executives is the one who started the original system that Flylady took over and went online with. Pam Young needs some credit. She passed a year or two ago and I miss her blogs SO much.
We had mashed potatoes and hamburger gravy too! It was usually what we had for Saturday dinner, (noon). Haven't had it in many years, well since I was a child, and I'm 66. I always loved it.
I love your throw pillows in this video. And thank you for all your wonderful advice! We have moved 4 times in 4 months with 2 young boys, for my husbands job. We are finally settled into a longer term home! 🙌🏼 I used your videos as a body double while getting ready for our first move half way across the country and got rid of 11 packed SUV loads to the thrift store and 6 full outdoor trash cans for that move. And I only allowed 3 toys each and a weeks worth of clothes to keep with us while moving from air bnb to air bnb. Keeping it minimal made life so easy to move each time and to just relax and have fun in the places we were at. Now in our new home I have a few different areas with piles of boxes that are my silent to dos. But other than those boxes I’ve kept it very minimal. And my chronic stress and anxiety has gone away! And I’ve been tempted to not even look in those boxes and just drop them off at goodwill 😅
We never wear outside shoes in. I like to be in my socks. My husband has slippers that are like outside shoes. He likes the protection of his toes. Think about all that is on the bottom of our shoes. It is just not dirt. It could be spit, dog poo, tarvia whatever. Keep it outside!
I’ve never been able to follow a checklist, especially something like fly lady. However, I do use Dana‘s five steps to tackle any cleaning project. Even just cleaning the kitchen up at the end of the evening. I start with trash and just go through all the steps to get my kitchen clean. I also have a housekeeper who comes once a month. I totally understand what you mean by accountability. I have to make sure my house is a particular kind of clean before she gets here and that just really helps me stay on top of things!
Oh my gosh! Even your intro is so inspiring! That totally doesn't look like my house. My hubby and son are both adhd, like HD adhd... they're super smart, but their minds are going all the time and they just leave everything wherever their hands drop things. I am so inspired by you.... trying to purge and purge, and purge.....you're my Minimalist superhero!
I just realized that when you talk about your messy house when you grew up, your always explaining and defending your mom. Which is totally fine, I believe how she was a hardworking woman! But isn't it strange that WOMEN have to be defended, when it comes to their housekeeping and homes, and not the MEN.
In the same way men get nagged if they don’t bring the car to the mechanic, fix the light, clean the lawn, fix the dishwasher, bring in the wood for the fireplace, throw the rubbish, and so on. Responsibilities in a household are shared, and most of us women prefer the section “keep the house clean and cosy” than cut the grass in the lawn. And if responsibilities are not shared equally in your household that means you are in a abusive relationship and should do something to fix it. Stop being a drama addicted and finding new ways to feel offended and victimised. That’s a toxic behaviour that does no good to us women.
@@carmensantangelo4342 - But, Carmen, if you're nagging your husband to do the chores they've agreed to do, you're actually the one in charge of that task. What you're now responsible for is the mental labor of keeping up on that task. Like Dawn talks about with the "silent to-do list," everything we own wants to be cared for or managed. When he can actually take the task off of your plate, then the task belongs to the other person. Roxanne is absolutely right that our society places all of the responsibility on women for free care giving - our worth is hinged on how much of it we do. Let's be real - how often does he mow the lawn? and, does he really take out all of the trash, or just take the bin to the curb once a week. I saw a guy post on another forum that he painted the house, so he shouldn't have to do any housework - ok, so painting the house is a big job - done every TEN YEARS, so, no, my dude - you still need to help with the daily chores - they're basic life skills, not a gender role.
@Trinity98-ih1cc No offense, but your husband and her husband are not the same. Furthermore, you said it yourself, your husband does PHYSICAL labor. That is not the case for most. No clue why you want people to show respect to those who can't respect their home and their families. Their adults, act like their adults. The ones who need encouragement, are kids. NOT adults.
@@carmensantangelo4342 No offense, but all the things you listed are done by old traditional couples. Relationships dynamics have changed. "don’t bring the car to the mechanic, fix the light, clean the lawn, fix the dishwasher, bring in the wood for the fireplace, throw the rubbish, and so on" Seems like basic ass chores that any one can do. Not esclusive to men and neither is it a task done EVERYDAY. Bruh. How many broken cars do you have? How many ligbulbs do you need to fix???? Telling someone to do THIER PART OF THE CHORES is NOT nagging. For F's sake, just do your part. You would NOT be this nice to a women who did not do the house cleaning.
Sigh! Do we seriously not know that women have traditionally taken charge of the domestic tasks? Is this a dirty little secret, or just a fact. For most of human history women have focused on X, and men on Y. I know this is changing, and I'm all for it, but let's not pretend our assumptions are based on some ingrained misogyny.
I am so glad that I found your channel. I’m on a decluttering journey and want to majorly simplify my life. Sometimes I just need to hear someone say, “get rid of it!!” I’m tired of stuff shifting! Lol❤
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Thank you Helix Sleep for sponsoring! Click here helixsleep.com/minimalmom to get 25% off your Helix mattress (plus two FREE pillows!) during their Presidents’ Day Sale, which ends February 29th. If you miss this limited time offer, you can still get 20% off using my link! Offers subject to change. And thank YOU for watching!!! - Dawn
Have you heard of the decluttering app called “toss”
It is so painful to me when you call yourself a loser in some of your videos. It’s a word that should never be used toward anyone. And name calling should have no place on our lips. Your kids will watch these one day and feel influenced by hearing their mother call herself a name repeatedly. There are ways to be honest while still protecting our hearts, families and reputations!
Dawn, do they pick up the old mattress? When I buy a mattress from a store, they pick it up. So what happens to the old mattress? Those are hard to dispose of.
@theminimalmom is the Helix mattress designed to be used without box springs below it? Asking because both our mattress and box springs are past their expiration dates.
Also regarding having the kids change cleaning tasks. I would use the “Teaching Hospital methodology” which is an opportunity to help the kids to strengthen their skills in training other people to perform a task. Rotate the kids tasks with the understanding that if they have questions or need help, they first ask the brother or sister that previously performed the task for help. The kids should ask you or Tom for help only if the sibling cannot answer the question. In addition to developing teaching skills, I think it encourages empathy because often it seems like someone else’s assignments are easier until we need to perform the tasks ourselves. As always,
I love your videos!
@judysbakeryandtestkitchen1654 I just got a Helix mattress a week ago. The old mattress is not picked up. My old one is in good shape (just too soft for me). You might consider calling some charity thrift stores that offer furniture pick-up to see if they take mattresses. Another option is to offer it for free on Facebook marketplace (I did this once and it was successful). If neither of these options work, you can see if your local waste management company offers a bulk pick-up.
We have farming friends that have five children. After school they all headed to the barn to milk cows, feed pigs and chickens etc. Every child had age appropriate chores, even the little ones, two year old collected chicken eggs, older kids cleaned stalls and milked cows. Every few days, they rotated who the “ barn boss” was, even the younger children got their turn. They were responsible for making sure each child completed their chores. It taught them all to be fair and have empathy for each other, and how to cooperate with each other for a common goal.
That's awesome! Love it❤
Barn boss… that’s adorable!!! Maybe we should rotate a “cleaning house boss” so I’m not always the bad guy 😂
@@lauranickens2563 😂 Great idea
More importantly, it taught them responsibility (for themselves and animals), routines, specific skills, and knowledge they will (may) need later in life.
Your friends are wise parents; learning responsibility, relationship to work (of any kind - physical and mental), and leadership(!) at an early age is a very smart move.
It is the most demanding form of parenting - much more than, for example, "helicoptering," lol, because it requires parents to be willing to "waste" time by teaching kids to do a chore (everything takes 3-4 times more time than if mom/dad did it themselves), to be patient with the first mistakes and imperfections and willingness to trust your small one that they eventually will be capable of doing it. Maybe not that perfectly from the beginning, but one nice day, your son may surprise you by building his first very own tiny shed/house at the end of your yard, or your daughter may bake you the best cake you ever ate or whatever else.
Kids are like sponges; they pick up everything they see/hear and what we teach them - consciously but also otherwise.
Sweeping the path from A to Z is a reliable way to raise incapacitated, unmotivated, bored, unsuccessful, insecure, anxious, and unhappy kids/ future adults.
@@xpsxps1339you are so right. I am currently struggling with our 9 year old daughter, she takes forever to get anything done. She has always been like this, it's the only "negative" feedback we have ever gotten from all of her teachers. I don't want to be a helicopter parent, but she is very forgetful and easily distracted. Just last week she left the house with out her snack and her laptop, she commented that her backpack was lighter, I was the one that asked her if she had packed her snack and then she realised she had not. We went back into the house and when she opened her backpack did I spot that her laptop was not in there. It's a constant struggle to give her space and to make sure that she actually has everything she needs for the day.😔
You're too young to know her but Erma Bombeck once said in regards to her cleaning style: "I sweep the room with a look". Her humor was so important to my Mom. I remember my mom laughing while reading Erma's column in the newspaper (wow- I sound so old- only 59). Good memories.
I remember! (58.5 here 😅) "If Life Is a Bowl of Cherries, What Am I Doing in the Pits?"
Book by Erma Bombeck
I have the same sweet memory of my mom laughing while reading Erma Bombeck’s column in the newspaper! I’m 61.😉
I’m 66, and grew up reading Erma’s column in the paper every day - loved her!! ❤️
Was Erma the one that also said, "Sometimes our kitchen looks like you could eat off the floor, and....sometimes it looks like we DID." 😂
My sister and I learned to love Erma Bombeck because mom did. She was so hilarious and totally understood what housekeeping was really about. I need to go find a couple of her books!😂
I am a professional cleaner, and I’m “married” to my favorite cleaners because they are effective. I’ve tried many new products over the years, and even occasionally added a new one to my arsenal, so I’m not opposed to trying new things or learning a new technique. But, there is power in realizing that even in the area of cleaning, companies are trying to sell you. They want you to believe that you have a problem only their product can fix. I say find freedom in sticking to what you know works for you.
Same here and I also have a short list of tried and true products I use. Great comment ❤
Please share your favorite products!
After trying so many, I did some research. Now I only use a bottle of half/half strong vinegar and water, and dish soap. It's actually so interesting how little we really need!
It's amazing how much you can clean with regular old Windex.
Baking soda ❤
My routine of washing bedding finally came when my work allowed us to work for home on Fridays. I throw the bedding in the wash before heading to my computer and in the dryer when I take a bathroom break. Then, I put it back on the bed at lunch time. I wash the bedding every other Friday on the same day I get paid. I’ve trained my brain to say, “If it’s payday, it’s bedding day!” Makes it easy and I never have to wonder when I last washed it.
Oh Dawn... I was enjoying a relaxed state watching you do dishes - until I saw you pull out what looked like a sharp knife from the water. A year or so ago, I gave myself a deep painful slice from a knife while doing dishes, simply by reaching into a sudsy sink and searching by hand for the next thing to pull out of the water.
I am 64 years old, have washed dishes by hand for 25 years, and that had never happened to me before. I urge everyone to never put anything sharper than a table knife down into soapy water with other things. It's an accident waiting to happen.
Ok. That's all for my PSA. Loved the video. I'm learning in my 60's that a minimized house is so much easier to keep clean. And more enjoyable to ciean.
I did that too! I now have a scar on my thumb. The worst part is that I didn't initially realize that I had done it because the knife was new and very sharp. I only realized it had happened after I noticed the blood in the water! 😬 That was an interesting day.
I cringed at that part of the video!
I always keep knifes to the side, all facing the same direction.
@megankuchta9145 I always did that too. But I stand by my PSA. 1) Things have a way of migrating in a sink of dishes, and 2) It's easy in the hustle of washing things up to completely forget a knife is down in that sudsy water. I'm pretty sure when I sliced my hand, that was the case. My husband saw me sometimes doing exactly as you described and urged me not to do that. I don't humble easily, but boy... I wish I had listened, and not had to learn the hard way.
When I worked a restaurant job in my twenties, they had us all get a certification in knife safety - it’s something they should teach everyone in school! I’m still horrified by how my husband will walk around with knives or hand them to someone sharp point out, or chop food with fingers right in the way. I always keep dirty knives to the side of the sink by the soap and wash them last, put them away first once dry.
My favorite quote, " its easier to keep something clean than to get something clean".
Especially for the shower
😂 i say, wipe now or scrub later ⏰ 😅
My new favorite quote: “It is easier to not keep something than to keep something clean.” There. I said that 😎
What I want to know is does it take more time out of your life? If I clean once for a couple of hours it is very difficult since I do not maintain, but maintaining means thinking about everything 24/7 and constantly scanning for mess and picking things up. That sounds like it never ends, like it has no beginning or end. Also wiping surfaces that look clean just goes against my nature.
@@anatosic7323 if it only takes you a couple of hours to clean your house then you’re doing it right already. I’m pretty minimalist and I’m good at picking up but if I want to actually clean clean the house it takes me about four hours but then I’m old so things take me longer. I have mixed feelings, cleaning a little bit every day it feels like you’re constantly cleaning, but then cleaning all at once is exhausting. I do believe in picking up every day, not leaving things out, not having knickknacks or clutter. My favorite mantra is nothing on the floor, except furniture legs and then I’ve added trash cans to that. It’s so much easier to clean. Also, Wet and Forget for the shower is the best thing ever invented.
I just want to say thank you! A year ago i was struggling with my home at 59 yrs of age, and stressed and overwhelmed. And i didnt even know why i felt that way. Then one day in January 2023 your video popped up on TH-cam. Just out of curiosity i clicked on it. And my "aha" moment came when you said "Your stuff is inventory that you have to manage; how much time and energy do you have to 'manage' your inventory." The light finally came on for me in my mind! I understood why i was stressed and overwhelmed. I had too much stuff to manage. I listened to several more of your videos and through you also found Dana and Cass. The 3 of you helped me so much in getting my home and life back in control. ❤much love and gratitude from this grandmother! ❤
Same for me!
That makes two of us- this was my lightbulb moment and what has truly helped me to manage my home ❤
Me too! One of our older kids came to visit and said the house feels so much better!!
Omg. The same quote!
Ok ladies I am going back to January. I need that light bulb moment. Ugh I never get anything done cause I am overwhelmed. Praying 🙏 I can have that moment of understanding 😊.
Audiobooks and earbuds! As long as I'm listening to an audiobook, I don't mind cleaning. One thing I like to do is pairing, pair something you don't really like to do with something that you like to do so it makes it more enjoyable.
Yes!!! My teen begs to do the dishes if I let her hear music on her earbuds.
I am a big audiobook listener. I have a hard time doing any kind of a chore without an audiobook talking into my ears.
Yes! This is the only way I do my deep cleaning. I listen to Dawn, Diana, or Diane in Denmark and they are the motivation for my to keep my house nice for me and my family.
Yes, audiobooks distract and cleaning is done without even thinking about it.
My housekeeping style is best described as THERE APPEARS TO HAVE BEEN A STRUGGLE!! 😂
😂 I can relate!
Love this😅
Definitely a possible break in . 😂😂
I say that “we’ve been ransacked and robbed”!😆
I look like I’ve been outside having a water fight with the kids each time I do the dishes 🤣
Years ago I figured out I had four basic house chores: cleaning, tidying, decluttering, and organizing. I finally figured out I can only pick 2 of them to do at one time; any more than that and I wind up exhausted or only half-finished.
Education in housekeeping can't be underestimated. It's an art imo.
Someone who is ADHD. For real I HAD to learn. And still am. And I can't believe I just believed I "knew" and it's been overwhelming
First time commenting, I am handicapped. You are so right about the five minutes. I gained so much self confidence back just seeing what I can do 5 minutes a few times a day. Thank you so much
It helps.
I have a housekeeper once a week for deeper cleaning but they still don’t do it all it takes every one doing their part
I'm finally, at age 80, getting my house decluttered. I've been surprised to find that I am enjoying cleaning in the decluttered areas that I could not clean before. Watching cleaning videos has helped, because I also never learned HOW to clean. Who knew that the baked on crud around my electric stove burners comes off easily when it is hot, but not when it is cold.
Wow! I'm 68 and I did not realize that. Thanks for sharing!
74........decluttering for my son, but I get to give the stuff to where I want it to go ....now. I'm leaving what I use today, what I need to maintain the house and yard....what I actually wear. I recently found a young family man that wanted any construction materials I had. Good usable wood, wall panels, metal sheets.......stuff I didn't want to throw away, but didn't know what to do with. He is happy and grateful......and so am I:)
@@martaescobar7625 For anyone who doesn't know a particular person who wants it, there may be a Habitat for Humanity ReStore or something similar near you that will take donations of construction materials.
@@martaescobar7625As the granddaughter of hoarders, I can assure you that your son will be very grateful that you are doing this for him. I'm not sure I will be that lucky to have them declutter their house, garage, shed, yard and possibly storage units. Oh, and at one point they were storing things at relatives houses. Not sure if they are now.
Do you think it would be a good idea to bring up the idea of them decluttering their house for the sake of the family. My mom and uncle will NOT bring it up. They also think they will be the ones cleaning out the hoard. However, they are getting older too and I'm not sure they will be able to physically handle all of that when the time comes. My mom already has arthritis and cannot lift a lot. I'm worried this will end up being MY job to go through everything they leave behind.
This reminds me of the children's song... "this is the way we 'wash our clothes".... all on a Friday morning.... Change the chore and day of the week.
When im decluttering, I start singing frozen "let it go" lol
Hey Dawn, I'd rather sit reading a mystery with my diet caffeine free coke too. My problem is that is usually what I do instead of decluttering or cleaning! I rationalize that at my particular season of life, 83 years old and a widow with 4 very much grown children who all live far away, that I'm entitled to do whatever it is that I want to do. My best motivation occurs when one of the adult children announces an upcoming visit. They range in age from 46 to 57 and the eldest is a grandfather. I keep reminding myself that I don't want to leave them with a giant mess when I am gone and that works some of the time. On the other hand, my health is good and I hate to waste whatever good months or years that I have left doing activities that I don't find particularly rewarding. It's a conundrum.
😊😊😊😊😊
Life is short! Read a book, enjoy a few moments of You Time. My assumption is that a single woman has a relatively tidy home… 30 min of reading can still work and you probably maintain a wonderful home! 🎉
Thank you Shaila@@shailaraynee . Actually I don't have a relatively tidy home.
How about the 5 min clean up before you sit down to read…then you can build some momentum and enjoy a tidier home…
83 years of a busy life: you are entitled to everything. I am 65 and I started decluttering only because I am too lazy to maintaining the stuff. With personel I would have done nothing.
Intuitive cleaner here. I’m 69 yo, single with 4 cats. I’ve decluttered a lot so it is pretty easy to keep tidy. I’ve tried making a cleaning schedule, but I never stick with it. I do wash dishes everyday,laundry as needed, and clean the cat area several times a week. The rest of the house gets done when I think about it. I no longer worry about people stopping by unannounced because the house never looks bad.
Me too! Love that
Love this video so much! I do have a cleaning schedule that I follow most of the time, but I also apply intuitive cleaning. Every night I assess what chores were completed during the day and look at what is scheduled so I can prioritize and make changes as needed. This only takes me a few mins, and helps me get ready and motivated for the next day!
@@ldstoromomI like your planning on the night before ❣️
I agree about rotating duties for a couple reasons:1) It makes a well-rounded adult who has learned how to do everything well (as hubby said) and figured out where they excel, and has already learned how to make it a habit, 2) It breeds a lot of appreciation/compassion for the job someone else used to do when you have to do it, 3) Someone new might find a tip, trick or technique that can help others do it better/easier. 5) Our brains get stimulated and excited when we learn a new thing, 4) People may get burned out doing the same thing. But rotating once a year is fine, it let's people take plenty of time to get through the learning curve and find a rhythm.
I'm a Cricket. I love routines. I love details. My kids alternated chores each week. One boy and one girl. They both learned how to do dishes, clean the bathroom, mop, dust, and vacuum. Do laundry.
And they are adults now who are responsible for their own homes. I'm an empty nester now and I have to clean it all myself again.
I love that you say "I feel like a loser..." and then provide solutions that actually work so that I don't have to feel like a loser, too. Your content is extremely REAL and very helpful. Thank you!
I think I learned the idea of 5 minutes matters from my mom 30 years ago. She was a very organized and productive person, one of those people who just had it together. I remember being a young mom (I’m 56 now) and using little bits of time here and there and doing little tidies. Must’ve learned it from my mama. I saw how much those minutes helped and I’ve done it all this time. When you introduced 5 minutes matters, I was cheering you on because I know how valuable it is. 🎉 The inventory idea is what blew my mind!! Thank you, Dawn!!!
Our mama's must have been thinking alike.
@@brendaturner7112 love it!!
If Linda is willing, you should pay her to do a video or interview her about her work cleaning your and others’ houses!
Love your videos!
Something I learned from my Indian husband that saves me a lot of time: when washing dishes, keep all dirty items on the counter. Fill the sink up closest to the counter with warm soapy water. Submerge as many dishes as you can into the water. Then wash each dish and keep it in the other side of the sink. When all dishes are cleaned you can rinse everything at one time and put it to dry on the other counter. Or if you only have one counter, it can go back where the original dirty dishes sat. When turning the water on and off after each dish, it takes so much more time. Set a timer and see for yourself:) It’s awesome.
As a former teacher I always told my student’s parents that getting kids involved in cleaning and tidying is easy if you make it fun. The fact that you’re tying their privileges to their routines is a game changer. The more difficult and time consuming a task, the more they get to do after. Brilliant!
I also love how you focus on the importance of declutterring. Too many channels just show you how to move your stuff around but getting rid of things is THE MOST IMPORTANT part of a calm home. ❤
I just came back from my "errand day" and the kids were late for their naps (which was okay because usually they full on skip it when I haven't planned the errands well enough) and there were wooden blocks and books all over the floor from when they were playing this morning before we left, some dishes in the sink from last night that got in there after I had washed what was in the sink, and groceries on the table and counters. I usually turn on TH-cam during the kids' nap so I can do chores in a more enjoyable way but I had noticed that, lately, the videos I had been watching required me to watch a lot, I couldn't just listen and occasionally look. I realized it was slowing me down a lot. I decided to watch this video this time (and I'm a regular, I really like this channel) and see how efficient I could be rather than just go into sloth mode and in the time of that video, I was able to put toys and books away, sweep the living room, put groceries and grocery bags away, wash dishes, move a load of laundry, clean my kitchen counter, and get some leftovers ready for me to start eating :) Thank you for the content you make Dawn! It's been a huge help for me over the last two years, when I really started my decluttering journey. I feel like it's time for another big purge. I've become too comfortable with the clutter we've accumulated in the last few months and cleaning is getting more difficult than if was when I had just decluttered our space. Thank you again! You're awesome!
Like you I used to think that cleaning was doing everything top to bottom through the entire house in ine day. It was exhausting. It used to take so long to clean my house. Then I learned about house cleaning lists. Doing certaing things each day of the week. That worked better but still I got wore out. My house is large so it still took me all day to do. After finding you and Cass, I started decluttering my entire house. It took five years to clean out everything. Now I am down to where my house is comfortable. Its so easy to clean now. We have way less clutter and I tidy up daily and I can as I go when I cook. So my cleaning tasks are more as they need to be done. Its so much less stressful. And it just feels more natural. so in the morning when implanning my day, i will decided what area needs cleaning that day and ill add it to my to do list for the day.
Oh I want to be like this!
I am in this process now. Second year! It is better, but now I started to feel that I have too many small decorations, too many plants in my balconies, kitchen tools also starts to bother me....😂 As this point all the decluttering process seems never ending!
Took me 2 tries to get through the video bc my sick daughter needed me, but I got 4 Walmart bags of clothes and kid shoes sorted for donations while watching. Also sorted laundry and put away.. and cleaned up some of my room. Thank you Dawn 💝
Love having my house down to a few minutes per room! When my toddler grandson comes over, I just play all day with him. I let whatever messes happen...bc when he goes home, it literally takes a few minutes to put back together. We have so much fun, and no stress whatsoever.
My mother taught me that if your toilet is clean, beds made, and dishes done, your house looks fine. She would do other cleaning but told me to have these three things done on a daily basis.
Wise woman. Sounds about right.
While I get where you are coming from, I do all these things, but my house looks almost like a hoarders house due to severe clutter covering every surface. Decluttering is happening, but slowly.
I love that! If you get those three done, if something else gets bypassed,it’s not a big deal.
When I was a young girl my mother kept the house clean and tidied up throughout the week. On Saturday morning we all deep cleaned the house. We kept the same chores. I hated doing the same chore so when I was married and had kids I rotated the chores. Old school here where you kept everything in case you needed it and to save money. I did not mind keeping track of everything. It did not bother me and my house was picked up and clean. It was just what you did and did not think about it but got it done. I am now a widow for two years and now I find it hard to tidy and clean. And the stuff is bothering me now. 🎉I have been trying to get rid of stuff but find it very hard. I have 50 years of items saved in my home. I know I have to let go because the house is too big and becoming too much for me, so in future I will be moving either into a one bedroom place or moving in with my daughter. I feel like everything is sentimental, memories, and stories. I watch your channel, and I have purchased your book. They have helped me but the going is slow. I am now seeing that there are items I don’t use especially in the kitchen as my cooking habits for one is entirely different from cooking for a family. I have learned that my children do not want the items I have, so it is just me hanging on. Thanks for doing these videos.
Bless you. I'm seventy and I feel your pain. My kids don't want my stuff either, some handed down through a few generations. If you can't bear to rid yourself of it, at least pack it away, maybe get the kids to help. Decluttering my kitchen was such a big help to me. It made keeping my kitchen clean so much easier and made cooking easier, too. Maybe start there.
Your kids don’t care about grandma’s gold cutlery or gold rimmed dishes that were worth a fortune as they want to choose their own stuff for the way their house looks. It’s not their job to keep your memories alive with the stuff either. In the old days our parents passed down everything including portraits etc… because everything was expensive or hard to replace so even couches and beds were passed down, but now it’s maybe for their first apartment a few non breakable dishes but they’ll build their own lives
I worked in an elementary school for years. One day, I was given a hand-made plaster hot dog on a bun. The fun part was the hot dog WAS a DOG, laying on a bun with mustard and ketchup on its back. I loved the gesture so I took a photo of it. After 30 years, the item is long gone, but the photo lives on and still makes me smile! Hugs, Ms. Cooper!
I decided if I did not use something, I would pass it on by donating, consigning, or selling on Facebook while it was still in condition for someone else to use it. It feels good to live in my decluttered space. I am 69, and wish I had gotten rid of my 'security' stuff long ago.
I constantly remind myself that letting go of the “thing” does not mean letting go of the memory. Literally yesterday, I parted with a shirt my dad left at my house when he died. That was 32 years ago. (I almost pulled it out of the box a dozen times before I made it to the thrift shop.) I still have the same memories, though ❤️
I downsized, decluttered, and have a robo vac. I am 76, live alone, and tidy as I go. I take great pride in my tidy home, that’s my motivator. I keep the dishes done, countertop clear and clean and once a week deep clean the bathroom. On an as needed basis I scrub the kitchen floor, bathroom and closet floor. It takes me five minutes to dust my whole apartment including the baseboards and window sills. For some reason I could easily put that off. Now the thing I don’t do often is the top of the fridge. I’m short, my daughter borrowed my little ladder and won’t give it back for fear I will use it! lol. The motivator there is if I’m expecting a tall person to visit! lol!
About a cleaning woman….. Dawn, you do so much, work, projects, plan, home school, manage the home and family, etc. you need and deserve to get some help. I had a neighbor once, she was a veterinarian, her hobby was competitive horse riding, her husband was an ER dr. They had no children. She sat on my deck one day and said she was having trouble keeping up with her house….dhhhh! I told her to get someone to come in once a week. She did. Best advice ever! (She looked at me like I was a role model!) that was quite a few years ago.
The best thing I did for myself was get the robo vac. Her name is Rosie. If that broke and the tv broke, I would replace the robo vac first!
The robovac I have at home is named Rosie as well (after The Jetsons)! I loved her so much, even if I still need to dust bust the nooks and crannies, that I got one for our family business. His name is Alfred, after Batman's butler, since he both helps me clean AND take care of our business. Should you get your step ladder back to clean the top of your fridge (or, have your daughter do it since she's concerned), lay dishtowels, newspaper, etc up their afterwards to keep it clean and catch any grime from then on. No more having to scrub it! Just swap and wash or toss and replace. You can even use a grabber to shift it into place without climbing and Dollar Tree carries those if you don't have one already. In fact, my grabber has become an essential part of my cleaning kit since bending down is not always feasible thanks to some damage to my back.
My robo is Bob. Had to be a guy!!
My robo vac is Randy Robot. My 4year old grandson named him 😊
We love Buddy, our Eufy robovac! My husband uses him and just has to vacuum the thick rug we have in the living room. We were getting bad about the kitchen so now take turns washing dishes and picking up and it stays clean now. We downsized to a 1 story which makes it so much easier. My biggest chore right now is to go through our non-digital photos and scan what's really important.
I love the vinegar/dish soap solution for my shower. I actually have a dish wand (the kind with the sponge and the tube to fill with dish soap), I fill it with the vinegar/dish soap solution and keep it in my shower. Then about 2-3 times a week - at the end of my shower, while I'm still in the shower with the water running - I sponge/scrub down the full shower. Keeps it clean - and I don't have to go clean the shower on a separate occasion. Thanks Dawn for all your other great tips - decluttering has 100% made cleaning easier!!!
I recently learned that the vinegar neutralizes the soap's cleaning power. The soap is more effective without the vinegar and vice versa. Things you learn!
It would depend on the ph of the soap in question. If a true “soap” like Castile, yes vinegar neutralizes it. But if a detergent, like dish soap, both are acidic and so they can be mixed with improved cleaning power.
@@jhjln8712 Most dish soaps are neutral to alkaline, according to online sources.
@@MyFocusVariesAh, you’re right, I had that mixed up. I was thinking of how Castile soap is extremely alkaline and it does even split like curdled milk when mixed with vinegar. But yes, dish soap is neutral to mildly alkaline. Still I wonder why people find the dish soap-vinegar mix so effective?
@@jhjln8712 hard to guess. I stopped adding vinegar to my homemade mix and it works just great. Maybe it's mostly the scrubbing that is most of the effect.
It sounds dumb, but as an adult I had to learn what cleaning actually meant. When my mom told us to clean up when we were kids, she really met tidy up or pick up our things, not actually clean.
I use very specific language with my kids now because I don't want the same thing to happen to them. 😂
I was a professional housekeeper before I became a sahm, and I had no clue why I struggled so much with keeping my house clean lol but it was picking up that I was clueless about. I was always cleaning houses that were already tidy. They would tidy before we got there.
My mother never showed me much about the cleaning part and when I left home around 23 years of age it was very difficult to figure out how to do the cleaning and how often it should be done. My job was to tend to the younger siblings so all I did was play with them and didn't learn any concrete skills on how to run my own house!
Thank you for commenting about this. My gosh my parents always yelled at me about having messy room but NEVER showed me or told us how to clean. My step mom was a very ocd person and she always did everything herself becasue it had to be done a certain way. I didn’t know to clean from top to bottom or how often to do things etc etc. I’ve always felt messy!! My sisters were very born organized but I’m incredibly creative and my spaces have always been messy. I bought my home 23 years ago and tried desperately to have a nice clean organized home. But with such a big home, used to living In small apartments with my 2 children, it got out of hand quickly. I am a creator and I do a lot of different things that take up space.
Not dumb at all. I can still remember vividly be told to clean my room. I sat on the floor looking at the pile of clothes not knowing what to do. What she really meant was to put away the clothes and I didn't have the space for it. It has been a life long struggle. No ones fault really.
Like Dawn and many of you I love my mom so much, but my parents were workaholics. They owned a restaurant and put in 50 to 80 hours per week each! My mom cooked breakfast and took us to school then off to work. She got ofd just in time to pick us up, do homework or run us to appointments, then was expected to have dinner on the table by 5 pm. My dad would come home and we ate as a family... most nights. After dinner, my mom went to work again and sometimes my dad did too, other times he stayed home. My sister and I were told to clean the dishes and kitchen and do the laundry, including theirs. When someone was coming over, my mom would frantically say CLEAN THE HOUSE! And she, my sister, and myself would jump up and do as much tidying up as we could. It wasn't uncommon to have a heap of clean clothes on the couch which needed hung and folded. I don't blame my parents. I know they did the best they could. My mom keeps a super tidy and clean house now, ever since retirement in 2004. But like others stated, I was just yelled at to clean my room and told how messy I was. 😢 They never showed me how to declutter, organize, or clean. I'm 47 now and feeling sick and tired of all the clutter!!!!! 😢 I feel like just putting 90% of it in the trash. Ugh. Pray for me. 🙏
I use a “graduating” system for my kids… example, the oldest would help put metal bowls and silverware away from the dishwasher but when his younger sister was then able to help with those items, we graduated him to putting the rest of the dishes as well as the other utensils on the counter. For us, it’s based on our daughter’s abilities (she has Down syndrome) so when she’s ready to move up, we give her the jobs her brother used to do and graduate him to something harder.
A definite yes to cleaning routines! My morning includes emptying the dishwasher, starting a load of laundry, wiping down the bathrooms, and vacuuming. I can accomplish all of that in a short time and feel ready to take on the world when I am finished. You, Cas. Dana, and Diane in Denmark have been my mentors on this journey. Thank you!
I have been decluttering on the regular for years. It's definitely an ongoing process. I feel so much better mentally and it takes so much less time to clean. Having ur house "company ready" at all times is a game changer. Ur great in talking everything through and offering encouragement and solutions and permission to make mistakes, "fail", and try different systems until u find one that works. I used to have sooooo much stuff. Ugh! So much happier now!!!! 🎉🎉🎉🎉❤❤❤❤
Love your methods, great personality❤ I've been doing Flylady for years. Decluttering is key, 1 hour Home Blessing on Monday, every week a different room. Short cleaning tasks. It's a process, not an overnight fix. Thank you, and Happy Mother's Day❤
Another BRIL video ! I am 75 and for MANY years a perfectionist with endless lists and strict routines. I worked full time for many years.Never been so happy and relaxed as I have been for the last 3 years by being an intuitive cleaner. My friends and family are amazed at my new laid back "style". Thank you for all the advice and tips I have enjoyed by following you since the start of the pandemic.
I’m going through chemo treatments at this time and for several upcoming months. I’m grateful you taught me to decliutter bc cleaning is much easier than it would have been. I won’t be working on decluttering until i have my regular energy back. We are empty nesters and have found we can manage the daily cleaning for the time-being. Thank you Dawn.
Good luck with your treatment! I wish I had someone to come clean the bathrooms and kitchen floor for me while I was in treatment. (5 years ago). It wiped me out. I am only now declutterring so if I have another physical or psychological challenge (lost both parents recently) and my energy levels is low, I can keep it under control and feel better in my space during the low times.
My husband cleaned the house while I was gone one day. When I got back, I was like, "wow, you did all of that?? That must've been so much work!" He says, "it really wasn't that hard." I've only decluttered the kitchen so far, but those magic words of it not feeling as hard were music to my ears. We have so much left to do still, but this was great motivation to keep going! Thank you for these videos. I watch you any time I need an extra boost - both for your positive attitude and encouragement, and for the decluttering motivation! And, let's be real, sometimes just to be reminded that I'm not a bad -fill in the blank - just that I'm managing too much inventory. Thanks again! ♡
Something my DinL OFTEN says when she visits my house is, "your house is so peaceful." I believe what she's really noticing is the clean kitchen surfaces, the lack of clutter throughout & the calming effect created by having an easily maintained home. It pleases me, for her, that she has found a place of respite. ♡♡♡
I’ve been a consistent declutterer since I was a teenager, yet I still have so much I need to get rid of.
I'm a cozy minimalist (not extreme). The benefit of owning fewer items (but enough) and smaller homes (but enough) can not be overemphasized. There is so much more to life than managing (extra) stuff. Yes I have a routine. I listen to music when I'm cleaning. It isn't as enjoyable without music. Sometimes I time tasks by the length of a song or two, etc. LOL. Maybe that would be a way to get children involved, tidying up for the length a couple of their favorite songs?
I love that term...cozy minimalist!
1. Thank you for all of your amazing, free content! Been following (and minimizing!) for years.
2. Love how you respect and honor your mama-always.
3. Own the cleaning lady thing. It’s just one part of your day you outsource, like grocery delivery. Good for you.
At one time, we had a person clean our home. It was needed at that time and helped so much. Things change. We adapt as needed.
You can just fill a gallon ziploc bag with the mix over the showerhead. You dont need much mix because the bag wraps around the shower head. Wrap the top of the plastic bag with a large rubber band or ziptie and let it sit overnight hanging there. In the morning remove the bag and give it a quick scrub. And turn on the shower head to rinse the inside. Always works great.❤
You mentioned clutter on the floor again. At my age (almost 70) it is a matter of safety to keep the floors clear of debris, clothing, boxes etc. Plus it just looks so much better. 😊
I use microfiber cloths and water for glass--if its the outside glass, i use Meyer's day grass scented dish soap that i use for my dishes... and water.
I add a little bleach to Meyer's Day fresh grass scent all purpose for floors and counters.
and I use citric acid/hot water for hard water stains and the stove top.
that's it.
I appreciate your gentle, calm, firm, attentive, adaptive approach so very much ❤️
When I clean and realize it could be better I remind myself that it is good enough housekeeping. ☺️
I've been watching you for years so I've seen how you've changed, simplified, improved or grown and how your children have grown as well. What I appreciate about your methods and messages is how well you've parented your children in these areas. When I was young with small children, I did more for them than I should have, instead of training them with 5 minute tasks. I had no patience to teach them when it took so much less time to do it myself. I've never minded cleaning so your message about decluttering has helped me immensely. I was so good at organizing my cupboards and drawers, it wasn't until stuff just didn't fit anymore that I started to declutter. I have decluttered a few things I wish I hadn't but the amount of times I needed those items was so seldom it really doesn't matter. Thanks for all your videos. I really enjoy them.
I am Mom to 2 adult sons. And I also found that I could clean and tidy quicker and more effectively than they could ( like making their beds). However, both my “boys” are independent men who manage their homes and possessions very effectively in spite of not having been given structured chores. I guess they learned good housekeeping habits from being exposed to an orderly home. And they’re both good cooks too. 😊
😂I thought i was just going to clean along with this video but I just literally stopped to take notes. Thanks for this masterclass! I sooo needed this
I’m sooo intimidated by a space that isn’t clean or picked up. But of course it always takes so much less time and energy than I think. The things I picked up from the fly lady were absolute life changing things. Getting dressed to shoes was the absolute biggest. Not staying in pajamas or sweats just makes you feel like you’re ready for the day and especially when you don’t work outside the home. It’s soooo important. Also swish and swipe bathrooms is just a godsend!!!!
Just wanted to let you know that you have helped at least one person, that person being me. I so enjoy doing something purposeful for my home while watching/listening to you. I"m currently decluttering a file cabinet as you speak. Thank you 😃
For those concerned about microfiber cloths, clean them in a “guppy bag” in your machine. It is a fine mesh enclosed bag that lets water in and keeps microplastics out of the water supply.
Excellent tip. Thank you for sharing.
I just decided to go old school and use cotton cloths, usually old towels cut up. I don't find that the microfiber cloths are the miracle tool everyone described them as. Old towels are lint free because they're...old.
I love microfiber
Micro fibre cloths add micro plastics to the environment
I would love a video on how you simplify the cooking part of the household. When I heard you spend 40 minutes a day on everything INCLUDING cooking, that is what made me scratch my head! It takes me an hour to cook.
I would love a list of the things your house keeper is cleaning every 2 weeks, so I could try to add them to my list. I do ok with the daily tidy, dishes, and laundry. But when it comes to a deep clean I’m not sure how often and which things should be on the list. I over clean certain things and let others get grimy.
I’m also great with daily chores but struggle with getting the deep cleaning done. Even if I tell myself I’ll tackle a larger chore a bit each day it is still an effort.
When i had a fortnightly cleaner, I got her to do the bathrooms (she did a fantastic job getting our very old sinks and showers looking better than they had in a long time, over time), mopping because I hate it, and wiping down the kitchen. Every now and then I would ask her to clean the oven, when I noticed it needed doing.
We had an older house then and I was doing more on my own as my partner was in the office every day. Now we're in a new house and he's able to do more, it's so true it's easier to keep things clean then to get them clean, so I haven't got a new cleaner for the new house - my routine keeps everything clean, and I also bought a spray mop so i don't hate mopping any more! Lifechanger.
I would say get a cleaner to do what you hate 😂 that's what i did and it helped so much for that old house.
The layers explain why I feel so tired after just swapping area rugs around. It involved the deep cleaning AND organizing AND decluttering!
As always thanks for all your help Dawn. I make sure 5 things are done every day. Dishes, laundry bedding, toilet, floors. I don't always do these every day. But as long as they are done I feel like I can keep my house in order. ❤
Getting in a professional Cleaner is life changing! They see the mess and dirt that your mind gets used to - it's psychology!!!
I think it's hard to wrap your mind around the layers of cleaning because if someone asks what I'm doing this weekend, the natural response is "I gotta clean my house." And that's what I'm going to say every weekend because when I say clean, what I really mean is tackle the mountains of laundry, do all the dishes, go through the mail that's piled up through the week, declutter and tidy basically. But in their mind, when they come over, my house is going to be SPARKLY clean because they think I'm actually cleaning and I obviously do it every weekend so it should be spotless.
I would guess that part of Tom's reasoning for suggesting rotating chores, is so that every child learns how to do that skill.
Weh, so what's this about now? High rises and affective ways of relaxing ontop of the latest and thanks for the fast fix tower ontop of the city! Oh wait, my wife got that! Not good. She's finally turning white again and looks prettier and talks more nice each day! What an overated scare
I love that you said chore charts made you feel like it was one more thing you failed at. That is exactly how I feel lol. I print them out, hype them up with the kids and then promptly get derailed about two days in. Glad I’m not alone. 💜
I loved watching Doctor Quinn medicine woman as a kid! Great show. We also watched a lot of Bonanza and the Big Valley reruns 😊
Love the dynamic! Hope the dad didn't feel shut down at the end, he seems very supportive, I think he's right about making sure the kids are well rounded if they got good at getting their cleaning area task down!
Sometimes it's good to let the men lead, even if it's not their area of expertise! It's always good to get an outside perspective from your husband! I recently learned this when my husband tried to help rearrange things, I didn't want to try his way out but we both learned a lot and ended up finding a way we both were satisfied with in terms of our room when we got married, but it took being open to his leadership! ❤️
Really enjoying this channel and all the wonderful content!
I have done Fly Lady 15 minutes a day for 15 years. That keeps me very on top of things. Diane in Denmark came later. But what you new gen of organizers really need to acknowledge is FlyLady’s impact on home management. The decluttering because you cannot organize clutter… to 5 minute matters.. meal planning… load of laundry a day… No way I spend 2-3 hours a day on housework with FL. Bathroom swish and swiped daily. Kitchen sink night clean. Menu planning… Dont make it more complicated. Nor do you need gizmos and products to get there.
I use the FlyLady Plus App because I like to check things off as I do them.
FlyLady rocks!!!
❤❤❤
@@lorraineedmond5921 What? How did you read 15 minutes a day as 2-3 hours a day?
I was the youngest of four kids. We ALL played sports, BOTH my parents were coaches and involved in the sports. the four of us changed our assigned chores every week. It worked just fine. We can ALL cook and clean and take over for our spouses when needed in just about ANY capacity. Rotatable chores. GREAT IDEA!
Put Tom in more videos!! I laugh through all your interactions, love the light-hearted picking! Very endearing
I keep coming back to this video for a reality check and motivation. I love the long form detailed explanation of this video.
Dawn. Tip..... vacuum those hardwood floors with the Dyson. It's faster and cleaner. Sweeping with a broom is really just pushing that dirt around even when you "sweep" the bits. Love your channel
I love your view of keeping the same chore for an extended period of time. We switched to weekly rotation and it's still too much for me to keep track of. I'm always getting on to the wrong kid and asking things of the wrong person. I'm going to try a monthly rotation and see how it goes and if it's still too hard for me. maybe make it quarterly! I just know my kids get bored doing the same chore for a long period of time so I'm changing it only for them. I would LOVE for them to stick to the same chore for a whole year! lol!!
As always- Thanks Dawn!!
I do not wear outside shoes inside. I have a pair of house shoes (slip ons) designated for only inside. Helps tremendously to keep floors clean. P.S. I love washing dishes, putting on a drying rack to air dry and put away. My husband and I race to see who is going to empty the dishwasher or put away so satisfying to finish! And sometimes I let him win😂!
Same with taking shoes off, i got the kids into that habit and it's amazing how much of a difference it makes.
And this is proof positive that the world is full of all kinds- i hate doing dishes! I like folding clothes, and 'straightening up' things, putting stuff away. We're all different, it's great 😊
I loved it when your husband said, "I thought this was a cleaning video, not a parenting video. "
He has so much to learn about women. Everything intertwines with women and men compatlrtmentalize things.
I definitely agree that decluttering & daily tidying makes cleaning much easier & enjoyable. Love your videos!
Dawn I want to thank you for how your videos have helped me!! We sold our house last august and we’ve been living in my parents basement and I’m so thankful before we sold the house we had decluttered and donated so many of our possessions!! I feel like it definitely made the transition easier. Also as my husband, me, our 3 year old, and our 8 month old girl live in such small quarters we realize you don’t need much to get by!! God is so good!!
Decluttering has absolutely made a difference for me! Having fewer things - especially on the surfaces and floors is key. I have a weekly cleaning schedule, that works really well for me, and I do one load of laundry everyday. I also clean my sink every day - this combined with decluttering were turning points for me.
Same
We used to have a friend/cleaning lady who came to clean our house every 2 weeks and one of my favorite things about it was that it was just a good bi-weekly reset on our house. It was always hard to get ready for her to come (we hadn’t decluttered much yet) but it was so worth it. Plus the cleaning that I was never going to be able to get to with my 5 young kids (that were homeschooled) actually got done. She was amazing! ❤
I determined I'm a zone cleaner, I do one area per day, and also split it by task for a couple - so i vacuum half the house one day, the other half the next, do one bathroom one day and the ensuite the next. Because I'm doing each zone at least once a week, I clean slightly different parts over time and nothing gets too filthy.
I think using a check list is so cool, I have tried and tried it has worked for me for about 5 minutes !!! LOL I am a as needed cleaner. I am much better at it lately since I have been in the habit of decluttering. My children have also been raised in a messy house. Not so much when they were real little but after their father and I divorced, I didn't have much time or energy to clean during the week. Now, I just don't like to clean! So the more I declutter, the easier it is! Thanks Dawn.
We wash our sheets weekly. There is something about getting into bed with fresh, clean smelling sheets that is relaxing and satisfying.
I agree with Tom about rotating the children every 3-4 months. Love y’all.
I could see a every 6 month compromise
That way they will know how to do all the tasks when they move out.
And it doesn't have to be a set amount of time, they could just say "time to rotate" whenever the parents feel it's right
Yes we should love our children enough to teach them how to fend for themselves when they leave home.
I agree with Tom as well! We just started doing “zones” this month in our house. I told the kids we would be switching monthly. Our reasoning is that this will give us the opportunity to teach them how to care for each area AND give them a break from an area that’s maybe not their favorite.
I've heard of and used a unique kind of checklist where you have tasks organized in a list/binder where every time you do a task, note the date. So it becomes a "last time I did/cleaned ___" sort of list. Then, next time you have time to clean, you can note what has been the most neglected instead of relying on memory.
My latest game-changer is "daily shower spray"!! I mean, I only use it every couple of days, but it still prevents soap scum and hard-water mineral build-up. Has made my bi-weekly "official" shower clean so much easier.
Yes! I am 73 years old and have finally discovered the joys of a shower spray. We used to wipe down the shower every day, but soap scum would still build up. Not anymore! I use it every three days or so and I have not had to scrub since.
What are the ingredients?
We have always squeegeed our shower out every night (who ever has the last shower of the day) and every couple of nights we spray some n Ph7 neutral cleaner on as well then dry the whole thing out with a towel. My parents also did this and it means that very rarely do we need to use anything harsher to clean it with and because the shower is mostly dry it never goes mouldy. Only takes a couple of minutes because it’s done t like this all the time.
@@martimar7181 It's natural-ish, so there is actually an ingredient list: water, cocamidopropyl betaine, and citric acid. Unscented. Makes me wonder if one could concoct something similar oneself? Or even just dilute all-purpose cleaner. Hmm.🤔
Following your videos and declutterring ruthlessly has cut down my housework so much! I’m currently 8 months pregnant with a 3 and almost 5 year old, and having things decluttered has helped so much in this stage of being exhausted and unable to bend over 😅 it’s easier for my husband to help clean as well because everything has a place! He teases me for talking about declutterring so much, but truly it’s been such a blessing!
Intuitive cleaner here! Love that! ❤ I’m single now and have a chronic illness. I decluttered when I moved from my house and now have this lovely minimalist apartment that is a perfect “Goldilocks” just right fit. I’ve always been tidy and liked cleaning, but radical decluttering brought great freedom like never before! I have a “shoeless in the house” policy. Germs on shoes creep me out, and my house is way cleaner w/o them. Better for feet too, and some other benefits. I only need to do laundry 1x week, dust, vac, damp mop every 1-2 weeks, and do the deeper cleaning stuff as needed. I did my blinds with you today Dawn! I find that the basic diy cleaners are best, and I can add essential oil if I want some extra zing. I also put EO on the vac filter. I wipe the counters and sinks daily and run the dishwasher as needed. The whole shebang is maybe 15 mins/week. Thanks Dawn for making my life SO easy and GREAT! ❤❤❤❤
My routine has simplified since reading How to Clean House While Drowning. Focusing on keeping my house functional rather than perfect has been life changing. I make my bed, do a load of laundry and dishes, and run my robot vacuum every day. I tidy as I go throughout my day. Then I do a 10 minute reset of my living spaces after dinner.
I have my house cleaned twice a month for 2 hours, alternating between upstairs and downstairs. A couple times a year I’ll have the cleaner do a deep clean on the kitchen or primary bath since those get the most use. I am disabled so focusing my energy on the things that accumulate daily keeps my house functional and someone else deals with things like scrubbing my shower and cleaning the inside of the microwave.
I used to keep my house spotless and that was one of the things that was most upsetting about becoming disabled. Having this new focus on functionality has allowed me to save some of my precious energy for more enjoyable activities.
Growing up, mom was perpetually cleaning and never finished. She never sat down and spent time with us.
Talking to you would have been so much better than spending all that time tidying and cleaning.
I am a ALL or nothing cleaner. I set my timer for 10 minutes but often keep resetting it until the room is totally clean. The timer gets me motivated though and I find that most of the time it’s just a matter of trying to beat the clock ⏰ or getting off my butt and moving, but the clock is a must for decluttering. I look for overall garbage first and then move on to a specific area.
Diane in Denmark's version of Fly Lady is the best and easiest , and nurturing .
I quit Flylady because I just cant' get the emotional clutter gone. But I have never heard of Diane in Denmark. Might have to look her up. Pam Young from Sidetracked Home Executives is the one who started the original system that Flylady took over and went online with. Pam Young needs some credit. She passed a year or two ago and I miss her blogs SO much.
Love the way Dawn cleans, slowly and intentionally. Not rushing about to get it over as soon as possible like I often have.
We had mashed potatoes and hamburger gravy too! It was usually what we had for Saturday dinner, (noon). Haven't had it in many years, well since I was a child, and I'm 66. I always loved it.
I love your throw pillows in this video.
And thank you for all your wonderful advice! We have moved 4 times in 4 months with 2 young boys, for my husbands job. We are finally settled into a longer term home! 🙌🏼
I used your videos as a body double while getting ready for our first move half way across the country and got rid of 11 packed SUV loads to the thrift store and 6 full outdoor trash cans for that move. And I only allowed 3 toys each and a weeks worth of clothes to keep with us while moving from air bnb to air bnb. Keeping it minimal made life so easy to move each time and to just relax and have fun in the places we were at. Now in our new home I have a few different areas with piles of boxes that are my silent to dos. But other than those boxes I’ve kept it very minimal. And my chronic stress and anxiety has gone away! And I’ve been tempted to not even look in those boxes and just drop them off at goodwill 😅
We never wear outside shoes in. I like to be in my socks. My husband has slippers that are like outside shoes. He likes the protection of his toes. Think about all that is on the bottom of our shoes. It is just not dirt. It could be spit, dog poo, tarvia whatever. Keep it outside!
What is tarvia?
I’ve never been able to follow a checklist, especially something like fly lady. However, I do use Dana‘s five steps to tackle any cleaning project. Even just cleaning the kitchen up at the end of the evening. I start with trash and just go through all the steps to get my kitchen clean. I also have a housekeeper who comes once a month. I totally understand what you mean by accountability. I have to make sure my house is a particular kind of clean before she gets here and that just really helps me stay on top of things!
Same
You're such a fabulous teacher, Dawn! I so appreciate all the thought you put into how to reach your ideas to us!
Oh my gosh! Even your intro is so inspiring! That totally doesn't look like my house. My hubby and son are both adhd, like HD adhd... they're super smart, but their minds are going all the time and they just leave everything wherever their hands drop things. I am so inspired by you.... trying to purge and purge, and purge.....you're my Minimalist superhero!
Look up ADHD HOUSE HACKS
I just realized that when you talk about your messy house when you grew up, your always explaining and defending your mom. Which is totally fine, I believe how she was a hardworking woman! But isn't it strange that WOMEN have to be defended, when it comes to their housekeeping and homes, and not the MEN.
In the same way men get nagged if they don’t bring the car to the mechanic, fix the light, clean the lawn, fix the dishwasher, bring in the wood for the fireplace, throw the rubbish, and so on. Responsibilities in a household are shared, and most of us women prefer the section “keep the house clean and cosy” than cut the grass in the lawn.
And if responsibilities are not shared equally in your household that means you are in a abusive relationship and should do something to fix it.
Stop being a drama addicted and finding new ways to feel offended and victimised. That’s a toxic behaviour that does no good to us women.
@@carmensantangelo4342 - But, Carmen, if you're nagging your husband to do the chores they've agreed to do, you're actually the one in charge of that task. What you're now responsible for is the mental labor of keeping up on that task. Like Dawn talks about with the "silent to-do list," everything we own wants to be cared for or managed. When he can actually take the task off of your plate, then the task belongs to the other person. Roxanne is absolutely right that our society places all of the responsibility on women for free care giving - our worth is hinged on how much of it we do. Let's be real - how often does he mow the lawn? and, does he really take out all of the trash, or just take the bin to the curb once a week. I saw a guy post on another forum that he painted the house, so he shouldn't have to do any housework - ok, so painting the house is a big job - done every TEN YEARS, so, no, my dude - you still need to help with the daily chores - they're basic life skills, not a gender role.
@Trinity98-ih1cc No offense, but your husband and her husband are not the same. Furthermore, you said it yourself, your husband does PHYSICAL labor. That is not the case for most. No clue why you want people to show respect to those who can't respect their home and their families. Their adults, act like their adults. The ones who need encouragement, are kids. NOT adults.
@@carmensantangelo4342 No offense, but all the things you listed are done by old traditional couples. Relationships dynamics have changed.
"don’t bring the car to the mechanic, fix the light, clean the lawn, fix the dishwasher, bring in the wood for the fireplace, throw the rubbish, and so on"
Seems like basic ass chores that any one can do. Not esclusive to men and neither is it a task done EVERYDAY. Bruh. How many broken cars do you have? How many ligbulbs do you need to fix????
Telling someone to do THIER PART OF THE CHORES is NOT nagging. For F's sake, just do your part. You would NOT be this nice to a women who did not do the house cleaning.
Sigh! Do we seriously not know that women have traditionally taken charge of the domestic tasks? Is this a dirty little secret, or just a fact. For most of human history women have focused on X, and men on Y. I know this is changing, and I'm all for it, but let's not pretend our assumptions are based on some ingrained misogyny.
That up-front visual with the post-it notes was eye-opening for me. I DO actually enjoy cleaning when I'm not doing all the other stuff. Thank you!!
I’m 70 and I have never had a cleaning schedule but I’ve always been a pretty good housekeeper.
I am so glad that I found your channel. I’m on a decluttering journey and want to majorly simplify my life. Sometimes I just need to hear someone say, “get rid of it!!” I’m tired of stuff shifting! Lol❤
How do you all eat together when the table only has four chairs?
Decluttering and becoming a minimalist has changed my life for the better. You have been my muse thank you 😊