I used to feel bad about getting rid of gifts. But then I realized the person gave you the gift to benefit your life and make you happy, if its not doing that anymore than there is no need to keep it.
Have you told family and friends to stop buying/giving you anything? Why waste their time and money on temporary joy, at best, for you? When it's your birthday, they wish you good luck and spend money on an item they really want. Then the only person to blame for junk in your home is you. Win win all round.
Maybe the item really did give you joy at the moment, but it has served its purpose, and that time is in the past. You can appreciate the joy it gave you at the time of the gift, keep the memory and your gratitude toward that person, and still get rid of the item. Sometimes in that scenario, I take a photo, to make sure I can always look back on that memory.
@@narelleworks8448 trust me I do tell her to stop but she loves buying toys of same kind, clothing to my kids overwhelming amounts on their birthday and Christmas and just when she comes over that I declutter their stuff and give to other kids that don't have much toys. Husband keeps getting socks and underwear for Christmas and he told her no more and she keeps doing it she doesn't care if he needs it or not she says. I'm constantly throwing the stuff she drags into the home away or donating them because clutter. Her mind believes that giving items is love when all kids want is to spend time with her.
Marie Kondo isn't preaching minimalism though (Title is suggesting that)!! She wants you to keep what sparks joy or what is really basic needs. If that means 20 pairof shoes then that is ok too... :)
I'm not sure if we agree on the definition of Minimalism. I love what "theminimalists" blogs has to say about it. Minimalism is a tool that can assist you in finding freedom. Freedom from fear. Freedom from worry. Freedom from overwhelm. Freedom from guilt. Freedom from depression. Freedom from the trappings of the consumer culture we’ve built our lives around. I don't see a conflict in Marie Kondo's ideals and how they define minimalism. I think if you want to own 20 pairs of shoes then own it for sure! 👠
@@MaxsMonthlyChallenge "Minimalism is a tool that can assist you in finding freedom."I agree that MK is also a tool hat can assist you in finding freedom. But it is not because MK method gives you that same end goal, that it is the same as minimalism though. That is like say that a motor boat and a rowing boat are the same because you can go on the water with both of them...
For me, my definition of minimalism is similar to KonMari: "only keep what you love." So I still own a lot of stuff, but only the stuff I really care about and actually use. But I know the meaning can be different for others. Such as being less wasteful, more environmentally friendly, being more mobile, making it easy to pack up and travel anytime, only having the bare minimum...
If you had watched the Minimalism documentary, you would be aware that the only thing they preach is to keep the things in your life that spark joy (literally what Marie Kondo says in the first episode) and that they have a purpose (which means it provides a more simplified life for you). The presentation and misconception that minimalism is like living like a monk or a hermit, is the whole reason they made the documentary. It breaks that stigma. It might bring you some joy to watch the trailer or see the documentary on Netflix.@@anileaatje ua-cam.com/video/0Co1Iptd4p4/v-deo.html
In 2007, I helped my Dad clean out his garage: 30 years of accumulated crap. It took us months. That experience fundamentally and forever changed the way I think about acquiring stuff. Before I buy/acquire an object, I imagine myself, years later, going through a pile and deciding to purge it. I can prevent that hard work later by slowing the flow of "stuff" into my life in the first place. For example, I'm a runner, and every race gives you a free (well, included in the fee) t-shirt. Yet, I only wear my favorite 3-5 t-shirts on weekends, and many more sit unworn. When they start to overflow my t-shirt drawer, it's time for a purge. Now, instead I often just decline the shirt in the first place, to stop the flow at the source. I decline freebies/promotional items like water bottles and little gadgets if I already have something functionally similar, or if I know it will just sit in a drawer. Or I'm very reluctant to buy items for one-time use, like costumes. Before I purchase/acquire any item, I'm always thinking "where am I going to store this?" and/or "what am I going to do with it after this one-time use?"
I love this. I totally relate to this too. The more I remove the less I want. Also, I really appreciate quality now. When buying something I really consider if its something I can really enjoy for a while. Thanks for sharing!
When I was a young teenager (14 I think) I helped my family go through my grandma's stuff after she died. She had a few storage units full of stuff due to an illness and having to move, great depression, etc. Ever since then I've had the vision of people going through my stuff after I die and it really changes how you look at possessions. I don't want my family to have that burden on top of everything else, and I don't want other people looking through truly personal items. Like seriously, if nothing else, I can't imagine losing a close family member then having to take days off work to sort their house when you're grieving, while you're worried about their rent/mortgage being paid. I would hate to do that to anyone.
My grandma was very sick for a long time before she died. My family had to move her stuff a couple times when she was alive. People say "it won't matter if people go through my stuff because I'll be dead" but often that isn't how it works out. And many people become disabled so they aren't able to keep up their stuff like they used to, and they have to live among piles of crap. I just don't want that for me or my family.
This the underlying principle of the ‘Swedish Death Cleaning’ method. I personally have been practicing a mix of this and the Kondo Method inadvertently for years. I have a strong aversion to stuff that isn’t useful or doesn’t add value to my life.
I think with items like sentimental costumes you wont wear put a picture / photo of you up wearing it ... keep the memory alive .. get rid of the physical baggage
I’ve been “decluttering” for over a month now. I have everything sitting in bags/boxes ready to be donated. Yet when I have the opportunity to go donate it I push it off. Thanks for this video. It was the motivation I needed to let go.
Maybe ask a friend or a family member to donate it with you. Then you set a date where you want to go with them to donate the stuff. It'll feel like a must to go.
Wow this video got so popular for my little channel! I’ve been doing monthly challenges for 18 months now if you want to see some of my other challenges like meditation, building a business, backflip, body transformation & more: bit.ly/maxsmonthly
Nice video. What do you think about a 30 days (re)connecting challenge where you try to reach out to as many people that are in your life or were in your life? I think that would be pretty nice to see!
Yeah, that could be difficult.. Maybe you could narrate some of the stories from the people who don't agree using general information? The logistics of that challenge would be harder than those of other ones I guess, but I do think it has real potential. I trust your judgement.
I think this is the first time, outside of Matt D'Avella, that I've seen a guy declutter, or it wasn't a joint venture with their girlfriend. Well done! I'm a neat freak naturally so your 'before' shots gave me anxiety haha. I'm also a shy, introverted homebody, so it surprised me how much stuff you had in your house for parties
Truly knowing what you have in your closet is def something I felt after doing KM. I especially fell in love with her ”filing” instead of piling clothes as piles always became a mess for me. Interested if your clothes piles remained neat past the 30 days or if they became the mess they were when you started. Low basket can be a great help if you don’t have drawers.
My difficulty is that some items are NEVER going to “spark joy” for me. Work clothes, tooth brushes, cleaning products, none of these make me happy but they are all necessary things in life. I personally liked (though not that the time) the wake up call I got a few years ago. I live in Australia and had to evacuate overnight because our house was threatened by bushfire. I realised that at the end of the day I didn’t want or care to save 90% of what I owned. Sure if it had gone I might have missed random things, but it really did put in perspective what was most important. We didn’t lose our house, though others did, but it’s something I use to try and get my life in order. Books are the hardest thing after personal items.
Sorry to hear that. It must have been a difficult experience to go through a fire! I think with the spark joy for me personally I love my toothbrush & cleaning products. I did a lot of research on each item I have (mostly). So I appreciate them for the job and role they play in my life. But if they are purely there for utility thats fine too. I don't love my forks. But I still want and need them. I think with everything it's only a guideline to help serve you. Take the lessons that make sense and discard the lessons that don't.
@@MaxsMonthlyChallenge - Same, work clothes, toothbrushes, cleaning products, etc spark joy for me now because I really researched them and I have favorite brands now. They help me be my ideal me. For example, my electric toothbrush is soooo much better than my old plastic toothbrushes so I really like it.
Suggest looking at things differently: Work clothes spark joy because they lead to a paycheck Toothbrush sparks joy because it leads to less time and $ spent at the dentist Cleaning products spark joy because, when used, they make a home more serene An item might not immediately spark joy, but it's use will lead to joy.
Toothbrush brings joy because it means I still have my own teeth and require a toothbrush to maintain them. I don't think he means you literally have to find joy in the item. Sometimes it's what the item represents or the function it fulfils.
Your place looks like a much better place to live now! Yes: it's a huge learning process. You'll never buy useless stuff the same way again after this. Great video!
I'm on my second KonMari as I didn't quite follow through with my first one, I still had some boxes at my folks that made it back to me and so the categories got a bit scattered. One category that I did very thorough the first time is clothing and I have been able to keep the order ever since! So, an advice to you is to fold as she does, it should work even if you have shelves rather than drawers. :) Shirts tend to get messy when you stack them, even if they're few, having the folded side by side as she does, you can easily pull out the one you want to wear and store more without making a mess. I'm torn between minimalism and also loving having cute stuff around me that makes me happy to look at... So, the cute stuff will have to find their place while I keep my work surfaces as tidy as possible. :)
Thanks for the tips! i think you can do both. Minimalism is just removing the things you don’t enjoy or need. So if you are enjoying the cute things then keep it :)
I agree to a point @ MiriamTV2...if you have a stack of same colour t-shirts as Max does separate piles for each colour works too. I am a Konvert and used to 'file' most items in the drawers...but piling can work for a uniform of minimal colours, items, styles.
@@jo-annel.wright2975 I guess it depends on the person. For me, I would look after something matching for an outfit and make a mess every time! But perhaps Max is more of a grab the first shirt on top kind of guy. :)
Before I ever read her book and long before she had a tv show, I saw a video about Kondo's folding method. I decided to give it a try, and from there I got into decluttering, minimalism, essentialism, traveling light, the whole thing. Now I try to always store things, all things, vertically and only stack if the items will always get used the top item first so you never have to lift half the stack (for example plates, but I suppose that black t-shirts would also work). 'life changing magic' is a bit on the dramatic side, but not per se untrue :)
omg you don't know how much i relate to this. This isn't as extreme and i like it. I love love that you made it a 30 days challenge so i won't felt burdened of just thinking about throwing things away but allocating them by categories and whatnot. That sharing at the end of the video speaks volume for me too. Guilt of buying things turn out i didn't love OH god. Thank youuuu
Loved the video! You are like a breath of fresh air among hundreds of minimalism videos. So sincere and somehow engaging that I decided to comment though I never do! Subscribed. Good luck with your future challenges and let UA-cam rank you higher;-)
Ive purchased and read two books of Marie in Chinese, and I believe Marie’s method is not about being minimal. In her way of thinking, if owning 5 exact same shirts will spark joy to you, feel free to keep all 5 of them! It just happens that most of the time we would only keep 1 instead of multiple copies.
That’s the part I’m working on. It’s one thing to get rid of something but if you’re going to go out and get more stuff the entire thing is useless. You have to learn to catch yourself before you buy and ask yourself if you really want/need/will use that item.
If I could go back in time this would be very helpful. I grew up with a mother that shopped all the time! Didn't matter if she needed it or not. Slowly I have been growing away from that mind set and buying less but it's a habit that's hard to break if that's how you grew up.
You’ll have the feeling of happiness that you’ve never felt before I tell you. Good luck for your journey and hope to see more this content in your channel. Love yah’
Really enjoyed this video! Inspired to live with less and try to remove the guilt associated with keeping items that don't serve a purpose in my life. You have a new subscriber, Sir! 😊
@@MaxsMonthlyChallenge Hey, thanks for the response! Ok, quit your personal social media accounts, stop one month scrolling feeds, and try to work without a smartphone, just a Nokia for calls, email on the computer, stop netflix etc, so in short: any screen time that isn't crucial to your work. I did this, and it feels so great not to be disponsable all the time. It's much easier then one might think. You maybe won't go back after all month, trust me. Would also be a nice follow-up to your minimalism challenge, like having a minimalist phone and truly using your time in a meaningful way.
You don’t have a lot of clothes, but they’re really messy!! You need an organizing system so they don’t end up like that again after 2 days. Think drawers/baskets. That way if you pull one out all of them don’t fall apart.
This is so satisfying to watch. I would be much more of a minimalist if it was just me, but my husband is a Keeper of Things & my kids are tiny hoarders. They look with aversion upon my Donation Box™️ when I sweep through once a month or so to clear out excess. Really enjoyed this content!
I mean, you can do it as a job, people will pay for you to help them. Even if you weren't the first, people like you are needed to help others. It's not like someone else doing it stops you from being able to.
Great job! Yeah you got rid of the hidden "mental checklist" of crap and opened up so much more time to LIVE! And I stacked my clothing, too like you did. I have so few items I don't NEED to do the Marie Kondo folding into a tiny package! ;)
What I do with my sentimental photos and stuff: I take a photo of it and put it in a Pinterest board called “Keepsakes” The reason I put those photos on a Pinterest board, is because I’ve lost so many concert photos and photos of me and my mum before she passed due to me breaking my phone beyond repair....
I liked your video. In fact, I did the same challenge, and it helped me a lot. I created my new routines and you are right. I feel more productive and confident after the decluttering. Thanks for sharing your video. Bye.
Found this video and immediately subscribed! Because of the minimalism theme and also because i like the personal development through monthly challenges - i want to start this after i quit my university exams, the date is set. :)
I’ve been decluttering go the past few years. My husband was a hoarder and had thouoof books and records all over the house and storage units. He passed away last year and it took me a whole year to finally release I can not keep carrying this stuff around with me the rest of my life. I went through everything and just keep a very minimal amount of things and got rid of the rest.
Thank you for sharing. This is my biggest fear of if my husband should pass before I do, he has so much, that he purchased a shipping container. Now that is full, he continues to add more, in case of the end of the world...but is it useful? And can you carry it with you?
awesome someone showing the practicality in choosing a minimalist route.... still way to go.... too many products in the bathroom and some superflous decorations... but what a fantastic way to start!!!!
I started the decluttering prosess this January at my dads house in my old childhood bedroom. 5 years ago i moved away to a different city to study and just took a bag of my clothes and left everything else behind. I always intended to take it all with me over the years but that never happened. So last time i was visiting i emptied the closet and other shelves and sorted things to trash, donation and keep piles. I had a really hard time with things like books and old art work so i didn't fully look through those but i got rid of all the clothing that didn't fit me or i wouldn't need when visiting. I honestly felt bad that i had hoarded my stuff in dads home for so long so it was nice to finally start the prosess.
I have generally lived by the rule of minimalism but I was also taught to treat my belongings with respect because my parents worked hard to obtain it for my family and I. Marie Kondo teaches to be kind to your belongings and respect the value it has by serving its purpose of use. Gratitude for what you have goes a long way and will save you a lot of money. TAKE CARE OF YOUR THINGS AND YOUR THINGS WILL TAKE CARE OF YOU.
Thank for this video! Looking forward to watching more and challenging myself each month. I really enjoyed the music at the end. Where can I listen to it?
I guess it’s a perk to move around a lot. My husband and I live pretty minimalistic and still go through our stuff every 6month to see what we can donate. We don’t have a lot of space - which is a blessing cause we don’t even have the option to hold on or get too much stuff as we wouldn’t have the space for it. I saw a lot of videos like this and it just astonished me how much stuff people have. (Side note before I got married I lived in a 10 square meter room (incl. a bathroom with shower and a kitchen. Usable space was 6square meters in which I had my bed, desk and closet. You learn to clean up and sort things out a whole lot more when you move from 50square meters to this tiny size - I regret nothing. )
So happy to see a guy doing things like this. It would be even better that we keep life simple without buying things we don't need thereafter. BTW....I received the same JimmyBrings magnets in my mailbox but looks cool so I kept it on my fridge too...
I'm not hardcore minimal or collecter i think I'm in the middle i still try to have less slowly.. I also stopped shopping and it really helped i went shopping today for the first time since so long and i didn't had That crazy desire to buy things i don't need i walked out of the store with only 4 items that i needed to replace it felt so liberating I felt so proud of myself for going this far
Hi Max, I'm Max as well! (lol) I discovered Josh Kaufman's video about the 20 hour rule and thought about trying to pick up a new skill and put the technique to the test. New skills that would have interested me were acrobatics (backflips and such), guitar, rubik's cube, a form of dancing, drawing and juggling. Then I fell on your juggling video and found out you did most of them already lol! I thought about recording and putting it out but it kind of feels pointless now hah. Anyhow, very nice channel, I enjoyed watching
It’s nice to see how you spread the challenge for a month . Many videos are so unrealistic at least to me , cleaning constantly and uninterrupted in a few hours and I’m like hmmmm I don’t have that much time and stamina lol
I've become somewhat of a minimalist over the years. It didn't happen all at once. There are items that have sentimental value or items that cost a lot of money and parting with them all at once can bring more regret than the immediate benefits of a 'minimalist lifestyle.' Every couple of months when the feeling strikes, I go through all my stuff and purge the stuff that makes me feel good about purging. The item that may have been sentimental a year ago may be the very item I feel better about parting with today. All in it's own time. If it feels like deprivation, slow down and take your time. When I purchase things now, it is with intention and it has to be quality material because I plan on having it in my life for years to come, if not the rest of my life. I think this is a trademark of a true minimalist. Minimalists are not just about reducing clutter in their space, but also about reducing their footprint on the earth. People with financial means and scant possessions that shop at the 99 cent store are not minimalist, they're just cheap.
You got me with fight club. The preview started playing in the thumbnail and you caught my eye with the fight club ikea scene. Love that movie and all it's messages(i say as a lay in a cluttered double bed.) 🤣 I am a fan of Marie too though and it is an interesting vid seeing someone at the same level of borderline hoarder as i am, attempt the konmari method.
You did a great job purging so much of your stuff. There's something so satisfying watching people declutter their spaces. I'm very impressed that a young man like yourself wants to keep things to a minimal & tidy. In the long run it makes life much easier & more efficient. Fantastic work! 👍👌💯
Whoops the 😙. I may be a wee bit older than some of ur Subs., say 82, retired & love UA-cam..forgot 2 say, i lvd background music; added to the adventure. T-Shirts? Have over 100 and they all bring me joy🤗. Ur next vid after skateboard can be how u do stuff w/a broken arm🤣. Keep on truckin'.
Well interesting, still trying to figure out how I’m going to get rid of some of my stuff now which is a very big hassle. Now just need to think it through and get a solid routine down which is very hard to do for me since my schedule changes daily and new things come my way the same. Definitely will watch this video a few more times as I try to do this challenge myself good job max and what a well made video👍👍
hey dude, cool video. i love your thought process behind everything, and your soothing voice! ima kiwi living in the UK and its nice to hear someone from our neck of the woods talk and hear our ways of thinking. its totally different over here! i love the idea of minimalism and already pretty good at decluttering every now and then. just gotta get my husband to hop on the band wagon too!
I had this big air bed for 6 years without using it and it was brand new..l gave it away eventually coz l believed someone else will be happy to have it..the lady who took it was so happy and sent me a message thanking me..l can't tell you how happy l was..decluttering gives you the opportunity to make someone else happy too
Well done you we have been declutting our home for 6 months now my hubby did our loft omg 69 black bags later and wow we have found out though that you have to keep at it otherwise things start creeping back in I have cancer and looking around my home now I feel refreshed not ong its nice and relaxing now well done again keep at it and keep up with it x
I'm a Kim and Aggie's Cleaning Bible devotee, the original declutter and cleaning experts. This book was first published in 2006. Their method is to ask is an item useful or beautiful, preferably both, if not get rid of it. Theirs is a hybrid of KonMari and Swedish Death Clean for tidying but also how to clean a house properly.
Finally a minimalism video that does not show a staged simplified apartment but the actual process of simplifying. Man, you deserve more views.
Thanks Vincent :)
You do.
You might also enjoy seeing The Messy Minimalist's process on a huge home that is still in progress. 🙂
@@mungbean345 any pointer?
I used to feel bad about getting rid of gifts. But then I realized the person gave you the gift to benefit your life and make you happy, if its not doing that anymore than there is no need to keep it.
Totally! I had the same attachment. It’s liberating to evolve your thoughts and be free of unwanted items.
Have you told family and friends to stop buying/giving you anything? Why waste their time and money on temporary joy, at best, for you? When it's your birthday, they wish you good luck and spend money on an item they really want. Then the only person to blame for junk in your home is you. Win win all round.
@@narelleworks8448 Yes this is a great idea. I usually have my friends and family buy me experiences
Maybe the item really did give you joy at the moment, but it has served its purpose, and that time is in the past. You can appreciate the joy it gave you at the time of the gift, keep the memory and your gratitude toward that person, and still get rid of the item. Sometimes in that scenario, I take a photo, to make sure I can always look back on that memory.
@@narelleworks8448 trust me I do tell her to stop but she loves buying toys of same kind, clothing to my kids overwhelming amounts on their birthday and Christmas and just when she comes over that I declutter their stuff and give to other kids that don't have much toys. Husband keeps getting socks and underwear for Christmas and he told her no more and she keeps doing it she doesn't care if he needs it or not she says. I'm constantly throwing the stuff she drags into the home away or donating them because clutter. Her mind believes that giving items is love when all kids want is to spend time with her.
Marie Kondo isn't preaching minimalism though (Title is suggesting that)!! She wants you to keep what sparks joy or what is really basic needs. If that means 20 pairof shoes then that is ok too... :)
I'm not sure if we agree on the definition of Minimalism. I love what "theminimalists" blogs has to say about it. Minimalism is a tool that can assist you in finding freedom. Freedom from fear. Freedom from worry. Freedom from overwhelm. Freedom from guilt. Freedom from depression. Freedom from the trappings of the consumer culture we’ve built our lives around. I don't see a conflict in Marie Kondo's ideals and how they define minimalism. I think if you want to own 20 pairs of shoes then own it for sure! 👠
@@MaxsMonthlyChallenge "Minimalism is a tool that can assist you in finding freedom."I agree that MK is also a tool hat can assist you in finding freedom. But it is not because MK method gives you that same end goal, that it is the same as minimalism though. That is like say that a motor boat and a rowing boat are the same because you can go on the water with both of them...
For me, my definition of minimalism is similar to KonMari: "only keep what you love." So I still own a lot of stuff, but only the stuff I really care about and actually use.
But I know the meaning can be different for others. Such as being less wasteful, more environmentally friendly, being more mobile, making it easy to pack up and travel anytime, only having the bare minimum...
If you had watched the Minimalism documentary, you would be aware that the only thing they preach is to keep the things in your life that spark joy (literally what Marie Kondo says in the first episode) and that they have a purpose (which means it provides a more simplified life for you). The presentation and misconception that minimalism is like living like a monk or a hermit, is the whole reason they made the documentary. It breaks that stigma. It might bring you some joy to watch the trailer or see the documentary on Netflix.@@anileaatje
ua-cam.com/video/0Co1Iptd4p4/v-deo.html
That's what minimalism is
Love seeing a guy doing it! I just realised I've only ever watched ladies doing decluttering. Great job! Glad you kept the Elon jumper!
Had to keep it. 💖 Elon 💖💖
It's a valid point - lots of blonde Californian women do this... where are all the other humans?!
In 2007, I helped my Dad clean out his garage: 30 years of accumulated crap. It took us months. That experience fundamentally and forever changed the way I think about acquiring stuff. Before I buy/acquire an object, I imagine myself, years later, going through a pile and deciding to purge it. I can prevent that hard work later by slowing the flow of "stuff" into my life in the first place.
For example, I'm a runner, and every race gives you a free (well, included in the fee) t-shirt. Yet, I only wear my favorite 3-5 t-shirts on weekends, and many more sit unworn. When they start to overflow my t-shirt drawer, it's time for a purge. Now, instead I often just decline the shirt in the first place, to stop the flow at the source. I decline freebies/promotional items like water bottles and little gadgets if I already have something functionally similar, or if I know it will just sit in a drawer.
Or I'm very reluctant to buy items for one-time use, like costumes. Before I purchase/acquire any item, I'm always thinking "where am I going to store this?" and/or "what am I going to do with it after this one-time use?"
I love this. I totally relate to this too. The more I remove the less I want. Also, I really appreciate quality now. When buying something I really consider if its something I can really enjoy for a while. Thanks for sharing!
When I was a young teenager (14 I think) I helped my family go through my grandma's stuff after she died. She had a few storage units full of stuff due to an illness and having to move, great depression, etc. Ever since then I've had the vision of people going through my stuff after I die and it really changes how you look at possessions. I don't want my family to have that burden on top of everything else, and I don't want other people looking through truly personal items.
Like seriously, if nothing else, I can't imagine losing a close family member then having to take days off work to sort their house when you're grieving, while you're worried about their rent/mortgage being paid. I would hate to do that to anyone.
My grandma was very sick for a long time before she died. My family had to move her stuff a couple times when she was alive. People say "it won't matter if people go through my stuff because I'll be dead" but often that isn't how it works out. And many people become disabled so they aren't able to keep up their stuff like they used to, and they have to live among piles of crap. I just don't want that for me or my family.
Julie Herrick I’m the same! I hate the idea of possibly buying it and then getting rid of it later
This the underlying principle of the ‘Swedish Death Cleaning’ method.
I personally have been practicing a mix of this and the Kondo Method inadvertently for years. I have a strong aversion to stuff that isn’t useful or doesn’t add value to my life.
No challenge needed. Already got rid of everything and I feel so much better. I stopped shopping.
Congrats! :)
@@MaxsMonthlyChallenge thanks 😁😁
Yes!
@@kauigirl808 0999
kauigirl808 but like what happens when none of your clothes spark joy.. dont you shop some?
I think with items like sentimental costumes you wont wear put a picture / photo of you up wearing it ... keep the memory alive .. get rid of the physical baggage
Yep! That’s a great idea.
I’ve been “decluttering” for over a month now. I have everything sitting in bags/boxes ready to be donated. Yet when I have the opportunity to go donate it I push it off. Thanks for this video. It was the motivation I needed to let go.
Awesome! So happy to hear it :)
Maybe ask a friend or a family member to donate it with you. Then you set a date where you want to go with them to donate the stuff. It'll feel like a must to go.
Wow this video got so popular for my little channel! I’ve been doing monthly challenges for 18 months now if you want to see some of my other challenges like meditation, building a business, backflip, body transformation & more: bit.ly/maxsmonthly
30 days of zero waste
It’s a cool idea :)
Yes please! We need to raise awareness because of all the plastic in the ocean!
Nice video. What do you think about a 30 days (re)connecting challenge where you try to reach out to as many people that are in your life or were in your life? I think that would be pretty nice to see!
Interesting one! Although I’d need everyone to be ok being in the video :)
Yeah, that could be difficult.. Maybe you could narrate some of the stories from the people who don't agree using general information? The logistics of that challenge would be harder than those of other ones I guess, but I do think it has real potential. I trust your judgement.
It definitely could be an interesting one :) I'll add it to the growing list 🔥
I think this is the first time, outside of Matt D'Avella, that I've seen a guy declutter, or it wasn't a joint venture with their girlfriend. Well done! I'm a neat freak naturally so your 'before' shots gave me anxiety haha. I'm also a shy, introverted homebody, so it surprised me how much stuff you had in your house for parties
Thank you! Yes, our house has become a party house in our late 20’s so was happy for a change :)
Truly knowing what you have in your closet is def something I felt after doing KM. I especially fell in love with her ”filing” instead of piling clothes as piles always became a mess for me.
Interested if your clothes piles remained neat past the 30 days or if they became the mess they were when you started. Low basket can be a great help if you don’t have drawers.
Slowly got less and less neat but still better then my starting point for sure!
My difficulty is that some items are NEVER going to “spark joy” for me. Work clothes, tooth brushes, cleaning products, none of these make me happy but they are all necessary things in life.
I personally liked (though not that the time) the wake up call I got a few years ago. I live in Australia and had to evacuate overnight because our house was threatened by bushfire. I realised that at the end of the day I didn’t want or care to save 90% of what I owned. Sure if it had gone I might have missed random things, but it really did put in perspective what was most important. We didn’t lose our house, though others did, but it’s something I use to try and get my life in order. Books are the hardest thing after personal items.
Sorry to hear that. It must have been a difficult experience to go through a fire!
I think with the spark joy for me personally I love my toothbrush & cleaning products. I did a lot of research on each item I have (mostly). So I appreciate them for the job and role they play in my life. But if they are purely there for utility thats fine too. I don't love my forks. But I still want and need them. I think with everything it's only a guideline to help serve you. Take the lessons that make sense and discard the lessons that don't.
Hi, I think this Reddit thread explain on that matters very well😊
www.reddit.com/r/IAmA/comments/2u7yet/comment/co5yzgd
@@MaxsMonthlyChallenge - Same, work clothes, toothbrushes, cleaning products, etc spark joy for me now because I really researched them and I have favorite brands now. They help me be my ideal me. For example, my electric toothbrush is soooo much better than my old plastic toothbrushes so I really like it.
Suggest looking at things differently:
Work clothes spark joy because they lead to a paycheck
Toothbrush sparks joy because it leads to less time and $ spent at the dentist
Cleaning products spark joy because, when used, they make a home more serene
An item might not immediately spark joy, but it's use will lead to joy.
Toothbrush brings joy because it means I still have my own teeth and require a toothbrush to maintain them. I don't think he means you literally have to find joy in the item. Sometimes it's what the item represents or the function it fulfils.
I like his creative spirit. More fun to watch than most minimalism videos. Great job!
Thank you! 🙌
It's cute to see your goof ball personality with the things you collected.
Haha thanks! 🙃🙃
You started by saying you considered yourself neat and tidy. Then you showed your house!
He also said he was already kinda minimalistic when it comes to clothing right after he showed like a hundred t-shirts. 😂
I loved your explanation at the end. I kept saying "yes! Yes!" out loud in agreement.
👏🏻 🙌🙌
The folding part is something not to underestimate, I can tell from experience!
Thanks for the tip 👏🏻
I totally subscribed! The Kon Marie got my interest first and then you caught my eye 😍 that accent too!
💖💖🙌
You seem so chill & fun to be around. Very good approach on your belongings too
Thanks RenI 😊
Your place looks like a much better place to live now! Yes: it's a huge learning process. You'll never buy useless stuff the same way again after this. Great video!
Totally! And yes it’s way nicer. Mainly my room as I live with roommates so... it’s tricky to get everything minimal always. :)
I'm on my second KonMari as I didn't quite follow through with my first one, I still had some boxes at my folks that made it back to me and so the categories got a bit scattered. One category that I did very thorough the first time is clothing and I have been able to keep the order ever since! So, an advice to you is to fold as she does, it should work even if you have shelves rather than drawers. :) Shirts tend to get messy when you stack them, even if they're few, having the folded side by side as she does, you can easily pull out the one you want to wear and store more without making a mess.
I'm torn between minimalism and also loving having cute stuff around me that makes me happy to look at... So, the cute stuff will have to find their place while I keep my work surfaces as tidy as possible. :)
Thanks for the tips! i think you can do both. Minimalism is just removing the things you don’t enjoy or need. So if you are enjoying the cute things then keep it :)
I agree to a point @ MiriamTV2...if you have a stack of same colour t-shirts as Max does separate piles for each colour works too. I am a Konvert and used to 'file' most items in the drawers...but piling can work for a uniform of minimal colours, items, styles.
@@jo-annel.wright2975 I guess it depends on the person. For me, I would look after something matching for an outfit and make a mess every time! But perhaps Max is more of a grab the first shirt on top kind of guy. :)
Before I ever read her book and long before she had a tv show, I saw a video about Kondo's folding method. I decided to give it a try, and from there I got into decluttering, minimalism, essentialism, traveling light, the whole thing. Now I try to always store things, all things, vertically and only stack if the items will always get used the top item first so you never have to lift half the stack (for example plates, but I suppose that black t-shirts would also work). 'life changing magic' is a bit on the dramatic side, but not per se untrue :)
omg you don't know how much i relate to this. This isn't as extreme and i like it. I love love that you made it a 30 days challenge so i won't felt burdened of just thinking about throwing things away but allocating them by categories and whatnot. That sharing at the end of the video speaks volume for me too. Guilt of buying things turn out i didn't love OH god. Thank youuuu
I love how straightforward he is.
"The Hall of the Mountain King" - great kitchen decluttering music! (Mrs L) 🇳🇿
Haha! It really builds the tension hey? :)
I loved seeing the progress in this video, so motivating!
definitely an inspiring and mind changing challenge/way of living. gonna adopt this in my own life as well. thanks for this eye opening video, Max! x
Amazing! Yeh it really is an amazing feeling :)
Loved the video! You are like a breath of fresh air among hundreds of minimalism videos. So sincere and somehow engaging that I decided to comment though I never do! Subscribed. Good luck with your future challenges and let UA-cam rank you higher;-)
Ive purchased and read two books of Marie in Chinese, and I believe Marie’s method is not about being minimal. In her way of thinking, if owning 5 exact same shirts will spark joy to you, feel free to keep all 5 of them! It just happens that most of the time we would only keep 1 instead of multiple copies.
Hi Kelly, I think minimalism as I understand says the same thing. Keep the things you want. :)
Great to see that you start with a realistic home. The other minimalist videos are with spotless homes.
All about that truth 🔥
The key is not having to declutter in the first place by not buying stuff.
But declutter helps you break the mindset of buying. :)
It is too late for some of us, we already spent the moneys. But yeah, it helps see it is not necessary to continue the vicious cycle.
That’s the part I’m working on. It’s one thing to get rid of something but if you’re going to go out and get more stuff the entire thing is useless. You have to learn to catch yourself before you buy and ask yourself if you really want/need/will use that item.
for me,stop habit easily buying stuff and decluttering things from your home is same priority :)
If I could go back in time this would be very helpful. I grew up with a mother that shopped all the time! Didn't matter if she needed it or not. Slowly I have been growing away from that mind set and buying less but it's a habit that's hard to break if that's how you grew up.
You’ll have the feeling of happiness that you’ve never felt before I tell you. Good luck for your journey and hope to see more this content in your channel. Love yah’
Thanks Jim! It’s quite a great feeling. It’s hard to translate to people that haven’t experienced it.
Great work Max! Another cracking video. Looking forward to the new skateboard challenge 👍
Thanks Sean!
Very good job 👍 I have decluttered my home and my entire life has changed. I am so happy !
Awesome to hear! 😊
Really enjoyed this video! Inspired to live with less and try to remove the guilt associated with keeping items that don't serve a purpose in my life. You have a new subscriber, Sir! 😊
Thanks Sarah! So glad to hear it 😊😊😊
How about 30 days without a smartphone/social media?
Hmmm I run a social media agency though! Would be cool but super hard!
@@MaxsMonthlyChallenge Hey, thanks for the response! Ok, quit your personal social media accounts, stop one month scrolling feeds, and try to work without a smartphone, just a Nokia for calls, email on the computer, stop netflix etc, so in short: any screen time that isn't crucial to your work. I did this, and it feels so great not to be disponsable all the time. It's much easier then one might think. You maybe won't go back after all month, trust me. Would also be a nice follow-up to your minimalism challenge, like having a minimalist phone and truly using your time in a meaningful way.
Sebastian Brune "disponible" in French = "available" in English 😊
@@sebastianbrune9471 Cool, I like it. I'll add it to the list.
@@wayneloveday4716 Same for Spanish
Here's a really cool challenge, and this is actually what I need to do.
Awesome! 🔥🔥💪🏻
You don’t have a lot of clothes, but they’re really messy!! You need an organizing system so they don’t end up like that again after 2 days. Think drawers/baskets. That way if you pull one out all of them don’t fall apart.
This is so satisfying to watch. I would be much more of a minimalist if it was just me, but my husband is a Keeper of Things & my kids are tiny hoarders. They look with aversion upon my Donation Box™️ when I sweep through once a month or so to clear out excess. Really enjoyed this content!
Damnit. I wish I would have thought to turn my OCD into a multimillion dollar venture 🤦♀️
Haha Marie is a smart woman!
I have ocd but my place is still a mess
I mean, you can do it as a job, people will pay for you to help them. Even if you weren't the first, people like you are needed to help others. It's not like someone else doing it stops you from being able to.
Your description of the KonMari Method is so succinct. If I wanted to send a friend an example of the KonMari Method, I would send this.
Thank you Stephanie!
I love your content man! It motivates everytime ! keep up the awesome work; you truely deserver more subscribers
Love it! I've been wanting to do more of this stuff for ages. Time to make it happen ;) Really liked the music in this one! Keep it up :)
Thanks Jordan!
Great job! Yeah you got rid of the hidden "mental checklist" of crap and opened up so much more time to LIVE! And I stacked my clothing, too like you did. I have so few items I don't NEED to do the Marie Kondo folding into a tiny package! ;)
Amazing!
Those sentimental things I took a picture of, still had the memory but not the crap
What I do with my sentimental photos and stuff: I take a photo of it and put it in a Pinterest board called “Keepsakes”
The reason I put those photos on a Pinterest board, is because I’ve lost so many concert photos and photos of me and my mum before she passed due to me breaking my phone beyond repair....
Me too! 15 years and still miss her. Lost a cute vid of her talking to my son when he was two.
Love your videos! Thanks for all the inspiration! 😉
You found the method just in time: your apartment was borderline proper hoarder when you started! Well done sir!
Haha true! 😊
As someone knows a hoarder this is not hoarder level. It is indeed very messy (he did a great job cleaning) but it's not that bad
Nice, I was also planning to read this book.
I’d highly recommend it!
I like the intro, where he confessed about his feeling before starting this project
😊👏🏻
I liked your video. In fact, I did the same challenge, and it helped me a lot. I created my new routines and you are right. I feel more productive and confident after the decluttering. Thanks for sharing your video. Bye.
First video of yours that I’ve watched, and I loved it! Keep up the great work! 😊
Thank you 😊😊
No problem ☺️
Found this video and immediately subscribed! Because of the minimalism theme and also because i like the personal development through monthly challenges - i want to start this after i quit my university exams, the date is set. :)
Boom! What’s going to be your first?
@@MaxsMonthlyChallenge The first four topics are Minimalism, Reading, traveling, relaxing/Meditation. 😊 (I didn't specified in detail until now.)
I’ve been decluttering go the past few years. My husband was a hoarder and had thouoof books and records all over the house and storage units. He passed away last year and it took me a whole year to finally release I can not keep carrying this stuff around with me the rest of my life. I went through everything and just keep a very minimal amount of things and got rid of the rest.
Thank you for sharing. This is my biggest fear of if my husband should pass before I do, he has so much, that he purchased a shipping container. Now that is full, he continues to add more, in case of the end of the world...but is it useful? And can you carry it with you?
Sorry about your husband.
Minimalism is my new religion and Marie Kondo my priest. Thanks for a great video. I like your philosophy about "stuff" and you're really cute too.
Marie Kondos way of organizing is not based on minimalism but on the Konmari method that she defined herself
Agreed Nicole. I think for me minimalism is removing the items that don't spark joy. So there is an overlap. Hope you enjoyed the video!
I love it! Thank you so much for sharing your process!!! Xoxo
Thanks Lily!
I already decluttered our clothes... I need to start again with the other categories. The way you made this video is so inspiring! ❤️
Thank you mama!
I personally feel greatfull to find her books , now its 3/4 finished and give so much changes
Me too!
awesome someone showing the practicality in choosing a minimalist route.... still way to go.... too many products in the bathroom and some superflous decorations... but what a fantastic way to start!!!!
I started the decluttering prosess this January at my dads house in my old childhood bedroom. 5 years ago i moved away to a different city to study and just took a bag of my clothes and left everything else behind. I always intended to take it all with me over the years but that never happened. So last time i was visiting i emptied the closet and other shelves and sorted things to trash, donation and keep piles. I had a really hard time with things like books and old art work so i didn't fully look through those but i got rid of all the clothing that didn't fit me or i wouldn't need when visiting. I honestly felt bad that i had hoarded my stuff in dads home for so long so it was nice to finally start the prosess.
Congrats on your journey!
I have generally lived by the rule of minimalism but I was also taught to treat my belongings with respect because my parents worked hard to obtain it for my family and I. Marie Kondo teaches to be kind to your belongings and respect the value it has by serving its purpose of use. Gratitude for what you have goes a long way and will save you a lot of money. TAKE CARE OF YOUR THINGS AND YOUR THINGS WILL TAKE CARE OF YOU.
Very true :)
thanks max. so helpful!. still wait another videos.
Great! Many more videos to come 💖
Thank for this video! Looking forward to watching more and challenging myself each month. I really enjoyed the music at the end. Where can I listen to it?
Thank you Megan! We get all the music from epidemic sounds library.
"Every item was painful to throw away" - that's literally my case.
A lot of the challenge with this month was the psychology of letting go. Marie kondos book gives great insight into this!
I guess it’s a perk to move around a lot. My husband and I live pretty minimalistic and still go through our stuff every 6month to see what we can donate. We don’t have a lot of space - which is a blessing cause we don’t even have the option to hold on or get too much stuff as we wouldn’t have the space for it. I saw a lot of videos like this and it just astonished me how much stuff people have. (Side note before I got married I lived in a 10 square meter room (incl. a bathroom with shower and a kitchen. Usable space was 6square meters in which I had my bed, desk and closet. You learn to clean up and sort things out a whole lot more when you move from 50square meters to this tiny size - I regret nothing. )
Glad to hear it’s working for you :)
Did this and I loved it!
How good is it!
So happy to see a guy doing things like this. It would be even better that we keep life simple without buying things we don't need thereafter. BTW....I received the same JimmyBrings magnets in my mailbox but looks cool so I kept it on my fridge too...
Thanks man! Haha yes those magnets were appearing everywhere :P
I watched this video and Sparks joy :)
Awesome :)
Your stuff makes me feel like a minimalist guru.
Haha congrats!
Great work, and good on you!
Great video. I'm gonna try decluttering my stuff after watching your video. It's really motivate me. Thk you.
Fantastic!
So happy to see this
I'm not hardcore minimal or collecter i think I'm in the middle i still try to have less slowly.. I also stopped shopping and it really helped i went shopping today for the first time since so long and i didn't had That crazy desire to buy things i don't need i walked out of the store with only 4 items that i needed to replace it felt so liberating I felt so proud of myself for going this far
Amazing work Alex!
@@MaxsMonthlyChallenge thank you max❤️
I Love being minimalist and i will always be.
Hi Max, I'm Max as well! (lol) I discovered Josh Kaufman's video about the 20 hour rule and thought about trying to pick up a new skill and put the technique to the test. New skills that would have interested me were acrobatics (backflips and such), guitar, rubik's cube, a form of dancing, drawing and juggling. Then I fell on your juggling video and found out you did most of them already lol! I thought about recording and putting it out but it kind of feels pointless now hah. Anyhow, very nice channel, I enjoyed watching
Max! Why not do it? How’s this. Do 11 videos and on the 12th I’ll shout you out on my channel? 💪🏻💪🏻
@@MaxsMonthlyChallenge Thanks for encouraging, I might start with just one and see how it goes! Any skill you'd like to challenge me for the first?
Hmmm good question. Maybe start with drawing?
It’s nice to see how you spread the challenge for a month . Many videos are so unrealistic at least to me , cleaning constantly and uninterrupted in a few hours and I’m like hmmmm I don’t have that much time and stamina lol
:p neither! :) glad you enjoyed!
I've become somewhat of a minimalist over the years. It didn't happen all at once. There are items that have sentimental value or items that cost a lot of money and parting with them all at once can bring more regret than the immediate benefits of a 'minimalist lifestyle.' Every couple of months when the feeling strikes, I go through all my stuff and purge the stuff that makes me feel good about purging. The item that may have been sentimental a year ago may be the very item I feel better about parting with today. All in it's own time. If it feels like deprivation, slow down and take your time. When I purchase things now, it is with intention and it has to be quality material because I plan on having it in my life for years to come, if not the rest of my life. I think this is a trademark of a true minimalist. Minimalists are not just about reducing clutter in their space, but also about reducing their footprint on the earth. People with financial means and scant possessions that shop at the 99 cent store are not minimalist, they're just cheap.
You got me with fight club. The preview started playing in the thumbnail and you caught my eye with the fight club ikea scene. Love that movie and all it's messages(i say as a lay in a cluttered double bed.) 🤣
I am a fan of Marie too though and it is an interesting vid seeing someone at the same level of borderline hoarder as i am, attempt the konmari method.
Glad you enjoyed Julia :) 😊💪🏻
tip for socks : you could get a basket from ikea or whatever store you have and just throw them together that way your shelf space will clear up.
I recently made a vid about decluttering 581 items. There's still so much I want to get rid of. Great video! Your before and afters were awesome.
Congrats! Loved the little blue alien :P
@@MaxsMonthlyChallenge Thank you!
That's interesting. Why 581 items? That is very specific.
Edit.
I went and checked out your video. Hilarious and fun.
@@Iloveflowers2024 It was going to be 465 items for the 30 day minimalism challenge, but I got carried away. Whoops haha
Thanks for watching!
Hardest part of decluttering is being torn between keeping or throwing those item that has sentimental values.
You are so inspiring. Thank you.
💖💖👏🏻👏🏻
The batteries in your clock need changed! Great video!
I have a weird love for broken clocks. And thank you!
You did a great job purging so much of your stuff. There's something so satisfying watching people declutter their spaces. I'm very impressed that a young man like yourself wants to keep things to a minimal & tidy. In the long run it makes life much easier & more efficient. Fantastic work! 👍👌💯
Thanks Lisa! I’ve been loving the benefits of having less :)
Wow that word was preciser then "spark-joy".... "hell-yes" items!
Hell yeh!
Whoops the 😙. I may be a wee bit older than some of ur Subs., say 82, retired & love UA-cam..forgot 2 say, i lvd background music; added to the adventure. T-Shirts? Have over 100 and they all bring me joy🤗. Ur next vid after skateboard can be how u do stuff w/a broken arm🤣. Keep on truckin'.
This was a great video. Your accent is so refreshing. Xoxo
“Thank you!” - said in my accent :)
🥰🥰
So motivation.. it's fun to watch till the end.
Lol those pencils were my favorite!
Yesss! 💖
I love, love, love your place!!!
💖💖
This made me feel good about how cluttered my house is.
:)
Well interesting, still trying to figure out how I’m going to get rid of some of my stuff now which is a very big hassle. Now just need to think it through and get a solid routine down which is very hard to do for me since my schedule changes daily and new things come my way the same. Definitely will watch this video a few more times as I try to do this challenge myself good job max and what a well made video👍👍
Awesome Leland! It’s a liberating feeling :)
hey dude, cool video. i love your thought process behind everything, and your soothing voice! ima kiwi living in the UK and its nice to hear someone from our neck of the woods talk and hear our ways of thinking. its totally different over here! i love the idea of minimalism and already pretty good at decluttering every now and then. just gotta get my husband to hop on the band wagon too!
also, i subscribed
Hey Holly! So glad you enjoyed the video. Haha Haven’t been told I have a soothing voice before but I’ll take it! All the best :)
Really cool video and challenge.
How about 30 days without sugar? (industrial added sugars)
I’d be happy to do this challenge :)
That would be awesome to watch. Tried it myself a while ago and it was pretty tough but well worth it!@@MaxsMonthlyChallenge
I like to try this also
I had this big air bed for 6 years without using it and it was brand new..l gave it away eventually coz l believed someone else will be happy to have it..the lady who took it was so happy and sent me a message thanking me..l can't tell you how happy l was..decluttering gives you the opportunity to make someone else happy too
Well done you we have been declutting our home for 6 months now my hubby did our loft omg 69 black bags later and wow we have found out though that you have to keep at it otherwise things start creeping back in I have cancer and looking around my home now I feel refreshed not ong its nice and relaxing now well done again keep at it and keep up with it x
Wow! That’s an amazing effort congrats!!! You feel so might lighter. Wishing you all the best xx
I like you did an update and suggestions to sustain I do so good decluttering then I feel like it just comes back in.
🙌
@@MaxsMonthlyChallenge I'm actually fangirling!
But thank you again for the super awesome advice
I'm a Kim and Aggie's Cleaning Bible devotee, the original declutter and cleaning experts. This book was first published in 2006. Their method is to ask is an item useful or beautiful, preferably both, if not get rid of it. Theirs is a hybrid of KonMari and Swedish Death Clean for tidying but also how to clean a house properly.