I always felt stressed and overwhelmed in my home, I had no idea it was linked to clutter before I started decluttering. It is hard (almost impossible) to keep a home neat and tidy when you have too much stuff. Decluttering helps me to enjoy my home and feel peaceful.
Wow I wish I knew the ruthless declutter method 3 years ago when I moved out of state I was putting donations up on Facebook marketplace and they were getting out but slow and then I was pinched for time when I actually had to pack up for the move in hind site I should have made large donations to goodwill
I finally got rid of my large Christmas tree as I live in small space and a small cute tree 🌲 is the way to go. Less stuff to store for holidays. Thanks
It’s sad to think about but my parents will eventually pass. And when they do I do NOT want to have to go through all of their stuff. Partially bc I don’t have the time and also bc I would feel so guilty getting rid of it and will probably end up keeping everything. And I do NOT want to keep their stuff 😊
One thing someone once told me...a youtuber on here I forget who..she said "Don't buy bins to fill your stuff with, get rid of the stuff you were going to put into bins."
It’s so true that getting rid of stuff make you want to not shop. I’m in the middle of a massive declutter and when I see household items for sale, all I can imagine is the point in the future where I’m hauling it out to the garbage or the donation bin,
Same here, I did it as I was decorating my flat, so had to at least thin things out a bit. I got rid of all my CDs, DVDs and Books and I’m talking about thousands. People thought I was mad, as they were my hobbies, but my mantra, even now, was this "…time for someone else to enjoy them…" it is the best thing I’ve ever done and incredibly liberating. At the end of the day whatever excuse you tell yourself (I might need it one day, it was really expensive) if that’s the case, you’d be using it. I don’t miss anything I no longer have. Not one thing xx
Same here! I even got rid of the photos, except of my son and parents. I realized I didnt even like 90 percent of the people in the pictures anyway lol
How do u do crafts without things to do them? Or do u just watch tv/play online games? Or maybe ur outdoors a lot so ur stuff is in the garage and shed?
All your tips are spot on! I did the same as you, and just donated everything. It was so freeing, just to have it gone. Selling and holding things for friends, just delays that freedom. Get it out!❤👍
You'll watch an entire Netflix show even when the first episodes are slow and boring just because someone told you "it gets better." *But what if you looked at your goals like that and watched your life get better instead??*
Ruthlessly decluttered our already “decluttered” master bedroom yesterday. I didn’t think I’d find much but I did! I dumped two trash bags and had enough for two donation bags. Now the big desk in our room is completely empty. It feel so much lighter in here.
You have to be ruthless, I never sold a thing, I just donated, donated, donated…. Your so right in all you said in this video, you gave such great advise to someone who is starting their declutter journey. I have never missed anything I donated as soon as I drive away from the thrift store, it’s out of my memory bank
THANK YOU for being the first youtuber that I have found that doesn't make me feel guilty about donating everything vs. selling. I have ALWAYS hated yard sales and don't want to go through all the effort to sell every little thing online. My husband is good and has sold some of our larger pieces on Craigslist but that's his deal and he gets to keep the money lol!! But I like to get rid of things as fast as possible. You earned a new subscriber just from this video.
I think the issue is by just gerting rid of it (donating) doesn't make you think about where it goes & also what a pain it is to resell.....this process helps me when bringing something new in....am I going to want it in a year or 10 or will I have to rehome it
Someone asked me yesterday if I was having a moving sale ???!! I told her I was selling a massage table, and my son- in law's listed a few things for me - and lots of donation bags!
If its not high priced ticket items or single items with values over $100, its not worth it! I throw away a lot, I donated most of my furniture and I sold the luxury items, electronics and fine jewelry on FB marketplace and at the pawn shop.
Donating & losing the $, is still a big enough of a pain to make me start to think twice before buying more. Getting the stuff out is hard enough, so do it whatever way works best for you. For me that is donating! I say, God blessed me and I will let things go to bless others. This mind shift was necessary for me to get the stuff out!
I LOVE to declutter. It's fun to me so watching this video brings a smile on my face. My home is so nice and neat and everything I walk in my place I smile because it's simple and feels so comfortable.
This is exactly what I have started last week!!! Ruthless decluttering. I'm just donating, I can't go through the process of selling things or it'll never get done unfortunately.
I have done the huge declutter and am I now on the maintenance phase but just like you I did say, "How was that still in my house?" last week! I have started helping others declutter, too which is super satisfying!
I think the 1in-1out rule is best for things you're replacing, such as, a new coat for an old coat, new socks for socks with holes, new pants for pants that no longer fit etc. with the secret being that you *actually* donate/remove the old item. I find it very helpful for maintaining my "inventory" once I've decluttered.
Love that you said it took 15 years to get all the things in your home and only one year to get it out. VERY encouraging!! I’ll be reminding myself of this!!!
I can’t believe how true it is that I don’t miss the stuff either and it gets easier and easier to get rid of stuff! Thanks for your videos, I enjoy them so much!
Totally agree with just getting rid of it and being ruthless about it! I found when I hesitated or offered things to friends and family on Facebook or whatever, I just ended up with piles laying around that were sitting there waiting for others to pick them up. And it definitely takes me less time to clean the house having less! Btw, that color blue looks AMAZING on you!
I'm trying to declutter basically my whole house. I have a small 3 br ranch house. It will probably take me yrs. I work a FT job plus a PT job. So I have limited time. Basically 1 -2.days a week. My husband does not clean at all. He has TONS of clothes, shoes, books, etc. He wont fold or put them away. Now I leave them in his basket. My daughter (18) is a commuting college freshmen plus works so she really doesnt have a lot of time. But her room really is packed with stuff. Clothes she doesn't wear. Stuffed animals, old toys(yes really) . I also have ADHD, depression. I really have to push myself to make head way.
If it ain’t nailed down or breathing in my house this year it had to go! I feel so free AND I’m not a mean mom anymore. I didn’t realize all the stuff made me stress and anxious. I took that out on my family and never want to again.
I started my journey 3 yrs ago starting out as a hoarder lvl 3 now I have what most people consider a very minimal amount of stuff but am wanting to declutter probably 50% of what I still have which should leave me with like 4 boxes of things in total and I've been really stuck lately and your videos are so motivating and they always inspire me to keep going ❤️
@@pdxoregon1 I started with working on my mental health in general and realizing I had a problem. From there I had a support system who helped me determine what was a "normal" amount of stuff to keep ex. 1 newspaper you finish reading vs. 5 boxes of newspapers. I think the biggest help for me was that they never once really pushed me to get rid of anything they just said "hey do you want me to help you go through some of your things". When we came up on something abnormal they were like "when you die do you want some to find this", or "how will this _____ help you if you keep it" and of course the biggest one for me was (for info. I was "just a collector") "okay we keep the whole collection but where does it end? How can you store ____ so it remain collectable?". From there I used lots of the advice to declutter that's on the Internet and my hoarding still acts up if I get stressed or something tramatic happens but I just go back and look at old photos and think "I could be there..."
@@samramsey1142 That's terrific, Sam! THank you so much for your reply. Tomorrow I will be helping my friend declutter for a couple of hours, and your reply is really helpful. I'll remember to just gently ask questions, rather than try to rush the process. She's a LOVELY person, so I really want to help her, not stress her out. Thanks again!!
My first huge declutter (attic) was in 2002. I am just now to the point that the house feels pretty good and I'm comfortable with how much "stuff" is in here. That being said, I still manage to find the "why is this still in my house" items. This was a very enjoyable video. Thank you.
We are downsizing in a year or so and your videos are so inspiring! I am continually decluttering and making so many passes thru my house. My husband and I just want to live more simply and enjoy traveling, family, and our hobbies. Thank you SO MUCH!
There's always new things to learn and try when it comes to decluttering and that's why I love it! I've gotten so much better at keeping ontop of things so it's never out of control and I always have time for my family! Totally agree with your points
I JUST finished another HUGE declutter of my "stuff" the last 2 weeks. I have TONS of inventory from my business I had to close plus all the random everything and was mega stressing always. I'd say I have decluttered 3 to 5 THOUSAND items (the super small things not included) in the last 2 ish weeks. My motivator - needing a new mattress and starting to reorganize or organize in general my pantry which is a small bedroom. Mhmmm, yeah.... BUT, I am SO motivated to keep going even though my body is like "lady, what are you doing?!?!?!" I've donated to many local organizations and got totally ruthless and tossed, recycled, donated 80% of things I touched. I'm saving paper clutter til last as myself and daughter are disabled so always tons of papers but allot are important to keep. 🤦♀️🤦♀️ filled my SUV twice in 1 day and dropped off at church. I'm soooo happy! And still going. You inspired me to make my bedroom beautiful so with my new mattress delivered, new bedding that was in boxes, blankets, pillows, curtains etc.. are now all out being used FINALLY. If I could show you the massive piles in my room before to now - big improvement! Closet is 90% done. Thank you for all the great tips and tricks to get thru allllll the stuff!! 💕💕
I just sold my house and eliminated (by volume) about HALF of my possessions. Am living out of a couple suitcases for a few weeks, and when I move into my new place, I plan to be extremely intentional in what I choose to bring into the space. The hardest thing to get over was the guilt/regret of NOT making sure all the items were sold at the "best" price, or were given to the "most deserving" person. I just didn't have the time to do all that if I was going to get the best price for my house. I cured that guilt/regret by knowing that I profited more by acting swiftly & can afford to repurchase if needed, and can donate more to charity this year. And the ultimate gift to myself (and in turn, my family & friends) was the vast reduction of time & stress to me.
I'm the same. Only last year I attempted to sell some of my clothes in a thrift store (thrift stores are not a thing in my country, there's only ONE place and I live on the 11th largest city in the world). Anyway I'm an anxious person and if I'm getting stuff out, I'm getting stuff out. I don't have room for "meantime" and "maybe". For me it was a process that started slow but with time it grew and grew. Mostly because my house is small and I'm lazy. The only way for it not to be cluttered is to have no clutter.
I’ve been a casual subscriber for a few years, initially for beauty. Now I’m into decluttering and minimalism and glad I can watch you on that too. You nailed it: sock and tired of just moving things from room to room. TO WHAT END?!?!?!
I love the idea of ‘ruthless decluttering’. Especially just donating, not feeling guilty about not selling and getting some money back. It makes it so much more accessible to me as I feel so overwhelmed when selling
Number 3, ruthless decluttering is on point. I held things for family and friends and it actually stressed me out more. I want it gone and I want it gone now. Thank you for the encouragement…🙌🏼🙌🏼🙌🏼
Totally agree! Saving things for family and friends isn’t fair for them because offering your own unwanted stuff to them may make them feel obligated to accept it. So you’re experiencing the freedom of decluttering while adding to your friends’ burden. But when you DONATE to a second hand store, you are allowing someone to discover your item and choose it for their home. It’s the best way to go!
Thank you so much for this video. Being a mother and working full time. My home is messy like yours previous pics. I've been decluttering since months but it wasn't going anywhere. Now I need to start decluttering ruthlessly. I already started decluttering my clothes..I see HUGE difference now. Your tips were so helpful. Thanks again, God bless you!!!
This is a wonderful summary/lesson. This summer I had an aha moment. Am I giving my kids an opportunity to have items for their future house or am I allowing a 4th generation to have boxes of glassware in storage? That switch in thinking gave me and my Dad permission to let so much of it go. The idea of someones else, even strangers, TODAY using it makes us all happy. And even the idea of that yes, some items, might be worth more than the few dollars a charity might ask for is ok. That also supporting a picker/reseller who also profits on something my grandmother loved is exciting as we are indirectly helping someone with their business. There is grace in supporting both a charity and the picker too. Background: My grandmother collected glassware (as in servings of 12 from a time when a complete pattern when a had 5different pieces). mostly at garage sales or friends. The majority were not used by her. My widow Dad still has at least six patterns in his house that will be leaving soon. My house, until a few months ago, had a complete serving for 24/36? plus incompetent sets for another five because the “I will take it to get it out of their house and dispose of it myself” method of decluttering didn’t work as it is an “emotional” category for me). What especially makes us happy is no one is keeping things out of love/guilt is wonderful. This has been a four year journey for us. Decluttering Rocks!
"There is grace in supporting a charity and a picker too." What a lovely way to express that concept, especially for those of us who have collected and inherited antiques. I am only a caretaker of these things and can feel good about handing them over to others now.
I began my minimalism journey during quarantine about 8 months ago. My husband has always been minimalist, but I never was. I was a collector: dolls, Harry Potter stuff, antiques We used to have a 100 year old house, which was neat, but it was filled with so much stuff. We got rid of 50% of our things when we left one house, accumulated more in ten years (soooo much more), then about 75% of that hoard when we sold that house. Now, we are renting. It’s a nice house with great landlords, but I started getting a bit twitchy. We’ve been here 5 years, but because we don’t own this place, I started wondering about being ready to move if we needed to. I was also still very embarrassed at how much stuff I was keeping for “nostalgia”. I started following The Minimal Mom sometime in June of 2020 and my subscriptions have bloomed to over 50 influencers who have great things to teach! My home is now visitor ready and it’s a breeze to keep clean. Thank you for your cheer and love in your videos! I look forward to seeing you every week. :) -K
The one in one out rule I just learned from Dana K White, she says that this applies when you wish to maintain a space that has already been decluttered and it applies to the container concept that a space should not be filled all the way but here should be some empty space so that it's easy to get item in and out and see it without it getting messy when you go to retrieve an item. It isn't a way TO declutter.
With the one-in, one out, I look at it as categorical rather than purely numerical: I buy two new books, I donate two books I’ve read or started and didn’t like. My kids get a new video game, I get rid of one they don’t play. I am gifted three jewelry items, I purge three items I don’t ever reach for.
I have been on this journey for 3+ years and it has been slow but I am beginning to see less😜 I confess that it started with a capsule wardrobe and slowly from there I just keep at it. There are times I get discouraged and then I come to a happy video and you always inspire me to just keep going❤️ Thanks for a happy place
Im a work in progress. I moved to a much bigger house from a 2 bed apt and the amount of things I got rid of is mind blowing lol. And its so true. I do not miss the stuff. I have so much more room and time now with less stuff. Im so happy. Im about to have a baby and I have only bought the basics, bare minimum if you will. Im so happy practicing minimalism while having a baby. 💜
I've never had that much clutter. However, I agree that you stop wanting to shop. I've made sure that I have the right stuff I need if I want to entertain but I think I'm at the end of that. It's wonderful to only have what I need.
Toatally agree with all your points , I think decluttering is a learning process and the more you do it , the better you get at it...decluttieting clears your house but most importantly your mind...donate straight away is the key as leaving them around waiting for people to take them is frustrating so I donate straight away to my local cancer research shop which makes me feel good because I lost family members to it..if there is one point about decluttering that is100% on piont, is when you get rid of it YOU DONT MISS IT!!!. Great video
I’ve been on this journey for a while. I find as I get older 48 this year, more and more stuff seems to weigh me down and most of it is not mine. I have 2 grown up kids and a teenager living at home. These days I started writing a list with a heading (TO MY GROWN UP KIDS) asked them to do a number of chores before I get home. My daughter laughed when she read it but it worked. I just refuse to tidy and organise stuff that others cannot look after. A home that is easy to clean, less furniture to move about is my ideal.
Omg !!! You got me at lesson 1. That's how I feel, like I don't know where and how to begin 😵. It's just SO MUCH STUFF ! and don't get me started on paper it's my biggest ENEMY. I look at YOUR before and afters and it's incredible how you can go from that to how your home is set up now. My stress and anxiety do not allow me to even believe that I to could have so much less. It seems like a dream to me 😍.
Love these videos! I am on my journey and I think I finally got my husband on board 🙌 it has feel amazing to just get rid of things and honestly it's so peaceful. I also find joy in the items I kept because I can enjoy them now! Thanks for all you awesome tips!!!
I love the baby in the bin! So darling. And ruthless decluttering is the key. Each time I know I will do a larger declutter I pick ONE place to take things. I rotate places. Much easier!
I've been decluttering and preparing for downsizing. THIS is the BEST video I've watched, and have been a faithful follower of MANY. Thank you ❤️ Hoping to help a friend who is in advanced stages of hoarding.. maybe make a video of that too?
I do a regular declutter. Maybe once a season or two. And we are at a point of a 1 in, 4 out for toys at this point 😅 When I declutter, I usually stick to my own items, and let my kids make their own declutter decisions.
I’ve never done ‘one in one out’ the way you described. But if I want to buy a new clothing item (or shoes or a bag) that’s meant to replace another item I really think about whether I’ll be willing to get rid of the old item or if I’ll want to keep both. If I’m not willing to get rid of the old one (that I’m telling myself is no good/needs replacing) then I don’t buy the new item. The pain of decluttering has really helped me buy less stuff I’m not certain about.
I've decluttered a ton already, but I still have a ways to go. Most of what I have left to declutter is in the basement and in the garage, though I do still have things in the spare bedroom to declutter as well. I've been feeling kind of stuck lately, but I'm hoping to make a major dent in the basement when it comes time to pull out the Christmas bins. Whatever we don't use will likely get donated. One thing I have discovered is that apparently I'm really good at packing a bunch of stuff into whatever space I have available. That seems like a good thing when you're packing it away, but it's not so good when you're decluttering. Sometimes I can go through several boxes in a day. Other times, it takes me several days to get through one box, especially if it has paper clutter in it.
I recommend that you decorate for Christmas early and then donate the ornaments that you don't use at the start of the season. People are much more likely to want and enjoy them if they are offered at the start of the holiday rather than after the holidays are over.
@@jainthorne4136 Yes, thank you! I plan to decorate a little earlier than usual this year for that very reason. 😊 It will be fun. We haven't put our big tree up since we got our oldest cat 7 years ago. She's calmed a bit, so we decided it's safe to decorate the big tree once again. 😂
Me and my husband are at different places in our decluttering journey lol I am ready to jump all in and get rid of 85% and he is more hesitate he has decluttered more than I ever thought he would (he is a bit of a Horder) but he is always worried that we will need it some day. Love your channel though thank you for all the inspiration.
Once I finished the KonMari declutter I couldn’t do the one in, one out because I was basically filling in needs. I am to the point where I declutter about a box worth every 6 months. I actually miss Decluttering but I don’t miss the cluttered mess and the stress of not being able to enjoy going to the movies or vacations because of how bad my house looked.
@@YeshuaKingMessiah I got rid of clothes that didn’t fit and realized I didn’t really have enough clothes so I asked for clothes for Christmas. I got rid of holey underwear and saggy bras so I needed new but didn’t go out and buy everything at once. I got rid of too tight shoes and found I needed comfortable flats to wear. After I decluttered I realized why it was so hard to get dressed even though I had a full closet.
I’m sitting here looking at 14 empty tubs!!!! This is my second pass through these items. Initially I put like things together and did an inventory. Then starting a week ago I went back through them (all 22) and got it down to 8. Holy moly! I have space in my closet again.
My first major declutter was doing it mostly the Marie Kondo way. It just makes sense to pull out all of the same stuff....ex clothes, shoes, cd's, dvd's, then kitchen stuff, etc. It really shows you just how much crap you have in your house. I got rid of almost all of my cd's & dvd's, at least 1/3 of my clothes, etc. Sometimes you need to be ruthless! And that fantasy self.....you know, those hobbies that were in....card making/scrapbooking, etc....all the money spent and more than half never being used or used once or twice....Boy did I get rid of a ton!!....Not literally a ton in weight...you know! :-) Decluttering can be extremely overwhelming but when you've done it several times it's kind of fun to get rid of more stuff. Always fun to see your smile and positive outlook Candice!
I just happen to run into ur channel!!! I'm in the process of becoming a minimalist and decluttering. I had planned to sell stuff i didn't want. I watched your video and decided to donate the items. As SOON AS i decided to donate, a man knocks on my door and takes most of my electrical items!! ($$)
Oh my I just found you and I feel so lucky that I looked today and then got you. You started right away with information that is soooo true ---I was hooked and I find you gracious and lovely and simply great in the way you inform and share with truth and it gives me energy to help me ( an old lady who has been struggling for years to really get decluttering). Thank you somuch for doing all it takes to get this video done
I dont know you but i feel you are another me in the world. i feel super anxious about things cluttered around me and I always go for ruthless declutter instead of selling stuff. loved your ideas! thank you for sharing
I’m 65 and have two children and three grandchildren. Things they love to look through are old photo albums (fascinating to those that only have 1000’s of pictures on phones they never look at) they love the story behind napkins that only come out at Xmas that were hand stitched by their great great grand parents and passed down the generations. I have shelves of objects like the wonky pottery seal my son made at school, an ashtray (who even smokes anymore) and countless pictures, crafted tree decorations and personal items that are madly quirky but utterly priceless. When people visit there are bookshelves for them to dip into, blankets to cosy under, vases of fresh flowers and shelves and boxes full of personal keepsakes. It’s not clutter and everyone that visits me comments on how warm, welcoming and comfortable my home is. I say all of this because I too admire the Marie Kondo way of folding clothes in drawers - easy to see. I have a capsule wardrobe. I like a clean house but I cook for fun so have a busy kitchen. I’d just say de clutter by all means but don’t throw the precious baby out with the bath water- years from now the loss will break your hearts. Clean clear but also cloak your home with love and heritage. Don’t be afraid to show personality. A bedroom with only a bed a chest and perhaps one other item lacks soul - it could be any room in any hotel around the world. Just my opinion. 😍Happy new year all.
You are inspirational! As I was watching your video I started taking notes, then I got up & started decluttering my office, then sweeping, mopping & started making decisions I have been procrastinating all year! I started working from home & my home office has piles of procrastination! I have very organized sections, then the clutter that reminds of a horder! Yes, small amounts of time work for me. My new year motivation is that I have to be on camera for work, so the background NEEDS to be organized. Time to stop the piles. Thank you for motivating me!
I had de-cluttered my house but now it's horrible again! I loved it when it was simplified and I'm not sure when the turn happened. So I started slowly trying to go through things again. This time it seems harder for me because I'm worried it's going to turn into a vicious cycle.
I’m a ruthless declutterer while my husband is a thoughtful declutterer. We both love to declutter but we have different methods. I have to ruthlessly declutter and then he has to go through my pile and be thoughtful about it. We usually still get rid of 95% of my pile but most of the time my husband has something he wants to keep them 6 months later that item he so desperately wanted to keep gets thrown back in the pile and he doesn’t keep it😂🤷🏻♀️
I am a huge fan of decluttering ( purging) . I used to thrift for entertainment… Stopped doing that. I actually get a Nateral high when I declutter. I find my self telling my girl friends how much fun I’m having. I’ve tried different methods. 1-30 days each day matching the number of items, one room at a time, etc. gladly I’m starting to find less and less to purge. Eureka! !
Good job 👏 I did a similar initial declutter, but I didn’t maintain for a year. Now I’m dealing with a lot of mess but I’m half way through 💪 so u agree with you in lesson 6 (it’s not an ending project) @6:28 and lesson 10 (do monthly declutter) @11:58. Here I am a year later dealing with it 😅
I have no idea how I got here, watching this video, but had to say: this is a seriously GREAT video because A) your bedroom looks great; and B) you are bubbling with happiness about having decluttered your space. It reminds me of that 'When Harry Met Sally' scene in the deli. By that I mean, looking at how happy you are, I want to do whatever you did to get there. Thanks for a fun watch.
We just celebrated our 49th anniversary. Let's just say I *need this video! Thank you for another push. Maybe I can get my husband on board. Fingers crossed!
I love cleaning and organizing so my house looks decluttered but I actually have lots of inventory. I have decluttered maybe 50%. I regularly declutter about 6-10 bags/boxes every quarter. No matter how much I declutter I still feel guilty about the things I do have. Not sure how to deal with the guilt.
Let go of guilt. I have found it's a wasted emotion. I tell myself "This is what works for me right now. Someday that will probably change, but if it doesn't then that's okay, too." I went from owning a 13 room house (fully furnished and packed to the gills) to owning a 386 Square Foot studio in the heart of the city. But that didn't happen overnight. Took be about 10 years and countless culling down events to reach this point.
I completely decluttered our house a couple years ago. At that time, I had never heard of "decluttering" or "minimalism" or "downsizing" for the benefit of a better life. And I had the exact same experience with it that you describe in your video. What's also funny to me is that I was also a "ruthless" declutterer😉.
Love this video! I, too, have been decluttering for a year. Not with the results you have had, but we have managed to get rid of a huge amount of stuff. I have issues with depression that get in the way so it's been slow going, but I have learned that you are never really done. You let stuff go in a category, and then later you look again and see if you can pare it down more, and in doing that we have let go of much more than if we had made one pass over each category and called it done. Not having closets or rooms that are overflowing with stuff feels amazing. Congrats to you on all of the progress you have made!
Your enthusiasm brightens my morning! I have decluttered quite a bit so now it's a daily behavior to put aside anything I come across that I know I don't need. When a I have a boxful or bagful I drop it off at Goodwill.
i’ll be moving overseas in a few months and need to get rid of a lot of stuff. it’s daunting! but this video made me feel a lot more confident. i can do it!
So far, I’m on my fourth ruthless truckload off to charity or whoever else wants to take it off my hands ASAP. Lol. As far as cleaning goes, (there was a lot of laundry and dishes to do first...for example lol), and it was easier for me to tackle it all “one last time” knowing that half of that stuff was THE last time I’d ever have to deal with it. My fave lesson was how much time you get back. Very encouraging.
You're so darn cute! I realized that just getting rid of the stuff and not trying to sell it just made it so easy for me. I think I only had to re-buy maybe 3 things that I realized I actually needed after decluttering them, but out of thousands of items, that's a tiny amount
Great advice about the small bursts of working - so helped me. When I felt like I couldn't get alo t done - I made myself do a little at least and it really helps to chip away the mess little by little. Soon you will see a difference to soon getting it really down to a clean looking area..
I have decluttered loads but like you I declutter regularly. I agree with your thoughts of one in one out rule, I use it at times like if my daughter wants a new toy if she gets it I will say she has to give away 1-3 others. But if I get some new clothes unless it is a case of getting a pair of Jean because the pair I have has a hole then 1 in 1 out, but sometimes I want to try out my clothes see if I like them and if it works on my wardrobe then I will declutter in a month or so.
I have been definitely feeling the need to major declutter !! So after this video I feel super motivated to get started !! I legit was about to pause your video and start 😂 Thanks so much !
I have done a lot of decluttering over the years. I'm really good about getting rid of excess toys at least once a year and going through my kids clothes several times a year. I've done my kitchen once a year the last two years. But we still have so much stuff. We are moving across country and we are using this as a time to purge. Our new home does not have a garage, basement, or attic. Not even a coat closet. Just one large storage closet that we need to store holiday decor and food storage. Soooo....we do plan to let a lot go. My husband is finally on board with the less too.
Last year I had a break-in and I had my bag, phone and my jewellery box stolen. Unfortunately my jewellery box contained sentimental items and I was very disappointed to have lost them it contained items from my childhood - but I do have my memories of them. But as for a bag, that was epic for me. I've always had a bag stuffed full of thing I might need. I did get a tiny shoulder bag for the times I needed to look professional, but on the whole I've learnt to live without a bag. The experience taught me that what we think is important we can live without.
Some challenges are when you are test to declutter but your spouse doesn’t. I will do the areas that I can control and let him get there when he is ready.
Ruthless is the way for me too. I find if I have piles here and there to give or donate or am undicided, it ends up back in the closets. Get it out the door!
I have made a lot of progress in my bedroom by replacing my large bedside tables with 1 small one with only the bare necessities in it. I experience a lot of peace because of it.
I always thought the 1 in, 1 out was for that specific item. For example, if I buy yet another black sweater, I need to donate one of my other black sweaters so I don’t accrue too many.
I always felt stressed and overwhelmed in my home, I had no idea it was linked to clutter before I started decluttering. It is hard (almost impossible) to keep a home neat and tidy when you have too much stuff. Decluttering helps me to enjoy my home and feel peaceful.
YES YES YES!!
Wow I wish I knew the ruthless declutter method 3 years ago when I moved out of state I was putting donations up on Facebook marketplace and they were getting out but slow and then I was pinched for time when I actually had to pack up for the move in hind site I should have made large donations to goodwill
Just started my decluttering journey. I've decided that my children don't need my 5 Christmas trees when I die. Thank you for all your tips.
I finally got rid of my large Christmas tree as I live in small space and a small cute tree 🌲 is the way to go. Less stuff to store for holidays. Thanks
@@sierrasnow2033 that's a fantastic idea!!! Good reason to get a real tree too!
Hahaha
That's actually called swedish death cleaning
It’s sad to think about but my parents will eventually pass. And when they do I do NOT want to have to go through all of their stuff. Partially bc I don’t have the time and also bc I would feel so guilty getting rid of it and will probably end up keeping everything. And I do NOT want to keep their stuff 😊
One thing someone once told me...a youtuber on here I forget who..she said "Don't buy bins to fill your stuff with, get rid of the stuff you were going to put into bins."
So So True!!!!
AMEN
Declutter ur organizers
They’re enablers!!
💯So true!
It’s so true that getting rid of stuff make you want to not shop. I’m in the middle of a massive declutter and when I see household items for sale, all I can imagine is the point in the future where I’m hauling it out to the garbage or the donation bin,
So true!
Amen sister! Such a motivator. If it doesn’t come in I don’t have to get it out.
Yes,,,,, I'm declutering, also feel the same way when in a store.. Lol... I think my purchases thru now !!!
The older I get, the less stuff I need. I declutered my entire house in a week except for photos. I don't miss any of it.
Same here, I did it as I was decorating my flat, so had to at least thin things out a bit. I got rid of all my CDs, DVDs and Books and I’m talking about thousands. People thought I was mad, as they were my hobbies, but my mantra, even now, was this "…time for someone else to enjoy them…" it is the best thing I’ve ever done and incredibly liberating. At the end of the day whatever excuse you tell yourself (I might need it one day, it was really expensive) if that’s the case, you’d be using it. I don’t miss anything I no longer have. Not one thing xx
Same here! I even got rid of the photos, except of my son and parents. I realized I didnt even like 90 percent of the people in the pictures anyway lol
How do u do crafts without things to do them? Or do u just watch tv/play online games? Or maybe ur outdoors a lot so ur stuff is in the garage and shed?
All your tips are spot on! I did the same as you, and just donated everything. It was so freeing, just to have it gone. Selling and holding things for friends, just delays that freedom. Get it out!❤👍
You'll watch an entire Netflix show even when the first episodes are slow and boring just because someone told you "it gets better." *But what if you looked at your goals like that and watched your life get better instead??*
That’s actually a good way to look at life
I think ur young lol
Such a good analogy!
I love this way of looking at it!
Ruthlessly decluttered our already “decluttered” master bedroom yesterday. I didn’t think I’d find much but I did! I dumped two trash bags and had enough for two donation bags. Now the big desk in our room is completely empty. It feel so much lighter in here.
You have to be ruthless, I never sold a thing, I just donated, donated, donated….
Your so right in all you said in this video, you gave such great advise to someone who is starting their declutter journey.
I have never missed anything I donated as soon as I drive away from the thrift store, it’s out of my memory bank
“You’re”
THANK YOU for being the first youtuber that I have found that doesn't make me feel guilty about donating everything vs. selling. I have ALWAYS hated yard sales and don't want to go through all the effort to sell every little thing online. My husband is good and has sold some of our larger pieces on Craigslist but that's his deal and he gets to keep the money lol!! But I like to get rid of things as fast as possible. You earned a new subscriber just from this video.
I think the issue is by just gerting rid of it (donating) doesn't make you think about where it goes & also what a pain it is to resell.....this process helps me when bringing something new in....am I going to want it in a year or 10 or will I have to rehome it
Someone asked me yesterday if I was having a moving sale ???!! I told her I was selling a massage table, and my son- in law's listed a few things for me - and lots of donation bags!
If its not high priced ticket items or single items with values over $100, its not worth it! I throw away a lot, I donated most of my furniture and I sold the luxury items, electronics and fine jewelry on FB marketplace and at the pawn shop.
Donating & losing the $, is still a big enough of a pain to make me start to think twice before buying more. Getting the stuff out is hard enough, so do it whatever way works best for you. For me that is donating! I say, God blessed me and I will let things go to bless others. This mind shift was necessary for me to get the stuff out!
I LOVE to declutter. It's fun to me so watching this video brings a smile on my face. My home is so nice and neat and everything I walk in my place I smile because it's simple and feels so comfortable.
That's so wonderful!!! A decluttered space is my favorite space to be in! :)
This is exactly what I have started last week!!! Ruthless decluttering. I'm just donating, I can't go through the process of selling things or it'll never get done unfortunately.
Same
I have done the huge declutter and am I now on the maintenance phase but just like you I did say, "How was that still in my house?" last week! I have started helping others declutter, too which is super satisfying!
I think the 1in-1out rule is best for things you're replacing, such as, a new coat for an old coat, new socks for socks with holes, new pants for pants that no longer fit etc. with the secret being that you *actually* donate/remove the old item. I find it very helpful for maintaining my "inventory" once I've decluttered.
Love that you said it took 15 years to get all the things in your home and only one year to get it out. VERY encouraging!! I’ll be reminding myself of this!!!
*Your direction in life is more important than your speed.*
Do you agree?
I can’t believe how true it is that I don’t miss the stuff either and it gets easier and easier to get rid of stuff! Thanks for your videos, I enjoy them so much!
Glad you also feel that way! Thanks for watching!!
Totally agree with just getting rid of it and being ruthless about it! I found when I hesitated or offered things to friends and family on Facebook or whatever, I just ended up with piles laying around that were sitting there waiting for others to pick them up. And it definitely takes me less time to clean the house having less! Btw, that color blue looks AMAZING on you!
Same
Ruthless decluttering is definitely the way to go. Donate everything!
Agreed!! Otherwise I get bogged down by trying to figure out what to do with individual items e.g. sell, give to family or friends, etc.
@rowan orre
And the things you donated helped make the world a better place !
I'm trying to declutter basically my whole house. I have a small 3 br ranch house. It will probably take me yrs. I work a FT job plus a PT job. So I have limited time. Basically 1 -2.days a week. My husband does not clean at all. He has TONS of clothes, shoes, books, etc. He wont fold or put them away. Now I leave them in his basket. My daughter (18) is a commuting college freshmen plus works so she really doesnt have a lot of time. But her room really is packed with stuff. Clothes she doesn't wear. Stuffed animals, old toys(yes really) . I also have ADHD, depression. I really have to push myself to make head way.
If it ain’t nailed down or breathing in my house this year it had to go! I feel so free AND I’m not a mean mom anymore. I didn’t realize all the stuff made me stress and anxious. I took that out on my family and never want to again.
Yes 100%
I started my journey 3 yrs ago starting out as a hoarder lvl 3 now I have what most people consider a very minimal amount of stuff but am wanting to declutter probably 50% of what I still have which should leave me with like 4 boxes of things in total and I've been really stuck lately and your videos are so motivating and they always inspire me to keep going ❤️
You should consider keeping punctuation, like commas and full stops though...
@@kashbash9645 thats simplifying life
I have no problems reading it actually it would have made my life (school) easier😊
Sam, how did you evolve from hoarding? I want to help a friend of mine who suffers over letting things go.💙
@@pdxoregon1 I started with working on my mental health in general and realizing I had a problem. From there I had a support system who helped me determine what was a "normal" amount of stuff to keep ex. 1 newspaper you finish reading vs. 5 boxes of newspapers. I think the biggest help for me was that they never once really pushed me to get rid of anything they just said "hey do you want me to help you go through some of your things". When we came up on something abnormal they were like "when you die do you want some to find this", or "how will this _____ help you if you keep it" and of course the biggest one for me was (for info. I was "just a collector") "okay we keep the whole collection but where does it end? How can you store ____ so it remain collectable?". From there I used lots of the advice to declutter that's on the Internet and my hoarding still acts up if I get stressed or something tramatic happens but I just go back and look at old photos and think "I could be there..."
@@samramsey1142 That's terrific, Sam! THank you so much for your reply. Tomorrow I will be helping my friend declutter for a couple of hours, and your reply is really helpful. I'll remember to just gently ask questions, rather than try to rush the process. She's a LOVELY person, so I really want to help her, not stress her out. Thanks again!!
I love decluttering. I still am decluttering every month I have a huge pile in my garage to take to good will. It is so freeing to let stuff go!
My first huge declutter (attic) was in 2002. I am just now to the point that the house feels pretty good and I'm comfortable with how much "stuff" is in here. That being said, I still manage to find the "why is this still in my house" items. This was a very enjoyable video. Thank you.
We are downsizing in a year or so and your videos are so inspiring! I am continually decluttering and making so many passes thru my house. My husband and I just want to live more simply and enjoy traveling, family, and our hobbies. Thank you SO MUCH!
There's always new things to learn and try when it comes to decluttering and that's why I love it! I've gotten so much better at keeping ontop of things so it's never out of control and I always have time for my family! Totally agree with your points
I JUST finished another HUGE declutter of my "stuff" the last 2 weeks. I have TONS of inventory from my business I had to close plus all the random everything and was mega stressing always.
I'd say I have decluttered 3 to 5 THOUSAND items (the super small things not included) in the last 2 ish weeks. My motivator - needing a new mattress and starting to reorganize or organize in general my pantry which is a small bedroom. Mhmmm, yeah.... BUT, I am SO motivated to keep going even though my body is like "lady, what are you doing?!?!?!"
I've donated to many local organizations and got totally ruthless and tossed, recycled, donated 80% of things I touched. I'm saving paper clutter til last as myself and daughter are disabled so always tons of papers but allot are important to keep. 🤦♀️🤦♀️ filled my SUV twice in 1 day and dropped off at church. I'm soooo happy! And still going. You inspired me to make my bedroom beautiful so with my new mattress delivered, new bedding that was in boxes, blankets, pillows, curtains etc.. are now all out being used FINALLY. If I could show you the massive piles in my room before to now - big improvement! Closet is 90% done. Thank you for all the great tips and tricks to get thru allllll the stuff!! 💕💕
I just sold my house and eliminated (by volume) about HALF of my possessions. Am living out of a couple suitcases for a few weeks, and when I move into my new place, I plan to be extremely intentional in what I choose to bring into the space.
The hardest thing to get over was the guilt/regret of NOT making sure all the items were sold at the "best" price, or were given to the "most deserving" person. I just didn't have the time to do all that if I was going to get the best price for my house. I cured that guilt/regret by knowing that I profited more by acting swiftly & can afford to repurchase if needed, and can donate more to charity this year.
And the ultimate gift to myself (and in turn, my family & friends) was the vast reduction of time & stress to me.
I'm the same. Only last year I attempted to sell some of my clothes in a thrift store (thrift stores are not a thing in my country, there's only ONE place and I live on the 11th largest city in the world). Anyway I'm an anxious person and if I'm getting stuff out, I'm getting stuff out. I don't have room for "meantime" and "maybe". For me it was a process that started slow but with time it grew and grew. Mostly because my house is small and I'm lazy. The only way for it not to be cluttered is to have no clutter.
I really love that you broke it down to 5 to 10 minute sessions when that's all the time you have - long term that will really count !
I am at the end of my decluttering journey 👏🏼 so I have started helping my friend who wants a tidier more aesthetic space 😍💖❤️ love your channel xx
Im so glad to hear that Im not the only one who gets anxiety while decluttering, awesome job!!!!!!!!!
I’ve been a casual subscriber for a few years, initially for beauty. Now I’m into decluttering and minimalism and glad I can watch you on that too. You nailed it: sock and tired of just moving things from room to room. TO WHAT END?!?!?!
So happy you're joining me for this journey!!
I love the idea of ‘ruthless decluttering’. Especially just donating, not feeling guilty about not selling and getting some money back. It makes it so much more accessible to me as I feel so overwhelmed when selling
Number 3, ruthless decluttering is on point. I held things for family and friends and it actually stressed me out more. I want it gone and I want it gone now. Thank you for the encouragement…🙌🏼🙌🏼🙌🏼
Totally agree! Saving things for family and friends isn’t fair for them because offering your own unwanted stuff to them may make them feel obligated to accept it. So you’re experiencing the freedom of decluttering while adding to your friends’ burden. But when you DONATE to a second hand store, you are allowing someone to discover your item and choose it for their home. It’s the best way to go!
Thank you so much for this video. Being a mother and working full time. My home is messy like yours previous pics. I've been decluttering since months but it wasn't going anywhere. Now I need to start decluttering ruthlessly. I already started decluttering my clothes..I see HUGE difference now. Your tips were so helpful. Thanks again, God bless you!!!
This is a wonderful summary/lesson. This summer I had an aha moment. Am I giving my kids an opportunity to have items for their future house or am I allowing a 4th generation to have boxes of glassware in storage? That switch in thinking gave me and my Dad permission to let so much of it go. The idea of someones else, even strangers, TODAY using it makes us all happy. And even the idea of that yes, some items, might be worth more than the few dollars a charity might ask for is ok. That also supporting a picker/reseller who also profits on something my grandmother loved is exciting as we are indirectly helping someone with their business. There is grace in supporting both a charity and the picker too.
Background: My grandmother collected glassware (as in servings of 12 from a time when a complete pattern when a had 5different pieces). mostly at garage sales or friends. The majority were not used by her. My widow Dad still has at least six patterns in his house that will be leaving soon.
My house, until a few months ago, had a complete serving for 24/36? plus incompetent sets for another five because the “I will take it to get it out of their house and dispose of it myself” method of decluttering didn’t work as it is an “emotional” category for me). What especially makes us happy is no one is keeping things out of love/guilt is wonderful. This has been a four year journey for us. Decluttering Rocks!
I got rid of a 16 piece set and more of China back a couple months ago it felt so good to get it out of my house
"There is grace in supporting a charity and a picker too." What a lovely way to express that concept, especially for those of us who have collected and inherited antiques. I am only a caretaker of these things and can feel good about handing them over to others now.
I began my minimalism journey during quarantine about 8 months ago. My husband has always been minimalist, but I never was. I was a collector: dolls, Harry Potter stuff, antiques We used to have a 100 year old house, which was neat, but it was filled with so much stuff. We got rid of 50% of our things when we left one house, accumulated more in ten years (soooo much more), then about 75% of that hoard when we sold that house. Now, we are renting. It’s a nice house with great landlords, but I started getting a bit twitchy. We’ve been here 5 years, but because we don’t own this place, I started wondering about being ready to move if we needed to. I was also still very embarrassed at how much stuff I was keeping for “nostalgia”. I started following The Minimal Mom sometime in June of 2020 and my subscriptions have bloomed to over 50 influencers who have great things to teach! My home is now visitor ready and it’s a breeze to keep clean. Thank you for your cheer and love in your videos! I look forward to seeing you every week. :) -K
The one in one out rule I just learned from Dana K White, she says that this applies when you wish to maintain a space that has already been decluttered and it applies to the container concept that a space should not be filled all the way but here should be some empty space so that it's easy to get item in and out and see it without it getting messy when you go to retrieve an item. It isn't a way TO declutter.
With the one-in, one out, I look at it as categorical rather than purely numerical: I buy two new books, I donate two books I’ve read or started and didn’t like. My kids get a new video game, I get rid of one they don’t play. I am gifted three jewelry items, I purge three items I don’t ever reach for.
I have been on this journey for 3+ years and it has been slow but I am beginning to see less😜 I confess that it started with a capsule wardrobe and slowly from there I just keep at it. There are times I get discouraged and then I come to a happy video and you always inspire me to just keep going❤️ Thanks for a happy place
Im a work in progress. I moved to a much bigger house from a 2 bed apt and the amount of things I got rid of is mind blowing lol. And its so true. I do not miss the stuff. I have so much more room and time now with less stuff. Im so happy. Im about to have a baby and I have only bought the basics, bare minimum if you will. Im so happy practicing minimalism while having a baby. 💜
Great I’m happy for you congratulations 🎉
I've never had that much clutter. However, I agree that you stop wanting to shop. I've made sure that I have the right stuff I need if I want to entertain but I think I'm at the end of that. It's wonderful to only have what I need.
Toatally agree with all your points , I think decluttering is a learning process and the more you do it , the better you get at it...decluttieting clears your house but most importantly your mind...donate straight away is the key as leaving them around waiting for people to take them is frustrating so I donate straight away to my local cancer research shop which makes me feel good because I lost family members to it..if there is one point about decluttering that is100% on piont, is when you get rid of it YOU DONT MISS IT!!!.
Great video
I did the same...I was ruthless and donated everything. I’m so glad I did it!
I’ve been on this journey for a while. I find as I get older 48 this year, more and more stuff seems to weigh me down and most of it is not mine. I have 2 grown up kids and a teenager living at home. These days I started writing a list with a heading (TO MY GROWN UP KIDS) asked them to do a number of chores before I get home. My daughter laughed when she read it but it worked. I just refuse to tidy and organise stuff that others cannot look after. A home that is easy to clean, less furniture to move about is my ideal.
Omg !!! You got me at lesson 1. That's how I feel, like I don't know where and how to begin 😵. It's just SO MUCH STUFF ! and don't get me started on paper it's my biggest ENEMY. I look at YOUR before and afters and it's incredible how you can go from that to how your home is set up now. My stress and anxiety do not allow me to even believe that I to could have so much less. It seems like a dream to me 😍.
How are you doing? It's 11 months since you posted. You can do it.
Love these videos! I am on my journey and I think I finally got my husband on board 🙌 it has feel amazing to just get rid of things and honestly it's so peaceful. I also find joy in the items I kept because I can enjoy them now! Thanks for all you awesome tips!!!
I love the baby in the bin! So darling. And ruthless decluttering is the key. Each time I know I will do a larger declutter I pick ONE place to take things. I rotate places. Much easier!
I've been decluttering and preparing for downsizing. THIS is the BEST video I've watched, and have been a faithful follower of MANY. Thank you ❤️ Hoping to help a friend who is in advanced stages of hoarding.. maybe make a video of that too?
I do a regular declutter. Maybe once a season or two. And we are at a point of a 1 in, 4 out for toys at this point 😅 When I declutter, I usually stick to my own items, and let my kids make their own declutter decisions.
I’ve never done ‘one in one out’ the way you described. But if I want to buy a new clothing item (or shoes or a bag) that’s meant to replace another item I really think about whether I’ll be willing to get rid of the old item or if I’ll want to keep both. If I’m not willing to get rid of the old one (that I’m telling myself is no good/needs replacing) then I don’t buy the new item. The pain of decluttering has really helped me buy less stuff I’m not certain about.
This is so great!! And yes, I buy SO much less now because I see my things as future decluttering projects!
I've decluttered a ton already, but I still have a ways to go. Most of what I have left to declutter is in the basement and in the garage, though I do still have things in the spare bedroom to declutter as well. I've been feeling kind of stuck lately, but I'm hoping to make a major dent in the basement when it comes time to pull out the Christmas bins. Whatever we don't use will likely get donated.
One thing I have discovered is that apparently I'm really good at packing a bunch of stuff into whatever space I have available. That seems like a good thing when you're packing it away, but it's not so good when you're decluttering. Sometimes I can go through several boxes in a day. Other times, it takes me several days to get through one box, especially if it has paper clutter in it.
I recommend that you decorate for Christmas early and then donate the ornaments that you don't use at the start of the season. People are much more likely to want and enjoy them if they are offered at the start of the holiday rather than after the holidays are over.
@@jainthorne4136 Yes, thank you! I plan to decorate a little earlier than usual this year for that very reason. 😊 It will be fun. We haven't put our big tree up since we got our oldest cat 7 years ago. She's calmed a bit, so we decided it's safe to decorate the big tree once again. 😂
Me and my husband are at different places in our decluttering journey lol I am ready to jump all in and get rid of 85% and he is more hesitate he has decluttered more than I ever thought he would (he is a bit of a Horder) but he is always worried that we will need it some day. Love your channel though thank you for all the inspiration.
Once I finished the KonMari declutter I couldn’t do the one in, one out because I was basically filling in needs. I am to the point where I declutter about a box worth every 6 months. I actually miss Decluttering but I don’t miss the cluttered mess and the stress of not being able to enjoy going to the movies or vacations because of how bad my house looked.
U got rid of things u needed?
@@YeshuaKingMessiah I got rid of clothes that didn’t fit and realized I didn’t really have enough clothes so I asked for clothes for Christmas. I got rid of holey underwear and saggy bras so I needed new but didn’t go out and buy everything at once. I got rid of too tight shoes and found I needed comfortable flats to wear. After I decluttered I realized why it was so hard to get dressed even though I had a full closet.
Couldn’t affords vacation cause you spent the money cluttering up your house. 😢
I’m sitting here looking at 14 empty tubs!!!! This is my second pass through these items. Initially I put like things together and did an inventory. Then starting a week ago I went back through them (all 22) and got it down to 8. Holy moly! I have space in my closet again.
My first major declutter was doing it mostly the Marie Kondo way. It just makes sense to pull out all of the same stuff....ex clothes, shoes, cd's, dvd's, then kitchen stuff, etc. It really shows you just how much crap you have in your house. I got rid of almost all of my cd's & dvd's, at least 1/3 of my clothes, etc. Sometimes you need to be ruthless! And that fantasy self.....you know, those hobbies that were in....card making/scrapbooking, etc....all the money spent and more than half never being used or used once or twice....Boy did I get rid of a ton!!....Not literally a ton in weight...you know! :-) Decluttering can be extremely overwhelming but when you've done it several times it's kind of fun to get rid of more stuff. Always fun to see your smile and positive outlook Candice!
I just happen to run into ur channel!!! I'm in the process of becoming a minimalist and decluttering. I had planned to sell stuff i didn't want. I watched your video and decided to donate the items. As SOON AS i decided to donate, a man knocks on my door and takes most of my electrical items!! ($$)
Oh my I just found you and I feel so lucky that I looked today and then got you. You started right away with information that is soooo true ---I was hooked and I find you gracious and lovely and simply great in the way you inform and share with truth and it gives me energy to help me ( an old lady who has been struggling for years to really get decluttering).
Thank you somuch for doing all it takes to get this video done
I dont know you but i feel you are another me in the world. i feel super anxious about things cluttered around me and I always go for ruthless declutter instead of selling stuff. loved your ideas! thank you for sharing
I’m 65 and have two children and three grandchildren. Things they love to look through are old photo albums (fascinating to those that only have 1000’s of pictures on phones they never look at) they love the story behind napkins that only come out at Xmas that were hand stitched by their great great grand parents and passed down the generations. I have shelves of objects like the wonky pottery seal my son made at school, an ashtray (who even smokes anymore) and countless pictures, crafted tree decorations and personal items that are madly quirky but utterly priceless. When people visit there are bookshelves for them to dip into, blankets to cosy under, vases of fresh flowers and shelves and boxes full of personal keepsakes. It’s not clutter and everyone that visits me comments on how warm, welcoming and comfortable my home is. I say all of this because I too admire
the Marie Kondo way of folding clothes in drawers - easy to see. I have a capsule wardrobe. I like a clean house but I cook for fun so have a busy kitchen. I’d just say de clutter by all means but don’t throw the precious baby out with the bath water- years from now the loss will break your hearts. Clean clear but also cloak your home with love and heritage. Don’t be afraid to show personality. A bedroom with only a bed a chest and perhaps one other item lacks soul - it could be any room in any hotel around the world. Just my opinion. 😍Happy new year all.
💕🤗💞
You are inspirational! As I was watching your video I started taking notes, then I got up & started decluttering my office, then sweeping, mopping & started making decisions I have been procrastinating all year! I started working from home & my home office has piles of procrastination! I have very organized sections, then the clutter that reminds of a horder! Yes, small amounts of time work for me. My new year motivation is that I have to be on camera for work, so the background NEEDS to be organized. Time to stop the piles. Thank you for motivating me!
I had de-cluttered my house but now it's horrible again! I loved it when it was simplified and I'm not sure when the turn happened. So I started slowly trying to go through things again. This time it seems harder for me because I'm worried it's going to turn into a vicious cycle.
Stop buying, use the 1 in 1 out method.
I’m a ruthless declutterer while my husband is a thoughtful declutterer. We both love to declutter but we have different methods. I have to ruthlessly declutter and then he has to go through my pile and be thoughtful about it. We usually still get rid of 95% of my pile but most of the time my husband has something he wants to keep them 6 months later that item he so desperately wanted to keep gets thrown back in the pile and he doesn’t keep it😂🤷🏻♀️
I am a huge fan of decluttering ( purging) . I used to thrift for entertainment… Stopped doing that. I actually get a Nateral high when I declutter. I find my self telling my girl friends how much fun I’m having. I’ve tried different methods. 1-30 days each day matching the number of items, one room at a time, etc. gladly I’m starting to find less and less to purge. Eureka!
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You are one of my absolute favourite inspirational UA-camrs! Love your messages and appreciate your content so much.
Good job 👏 I did a similar initial declutter, but I didn’t maintain for a year. Now I’m dealing with a lot of mess but I’m half way through 💪 so u agree with you in lesson 6 (it’s not an ending project) @6:28 and lesson 10 (do monthly declutter) @11:58. Here I am a year later dealing with it 😅
Great way to save money. Love watching you. You have so much positive energy. Thank you
I have no idea how I got here, watching this video, but had to say: this is a seriously GREAT video because A) your bedroom looks great; and B) you are bubbling with happiness about having decluttered your space. It reminds me of that 'When Harry Met Sally' scene in the deli. By that I mean, looking at how happy you are, I want to do whatever you did to get there. Thanks for a fun watch.
Since decluttering 5 years ago and living more minimal my life has changed in so many positive ways
We just celebrated our 49th anniversary. Let's just say I *need this video! Thank you for another push. Maybe I can get my husband on board. Fingers crossed!
I love cleaning and organizing so my house looks decluttered but I actually have lots of inventory. I have decluttered maybe 50%. I regularly declutter about 6-10 bags/boxes every quarter. No matter how much I declutter I still feel guilty about the things I do have. Not sure how to deal with the guilt.
Let go of guilt. I have found it's a wasted emotion. I tell myself "This is what works for me right now. Someday that will probably change, but if it doesn't then that's okay, too." I went from owning a 13 room house (fully furnished and packed to the gills) to owning a 386 Square Foot studio in the heart of the city. But that didn't happen overnight. Took be about 10 years and countless culling down events to reach this point.
You are my decluttering journey hero. Well, I am off to tackle another area!
I completely decluttered our house a couple years ago. At that time, I had never heard of "decluttering" or "minimalism" or "downsizing" for the benefit of a better life. And I had the exact same experience with it that you describe in your video. What's also funny to me is that I was also a "ruthless" declutterer😉.
Love this video! I, too, have been decluttering for a year. Not with the results you have had, but we have managed to get rid of a huge amount of stuff. I have issues with depression that get in the way so it's been slow going, but I have learned that you are never really done. You let stuff go in a category, and then later you look again and see if you can pare it down more, and in doing that we have let go of much more than if we had made one pass over each category and called it done. Not having closets or rooms that are overflowing with stuff feels amazing. Congrats to you on all of the progress you have made!
Your enthusiasm brightens my morning! I have decluttered quite a bit so now it's a daily behavior to put aside anything I come across that I know I don't need. When a I have a boxful or bagful I drop it off at Goodwill.
Thank you for sharing . I’m About to tackle a big declutter project now and needed encouragement .thanks. 💛🤍.
i’ll be moving overseas in a few months and need to get rid of a lot of stuff. it’s daunting! but this video made me feel a lot more confident. i can do it!
Good luck Emmeline! It will feel so good and light.
I just declutter as I clean my house on a regular basis.
So far, I’m on my fourth ruthless truckload off to charity or whoever else wants to take it off my hands ASAP. Lol. As far as cleaning goes, (there was a lot of laundry and dishes to do first...for example lol), and it was easier for me to tackle it all “one last time” knowing that half of that stuff was THE last time I’d ever have to deal with it. My fave lesson was how much time you get back. Very encouraging.
I recommend the audiobook "decluttering at the speed of life" it's the best decluttering book!
Ohhh sounds AMAZING!!!
Was written by Dana K White. She also wrote, HOW TO MANAGE YOUR HOME WITHOUT LOSING YOUR MIND ...
You're so darn cute! I realized that just getting rid of the stuff and not trying to sell it just made it so easy for me. I think I only had to re-buy maybe 3 things that I realized I actually needed after decluttering them, but out of thousands of items, that's a tiny amount
The baby in the plastic bin was so cute, as were her deft moves around the baby while emptying that kitchen cabinet/closet.
Less than you Think- this is a concept I really want to embrace in the new year!
Great advice about the small bursts of working - so helped me. When I felt like I couldn't get alo t done - I made myself do a little at least and it really helps to chip away the mess little by little. Soon you will see a difference to soon getting it really down to a clean looking area..
I have decluttered loads but like you I declutter regularly. I agree with your thoughts of one in one out rule, I use it at times like if my daughter wants a new toy if she gets it I will say she has to give away 1-3 others. But if I get some new clothes unless it is a case of getting a pair of Jean because the pair I have has a hole then 1 in 1 out, but sometimes I want to try out my clothes see if I like them and if it works on my wardrobe then I will declutter in a month or so.
I love all your lessons. You and a few other You Tubers have inspired me so much to declutter. ❤️
I have been definitely feeling the need to major declutter !! So after this video I feel super motivated to get started !! I legit was about to pause your video and start 😂 Thanks so much !
I'm so happy this video was motivating!!!
Love all lessons but lesson six really speaks to me along with the ruthless lesson!!!!
I have done a lot of decluttering over the years. I'm really good about getting rid of excess toys at least once a year and going through my kids clothes several times a year. I've done my kitchen once a year the last two years. But we still have so much stuff. We are moving across country and we are using this as a time to purge. Our new home does not have a garage, basement, or attic. Not even a coat closet. Just one large storage closet that we need to store holiday decor and food storage. Soooo....we do plan to let a lot go. My husband is finally on board with the less too.
Last year I had a break-in and I had my bag, phone and my jewellery box stolen. Unfortunately my jewellery box contained sentimental items and I was very disappointed to have lost them it contained items from my childhood - but I do have my memories of them. But as for a bag, that was epic for me. I've always had a bag stuffed full of thing I might need. I did get a tiny shoulder bag for the times I needed to look professional, but on the whole I've learnt to live without a bag. The experience taught me that what we think is important we can live without.
Some challenges are when you are test to declutter but your spouse doesn’t. I will do the areas that I can control and let him get there when he is ready.
Thank you for this, I've been putting off putting away stuff, it feels overwhelming but this encouraged me to push through 🙂
So glad this was encouraging!
It's true even doing a small section when you feel overwhelmed - works
Wow, ruthless decluttering!! I LOVE that!!!! What a great video. Thank you! Just found your channel today.
Ruthless is the way for me too. I find if I have piles here and there to give or donate or am undicided, it ends up back in the closets. Get it out the door!
Me and my husband have different methods of decluttering but im starting to be more ruthless like him
I the process of decluttering and it feels so overwhelming!!
Your sharing was so enthusiastic and personable. Great suggestions too. Thanks and congrats on your accomplishments 🎉
I have made a lot of progress in my bedroom by replacing my large bedside tables with 1 small one with only the bare necessities in it. I experience a lot of peace because of it.
I always thought the 1 in, 1 out was for that specific item. For example, if I buy yet another black sweater, I need to donate one of my other black sweaters so I don’t accrue too many.