Thank you for watching today! If you're newer to our channel (or are looking for a refresher!) I created a "START HERE" Playlist with our key concepts for simplifying and decluttering, you can find that here: cli.re/START-HERE Hope it helps and hope you have a great day!! - Dawn
Here’s the thing about those of us that do have a good habit of doing dishes every night. I do. Every night I shine the sink. It’s something I’ve done for a long time. BUT, when I’m sick or when I have a baby, or some other thing happens. If there is a ton of dishes, the other people don’t do the dishes the way I do…. It’s CrAZiNess!!! It would take me days to catch up. I remember one time before I started decluttering. I got sick and when I felt better it took me an entire week to get them caught up. 😳😳😳 No matter how much you have a habit of doing dishes there’s no need to have so many dishes that it takes a week to catch up. If there aren’t that many dishes, the other people in my house have to wash dishes if I’m sick or something.
I just had a conversation with a friend about judging myself instead of having a more reflective practice to decide what’s working and why. Excellent timing! Loved this!
Your vids are SO helpful. I’m over 70. The repetition of the message really makes a difference. My spouse ( of 53 years) & I were getting the guest room ready for my son & family who haven’t been here in nearly 2 years. I found myself going through accumulations and saying, “I won’t remember where it’s at if I ever wanted it again”; or “I haven’t used this in years”, etc. You repeating yourself over and over again through various vids really do start to sink into my brain. I can’t thank you enough. Don’t ever think you don’t have anything new to say. The repetition over the months and years is blessing my house & family through the years. Thank you.
When clearing out our old house for our move late last year, I realized a truth. Just because I still like something is not reason enough to keep it if I am not using it in my life. It is easy to get rid of trash and other straightforward discards. But not so easy when I simply have excess that are candidates to use, but there are just not enough hours in a day or days in a week or weeks in a month or months in a year to be able to use it all. The truth is that my lifetime could be shackled to excess stuff, or I could just decide to say goodbye and use my precious time freed from inventory. I do not live in a store, I live in a home and I want the things in my home to enhance me, not drown me.
Thank you for the reminder that I do not have to keep items just because they are physically in my home and are still useful. I don’t need to ask if it’s useful, but need to ask myself- is it being used?🧐 deep thoughts. Thank you for sharing your wisdom! 😘
I love the shot of Gage doing the dishes for two reasons. First, he’s a cutie-patootie. Second you’re modeling what I think is essential in a family: your children are an essential part of the process. They don’t “help” you; they do their chores.
I am very careful not to ask my son, "Come, help me pick up your toys." Instead I'll say, " You need to clean up your toys. I will help you." It's a subtle difference, but I think it's important for kids to know that they have responsibilities too. I like that part of your reason for having a simplified life, is to make it easier for your kids to pick up after themselves. Smart !
How will they learn to keep ther own house if we dn't train them to keep their childhood home? Given how much I have struggled learning to clean and cook and keep my space tidtly, I would not want my adult children to go through that process. Train them young to cook and clean while they have the energy to learn almost anything and allow for mistakes as they are beginners. And for goodness sakes train your boys how to clean up after themselves and cook for themselves!
I’m older now-68. When I was a young mother I stressed out about dishes every day. Now I associate dirty dishes with having had the blessing of a meal with my husband of almost 50 years. All about perspective.
Connie .. that reminds me of a tv movie i saw years ago when my husband was still alive. Keeping up with dishes has always been hard for me. My resentment made me feel like i was going to die someday right in the kitchen surrounded by dirty dishes. Then one day this really old black & white movie came on tv about a bunch of women inmates of a prison. They were having a talk about how their lives had turned out when a big burly woman said "what i would give to have a man in the house and a sink full of dirty dishes" I knew the universe was speaking directly to me. . . It gave me a different perspective on mine & others situations. Did it turn me into Martha Stewart with squeaky clean kitchen? No. I still struggle with dishes. I used to have a plaque hanging in my kitchen that said something like "Thank God for dirty dishes, they have a tale to tell, while others may go hungry, we're still eating well"
I SO appreciate how you acknowledge that all of us aren't created the same and we don't all have the same habits, or even desire or capability to create habits so therefore we need to create a different solution to our problem (i.e. likely reducing inventory :) Thank you for your channel!
I’m not a mom and not a minimalist, but I love your channel! We are implementing the strategy of reducing inventory, albeit gradually. One thing that helped with dishes was acknowledging that my energy is low in the evenings. My body wakes up at 6:00 AM and wants to go to bed at 9:00 PM. We eat dinner late because of my husband’s work schedule. After dinner we load what we can in the dishwasher. The rest is stacked neatly so that the kitchen is tidy, but I don’t wash anything. Even the countertops are left to the next day, unless there is something that’s going to be harder to wipe up if it sits overnight. When I wake at 6:00 AM I make a cup of coffee, give myself a bit of time to fully wake, then do the dishes that need hand-washing (almost always drip-drying in the rack) and wipe down the counters. It’s a peaceful time of day for me. Doing dishes once a day doesn’t mean you must do them at night. 😉
I like how you end all your videos by saying “I love you” like you’re talking to a close friend or family 😊 And you sound totally genuine and sincere, too. Love your videos, I have been watching them a lot lately for motivation!
"It's either me doing it, or me having to use my energy to get the kids or Tom or someone else in our household to do it...I don't care to use my energy on that right now" THIS!!!!!!!!!!!
When my hubby and kids asked WHY I was decluttering the kitchen, I replied that since I seemed to be the only one taking care of that space, I needed a more manageable work space for ME!
@@deborahjames3113 yesss! That’s what I try to explain to my husband as well. You can help me clean daily OR I declutter the excess to making cleaning easier for *me*
Now that I am an empty nester, it’s much easier to keep up with the dishes or laundry. However, I wish I had seen this video when my kids were growing up. I remember days of carpooling, sports activities, scouts, church activities, etc where by the time I actually got a meal on the table, I had no energy left (while trying to get kids bathed and homework done,) to clean the kitchen or corral the laundry. The beauty of cutting inventory so there is no way for dishes to pile up or have 5-6 loads of laundry to tackle makes so much sense!
I know! I used to have to do dishes OR laundry because it was an ALL.DAY.EVENT. I mean everything needed cleaning. Do not miss hauling 8 loads of laundry to/from laundromat at all!
I thought I was the only one to feel bad about not being able to keep up with the house as a stay home parent. I thought the choice was either happy kids or a happy house (I chose the kids) but so glad I now know about option 3 which is reducing inventory so there is less to manage. We still have a fair way to go in the process but already feeling so much less stressed in the house and am so grateful to you for your inspiration and motivation which you always impart with so much compassion, empathy and understanding (such as we aren't all the type of people who stick to doing the dishes everyday). What once felt overwhelming and paralyzing now feels hopeful and possible. Thank you.
I am a “do the dishes every night” person because I like the feeling of a fresh start to the day. However, I love the fact that this gives people other options that may suit them better.
I am one of the lucky ones who developed the habit with dishes when i was young. It was just the way things were done at our home when I was growing up. BUT....I love that you have given us an alternative that will achieve the same result. One of the things I appreciate most about your channel...and the UA-cam groups...is that you and Dana and Cass have done such a wonderful job of demonstrating how differently our brains are wired. There really is no one "right" approach for everyone because we are all different, and none of us should feel guilt about the way God has made us! You are a blessing.
If the dishes get done, GR8 if they don't, GR8💯. I didn't do dishes yesterday🤷♀️. (I spent the day watching tv with my sick boys🤫. I cared n tended to their needs. I unpacked from a wkend getaway. I changed bed linens. I did laundry. I put dishes away🤭. I cooked 3 meals. I consoled a heartbroken youth. I responded to voice n e-mails. I sorted thru 3 bins for donation. I tidied up the WHOLE house. I showered n brushed my teeth). It was a gr8 day🙏! Today, I will wash dishes😉. Thx 4 sharing ✌
Do you know how much you are a part of my life? Watching videos like yours is something I like to do when I feel down. And that is a lot of the time. Most youtubers make a video once a week or less. But every time I open my UA-cam you are there with a new video and make me feel better and motivated. I love you and I’m so thankful that you open your life so you can be a part of mine. Even if we live so far apart! Greats from Belgium 💋
I know this video is 2 yrs old & I have been on this journey awhile now, but today was the 1st day that I looked at the dirty dishes & my first thought was “I need to further reduce our inventory,” NOT “what a terrible person I am” or “why doesn’t my family help more.” My family helps & I am not terrible.😊🎉
You are my "go to" QUEEEEN of minimalism!! Any of my friends and family that show ANY signs of decluttering, I send them straight to your videos😅 Thankyou so much for helping us see the simple wisdom 😘
This does really boil it down! It's either habit or inventory. If the habit isn't taking, then adjust the inventory! No shame, no blame, just adjust and move on! Thanks for another great video ❤❤❤
This video cleared up so much gray area for me! I always knew why I wanted to reduce inventory and how having less did make cleaning easier, but my husband was on the side of "just develop the habit". My husband grew up in a home where they do the dishes after every meal, yet they have an abundance of plates and dishes. I grew up in a home where they got done when we either ran out of dishes or the sink was full lol. He believes that not having the habit developed is the problem, not reducing inventory. I never could find the words to explain why reducing inventory made sense to me, so now if it comes up again, I will have a video to show him! Also, thank you for being real and admitting that you'd rather go sit down at the end of the night and not do dishes! I was beginning to think maybe I was lazy for wanting to just rest at the end of the night after chasing kids all day! 🤪
My whole adult life I’ve lived with frustration because I kept being told, by my mom and others, to just develop the habit of doing the dishes nightly and picking up nightly. Since I have been following this advice and reducing the amount of stuff, it has made my life so much more relaxed and I could release that expectation and acknowledge there’s more than 1 way to have a clean house
Doing dishes was my prayer time when my children were young :) I didn't do them daily, but every 3rd day or so and having my prayer time with my hands in warm water was a nice break.
I don't use my dishwasher by choice. We are a household of 4 and wash our dishes. I like not having dishes sitting in the sink because the dishwasher wasn't run or they are clean and the dish washer needs to be unloaded. It literally takes a view minutes to do the dishes, dry them and put them away. Leaves my kitchen clean and that makes me happy and so blessed.
I love how you don’t judge or criticise or lecture on your channel. You just share so freely and encourage us all, whilst living in a family in real time. You are each one such a joy and blessing to me.
Not a criticism, but a thought. It took me a lot of years to realize it takes essentially the same amount of time to walk the dishes to the sink or counter as it did to open the dishwasher and put it right in after use🙂
Everyone in our family who is over two puts dishes in dishwasher. I think putting in a dishwasher can be an easy habit to build since you can’t remove the counter space. That being said if a certain amount on the counter doesn’t bother you then that’s fine. I lived with a grandfather for a couple months in the summer (in my teens) at a beach house. he was adamant that we did dishes immediately after meals. Was probably smart because there were plenty of fun things calling us! Now it’s absolutely a habit.
Thank you Dawn for teaching us that the end goal is the same. No one way is right for all. I like making bed first thing in morning, kitchen cleaned and dishwasher emptied before bed. Now for those craft projects and books to read/donate sitting by my chair! Ugh, what a mess! Everyone has their challenge!
For viewers having issues with routines, I have all mine written down on a sheet of paper behind a plastic protector. I mark off each thing as I go with a dry erase marker. You could also set this up on your phone and mark it off there. So I have kitchen clean up on there in my AM routine and my PM routine. 💜
@@Mila-Believer-wife-mamaof3-RN all of them. Wipe the dish with your napkin and put it in the dishwasher. I’m 64 and grew up with a dishwasher. IF one doesn’t come clean wash just THAT dish
This actually makes me feel a ton better! I was feeling kinda like I “failed” because I couldn’t cut down our dishes to “one set per person”. I have a 4yo and twin 1yos and so I run the dishwasher every night. The habit was pretty easy for me but I still felt guilt for having so much inventory. But you’re right, the goal is to make life more manageable and free up time to be present with my family!! Not check off a box on the imaginary list of “this is what a minimalist does”
Simplifying our house (even just moderately!) has made such a difference to my bandwidth to develop those domestic habits! Now washing up is achievable in 15mins most days, I feel like I can keep the house together cause it takes less than 10 mins to put away the toys, clothes are immediately put away before I start a new load of laundry. This is a great principle:)
Great perspective -- sometimes the conventional solution (daily dishwashing, laundry baskets) isn't the only way to reach the end goal. We do not live in a "one size fits all" world and I really appreciate that you encourage and support people to find and do what works for them!
It’s so refreshing to hear a common sense approach to minimalism! 👏🏻 I stopped using the dishwasher over 20 years ago. When my son was little we used the time after dinner for he and his stepdad to bond. One way to do that was to wash dishes together. I did the cooking they did the cleanup. 👍🏻 uMy son is an adult with his own home and he does not use his dishwasher! He, like me, hated unloading and putting away the large amount of dishes from the dishwasher. He has no kids yet it’ll be interesting to see how he handles it when/if he does.🤓
This is the fourth time to watch this video now... Thank you for explaining the concept of NOT just declutter and get of rid of stuff to have less... BUT to kinda "trick" yourself and actually develop a habit to have a cleaner less cluttered home... And to finally read an actual book and get some ME time in a day, because everything is a habit now and Not a chore!!! Awesome 🥳✨✌️☺️
I was soooo motivated... I cleaned my kitchen, emptied AND refilled the dishwasher... Then I tackled our laundry, found some things that are Trash and Put away the rest... Thank you soooo much ❤️☺️
Great insight. Thank you. For me, I had serious negative feelings while doing dishes and some household chores. We all ended up mad at each other while cleaning. But cleaning is just a part of life. I consciously shifted my mindset. Thoughts of gratitude, self compassion, and being playful while cleaning helped. Tell myself “I’m awesome” and cheer when I complete a chore. Instead of bubbling with resentment when I do a lot of dishes, I feel peaceful and aware that doing the dishes really is a small part of my day. It’s not worth the space in my brain by being annoyed it. I have too many other creative things to fill me mind with.
Dawn, I love that you mentioned the pots and pans. I am gluten free so there are always two pots for pasta on the stove… two tongs, two sauce pans, two bread pans…two everything… a lot of inventory. I have been able to minimize where I can and that has been so helpful! So, thank you!!
So I watched a different UA-camr this morning who gave a tour of her organized kitchen and other areas. It was absolutely beautiful but I found myself thinking that it's "too much inventory" for my liking. Dawn, your phrases are popping into my head.
I had a dear friend that would call me and we would talk about our day while she did her dishes. Every. Day. I loved the conversation, and she found time in her busy day to check in with me. LOVE HER. And when she was done with the dishes, we would end our call. Some days we talked longer than others. Either way, it was Win-win.
You explained your strategies so well. I’m sure it will help a lot of people. Basically, you are saying….if you don’t like it, find a way to fix it. There are always solutions to problems. Excellent advise.
Agreed, this video gives me the choice to keep working on the habit or reduce my inventory. I think I like having less and the freedom from failing to perform any longer. It has been so fun to make this transformation. Thanks Dawn
Really resonates! This sums up where I was 6 months ago before I found you Dawn. I constantly felt down with the mess my house was in and after watching your videos I grabbed a donation box and a black bag and the rest is history! My three kids like to empty drawers, cupboards etc and I was tidying up stuff I never even used/wore without realising it. Your channel has transformed the way we live! Now the kids can empty the house and it really doesn’t take that long to tidy up. I have failed so many times at complicated cleaning and organising routines and now I feel like I’m winning because I got to the actual root of the problem.
I am currently decluttering alot of my things! I am doing it for me! My husband on the other hand has a difficult time letting things go! Instead of making a Big deal out of it, I have learned to do what works.
Whenever you can explain the thought process behind your choices that is helpful. This video is one of your best. I don’t camp and I’m not religious. I watch you for your help with household decisions and routines. I like your tone-upbeat and sincere-with some laughter!
Thank you for finding the words to explain that it can even be a good idea to give away something we actually like. Because it's quite true that I like a clean kitchen much more than any one thing in the kitchen. And thank you so much for modeling how normal it is to not be able to keep up a habit that we thought we could... and that we can still succeed if we step back and look at inventory instead.
You talk so much sense and I'm decluttering my house as we speak, and then decluttering already decluttered cupboards, drawers etc as I'm finding it often takes me two goes to achieve my goal, and honestly, I'm fine with that. Dishes though, I just don't get the problem. I had three children growing up in the house, and dishes were never a problem, it's just as easy to put the dishes in the dishwasher as stack them by the side. You've helped me see that's okay for me but maybe doesn't work for others, but the reverse is it's also true, it's okay for me to not do something else, and not beat myself up about it. Thank you Dawn, you're a breath of fresh air and realism in this increasingly hectic world.
I get what you're saying and when I was younger and so very busy, this would have been a much better way to go. However I feel like what you say would resonate more with my daughter and maybe even my daughter in law as well. Each for different reasons. I keep telling them about your channel and hope they visit on their own. They're very busy so that may be the reason they don't do it, yet. The reduced inventory would make a huge difference for them. I'm reducing the things I haven't used in years. Many of them are 'antique' dish ware or handed down from grandparents. I love these items, I wish I had reason to use some of these items, but I live in a very small home and will probably never host gatherings the way I once did because of it. I don't want to leave my children with a mess to clean up after I'm gone because I loved and kept things I never used. It would make me happy to pass on anything that they might want, but so far it's mine to let go of. I'm in the thick of Swedish Death Cleaning for sure!
I'm in the process of doing this now, too. I keep sending my kids pics of things & if they want it I put it to the side if not I'm donating it. I had to clean out my moms apt when she passed & it took me a month to go through everything. It was too overwhelming. I don't want my kids to have to go through that. Dawn is helping me a lot with the guilt feelings I had. I'm not done yet, but I've come so far. Good luck, just keep chipping away, we will get there eventually.
I am from Iceland and I so believe in not leaving a mess for my family. I am 65 an I have reduced my inventory like crazy. I love it. Having less inventory is awesome!!!! I am surprised that I still have more to get rid of. Love it!!!!!!
@@sj6728 Lol. right, I can't believe it either, but if we keep chipping away at it, it will soon be gone. It feels so good, even at this stage. Good luck.
@@lindapedersen-hylka7170This is Katrina on my husband's tablet he prefers my iPad 😊. I did this decluttering our stuff. It's just the 2 of us now,take a photo send it ina group chat with kids then most of the time they said NO. 6 car loads to the thrift/ Op shop I now only ask if I really think they would want it ,like my daughter just came over to pick up the older,smaller airfryer my dad gave me. I knew she wanted one 🤣 Gave me the opportunity to buy a better one for us .Aldi $99 ,I love it
I wish I could give this chanel or this knowledge to my loved ones too. But we can't make someone accept it. It gives me comfort to know that one day if I live this way and they see the peace in my home they may finaly ask me why and have a desire to learn of it themselves. I know with chuldren with kids and parents living alone they may adsume that its because you dont have kids. But maybe with casual comments herr and there our loved ones will get an idea that what we have was worked for and they can have it too. Its not just us and they are different.
You are just great Dawn. Thanks for making this video just when you felt the urge. Your videos on decluttering are all great because you explain that there are more than one way of doing ‘things’. This is so helpful and encouraging.
I’ve been laughing at myself during this video because the last few days I’ve been saying to myself “you have to reduce your inventory”, you’re going to get me through this! Thank you!
As Dawn says, we are all at different seasons of life and what you can manage changes. Figuring out what works for you and making your life more enjoyable is the goal. We very often do things because it's the norm or how we were raised. It reminds me of the story of the children asking their mother why she cut the end off the roast before putting it into the pan to cook, Mom says that's the way Grandma did it, so they asked Grandma and Grandma said it was because her pan was too short. 😂
Just beginning to take my house back. Already have 2 donation bins full. Left a truckload of junk at the dump this morning. I think I'm on a roll! Thank you for your videos, they are so helpful.♥️
It is funny how this works differently for everyone. I clean up after every meal (never go to bed with the kitchen a mess) and would find hand washing such a pain. I entertain frequently including overnight family from out of town. I have a set of 24 full sets of silverware… not minimalist I know but without that many I was short when we had overnight guests. I run the dishwasher when full and with a family of 5 that is about once a day. I say do what works for you as that is the beauty of being an adult! Your life, you choose! As much as I love you, your family and this channel, 5 plates for my family of 5 would drive me crazy😊 Thanks for all your videos, I look forward to each new one and even though I’ll never be a minimalist, the way you make me look at stuff has changed my views on organization and ease of use!
Yes! Yes! Yes! I love feeling good about myself when I can manage the smaller amount of kitchen things that I now have! Thanks for taking the time to talk about the logic behind your decisions to have less inventory! I have really reevaluated the habits I have or am trying to make and how to make systems that actually work with me and how my brain works (basically it all has to be super easy)! Thank you Dawn for all your videos! Watching them and making changes this year has made my life and how I feel about myself and my stuff sooooooo much better!
I had a friend in high school with eleven siblings. They had a very minimal home, and after each meal the kids would line up at the sink and each wash their plate and utensils, with one of the older kids supervising. They had no dishwasher, but this took about 5-10 minutes to do after each meal. I have never implemented this with my own family (my kids rotate doing the dishes after dinner each night and have for years) but I think it's a great idea that could work really well for some families.
I loved this because I grew up in a house where the dishes were done every night. However for the past few years I was working at night and my husband during the day and then now I currently have a 5 month old baby so now I have 3 kids and I'm trying to finish college. I honestly just don't have the time and so. I loved how you said that's just not me and I've have been told by my parents I thought I trained you better, but its nice to know what works for some doesn't work for others.
That was excellent. Dana K. White helped me to develop the dishes habit by helping me to realize that I COULDN’T rely on anyone else to develop the habit and that I couldn’t take weekends off. These two ideas were the “aha” moments for me: 1. It’s on me and 2. There’s no day off for dishes. This helped me to stop having those miserable Mondays and it also helped me to store all of our dishes in the kitchen without fear of ALL of them being used before washing them.
I have the habit of doing the dishes after every meal. But I couldn't establish an exercise habit to save my life. I honestly think how we are brought up has a lot to do with it. It's really hard to make a new habit, but then I think of the gift and legacy of good habits I can/could leave to my children and it does make me want to do better.
It IS all about systems - and we each figure out what works for us, individually. I’m sure some of my systems will seem wacky to others - but luckily, it’s the internet, and “everyone” isn’t coming over to my house! My systems work, I’m happy with that. Thank you, Dawn, for your videos and ideas!
As long as dishes are added to the dishwasher directly, I love my dishwasher. I don’t run it every night (not having kids, I don’t run through dishes very quickly), but I have definitely made it a habit to keep the sink clear and unload the dishwasher (when needed) while brewing coffee. I used to just stand there waiting for my coffee, so this has been a change that makes dishes take essentially no time out of my day. It’s all about finding what works for you!
Thanks so much for sharing your systems !! Part of laundry system I created to help me streamline my morning routine, removing barriers to establishing a habit of walking my dogs each morning. We exit through the laundry room, so I keep my walking shoes AND socks in the laundry room all within reach of a chair to sit while putting them on. Also, I have a little spot for putting the dirty socks in the same area when we get home. I also start my robot vacuum to run while we’re walking. So part of my night time routine is emptying and checking the charge on the vacuum.
I absolutely love this!! Your stuff is always so great but like someone else said, I love that you acknowledge we all are so different. Giving ourselves grace and getting the end result by way of what works best. Some areas we have changed habits and others we have definitely reduced inventory. Like dishes, we definitely have the habit down of washing each day. We entertain families from church/young mamas a lot so we do keep more inventory easily accessible. Also, yes, the front coat closet... Sooooo many shoes. We just cleaned ours out yesterday and went to one pair per person.
We could never get control of these until I watched your videos and realized we didn't need 8 of everything with an empty nest. Two of everything and others in cabinet when family's over. We haven't had a mess in months. THANK YOU!!!
This makes so much sense. We are a family of 7 and I really just can get it together with dishes. We are pretty minimalist in the sense that we live in a small house and have low inventory of everything else but those darn dishes and cups and containers etc get to me. Our kitchen is small and it’s a bit tight with the island where the dishwasher is, and the large table for our family. I’ve been thinking of getting rid of the island all together and just paring down to the absolute minimum of dishes and just washing after every meal by hand.
We are a family with 12 children, 8 currently living with us. Our dishwasher broke 11 years ago and we couldn't afford at the time to replace it , so began our journey of washing by hand. We got them washed, dried, and in the cupboard in less than 20 min. after every meal. We never went back, even after we moved into a house with a working dishwasher. We just built a house and did not put one in! It's doable, just make it happen. 😄
Our family keeps telling my sister in law that she doesn’t need a new dishwasher, because as a mother of 4 boys age 4&under , she’ll soon have 4 dish-washers! Meanwhile my 11 year old daughter is struggling to actually get our hand washing clean when she used to do an unbelievably great job at age 2🙈… back to the drawing board!
I grew up in a family of 10. We always took our own clothes to the laundry hamper. We only had enough dishes for 1 meal so dishes were done after each meal. We always kept our possessions to an amount that could easily be put away. Thankfully, I kept most of the habits except limiting possessions. Decluttering has made a huge difference in how I feel about my house. Thank you for the encouraging videos to help me get it done.
Dawn, you inspire me. Just moved, put up one hook in hallway, for coats and bags for me and my son. Finally, everything in my kitchen goes in the cupboards, after use, including washing up bowl. Enjoyed cooking tonight in my stress-free, clutter-free space. Feel calm and in control.
I think in this busy season of your life, you should be able to decide which habits you want to develop, and which you have to let go. Bravo for taking time to quietly read a book and get refreshed! You will be a better wife and mom because of it!
This video DOES help. I know I shouldn't but I keep comparing myself to others, particularly my siblings, because I love the cleanliness and order in their homes. You'd think by the time you're in your 60s you'd outgrow some of these insecurities. Nope. Still neurotic. 😁 I appreciate the concept of getting to the same result in the end no matter which option one chooses. You're brilliant! ♥
Hi, Dawn! I just want to tell you how much I love to watch your channel. You are helping me so much as I journey toward being a minimalist. I love your sweet smile, your kind demeanor, your great advice, and your happy and nonjudgmental attitude. I also love that you love God and tell your listeners that you love them. What a blessing you are! Thank you, Dawn! You are precious!
I love the fact about what you want to put your energy into. Less inventory helps you not spend your life organising stuff whilst trying to clean and tidy your house. We are well on our way to reducing everything we have. So much easier already and a long way to go still.
Heck yes, lady! I have in-laws that cannot understand why I can’t just do the dishes every night and want to get rid of half my stuff. It makes me feel so much better to have you say it out loud that you fail at it too :). I am feeling so much better about myself now that I have less to manage.
My housemate washes the dishes at the sink each evening because she prefers it and she stays up later than I. She resists putting dishes away. I put them away each morning as I am up earlier than she. We use the dishwasher as the dish rack! We kid that the kitchen seems "automatic" to each of us! Retired ladies may do as they like!
Doing the dishes is my least favorite chore, but when I got married I determined that the sink would be clear of dishes every night before bed. For the most part that happens and it really helps me feel less overwhelmed if I just keep them done. I've also started keeping a sink with warm soapy water when I'm cooking dinner so I can wash as I go. We still have dishes to do after, but nowhere near as many.
@@emilybach yes hot soapy water is key for me. I have to spend my energy extra wise because of chronic illness and there is very little elbow grease needed after the hot soapy water step 😊
Yes I keep the dish tub full of soapy water all day so I can quickly do dishes throughout the day. I add some hot water when it's winter, otherwise the water is still soapy (tho not bubbly) and fine to use all day. Make sure to rinse them well before washing them so the water isn't too dirty.
We each hand wash our dishes as they get dirty through the day, and one of us does the family dishes in the evening. Takes much less time overall I promise! Pretend you don’t have a dishwasher for a week and see how it goes! And yes I grew up as well with the sink plugged with soapy water. Sometimes use that, sometimes don’t. Depends on how long it will be between washes.
Oh my, yes this resonates!! As a full-time working mom with 2 little boys under 2, I often feel like such a failure in keeping the house tidy and picking up. I often feel like I’m letting someone down but can’t run myself ragged trying to keep up. I have someone come clean once a week, and I’m learning to give myself grace during this busy season of life when things I clean up will be quickly undone by my almost 2 year old “helper.” Thank you for another timely, encouraging video!
I did the exact same thing with our laundry baskets & my husband thought I was crazy until it WORKED! 😄 No more piles of clean clothes to dig through. It's awesome!
I found your channel through Natalie Bennett’s closet declutter and you have inspired me so much! I am blessed to be able to stay home with my two little ones under two, which means the days are busy and messy, I have been so tired of spending all my time cleaning and organizing all day long just to feel like I make no progress! I declutter often but realized I still had too much because it takes so much effort to maintain it all. This week my husband and I have gotten rid of SO much stuff! We have loads and loads of boxes and bags to donate. Everything feels so much more peaceful and easy to keep clean already. I am a believer as well and I love how you include that into your channel ❤️ You have helped me so much. I’m excited to continue along on this journey of minimalism and learn from you!
I needed this today. Thank you so much. Also, I wear black (sometimes all black) 99% of the time because that’s all I’m comfortable in. In my head, it hides me. 🤷🏼♀️ but my husband always says he wishes I’d wear more color. So I think I’m gonna try your trick - more color at home but black when I’m going out lol. You’re the best Dawn ♥️
@@cynthiafisher9907 Some of us are introverts, or have some trauma in our past that makes us very wary of being noticed. For me, it's both. I'm a 100% introvert, and I've had some really bad public experiences. Btw, I was an introvert BEFORE I had the bad experiences. I was an introvert even as a very young child, which drove my minister father to distraction, since he was always trying to get me to sing in front of the congregation. As it turned out, when I went to college, I discovered that I get widely noticed no matter what (I discovered by chance through total strangers at various times that I was known all over our very large university campus as "the sweater girl" and "that redhead who carries all the books." So I try to be inconspicuous; drawing unwanted attention is the farthest thing from my mind.
@@edennis8578I understand to a degree, my daughter is an introvert. She couldn’t stand the thought of standing up in front of a congregation of people when she got married. So, she got married under a big oak tree with everyone else standing as well. I’m sorry you had the trauma with your dad being a minister and wanting you to sing in front of everyone, that must have been very painful for you. I hope you can find a place of forgiveness for your dad. We parents tend to make a lot of mistakes! I wish you well. I have had a lot of trauma in my life as well. I work really hard at forgiveness(it’s a process, not a one-time thing!) and emotional, mental and spiritual growth. I hope you do too!
So interesting how different people go through different processes to accomplish the same end, With dishes, I aim at putting them in the dishwasher after use and running the dishwasher when full. For the things I don't put in the dishwasher. I stack the neatly or put them in a dishpan they get washed. I often have a stack of dishes near my sink and I don't feel guilty about it. Putting plates, drinking glasses, cutlery and glass storage in the dishwasher after use helps a lot.
I had to wash the dishes every day growing up so as an adult, a dishwasher is a wonderful invention as far as I’m concerned. I love using it. Have trained everyone to put their dirty dishes into the washer so I just have to turn it on when it’s full! Yahoo
Same here, Kareen! I'm 65, and didn't get my first dishwasher until I was nearly 40. I love cooking and make everything myself from scratch. Sometimes hand washing all those dirty pots, pans and dishes would take an hour. I'm NEVER going back there again! I've only got a slimline dishwasher, and it might take several loads to get it all clear after entertaining, but it is SO worth it.
I was raised with a strict military mom who did room inspections, so I grew up with really good cleaning habits.Now as an adult my husband swears I'm OCD.Every one always complimented me on how clean my house was but having those cleaning habits weren't enough! Long story short to keep my house clean. I was cleaning for hours, stressed with my family, putting off weekend fun to deep clean the house.I couldn't figure out why as much as I clean why my house didn't stay clean. I started the Fly lady and it helped but since I was already a cleaner it wasn't the magic every one else found. Then I found you DAWN! I had way to many things. My daughter's room looked a toy store. Plus my husband isn't naturally neat nor are my kiddos. So I watched your videos and started to reduce the inventory everywhere and that with my habits did the trick. I can finally feel peace in my house. It doesn't matter how tidy you are you have to only keep the inventory that your family can handle and use strategies that work for you .For example I like to wash dishes after each meal. I notice when I put enough dishes in the dishwasher and make a full load I would dread empty it out. I learned from you Dawn to find systems that work for me. Thank you so much Dawn this video highlights again why you are saving us one house at a time.
Doing the dishes every night has been a real game changer for us. We cook a lot at home; cooking a complicated dinner is a form of entertainment for our family. But... the dishes are a job at the end. I have learned to do the dishes after dinner. This is the major part of keeping the kitchen tidy which has then encouraged others in the house to consider minimalism. Doing the dishes as a habit is a great tip. Many thanks!
Have you ever tried having each person put their own dish into the dishwasher as soon as they are done eating? That only leaves a few pans or bowls for me to finish up and then it's easy.
We start the dishwasher around 9 pm, and empty it in the morning. I was surprised to learn that during the two minutes that it takes to warm up a pot of milk on my stove, I can empty the whole load and put things where they belong! Also, sick of being a waitress to everybody, I trained my kids (13 and 10), after they finished eating, to put their plate, glass and cutlery into the dishwasher. Yey!
Thank you!!! I took your advice regarding reducing the inventory in the kitchen which is LIFE CHANGING. I'm down to running the dishwasher once maybe twice a week. I have minimized cups, bowls, plates etc, and developed the habit of doing a quick hand wash with a soap wand then placing those items in the dishwasher. During the day, if I need a plate, I just grab the one I placed in the dishwasher. That way I keep using the same bowl, plate, knife etc all day every day. Once the dishwasher is full with other family dishes, I'll turn on the dishwasher. My sink and counter are clean and clear all day now. Yeaaa me!
When I lived at home, we always put dishes in the dishwasher immediately after dinner; snack dishes were washed or put in the DW by the individual. We had a hamper in each bath and in the laundry. Whatever dirty clothes were in our rooms on wash day will not be washed. Mom just told one of us to bring in the hamper from our bath. She had a routine wash day and stripping our beds (which she still does at age 87). By age 10, we were to keep our bathroom clean & Mom monitored but we cleaned when she said it didn’t pass inspection. Mom was 4th of 8 kids with no elect washers and by 14 was a maid for a doctor. Mom has always kept house, but did not have out of home job. I drink from 1 or 2 glasses a day and no more. Perhaps telling you children they have just 2 glasses and bowls, they might get into the habit of washing their own to make sure they have one ready to use and you wash dishes every other day. But I think you’re doing good with a larger family. I’m single and I can make that mess too. I just try not to.
Great video! This idea really resonates with me. I'm going to look at my kitchen through a different lense now. Also, my husband and I have been on vacation with a very pared down wardrobe (we're at our condo and have access to laundry) and I have been noticing how easy it is to function with less. It actually made me think of you! I wondered about transferring this idea to home. I've simplified my wardrobe already but being on vacation makes me wonder if I can go further and how that would work. Love your videos and practical advice. Sometimes I wish I were that ultra tidy person who can't go to sleep at night with dishes in the sink but that's just not me, lol. I have been trying to run the dishwasher every night and that has been a game changer. Thanks for giving us permission to be ourselves and not beat ourselves up about it. Everyone is different and that's ok. 😊
Great point about developing habits or changing your environment for a desired outcome! Your videos always help me fine tune this process even though I've been an "aspiring minimalist" for a while now.
Two tends to be my inventory for most items. One to use and then one to have when that's being cleaned. Dishes, towels, bedding, and more lol. Edit to add: I've never related so much to someone before about habits lol. Everyone always says to have these habits but there are some things I just can't seem to keep up with. Dishes are my nemesis!
I had to reduce the number of shoes my kids had! It was so overwhelming for them and us to have multiple pairs of shoes to choose from each day. It was hard for them to decide which pair to wear and the ones they decided not to wear were left on the floor…it was madness 🤣🤣Now they have a few pair of shoes near the door so getting out the door is much faster/easier!!😀 great video!
Yes... We are empty nesters so I have plenty of room for shoes. But...I don't need all that. I have given away a lot of my shoes, it's so nice to not have so many choices. My husband has 5 pairs total and I have around 8 pairs. It's very freeing.
@@missellienora Just in recent years has my husband agreed to let go of excess. His parents both came from large families that never threw anything out. They were farmers and passed everything down to the next child.
Thank you for watching today! If you're newer to our channel (or are looking for a refresher!) I created a "START HERE" Playlist with our key concepts for simplifying and decluttering, you can find that here: cli.re/START-HERE Hope it helps and hope you have a great day!! - Dawn
I'm so thankful I found your channel. Very inspiring and motivating. Thank you for sharing❤️
Here’s the thing about those of us that do have a good habit of doing dishes every night. I do. Every night I shine the sink. It’s something I’ve done for a long time. BUT, when I’m sick or when I have a baby, or some other thing happens. If there is a ton of dishes, the other people don’t do the dishes the way I do…. It’s CrAZiNess!!! It would take me days to catch up. I remember one time before I started decluttering. I got sick and when I felt better it took me an entire week to get them caught up. 😳😳😳 No matter how much you have a habit of doing dishes there’s no need to have so many dishes that it takes a week to catch up. If there aren’t that many dishes, the other people in my house have to wash dishes if I’m sick or something.
@@ILikeTheOldTimeWay Well said!!!
😂:
"I'll remark on the yellow shirt at the end."
I just had a conversation with a friend about judging myself instead of having a more reflective practice to decide what’s working and why. Excellent timing! Loved this!
Your vids are SO helpful. I’m over 70. The repetition of the message really makes a difference. My spouse ( of 53 years) & I were getting the guest room ready for my son & family who haven’t been here in nearly 2 years. I found myself going through accumulations and saying, “I won’t remember where it’s at if I ever wanted it again”; or “I haven’t used this in years”, etc. You repeating yourself over and over again through various vids really do start to sink into my brain. I can’t thank you enough. Don’t ever think you don’t have anything new to say. The repetition over the months and years is blessing my house & family through the years. Thank you.
When clearing out our old house for our move late last year, I realized a truth. Just because I still like something is not reason enough to keep it if I am not using it in my life. It is easy to get rid of trash and other straightforward discards. But not so easy when I simply have excess that are candidates to use, but there are just not enough hours in a day or days in a week or weeks in a month or months in a year to be able to use it all. The truth is that my lifetime could be shackled to excess stuff, or I could just decide to say goodbye and use my precious time freed from inventory. I do not live in a store, I live in a home and I want the things in my home to enhance me, not drown me.
Well said!👍😄
My thoughts exactly. So many times I've felt I live in a storehouse, not a home.
Thank you for the reminder that I do not have to keep items just because they are physically in my home and are still useful. I don’t need to ask if it’s useful, but need to ask myself- is it being used?🧐 deep thoughts. Thank you for sharing your wisdom! 😘
Excellent.
I love that, home/store comment!!
I love the shot of Gage doing the dishes for two reasons. First, he’s a cutie-patootie. Second you’re modeling what I think is essential in a family: your children are an essential part of the process. They don’t “help” you; they do their chores.
Yes! Learning early on that care for our home is EVERYONE'S responsibility, not just Mom's.
I love that snippet of Gage too. He's Tom's mini-me.
Yes they do their family contributions
I am very careful not to ask my son, "Come, help me pick up your toys."
Instead I'll say, " You need to clean up your toys. I will help you."
It's a subtle difference, but I think it's important for kids to know that they have responsibilities too.
I like that part of your reason for having a simplified life, is to make it easier for your kids to pick up after themselves. Smart !
How will they learn to keep ther own house if we dn't train them to keep their childhood home?
Given how much I have struggled learning to clean and cook and keep my space tidtly, I would not want my adult children to go through that process.
Train them young to cook and clean while they have the energy to learn almost anything and allow for mistakes as they are beginners.
And for goodness sakes train your boys how to clean up after themselves and cook for themselves!
I’m older now-68. When I was a young mother I stressed out about dishes every day. Now I associate dirty dishes with having had the blessing of a meal with my husband of almost 50 years. All about perspective.
Just beautiful!!!
Thank you for sharing this lovely thought😊
Connie .. that reminds me of a tv movie i saw years ago when my husband was still alive. Keeping up with dishes has always been hard for me. My resentment made me feel like i was going to die someday right in the kitchen surrounded by dirty dishes.
Then one day this really old black & white movie came on tv about a bunch of women inmates of a prison. They were having a talk about how their lives had turned out when a big burly woman said "what i would give to have a man in the house and a sink full of dirty dishes"
I knew the universe was speaking directly to me. . . It gave me a different perspective on mine & others situations.
Did it turn me into Martha Stewart with squeaky clean kitchen? No. I still struggle with dishes.
I used to have a plaque hanging in my kitchen that said something like
"Thank God for dirty dishes,
they have a tale to tell,
while others may go hungry,
we're still eating well"
I SO appreciate how you acknowledge that all of us aren't created the same and we don't all have the same habits, or even desire or capability to create habits so therefore we need to create a different solution to our problem (i.e. likely reducing inventory :) Thank you for your channel!
I love the "I don't care to use my energy that way" - totally! There are different seasons to care about different things!
I’m not a mom and not a minimalist, but I love your channel! We are implementing the strategy of reducing inventory, albeit gradually. One thing that helped with dishes was acknowledging that my energy is low in the evenings. My body wakes up at 6:00 AM and wants to go to bed at 9:00 PM. We eat dinner late because of my husband’s work schedule. After dinner we load what we can in the dishwasher. The rest is stacked neatly so that the kitchen is tidy, but I don’t wash anything. Even the countertops are left to the next day, unless there is something that’s going to be harder to wipe up if it sits overnight. When I wake at 6:00 AM I make a cup of coffee, give myself a bit of time to fully wake, then do the dishes that need hand-washing (almost always drip-drying in the rack) and wipe down the counters. It’s a peaceful time of day for me. Doing dishes once a day doesn’t mean you must do them at night. 😉
For me it takes both reducing the inventory & creating a new habit.
Me too!
Agreed having less inventory and the new habits are key
I agree! Doing both together has greatly simplified so many aspects of life.
Me too. I've been working on both and making progress. I've been reducing to use the container system and building habits to maintain what i do keep.
I think this is the true key
I like how you end all your videos by saying “I love you” like you’re talking to a close friend or family 😊 And you sound totally genuine and sincere, too. Love your videos, I have been watching them a lot lately for motivation!
"It's either me doing it, or me having to use my energy to get the kids or Tom or someone else in our household to do it...I don't care to use my energy on that right now" THIS!!!!!!!!!!!
When my hubby and kids asked WHY I was decluttering the kitchen, I replied that since I seemed to be the only one taking care of that space, I needed a more manageable work space for ME!
@@deborahjames3113 yesss! That’s what I try to explain to my husband as well. You can help me clean daily OR I declutter the excess to making cleaning easier for *me*
Felt that and I don’t even have kids.
Now that I am an empty nester, it’s much easier to keep up with the dishes or laundry. However, I wish I had seen this video when my kids were growing up. I remember days of carpooling, sports activities, scouts, church activities, etc where by the time I actually got a meal on the table, I had no energy left (while trying to get kids bathed and homework done,) to clean the kitchen or corral the laundry. The beauty of cutting inventory so there is no way for dishes to pile up or have 5-6 loads of laundry to tackle makes so much sense!
I know! I used to have to do dishes OR laundry because it was an ALL.DAY.EVENT. I mean everything needed cleaning.
Do not miss hauling 8 loads of laundry to/from laundromat at all!
I thought I was the only one to feel bad about not being able to keep up with the house as a stay home parent. I thought the choice was either happy kids or a happy house (I chose the kids) but so glad I now know about option 3 which is reducing inventory so there is less to manage. We still have a fair way to go in the process but already feeling so much less stressed in the house and am so grateful to you for your inspiration and motivation which you always impart with so much compassion, empathy and understanding (such as we aren't all the type of people who stick to doing the dishes everyday). What once felt overwhelming and paralyzing now feels hopeful and possible. Thank you.
“Everything you've ever wanted is sitting on the other side of fear.” Sharing some positivity with all of you. Keep smiling you are amazing.
I am a “do the dishes every night” person because I like the feeling of a fresh start to the day. However, I love the fact that this gives people other options that may suit them better.
Absolutely! I believe in going to bed with an empty sink. If I put it off, the pile will be overwhelming and I won’t want to do it the next day.
I am one of the lucky ones who developed the habit with dishes when i was young. It was just the way things were done at our home when I was growing up. BUT....I love that you have given us an alternative that will achieve the same result. One of the things I appreciate most about your channel...and the UA-cam groups...is that you and Dana and Cass have done such a wonderful job of demonstrating how differently our brains are wired. There really is no one "right" approach for everyone because we are all different, and none of us should feel guilt about the way God has made us! You are a blessing.
I reduced my inventory and it’s made a huge difference in our household! I love your videos, they really do help people!
If the dishes get done, GR8 if they don't, GR8💯. I didn't do dishes yesterday🤷♀️. (I spent the day watching tv with my sick boys🤫. I cared n tended to their needs. I unpacked from a wkend getaway. I changed bed linens. I did laundry. I put dishes away🤭. I cooked 3 meals. I consoled a heartbroken youth. I responded to voice n e-mails. I sorted thru 3 bins for donation. I tidied up the WHOLE house. I showered n brushed my teeth). It was a gr8 day🙏! Today, I will wash dishes😉. Thx 4 sharing ✌
Do you know how much you are a part of my life? Watching videos like yours is something I like to do when I feel down. And that is a lot of the time. Most youtubers make a video once a week or less. But every time I open my UA-cam you are there with a new video and make me feel better and motivated. I love you and I’m so thankful that you open your life so you can be a part of mine. Even if we live so far apart! Greats from Belgium 💋
I know this video is 2 yrs old & I have been on this journey awhile now, but today was the 1st day that I looked at the dirty dishes & my first thought was “I need to further reduce our inventory,” NOT “what a terrible person I am” or “why doesn’t my family help more.” My family helps & I am not terrible.😊🎉
You are my "go to" QUEEEEN of minimalism!! Any of my friends and family that show ANY signs of decluttering, I send them straight to your videos😅 Thankyou so much for helping us see the simple wisdom 😘
You're so kind! THANK YOU!!!!!
I do the same thing with friends who “show ANY signs” 🤩
Same
Im Talking so passionatly to my friend about minimalizm, that all at least try. And when you ones start, you just cant stop😂
Same here!!!
Dawn, I love how you say “ I want to encourage you to…” Thank-you ! Progress and only progress.
This does really boil it down! It's either habit or inventory. If the habit isn't taking, then adjust the inventory! No shame, no blame, just adjust and move on! Thanks for another great video ❤❤❤
This video cleared up so much gray area for me! I always knew why I wanted to reduce inventory and how having less did make cleaning easier, but my husband was on the side of "just develop the habit". My husband grew up in a home where they do the dishes after every meal, yet they have an abundance of plates and dishes. I grew up in a home where they got done when we either ran out of dishes or the sink was full lol. He believes that not having the habit developed is the problem, not reducing inventory. I never could find the words to explain why reducing inventory made sense to me, so now if it comes up again, I will have a video to show him! Also, thank you for being real and admitting that you'd rather go sit down at the end of the night and not do dishes! I was beginning to think maybe I was lazy for wanting to just rest at the end of the night after chasing kids all day! 🤪
My whole adult life I’ve lived with frustration because I kept being told, by my mom and others, to just develop the habit of doing the dishes nightly and picking up nightly. Since I have been following this advice and reducing the amount of stuff, it has made my life so much more relaxed and I could release that expectation and acknowledge there’s more than 1 way to have a clean house
Doing dishes was my prayer time when my children were young :) I didn't do them daily, but every 3rd day or so and having my prayer time with my hands in warm water was a nice break.
Love the way you frame it as a choice, not a right or wrong!
I don't use my dishwasher by choice. We are a household of 4 and wash our dishes. I like not having dishes sitting in the sink because the dishwasher wasn't run or they are clean and the dish washer needs to be unloaded. It literally takes a view minutes to do the dishes, dry them and put them away. Leaves my kitchen clean and that makes me happy and so blessed.
I love how you don’t judge or criticise or lecture on your channel. You just share so freely and encourage us all, whilst living in a family in real time.
You are each one such a joy and blessing to me.
Not a criticism, but a thought. It took me a lot of years to realize it takes essentially the same amount of time to walk the dishes to the sink or counter as it did to open the dishwasher and put it right in after use🙂
Amen to that👍
Genius! Now how do I train my kids to do that?
You've got me there. I have only one detail oriented 22 year old girl. How about opening the door as you sit down for the meal. Make it inviting😉
Everyone in our family who is over two puts dishes in dishwasher. I think putting in a dishwasher can be an easy habit to build since you can’t remove the counter space. That being said if a certain amount on the counter doesn’t bother you then that’s fine. I lived with a grandfather for a couple months in the summer (in my teens) at a beach house. he was adamant that we did dishes immediately after meals. Was probably smart because there were plenty of fun things calling us! Now it’s absolutely a habit.
Absolutely true. Only when the dishes build up it becomes a chore
Thank you Dawn for teaching us that the end goal is the same. No one way is right for all. I like making bed first thing in morning, kitchen cleaned and dishwasher emptied before bed. Now for those craft projects and books to read/donate sitting by my chair! Ugh, what a mess! Everyone has their challenge!
I like the comment that you "may like a clean kitchen MORE THAN the pots and pans". That really puts things in perspective.
For viewers having issues with routines, I have all mine written down on a sheet of paper behind a plastic protector. I mark off each thing as I go with a dry erase marker. You could also set this up on your phone and mark it off there. So I have kitchen clean up on there in my AM routine and my PM routine. 💜
Skip the sink. Put the dish directly into the dishwasher. No clutter.
And saving water....
Can you recommend a dishwasher that could handle dishes that aren’t rinsed? 🤔
Sure, if you have a dishwasher.
@@Mila-Believer-wife-mamaof3-RN all of them. Wipe the dish with your napkin and put it in the dishwasher. I’m 64 and grew up with a dishwasher. IF one doesn’t come clean wash just THAT dish
My apartment has a Sink only I have to wash Dishes by hand.
This actually makes me feel a ton better!
I was feeling kinda like I “failed” because I couldn’t cut down our dishes to “one set per person”. I have a 4yo and twin 1yos and so I run the dishwasher every night. The habit was pretty easy for me but I still felt guilt for having so much inventory. But you’re right, the goal is to make life more manageable and free up time to be present with my family!! Not check off a box on the imaginary list of “this is what a minimalist does”
Simplifying our house (even just moderately!) has made such a difference to my bandwidth to develop those domestic habits! Now washing up is achievable in 15mins most days, I feel like I can keep the house together cause it takes less than 10 mins to put away the toys, clothes are immediately put away before I start a new load of laundry. This is a great principle:)
Great perspective -- sometimes the conventional solution (daily dishwashing, laundry baskets) isn't the only way to reach the end goal. We do not live in a "one size fits all" world and I really appreciate that you encourage and support people to find and do what works for them!
It’s so refreshing to hear a common sense approach to minimalism! 👏🏻 I stopped using the dishwasher over 20 years ago. When my son was little we used the time after dinner for he and his stepdad to bond. One way to do that was to wash dishes together. I did the cooking they did the cleanup. 👍🏻 uMy son is an adult with his own home and he does not use his dishwasher! He, like me, hated unloading and putting away the large amount of dishes from the dishwasher. He has no kids yet it’ll be interesting to see how he handles it when/if he does.🤓
This is the fourth time to watch this video now... Thank you for explaining the concept of NOT just declutter and get of rid of stuff to have less... BUT to kinda "trick" yourself and actually develop a habit to have a cleaner less cluttered home... And to finally read an actual book and get some ME time in a day, because everything is a habit now and Not a chore!!! Awesome 🥳✨✌️☺️
I was soooo motivated... I cleaned my kitchen, emptied AND refilled the dishwasher... Then I tackled our laundry, found some things that are Trash and Put away the rest... Thank you soooo much ❤️☺️
I love your "why" behind being a minimalist. You either develop a habit or minimize inventory.👏
Great insight. Thank you. For me, I had serious negative feelings while doing dishes and some household chores. We all ended up mad at each other while cleaning. But cleaning is just a part of life. I consciously shifted my mindset. Thoughts of gratitude, self compassion, and being playful while cleaning helped. Tell myself “I’m awesome” and cheer when I complete a chore. Instead of bubbling with resentment when I do a lot of dishes, I feel peaceful and aware that doing the dishes really is a small part of my day. It’s not worth the space in my brain by being annoyed it. I have too many other creative things to fill me mind with.
Dawn, I love that you mentioned the pots and pans. I am gluten free so there are always two pots for pasta on the stove… two tongs, two sauce pans, two bread pans…two everything… a lot of inventory. I have been able to minimize where I can and that has been so helpful! So, thank you!!
You always seem to upload a video right when I need extra motivation to declutter and clean! 🥰
This is absolute GOLD! This is very nuanced behavioral science! Very very good stuff. And celebrates who we are created to be.
So I watched a different UA-camr this morning who gave a tour of her organized kitchen and other areas. It was absolutely beautiful but I found myself thinking that it's "too much inventory" for my liking. Dawn, your phrases are popping into my head.
That is awesome!
I had a dear friend that would call me and we would talk about our day while she did her dishes. Every. Day. I loved the conversation, and she found time in her busy day to check in with me. LOVE HER. And when she was done with the dishes, we would end our call. Some days we talked longer than others. Either way, it was Win-win.
That's sweet! I sometimes talk to my friend too while doing dishes. We're both nearly 60.
You explained your strategies so well. I’m sure it will help a lot of people. Basically, you are saying….if you don’t like it, find a way to fix it. There are always solutions to problems. Excellent advise.
Agreed, this video gives me the choice to keep working on the habit or reduce my inventory. I think I like having less and the freedom from failing to perform any longer. It has been so fun to make this transformation. Thanks Dawn
Really resonates! This sums up where I was 6 months ago before I found you Dawn. I constantly felt down with the mess my house was in and after watching your videos I grabbed a donation box and a black bag and the rest is history! My three kids like to empty drawers, cupboards etc and I was tidying up stuff I never even used/wore without realising it. Your channel has transformed the way we live! Now the kids can empty the house and it really doesn’t take that long to tidy up. I have failed so many times at complicated cleaning and organising routines and now I feel like I’m winning because I got to the actual root of the problem.
Same here. Decluttering and deceasing inventory has made me love my home for once.
I am currently decluttering alot of my things! I am doing it for me! My husband on the other hand has a difficult time letting things go! Instead of making a Big deal out of it, I have learned to do what works.
Whenever you can explain the thought process behind your choices that is helpful. This video is one of your best. I don’t camp and I’m not religious. I watch you for your help with household decisions and routines. I like your tone-upbeat and sincere-with some laughter!
Thank you for finding the words to explain that it can even be a good idea to give away something we actually like. Because it's quite true that I like a clean kitchen much more than any one thing in the kitchen. And thank you so much for modeling how normal it is to not be able to keep up a habit that we thought we could... and that we can still succeed if we step back and look at inventory instead.
“Develop the habit or reduce the inventory “. Same result! LOVE IT!!!! Thank you so much!
You talk so much sense and I'm decluttering my house as we speak, and then decluttering already decluttered cupboards, drawers etc as I'm finding it often takes me two goes to achieve my goal, and honestly, I'm fine with that. Dishes though, I just don't get the problem. I had three children growing up in the house, and dishes were never a problem, it's just as easy to put the dishes in the dishwasher as stack them by the side. You've helped me see that's okay for me but maybe doesn't work for others, but the reverse is it's also true, it's okay for me to not do something else, and not beat myself up about it. Thank you Dawn, you're a breath of fresh air and realism in this increasingly hectic world.
I get what you're saying and when I was younger and so very busy, this would have been a much better way to go. However I feel like what you say would resonate more with my daughter and maybe even my daughter in law as well. Each for different reasons. I keep telling them about your channel and hope they visit on their own. They're very busy so that may be the reason they don't do it, yet. The reduced inventory would make a huge difference for them. I'm reducing the things I haven't used in years. Many of them are 'antique' dish ware or handed down from grandparents. I love these items, I wish I had reason to use some of these items, but I live in a very small home and will probably never host gatherings the way I once did because of it. I don't want to leave my children with a mess to clean up after I'm gone because I loved and kept things I never used. It would make me happy to pass on anything that they might want, but so far it's mine to let go of. I'm in the thick of Swedish Death Cleaning for sure!
I'm in the process of doing this now, too. I keep sending my kids pics of things & if they want it I put it to the side if not I'm donating it. I had to clean out my moms apt when she passed & it took me a month to go through everything. It was too overwhelming. I don't want my kids to have to go through that. Dawn is helping me a lot with the guilt feelings I had. I'm not done yet, but I've come so far. Good luck, just keep chipping away, we will get there eventually.
I am from Iceland and I so believe in not leaving a mess for my family. I am 65 an I have reduced my inventory like crazy. I love it. Having less inventory is awesome!!!! I am surprised that I still have more to get rid of. Love it!!!!!!
@@sj6728 Lol. right, I can't believe it either, but if we keep chipping away at it, it will soon be gone. It feels so good, even at this stage. Good luck.
@@lindapedersen-hylka7170This is Katrina on my husband's tablet he prefers my iPad 😊. I did this decluttering our stuff.
It's just the 2 of us now,take a photo send it ina group chat with kids then most of the time they said NO.
6 car loads to the thrift/ Op shop I now only ask if I really think they would want it ,like my daughter just came over to pick up the older,smaller airfryer my dad gave me.
I knew she wanted one 🤣
Gave me the opportunity to buy a better one for us .Aldi $99 ,I love it
I wish I could give this chanel or this knowledge to my loved ones too. But we can't make someone accept it. It gives me comfort to know that one day if I live this way and they see the peace in my home they may finaly ask me why and have a desire to learn of it themselves. I know with chuldren with kids and parents living alone they may adsume that its because you dont have kids. But maybe with casual comments herr and there our loved ones will get an idea that what we have was worked for and they can have it too. Its not just us and they are different.
You are just great Dawn. Thanks for making this video just when you felt the urge. Your videos on decluttering are all great because you explain that there are more than one way of doing ‘things’. This is so helpful and encouraging.
I’ve been laughing at myself during this video because the last few days I’ve been saying to myself “you have to reduce your inventory”, you’re going to get me through this! Thank you!
As Dawn says, we are all at different seasons of life and what you can manage changes. Figuring out what works for you and making your life more enjoyable is the goal. We very often do things because it's the norm or how we were raised. It reminds me of the story of the children asking their mother why she cut the end off the roast before putting it into the pan to cook, Mom says that's the way Grandma did it, so they asked Grandma and Grandma said it was because her pan was too short. 😂
Just beginning to take my house back. Already have 2 donation bins full. Left a truckload of junk at the dump this morning.
I think I'm on a roll!
Thank you for your videos, they are so helpful.♥️
Awesome Amy, keep the momentum going.
It is funny how this works differently for everyone. I clean up after every meal (never go to bed with the kitchen a mess) and would find hand washing such a pain. I entertain frequently including overnight family from out of town. I have a set of 24 full sets of silverware… not minimalist I know but without that many I was short when we had overnight guests. I run the dishwasher when full and with a family of 5 that is about once a day. I say do what works for you as that is the beauty of being an adult! Your life, you choose! As much as I love you, your family and this channel, 5 plates for my family of 5 would drive me crazy😊 Thanks for all your videos, I look forward to each new one and even though I’ll never be a minimalist, the way you make me look at stuff has changed my views on organization and ease of use!
I agree DD, it is wonderful to be able to do it the way that I see fir and have it work out well now.
Yes! Yes! Yes! I love feeling good about myself when I can manage the smaller amount of kitchen things that I now have! Thanks for taking the time to talk about the logic behind your decisions to have less inventory! I have really reevaluated the habits I have or am trying to make and how to make systems that actually work with me and how my brain works (basically it all has to be super easy)! Thank you Dawn for all your videos! Watching them and making changes this year has made my life and how I feel about myself and my stuff sooooooo much better!
I had a friend in high school with eleven siblings. They had a very minimal home, and after each meal the kids would line up at the sink and each wash their plate and utensils, with one of the older kids supervising. They had no dishwasher, but this took about 5-10 minutes to do after each meal. I have never implemented this with my own family (my kids rotate doing the dishes after dinner each night and have for years) but I think it's a great idea that could work really well for some families.
I loved this because I grew up in a house where the dishes were done every night. However for the past few years I was working at night and my husband during the day and then now I currently have a 5 month old baby so now I have 3 kids and I'm trying to finish college. I honestly just don't have the time and so. I loved how you said that's just not me and I've have been told by my parents I thought I trained you better, but its nice to know what works for some doesn't work for others.
You just said a mouthful, "I figured out where the breakdown was happening!" This is MAJOR
Thanks for setting me free! Yes less inventory is my way to do housework! I just love this! Dawn thanks for sharing❤️💕❤️
That was excellent. Dana K. White helped me to develop the dishes habit by helping me to realize that I COULDN’T rely on anyone else to develop the habit and that I couldn’t take weekends off. These two ideas were the “aha” moments for me: 1. It’s on me and 2. There’s no day off for dishes. This helped me to stop having those miserable Mondays and it also helped me to store all of our dishes in the kitchen without fear of ALL of them being used before washing them.
I have the habit of doing the dishes after every meal. But I couldn't establish an exercise habit to save my life. I honestly think how we are brought up has a lot to do with it. It's really hard to make a new habit, but then I think of the gift and legacy of good habits I can/could leave to my children and it does make me want to do better.
It IS all about systems - and we each figure out what works for us, individually. I’m sure some of my systems will seem wacky to others - but luckily, it’s the internet, and “everyone” isn’t coming over to my house! My systems work, I’m happy with that. Thank you, Dawn, for your videos and ideas!
As long as dishes are added to the dishwasher directly, I love my dishwasher. I don’t run it every night (not having kids, I don’t run through dishes very quickly), but I have definitely made it a habit to keep the sink clear and unload the dishwasher (when needed) while brewing coffee. I used to just stand there waiting for my coffee, so this has been a change that makes dishes take essentially no time out of my day.
It’s all about finding what works for you!
Me too. I live alone, so it takes me about 3-4 days to fill it up. I just keep enough dishes to get by. I'm loving it.
That's what I do as well 😂. Unload while I wait for coffee.
Thanks so much for sharing your systems !! Part of laundry system I created to help me streamline my morning routine, removing barriers to establishing a habit of walking my dogs each morning. We exit through the laundry room, so I keep my walking shoes AND socks in the laundry room all within reach of a chair to sit while putting them on. Also, I have a little spot for putting the dirty socks in the same area when we get home. I also start my robot vacuum to run while we’re walking. So part of my night time routine is emptying and checking the charge on the vacuum.
I absolutely love this!! Your stuff is always so great but like someone else said, I love that you acknowledge we all are so different. Giving ourselves grace and getting the end result by way of what works best. Some areas we have changed habits and others we have definitely reduced inventory. Like dishes, we definitely have the habit down of washing each day. We entertain families from church/young mamas a lot so we do keep more inventory easily accessible. Also, yes, the front coat closet... Sooooo many shoes. We just cleaned ours out yesterday and went to one pair per person.
We could never get control of these until I watched your videos and realized we didn't need 8 of everything with an empty nest. Two of everything and others in cabinet when family's over. We haven't had a mess in months. THANK YOU!!!
Yes, me too, isn't it great.
This makes so much sense. We are a family of 7 and I really just can get it together with dishes. We are pretty minimalist in the sense that we live in a small house and have low inventory of everything else but those darn dishes and cups and containers etc get to me. Our kitchen is small and it’s a bit tight with the island where the dishwasher is, and the large table for our family. I’ve been thinking of getting rid of the island all together and just paring down to the absolute minimum of dishes and just washing after every meal by hand.
Great idea!
We are a family with 12 children, 8 currently living with us. Our dishwasher broke 11 years ago and we couldn't afford at the time to replace it , so began our journey of washing by hand. We got them washed, dried, and in the cupboard in less than 20 min. after every meal. We never went back, even after we moved into a house with a working dishwasher. We just built a house and did not put one in! It's doable, just make it happen. 😄
Our family keeps telling my sister in law that she doesn’t need a new dishwasher, because as a mother of 4 boys age 4&under , she’ll soon have 4 dish-washers! Meanwhile my 11 year old daughter is struggling to actually get our hand washing clean when she used to do an unbelievably great job at age 2🙈… back to the drawing board!
I grew up in a family of 10. We always took our own clothes to the laundry hamper. We only had enough dishes for 1 meal so dishes were done after each meal. We always kept our possessions to an amount that could easily be put away. Thankfully, I kept most of the habits except limiting possessions. Decluttering has made a huge difference in how I feel about my house. Thank you for the encouraging videos to help me get it done.
Dawn, you inspire me. Just moved, put up one hook in hallway, for coats and bags for me and my son. Finally, everything in my kitchen goes in the cupboards, after use, including washing up bowl. Enjoyed cooking tonight in my stress-free, clutter-free space. Feel calm and in control.
Good for you!! Having less is so much better than clutter.
I think in this busy season of your life, you should be able to decide which habits you want to develop, and which you have to let go.
Bravo for taking time to quietly read a book and get refreshed!
You will be a better wife and mom because of it!
This video DOES help. I know I shouldn't but I keep comparing myself to others, particularly my siblings, because I love the cleanliness and order in their homes. You'd think by the time you're in your 60s you'd outgrow some of these insecurities. Nope. Still neurotic. 😁 I appreciate the concept of getting to the same result in the end no matter which option one chooses. You're brilliant! ♥
This video includes golden morsels of wisdom in how to simplify with a new framework for thinking about managing daily life. Love it!
Thank you for posting this. Absolutely love the idea and the logic behind reaching same goal with 2 different approaches.
Hi, Dawn! I just want to tell you how much I love to watch your channel. You are helping me so much as I journey toward being a minimalist. I love your sweet smile, your kind demeanor, your great advice, and your happy and nonjudgmental attitude. I also love that you love God and tell your listeners that you love them. What a blessing you are! Thank you, Dawn! You are precious!
I’ve never clicked on a video so fast! ❤️ thank you so much for these videos, they keep me motivated
I love the fact about what you want to put your energy into. Less inventory helps you not spend your life organising stuff whilst trying to clean and tidy your house. We are well on our way to reducing everything we have. So much easier already and a long way to go still.
Heck yes, lady! I have in-laws that cannot understand why I can’t just do the dishes every night and want to get rid of half my stuff. It makes me feel so much better to have you say it out loud that you fail at it too :). I am feeling so much better about myself now that I have less to manage.
My housemate washes the dishes at the sink each evening because she prefers it and she stays up later than I. She resists putting dishes away. I put them away each morning as I am up earlier than she. We use the dishwasher as the dish rack! We kid that the kitchen seems "automatic" to each of us! Retired ladies may do as they like!
Thanks for the new video! Our main level has been gone through and it's wonderful. Next step, the basement!!!
Doing the dishes after meals takes 10-15 minutes. I feel overwhelmed when they stack up dirty, then it takes a half hour or more.
Doing the dishes is my least favorite chore, but when I got married I determined that the sink would be clear of dishes every night before bed. For the most part that happens and it really helps me feel less overwhelmed if I just keep them done. I've also started keeping a sink with warm soapy water when I'm cooking dinner so I can wash as I go. We still have dishes to do after, but nowhere near as many.
@@emilybach yes hot soapy water is key for me. I have to spend my energy extra wise because of chronic illness and there is very little elbow grease needed after the hot soapy water step 😊
Yes I keep the dish tub full of soapy water all day so I can quickly do dishes throughout the day. I add some hot water when it's winter, otherwise the water is still soapy (tho not bubbly) and fine to use all day. Make sure to rinse them well before washing them so the water isn't too dirty.
Yup I use a small tub in the sink with hot soapy water and always clean as I go when cooking 🧑🍳 😊 something my mom taught me growing up.
We each hand wash our dishes as they get dirty through the day, and one of us does the family dishes in the evening. Takes much less time overall I promise! Pretend you don’t have a dishwasher for a week and see how it goes! And yes I grew up as well with the sink plugged with soapy water. Sometimes use that, sometimes don’t. Depends on how long it will be between washes.
Oh my, yes this resonates!! As a full-time working mom with 2 little boys under 2, I often feel like such a failure in keeping the house tidy and picking up. I often feel like I’m letting someone down but can’t run myself ragged trying to keep up. I have someone come clean once a week, and I’m learning to give myself grace during this busy season of life when things I clean up will be quickly undone by my almost 2 year old “helper.” Thank you for another timely, encouraging video!
I did the exact same thing with our laundry baskets & my husband thought I was crazy until it WORKED! 😄 No more piles of clean clothes to dig through. It's awesome!
I found your channel through Natalie Bennett’s closet declutter and you have inspired me so much! I am blessed to be able to stay home with my two little ones under two, which means the days are busy and messy, I have been so tired of spending all my time cleaning and organizing all day long just to feel like I make no progress! I declutter often but realized I still had too much because it takes so much effort to maintain it all.
This week my husband and I have gotten rid of SO much stuff! We have loads and loads of boxes and bags to donate. Everything feels so much more peaceful and easy to keep clean already. I am a believer as well and I love how you include that into your channel ❤️ You have helped me so much. I’m excited to continue along on this journey of minimalism and learn from you!
I needed this today. Thank you so much. Also, I wear black (sometimes all black) 99% of the time because that’s all I’m comfortable in. In my head, it hides me. 🤷🏼♀️ but my husband always says he wishes I’d wear more color. So I think I’m gonna try your trick - more color at home but black when I’m going out lol. You’re the best Dawn ♥️
Instead of hiding you, how about celebrating you?
@@cynthiafisher9907 Some of us are introverts, or have some trauma in our past that makes us very wary of being noticed. For me, it's both. I'm a 100% introvert, and I've had some really bad public experiences. Btw, I was an introvert BEFORE I had the bad experiences. I was an introvert even as a very young child, which drove my minister father to distraction, since he was always trying to get me to sing in front of the congregation. As it turned out, when I went to college, I discovered that I get widely noticed no matter what (I discovered by chance through total strangers at various times that I was known all over our very large university campus as "the sweater girl" and "that redhead who carries all the books." So I try to be inconspicuous; drawing unwanted attention is the farthest thing from my mind.
@@edennis8578I understand to a degree, my daughter is an introvert. She couldn’t stand the thought of standing up in front of a congregation of people when she got married. So, she got married under a big oak tree with everyone else standing as well. I’m sorry you had the trauma with your dad being a minister and wanting you to sing in front of everyone, that must have been very painful for you. I hope you can find a place of forgiveness for your dad. We parents tend to make a lot of mistakes! I wish you well.
I have had a lot of trauma in my life as well. I work really hard at forgiveness(it’s a process, not a one-time thing!) and emotional, mental and spiritual growth. I hope you do too!
Sorry, I didn’t mean to make light of your struggle, if that’s what you were saying. I’m glad you have found a solution that works for you!
So interesting how different people go through different processes to accomplish the same end,
With dishes, I aim at putting them in the dishwasher after use and running the dishwasher when full. For the things I don't put in the dishwasher. I stack the neatly or put them in a dishpan they get washed. I often have a stack of dishes near my sink and I don't feel guilty about it. Putting plates, drinking glasses, cutlery and glass storage in the dishwasher after use helps a lot.
I had to wash the dishes every day growing up so as an adult, a dishwasher is a wonderful invention as far as I’m concerned. I love using it. Have trained everyone to put their dirty dishes into the washer so I just have to turn it on when it’s full! Yahoo
Same here, Kareen! I'm 65, and didn't get my first dishwasher until I was nearly 40. I love cooking and make everything myself from scratch. Sometimes hand washing all those dirty pots, pans and dishes would take an hour. I'm NEVER going back there again! I've only got a slimline dishwasher, and it might take several loads to get it all clear after entertaining, but it is SO worth it.
I was raised with a strict military mom who did room inspections, so I grew up with really good cleaning habits.Now as an adult my husband swears I'm OCD.Every one always complimented me on how clean my house was but having those cleaning habits weren't enough! Long story short to keep my house clean. I was cleaning for hours, stressed with my family, putting off weekend fun to deep clean the house.I couldn't figure out why as much as I clean why my house didn't stay clean. I started the Fly lady and it helped but since I was already a cleaner it wasn't the magic every one else found. Then I found you DAWN! I had way to many things. My daughter's room looked a toy store. Plus my husband isn't naturally neat nor are my kiddos. So I watched your videos and started to reduce the inventory everywhere and that with my habits did the trick. I can finally feel peace in my house. It doesn't matter how tidy you are you have to only keep the inventory that your family can handle and use strategies that work for you .For example I like to wash dishes after each meal. I notice when I put enough dishes in the dishwasher and make a full load I would dread empty it out. I learned from you Dawn to find systems that work for me. Thank you so much Dawn this video highlights again why you are saving us one house at a time.
I LOVE seeing you in not-black!
Doing the dishes every night has been a real game changer for us. We cook a lot at home; cooking a complicated dinner is a form of entertainment for our family. But... the dishes are a job at the end. I have learned to do the dishes after dinner. This is the major part of keeping the kitchen tidy which has then encouraged others in the house to consider minimalism. Doing the dishes as a habit is a great tip. Many thanks!
Have you ever tried having each person put their own dish into the dishwasher as soon as they are done eating? That only leaves a few pans or bowls for me to finish up and then it's easy.
We totally do this. Plus it helps train the family to "contribute."
We have, but that means the dishwasher needs to be empty first!
@@BobbiGail her family is already trained as is, i don't need a dishwasher especially if I spend 5 minutes after each meal cleaning the dishes
We start the dishwasher around 9 pm, and empty it in the morning. I was surprised to learn that during the two minutes that it takes to warm up a pot of milk on my stove, I can empty the whole load and put things where they belong! Also, sick of being a waitress to everybody, I trained my kids (13 and 10), after they finished eating, to put their plate, glass and cutlery into the dishwasher. Yey!
My kids just won't do it!😱
Thank you!!! I took your advice regarding reducing the inventory in the kitchen which is LIFE CHANGING. I'm down to running the dishwasher once maybe twice a week. I have minimized cups, bowls, plates etc, and developed the habit of doing a quick hand wash with a soap wand then placing those items in the dishwasher. During the day, if I need a plate, I just grab the one I placed in the dishwasher. That way I keep using the same bowl, plate, knife etc all day every day. Once the dishwasher is full with other family dishes, I'll turn on the dishwasher. My sink and counter are clean and clear all day now. Yeaaa me!
When I lived at home, we always put dishes in the dishwasher immediately after dinner; snack dishes were washed or put in the DW by the individual. We had a hamper in each bath and in the laundry. Whatever dirty clothes were in our rooms on wash day will not be washed. Mom just told one of us to bring in the hamper from our bath. She had a routine wash day and stripping our beds (which she still does at age 87). By age 10, we were to keep our bathroom clean & Mom monitored but we cleaned when she said it didn’t pass inspection. Mom was 4th of 8 kids with no elect washers and by 14 was a maid for a doctor. Mom has always kept house, but did not have out of home job.
I drink from 1 or 2 glasses a day and no more. Perhaps telling you children they have just 2 glasses and bowls, they might get into the habit of washing their own to make sure they have one ready to use and you wash dishes every other day. But I think you’re doing good with a larger family. I’m single and I can make that mess too. I just try not to.
Great video! This idea really resonates with me. I'm going to look at my kitchen through a different lense now. Also, my husband and I have been on vacation with a very pared down wardrobe (we're at our condo and have access to laundry) and I have been noticing how easy it is to function with less. It actually made me think of you! I wondered about transferring this idea to home. I've simplified my wardrobe already but being on vacation makes me wonder if I can go further and how that would work. Love your videos and practical advice. Sometimes I wish I were that ultra tidy person who can't go to sleep at night with dishes in the sink but that's just not me, lol. I have been trying to run the dishwasher every night and that has been a game changer. Thanks for giving us permission to be ourselves and not beat ourselves up about it. Everyone is different and that's ok. 😊
Great point about developing habits or changing your environment for a desired outcome! Your videos always help me fine tune this process even though I've been an "aspiring minimalist" for a while now.
Two tends to be my inventory for most items. One to use and then one to have when that's being cleaned. Dishes, towels, bedding, and more lol.
Edit to add: I've never related so much to someone before about habits lol. Everyone always says to have these habits but there are some things I just can't seem to keep up with. Dishes are my nemesis!
I had to reduce the number of shoes my kids had! It was so overwhelming for them and us to have multiple pairs of shoes to choose from each day. It was hard for them to decide which pair to wear and the ones they decided not to wear were left on the floor…it was madness 🤣🤣Now they have a few pair of shoes near the door so getting out the door is much faster/easier!!😀 great video!
Yes...
We are empty nesters so I have plenty of room for shoes.
But...I don't need all that.
I have given away a lot of my shoes, it's so nice to not have so many choices. My husband has 5 pairs total and I have around 8 pairs.
It's very freeing.
We've pretty much always done this for our kids - now if I could just get my husband to do the same!
@@missellienora Just in recent years has my husband agreed to let go of excess. His parents both came from large families that never threw anything out. They were farmers and passed everything down to the next child.