I bought the remote control outlet for my mom, who was 80 years old at the time. An able bodied person could just get up and switch off the light. That's minimalism
Viewers,/subscribers, PLEASE DO NOT REMOVE MEDICATIONS FROM THEIR ORGINAL, LABLED CONTAINER. You are tying an EMT/Paramedic's hands if they are ever called to your house because you or someone else is unconscious or incoherent. Identifying patient's prescriptions is critical and that little, unaltered original bottle tells us and an ER doctor A LOT. Even if you label your pill box, it is not enough. It is negligent to adopt this tip...please do not do this. A clearly labeled pill box might be ok for separating out meds for the day, but the remaining pills need to stay in the original container.
Yes, I was going to say that. As a health care professional I recommend never ever take off the labels on meds. You may not re-write the information about the meds correctly or mix up the meds, even though you may have been taking them for a long time and think you are familiar with them. I feel your video is more like "how to be OCD" It is advisable to never take labels off non medication products for the above mentioned reasons.
I would also like to point out that some medications actually get ruined if not stored correctly so removing medication from taking original bottles can affect the efficacy of the medication. For example some medications are sensitive to light and need to be stored in Amber colored bottles.
Yeah, and there's a legal reason to not take them out, too. I like to watch Cops sometimes. They have arrested many people for NOT having their bottles! Now, a neighbor still does it, but she carries around a little organizer that shows the scripts and a picture of all the pills, so if they're asked, they're fine.
This kid is too young to have REAL medications -- she is probably talking about aspirin and other mild meds. PLUS id you are old enough to have health problems, you should have a list of your meds in your purse/pocketbook and on your refrigerator (nicely packaged) for any EMTs. Some hospitals supply the Medicare Health information packets in a "File of Life" which is magnetic to put on your refrigerator. But see what the norm in your area is. Don't rely on an EMT to gather four or five meds in a hurry!!
Yes. I was speaking strictly on and showing only medication that is over-the-counter. Things like Midol, Aleve, cranberry pills (for UTIs), and Pepto Bismol tablets. I covered all the medication I own in my living room organization video, which includes no orange bottles. I don't store vitamins like this because they are sensitive to the sun. I needed to get my pills overseas in a way that wouldn't be bulky. Many minimalists are eco-friendly and vegan, so they do not take a lot of medications, although I know some can't be avoided, especially as we get older. Prescription medication needs to be stored in their original orange container because the information needs to be read each time they're taken and so that kids cannot open them; they also should be stored some place hard to reach. This is common sense, and I hope this clarifies.
I want to clarify one thing: Most minimalists do not own prescription medication or use commercial cleaning products. These things can be dangerous, so I avoid them. They need to remain labeled at all times. Overdosing or swallowing bleach or things like Tide pods is a legitimate problem that affects many in the United States, even with the labels on. We have over 14,000 deaths from overdosing on prescription medication a year. These should be eliminated if at all possible, but at least stored somewhere difficult for children to reach and always in their original container. Downsize first. Then organize. If you have multiple shampoos, for instance, you'll need a label. Further clarification. These are the things in my house that have no label: vinegar, eye drops, night cream, lip balms, over-the-counter frequently used medication (kept information in notebook), most food items, Vitamin C/D/B12 (condensed in smaller containers), shampoo, conditioner, soap Things I keep the label on intentionally: eco detergent, eco all purpose cleaner, acid peel for the face, Nyquil I do not own glue, but if I did, I'd keep a label on it as well. Anything considered toxic should always have a label. I recommend trying eco-friendly diswasher pods, laundry detergent, and cleaners if you get the chance because they make cleaning really pleasant (nice delicate essential oil scents). Thank you for watching and commenting.
Yeah I stumbled over this sentence as well. It's ridiculous. As if being in need of medication had any correlation of whether or not someone is a minimalist!
I followed the advice to remove labels from one-hit wonders like face cream, that are easy to recognize. But when I did it to my hair oil, about 5 months later I had a bottle of clear jel that I could not remember if it was for my hair or my face. That said, taking the labels off medications is just flat-out dangerous. Minimalism is supposed to make life easier, not a guessing game and never ever with meds.
I agree most of these are a little unnessery, you don't need a eye brow brush and to take the labels off things and there are different dressings for different things you can't use Mayo for everything
I love the removing labels tip...wouldn't work for everything but I went and did it to my handsoap and dishwashing liquid bottles and my sink area feels so much calmer. I didn't realise how much it felt like looking at advertising everytime I saw them until I didn't have to see the labels anymore. Thanks.
I can't do that thing with the labels. I find comfort in knowing what things are. I think it would cause too much stress and anxiety to see a of bunch of unknown things around the house. That is just me but I just am not going to be able to do that.
These are very good ideas however in the interest of safety please think twice about removing medication labels. Especially the eye drops.. You may one day accidentally drop glue into your eyes. It has happened.
and removing the labels from cleaning products? I have accidentally mixed products containing bleach with ammonia and gotten very sick. Dangerous advice here. I also resist the idea that any product I buy is going to change my life. The words product and change your life seem to be her favorite phrase
Don't use any credit cards. I wouldn't separate drugs from their information - not really safe. Same with other labels, wouldn't want to mix up nasal drops and eye drops or salt for sugar etc. And it's important to keep cooking instructions and use by dates with food products.
I agree with people here. This video has to be taken down. Some of the ideas are very dangerous (like removing labels)..she really doesnt know what she's talking about.
Your comment that seeing words on labels forces your brain to process them really struck me. Thank you for saying that. It rings true and I'm inspired to go around the house hiding all the labels and printed words. What do you do with books? Purge them all?
Meant to add to my comment below that we (EMT/paramedics) would not be looking for your journal containing your prescription medication info, we would be looking for original prescription bottles.
Blaze Star yeah that makes absolutely no sense. HTH are you supposed to know what's in it and other important information? "Let me consult my notebook".....? 🤔
I do agree that removing labels looks nice, but it is very dangerous. I'm pretty sure it's illegal to have cleaning products unlabeled.. and other commenters have addressed the unlabeled medication issue. 😵😣 If you have a large container, at a minimum put the label on the bottom or something..
I loved this video Melody! As soon as you mentioned removing labels, I ran and removed all the labels I could from my bathroom products. I had heard of doing that before and just hadn't gotten to it yet. I LOVE your idea of putting all your pills in a pill organizer as well, and taking notes of the dosage, expiration, etc. I do a lot of work watching homes and pets so I am traveling quite a bit, and it will be so much easier just to throw one container into my travel bag instead of several bottles! Thank you!!!! Love all your tips and tricks! ♥
One time I had a bunch of lettuce that was about to go bad and I thought "Oh I'll freeze this until I'm ready to use it" that didn't turn out so well 😂
I just want to add that eye drops are not good to use daily. Our bodies get addicted to them & then we NEED them or our eyes get REALLY dry. If she had the label, she could read that it warns against using more than a certain amount of days.
Lots of great tips. Like the recycled Puff's pack. I save bags that cereal or frozen foods come in like the big Wyman's 3lb bag of blueberries. These bags wash out super easy and the cereal bags do not leave a plastic food taste like purchased plastic food storage bags do. Also when I pick several pounds of blueberries each summer at our local berry farm I use the big Wyman's blueberry bag - makes sense right? Just add a date to the outside of the bag with a permanent marker as to when the new blueberries were placed in the freezer. Keeps some trash out of the landfill and keeps my wallet fuller.
Of course not, but she was talking about using it on hard floors. Most cordless vacuums are crap for carpet. I used to have a half-decent one, in that it worked *at all* but it still had nothing on a half-decent corded upright for the same price and only slightly less convenience.
Give her a break! Ok so the medication label idea wasn't the best but she obviously didn't mean any harm. She is just talking fast because she is clearly nervous. I think she is nice and I like people who are a bit eccentric. Feel like the extreme criticism is an over reaction.
I'm quite confused.... if you are taking stuff out of a box and putting it into a storage unit, you aren't "saving" the box and minimising waste.. you are just reorganising it right? Sure, you might end up with a "cleaner" look, but you aren't minimising anything.
Taking labels off of things might be aesthetically pleasing but I don't think it's appropriate for everything. Some things you need to know the information on the labels, like ingredients, shelf life, and directions. You don't want to have to memorize all that
Samantha Nicole Rather than writing them down, I took pictures of my labels and saved them to my Dropbox app. Maybe you can consider that option if you want to remove your labels, too. :)
+Jenny Eshed I strongly disagree. Some of this advice was bizarre and downright dangerous. Take the labels off all your cleaning products! Mix your bleach and ammonia!
I own neither bleach nor ammonia. A lot of minimalists are eco-friendly, so they own very few cleaning products. Also, the labels on cleaners are very difficult to take off, even when they are eco-friendly, so they are left alone. Organizing and removing labels has to happen after downsizing because this only works if you own one night cream, for instance. The best way to remove word clutter is to remove tags and to remove labels from things you use every day. That's the only places I've removed them. Also, to not use things as organizers that have words all over them (certain boxes). This advice to remove word clutter was widely seen in Konmari's popular book The Life-Changing Magic of Tidying Up. It is a concept not foreign to many minimalists.
How do you keep in mind the best-before-dates? I know you said that you keep them written down but does that mean you check them all the time? Especially with medication this seems like a whole lot of effort for something that's not really worth it in my opinion (keeping an extra book doesn't sound minimalistic either)
I don't recommend removing any pills or medication out of their original bottle/container. You never know if something has a recall from the manufacturer. It is also not safe if there's an emergency and emergency staff don't have the appropriate information because the meds aren't in their original bottle/container. Some things shouldn't be part of a minimalist life. I think that would be more of a problem.
Removing labels helps our minds declutter. Our brains constantly try to read words, even if we aren't aware of it, or so they say. In removing the labels, we give our brains a break from trying to constantly process information. As for emptying out packaging, she means empty out packages that are taking up too much space. She gave the example of Crest white strips for your teeth. The strips take of very little space in the box, so if you leave them in the box, you are wasting space in your bathroom cabinet to store the strips. I'm not saying I agree with everything she claims, but I hope that helps you better understand what she's claiming.
Isn't minimalism about only having what you really need or in generll not too much useless luxus? If yes, then i can't really see much minimalism in this video. O.o Maybe i'm wrong, if so please explain to me. Thanks :)
Minimalism is intentional and purposeful. A minimalist lifestyle is living with things that you need and remove things that you don't. It is about simplifying and decluttering the mind and unnecessary possessions. Most importantly, it is about using the least amount of energy to produce maximum outcome. None of your tips really applies and some are just dangerous, like removing medication labels and using eye drops when applying eye make up.
This seems to just be an obsessive need for cleanliness like borderline OCD? I thought minimalist was about reducing material possessions and living a simpler life? Taking the labels off of things doesn't mean you arent still buying all these brand name products.
You have great tips but as for me I like to have labels on vitamins and medications so you know what they are, directions for use, and when they expire. On occasion you may forget the difference between say ibuprofen and Tylenol and you may get them mixed up and take too much of one thinking it's the other. Thank you for your videos😊
Fancy soap dispensers!!! Your bathroom looks lovely. I bought that grout brush because of you & I used it during spring cleaning & wow what a difference. No more toothbrushes. Thanks :)
You have to be very carefull when you take out medicine out of packages. Some are very sensitive to humidity. Some are packed in a nitrogen environment. Unfortunately I do not know how to identify them :(
I loved the idea of removing labels, where did you get it from? I'm interested in language and how it affect us. This is weird but maybe happens to more people, but as I read a label it's brand name or message is stuck in my head and I repeat it many awful times. It's annoying. But that's a good way to get rid of them, well, at least some. Thank you!
Funny, I always think of you as "Less Melody" as you always find a way to pare down materials and steps! Love your tips so much, and I am so appreciative of how you list everything you mention. I'm ordering that clear brush today :) Your home is beautiful and I love the Clarity of it...the Freshness...it's so calm and clean...I'd love to have you come work your magic in my little house! I have all hardwood floors and my house is 75 yrs. old, so dust is a major problem...any suggestions for cleaning hardwoods and keeping the dust at bay? Thanks!
From one Melody to another, hello :) I finally know what it's like to live with hardwood floors, living abroad for a short time. My number one tip is to keep the floor space as clear as possible so that dusting and vacuuming is as easy as can be. A recliner instead of ottoman, skinny side table instead of coffee table, these really help. Elevate as much as possible, especially when it comes to lighting A cordless vacuum also really helps with the dust, but I use a fluffy duster in a pinch. I have Clean With Me videos coming up!
be careful with those outlet things. I used to have several of those and it shorted out one of my lamps and cause the other one to burn up the wires into the product itself o.O was kinda scary!! It was really nice having it because I could turn the light off when I was in bed, but I'm too scared now to use one again.
I don't know if this is exactly a minimalist tip I'm asking about, but I feel I'm thinking too much. . . My husband is ill, so we have a need that goes up and down. problem is keeping the remote closer enough to him, without it falling on the floor. I keep thinking about how someone showed me how she attached her child's pacifier to the sheet, but I don't recall how she did that. but maybe that would help figure out how to do it for him, since it definitely won't cause him a choking hazard. Any ideas, at all? it's hard for him to move much, so a side table wouldn't help him much. and when the bed is adjusted, he isn't closer to the head board, either.
Love some of your tips; but please, it is hard to absorb all your info as presented in one big run-on-sentence. Pause for just a sec before each topic. Hope to see more of your tips soon!
1:55 Oh... I've been trying to figure out a way to keep the remote control of my portable AC on the main unit. I'll get some Command Velcro strips tomorrow first thing in the morning. Thanks! :-)
Great tips! I never thought about the label thing until you mentioned it! Just curious, have you ever thought about transitioning to a zero waste lifestyle?
Melody, I love your advice and the way you present the information. I got the etekcity remote outlet system. That brings up another problem that I have though and can't find a solution for. The hardware around the outlet plug is HUGE! I have oversized housing on most of my hairstyling tools. Likewise on my iPad charger. I have things plugged into a surge protector bar. The problem is that the housing covers the other places to plug things in. When I was setting up my office lab (I sell and repair hearing aids) I checked with the electrical inspector. I was worried that using a bar to plug so many things in could cause a safety hazard. He said no that it adds a safety factor. I won't go into details on that. I'm still left with the problem of that housing around the plug. Do you know of any solutions to this?
Remote-controlled lights are probably great in places with no power outages. Our house is all fitted out with these wretched remote-controlled lights and I absolutely HATE them because every time there's a thunder-storm power outage in the area (which happen quite regularly) I have to reset all the lights in the house manually so they work again: get a step ladder, climb to the ceiling, reset every f***ing light by hand, climb down, move the ladder, rinse and repeat. Ghrrrh! I'd have given ANYTHING for a normal light switch on the wall!!!!!
Wow seriously? Common sense would guide us not to remove labels on prescription drugs, if she is comfortable to remove it, who cares? She's a minimalist it would be very easy for her to remember the cleaning products she's using (I think she only has 4). Anyway, she is just sharing her idea, not like she's shoving it down to your throat. Geez 😑
I've been using that pantry tip for years. I bake so I have lots of different flours and sugars. I always take them out of their bags and put them in glass jars. So much neater.You have lots of good tips but watch out for those Command Strips, I'm still trying to get the residue of one off my front door. I know you're trying to give lots of tips in a short amount of time but you could try to slow down a bit.
My ex thought I was nuts to remove the labels from everything -- and I couldn't explain why -- until I read in a magazine interview that actress Jamie Lee Curtis does the same thing and she explained that it was as aesthetic preference and I thought the same thing -- everything looks neater, less chaotic, with the labels removed!! Thanks for reinforcing this idiosyncratic tendency of mine!! :-)
Thank you for creating these videos. They have been very helpful in my journey of decluttering and creating a minimalist lifestyle. I still have a ways to go but your videos really help bring peace to the whole process. You're very authentic and genuine!! I was wondering if you buy your clothes online or if you have some clothing brands you would recommend?
The pill container is a great idea! I have a bullet journal for everything, and I think writing down relevant info in there would work much better. Great tip!
Minimalism is not really about aesthetic... Sure, decluttering makes surfaces more clear but the reason minimalists declutter is to make time for important things and not following the route of consumerism
It's really great for Christmas tree and fairy lights. A lot of time it's really hard to reach under the tree to plug in the lights. It's also great because it turns on all the lights at once (lamps, Christmas tree, fairy lights) from wherever you're sitting. :)
This video is ridiculous. Seriously, removing the labels is the most insane concept. You then go on to say read the labels on what you are eating? The basic idea of minimalism is to pare down what you use to the essentials and not have mindless stuff all over. Also, why waste your tme taking your pill out of the bottles if you don't tae many pills? You take the time to write down the expiration date when you could highlighton the bottle.
Thank you for the tip about the outlet remote. However isn't it true that it will only turn on the lights that are plugged into the outlet that the remote controls? So if you have a room with 3 outlets and lamps plugged into all of them, you'd need 3 remotes, right? Also jfyi, eye drops are very harmful. The chemicals in them cause the blood vessels in the eyes to constrict in order to minimize exposure to the chemicals. Many people find that they have to use it more and more to get the same effect, and that's because the eyes never get a chance to heal. If your eyes are red, best to try to figure out the cause (smoking, lack of sleep, bad eating, drinking, etc.) and remove it.
I couldn't help but watch the cute squirrel in the background of your video, looks like he was interested in what you were doing, maybe he picked up a few tips haha. Great vid by the way.
I spent $95 fixing a photo frame (containing precious preserved butterflies ) -- that dropped from the wall whilst i was trying to fix it to the wall with command strips. basically lasted for about 5 mins on the wall. I hate command strips.
I don't think a credit card, and even less 2 of them, has something to do with minimalism... Why in the world would a real minimalist wanted to have a credit card????
It eliminates all cash and coins, and you can make a couple hundred dollars from cashback a year, even if you just have one 2% card. It's not for those who can be forgetful or those who may be encouraged to overspend, but it works for analytical personalities :)
Two other good cards are the discover IT cards. They have one that is for gas & restaurants and they also have the basic it card. which is 1% plus a 5% promo that varies depending on the quarter. The chase amazon card is good too. 3% amazon, 2% gas restaurants, drug stores, and office supplies and 1% cash back everywhere else. I mainly use my chase amazon card for like 99% of things and I pay it off each month. Our credit has shot through the roof since I've started doing this plus the reward points are nice. (you can do a direct statement credit with no minimum unlike some of my cards).
I love the Amazon card! Great, especially during holidays. When I used to freelance, I used 3% and 5% cards for gas, and it makes sense to do so if you travel a lot. Thanks for the tips :)
Also to add to that suggestion I just got the new costco citi visa card. If you shop at costo it's really decent or just used for gas. 4% cash back on gas purchased up to the first 7000 per year.
Few very nice tips. I liked the one with the remote light plug the most 👍🏻 Two comments that I have: never remove medicine from its original packaging. You do want to know all the info from its labels, and mixing up meds can be extremely dangerous. Second: adding lemon to your water helps with alkalizing your body (even though lemons are acidic), which can help with some health issues, so DO keep that lemon in for your health 👍🏻
Great tips. I see many of them as an investment to keep the house organized and tidy. As for removing labels and writing things down , I'm too lazy to do that )
Hi I'm new to your channel. I own the two products you mentioned at the beginning and it's so exciting to me that someone else appreciates these items as much as I do. Looking forward to more videos.
Actually I not very agree that take off label can make anything different. Cuz you still need to label them to show which is which. But it might good for some people.
taking labels off of every things.. seems way to time consuming for me, by the time your remove a label, write down the important info icluding exp.dates.. You have to live by yourself, or just a spouse. Accident waiting to happen for a larger family or elderly.. for to many reasons to numerous to mention. you had a couple of good tips, but. I am far to busy to be transferring containers of items to another containers, not including the cost of healthy containers which are probaly plastic that were made to hold goods for long periods of time. some plastics are only good for one use etc... sure Cereals I store in cereals containers to stay fresher long, but I also prefer the things I do store in airtight glass containers or I just store some things in glass containers because its cute. I am anti plastic from the health aspect, so plastic anything I try not to have in my home. big problem buying recycled plastic items.
I bought the remote control outlet for my mom, who was 80 years old at the time. An able bodied person could just get up and switch off the light. That's minimalism
Ha ha...I have never laughed so hard. You make a good point. These are excellent life hacks. ha ha
That's what I thought. On what planet is it "minimalist" to buy a gadget to perform the simplest manual task?
Viewers,/subscribers, PLEASE DO NOT REMOVE MEDICATIONS FROM THEIR ORGINAL, LABLED CONTAINER. You are tying an EMT/Paramedic's hands if they are ever called to your house because you or someone else is unconscious or incoherent. Identifying patient's prescriptions is critical and that little, unaltered original bottle tells us and an ER doctor A LOT. Even if you label your pill box, it is not enough. It is negligent to adopt this tip...please do not do this.
A clearly labeled pill box might be ok for separating out meds for the day, but the remaining pills need to stay in the original container.
Yes, I was going to say that. As a health care professional I recommend never ever take off the labels on meds. You may not re-write the information about the meds correctly or mix up the meds, even though you may have been taking them for a long time and think you are familiar with them. I feel your video is more like "how to be OCD" It is advisable to never take labels off non medication products for the above mentioned reasons.
I would also like to point out that some medications actually get ruined if not stored correctly so removing medication from taking original bottles can affect the efficacy of the medication. For example some medications are sensitive to light and need to be stored in Amber colored bottles.
Yeah, and there's a legal reason to not take them out, too. I like to watch Cops sometimes. They have arrested many people for NOT having their bottles!
Now, a neighbor still does it, but she carries around a little organizer that shows the scripts and a picture of all the pills, so if they're asked, they're fine.
This kid is too young to have REAL medications -- she is probably talking about aspirin and other mild meds. PLUS id you are old enough to have health problems, you should have a list of your meds in your purse/pocketbook and on your refrigerator (nicely packaged) for any EMTs. Some hospitals supply the Medicare Health information packets in a "File of Life" which is magnetic to put on your refrigerator. But see what the norm in your area is. Don't rely on an EMT to gather four or five meds in a hurry!!
Yes. I was speaking strictly on and showing only medication that is over-the-counter. Things like Midol, Aleve, cranberry pills (for UTIs), and Pepto Bismol tablets. I covered all the medication I own in my living room organization video, which includes no orange bottles. I don't store vitamins like this because they are sensitive to the sun. I needed to get my pills overseas in a way that wouldn't be bulky.
Many minimalists are eco-friendly and vegan, so they do not take a lot of medications, although I know some can't be avoided, especially as we get older. Prescription medication needs to be stored in their original orange container because the information needs to be read each time they're taken and so that kids cannot open them; they also should be stored some place hard to reach. This is common sense, and I hope this clarifies.
You lost me at removing labels and "unpacking" medication. Sounds extremely dangerous and illegal in some cases 😱
I want to clarify one thing: Most minimalists do not own prescription medication or use commercial cleaning products. These things can be dangerous, so I avoid them. They need to remain labeled at all times. Overdosing or swallowing bleach or things like Tide pods is a legitimate problem that affects many in the United States, even with the labels on. We have over 14,000 deaths from overdosing on prescription medication a year. These should be eliminated if at all possible, but at least stored somewhere difficult for children to reach and always in their original container.
Downsize first. Then organize. If you have multiple shampoos, for instance, you'll need a label.
Further clarification. These are the things in my house that have no label: vinegar, eye drops, night cream, lip balms, over-the-counter frequently used medication (kept information in notebook), most food items, Vitamin C/D/B12 (condensed in smaller containers), shampoo, conditioner, soap
Things I keep the label on intentionally: eco detergent, eco all purpose cleaner, acid peel for the face, Nyquil
I do not own glue, but if I did, I'd keep a label on it as well. Anything considered toxic should always have a label. I recommend trying eco-friendly diswasher pods, laundry detergent, and cleaners if you get the chance because they make cleaning really pleasant (nice delicate essential oil scents). Thank you for watching and commenting.
Yeah I stumbled over this sentence as well. It's ridiculous. As if being in need of medication had any correlation of whether or not someone is a minimalist!
It sounds like you are describing what someone with OCD or something like that has. A minimalist is just someone who wants to live with less stuff.
I don't know of ANY Minimalist that wouldnt take medicine or use cleaners at all. Myself included!
+Maya Monet Me either to be honest.
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Or conspiracy theorists. - Exactly!
Please reconsider removing your prescriptions from their original packaging. Also keep the label on the eye drops. Much safer.
I followed the advice to remove labels from one-hit wonders like face cream, that are easy to recognize. But when I did it to my hair oil, about 5 months later I had a bottle of clear jel that I could not remember if it was for my hair or my face. That said, taking the labels off medications is just flat-out dangerous. Minimalism is supposed to make life easier, not a guessing game and never ever with meds.
You obviously remembered it was hair oil eventually though right?
So I can still buy loads of stuff as a "minimalist"... As long as I take the labels off?
Seemed to be a lot of unnecessary items in this video....for a minimalist
I agree most of these are a little unnessery, you don't need a eye brow brush and to take the labels off things and there are different dressings for different things you can't use Mayo for everything
I just discovered your channel and I love it! Great tips!!! tfs -Tai
You really shouldn't take medication out of it's package. It may expire sooner without packaging.
I love the removing labels tip...wouldn't work for everything but I went and did it to my handsoap and dishwashing liquid bottles and my sink area feels so much calmer. I didn't realise how much it felt like looking at advertising everytime I saw them until I didn't have to see the labels anymore. Thanks.
I can't do that thing with the labels. I find comfort in knowing what things are. I think it would cause too much stress and anxiety to see a of bunch of unknown things around the house. That is just me but I just am not going to be able to do that.
How can I read the labels on my condiments when I've removed them???
These are very good ideas however in the interest of safety please think twice about removing medication labels. Especially the eye drops.. You may one day accidentally drop glue into your eyes. It has happened.
ya the eye drops blew me away.
and removing the labels from cleaning products? I have accidentally mixed products containing bleach with ammonia and gotten very sick. Dangerous advice here. I also resist the idea that any product I buy is going to change my life. The words product and change your life seem to be her favorite phrase
Don't use any credit cards. I wouldn't separate drugs from their information - not really safe. Same with other labels, wouldn't want to mix up nasal drops and eye drops or salt for sugar etc. And it's important to keep cooking instructions and use by dates with food products.
This video is not about minimalism. Minimalism means to eliminate stuff and not to buy more stuff.
I agree with people here. This video has to be taken down. Some of the ideas are very dangerous (like removing labels)..she really doesnt know what she's talking about.
Reducing by buying more gadgets and junk? That isn't my idea of minimalism.
Your comment that seeing words on labels forces your brain to process them really struck me. Thank you for saying that. It rings true and I'm inspired to go around the house hiding all the labels and printed words.
What do you do with books? Purge them all?
Meant to add to my comment below that we (EMT/paramedics) would not be looking for your journal containing your prescription medication info, we would be looking for original prescription bottles.
I know someone who glued her eye shut with nail glue that she thought was eye drops. Don't remove the labels!
If you have more than 1 person in your house, I don't recommend removing labels on things. You need labels on your meds.
Blaze Star yeah that makes absolutely no sense. HTH are you supposed to know what's in it and other important information? "Let me consult my notebook".....? 🤔
I do agree that removing labels looks nice, but it is very dangerous. I'm pretty sure it's illegal to have cleaning products unlabeled.. and other commenters have addressed the unlabeled medication issue. 😵😣
If you have a large container, at a minimum put the label on the bottom or something..
I loved this video Melody! As soon as you mentioned removing labels, I ran and removed all the labels I could from my bathroom products. I had heard of doing that before and just hadn't gotten to it yet. I LOVE your idea of putting all your pills in a pill organizer as well, and taking notes of the dosage, expiration, etc. I do a lot of work watching homes and pets so I am traveling quite a bit, and it will be so much easier just to throw one container into my travel bag instead of several bottles! Thank you!!!! Love all your tips and tricks! ♥
One time I had a bunch of lettuce that was about to go bad and I thought "Oh I'll freeze this until I'm ready to use it" that didn't turn out so well 😂
I just want to add that eye drops are not good to use daily. Our bodies get addicted to them & then we NEED them or our eyes get REALLY dry. If she had the label, she could read that it warns against using more than a certain amount of days.
best life hack for cleaning the kitchen, getting a dog lol golden retriever for top cuteness factor
Malamutes rule
This is just about acquiring more products. Not really minimalist
Lots of great tips. Like the recycled Puff's pack. I save bags that cereal or frozen foods come in like the big Wyman's 3lb bag of blueberries. These bags wash out super easy and the cereal bags do not leave a plastic food taste like purchased plastic food storage bags do. Also when I pick several pounds of blueberries each summer at our local berry farm I use the big Wyman's blueberry bag - makes sense right? Just add a date to the outside of the bag with a permanent marker as to when the new blueberries were placed in the freezer. Keeps some trash out of the landfill and keeps my wallet fuller.
My minimalist cordless vacuum has a handle and bristles, and it's called a broom.
Ha good one 👍🏼
Mine too!
works great on the carpet too huh?
Of course not, but she was talking about using it on hard floors. Most cordless vacuums are crap for carpet. I used to have a half-decent one, in that it worked *at all* but it still had nothing on a half-decent corded upright for the same price and only slightly less convenience.
looked like a carpet to.me
Give her a break! Ok so the medication label idea wasn't the best but she obviously didn't mean any harm. She is just talking fast because she is clearly nervous. I think she is nice and I like people who are a bit eccentric. Feel like the extreme criticism is an over reaction.
We just got a deep freezer and it's definitely changing our food game - we waste a lot less!
Glad you are back. I missed your videos. I still am in awe of your house tour, and how minimalist you really are.
I'm quite confused.... if you are taking stuff out of a box and putting it into a storage unit, you aren't "saving" the box and minimising waste.. you are just reorganising it right? Sure, you might end up with a "cleaner" look, but you aren't minimising anything.
Taking labels off of things might be aesthetically pleasing but I don't think it's appropriate for everything. Some things you need to know the information on the labels, like ingredients, shelf life, and directions. You don't want to have to memorize all that
Samantha Nicole Rather than writing them down, I took pictures of my labels and saved them to my Dropbox app. Maybe you can consider that option if you want to remove your labels, too. :)
These aren't really minimalism tips...
In hindsight, maybe Top Lifehacks of a Minimalist would have been more accurate. I hope you'll stick around for my other minimalist videos :)
Most of this are great advice, drink water, have one condiment. Less is better in my home too.
+Jenny Eshed I strongly disagree. Some of this advice was bizarre and downright dangerous. Take the labels off all your cleaning products! Mix your bleach and ammonia!
I own neither bleach nor ammonia. A lot of minimalists are eco-friendly, so they own very few cleaning products. Also, the labels on cleaners are very difficult to take off, even when they are eco-friendly, so they are left alone.
Organizing and removing labels has to happen after downsizing because this only works if you own one night cream, for instance. The best way to remove word clutter is to remove tags and to remove labels from things you use every day. That's the only places I've removed them. Also, to not use things as organizers that have words all over them (certain boxes).
This advice to remove word clutter was widely seen in Konmari's popular book The Life-Changing Magic of Tidying Up. It is a concept not foreign to many minimalists.
+More Melody What hacks did you hack???
How do you keep in mind the best-before-dates? I know you said that you keep them written down but does that mean you check them all the time? Especially with medication this seems like a whole lot of effort for something that's not really worth it in my opinion (keeping an extra book doesn't sound minimalistic either)
I don't recommend removing any pills or medication out of their original bottle/container. You never know if something has a recall from the manufacturer. It is also not safe if there's an emergency and emergency staff don't have the appropriate information because the meds aren't in their original bottle/container. Some things shouldn't be part of a minimalist life. I think that would be more of a problem.
I think I missed something, why remove labels and unpackage things? What about shampoo and body wash?
Removing labels helps our minds declutter. Our brains constantly try to read words, even if we aren't aware of it, or so they say. In removing the labels, we give our brains a break from trying to constantly process information. As for emptying out packaging, she means empty out packages that are taking up too much space. She gave the example of Crest white strips for your teeth. The strips take of very little space in the box, so if you leave them in the box, you are wasting space in your bathroom cabinet to store the strips. I'm not saying I agree with everything she claims, but I hope that helps you better understand what she's claiming.
Eliminating dairy and meat would be a great minimalist tip! Simplify your food!
not safe to have unlabeled products...
Isn't minimalism about only having what you really need or in generll not too much useless luxus?
If yes, then i can't really see much minimalism in this video. O.o
Maybe i'm wrong, if so please explain to me. Thanks :)
Minimalism is intentional and purposeful. A minimalist lifestyle is living with things that you need and remove things that you don't. It is about simplifying and decluttering the mind and unnecessary possessions. Most importantly, it is about using the least amount of energy to produce maximum outcome. None of your tips really applies and some are just dangerous, like removing medication labels and using eye drops when applying eye make up.
This seems to just be an obsessive need for cleanliness like borderline OCD? I thought minimalist was about reducing material possessions and living a simpler life? Taking the labels off of things doesn't mean you arent still buying all these brand name products.
You have great tips but as for me I like to have labels on vitamins and medications so you know what they are, directions for use, and when they expire. On occasion you may forget the difference between say ibuprofen and Tylenol and you may get them mixed up and take too much of one thinking it's the other.
Thank you for your videos😊
SQUIRREL! Omg so cute, just outside the window doing his own thing 6:56
Fancy soap dispensers!!! Your bathroom looks lovely.
I bought that grout brush because of you & I used it during spring cleaning & wow what a difference. No more toothbrushes. Thanks :)
Just can't compare to a toothbrush, right? It's tough and so nice to look at. Glad you found it useful :)
That looks a little too big to use as a toothbrush, I want a vid of that please, lol!
You have to be very carefull when you take out medicine out of packages. Some are very sensitive to humidity. Some are packed in a nitrogen environment. Unfortunately I do not know how to identify them :(
Not to mention some are light sensitive...
We keep ours in a drawer. No children ever visit our home. Or adults for that matter. We're reclusive.
Love the tip to cover the outside of the electrical box with a favorite scarf. Thanks!
Taking the pills out of their containers is a bad idea. (Maybe not if you live alone) But especially if kids are ever around.
So true! It is HORRIBLE advice to remove labels.
I loved the idea of removing labels, where did you get it from? I'm interested in language and how it affect us. This is weird but maybe happens to more people, but as I read a label it's brand name or message is stuck in my head and I repeat it many awful times. It's annoying. But that's a good way to get rid of them, well, at least some. Thank you!
You title this video "minimalist lifehacks" and then go on to suggest us to buy products? ...Excuse me?
Like everything, except the labels should stay for guests, safety reasons (allergies), and to distringuish between similar bottles.
So you basically told us to buy all this stuff and then take labels of cosmetics and read the labels on our food
*off
i think she means read labels before buying crap u dont want in your diet
Funny, I always think of you as "Less Melody" as you always find a way to pare down materials and steps! Love your tips so much, and I am so appreciative of how you list everything you mention. I'm ordering that clear brush today :) Your home is beautiful and I love the Clarity of it...the Freshness...it's so calm and clean...I'd love to have you come work your magic in my little house! I have all hardwood floors and my house is 75 yrs. old, so dust is a major problem...any suggestions for cleaning hardwoods and keeping the dust at bay? Thanks!
From one Melody to another, hello :) I finally know what it's like to live with hardwood floors, living abroad for a short time. My number one tip is to keep the floor space as clear as possible so that dusting and vacuuming is as easy as can be. A recliner instead of ottoman, skinny side table instead of coffee table, these really help. Elevate as much as possible, especially when it comes to lighting A cordless vacuum also really helps with the dust, but I use a fluffy duster in a pinch. I have Clean With Me videos coming up!
be careful with those outlet things. I used to have several of those and it shorted out one of my lamps and cause the other one to burn up the wires into the product itself o.O was kinda scary!! It was really nice having it because I could turn the light off when I was in bed, but I'm too scared now to use one again.
If you are traveling with that medication unlabeled, be aware this is illegal in many states.
I don't know if this is exactly a minimalist tip I'm asking about, but I feel I'm thinking too much. . .
My husband is ill, so we have a need that goes up and down. problem is keeping the remote closer enough to him, without it falling on the floor.
I keep thinking about how someone showed me how she attached her child's pacifier to the sheet, but I don't recall how she did that. but maybe that would help figure out how to do it for him, since it definitely won't cause him a choking hazard.
Any ideas, at all? it's hard for him to move much, so a side table wouldn't help him much. and when the bed is adjusted, he isn't closer to the head board, either.
Love some of your tips; but please, it is hard to absorb all your info as presented in one big
run-on-sentence. Pause for just a sec before each topic. Hope to see more of your tips soon!
I thought the same.
I've also been wondering when she breathes in between? 😮😨
1:55 Oh... I've been trying to figure out a way to keep the remote control of my portable AC on the main unit. I'll get some Command Velcro strips tomorrow first thing in the morning. Thanks! :-)
Great tips! I never thought about the label thing until you mentioned it! Just curious, have you ever thought about transitioning to a zero waste lifestyle?
What brand is your cordless vacuum cleaner?
Melody, I love your advice and the way you present the information. I got the etekcity remote outlet system. That brings up another problem that I have though and can't find a solution for. The hardware around the outlet plug is HUGE! I have oversized housing on most of my hairstyling tools. Likewise on my iPad charger. I have things plugged into a surge protector bar. The problem is that the housing covers the other places to plug things in. When I was setting up my office lab (I sell and repair hearing aids) I checked with the electrical inspector. I was worried that using a bar to plug so many things in could cause a safety hazard. He said no that it adds a safety factor. I won't go into details on that. I'm still left with the problem of that housing around the plug. Do you know of any solutions to this?
Hey Debra, I use a power strip for the main hub in the living room and then hide the cords in a cord box :)
Remote-controlled lights are probably great in places with no power outages. Our house is all fitted out with these wretched remote-controlled lights and I absolutely HATE them because every time there's a thunder-storm power outage in the area (which happen quite regularly) I have to reset all the lights in the house manually so they work again: get a step ladder, climb to the ceiling, reset every f***ing light by hand, climb down, move the ladder, rinse and repeat. Ghrrrh! I'd have given ANYTHING for a normal light switch on the wall!!!!!
J
This is good to know. thanks Rina!
would love to see a viv on how u meal plan. .weekly or biweekly etc.
Wow seriously? Common sense would guide us not to remove labels on prescription drugs, if she is comfortable to remove it, who cares? She's a minimalist it would be very easy for her to remember the cleaning products she's using (I think she only has 4). Anyway, she is just sharing her idea, not like she's shoving it down to your throat. Geez 😑
right?! my gosh ppl r mean!!
I've been using that pantry tip for years. I bake so I have lots of different flours and sugars. I always take them out of their bags and put them in glass jars. So much neater.You have lots of good tips but watch out for those Command Strips, I'm still trying to get the residue of one off my front door. I know you're trying to give lots of tips in a short amount of time but you could try to slow down a bit.
Goo gone is your friend
My ex thought I was nuts to remove the labels from everything -- and I couldn't explain why -- until I read in a magazine interview that actress Jamie Lee Curtis does the same thing and she explained that it was as aesthetic preference and I thought the same thing -- everything looks neater, less chaotic, with the labels removed!! Thanks for reinforcing this idiosyncratic tendency of mine!! :-)
Thank you for creating these videos. They have been very helpful in my journey of decluttering and creating a minimalist lifestyle. I still have a ways to go but your videos really help bring peace to the whole process. You're very authentic and genuine!! I was wondering if you buy your clothes online or if you have some clothing brands you would recommend?
What does using eye drops have to do with being minimalistic? In fact, I'd say maybe 8/10 tips you have shared have nothing to do with it.
Where is your dinning table from?
For a minimalism video, I'm surprised by how many of the tips are "buy this thing."
The pill container is a great idea! I have a bullet journal for everything, and I think writing down relevant info in there would work much better. Great tip!
I use older essence oils for removing labels from glass. Works better than acetone.
Minimalism is not really about aesthetic... Sure, decluttering makes surfaces more clear but the reason minimalists declutter is to make time for important things and not following the route of consumerism
I think a lot of these tips are tips for OCD people more than they're tips for minimalists. Especially the eyebrow gel and eye drops tips?
That's ridiculous. No able-bodied person needs a remote control for their lights. You haven't understood what "minimalism" means. Clickbait.
It's really great for Christmas tree and fairy lights. A lot of time it's really hard to reach under the tree to plug in the lights. It's also great because it turns on all the lights at once (lamps, Christmas tree, fairy lights) from wherever you're sitting. :)
+More Melody WHY WOULD A MINIMALIST HAVE FAIRY LIGHTS!!!!?
Laura Lambeth ..calm down.. minimalism means having only things that r useful and mini-lights are something she likes. ok?
This video is ridiculous. Seriously, removing the labels is the most insane concept. You then go on to say read the labels on what you are eating? The basic idea of minimalism is to pare down what you use to the essentials and not have mindless stuff all over. Also, why waste your tme taking your pill out of the bottles if you don't tae many pills? You take the time to write down the expiration date when you could highlighton the bottle.
wouldn't velcro start to get expensive?
I was thinking the same.
Thank you for the tip about the outlet remote. However isn't it true that it will only turn on the lights that are plugged into the outlet that the remote controls? So if you have a room with 3 outlets and lamps plugged into all of them, you'd need 3 remotes, right? Also jfyi, eye drops are very harmful. The chemicals in them cause the blood vessels in the eyes to constrict in order to minimize exposure to the chemicals. Many people find that they have to use it more and more to get the same effect, and that's because the eyes never get a chance to heal. If your eyes are red, best to try to figure out the cause (smoking, lack of sleep, bad eating, drinking, etc.) and remove it.
Holy crap, take a breath and pause every now and then. I feel like I'm on speed.
how do you feel about the smart home light control? Like you could just use Amazon Echo, say like "turn the kitchen light off"
I couldn't help but watch the cute squirrel in the background of your video, looks like he was interested in what you were doing, maybe he picked up a few tips haha. Great vid by the way.
He's always popping in at just the right times!
Taking off labels and buying things to store things in is stupid and more work. I wouldn't know what was inside any of my bottles!!!
I spent $95 fixing a photo frame (containing precious preserved butterflies ) -- that dropped from the wall whilst i was trying to fix it to the wall with command strips. basically lasted for about 5 mins on the wall. I hate command strips.
i think those velcro syrips are for lighter less valuable things than precious art in glass frames. js.
Minimalists use brushes not vacuum, fresh not frozen, jif bleach water and nothing else. No minimalism here.
I love how you talk... youre so cute. And I love your vids! even though im a minimalist guy :p
Thank you. That is so sweet of you to say :)
I have to say, your quick speaking is “hyper-motivating. WOW! Your energy!
You shouldn't take pills out of child-proof bottles if there are small children in the house!!!
I don't think a credit card, and even less 2 of them, has something to do with minimalism... Why in the world would a real minimalist wanted to have a credit card????
It eliminates all cash and coins, and you can make a couple hundred dollars from cashback a year, even if you just have one 2% card. It's not for those who can be forgetful or those who may be encouraged to overspend, but it works for analytical personalities :)
OK, could make sense. Thanks for the response. Have a nice week. :)
Two other good cards are the discover IT cards. They have one that is for gas & restaurants and they also have the basic it card. which is 1% plus a 5% promo that varies depending on the quarter. The chase amazon card is good too. 3% amazon, 2% gas restaurants, drug stores, and office supplies and 1% cash back everywhere else.
I mainly use my chase amazon card for like 99% of things and I pay it off each month. Our credit has shot through the roof since I've started doing this plus the reward points are nice. (you can do a direct statement credit with no minimum unlike some of my cards).
I love the Amazon card! Great, especially during holidays. When I used to freelance, I used 3% and 5% cards for gas, and it makes sense to do so if you travel a lot. Thanks for the tips :)
Also to add to that suggestion I just got the new costco citi visa card. If you shop at costo it's really decent or just used for gas. 4% cash back on gas purchased up to the first 7000 per year.
hardly minimalist this video is trying to get me to buy and acquire more. thnx for the "hacks'"
Few very nice tips. I liked the one with the remote light plug the most 👍🏻 Two comments that I have: never remove medicine from its original packaging. You do want to know all the info from its labels, and mixing up meds can be extremely dangerous. Second: adding lemon to your water helps with alkalizing your body (even though lemons are acidic), which can help with some health issues, so DO keep that lemon in for your health 👍🏻
gosh, buying a lot of crap in order to be a minimalist? Not convinced.
Great tips. I see many of them as an investment to keep the house organized and tidy. As for removing labels and writing things down , I'm too lazy to do that )
a vacuum is for the house. if something has a warrantee (or an electric cord) it's not a gift.
GENIUS....thank you so much Melody...
Hi I'm new to your channel. I own the two products you mentioned at the beginning and it's so exciting to me that someone else appreciates these items as much as I do. Looking forward to more videos.
Actually I not very agree that take off label can make anything different. Cuz you still need to label them to show which is which. But it might good for some people.
Also if the label cannot be taken away clear, it makes me feel crazy. Haha
taking labels off of every things.. seems way to time consuming for me, by the time your remove a label, write down the important info icluding exp.dates.. You have to live by yourself, or just a spouse. Accident waiting to happen for a larger family or elderly.. for to many reasons to numerous to mention. you had a couple of good tips, but. I am far to busy to be transferring containers of items to another containers, not including the cost of healthy containers which are probaly plastic that were made to hold goods for long periods of time. some plastics are only good for one use etc... sure Cereals I store in cereals containers to stay fresher long, but I also prefer the things I do store in airtight glass containers or I just store some things in glass containers because its cute. I am anti plastic from the health aspect, so plastic anything I try not to have in my home. big problem buying recycled plastic items.
great video, I'm going to try the velcro strips and puff packs