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👍hubby keeps keys, and doesn't want me to drive + he has to go through everything to make sure I am not getting rid of something he might want, then takes forever to go through it. I have finally told him, iifI can't get it donated and it is still there in 2 weeks, I will put it out in the front by street with free sign. He hates that ides, because he is sure that if people stop, they will look other places to find things to take. He is quite paranoid, I think.
OMG you said something that hit me... "You don't waste your money getting rid of some thing. You waste your money buying some thing!" 😳🤯 what a way to change a thought process!
“Remember that you wasted the money when you bought [the item], not when you [get rid of it ]! You are the best minimalist coach on UA-cam, hands down! I love your videos .
#6 I do not have this problem any more. My solution I monthly scheduled a dropped off time to remove entirely all my unwanted items. Every 15th of the month, I schedule a specific time to remove all collected unwanted items from my home, car, and garage. This method has been incredibly effective for me over the past three years. Benefits: Clutter-free space: For at least 24 hours, my home is entirely free of unwanted objects. Consistent maintenance: I never accumulate more than a month's worth of declutterable items.
👍 My biggest problem when decluttering is the guilt of throwing things out that I would love to recycle & knowing they can be recycled but also knowing they're not recyclable where I live, like old cds for example. So I hold on to them as if by doing so, sooner or later a solution will magically appear!
@@Serena-or7sl Sadly a lot of the cds are work related and of little or no use to anybody, otherwise, it's a good idea. Terracycle recycles a lot of stuff most municipal recycling doesn't but they only work out of certain countries/areas. We need more of those!
This week, I realized that I miss all my vinyl music albums that I decluttered 10 years ago. BUT I miss "having" them. I do not miss "playing" those albums because I could play a lot of the music on Spotify but I have not. I have gained space from the decluttered albums, turntable, speakers and dusty wires, and I gained time by not having to maintain them. Similarly, I "miss" some larger size jeans that I decluttered last time I lost weight. TWO LESSONS: 1. I regret the weight gained after a death in the family, not the decluttered bigger jeans. 2. The 3 pairs of bigger jeans I bought to accommodate the weight gain is the right quantity for my ongoing capsule wardrobe. And, if weight fluctuations become my new reality, retaining my more flexible designed items might be a better choice. My elastic waistband knitwear got me through a hysterectomy, weight gain and weight loss. The jury is still out on wide-leg jeans, but low-rise and skinny-jeans are gone. The longest I have hung onto something that I decided to declutter is 8 months (so far). I am afraid I made too big of a project out of decluttering an entire set of dishes and serving pieces. I plan to take them back to the auction where I bought them used. I now have enough boxes for all the pieces including the serving platters and big bowls. My goal is to photograph and pack the boxes into a wagon this afternoon, then figure out when the auction house can receive the boxes. If that gets too complicated, I will take the whole set to a charity shop and they can make some money for their good cause. Even though each platter is selling for more than $100 on eBay, I have gotten more than my money's worth during the 30 years I used them. And I am not the right temperament to sell things on eBay myself. In the meantime, I am proud that I have been using Mom's good China to the point that some of the silver trim has worn off and I chipped one bowl. Yes, I am proud that I am not saving it only for special occasions. I am also proud of a little wear on a single set of gold trimmed China plates that I have been using outside instead of paper plates. I have been using Grandma's cloth napkins inside and outside too... even with BBQ sauce.
My china set is chipped because we use it for holidays, birthdays, anniversaries, and whenever I want. My family has made memories with these plates. Otherwise what's the point of owning a perfect set of china that has never been used? I'm happy to see that you feel the same way!
I miss one blouse. One. I also gained back some weight that I lost; and the larger jeans were gone. I purchased 3 pair in 3 colors that have elastic and good straight legs that actually match the 3 pair of the smaller size. I can just grab whatever feels right that day and I no longer have to worry about all those tight legs, zippers and buttons. My arthritic fingers are much happier!
🎉👏👏👏👏👏 i applaud you. You overcame the worship of it, but appreciated the memories and added your self into it. While remembering family in the everyday.
@@alicemoore6623 I hope you are washing dishes in your best dress too. 'May as well set some flowers in a vase and light candle for some much deserved huge too. You deserve the best self care you can manage. Celebrate. ❤️
👍👍👍👍👍👍👍👍 Due to chronic pain and illness (but also secretly wanting to make sure they find a good home) I've actually left decluttered stuff for like 2yr
Have you tried Freecycle? Sign up for your area, list and add a picture and then anyone who wants it will contact you by email. Whomever you decide to give it to, they will come and pick it up! I gave an anvil and some metal working supplies to a lovely young woman enrolled in metalworking at the local college. I felt good and it really helped her. Just a thought.
👍…. I keep a decluttering bin; whenever I find something that needs to go, I put it there. When the bin is full, it moves to the car, where it lives until I can drop it off when I have another errant or appointment. Batching my trips saves time and gas. Decluttering is an ongoing process, I like things organized and am always looking for ways to improve. I’ve practiced this for years. I look forward to your videos for tips and validation for things that I already do. The other thing you mentioned was shopping, I simply don’t go into stores unless I have a specific purpose or list.
Me too!! I love the A to Zen channel to stay motivated and learn new things/perspective - but the single most impactful declutterring method came from Dana K White’s Declutterring At The Speed of Life. Her ‘no mess’ method, ‘container concept’ and ‘visibility rule’ (amongst other things) have been game changers for me. I strongly suggest getting her audio book.
I keep bag or a box to one side of the desk , kind of on the way out to the car. I then add things I find to donate to that until it is reasonably full, then I grab it and put it into the car going out the door on one of my town trips, and it becomes one of the errands that I am taking care of that day. Not going to lie, I have been working for a few years on this whole declutter journey, so I may take me a week or two to fill up the bag or box. Depending. I have other areas that are more problematic , like mail type items that come in without me doing anything to get them here. Then I have to make decisions about what to do with them. Grrrr. An aside here, I loved it when I lived in Guatemala, they didn’t and don’t have junk mail. Something that impressed me and I always thought “ why can’t we do that in the US”.. I think the way it worked there was, that one paid not only to send but also to receive something .Can you imagine what would happen if you had to “pay” to receive mail? You would probably just refuse to pay for stuff you didn’t want. So no more junk mail. Stopping the clutter at its source. Brilliant !
The trunk of my car holds my discards too long because I don’t want to go out. My home is almost completely decluttered and I’m pretty happy with the results. Where I am challenged the most is in the area of my knitting supplies. Crafts and hobbies are my biggest challenge because I don’t have a social life or much interaction outside my home, so my crafts and hobbies fill the voids of not being socially active. They keep my mind and my hands busy so I don’t feel lonely.
I was super lucky that when I decided to declutter, a woman that my hubs worked with ran a thrift store. We carried the first load over to her store, but after that, all I had to do was put it in the back of hubs car and he would transfer it to her car after work. Once, when we had furniture and larger items, she and her hubs came over, carried those pieces down the stairs and loaded them onto their truck. Win, Win.
👍 Stuff does accumulate, but we now have a family process. We have a space in the garage, the 'donation corner' until I have enough stuff to warrant a trip to make donations. The 'corner' is on a small rug and that limits how big the pile can get. (As my husband and I cull through our books, we stack 'books-to-go" in an indoor box to keep them from humidity, but when the box is full, we take it to a local bookshop that gives us "credits" (for future purchases) or they just recycle what they don't keep. This is what works for us.
You are so right to break down to small tasks - I get overwhelmed with memories or perfection. Then I try to organize right in the middle of the task! Learning alot 🎉
I have been doing the Micro zone decluttering technique for the past few weeks and it has been so helpful. I feel I get more done, then doing my yearly all at once declutter. I've been able to declutter much more - just a few more areas to go .
Dear Marissa, you helped me so much! Thank you for your work, I started my decluttering 1 year ago listening to your story and your voice and now I feel so much peaceful in my house! Unespectedly also my 2 teenagers are now decluttering their own stuff ...incredible! I'm so happyyyyy ❤
😂 It's been on the stairwell for 2 years. When the antique bookshelf I stripped as a teenager, a former 1930's radio furniture piece, was turned down by Goodwill, it stayed in the car for a few months, then needing the space, moved back into my house. It was in the carport at my parents house before it came to my house, having been in their house since I moved out. I take my clutter on vacations and tours before they return home.🎉 Now I am tasked with my house and a friend's home.😮😅
Put items in totes in basement. In the spring pull totes out and garage sale then donate. This has worked for me as it shows me that I didn’t really need item.
👍🏻I have a bad behind my door where I put deculltered stuff. Husband complained that the weight made it hard to open and close the door. So it’s now sitting on the floor while I promise myself I’ll select what I want to give to a friend and what should just go to the thrift store 😂
👍 Sometimes I get stuck because I want to list things for sale. This especially happens with my kids' toys because I agree to try to sell anything sellable that they are willing to declutter. But I rarely have time to actually post the listings. So it collects in my dining room, which is the closest location to my garage door that I can use. I also have a bunch of "decluttered" clothes cluttering up my closet.
👍🏻 yes my stuff lingers, sometimes I put it back in the attic. For years at a time sometimes. I don't own a car and have no drivers license. Making arrangents for someone to come and help me takes a lot of mental energy. I feel like I have to make it worth mine and their effort. So I collect a whole mountain of decluttered things to have someone take it away in one go which is an awesome sigh of relief for me. But in the mean time the clutter stresses me out. Especially large items that take up space.
👍 I put decluttered things in boxes and bags and wait for the boxes and bags to be full, I then usually end up sorting through them again since I have forgotten what was in them were already decluttered. Some time the boxes and bags get out to the garage, with the same results and some times the boxes and bags get as far as getting into the car, but then for one reason or another they get out of the car back into the garage. I am having the added obstacles of two other adults living here using the cars, and complaining about my trying to be pairing down things that they are too busy to be maintaining themselves, like piling up dishes, towels, unrinsed recyclables left on the kitchen countertops or randomly where ever they finished using the container. I am sorry, I do get quite very frustrated. Thank you very much for your encouraging helpful hints. Take Care, Stay Safe And Healthy 🐱🖖✌️☮️🌈
👍🏼 I usually let it pile until I’ve finished decluttering a section of my house or there is a box or two full. I also have friends who do clothing swaps a couple times a year so clothes donations pile up until those come around.
👍On my bedroom floor and my living room floor. My local second hand shops stopped taking clothes for a while. So I had clothes in bags all over the place.
Contact Green Drop online - pick your charity, identify size of your pick up, select the date they pick up based upon your zip code, & poof - clothes are gone.
👍I can't get into my coat closet right now, actually, because of the boxes in front of it to go to the thrift store. That's donate clutter. Trash clutter, like bulky junk items, sits by the back door or winds up in the back of my truck without going anywhere. I've gone over a year with things in the bed of my truck that I needed to take to the dump. But one of my friends is a single mom who is always looking for bonus income streams, and I've started paying her for her time to list things on FB marketplace, or do a thrift store or dump run for me. It's a win-win!
I have a friend who like to pick through my discards and then she will take whatever is left to the local charity. The repeat donations she carried in have helped her too as they needed a wheelchair for a MIL visit. The charity found her a used one, she is borrowing it for a month and then is taking it back. We can do all kinds of things when we work together.
👍 Yep, I have a bag of clothing and a box of miscellaneous items waiting to be donated. The place I donate to is only open twice a week for donations. And sometimes it conflicts with my schedule. But I usually do a donation run once a month. When I first moved to my current home, I used the bathtub in the main bathroom as my toilet-be-donated items. No one ever used the tub in there and it was easy to pull the curtain and hide it. Prior to moving I got rid of 40% of my “stuff” but still had items to donate after I moved…partly because I found no place to put it and partly because my daughter helped me pack. After I moved I got rid of another 10-15%. My only weaknesses are books and my clothes…but I am making progress every week!
Hello - just wondering if you feel you have fundamentally changed as a person since decluttering? I feel like I have been rehabilitated! I bought a sports top online as my current one was stained. It was a bit tight and thr old me would have kept it anyway. My brain almost fast- forwarded to me never wearing it and ultimately decluttering it. Which then made me return it immediately and buy one that actually fits right now! Intentionality is definitely the word. Birthdays and Christmases are easier as we've simplified. I've also started asking parents if they would prefer money or a toy rather than just buying as I always would have for a kid's party. Our finances are better than they've ever been and we are able to save and plan for the future. I am nearly finished with our house (although it's obviously an ongoing project due to changing ages/stages/seasons) and I feel like I would never go back to how it was. I am also now thinking of things I would like to do now my home runs so much more smoothly! Thank you so much for your channel. ❤
I put Donations in my car immediately. Also Electronics recycling, etc. I've gotten pretty good at it. I appreciate the motivation I've gotten from this channel the last few years.
👍👍👍 I have boxes in the garage, living room, laundry room and my built-in buffet is totally covered with stuff. I have a box ready to take to a resale store plus many loose items that don't fit in a box. I have antique furniture I want to sell that's using up space in the garage. My new husband's stuff is in boxes in the garage and living room. I do many crafts. Fabric, thread, yarn, wool and the tools to make stuff is everywhere. The only rooms that aren't overflowing are the bedrooms, kitchen and bathroom. It's miserable! I'm completely overwhelmed! The thing I've been procrastinating on the longest is the beautiful antique oak dining table with 4 chairs I have stored in my garage. It's been for there 6 years - I'm finally working on finding the set a home now!😏
👍 Totally guilty of decluttering items then leaving them in the house… Before I really started digging into this journey of simplification and decluttering I would stash things in our laundry room stand up shower that we never used. I’m afraid the stuff probably sat there for years. Finally moved it out when the shower head started leaking randomly… 💦😅 Fortunately that really helped my momentum to let things go. 🎉
I have found the lingering Can be helpful… for example, I can take a piece of clothing out of my closet and see if I even miss it. 99% of the time I don’t and I can get rid of the item guilt free.
Place it at the door so I can't get out without taking it with me then it goes straight to where it will be donated. Varies depending what place is the closest to my destination that day. But moving it out quickly is key to sucess.
👍🏻🙋🏻♀️🙋🏻♀️🙋🏻♀️ I’m used to park bags of stuff to be donated close to our laundry downstairs… the issue is that they are in a room close also to our main entry ; so my daughter sometimes goes there and pick again something already decluttered 😱🤯😅 Regarding mistake #1, some years ago i listened my new mantra for buying or decluttering stuff: “if you are in doubt, the answer is NO”. This rule saved me from purchasing new items and helped me on decluttering many! Ciao Marissa, it’s always a pleasure watching your videos🫶🏻
👍guilty as charged 🤪I have a storage room that is filled to the brim. Maybe it's time to start decluttering it. I think it's time to commit to some serious decluttering.
Definitely 👍 guilty of keeping decluttered items for years... I have a box in my "studio" room, with lots of small things (souvenirs from travels, stationery, kitchen gadgets, etc) that I want to get rid of. Here in Italy there are not many thrift stores where you can donate your unwanted stuff so I can either post everything on Facebook or throw it away. But on Facebook it takes ages and I am doing a few things at a time. I might take this video as a sign that I need to speed the process up! 😂
Oh myyy 👍👍👍 Hahaha now I'm not always the person to comment at all, but when you said "Come on, who's done this? I know you have" I just felt so spoken to lmao. Ashamed to say that my decluttered clothing items have been sitting in the bedroom for almost 3 years in a huge bag because of wanting to sell them and it being complicated 😬 Your channel is amazing and eye opening. I love what you do, please don't ever stop 🥰
👍🏼 I try, but sometimes it sits. When it sits, I start to second guess getting rid of it. 99% of what I've actually gotten rid of, I haven't thought of since then! Definitely powerful to get rid of it asap if your goal is to simplify and you struggle with letting go.
👍🏻 you bet i let it linger 😅 it starts out in my car for maybe a month, then I move it to the shed ... for a couple more months, but it's in the back of my mind, so I finally get rid of it. Until my next load of decluttered items comes in. But I'm working on it, I've been on a journey of minimizing my things, and I hopefully will be better at removing the items entirely ❤
👍 Today I took 6 boxes to Goodwill....but yes 2 of them had been sitting in my guestroom since the beginning of the summer 😐 I just shoved them to the side when I needed the room for guests.
👍 guilty! Usually the clutter “only” lingers for a couple of weeks, but I’ve had books in a corner of my home office for months until I found where to donate them, and I have had this porcelain doll in a bag in my room for years (!) because I don’t know what to do with it (the fact that my mother paid for her to be fixed when her face was broken and knowing that my mother would be really sad if she knew I’d given the doll away doesn’t help)
The beeping when you closed the hatchback sounds exactly like my microwave when it’s finished. I was really confused… “What did I put in the microwave?!?” 😆
👍 Actually, I am a little angel and want nothing more than to get rid of decluttered stuff yesterday. But, I’m housebound and depend on my husband to drive the unwanted things to the charity or consignment shop. I don’t want to be a nag, but the stuff can sit around for a year sometimes! It’s enough to drive me bonkers! 😊
👍 I pile things up in my entry with the idea that, I said I would do the decluttering, and my husband said he would take it to the thrift store at the end of our block... I mentioned a few times, "we" need to get that stuff to the thrift store" and other than agreeing, it didn't go anywhere. After about six months, I loaded it up and took it myself. I still don't think he noticed since we don't go into that part of the house much.
👍 I keep decluttered items/clothes in one of our bedroom closets, and I always sneek i to the bag/box before getting the stuff out of the flat, and that way some of it always ends up not being decluttered at all. It will just hang around untill the next time I do a decluttering🤦♀️
What helpt me, when I declutterd, was to have the Amazon Site open next to me. When in doubt, I was able to look up the price of a possible replacement if needed.
Organizing before you done cleaning our things in a space. Oh such a good piece of advice!!! I have do this when i tackle the next room 🩷- my studio!!!
Fear of making a mistake has been something I’ve battled with not only when decluttering things but also in everyday life for as long as I can remember. I have worked really hard over the past thirty years to change my mindset in order for this way of thinking not to run my life. It is a thought that can still linger in the back of my mind. The question my husband would ask me when we first started dating was“ What’s the worst thing that could happen if you do that thing”is what finally made me realize that most of the things we fear are unlikely to happen or even if they do we can find solutions or ways around them.
👍 there is always bags of stuff by the front door. I tell myself it's good to see it so it re minds me to declutter. It's not, it just looks like a mess and I need to commit to getting it the rest of the way out of the house!
I don't think I have ever thought about making a mistake. I love that you used the dial-up tone for that hahahaha. I definitely don't regret getting rid of anything. There are some clothing items I loved that are gone but I remember the shape they were in when I had to get rid of them and how much I tried to sew them up and fix them before bidding them "farewell." Wouldn't it be cool to have extra arms to do more decluttering and cleaning? I love doing it and the idea of having an empty room and home just makes me smile haha. I agree that decluttering these days is VERY fast. It was fun sweating long ago though. Another great video. Always a fan. -JusticePirate
P.S. I usually put my decluttered items in my attic next to the stairs so I can see it as soon as I open and walk up it. I like to have it out by the end of the week, but now that I have a baby again, I have to wait until my husband can help me with it, which he is not a go-getter, so it sits longer than I intend it to completely. In the past, I'd fill up my car and take it to its new destination right away!!! With books, when I get physical copies, which is rare, I read them, and then put them in the little libraries on people's lawns (the cute ones you can build and swap out books at. . I go around finding different ones to put my books into).
I keep one box or super large bag in my craft room for discarded items. When full, I take to the thrift store. Right now there's a 1/2 full box to discard. Also one basket & 1 mailing box of items to send to my girlfriend in October (after she goes down to her winter home - she keeps the craft stuff there!)
Suggestion! I saw a UA-cam video recently that was five sets of five minute timers to work on decluttering or picking up those micro zones (switching zones every five minutes for when you don't have much time) - I'd love to see one from you with the music you love to declutter with!
I actually did something like this recently-did you catch this video? The 5-Minute Declutter That Changes EVERYTHING! ua-cam.com/video/_N4TvaygZCc/v-deo.html
👍🏻 yea guilty of letting things sit in my front porch a few weeks while I get around to taking it out! I also declutterred boxes of stuff from my kitchen cabinets at the start of the pandemic but as we then went into lockdown and all the donation centres were closed they sat in my attic patiently waiting 🙈 but at least I didn’t open the boxes back up to have a nosey before I donated them! Proud moment for me there!
Great vlog.👍 I have 8yrs of stuff I have decluttered (since Jan 2017). All kept in boxes in a cupboard and spare room. Want to finally go to 2nd hand children's market to sell the stuff this Winter. The money I will give the kids.
I've definitely made the mistake of getting organizational items to help declutter and it does the complete opposite. I'm still overwhelmed but think each time it'll be different. I also like the starting off small and zoning areas. I've used this before, but then it becomes a standstill and I don't declutter any other rooms after finishing one. These are great tips, thank you!! Also I'm 👍 person that does hang onto bags of donations for no reason. 🙄
👍🏿 - Yes! I put the decluttered items in a bag or box and there it stays in the hallways until it it full, at which time it moves to the garage to stay until I have a car full to donate. It is only creating more frustration for everyone.
I love your videos. They motivate me. I’m going to attempt a massive yard sale with some friends as my husband got injured horribly and can’t work currently. But if I’m not successful, everything is going to be donated or thrown out.
👍👍👍👍👍 👍👍👍 I decluttered big time once then went right back to buying same thing all over AGAIN! When I declutter this time I am stopping the spending and buying. I am doing it this way I see it on Amazon I put it in my cart, if I still want it in a month or two and I need it I buy it but impulse buying I am not doing anymore! Same goes for Walmart or and other store buying! So yes yes yes 1,000 times yes
I live in Canada ( winter country) and don't have a car. That means I have to wait for warm weather. Removal of decluttered items depends ob the season and current weather. Still, I hate having the stuff choking up my space so I bring it to a thrift shop ASAP. My failing is buying too much. I'm trying to ask myself: Is this a need or a want. I also put items in Internet shopping baskets and just leave them for a while. That is paring down my silly expenditures.
I started with even smaller subcategories of one shelf in the kitchen cabinet or fridge. Then if I had the energy to do more than one it was a huge win. 👍We use a time will tell box and I'm okay with that.
👍 I have a few items, so I hold on to them til I feel like its worth donating them at the thrift store. The city I live in does "Kick it to the Curb" weekends when you can put items out front of your house for people to pick up for free. We have gotten rid of some items this way, but you have to keep in mind that you bring anything not picked up back into your house
I've recently down sized the spot where I collect items for donation. This way it doesn't become intimidating. I take the items to the thrift store in an amount I can carry in a couple of grocery bags. When I used to let it build up, I then needed boxes and help carrying it to the car, etc.
👍 I keep boxes on the lanai that I won't take until they are ""full enough" - no matter how long it takes. There are so many places to donate here that there is no excuse for that except for the voices in my head. 🤣
👍👍👍 I have a metal bed frame that didn't work in my room. It's still in the box and in the back of my truck. It's been there for about 3 months!! YIKES!!
👎 I put the stuff in the living room so it’s in my way, then in the trunk so I can’t grocery shop until it’s gone. The donation center is next to the grocery store, so I never have it longer than a week.
I don’t own many things but my rooms still looked messy until I realised that to have that “clean home feel” you need to keep all surfaces clean ( like end tables, kitchen surface, dining table) Im working on it but it’s kinda hard because all my family tries to fill it immediately 😅
Thanks so much for watching; please give this video a like and grab your FREE 10-page decluttering workbook here ►📋» atozenlife.com/free-declutter-checklist (Just refresh the page if you don't see it right away!)
👍hubby keeps keys, and doesn't want me to drive + he has to go through everything to make sure I am not getting rid of something he might want, then takes forever to go through it. I have finally told him, iifI can't get it donated and it is still there in 2 weeks, I will put it out in the front by street with free sign. He hates that ides, because he is sure that if people stop, they will look other places to find things to take. He is quite paranoid, I think.
I clicked the link and signed up but never got an email
Me too @@sophiewattxo
@@sophiewattxo I got mine immediately. The email is a link and password to access the free resources page on her blog. Did you check your spam folder?
@@angelanakamoto4773 See my reply to Sophie
OMG you said something that hit me... "You don't waste your money getting rid of some thing. You waste your money buying some thing!" 😳🤯 what a way to change a thought process!
This hit me upside the head, too. Never thought of this. So true.
It’s not really wasted if you used the item.
“Remember that you wasted the money when you bought [the item], not when you [get rid of it ]! You are the best minimalist coach on UA-cam, hands down! I love your videos .
This thought was a breakthrough!
Yes! 👍🏼 Guilty of leaving bags clothing donations in my closet. Then driving around with them in the trunk of my car for months. 😅
This is VERY common 👏
#6 I do not have this problem any more.
My solution I monthly scheduled a dropped off time to remove entirely all my unwanted items.
Every 15th of the month, I schedule a specific time to remove all collected unwanted items from my home, car, and garage. This method has been incredibly effective for me over the past three years.
Benefits:
Clutter-free space: For at least 24 hours, my home is entirely free of unwanted objects.
Consistent maintenance: I never accumulate more than a month's worth of declutterable items.
👍 My biggest problem when decluttering is the guilt of throwing things out that I would love to recycle & knowing they can be recycled but also knowing they're not recyclable where I live, like old cds for example. So I hold on to them as if by doing so, sooner or later a solution will magically appear!
For old cds, would it work to make a single bundle and sell it on ebay?
@@Serena-or7sl Sadly a lot of the cds are work related and of little or no use to anybody, otherwise, it's a good idea. Terracycle recycles a lot of stuff most municipal recycling doesn't but they only work out of certain countries/areas. We need more of those!
👍 I am procrastinating on selling some big items. The photos, creating the post, the "is this available?" and having strangers in my home
I know, but it’s not that bad if you do it a little at a time. One item at a time.
This week, I realized that I miss all my vinyl music albums that I decluttered 10 years ago. BUT I miss "having" them. I do not miss "playing" those albums because I could play a lot of the music on Spotify but I have not. I have gained space from the decluttered albums, turntable, speakers and dusty wires, and I gained time by not having to maintain them.
Similarly, I "miss" some larger size jeans that I decluttered last time I lost weight. TWO LESSONS: 1. I regret the weight gained after a death in the family, not the decluttered bigger jeans. 2. The 3 pairs of bigger jeans I bought to accommodate the weight gain is the right quantity for my ongoing capsule wardrobe. And, if weight fluctuations become my new reality, retaining my more flexible designed items might be a better choice. My elastic waistband knitwear got me through a hysterectomy, weight gain and weight loss. The jury is still out on wide-leg jeans, but low-rise and skinny-jeans are gone.
The longest I have hung onto something that I decided to declutter is 8 months (so far). I am afraid I made too big of a project out of decluttering an entire set of dishes and serving pieces. I plan to take them back to the auction where I bought them used. I now have enough boxes for all the pieces including the serving platters and big bowls. My goal is to photograph and pack the boxes into a wagon this afternoon, then figure out when the auction house can receive the boxes. If that gets too complicated, I will take the whole set to a charity shop and they can make some money for their good cause. Even though each platter is selling for more than $100 on eBay, I have gotten more than my money's worth during the 30 years I used them. And I am not the right temperament to sell things on eBay myself.
In the meantime, I am proud that I have been using Mom's good China to the point that some of the silver trim has worn off and I chipped one bowl. Yes, I am proud that I am not saving it only for special occasions. I am also proud of a little wear on a single set of gold trimmed China plates that I have been using outside instead of paper plates. I have been using Grandma's cloth napkins inside and outside too... even with BBQ sauce.
My china set is chipped because we use it for holidays, birthdays, anniversaries, and whenever I want. My family has made memories with these plates. Otherwise what's the point of owning a perfect set of china that has never been used? I'm happy to see that you feel the same way!
I miss one blouse. One. I also gained back some weight that I lost; and the larger jeans were gone. I purchased 3 pair in 3 colors that have elastic and good straight legs that actually match the 3 pair of the smaller size. I can just grab whatever feels right that day and I no longer have to worry about all those tight legs, zippers and buttons. My arthritic fingers are much happier!
🎉👏👏👏👏👏 i applaud you. You overcame the worship of it, but appreciated the memories and added your self into it. While remembering family in the everyday.
I’m 75. I just started using the embroidered dish towels from my hope chest! Better late than never!!😂
@@alicemoore6623 I hope you are washing dishes in your best dress too. 'May as well set some flowers in a vase and light candle for some much deserved huge too. You deserve the best self care you can manage. Celebrate. ❤️
👍👍👍👍👍👍👍👍
Due to chronic pain and illness (but also secretly wanting to make sure they find a good home) I've actually left decluttered stuff for like 2yr
Same here for the same reasons
👍 me too.
Have you tried Freecycle? Sign up for your area, list and add a picture and then anyone who wants it will contact you by email. Whomever you decide to give it to, they will come and pick it up! I gave an anvil and some metal working supplies to a lovely young woman enrolled in metalworking at the local college. I felt good and it really helped her. Just a thought.
Me too....
I can relate. Me as well.
👍…. I keep a decluttering bin; whenever I find something that needs to go, I put it there. When the bin is full, it moves to the car, where it lives until I can drop it off when I have another errant or appointment. Batching my trips saves time and gas. Decluttering is an ongoing process, I like things organized and am always looking for ways to improve. I’ve practiced this for years. I look forward to your videos for tips and validation for things that I already do. The other thing you mentioned was shopping, I simply don’t go into stores unless I have a specific purpose or list.
I use the No Mess method by Dana K White
Me too!!
I love the A to Zen channel to stay motivated and learn new things/perspective - but the single most impactful declutterring method came from Dana K White’s Declutterring At The Speed of Life. Her ‘no mess’ method, ‘container concept’ and ‘visibility rule’ (amongst other things) have been game changers for me. I strongly suggest getting her audio book.
I’ve always had fear of making a mistake
This video helped thank you
I keep bag or a box to one side of the desk , kind of on the way out to the car. I then add things I find to donate to that until it is reasonably full, then I grab it and put it into the car going out the door on one of my town trips, and it becomes one of the errands that I am taking care of that day. Not going to lie, I have been working for a few years on this whole declutter journey, so I may take me a week or two to fill up the bag or box. Depending.
I have other areas that are more problematic , like mail type items that come in without me doing anything to get them here. Then I have to make decisions about what to do with them. Grrrr. An aside here, I loved it when I lived in Guatemala, they didn’t and don’t have junk mail. Something that impressed me and I always thought “ why can’t we do that in the US”.. I think the way it worked there was, that one paid not only to send but also to receive something .Can you imagine what would happen if you had to “pay” to receive mail? You would probably just refuse to pay for stuff you didn’t want. So no more junk mail. Stopping the clutter at its source. Brilliant !
The trunk of my car holds my discards too long because I don’t want to go out. My home is almost completely decluttered and I’m pretty happy with the results. Where I am challenged the most is in the area of my knitting supplies. Crafts and hobbies are my biggest challenge because I don’t have a social life or much interaction outside my home, so my crafts and hobbies fill the voids of not being socially active. They keep my mind and my hands busy so I don’t feel lonely.
Items for hobbies you actually use are not clutter😊👍
I was super lucky that when I decided to declutter, a woman that my hubs worked with ran a thrift store. We carried the first load over to her store, but after that, all I had to do was put it in the back of hubs car and he would transfer it to her car after work. Once, when we had furniture and larger items, she and her hubs came over, carried those pieces down the stairs and loaded them onto their truck. Win, Win.
Thanks to your tip to focus on not just one room at a time but one small area I knocked out a lot just today. Thanks Marissa!!! 👍
Great job 👏
👍 Stuff does accumulate, but we now have a family process. We have a space in the garage, the 'donation corner' until I have enough stuff to warrant a trip to make donations. The 'corner' is on a small rug and that limits how big the pile can get. (As my husband and I cull through our books, we stack 'books-to-go" in an indoor box to keep them from humidity, but when the box is full, we take it to a local bookshop that gives us "credits" (for future purchases) or they just recycle what they don't keep.
This is what works for us.
You are so right to break down to small tasks - I get overwhelmed with memories or perfection. Then I try to organize right in the middle of the task! Learning alot 🎉
👍🏻 trying to stick to a weekly donation schedule now no matter how much or how little to donate
I have been doing the Micro zone decluttering technique for the past few weeks and it has been so helpful. I feel I get more done, then doing my yearly all at once declutter. I've been able to declutter much more - just a few more areas to go .
Dear Marissa, you helped me so much!
Thank you for your work, I started my decluttering 1 year ago listening to your story and your voice and now I feel so much peaceful in my house!
Unespectedly also my 2 teenagers are now decluttering their own stuff ...incredible! I'm so happyyyyy ❤
😂 It's been on the stairwell for 2 years. When the antique bookshelf I stripped as a teenager, a former 1930's radio furniture piece, was turned down by Goodwill, it stayed in the car for a few months, then needing the space, moved back into my house. It was in the carport at my parents house before it came to my house, having been in their house since I moved out. I take my clutter on vacations and tours before they return home.🎉 Now I am tasked with my house and a friend's home.😮😅
Investigate Freecycle. Someone out there wants that bookshelf!
👍👍👍👍
It will stay in my first closet for a few months and then the trunk of my car for months. 🤦
Put items in totes in basement. In the spring pull totes out and garage sale then donate. This has worked for me as it shows me that I didn’t really need item.
👍🏻I have a bad behind my door where I put deculltered stuff. Husband complained that the weight made it hard to open and close the door. So it’s now sitting on the floor while I promise myself I’ll select what I want to give to a friend and what should just go to the thrift store 😂
👍 Sometimes I get stuck because I want to list things for sale. This especially happens with my kids' toys because I agree to try to sell anything sellable that they are willing to declutter. But I rarely have time to actually post the listings. So it collects in my dining room, which is the closest location to my garage door that I can use. I also have a bunch of "decluttered" clothes cluttering up my closet.
👍🏻 yes my stuff lingers, sometimes I put it back in the attic. For years at a time sometimes. I don't own a car and have no drivers license. Making arrangents for someone to come and help me takes a lot of mental energy. I feel like I have to make it worth mine and their effort. So I collect a whole mountain of decluttered things to have someone take it away in one go which is an awesome sigh of relief for me. But in the mean time the clutter stresses me out. Especially large items that take up space.
I just thinking that I spent decades accumulating things, and will need years to declutter them. What a waste of my life. 😭
Its not a waste. It won't take forever to Declutter. Just follow A to ZEN life video #16
👍 I put decluttered things in boxes and bags and wait for the boxes and bags to be full, I then usually end up sorting through them again since I have forgotten what was in them were already decluttered. Some time the boxes and bags get out to the garage, with the same results and some times the boxes and bags get as far as getting into the car, but then for one reason or another they get out of the car back into the garage. I am having the added obstacles of two other adults living here using the cars, and complaining about my trying to be pairing down things that they are too busy to be maintaining themselves, like piling up dishes, towels, unrinsed recyclables left on the kitchen countertops or randomly where ever they finished using the container. I am sorry, I do get quite very frustrated. Thank you very much for your encouraging helpful hints. Take Care, Stay Safe And Healthy 🐱🖖✌️☮️🌈
👍🏼 I usually let it pile until I’ve finished decluttering a section of my house or there is a box or two full. I also have friends who do clothing swaps a couple times a year so clothes donations pile up until those come around.
👍On my bedroom floor and my living room floor. My local second hand shops stopped taking clothes for a while. So I had clothes in bags all over the place.
Contact Green Drop online - pick your charity, identify size of your pick up, select the date they pick up based upon your zip code, & poof - clothes are gone.
👍staring at multiple bags and boxes of stuff I’ve needed to drive to goodwill since july
👍I can't get into my coat closet right now, actually, because of the boxes in front of it to go to the thrift store. That's donate clutter. Trash clutter, like bulky junk items, sits by the back door or winds up in the back of my truck without going anywhere. I've gone over a year with things in the bed of my truck that I needed to take to the dump. But one of my friends is a single mom who is always looking for bonus income streams, and I've started paying her for her time to list things on FB marketplace, or do a thrift store or dump run for me. It's a win-win!
I have a friend who like to pick through my discards and then she will take whatever is left to the local charity. The repeat donations she carried in have helped her too as they needed a wheelchair for a MIL visit. The charity found her a used one, she is borrowing it for a month and then is taking it back. We can do all kinds of things when we work together.
👍right by the front door. Trying to break this by setting up pickups with Purple Heart.
The old school dial up! 😅😂 Perfect analogy
👍 Yep, I have a bag of clothing and a box of miscellaneous items waiting to be donated. The place I donate to is only open twice a week for donations. And sometimes it conflicts with my schedule. But I usually do a donation run once a month. When I first moved to my current home, I used the bathtub in the main bathroom as my toilet-be-donated items. No one ever used the tub in there and it was easy to pull the curtain and hide it. Prior to moving I got rid of 40% of my “stuff” but still had items to donate after I moved…partly because I found no place to put it and partly because my daughter helped me pack. After I moved I got rid of another 10-15%. My only weaknesses are books and my clothes…but I am making progress every week!
Hello - just wondering if you feel you have fundamentally changed as a person since decluttering?
I feel like I have been rehabilitated! I bought a sports top online as my current one was stained. It was a bit tight and thr old me would have kept it anyway. My brain almost fast- forwarded to me never wearing it and ultimately decluttering it. Which then made me return it immediately and buy one that actually fits right now!
Intentionality is definitely the word.
Birthdays and Christmases are easier as we've simplified.
I've also started asking parents if they would prefer money or a toy rather than just buying as I always would have for a kid's party.
Our finances are better than they've ever been and we are able to save and plan for the future.
I am nearly finished with our house (although it's obviously an ongoing project due to changing ages/stages/seasons) and I feel like I would never go back to how it was.
I am also now thinking of things I would like to do now my home runs so much more smoothly!
Thank you so much for your channel. ❤
I put Donations in my car immediately. Also Electronics recycling, etc. I've gotten pretty good at it. I appreciate the motivation I've gotten from this channel the last few years.
👍👍👍 I have boxes in the garage, living room, laundry room and my built-in buffet is totally covered with stuff. I have a box ready to take to a resale store plus many loose items that don't fit in a box. I have antique furniture I want to sell that's using up space in the garage. My new husband's stuff is in boxes in the garage and living room. I do many crafts. Fabric, thread, yarn, wool and the tools to make stuff is everywhere. The only rooms that aren't overflowing are the bedrooms, kitchen and bathroom. It's miserable! I'm completely overwhelmed! The thing I've been procrastinating on the longest is the beautiful antique oak dining table with 4 chairs I have stored in my garage. It's been for there 6 years - I'm finally working on finding the set a home now!😏
Freecycle it. List it, picture it and if someone wants it, they will come and pick it up.
👍 Totally guilty of decluttering items then leaving them in the house… Before I really started digging into this journey of simplification and decluttering I would stash things in our laundry room stand up shower that we never used. I’m afraid the stuff probably sat there for years. Finally moved it out when the shower head started leaking randomly… 💦😅 Fortunately that really helped my momentum to let things go. 🎉
👍! The basement, where the clutter goes to live, when I forget.
I have found the lingering Can be helpful… for example, I can take a piece of clothing out of my closet and see if I even miss it. 99% of the time I don’t and I can get rid of the item guilt free.
Place it at the door so I can't get out without taking it with me then it goes straight to where it will be donated. Varies depending what place is the closest to my destination that day. But moving it out quickly is key to sucess.
👍🏻🙋🏻♀️🙋🏻♀️🙋🏻♀️
I’m used to park bags of stuff to be donated close to our laundry downstairs… the issue is that they are in a room close also to our main entry ; so my daughter sometimes goes there and pick again something already decluttered 😱🤯😅
Regarding mistake #1, some years ago i listened my new mantra for buying or decluttering stuff: “if you are in doubt, the answer is NO”. This rule saved me from purchasing new items and helped me on decluttering many!
Ciao Marissa, it’s always a pleasure watching your videos🫶🏻
👍guilty as charged 🤪I have a storage room that is filled to the brim. Maybe it's time to start decluttering it. I think it's time to commit to some serious decluttering.
👍 I make a Container in the entryarea and put all in. Its waiting there to be trow out.
Definitely 👍 guilty of keeping decluttered items for years... I have a box in my "studio" room, with lots of small things (souvenirs from travels, stationery, kitchen gadgets, etc) that I want to get rid of. Here in Italy there are not many thrift stores where you can donate your unwanted stuff so I can either post everything on Facebook or throw it away. But on Facebook it takes ages and I am doing a few things at a time. I might take this video as a sign that I need to speed the process up! 😂
Oh myyy 👍👍👍 Hahaha now I'm not always the person to comment at all, but when you said "Come on, who's done this? I know you have" I just felt so spoken to lmao. Ashamed to say that my decluttered clothing items have been sitting in the bedroom for almost 3 years in a huge bag because of wanting to sell them and it being complicated 😬
Your channel is amazing and eye opening. I love what you do, please don't ever stop 🥰
👍 I have boxes of clutter that I decluttered like 5 years ago that did not make thier way out of the house, still living in my attic
Yes! Been thinking of switching a few items and finally did so while listening to you. Added to pile of donations that Will leave tomorrow 💪🏻
Thank you so much for inspiring me to do a massive declutter. I’m so inspired by you. Massive stress declutter. 🎉
My mom had a give away bag going all the time. I still have one and I live it.
👍🏼 I try, but sometimes it sits. When it sits, I start to second guess getting rid of it. 99% of what I've actually gotten rid of, I haven't thought of since then! Definitely powerful to get rid of it asap if your goal is to simplify and you struggle with letting go.
👍🏻 you bet i let it linger 😅 it starts out in my car for maybe a month, then I move it to the shed ... for a couple more months, but it's in the back of my mind, so I finally get rid of it. Until my next load of decluttered items comes in. But I'm working on it, I've been on a journey of minimizing my things, and I hopefully will be better at removing the items entirely ❤
👍 Today I took 6 boxes to Goodwill....but yes 2 of them had been sitting in my guestroom since the beginning of the summer 😐 I just shoved them to the side when I needed the room for guests.
👍🏻I usually keep the decluttered stuff in a box in my spare room closet. Once the box is full I make a point to go and drop it off
👍 guilty! Usually the clutter “only” lingers for a couple of weeks, but I’ve had books in a corner of my home office for months until I found where to donate them, and I have had this porcelain doll in a bag in my room for years (!) because I don’t know what to do with it (the fact that my mother paid for her to be fixed when her face was broken and knowing that my mother would be really sad if she knew I’d given the doll away doesn’t help)
👍 Yes! My donate items tend to pile up in the mud room outside my garage or hang out in the trunk of my car for way too long!
Hi Marissa happy Tuesday from across the pond. Yes guilty for not getting rid of stuff after decluttering 🙏
The beeping when you closed the hatchback sounds exactly like my microwave when it’s finished. I was really confused… “What did I put in the microwave?!?” 😆
Hahaha, what a coincidence!
👍 Actually, I am a little angel and want nothing more than to get rid of decluttered stuff yesterday. But, I’m housebound and depend on my husband to drive the unwanted things to the charity or consignment shop. I don’t want to be a nag, but the stuff can sit around for a year sometimes! It’s enough to drive me bonkers! 😊
👍 I pile things up in my entry with the idea that, I said I would do the decluttering, and my husband said he would take it to the thrift store at the end of our block... I mentioned a few times, "we" need to get that stuff to the thrift store" and other than agreeing, it didn't go anywhere. After about six months, I loaded it up and took it myself. I still don't think he noticed since we don't go into that part of the house much.
Yup ! 👍👍👍 I have a declutter box that NEEDS to GO
👍 I keep decluttered items/clothes in one of our bedroom closets, and I always sneek i to the bag/box before getting the stuff out of the flat, and that way some of it always ends up not being decluttered at all. It will just hang around untill the next time I do a decluttering🤦♀️
What helpt me, when I declutterd, was to have the Amazon Site open next to me. When in doubt, I was able to look up the price of a possible replacement if needed.
My 2 main (pst) mistakes used to be:
1. Not decluttering but trying to organized my clutter
2. Trying to do all at once
They are in the past though
👍 sometimes.
Organizing before you done cleaning our things in a space. Oh such a good piece of advice!!! I have do this when i tackle the next room 🩷- my studio!!!
👍my kids stuff that we have decluttered is sitting in my closet now in trader joe bags.
Fear of making a mistake has been something I’ve battled with not only when decluttering things but also in everyday life for as long as I can remember. I have worked really hard over the past thirty years to change my mindset in order for this way of thinking not to run my life. It is a thought that can still linger in the back of my mind. The question my husband would ask me when we first started dating was“ What’s the worst thing that could happen if you do that thing”is what finally made me realize that most of the things we fear are unlikely to happen or even if they do we can find solutions or ways around them.
Yes, this is a great point and your husband’s suggestion is 100% on point. 🙌
👍have a leaning tower of donations in the laundry room. 😂
My hand is up...but I'm taking your advice to heart! Thank you!
👍 there is always bags of stuff by the front door. I tell myself it's good to see it so it re minds me to declutter. It's not, it just looks like a mess and I need to commit to getting it the rest of the way out of the house!
I don't think I have ever thought about making a mistake. I love that you used the dial-up tone for that hahahaha. I definitely don't regret getting rid of anything. There are some clothing items I loved that are gone but I remember the shape they were in when I had to get rid of them and how much I tried to sew them up and fix them before bidding them "farewell."
Wouldn't it be cool to have extra arms to do more decluttering and cleaning? I love doing it and the idea of having an empty room and home just makes me smile haha.
I agree that decluttering these days is VERY fast. It was fun sweating long ago though.
Another great video. Always a fan.
-JusticePirate
P.S. I usually put my decluttered items in my attic next to the stairs so I can see it as soon as I open and walk up it. I like to have it out by the end of the week, but now that I have a baby again, I have to wait until my husband can help me with it, which he is not a go-getter, so it sits longer than I intend it to completely. In the past, I'd fill up my car and take it to its new destination right away!!! With books, when I get physical copies, which is rare, I read them, and then put them in the little libraries on people's lawns (the cute ones you can build and swap out books at. . I go around finding different ones to put my books into).
#5 is primary for me. 👍
I keep one box or super large bag in my craft room for discarded items. When full, I take to the thrift store. Right now there's a 1/2 full box to discard. Also one basket & 1 mailing box of items to send to my girlfriend in October (after she goes down to her winter home - she keeps the craft stuff there!)
Suggestion! I saw a UA-cam video recently that was five sets of five minute timers to work on decluttering or picking up those micro zones (switching zones every five minutes for when you don't have much time) - I'd love to see one from you with the music you love to declutter with!
I actually did something like this recently-did you catch this video? The 5-Minute Declutter That Changes EVERYTHING!
ua-cam.com/video/_N4TvaygZCc/v-deo.html
👍🏻 yea guilty of letting things sit in my front porch a few weeks while I get around to taking it out! I also declutterred boxes of stuff from my kitchen cabinets at the start of the pandemic but as we then went into lockdown and all the donation centres were closed they sat in my attic patiently waiting 🙈 but at least I didn’t open the boxes back up to have a nosey before I donated them! Proud moment for me there!
Great vlog.👍 I have 8yrs of stuff I have decluttered (since Jan 2017). All kept in boxes in a cupboard and spare room. Want to finally go to 2nd hand children's market to sell the stuff this Winter. The money I will give the kids.
Great Video 💓
I've definitely made the mistake of getting organizational items to help declutter and it does the complete opposite. I'm still overwhelmed but think each time it'll be different. I also like the starting off small and zoning areas. I've used this before, but then it becomes a standstill and I don't declutter any other rooms after finishing one. These are great tips, thank you!! Also I'm 👍 person that does hang onto bags of donations for no reason. 🙄
👍🏼 I have had 5 large black garbage bags in my hallway that needs to go to Goodwill for 3 weeks.
👍 I have started putting stuff by my front door so it annoys me everytime I pass by it and do get it out of the house sooner now
👍🏿 - Yes! I put the decluttered items in a bag or box and there it stays in the hallways until it it full, at which time it moves to the garage to stay until I have a car full to donate. It is only creating more frustration for everyone.
I’m declutterring while watching/listening to this video 🎉
thumbs up. I have bags right now that need to be delivered to the local thrift shop.
I love your videos. They motivate me.
I’m going to attempt a massive yard sale with some friends as my husband got injured horribly and can’t work currently. But if I’m not successful, everything is going to be donated or thrown out.
👍👍👍👍👍 👍👍👍 I decluttered big time once then went right back to buying same thing all over AGAIN! When I declutter this time I am stopping the spending and buying. I am doing it this way I see it on Amazon I put it in my cart, if I still want it in a month or two and I need it I buy it but impulse buying I am not doing anymore! Same goes for Walmart or and other store buying! So yes yes yes 1,000 times yes
I live in Canada ( winter country) and don't have a car. That means I have to wait for warm weather. Removal of decluttered items depends ob the season and current weather. Still, I hate having the stuff choking up my space so I bring it to a thrift shop ASAP. My failing is buying too much. I'm trying to ask myself: Is this a need or a want. I also put items in Internet shopping baskets and just leave them for a while. That is paring down my silly expenditures.
Yes, to decluttered stuff in my car for about a week until I'm in the area of a second-hand store.
I started with even smaller subcategories of one shelf in the kitchen cabinet or fridge. Then if I had the energy to do more than one it was a huge win. 👍We use a time will tell box and I'm okay with that.
👍🏼👍🏼👍🏼 I move it out of the house but I am terrible about letting it pile up in the garage. 🤦♀️
👍 I have a few items, so I hold on to them til I feel like its worth donating them at the thrift store. The city I live in does "Kick it to the Curb" weekends when you can put items out front of your house for people to pick up for free. We have gotten rid of some items this way, but you have to keep in mind that you bring anything not picked up back into your house
I've recently down sized the spot where I collect items for donation. This way it doesn't become intimidating. I take the items to the thrift store in an amount I can carry in a couple of grocery bags. When I used to let it build up, I then needed boxes and help carrying it to the car, etc.
👍 I keep boxes on the lanai that I won't take until they are ""full enough" - no matter how long it takes. There are so many places to donate here that there is no excuse for that except for the voices in my head. 🤣
👍👍👍 I have a metal bed frame that didn't work in my room. It's still in the box and in the back of my truck. It's been there for about 3 months!! YIKES!!
👎 I put the stuff in the living room so it’s in my way, then in the trunk so I can’t grocery shop until it’s gone. The donation center is next to the grocery store, so I never have it longer than a week.
A week is pretty good 🙌
👍 I have a box in my basement that’s been there at least 6 months….😂
I don’t own many things but my rooms still looked messy until I realised that to have that “clean home feel” you need to keep all surfaces clean ( like end tables, kitchen surface, dining table) Im working on it but it’s kinda hard because all my family tries to fill it immediately 😅
👍 Stuff needs to marinate before it’s ready to be donated
🤣 Why is this so accurate?
😂
I concur 😂