Learn The Secrets Of Decluttering And Downsizing From A Wise Widow!
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- Опубліковано 31 тра 2024
- Dive into the journey of downsizing and decluttering in this thought-provoking video, where I share my transformative experience of letting go of nearly everything I own. Whether you're facing the task of managing a loved one's estate, transitioning to a smaller living space, or embracing a nomadic lifestyle, this video offers invaluable insights and practical tips.
#widows #decluttering #downsizing
Embark on a journey of emotional resilience as I navigate the complexities of parting ways with cherished possessions. Witness the evolution of perspective as sentimental attachments are transformed into memories captured through photographs, challenging conventional notions of ownership and sentimentality.
Explore the practical strategies employed in the downsizing process, from DIY approaches to navigating online marketplaces like Facebook Marketplace with caution and wit. Uncover the pitfalls and triumphs of hosting a large-scale garage sale, and glean wisdom from my experiences of resourcefulness and adaptability in the face of logistical challenges.
Discover unconventional solutions to disposing of paperwork, hazardous materials, and electronic waste, showcasing the importance of environmental responsibility amidst the journey of decluttering. Gain insights into maximizing charitable donations and leveraging municipal services for efficient waste disposal.
Through candid reflections and practical advice, this video inspires viewers to reconsider their relationship with material possessions, inviting you to join my community of mutual support and shared experiences. Embrace the invitation and follow along on my ongoing journey, whether through grief or worldly exploration, and embark on a path of personal growth and discovery.
Join the conversation, share your own experiences, and embark on a journey of collective learning and empowerment. Subscribe to witness future adventures and cultivate a mindset of mindful living and intentional consumption. Let's embark on this journey together, transcending boundaries and embracing the transformative power of letting go.
People have referred to me as a Wise Widow but all I hope to do is to help all widows out there that are seeking the answer to a whole variety of questions by passing on lessons I have learned through my experiences. Please like my video and subscribe to my channel to see more helpful video content, that might just help you to cope through your journey as it unfolds. Please consider sharing my video if you feel others may find it helpful too.
I lost my father several years ago who lived with me and i purged my house. I moved into a small apartment two years later and really purged. I lost two of my kitties in 2022 within seven weeks and, again, i purged. I am now a true minimalist and am very content with everything i have and dont have. My apartment is so small i canr have alot but i have everthing i need and it is easy to get to. I have more kitties and we are good.
Losing our loved ones (which includes our kitties) is never easy. 🙏🏼
It sounds like you did a great job downsizing, and are in a really good place right now as a minimalist.
I’m sorry to hear that. Life changes is the perfect time to minimize. There is enough going on inside of our hearts and minds. We don’t need all the stuff on top of it. Happy you have your fur babies.
Sounds like it was a total win/win for you and your new little fur family. They are always waiting for their forever home, and you gave it to them inspite of all you had been through. Thank you for making me feel happy.
We sold our house 24 hours after being listed AND she needed to be in in 5 weeks, which really pushed these 2 ‘ole birds’ to get with it! To our advantage, the lady that bought it was in the process of a divorce and was needing furniture and appliances for she and her daughter … so we GAVE her a lot of our furniture as we were downsizing. This way we didn’t have to try to sell or haul it to a donation center. Best thing that happened!
That sounds like it was a lot to do in five weeks. What a blessing it was for both for you and the woman who bought your place and needed furniture. You gotta love when a perfect plan comes together unexpectedly.
I really enjoyed your video. I appreciated how you took us through so many specific types of decluttering - some I wouldn't have thought of. I just retired and traveling is not in the cards for me. I found a decluttering book online called Swedish Death Cleaning. That ideaology has been instrumental in letting go. Now, combined with your ideas, I have already cleared out about 75% of my possessions. Thank you so much! Safe travels.
That is amazing progress! I’m glad you found the video helpful and thank you for taking the time to watch. 😁
I have been decluttering for a few years; my son is grateful and has benefited, along with my adult grandkids. They have first dubs at everything. My home is so easy to deal with now while we are still alive!
Thank you for sharing. It is such a freeing feeling to get rid of stuff and a great satisfaction, knowing it went to those you wanted it to go to. ❤️
My husband and I were divorced after 30 years , but then became very close again. Best friends the last 4 years. He was diagnosed with kidney cancer and passed away this last June. Watching my kids with the stress of having to go through his things was overwhelming. I don’t ever want to do that to them or have them go through that again with all the stuff.
Downsizing while you can is a such a beautiful gift you can give your children. I congratulate you if already have downsized, and I wish you all the best. If you are just getting started with the process.
@@DebbieMorton111 have been on this journey for a few years now but up until now I have really not processed how little I really do need to have the ultimate peace of mind and joy. I do t want to be taking care of things. I want to be taking care of my loved ones and enjoying them.
I would love to know how you felt when you got all that decluttering done. Was it exhilarating? Did your home feel empty? Was it fun replacing the big furniture that you sold? I would love it if you did a video on those topics- the aftermath.
I am 68 and we had 7 children. Decluttering is my new hobby. I wouldn’t call myself a minimalist but I do not want things in my house that I do not need or want. Thanks for all this inspiration! And I admire you a lot, doing all this while still in recent widowhood. With love
Great idea, I should do a follow up video on how it feels to get rid of everything.
I felt very free. I did not replace anything since my reason for selling was so that I could travel around the world and stay in timeshares until I could figure out where I wanted to relocate.
I haven’t yet figured out where I want to live. 😊
I am also 68, I have 6 grown children ages 35 to 26, I was just learning about overload in a movie called It's all too much. I wish I could find that mivie
We homeschooled so there were lots of boojs and we live in Northern New England so that means 4 seasons of clothing, bith boys and girls . Another homeschool mom said she had a friend , mother of 5 who had jyst 5 outfits for each child and one church outfit Not sure if I could have done that
I live in a good-sized city. I love all of your ideas but i could never have a sale inside our house or garage. We do it in the yard. Since you were moving soon i can see why you did it but you cant trust people anymore, sadly. One small example: I had a woman threaten me because i sold someone else a set of cookbooks the next day that she had wanted after she failed to show up the day before, listed on FB marketplace.😮 just be safe everyone. 😊 blessings on your travels.
You are very correct in not having people in your home. Since this was an estate sale and just a few weeks before I hit the road, I moved any valuables and items that were not for sale into a locked room.
If you have the bandwidth - check with homeless services places, often people are going into housing and desperately need kitchen stuff, bedding, towels, etc. Also, stained/damaged but washed linens and towels - veterinarians and animal shelters are happy to take them.
I’m glad you mentioned this. I specifically chose small charities that I knew were benefiting animal shelters along with homeless and domestic abuse individuals. I avoided the big box well-known charities knowing that most of the proceeds from their thrift stores don’t benefit those who are truly in need.
My decluttering journey started three years ago, in 2021. Our home was crammed with our belongings. That's when I started donating my clothes and shredding my papers. My husband doesn't like to donate or shred his papers. I continued getting rid of more of my stuff and I felt so liberated seeing things go!!! It took me so days and long hours to shred my papers. It was exhausting work but I was persistent to downsize my papers. Now I own less clothes and I have less papers.
I only buy if I need something. If I buy a new blouse then one blouse must go. But I don't shop often for clothes. I shred my junk mail every day as soon I get my new mail. I don't want to go through that experience again with getting rid of a ton of papers. For me having less stuff helps me to stay organized for the stuff I am keeping and it's easier for me to get dressed and find what I need.
You have turned a huge corner by getting rid of everything and adhering to the system you’ve now set up for yourself. You are right that it is such a liberating feeling getting rid of unnecessary stuff and clutter. Congratulations to you and all the progress you’ve made. 👏
Took me months to go through and shred papers, taxes from many years ago etc.
@@1whitecottagelife770 I tried doing my own shredding but the shredder kept overheating and it was going to take forever.
@@DebbieMorton111 I had the same problem. Took me a long time, taking staples out, looking over the papers, clouds of paper dust in the air...now I'm up to date with shredding, I don't want to ever have to deal with that again
Our town's Humane Society has a thrift shop - clothes & household items ; there are no set prices so the buyer pays whatever they can per item which is so nice for those in our local depressed economy . Habitat for Humanity is great to donate to & ours will pick up large items . ( Another well known place I'll not say by name is not as " fair " or reputable as it used to be & many locals will no longer donate to that . Please look into an organization before donating . Some charities dump donations in landfills when the store is too full ! )
I think I know which one you are referring to. I donated most of my stuff to an animal charity and also one that supports battered women. It is important to check out the charity as they are not all created equal.
@@DebbieMorton111 Sadly , so very true . The name of the one I will not give to , for ethical reasons , starts w/ a G. 😮💨 Just learned today that some local summer meals for kids programs will accept kids' " lightly used " clothing donations along w/ food & money donations . 🥰
Just cleaning through craft supplies now. Someone might enjoy them. They are just sitting here year after year unused.
Buying craft supplies new from the store can be pricey, I’m sure you will make someone very happy.
oh the craft supplies........ how am i going to get rid of all those .......... too much stuff. ive been downsizing for ten years...... but still have way too much stuff.
Nursing homes, assisted living, preschools would all like craft supplies.
@@laurennguyen1008great suggestion!
I am so sorry for your loss. You are living every woman’s most feared situation in life. Prayers for you as you move forward 🙏🏻💝
Thank you so much. 🙏🏼
Yes, it definitely is the most feared situation and statistically one that most of us will face someday.
I want to divest our selves of so much.. I would not be off and running. Just not leaving it for the kids to deal with.
That is one of the best gifts you can give them. As it only child, I had two sets of parents whose stuff I had to deal with and it was a lot of work since I didn’t live in the same state.
The free shreder event was very useful. Thank you, as well everything else. Enjoy your journey.
Hopefully, some of these tips will help you in the city where you live.
OH MY GOSH!!!! That organ!!!! What a blessing oh my goodness what a lucky buyer!
I know the buyer will cherish it as much as I did. Maybe even more because he and his wife enjoy playing it. ❤️
This is such great information. It’s so hard to dispose of things now. Itcan make even just decluttering difficult and more time consuming.
So true, there are restrictions on what you can throw away and charities are picky about what they take.
Bless you for sharing with this lady who bought your home
We sold our house of 28 years to a flipper and had just a couple weeks to move to our lake house that was already furnished. It was very easy to sell on Nextdoor and Facebook marketplace, as you said. We didn't have a garage sale because we had one many years ago and it wasn't worth it so we gave a lot of things to neighbors, etc. The flipper who bought our house said we could leave whatever we didn't want so that was very easy. Two years later, we sold our lake house that we had for 20 years. That was a monumental move, but I gave a lot of things to the workers who got our house ready to sell, sold a lot of my husband's tools and equipment, and left furniture and kitchen things for the people who bought our house. I've never gotten rid of everything I own and hopefully one of my kids will take over my current house. It would be hardest to get rid of the sentimental things from my mom and grandma but they can do whatever with it. Your journey is very interesting. I'm not a widow but my husband has health problems and I did most of the primary home move and all of the lake house move by myself. I do think about what I would do as a widow and I would go places but keep my house.
The sentimental stuff is the hardest. I had to get to a place where a photograph would suffice, and the joy the item was bringing other people made it all okay.
That was very handy that the flipper said you could leave whatever you didn’t sell or get rid of. I would love to have had that deal. 😂
❤Love this!! Important and valuable tips!
Thank you for watching and commenting. Have a wonderful day. 😊
I look forward to seeing you do your thing!! You are a natural for this!!! 🔆
Thank you so much. 🙏🏼
Your reflection will be very helpful, thank you
If you are in the process of downsizing, I hope all goes well.
You really struck it lucky that your city/location had such good waste pickup options! We have pretty good trash service but nothing like your bulk pickup. My husband has helped some older folks clean out garages and the rules for household hazardous waste were much looser if you just had a few things. For more than a certain volume he had to schedule a drop off time and inventory all the liquids. Marketplace has been very helpful for our re-homing efforts, helping family members, and we also use Buy Nothing.
Thank you for sharing that. Yes, I did get really lucky in many ways but I would never have known the services existed if I didn’t go looking for a solution. I have not heard of Buy Nothing. I am now curious. 🤔
@@DebbieMorton111 It's a Facebook group, or rather MANY groups, because they're arranged to be hyperlocal to where you live. People post things they want to give away and can also ask for things they need or want. No payment, trades or barter allowed. It's a great way to share with your neighbors, even weird things like paint samples or extra cake after your birthday! Some people use it to avoid buying anything, hence the name.
Excellent! You will never know how much this has helped me. Blessings!
Thank you for watching and commenting. I’m so glad it helped.
Excellent advice. Thank you.
Thank you for watching and I’m glad it helped.
Hi Debbie , Another Fabulous Video ❤ Thank you for the great tips and for sharing . Big Hugs 👍🥰💕
Thank you so much. Virtual hugs received and appreciated. 🙏🏼❤️
I'm not there yet, but soon. Very helpful. New subscriber. Thanks for the video ~ ❤
Thank you for subscribing and all the best to you in getting there soon and as easily as possible.
Thank you
You’re welcome and I thank you for watching. I hope you got a few nuggets that can help.
I’m STUCK. I got to let it Go! . I’m stuck. 5 years .. into Declutter. Doing FLYLADY . Last 2 years I’ve EMPTIED 53’ container. I’m stuck. I’m looking at mom , dad n grandparents papers of their deaths. I see my nieces, nephew achievements, my kids n grandchildren…. My personal reference n notes …. My house mtg papers n tax papers.
My hobby of house painting ; repairs. Small tools. Ladders.
My clothes I donated all but the few I wear each day of a week.
Stored up products for the road journey.
A few winter , gloves, & jacket.
My motorcycle , n gear to wear.
My vehicle is still a work in progress . ( under major repairs)..
set back from hail n tornado storm a week ago . Forecast a other comes Sat- TUES(?)….
My office supplies. .. I got rid of; only to replace. .
I still have home repairs misc. items.
A building to empty . And more in little buildings . I m. Working on . Daily. I’m emotional attachment WHO KNEW??? I’ve got to move forward…. My destiny is in front of me. I’ve got to do this. But my trinkets of last I want to. Cherish. Only there’s no room. Any suggestions!???….!!!
I know what it feels like to be stuck. Would help me most during those times was helped from the outside because they don’t have the emotional ties or overwhelmed that I experienced. They happen to be friends of mine and they took all the decisions out of my hands.
They knew my goals and they separated me from the emotion of my stuff.
Don’t look at the whole picture as it can be overwhelming. Look at one section or one room at a time and work on it until it’s done.
You got this!
What did you do with items such as fine glassware - tableware - silver pieces. Thank you for doing this. I have things that were my grandparents, my parents, and mine that - as we are now needing to downsize ... I need to begin this process.
My experience in the area where I lived was that dishes and silverware were not easy to get rid of. I had to donate most of it because it didn’t sell on marketplace, or at the garage sale even for ridiculously cheap prices.
That's my issue too.
My Credit Union will occasionally sponsor a Shred Day.
That’s a great service they are providing. Hopefully you have taken advantage of it if needed.
@@DebbieMorton111 I haven't needed to yet, but it's good to know that's an option if I have so much I can't do it with my home shredder.
I wonder why ore people don't just have a "FREE" garage non-sale. I would think everything would go quickly.
Yes, it would. I had a bunch of stuff at my garage sale that was marked “free” and it certainly didn’t last long.
One man was very happy who got an air compressor that was just past an expiration date. I disclosed the expiration as the reason it was free.
As I purge things out that can go to the thrift store my first step is (this really only can happen when we have good weather) to put it on the curb in an open box with a piece of paper saying " FREE". I live across the street from an elementary school and there are many dog walkers. If I lived in a less active area I would do as WW here and advertise it on Facebook Marketplace, Craigslist or Trash Nothing (or Neighbors website). Maybe even all of them just to maximize my "sales opportunity". Usually things (if they are kids things esp) will vanish and reduce what I eventually donate. So lighter load for me and I have the same effect: people who want it get it!
I put a similar comment in my FB Marketplace posts and it does work. Also say that I will only communicate through FB Messenger. I just say cash only but curious why you are OK with Venmo but not Zelle?
If they Venmo me at time of pick up, I can verify receipt of the funds before they take the item.
Most scammers want to use Zelle. They send an email that appears as though it is from Zelle. The email asks for more money in order for the transaction to be completed. The scammer will offer to pay the extra so the transaction will clear if you will pay it back to them afterwards.
@@DebbieMorton111 Thanks for replying. I can verify receipt through Zelle but maybe because Zelle is my bank’s payment app and I would see the money in my account. Not sure how it works for other people. I really only use it to send money to people I know. Of course the whole thing about the pay them back the extra is a big red flag anyway 😊
Yes, I agree with you that we can see money in Zelle. The scammers all say they want to use Zelle, which is why I don’t offer it in the ad as a payment option.
Yeah! One question I have is the safety of garage/estate sales. Gotta be so careful. Do you have any thoughts or experience with Craigslist, or EBay?
Yes, you do need to be extremely careful. Having a lot of help at the sale would be a real benefit. Also make sure anything you are not getting rid of is out of sight. I could have people in my home because I was getting rid of everything otherwise I would’ve moved everything I was selling to the outdoors.
Venmo can be reversed too!!! Definitely ONLY do hard cash only.
Thank you for sharing, I was very fortunate that everyone who came to my home to pick up items were very friendly and honest.
I cannot do that. But I am movie into a ford Ekko soon.
All the best with your move.
I keep a big trash bag in my garage that I put things in that are donations. When I get a full bag it gets taken to goodwill
That is a great idea.
Why is Zelle not a good way to be paid? Is it unsafe in someway, and if so how? Thank you.
Scammers fake emails coming from Zelle in a way that it looks like you were overpaid. Then when you send the overpayment back to them, you are sending actual funds that cannot be reversed. Zelle Itself is not a bad platform, sadly, it’s the one most scammers say they want to use.
With so many people in your home did you have things to disappear? My sister did.
No doubt there were a few items that were stolen but since I needed to get rid of everything anyways, it was one less thing to take to charity if someone else didn’t buy it.
I have my own shredder, do your papers as you go. This way is much easier on me at 69
I recently bought a shredder ($41 +tax) because I got tired of using ✂️.
I've shredded about 4 trash bags full thus far.
Worth the cost.
I 100% agree to shred as you go.
Because I hadn’t done that I had dozens of boxes. It was taking way too long to do it all on a tight time schedule, it took way too much room in my recycle bin, and my shredder kept overheating. I won’t make that mistake again.