Hey guys! If you're a repeat watcher of the series and are enjoying it... could you hit the "LIKE" button. It's a really important measure fro UA-cam and helps my smaller channel a lot! Thank you! And OMG this was A LONG day but so essential and for the next 3 episodes of the series we are making over every room you've seen!
When I visited NYC, I saw so many cool seasonal pillows but none of them had a zipper and I was so surprised! Because I live in France, and I feel like in Europe, it's very common to have pillow covers that you can change depending on the season, your house decor, etc. So I was really surprised to see that Target and other home decor shop didn't allowed you to just buy pillow cases. Such a pity...
I have helped my mom declutter her whole house. She is 81 now. It took me about 1.5 years, and we are really not done yet. I started in Spring of 2019 but stopped for several months due to my brother remodeling parts of the house. Started back in 2020 after I retired and decluttered that whole year and into 2021 through the summer. I finally stopped because it got to be too much. Now my mom says she wants to get rid of more stuff so we will start back decluttering at some point. She has been doing some on her own since I got her in the mood of decluttering. :) I have been decluttering my house too off and on for last 3 years. You are a good daughter for helping your mom. I know it's not easy!
Lovely that the Depression Room can now be a Decompression Room, for relaxing while enjoying creative projects. Good job all around, giving your parents space new life!
@@SpaceMakerMethodthis level of honesty is so appreciated 😂❤ I definitely haven’t gotten through decluttering with my mum without a few eye rolls or sarcastic remarks myself!
I can literally feel how exhausted you are at this point. You did a great job helping your parents kick start this season of life by getting them through the overwhelming part with the little time you had in Texas. Now your mom will feel empowered to do the rest on her own. Well done April and happy Father’s Day to your Dad🥰🤍✌🏼
First of all, I want to thank your mom for all the attention and care she gave to those who needed it during her career as a nurse. I appreciate her allowing us to enter her home and see the hard work that the two of you are doing together. i know she must be so grateful to have you there to help her with this decluttering process but even more, I think both of you will look back at this and cherish the amount of time you got to spend together. Our moms miss us when we're not in their lives on a daily basis--even when they are proud of the lives we' make for ourselves. Also, I've seen a lot worse when it comes to clutter!
You’re making great progress on tackling a challenging project. I’m sorry you don’t have time to do the whole house but I imagine your parents are so grateful for all your efforts. I love watching the transformation and it’s a good reminder to not allow “clutter creep” into one’s home.
I commend you for trying so hard to declutter your parent’s home. They have sooooo much stuff. Seeing their accumulation of unnecessary things is making me declutter so many more items! Too bad it was a missed opportunity for them to get rid of so much more. Seeing blankets go back into storage, where they may never be used once again prompted me to get rid of all of mine. This has been the most helpful decluttering video I have seen so far. Thanks so much!
Well they are letting go of what they can/want to for now. A lot of the blankets are very special of handmade by my mom or a family member. She’s dealing with so much emotional grief right now and I’m sure will let go of more when she’s ready. But that’s just something she’ll have to arrive to in her own time.
Bless your heart, April! This has been a monstrous job! And mugs, mugs, mugs, lol. But great job and you are a very patient person. I don't think I could have handled this!
The "do you love that" is perfect. I helped a a family friend start to get control over her house several years ago. We used "are you emotionally attached" for difficult things, it can really help think about and simplify things. I still use the phrase when I declutter. For other things "does it have a purpose and does it have a home"
This brings back so many memories of preparing my 91 year old dad’s home he had lived in for 50 years, for his upcoming move to his assisted living apartment. You are such a gift to your parents,& to those of us who will need to do this for our parents one day. ♥️
I can so relate to your parents’ house. I love that you were there working alongside her. I know the feeling of items from loved ones that you are not ready to deal with. I love how you are holding things up and asking keep or go.
You are SO good at what you do! I’m really enjoying this series. Your mom is doing great at decluttering. Tell her thanks for sharing her home with us. It’s very motivating and as helped me with my efforts to simplify my home
Your Mum is amazing. Our children never grow up to us. Being older, we didn’t have a picture of everything for a memory, our memories were in tangible items. I found also as a nurse ‘life is fleeting’ so ‘grounding’ ourselves in our homes is important. Well done Mum. Times are changing and we can take a photo and let it go! 💖🇦🇺
I now understand why you are a minimalist 🙂 Your mom has some lovely things, but because there was so much, none of it was noticeable on it’s own. The Fiestaware is especially beautiful. It’s amazing what making those kitchen shelves the same did! Mom: No more vacation mugs unless you get rid of (at least) one for every one you bring in! 😉
Exactly-- there are nice pieces but bc there's no space between items, they all just merge together into large clumps. The rooms are looking so much nicer!
You are doing very well considering all the stuff. It is overwhelming to watch, never mind to have to deal with it all. I am a cleaner/organizer type person and it’s a lot for me. You are doing such a great job at being a daughter. Your mom is very fortunate to have your help.
I can tell your mum is really creative, I love her use of colour in the white hutch, the bright colours really pop against it, I understand that the creativity also leads to clutter because I have that gene too! (Am also a nurse- we have a lot in common) You are amazing for helping, we need a hand to get started because the overwhelm is real - please thank her for letting us in xx
Mom really needs to read “The Gentle Art of Swedish Death Cleaning” by Margareta Magnusson. It is a delightful and insightful read for those of us at your Mom’s stage of life. Decluttering comes in stages, I have found. It is like peeling back the onion layers where one finds they are able to let go of a few more things every time. With a house that full or any house really, decluttering is a part of regular maintenance and happens over and over as time goes on. Then there is also the type of decluttering where one has to just ask oneself who they are saving this item for once they themselves have perished? Who are they forcing to deal with their crap after they are gone and is that how they really want to be remembered? My Mom’s house was much like your Mom’s house. Years ago I remember helping my Mom declutter. We got every mug we could find from around her house and counted eighty. She did well and got it down to forty. She still had forty at her death fifteen years later and my sister was the one who dealt with her final clear out. One just needs to honestly ask oneself what is a realistic manageable level of stuff and what am I burdening my loved ones with after I’m gone? April, you have certainly been working hard and have tremendous patience in working with others whom you have emotional ties. People will just not hear those messages until they are ready to hear those messages. Much respect your way.
Well you’ve sold me on the book!!! And you framed everything so well. I couldn’t agree more. And just like with children, the more you push sometimes… the more it tends to backfire.
Agree! I've already done my 'Swedish Death Clean"! As a minimalist (and not a very sentimental one at that), my children are *not* going to be left with a hot mess to deal with I'm gone. (And I don't need a hot mess to deal with while I'm alive either!)
@@TheDevotedDisciple fellow minimalist, here. I am 64 and I have done the same. I always joke that “she who dies with the least amount of stuff, wins!” ☺️ I’ve had friends who dealt with their parents excessive belongings after the parents died and there was a lot of anger and resentment. I don’t want that to be the last impression I leave my children.
You and Mama April are powering through it! It must have seemed like Mt Everest at 2am with so much still to do - but as a viewer I have to let you know how impressed I am. I think the hutch looks more user-friendly and attractive. Mama April's lovely things are standing out and being noticed now. The rug off the back of the couch was hidden - that's the trouble with too much stuff - I think if you really don't want something valuable to be stolen throw it into a jumble of many other things and then you see nothing - but now the lovely colourful ornaments and fabric and kitchenware is getting its chance to shine and be seen for the beautiful items they are. Fantastic job you two! I appreciate the long shot of pupper while you both discussed the beginning steps - puppup does seem to be an older gent - so I'm glad his comfort is being included in the house plans with his doggy blankie taking a central spot in the lounge and his walk-mats being kept so he doesn't slip 😊
You have so much patience with your mom and her things. I really love what you did with the living room closet, that was my favorite part. I'm glad you were able to take a day off and regroup and recover. You're doing awesome
I spent 2 weeks straight, everyday, at least an hour or more, purging my home. I filled a dumpster, which I didn't think would be possible. But considering there was 20 years worth of stuff in the basement of our family owned building and big furniture pieces that were not salvageable it was easy to fill in 1 week. I wish we could get another one, but too expensive. Between personal decor style evolving and wanting to own less stuff I have not had difficulty getting rid of anything. I find the issue in deciding what I should actually keep. That purge was over a month ago and I have no regrets on anything I've gotten rid of. Purses, shoes, clothes, makeup, kids room, kitchen, bathroom and so much more, was no problem for me. I have to get through areas I haven't touched yet though. Some will be more daunting than others like my craft room and my personal storage in the basement, saved the hardest for last. I am ready for round two of another 2 week purge and stumbled across this video in your series while looking for inspo. Will watch more and like the videos to show support. Good luck on your journey, and to anyone watching who is doing the same. Quick tips for a big clean out, boxes and labels, for keep, sell, and donate and thick garbage bags so it's less hassle. It will look worse before it gets better. Having a foldable work table has saved my back. Sanitizing wipes have came in handy. Upbeat music and a partner can help time fly, and assist when you have decision fatigue. Don't be afraid to have a maybe box for things your on the fence about. Don't let stuff sit too long though, unload daily or every other day. Listen to your body not your guilt and take breaks as needed. Watch videos for inspiration.
What a Hugh hugh task! Hats off to you! I can’t believe american stores sell cushions that you can’t take the cover off! Here in Sweden, as you mentioned: Ikea and all other store: all covers are removable and you often buy just the cover. I do believe they sell it without being able to remove the cover in order for people to throw it away earlier and buy new again. Sad but true
I wonder if the zippers cost more in material and labour than the cheap fluff inside the pillows too. Consideration always seems to go to cost over practicality or sustainability.
Sweden is fantastic! I am a fan of Benita Larsson’s UA-cam channel and the Swedish system of trash and recycling is not only enviable but extraordinary. I would love that in the USA but it will never happen.
@@vivian9803 You are so correct that it can’t happen in the US. Even my town won’t recycle clear glass and many, many other recyclables that it used to allow. I feel like just throwing away everything. But I will add that I live in a desert so I always wondered why waste water to clean out the container, especially soapy ones like detergent, Dawn, etc. as it doesn’t make sense in the long run.
@@ds7675 not even glass? Wow! That is stringent. Where I live in NJ, they accept glass but reduced plastics to PETE and HDPE only. I get annoyed by people who won't recycle properly. We can commingle paper, plastic and glass in our bins. Pretty easy, right? But, there's a neighbor who puts recycling out in plastic bags, which we have been asked not to do. Recyclers pick that up and it goes in the trash, so it's wasted effort on both parts!
What a gift! I hope your parents are able to appreciate this process once you're gone by not bringing in any more and even getting to a point of getting rid of more. And I hope you got some rest!😊
You are very respectful of what your mom wants to keep especially since there seems to be a lot of stuff filling up every space. I would be going crazy if I was clearing the space so I really admire your attitude. 😊 Also, just curious if the kitchen has cupboards-not sure of the need for the white hutch.
We have to treat adults as adults and not push our attitudes and views on them. Obviously there are a lot of feelings connected to the things we own and we can’t disregard that because that would be cruel and insensitive..it’s tender stuff
@@ronjakh Agreed! I had a lot to get rid of, and had to do it in stages. It can be very traumatic to see so much 'loss' at once.....letting go when mentally ready to will ensure long term success. Sometimes it is not just the 'stuff' but the psychological reasons behind if, which can't be instantaneously remedied.
@@ronjakh Some adults need a little push though. It's insane to have 80!!!!!!! mugs. When my mother moved in with her new husband in a new apartment, I literally did all the packing for her because she had to work full time. Trust me. Half the stuff I donated to charity or threw out, she never even remembered she owned in the first place. Since we were living together before I knew what was really valuable to her and what was just hoarding behavior. Whenever I go visit the new house she moved to 10 years later, it's FILLED with stuff again. If my mother hadn't moved apartments about 5x altogether in her life, people would have noticed her hoarding behavior.
@@JaZmine147 also...I think so many people think more stuff equals more happiness or whatever. When in reality, this is just too much. My dad also can't give anything away and it's not just affecting him. He also loves his mugs but also in other areas the whole house is cluttered with his stuff. Does he ever uses it? Nope. And who has to do all the cleaning and shuffling around this mess? My mom, my brother and I. And it's not healthy either, instead of addressing his problems that lead to this behaviour he just keeps buying stuff.
I've been following you decluttering your parents house. I give you lots of credit. It isn't easy convincing an older person to get rid of things. I've been through this with an elderly friend a while back. I just wanted to give up. You can't change them when they want to keep everything. I went through my own house and got rid of a lot. I'm not young like you. There is very little in our house that holds that much sentimental value so I'm very willing to depart with things. We only have a grown daughter and we certainly don't want her to have to deal with a mess after we are gone.
I love how respectful you are about things she wanted to keep..at least on camera. 😉. My daughter was less than that and I ended up just saying donate to many things I now really miss. Even grieved over. I can’t replace items due to finances so I am out of luck.
It won't solve the current mug issue but if you are familiar with the Diane in Denmark channel you might know that she buys decorative dish towels as souvenir items when she travels. I think this is a brilliant idea. You still get something representative of the place you visited but it's useful, easy to pack and takes up less room at home than a mug. You might suggest this to your mom for future travels. Btw, I've appreciated this series so much as I will be doing some of this with my mom soon. My dad died in December and it's time to encourage her to begin decluttering. I've read some of the comments from people who seem to think your parents have an astounding amount of stuff. If only they could see my parents' home! Like yours, my parents have so many sentimental items which makes it really challenging. I hope I can be as kind and encouraging when I begin helping my mom. And good for you y'all for doing it now. My mom is 80 so it's going to have to be done in very small doses to accommodate her energy levels.
Bless you! You sounded so exhausted. I agree that decluttering is much easier the second time around. It's already down to a more manageable level and you know all the questions to ask yourself.
I flew home and helped my mom do this several years ago when they downsized and then I took every photo in the house (even the ones on the wall) and spent 6 months scrapbooking every single photo she had! I told her that covered birthdays and Christmas for at least 5 years after that project, LOL!
The mug collection could use those mug hangers that slide on the the shelf above. Your Mom could rotate her favorite mugs as she uses them. Make a practical collection out of them.
That’s a very nice hutch your grandfather made & I can understand keeping that myself. And I must say I admire anyone who can choose colors and doesn’t feel they had to paint walls white with grey for everything else. I’m a color person myself & am happy it’s coming back as a trend.
@@SpaceMakerMethod I understand! Your childhood home pre-project is very reminiscent of my parent’s home at its current state. I would love to help them now that I’ve permanent moved closer to home but they aren’t ready to embrace this process yet. Maybe in due time!
I helped my mother declutter and it’s definitely a work in progress. It’s hard for them to part with their memories. You’re doing an excellent job, best declutter/organizer I’ve seen!
You are making such great progress! This series is so satisfying to watch. A lot of the decor reminds me of my own mom. I fully agree with your pillow rant. I learned that from my mom. She has pillow covers for each season/holiday so she can use the same pillows all year long just with different covers.
Great job. Your mother will likely be very motivated now to continue the process once your gone since she will be left in REFRESH mode. : ) I'm sure she is grateful for all your help/hard work.
I decluttered my parents house too, 3 weeks, all... ALL.. and do a make over in my sister's teenroom. ❤️ I love this, should film it, but I'm in a tunnel, when I declutter and tidy up. 😂 but ur videos push me and it was so much fun.
Oh April, I feel your pain my mum keeps everything! doesn't throw anything away because one day she might need it. The battles I've had with her over the years. And those mugs... my parents have also been collecting souvenir mugs for as long as I can remember. They have finally gotten rid of them after 35 years.
Wow u work miracles! I love your moms stuff! I’d like to have the white cupboard she has in her kitchen for my Longenberger.! She has a nice collection too! Oh I just spotted some of my dishes too! You and your mom rock! TFS❤️
This is such a tough project!! You could get the window frosting film to cover the wood grain hutch and cover the clutter. It makes the room seem less messy.
I don't know if you watch TV with commercials but Progressive has the ones where you're turning into your parents. One of the clips is about throw pillows. I feel like you are the guy trying to keep your mom from turning into her mom. :)
The pillow/pillow cover thing makes me crazy too! My theory is that retail stores do it because a pillow shows better than a folded cover so people are more likely to buy them. For online stores, a cover would work better because it would be cheaper to ship and you could show a styled example. IKEA is how stores could do it - show an example, let people just buy the cover. But I feel like a lot of pillows are impulse purchases at discount stores. My MIL has so many :(
Hi Doll.....so a few thoughts that I would like to share....Your mom seems like such a sweet 💜, I can totally understand how her gentle nature made nursing a calling & A Big Congratulations on her Retirement!!! 🎉🎊🎉🎊 (can't wait till I retire 😉). Your parents home is a reflection of the wonderful Life they've lived. Collections from travels, raising kid(s), family members belongings....artifacts of daily living. And they were blessed to have afforded these items, shelter, utensils, self-care items. Growing up in decades past, decluttering was not really that common I think, and we didn't have the resources like UA-cam or coaches to help out. So it made sense that everyone accumulated. Now thrifting is considered cool (yay) and living more simply as a liberating feeling. Less to constantly keep track of, unless we Numb ourselves to our environment. So decluttering i think makes us sharper too. I hope our world starts to in general produce less & recycle all that we already have. Isnt it interesting to think that a cup or chair, or table will be around longer than us? ✨️
Well done! You are doing such a great job! And well done to your Mum for really embracing the process even though it must be so hard for her given how much sentimental stuff is in the house. It will all be worth it in the end! I love how you are creating space to really display the sentimental items properly. The hundreds of mugs made me lol! What is it with mugs! They seem to breed in the cupboard! A few years ago I decided enough was enough, and I got rid of all my mugs except for 4 that I really liked the shape and look of, and I bought a matching set of 6. Now if I want to bring in another mug I have to get rid of one of the others before I can add it. Makes everything much simpler! If I’m gifted a mug and it doesn’t earn it’s place in my cupboard at home I take it in to one of the places I work and it gets used there. I wish companies wouldn’t give out free promotional mugs! They are always such a horrible shape and colour! I wonder if they added up the number of mugs in the world compared to the number of people…. There must be like 60 mugs per person
I just came across your channel. Love all your tips to organize and refresh rooms. I agree with your mother. It's the most fun to shop for items for staging.
Great to see your process in a room that really seems to be ok and see how you make it better. Closets are definitely a danger zone in the house. They need to be rethought maybe - not "how much can we have", but something like "what REALLY has to stay."
I love old trunks. I have one in my craft room where I store quilts I’ve made that I donate to an emergency shelter every fall. I also have one in my living room and I use it to store all the computer equipment and accessories that can so easily clutter up a closet.
Im so excited fir this video! Yay😀 Will be praying you get rid of the white chair rail - it just chops up the room, makes the walls "squatty," and makes it difficult to properly hang art. You end up with everything above the chair rail and nothing below. If it weren't so early in the morning I would make some popcorn and get the peanut M&M's! Girl- your videos at your Mons is like movie night for me! Love them- Ok, here we go....
Wow. That was a huge job! Your mom did not do anything halfway did she? LOL. Nice big beautiful kitchen with great storage. Love the hutch and cabinets. Exhausting but satisfying. Looking forward to video #7!!❤
Crazy that two people want to manage all this stufff, so much stuff for only 2 people… wow, unbelievable amnt of stuff; Good on you that got your parents to declutter some because when there gone you will sadly still have much stuff to deal /manage with so good did what did. Helpful dghtr.
Wow, your Mom has some interesting Texas and SW themed things, it's great to see them with less clutter around. The collecting a mug from everywhere they go might have got out of hand a bit, lol. I'm an art fridge magnet collector myself, smaller items but a lot of visual clutter, Monet to Australian Indigenous Art and everything in between. I might try to curate them somewhere else than the fridge at some point but I love how they remind me of good times.
What a job! You taught your mum some camera tricks 🤣 you should as her to record some of what she's doing on her own (without her face in) and send it to you for continuation lol, so much stuff, this virgo would not be able to live through that, I cannot believe how hard you worked wow! Is mum finding herself feeling a tad lighter now? 🤪💖💖💖💖💖💖💖💖💖💖
Brilliant work!! I'm looking forward to continue to help my parents declutter, they like to get help, but never start any decluttering on their own. I can just imagine how exhausting but also rewarding this has been to you!
I use my mother in laws hutch to store my art supplies. I used a lot of her silver and chipped antique glasses to house my items and one section is acrylic items, one section is charcoal items ect. Just an idea 🫶🏽🫶🏽🫶🏽
I'm 100% on board with the "pillow rant". My solution would be to install the zippers myself. And make my own pillow inserts using cotton or linen fabric stuffed with the stuffing from the original pillow. To me it makes more sense to store extra throw pillow covers to swap out as needed for requesting the design in a space than all the bulk from all the extra throw pillows.
I read the one of the comments. I can't add or frame thing's well. I felt stressed out. You have patience. How we get so emotionally involved with stuff especially stuff that is family. I hope your Mom can get out off her depression and also stay motivated and actually live and enjoy her retirement. I agree with the pillow thing.
April, I loved this episode and even though you can’t declutter the entire kitchen, what you did do is a game changer for your mom. It was so satisfying seeing you make all the shelves line up! It looked way better. The Kachina dolls ended up being one of my favs, too. Btw, I assume we won’t be seeing your in-law’s kitchen completed? Just curious as I know you said the appliances were going to take the longest.
Hey guys! If you're a repeat watcher of the series and are enjoying it... could you hit the "LIKE" button. It's a really important measure fro UA-cam and helps my smaller channel a lot! Thank you! And OMG this was A LONG day but so essential and for the next 3 episodes of the series we are making over every room you've seen!
I agree. I handled my mom’s stuff much worse.
Whatever happened to the kitchen makeover of your in-laws place?
It’s still coming out. Family stuff just got in the way, but it will be out after this series ends.
I like it! Curate what you have..
New here but always hit like button. 😉
When I visited NYC, I saw so many cool seasonal pillows but none of them had a zipper and I was so surprised! Because I live in France, and I feel like in Europe, it's very common to have pillow covers that you can change depending on the season, your house decor, etc. So I was really surprised to see that Target and other home decor shop didn't allowed you to just buy pillow cases. Such a pity...
I have helped my mom declutter her whole house. She is 81 now. It took me about 1.5 years, and we are really not done yet. I started in Spring of 2019 but stopped for several months due to my brother remodeling parts of the house. Started back in 2020 after I retired and decluttered that whole year and into 2021 through the summer. I finally stopped because it got to be too much. Now my mom says she wants to get rid of more stuff so we will start back decluttering at some point. She has been doing some on her own since I got her in the mood of decluttering. :) I have been decluttering my house too off and on for last 3 years. You are a good daughter for helping your mom. I know it's not easy!
Lovely that the Depression Room can now be a Decompression Room, for relaxing while enjoying creative projects. Good job all around, giving your parents space new life!
Yes! We've got to leave it as a craft room!
I am impressed with the love, respect and patience you show your mum, even at 2am. Great work from both of you on this
Haha well there were definitely some eye rolls and sarcastic remarks being thrown around too 🤣
@@SpaceMakerMethodthis level of honesty is so appreciated 😂❤ I definitely haven’t gotten through decluttering with my mum without a few eye rolls or sarcastic remarks myself!
I can literally feel how exhausted you are at this point. You did a great job helping your parents kick start this season of life by getting them through the overwhelming part with the little time you had in Texas. Now your mom will feel empowered to do the rest on her own. Well done April and happy Father’s Day to your Dad🥰🤍✌🏼
Definitely! I'll have to update you guys with her progress at the end too!
First of all, I want to thank your mom for all the attention and care she gave to those who needed it during her career as a nurse. I appreciate her allowing us to enter her home and see the hard work that the two of you are doing together. i know she must be so grateful to have you there to help her with this decluttering process but even more, I think both of you will look back at this and cherish the amount of time you got to spend together. Our moms miss us when we're not in their lives on a daily basis--even when they are proud of the lives we' make for ourselves. Also, I've seen a lot worse when it comes to clutter!
💛
You’re making great progress on tackling a challenging project. I’m sorry you don’t have time to do the whole house but I imagine your parents are so grateful for all your efforts. I love watching the transformation and it’s a good reminder to not allow “clutter creep” into one’s home.
Thank you so much!
The white kitchen cabinet went from cluttered to a wonderful useful display, so impressive.
Again, I think it is wonderful to do this with your mom.
I'm always amazed with the volume of stuff we can shove in a closet.
RIght!?
I commend you for trying so hard to declutter your parent’s home. They have sooooo much stuff. Seeing their accumulation of unnecessary things is making me declutter so many more items! Too bad it was a missed opportunity for them to get rid of so much more. Seeing blankets go back into storage, where they may never be used once again prompted me to get rid of all of mine. This has been the most helpful decluttering video I have seen so far. Thanks so much!
Well they are letting go of what they can/want to for now. A lot of the blankets are very special of handmade by my mom or a family member. She’s dealing with so much emotional grief right now and I’m sure will let go of more when she’s ready. But that’s just something she’ll have to arrive to in her own time.
I think it’s great that the video motivated you to declutter - that’s a win for you and a win for April’s influence! 👍🏻
You were so mindful and respectful when asking your mom about each item! 👍 I think it’s time to give the „depression“ room a new name.
Yes! A new name with positive vibes would do wonders.
Definitely!
Bless your heart, April! This has been a monstrous job! And mugs, mugs, mugs, lol. But great job and you are a very patient person. I don't think I could have handled this!
The "do you love that" is perfect. I helped a a family friend start to get control over her house several years ago. We used "are you emotionally attached" for difficult things, it can really help think about and simplify things. I still use the phrase when I declutter. For other things "does it have a purpose and does it have a home"
This brings back so many memories of preparing my 91 year old dad’s home he had lived in for 50 years, for his upcoming move to his assisted living apartment. You are such a gift to your parents,& to those of us who will need to do this for our parents one day. ♥️
I can so relate to your parents’ house. I love that you were there working alongside her. I know the feeling of items from loved ones that you are not ready to deal with. I love how you are holding things up and asking keep or go.
You are SO good at what you do! I’m really enjoying this series. Your mom is doing great at decluttering. Tell her thanks for sharing her home with us. It’s very motivating and as helped me with my efforts to simplify my home
Your Mum is amazing. Our children never grow up to us. Being older, we didn’t have a picture of everything for a memory, our memories were in tangible items. I found also as a nurse ‘life is fleeting’ so ‘grounding’ ourselves in our homes is important. Well done Mum. Times are changing and we can take a photo and let it go! 💖🇦🇺
I now understand why you are a minimalist 🙂 Your mom has some lovely things, but because there was so much, none of it was noticeable on it’s own. The Fiestaware is especially beautiful. It’s amazing what making those kitchen shelves the same did! Mom: No more vacation mugs unless you get rid of (at least) one for every one you bring in! 😉
Exactly-- there are nice pieces but bc there's no space between items, they all just merge together into large clumps. The rooms are looking so much nicer!
You are doing very well considering all the stuff.
It is overwhelming to watch, never mind to have to deal with it all.
I am a cleaner/organizer type person and it’s a lot for me.
You are doing such a great job at being a daughter.
Your mom is very fortunate to have your help.
Thank you so much! Adn thanks for watching each week!
I can tell your mum is really creative, I love her use of colour in the white hutch, the bright colours really pop against it, I understand that the creativity also leads to clutter because I have that gene too! (Am also a nurse- we have a lot in common) You are amazing for helping, we need a hand to get started because the overwhelm is real - please thank her for letting us in xx
Mom really needs to read “The Gentle Art of Swedish Death Cleaning” by Margareta Magnusson. It is a delightful and insightful read for those of us at your Mom’s stage of life.
Decluttering comes in stages, I have found. It is like peeling back the onion layers where one finds they are able to let go of a few more things every time. With a house that full or any house really, decluttering is a part of regular maintenance and happens over and over as time goes on.
Then there is also the type of decluttering where one has to just ask oneself who they are saving this item for once they themselves have perished? Who are they forcing to deal with their crap after they are gone and is that how they really want to be remembered?
My Mom’s house was much like your Mom’s house. Years ago I remember helping my Mom declutter. We got every mug we could find from around her house and counted eighty. She did well and got it down to forty. She still had forty at her death fifteen years later and my sister was the one who dealt with her final clear out.
One just needs to honestly ask oneself what is a realistic manageable level of stuff and what am I burdening my loved ones with after I’m gone?
April, you have certainly been working hard and have tremendous patience in working with others whom you have emotional ties. People will just not hear those messages until they are ready to hear those messages. Much respect your way.
I thought of that book too.
I think it’s a good book for any stage of life not just after retirement or the elderly. We’re never guaranteed a tomorrow.
Well you’ve sold me on the book!!! And you framed everything so well. I couldn’t agree more. And just like with children, the more you push sometimes… the more it tends to backfire.
Agree! I've already done my 'Swedish Death Clean"! As a minimalist (and not a very sentimental one at that), my children are *not* going to be left with a hot mess to deal with I'm gone. (And I don't need a hot mess to deal with while I'm alive either!)
@@TheDevotedDisciple fellow minimalist, here. I am 64 and I have done the same. I always joke that “she who dies with the least amount of stuff, wins!” ☺️ I’ve had friends who dealt with their parents excessive belongings after the parents died and there was a lot of anger and resentment. I don’t want that to be the last impression I leave my children.
You and Mama April are powering through it! It must have seemed like Mt Everest at 2am with so much still to do - but as a viewer I have to let you know how impressed I am. I think the hutch looks more user-friendly and attractive. Mama April's lovely things are standing out and being noticed now. The rug off the back of the couch was hidden - that's the trouble with too much stuff - I think if you really don't want something valuable to be stolen throw it into a jumble of many other things and then you see nothing - but now the lovely colourful ornaments and fabric and kitchenware is getting its chance to shine and be seen for the beautiful items they are. Fantastic job you two! I appreciate the long shot of pupper while you both discussed the beginning steps - puppup does seem to be an older gent - so I'm glad his comfort is being included in the house plans with his doggy blankie taking a central spot in the lounge and his walk-mats being kept so he doesn't slip 😊
I am reminded that tasks like this are so emotionally loaded, and maybe the thing that’s most helpful is to have help.
This was epic you did soooooo much work!!! Love that rattan chair in the living room. Bravo 👏🏾👏🏾🎉
You have so much patience with your mom and her things. I really love what you did with the living room closet, that was my favorite part. I'm glad you were able to take a day off and regroup and recover. You're doing awesome
Oh man, I've been waiting to organize that closet since I was a kid!
I just want to say that the decluttering sounds are very satisfying!!! 😅
Good daughter! You never once shamed your mother. 😍
Glad im not the only one who raided my mothers vintage clothes. 😂 leather ages amazingly as does wool.
I spent 2 weeks straight, everyday, at least an hour or more, purging my home. I filled a dumpster, which I didn't think would be possible. But considering there was 20 years worth of stuff in the basement of our family owned building and big furniture pieces that were not salvageable it was easy to fill in 1 week. I wish we could get another one, but too expensive. Between personal decor style evolving and wanting to own less stuff I have not had difficulty getting rid of anything. I find the issue in deciding what I should actually keep. That purge was over a month ago and I have no regrets on anything I've gotten rid of. Purses, shoes, clothes, makeup, kids room, kitchen, bathroom and so much more, was no problem for me. I have to get through areas I haven't touched yet though. Some will be more daunting than others like my craft room and my personal storage in the basement, saved the hardest for last. I am ready for round two of another 2 week purge and stumbled across this video in your series while looking for inspo. Will watch more and like the videos to show support. Good luck on your journey, and to anyone watching who is doing the same. Quick tips for a big clean out, boxes and labels, for keep, sell, and donate and thick garbage bags so it's less hassle. It will look worse before it gets better. Having a foldable work table has saved my back. Sanitizing wipes have came in handy. Upbeat music and a partner can help time fly, and assist when you have decision fatigue. Don't be afraid to have a maybe box for things your on the fence about. Don't let stuff sit too long though, unload daily or every other day. Listen to your body not your guilt and take breaks as needed. Watch videos for inspiration.
You're doing an amazing job and this will help so many people besides your parents. I thoroughly enjoy your quality content.
What a Hugh hugh task! Hats off to you! I can’t believe american stores sell cushions that you can’t take the cover off! Here in Sweden, as you mentioned: Ikea and all other store: all covers are removable and you often buy just the cover. I do believe they sell it without being able to remove the cover in order for people to throw it away earlier and buy new again. Sad but true
I wonder if the zippers cost more in material and labour than the cheap fluff inside the pillows too. Consideration always seems to go to cost over practicality or sustainability.
Sweden is fantastic! I am a fan of Benita Larsson’s UA-cam channel and the Swedish system of trash and recycling is not only enviable but extraordinary. I would love that in the USA but it will never happen.
@@vivian9803 You are so correct that it can’t happen in the US. Even my town won’t recycle clear glass and many, many other recyclables that it used to allow. I feel like just throwing away everything. But I will add that I live in a desert so I always wondered why waste water to clean out the container, especially soapy ones like detergent, Dawn, etc. as it doesn’t make sense in the long run.
@@ds7675 not even glass? Wow! That is stringent. Where I live in NJ, they accept glass but reduced plastics to PETE and HDPE only. I get annoyed by people who won't recycle properly. We can commingle paper, plastic and glass in our bins. Pretty easy, right? But, there's a neighbor who puts recycling out in plastic bags, which we have been asked not to do. Recyclers pick that up and it goes in the trash, so it's wasted effort on both parts!
What a gift! I hope your parents are able to appreciate this process once you're gone by not bringing in any more and even getting to a point of getting rid of more.
And I hope you got some rest!😊
YESSSSSS! this series is so satisfying.
Thanks for watchin!
You are very respectful of what your mom wants to keep especially since there seems to be a lot of stuff filling up every space. I would be going crazy if I was clearing the space so I really admire your attitude. 😊 Also, just curious if the kitchen has cupboards-not sure of the need for the white hutch.
Right! I’d be like “pick your favourite 12 mugs and that’s it”. I must be the tough love type 😅
We have to treat adults as adults and not push our attitudes and views on them. Obviously there are a lot of feelings connected to the things we own and we can’t disregard that because that would be cruel and insensitive..it’s tender stuff
@@ronjakh Agreed! I had a lot to get rid of, and had to do it in stages. It can be very traumatic to see so much 'loss' at once.....letting go when mentally ready to will ensure long term success. Sometimes it is not just the 'stuff' but the psychological reasons behind if, which can't be instantaneously remedied.
@@ronjakh Some adults need a little push though. It's insane to have 80!!!!!!! mugs. When my mother moved in with her new husband in a new apartment, I literally did all the packing for her because she had to work full time. Trust me. Half the stuff I donated to charity or threw out, she never even remembered she owned in the first place. Since we were living together before I knew what was really valuable to her and what was just hoarding behavior. Whenever I go visit the new house she moved to 10 years later, it's FILLED with stuff again. If my mother hadn't moved apartments about 5x altogether in her life, people would have noticed her hoarding behavior.
@@JaZmine147 also...I think so many people think more stuff equals more happiness or whatever. When in reality, this is just too much. My dad also can't give anything away and it's not just affecting him. He also loves his mugs but also in other areas the whole house is cluttered with his stuff. Does he ever uses it? Nope. And who has to do all the cleaning and shuffling around this mess? My mom, my brother and I. And it's not healthy either, instead of addressing his problems that lead to this behaviour he just keeps buying stuff.
I've been following you decluttering your parents house. I give you lots of credit. It isn't easy convincing an older person to get rid of things. I've been through this with an elderly friend a while back. I just wanted to give up. You can't change them when they want to keep everything. I went through my own house and got rid of a lot. I'm not young like you. There is very little in our house that holds that much sentimental value so I'm very willing to depart with things. We only have a grown daughter and we certainly don't want her to have to deal with a mess after we are gone.
I love how respectful you are about things she wanted to keep..at least on camera. 😉. My daughter was less than that and I ended up just saying donate to many things I now really miss. Even grieved over. I can’t replace items due to finances so I am out of luck.
All I can say to you is "Bless your heart!"
Your mom needs to get rid of 70% of the "stuff" in her home. You are so patient with her.
It won't solve the current mug issue but if you are familiar with the Diane in Denmark channel you might know that she buys decorative dish towels as souvenir items when she travels. I think this is a brilliant idea. You still get something representative of the place you visited but it's useful, easy to pack and takes up less room at home than a mug. You might suggest this to your mom for future travels.
Btw, I've appreciated this series so much as I will be doing some of this with my mom soon. My dad died in December and it's time to encourage her to begin decluttering. I've read some of the comments from people who seem to think your parents have an astounding amount of stuff. If only they could see my parents' home! Like yours, my parents have so many sentimental items which makes it really challenging. I hope I can be as kind and encouraging when I begin helping my mom. And good for you y'all for doing it now. My mom is 80 so it's going to have to be done in very small doses to accommodate her energy levels.
Bless you! You sounded so exhausted. I agree that decluttering is much easier the second time around. It's already down to a more manageable level and you know all the questions to ask yourself.
I am with you on the pillow vs pillowcase rant 🙌
I try to remember that “less is more”- I’m not always successful but it does help
I flew home and helped my mom do this several years ago when they downsized and then I took every photo in the house (even the ones on the wall) and spent 6 months scrapbooking every single photo she had! I told her that covered birthdays and Christmas for at least 5 years after that project, LOL!
The mug collection could use those mug hangers that slide on the the shelf above. Your Mom could rotate her favorite mugs as she uses them. Make a practical collection out of them.
So much to sort in a short amount of time! I’m sure y’all are so glad it’s done! Thanks for doing all the editing to share with us. 🥴✌🏼😂
Love that teal lamp! Great job decluttering y'all!
I see your design assistant has entered the room
That’s a very nice hutch your grandfather made & I can understand keeping that myself. And I must say I admire anyone who can choose colors and doesn’t feel they had to paint walls white with grey for everything else. I’m a color person myself & am happy it’s coming back as a trend.
Wow great job on the closet today! That was an intimidating space to look at today but you guys tackled it like champions.
I’ve been dreaming of that closet declutter since I was a kid!🤣
@@SpaceMakerMethod I understand! Your childhood home pre-project is very reminiscent of my parent’s home at its current state. I would love to help them now that I’ve permanent moved closer to home but they aren’t ready to embrace this process yet. Maybe in due time!
Overwhelming. You are a wonderful daughter.
I helped my mother declutter and it’s definitely a work in progress. It’s hard for them to part with their memories. You’re doing an excellent job, best declutter/organizer I’ve seen!
You are making such great progress! This series is so satisfying to watch. A lot of the decor reminds me of my own mom. I fully agree with your pillow rant. I learned that from my mom. She has pillow covers for each season/holiday so she can use the same pillows all year long just with different covers.
Right!!!?!? Why do they do this to us!>>! Just give me the cushion covers.
Pillow rant! I agree!!
You are great to your mum!
I had a couple of my mugs break the other day. I was wrapped.
Totally right about the pillow covers. Love this series, wish you could really do everything!
Great job. Your mother will likely be very motivated now to continue the process once your gone since she will be left in REFRESH mode. : ) I'm sure she is grateful for all your help/hard work.
I decluttered my parents house too, 3 weeks, all... ALL.. and do a make over in my sister's teenroom. ❤️ I love this, should film it, but I'm in a tunnel, when I declutter and tidy up. 😂 but ur videos push me and it was so much fun.
Wow! You both had to make so many decisions in such a short time. Kudos! 👏
Oh April, I feel your pain my mum keeps everything! doesn't throw anything away because one day she might need it. The battles I've had with her over the years. And those mugs... my parents have also been collecting souvenir mugs for as long as I can remember. They have finally gotten rid of them after 35 years.
Wow u work miracles! I love your moms stuff! I’d like to have the white cupboard she has in her kitchen for my Longenberger.! She has a nice collection too! Oh I just spotted some of my dishes too! You and your mom rock! TFS❤️
Yes!! Preach the pillow gospel sister! Buy a good down insert then swap out covers 👍
Thank you and to your parents for sharing this mammoth task! You’ve got this!
I love the shop your house first concept 💜💋
I love your mom's style in the living room and her purses 😍😍😍
Here for the pillow/cushion rant 🙌🙌
This is such a tough project!! You could get the window frosting film to cover the wood grain hutch and cover the clutter. It makes the room seem less messy.
I don't know if you watch TV with commercials but Progressive has the ones where you're turning into your parents. One of the clips is about throw pillows. I feel like you are the guy trying to keep your mom from turning into her mom. :)
The pillow/pillow cover thing makes me crazy too! My theory is that retail stores do it because a pillow shows better than a folded cover so people are more likely to buy them. For online stores, a cover would work better because it would be cheaper to ship and you could show a styled example. IKEA is how stores could do it - show an example, let people just buy the cover. But I feel like a lot of pillows are impulse purchases at discount stores. My MIL has so many :(
So much stuff you are doing a great job
I have been super inspired by this series and your methods! managed to declutter a small part of my bedroom yesterday and it felt great!
Hi Doll.....so a few thoughts that I would like to share....Your mom seems like such a sweet 💜, I can totally understand how her gentle nature made nursing a calling & A Big Congratulations on her Retirement!!! 🎉🎊🎉🎊 (can't wait till I retire 😉). Your parents home is a reflection of the wonderful Life they've lived. Collections from travels, raising kid(s), family members belongings....artifacts of daily living. And they were blessed to have afforded these items, shelter, utensils, self-care items. Growing up in decades past, decluttering was not really that common I think, and we didn't have the resources like UA-cam or coaches to help out. So it made sense that everyone accumulated. Now thrifting is considered cool (yay) and living more simply as a liberating feeling. Less to constantly keep track of, unless we Numb ourselves to our environment. So decluttering i think makes us sharper too. I hope our world starts to in general produce less & recycle all that we already have. Isnt it interesting to think that a cup or chair, or table will be around longer than us? ✨️
Well done! You are doing such a great job! And well done to your Mum for really embracing the process even though it must be so hard for her given how much sentimental stuff is in the house. It will all be worth it in the end! I love how you are creating space to really display the sentimental items properly.
The hundreds of mugs made me lol! What is it with mugs! They seem to breed in the cupboard! A few years ago I decided enough was enough, and I got rid of all my mugs except for 4 that I really liked the shape and look of, and I bought a matching set of 6. Now if I want to bring in another mug I have to get rid of one of the others before I can add it. Makes everything much simpler! If I’m gifted a mug and it doesn’t earn it’s place in my cupboard at home I take it in to one of the places I work and it gets used there. I wish companies wouldn’t give out free promotional mugs! They are always such a horrible shape and colour! I wonder if they added up the number of mugs in the world compared to the number of people…. There must be like 60 mugs per person
I just came across your channel. Love all your tips to organize and refresh rooms. I agree with your mother. It's the most fun to shop for items for staging.
Great to see your process in a room that really seems to be ok and see how you make it better. Closets are definitely a danger zone in the house. They need to be rethought maybe - not "how much can we have", but something like "what REALLY has to stay."
I love old trunks. I have one in my craft room where I store quilts I’ve made that I donate to an emergency shelter every fall. I also have one in my living room and I use it to store all the computer equipment and accessories that can so easily clutter up a closet.
they're so cooL!
Wow that's awesome!! Looks great can't wait to see more.
Im so excited fir this video! Yay😀 Will be praying you get rid of the white chair rail - it just chops up the room, makes the walls "squatty," and makes it difficult to properly hang art. You end up with everything above the chair rail and nothing below. If it weren't so early in the morning I would make some popcorn and get the peanut M&M's! Girl- your videos at your Mons is like movie night for me! Love them-
Ok, here we go....
Absolutely loving this series - best yet! 🌟👍🏾💜
Divide & conquer. Looking forward to more. Take care.
Can’t wait!! See you next Sunday!
Wow. That was a huge job! Your mom did not do anything halfway did she? LOL. Nice big beautiful kitchen with great storage. Love the hutch and cabinets. Exhausting but satisfying. Looking forward to video #7!!❤
Can’t wait!!!
Agree with you on cushion covers
I love that Daisy Duck blanket!
Love this series and how respectful you are to your mom. I feel like there was an ad every 2 minutes though!
Crazy that two people want to manage all this stufff, so much stuff for only 2 people… wow, unbelievable amnt of stuff; Good on you that got your parents to declutter some because when there gone you will sadly still have much stuff to deal /manage with so good did what did. Helpful dghtr.
Wow, your Mom has some interesting Texas and SW themed things, it's great to see them with less clutter around. The collecting a mug from everywhere they go might have got out of hand a bit, lol. I'm an art fridge magnet collector myself, smaller items but a lot of visual clutter, Monet to Australian Indigenous Art and everything in between. I might try to curate them somewhere else than the fridge at some point but I love how they remind me of good times.
I love this types of videos, It makes me motivated to do the same for my own family members, like my grandma and my mom.
great work this must be your calling keep IT UP YOU DEFINITELY a MOTIVATOR Thank YOU
What a job! You taught your mum some camera tricks 🤣 you should as her to record some of what she's doing on her own (without her face in) and send it to you for continuation lol, so much stuff, this virgo would not be able to live through that, I cannot believe how hard you worked wow! Is mum finding herself feeling a tad lighter now? 🤪💖💖💖💖💖💖💖💖💖💖
Brilliant work!! I'm looking forward to continue to help my parents declutter, they like to get help, but never start any decluttering on their own. I can just imagine how exhausting but also rewarding this has been to you!
I use my mother in laws hutch to store my art supplies. I used a lot of her silver and chipped antique glasses to house my items and one section is acrylic items, one section is charcoal items ect. Just an idea 🫶🏽🫶🏽🫶🏽
I'm 100% on board with the "pillow rant". My solution would be to install the zippers myself. And make my own pillow inserts using cotton or linen fabric stuffed with the stuffing from the original pillow. To me it makes more sense to store extra throw pillow covers to swap out as needed for requesting the design in a space than all the bulk from all the extra throw pillows.
I'm laughing so hard - a Longaberger basket and the same round Scout tin with American Century on it - both live in my San Angelo house too!!!
I read the one of the comments. I can't add or frame thing's well. I felt stressed out. You have patience. How we get so emotionally involved with stuff especially stuff that is family. I hope your Mom can get out off her depression and also stay motivated and actually live and enjoy her retirement. I agree with the pillow thing.
Love this series. Wish you had time to do the whole house for us to see!
April, I loved this episode and even though you can’t declutter the entire kitchen, what you did do is a game changer for your mom. It was so satisfying seeing you make all the shelves line up! It looked way better. The Kachina dolls ended up being one of my favs, too. Btw, I assume we won’t be seeing your in-law’s kitchen completed? Just curious as I know you said the appliances were going to take the longest.
Agree about the pillows 😊I only buy pillow covers 😊
Great video!
Love watching your progress. Also your mom has some great longaberger baskets
5:40 The dolphins were so cute! 🐬💖