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Floor mats and rugs not only get in the way of cleaning, but for those of us who use mobility devices, they can be a huge hazard - e.g. I've flipped all the way backwards in my wheelchair because there was a mat in the way (and it happened right in front of the bee who insisted, and still insists to this day, that the mat stay there, even though she's seen the hazard it poses).
Monks worship satan. If it’s not of Christ it’s of Satan. Why would Christians want to look to Monks? I would strongly recommend everyone look to Christ alone and His Word for everything including keeping a home. Has minimalism become your god?
It feels SO GOOD to wake up in the morning and not have to clean the dishes from the night before. It reminds me of the Bible verse about each day has enough evil of its own that we shouldn’t have to take on the burdens of any other day than the one we are currently in. Yesterday’s mess in our home is the burden from other days! Today has enough, for heaven’s sake lol
That is such a great comparison! Not only does it feel great to start the morning fresh, but there's also a certain form of peaceful closure to the day when finishing up the dishes before bed. Totally a double win!
Iove how you so aptly tied in that scripture! That's a beautiful reminder. I try to not leave a mess when we leave the house also so we don't come back to a mess. Especially on vacation. It's such a breath of fresh air to walk in the door from being away to a clean space. And like you said, walking out from the bedroom in the morning to a clean kitchen just fills me with peace to start the day!
Dawn, I love the way you talk about your faith. I am an atheist with bad childhood experiences. The last time I tried to attend a church, my brain literally knocked me out to "protect" me from going. Unlike the people I grew up with, your faith gives you joy and generosity, not arrogance and superiority. I am happy for you when I hear you talk about it.
Oh, this hurts my heart!!! I'm so grateful you are seeing a TRUE believer but I'm so sad for your childhood experiences! 😢 I am a church going believer in Jesus, but I don't ever want to be seen as superior. When we're in public and we see all kinds of people who probably don't believe the way we do and may belive the opposite, I constantly tell my 5 children, "These people are PRECIOUS souls for whom Christ died, just like He did for you and me!" Church hurt is WAY too real and I believe it's because in every church there are pew warmers and then there's the very few who actually LOVE THE LORD THEIR GOD. Sorry to be so long winded but I just want you to know that there are more of us out here. ❤
Cynthia, I love the honest and respectful way you speak about your feelings and past experiences. I had to separate what people had done and what God had done (he never lied). Took a while. Best wishes, fellow traveler. (Yes! I love the natural way Dawn talks about her faith! She is definitely a safe place!)
I so agree! Well said. It’s bad for family moral when cleanliness isn’t prioritized to some reasonable degree. It’s like being hospitable to the people who live in the space.
My husband is finally realizing this! More than a month ago I did a deep declutter of my half of the bathroom - counter, drawers, space under sink, but I didn't touch his side. For weeks he's quietly watched how easy it is for me to find what I need, put it away, and keep the counter clean. My mom is coming for the weekend and he was helping clean rooms. He did a major declutter of his own stuff, asked for a small storage bin for his items to keep on the counter, and then cleaned both our sinks and wiped the whole counter. So much easier to do! Thanks Dawn for your inspiration!
I’ve volunteered to clean my local temple for my church before, and we did a full cleaning every single evening. They said the point wasn’t to clean it because it was dirty, but rather to continually clean it so it never gets to the point of being dirty. I loved that. 😊
Something my DinL OFTEN says when she visits my house is, "your house is so peaceful." I believe what she's really noticing is the clean kitchen surfaces, the lack of clutter throughout & the calming effect created by having an easily maintained home. It pleases me, for her, that she has found a place of respite. ♡
When my house was cluttered, I enjoyed going over to my parents house because it just felt calm and peaceful. I guess I now realize that was because they didn’t have as much clutter in their living Spaces. We won’t talk about how full their attic was and my dad‘s office was, but your comment reminded me that their home was peaceful and now mine has that same feeling.
Interesting!! That’s what people have said about my home as well, and I never linked it to me keeping a very tidy home. I always thought it was because we live in the country away from the hustle and bustle.
My husband spent 18 months in a Benedictine monastery (discerning priesthood) before we met. He spent many hours working in their apple orchard. One of the reasons that many monks do 'menial', repetitive tasks, such as making fruitcake, is because this allows them to pray for hours while they work. While some orders are committed to a more visible service to the church (as is the case with a teaching order), monks and other more isolated clergy, consider it their main mission to pray for the church. It is really a beautiful model that we can adapt to our own lives.
As a Catholic myself I loved your comment. It also gives new meaning and VALUE to the menial tasks of homemaking and motherhood that so many women think they are too good for these days. The praying and meditating, FOR MY FAMILY I can do while folding laundry... or cooking the same meal for the 100th time... or rocking a baby to sleep 😍🙏
Yes, there is a serious lack of prayer in the advice from these non-Christian monks. I hope Dawn will take the time to read the Christian monks' wisdom more than others.
Exactly. I know there are pieces of truth in all faiths, but i was really surprised to hear "monk" and think franciscan, trappist, benedictine.....only to find out it's likely buddhist etc. When faiths come from different places, you're going to get slightly different goals. As a christian, charity should be paramount as part of our lives, which i doubt is something that a buddhist would harp on as much, but yet, as a housekeeper, is forefront on my kind when it comes to serving others, especially the little ones in my home. and Christ always looked out for the little ones. Love to hear about what those in christian monasteries and convents have said for thoughts on tidiness- anybody have any sources i can follow? I'm intrigued!!
I actually overcame depression by embracing, well, not minimalism, but less stuff, every task completed, and not letting things build up. I have always had what I called "The Big List". It was overwhelming, and I couldn't deal with it alone, so I hired a professional organizer to do it with me. I have one or two more sessions, and then I'll be on my own. (Of course I can call on her if I need support.) My organizer's time is one of he best purchases I ever made. My whole mood has changed; when I wake up in the morning, I feel happy. I even spontaneously cleaned my apartment the other day! I'm sure I COULD have done everything myself, but I WASN'T doing it. Now it's almost done.
This is the push I needed to get an organiser myself! Been holding it back because "why pay for something you can do on your own" which obviously I can't. I need someone to kickstart it for me. Thank you being so inspiring!
@@cheryl-annegoh5278 You're welcome, Cheryl! It took me years to get over the "why pay for something you can do on your own" problem. But I finally admitted to myself that I COULDN'T do it on my own. My organizer gives me "homework" between sessions. Doing those tasks makes me feel competent and empowered. I have occasionally fallen back into old habits, but now that everything has a place, it's easy to put things away and get back to my mew normal. I am actually confident that I will be able to keep the new habits up, and if I need her, I can always hire my organizer again. One of the best characteristics of a good organizer is that she (or he, I suppose, although I don't know any male organizers) doesn't judge your mess, or you for making it. She just sees it as a collection of stuff to be winnowed down and organized, and a collection of new habits to be encouraged. That gives you permission to stop putting yourself down for making the mess and not being able to control it, which solves a LOT. of problems, both in your surroundings, and in your life. Good luck, and have fun creating space!
I love it when people are confident enough in their own convictions that they can look without fear at other ways of life. Good practices are good practices, irrespective of culture or spiritual beliefs.
It will not only help but you will find more ways to be peaceful and calm, an empty and simplified environment brings forth our inner peace that we constantly try to seek outward.
Remember minimalism doesn't mean white walls and furniture! I think people who actually like colour and pattern call themselves maximalists but really you can have way less stuff and still have a home you find beautiful. Give it a try, not only am I sure you'll feel better but you'll end up keeping the things you truly love that bring maximum joy 😊
I'm still struggling myself, but I like to remind myself of the words of English designer William Morris in 1880 -'Have nothing in your house that you do not _know_ to be *useful* or _believe_ to be *beautiful* '. P.S. Trying to do things by finishing one whole area at a time doesn't work for me when I get overwhelmed by the rest of the spaces. I'm trying a different approach: one _category_ at a time, throughout my home. Whatever currently seems to be contributing the most to the clutter or is slowing down my functioning. So, for me, magazines and books and paper for the former (clutter), and perhaps clothes, kitchenware/stuff, things around sinks or entry that are in my way, for the latter (daily functioning). Good luck to us both!
Minimalism is what you want it to be. You can be an only 2 plates per person kind of household but have 20 paintings on the walls because you love seeing them every day - then do that. I agree with the other comments, you’ll find that declutterring allows the things you LOVE to shine. Be a minimalist where you can so being a maximalist where you want doesn’t stress you out.
I have a toddler and baby twin girls. Every day I make all the meals from scratch, take care of the children, do all the cleaning, make smoothies, breastfeed, all on hardly any sleep, and I’m not dead yet. THIS IS BECAUSE OF MINIMALISM! Whenever someone asks me “ how do you do it” I say “ I threw everything out” That and GOD 🙏 I wouldn’t be able to keep up with the chores if I hadn’t declutterred. It takes me five minutes to make sure everything in the house is picked up for cleaning the floors. Laundry is a task, but we have no more clothes than we need and what fits. I’m diligent to get clothes out of the house as soon as it’s outgrown. And new or not, even if it’s a gift, if it doesn’t get worn for whatever reason, I won’t hesitate to get rid of something even if it still fits someone. I started decluttering just over two years ago when I was pregnant with my first born. It amazes me how much I’ve gotten rid of, and that I’m still able to find more! Our home is highly simplified. I’m at the point where, just yesterday, I got rid of two wooden bowls that I LOVE, because they collect clutter. I’m literally donating things that bring me Joy, because not having them bring me MORE! I used to get a thrill when I found a score at a store…. Now I get a thrill when I find something I can get rid of! BYE BYE! Hello freedom! What we actually need is not very much!
@@camillaholst7321 people usually laugh at first not knowing what I mean, and then I say “ seriously, I just got rid of 90% of our belongings. If I don’t own it, it can’t make a mess!”
My mom and grandmother always said don’t go to bed with dirty dishes. It’s so nice to get some coffee without having to look at that first thing in the morning
I love you too Dawn! Thank you so much for saying this, at this point in my life I have no one to tell me that. It's so comforting to me when you say, "I love you". God bless you 🙏
I have been a fan of yours for a number of years. Although I am in a different season of life. I just retired at 62. I have been able to put the majority of what you teach into practice in my own life. I just sold my home after living in it for 24 years. The packing process was so much easier than I would have imagined because I had been decluttering for about 5 years. I moved into a two bedroom condo from a four bedroom house with an in law apartment. I only brought what would comfortably fit and honestly I am still decluttering as I unpack as I love the feeling of clear surfaces with just the things I love and need. Keep doing what you are doing. I am still learning from all you are teaching.
Dawn, I want to share a total win with you! Yesterday, organizing my bedroom (recently moved in), I picked up something and thought, "Where shall I put this?" The immediate internal answer was "Donation box." Woot! Woot! Decluttering win!! Thanks!!
I run a garden service in California and it's very very annoying when I get to a yard and I have to spend 15 minutes picking up kid toys and moving beer cans out of the way before I can even start cleaning the yard, plus with stuff everywhere it's impossible to blow the leaves and clean. I can't work around all this stuff.......Works for yards too
Have you considered : Either charging more for the extra time and (preparatory) work necessary for you to be able to do your job, or extending your time by 15 minutes (to allow for the pick-up time) and giving them the option of a price reduction, if they do their own pick-up? After all, it’s not helping anyone to simply ignore the issue. . . You are allowing yourself to be taken advantage of, and no-one respects that!
Here at my home, because we only have one royal seat, we cleaned it multiple times a day. Everyone who poops cleans it leaving it clean for the next person. A quick swich and flush keeping it very fresh.
33 years ago my contractor tried to convince me that I needed to add a second bathroom, I told him that one was plenty to keep clean. Never regretted not having an extra toilet, but an extra tub would be nice sometimes.
@@sunshine3914 I wish we had our own house. We would have gotten an exterior toilet with sink for visitors. I really would want 2 ⅔ bathrooms for our home.
@@sunshine3914I understand not wanting extra cleaning, but having a half bath is useful for when someone has an emergency, or when one of your siblings have been showering for the last 50 minutes and you've been drinking water all day 🙄
Yesterday I had off from work and I took a box of old small rugs and linens to a local animal rescue. It felt so good to get that out of our home. A couple of weeks ago we got rid of our old couch (we had had it for 25 years! It was a beast) and we got a smaller couch, rearranged the living room and it feels so open and tidy now. I find I keep walking into the room just to look at it. LOL But every little thing you do to declutter your home helps to declutter your life. Gretchen Rubin was correct when she said that outer order contributes to inner calm.
I lived overseas in Bolivia, I loved the lifestyle. I lost so much weight. Coming back to the United States it was a culture shock, I gained weight, and my health declined greatly. Work weeks easily go to 60 to 80 hours. Food is unhealthy and even our frozen vegetables have added sugar! Portions are super large! We don't walk and the town planning is horrible so you depend on your car in most states to drive 10 miles to the grocery store. So you overbuy to save trips to the store. We don't have a healthy lifestyle here in the United States.
Really, that is nice the hear. I moved to Ireland from the USA and the majority of the available food is so unhealthy. Ireland aisles are full of frozen pizza, fried foods, and icecream . They have limited vegetables and fruits and tons of snack foods. I gained 30 pounds in Ireland and feel so sick. In the USA there were so much healthy options to choose from. There are also unhealthy options to chose from but there was choice.
@SamAttia-f2j Interesting. Thank you for sharing. I think it really depends on where you live. My parents always lived in rural desert towns, so there wasn't much selection in the grocery store. However, when I took a trip to Seattle, Washington the selection was amazing! The fruit looked fantastic. Probably climate and shipping really affects the variety available in my area.
This is lovely! The teachings of Thich Nhat Hanh, a Buddhist monk, talk so much about being present for our lives, ourselves and our loved ones. Something as simple as doing dishes, as you said, Dawn, can be a meditative act. What does the soap smell like, what is the temperature of the water, etc. Actually paying attention and having our minds and our bodies in the same place at the same time, is life-changing and so peaceful. Usually our mind is a million miles away from our bodies, thinking about the past or future but not here in the present.
Homemaking/housekeeping IS a form of worship. Restoring order and removing the acquired filth of the day, removing weeds to make a garden beautiful/productive, caring for family and friends-all of these push back against the effects of the Fall. All creation yearns for, _requires,_ order and peace.
My husband and the dogs are put of town. Cleaned house last Friday. It's still clean and tidy. I wish he would pick up after himself. House being perfectly clean has me in the BEST mood. 😂👍🤩
This is how I feel when my husband is gone. I miss him, but I don’t miss cleaning up after him. He doesn’t try to be messy, but he’s ADHD and he just sees the world through different lenses. I wish I could feel in control, when things are messy, but I just can’t. It makes me feel so anxious and irritated.
My ex-husband freaked out once, because I'd straightened the pile of scrunched up Post-it notes jumbled across the top of his dresser. I got him a tray and used a paperclip, smoothed and stacked the multitude; clipped them together and put them in the tray. He was beside himself when he saw this - in an unholy uproar! Swore he couldn't find important notes! I reassured him that I hadn't tossed anything - just "de-crumpled" his hoard. Once he calmed down, he found what he was looking for and pretty much maintained the new system after that. We lasted another 17 years!😂
My dream is for a family vacation where I get to stay home and everyone else does not. They might have to be gone two weeks, but my house would be glorious. I just need some thousands of dollars to afford to send them off and do all the things. LOL I can dream. But anyway, I did like this video; and need to start thinking like a monk.
Great video! I’ve been following you for six years now! Honestly you’ve changed my life with your message of minimalism. I had a win just a few minutes ago - my son is making the 3 hour trek to IKEA today and I was so excited to give him a list to buy for me. I looked for about five minutes on their website and there it was - I really don’t need a thing. I didn’t even enjoy the “window shopping” on their website and found it to be a waste of time. This is huge for me!! Thank you a million times.
The best thing ever is the FREE BOX in our neighborhood. It even has its own instagram. I love walking down to the free box with the clothes, shoes, etc that we no longer use and giving them away for free. A win for the environment, too!! Loved this video, thank you for sharing!
Love the idea, but it rains so often here. People do it anyway at the food blessing boxes, & the rain & heat turns everything into a moldy mess. We do have a fb group that list whatever is about to be thrown out, but it’s private, so that means very few benefit from it.
I love that you drew on science, ancient wisdom, and personal experience to discuss minimalism. It shows how passionate you are about minimalism (as am I)
My Mother thinks everything someone gives you has sentimental value. I don’t feel this way and it’s caused conflict. We have been decluttering and donating in anticipation of selling our house and downsizing. My husband wants to leave his high pressure and long hours job. We want to travel more and have less things to worry about. It’s been freeing!
Maybe if people gave high-quality stuff that they really pubsime thought in whether it suits you. But that is seldom the case these days... There are a few remarks about this in Matsumoto's book. Try to use things that are well-designed and take care of them, repair them, upcycle them. The value in gifts often lies 'only' in the act of giving. So be grateful but don't feel you need to keep every (plastic) trinket you are given :-)
I can relate to the idea of thinking that cleaning was just a thing to get over with quickly so that I can focus “on real things”. Once I started accepting that cleaning is just as important as cooking or gaming or working. It doesn’t have to be rushed. It can be planned and it can be fun! If I need two hours to clean my kitchen the way I want to and I only get to go to bed after, that’s fine too. I didn’t “waste the day away cleaning”. Now I don’t mind it as much. It doesn’t feel like a chore anymore. It feels like something nice I’m doing for myself like cooking a nice dinner or taking myself on a walk.
What you said about the "menial" mindless tasks as having important e and significance in that they give our minds time to rest & reflect & process the rest of our times...that is a wonderful, life-changing take-away. Thank you!
Omgosh yes @ the process of cleaning bringing peace. My mom passed away a couple of weeks ago and I'm finding such peace and even comfort in simple things like sorting the laundry in our very simplified home.
If I've got dirty dishes, I am grateful the family has been fed. So doing the dishes is not a problem for me. Same with laundry. If I have a basket full of dirty laundry, I am grateful we have more than one set of clothes. So doing the laundry is not a problem.
I’ve worked so hard over the last 5 years to declutter , and it’s so easy peasey to clean now . I surprised myself, I don’t even realize how quick I can clean the kitchen , bedrooms , family room / dining room ect . I’m so happy I decided to live more minimally!
Yes!!!! I love how monks consider homemaking an important part of work and prayer life. Amen!! I love to listen to Brother David Steindl-Rast (a Benedictine monk) describe washing his dishes by hand (like I do) as part of his daily gratitude. His voice is fantastic and his talks will uplift you. For an "everyday monk" like me, he is very inspiring :) Great topic! xoxo
I have had my own cleaning business for about 15 years and I LOVE cleaning for people that are tidy! Makes it sooo much easier (and FUN!) to do my job. When a place is simple and everything put away, I can clean deeper and with great happiness. Clients love that. 😊
I love your friendly, supportive manner, Dawn. You are the one I recommend on this topic, because I know you will give encouragement and bite sized advice that is not overwhelming and won't cause MORE stress and guilt. 👍🏻👍🏻
I heartily agree! I used to subconsciously avoid cleaning because I didn't realize it was triggering emotional flashbacks to my abusive and critical mother. Dawn's warm and encouraging tone has literally helped me heal childhood trauma! ❤ Now I view cleaning and clutter clearing as self care and actually ENJOY it sometimes! 😄 Huzzah!
She’s the only one that is a must watch. For enforcement I watch those extreme cleaning situations, like Midwest Cleaning… he’s educated this lifelong housekeeper on things that I had never thought about.
P.S. @sunshine3914 I took a risk and watched some Midwest Magic Cleaning videos. He's funny! 😄I find it kind of embarrassing that I'm so easily triggered by judgmental cleaning content because of my history, but I figured since you like Dawn it might be a safe gamble. Thank you for mentioning him! 😃❤
Yes to all of this. Such great info! So glad I found you during my retirement years from teaching. Less stuff = more traveling, clarity, and I’ve even started putting a childrens book idea to paper….thank you!
There have times in my life i found cleaning brought me balance and controli when life gave thingsvi could not control, such as illness or loss of a loved one
I’m glad to see you wash the dishes with a washcloth. Tired of using a sponge worrying about sanitizing, smells, is it time to change it out, etc. I replaced the sponge with 10 washcloths with a scrubby netting side and that I switch out daily then toss in the laundry at the end of the week. It feels so nice to grab a fresh one daily for that days dishes and it saves sponges from the landfill.
I’ve watched you for two years. I had two kids under two when I found you. I’ve decluttered and continued to declutter. With a 2 and 3 year old now, I love the freedom to spend days outside relaxing with my kids rather than inside cleaning. ❤ Thanks for everything Dawn!
When my husband and I got married, my parents gave us a washing machine for our gift. We fixed it 3 or 4 times, but after 24 years, it finally died, and I cried because it had been such a great machine in our life. I’m sure I wouldn’t have been so emotionally attached to it had we only had it a few years and had just gotten a new one instead of fixing it when it broke before.
This is what I found with my sentimental items from the 1980s. Was I just keeping them because they were old or were they actually sentimental? I came down on the side of old and when I donated them, I had no regrets or second thoughts. Some were even ugly or had bad memories attached but because they were leftovers from my childhood, I’d kept them. Nothing like a good washing machine, it had a great life!
Same here! Bought our house in 1998 and got new washer/dryer from my parents. We finally replaced them 6 months ago because they no longer make a needed part for a repair. It made me sad to say goodbye and even sadder reading up on the lifetime of newer washer/dryers....much shorter! they just dont make things as well as they used too.
@@Mimulus2717 Same! My washer and dryer are over 30 years old. The dryer won't stop by itself; you have to turn it off or it will keep going, I guess until it burns itself up lol. So I always set a timer. My washing machine stopped working a while back--turns out it just needed a little plastic piece called a "dog ear" of all things. 😊 I'm dreading the day when they finally give out and I have to replace them with modern made-to-be-disposable machines.
We love you too Dawn! I have always liked the idea of cleaning as a spiritual practise, because it’s both practical and metaphorical. And I love your anti-consumerism message too. We’re killing the planet producing stuff no-one needs. Enough!
I recently had the privilege to implement what you teach, in a bedroom declutter for family members. I used the phrase "let it go", looked for categories 1 at a time like trash/laundry/broken items and asked the question if you were looking for this where would you find it/if they couldn't answer that, we knew it didn't have a home and found one. Some things were put off for another time like organizing desk drawers but we estimated it as a 15 minute job for later. I referred to your phrasing that it's okay to throw something away if you don't have a donate box/system set up just yet. I also shared with them how to set an expiration date on items that the person was uncertain about. The whole experience was exciting and successful...it felt like the final exam after watching all your teaching lessons. It has built in me confidence to tackle my home this summer!! Thank you for being such a wealth of information and so practical strong and encouraging. I have the same organizing style as you do-broad categories and hidden....and that makes your content extra relatable to me. One of the family members who had seen some of your videos I've shared was so giddy declaring that it felt like the minimal Mom had visited her house.
YES, not to sound pitiful but you are the only one that I have telling me that at this point in my life. When Dawn says, I love you, it is so comforting.
I know I greatly overestimate how long it takes to get a task done. Sometimes I set a mental timer for 15 minutes and I am usually surprised how much I can get done. Dishes can be put away, laundry folded, counters wiped down. It makes the house feel so much better.
It’s amazing how little we actually NEED to live a comfortable and happy life. I lived in the Philippines for over a year and while they had so little compared to what I and my family own and YET were the happiest people I have ever met. If we happen to declutter something we might need, we often just use something else or do without.
Since I started watching you I can't tell how many times I have picked up something at the store and put it back because I find myself saying do I really need this and I find out I don't miss it. So thank you. It's taken me 70yrs to realize I don't need new shiny stuff
It's so true. I've started downsizing - it's a gradual process, but it's peaceful. We spend part of the year in the RV anyway, and...we just don't need much stuff.
I have, love and get a lot of value from this book and minimal mom, but for anyone who needs to hear it, just to say generally Monks don’t have other commitments.
Empty nester with a lot of stuff/ memories from my kids childhood filling up my spaces. I needed to hear this today as I work on my decluttering journey. Feeling very overwhelmed by clutter lately
Loved all of this apart from the laundry, here in uk it’s not normal to have a laundry room unless you are wealthy, we don’t have dryers as standard, and washing daily is bad for the environment, I prefer to wait until I have a full load to wash. I am in the middle of decluttering now, I think it will make it so much easier for me to
I used to wash a full load thinking the same way. Now I wash a little every day to stay on top of laundry. I wash on a short (cold) washing program and put less detergent. Modern washing machines also use less water with a smaller load, so I don’t think that washing a little load at a time is hurting the environment more than washing full loads. The only thing I save up to wash is towels and kitchen cloths/ kitchen towels. I dont see the point of washing a little on hot load on a long program, and it would be bad for the environment.
Great video, and well cone. I found it as I Googled for the Japanese attitude toward house cleaning. Lots of lessons from them that we can learn, like how Americans see housekeeping as a dreaded chore, but they see it was something spiritual as it calms you, and you are showing thanks for what you have.
This monks’ perspective on cleaning the floors makes me want to go vacuum the second floor of my home, which has been neglected since 2023. And then start cleaning floors and toilets every day. It could be life changing.
It's been several years since I've implemented doing all of the laundry all of the way (wash, dry, fold, put away) every day and it's a game changer. For our family of 10 sometimes that means 3-4 loads a day, but never being behind on laundry makes life much less stressful!
I have 9 siblings so I remember mom doing 2-3 loads of laundry every day to keep up with it. She did well with basic laundry, but the ironing would pile up a bit 😆
I just LOVE your videos ❤ I’ve been a decluttering fool!! One note: I did a huge declutter in my kitchen. I now clean and do dishes EVERY night. It’s fast and easy. 🙏🏻🙏🏻
Such a Great Way - living like a monk who marvels in minutiae of simple daily tasks: cleaning, sweeping, cooking… Eternal way of passing by this place called earth 😊
Dawn, your content is always great, but I think this might be your best video yet! I used to hate cleaning but ever since I started trying to be more mindful in my everyday life, I realized that when you stop wishing you were somewhere else and come back to the present, it does feel like a spiritual moment. It's great that all your research backed up this feeling I didn't quite formulated in my mind. Thank you so much for all the work you're doing to help us loving our home again! (:
I’ve been watching you for years and gained so much wisdom and peace from you and your practices! This is one of my favorite videos you’ve ever done. Thank you, Dawn!
Many of the things you highlight I already do. I never, never leave dishes in the sink - this is a no-no. For people who live in multi-unit dwellings, with neighbors who are not as clean as you, it keeps uninvited "guests" from your home. If something accidently falls on the floor while preparing a meal, I stop and immediately clean it up (as my area is an ant area and I don't want them to get the vib to find a way into my home. I have to have my bath clean, toilet a must - I clean daily. Keep the kitchen and bath clean daily and you'll never have a heavy cleaning to do. Plus, it's good Feng Shui.
I recently bought a pack of new dishtowels They are woven cotton unless terrycloth like my others. They are a very good quality cotton that dries the dishes well and doesn't leave lint. I enjoy using good quality item. I plan to donate the rest of my kitchen linens to a couple of organizations that help people set up apartments for free. I have been Blessed and I wish to share what I have, only items still in good shape, I was taught to have respect for everyone. It upsets me when I see people try to drop off things that should go in the trash
Great job showing the mental and spiritual importance...so true! Also you do a great job making your home minimal but also look like a warm loving home!
For Christians, we can do menial tasks like cleaning as acts of stewardship: managing the stuff God gave us and thankfulness: thanking God for the stuff He provided for us. Christian meditation is meditating on God's word and the listening side of prayer as in, "What are you trying to tell me/teach me, God?"
I’m an atheist but I look at cleaning and other household tasks in a similar way. Being thankful for the home I have as I clean, viewing my labors as a gift to my family, feeling the peaceful and meditative vibes when everything is clean and tidy. How we frame things makes such a difference in finding joy in the mundane.
Yes and amen. I grew up in A family of six. Whenever the dishwasher broke I became the dishwasher. Not fun. However when my Grandma would come to visit she would help me and we would sing in harmony while doing them.
cleaning as you go makes life so much easier. we have to clean regardless - do you want to clean a little each day or A LOT once it becomes overwhelming and depressing?
Dawn, your thoughts on hand-washing dishes blends pretty well with a book I've been reading recently by Cal Newport where he mentions the "solitude deprivation" that our culture is facing. We've packed every minute of our lives with "the thoughts of others" (music, shows, podcasts, etc) instead of taking time to just be/do our tasks and take time to reflect on our lives. It causes internal chaos and anxiety... similar to our homes before implementing minimalism!
You are preaching it! So spot on too! So much wisdom is pouring out from you….keep sharing because so many of us need to hear this, it’s not form but function, it’s not about the complicated things but the simplest values that make us live in peace. I want value not “stuff” in my life and to be able to enrich someone else’s life by entering into the life i have chosen for myself. Please continue to share your thoughts and wisdom with us because we live in a bombarded world that tells us that we can’t be happy without “their” stuff. Again and again…thank you ❤
When I was telling a friend that I wished I had decluttered way more before moving four years ago, she said, "Well you probably couldn't afford to declutter so much back then." I replied, "Nope--I have decluttered thousands of items since and haven't replaced a single thing."
It’s interesting that there is a school of thought that minimalism is only easier for those with means. I have never needed that which I parted with. It was, as we were advised … excess. It was not my financial state but my feelings of freedom that helped me feel ‘rich’ (enriched)
@@duffyjones4476yes I've seen a lot of comments like that. I gave it all away and didn't repurchase any of it so yes I actually could "afford" to declutter.
I'm glad people are making this point. When I had no money, life was harder, and having more stuff added to the difficulty; it certainly didn't save me money. I've since helped destitute people in my family who hold onto more stuff than they could ever use. The stuff actually prevents them from using what they have and causes them to acquire still more. It is a vicious cycle that adds to their suffering. Minimalism is not only for the well off. It might look different for different people, but that's another subject
God bless you! I think your worldview is absolutely right. Really appreciate all the info and love how you share your own experiences. I was involved in a ministry where I traveled 8 months out of the year and lived out of a suitcase and duffel bag. It was then that I realized that all the “stuff” at home was nearly completely superfluous to life as I knew it, since then I have embraced a minimalist lifestyle and tried to get others to the same. Thank you and keep teaching Sis🙏❤️
Dawn I have been watching you for years and THIS VIDEO is one of your best. I have watched it 3 times already and am back again. I want this. I really want this.
Me too! My dishwasher broke many years ago, and I discovered that I don't need it. I always say if you add a bit of soap to the sponge when you're pre-washing, you don't need the dishwasher. And I tend to go over a lot of stuff in my mind while I'm washing dishes. It's a great time for quiet meditation. Still, it was a big job when I had a cluttered kitchen. Simplifying my kitchen has drastically simplified the cleaning.
One of my favorite quotes for the times I feel like I'm wasting hours at the sink when I could be doing something more productive... "The best time for planning a book is while you are doing the dishes" -- Agatha Christie
Wow Dawn, this was the best video ever! While I made dinner I listened to it 3 times in a row. Yes it spoke to me. I totally agree with the minimalist mindset. I have gotten rid of so much and it really has helped me. Thanks for this! You are so awesome! ❤
i would not have expected to be hearing about all of this ancient and energetic wisdom from this channel. thank you for sharing these insights with your viewers!
Thank you for putting words to thoughts many of us have but can not articulate! Now I can articulate this with my spouse and seek for clarity on how “minimalist “we” want to keep our house and home.
Really nice video Dawn ❤❤❤ I found the best way to get laundry done is to have my children do their own. My oldest started first when he was 10 or 11 years old. My other children started about 9 and 7 years old and the youngest started at 6. My sister's son had to get on a chair to get his clothes out of the washing machine. I took heart that my children could do their own laundry as well. It took maybe ten minutes to teach them to separate dark and light colors and how to measure soap and turn on the machines. I told them that doing laundry is the easiest work they will ever do. They would fold their clothes while watching a show. They each had an assigned day of the week to do their laundry. They had confidence in a life skill and stress and pressure in my life let up considerably!
Yes, I don't understand why many women think they need to do ALL the housework when the other people living there are capable of doing at least SOME of it. Start them young when they _want_ to help out, and they won't have a chance to become entitled and resentful and get into bad habits, procrastination, etc. They will _need_ those skills when they move out. Plus, children generally have more free time than adults, and can enjoy the responsibility and contribution of doing things for the family. Also, some weirdos like me have trouble doing their own tasks, decluttering or finding homes for their own stuff, etc. but are able and willing and even find satisfaction in doing it for others! If there is someone in a home like that, ask them to "do for others" and then they can get help with their own stuff.
Yes, when I was a kid my mom had us helping with dishes at 5 standing on a step stool at the sink. We learned to set the table for dinner as soon as we were tall enough. And we started doing our own laundry at 8. I wasn't tall enough to reach the controls so had to use a step stool. We also each had assigned weeks that we were expected to mop and vacuum the kitchen and living room. Great skills to learn before the teenage years.
Your channel, videos, comment section is such a bright spot in my life. I decided to rid myself of negativity on this app and I truly appreciate the positivity you cultivate ❤
Love this SO much! You put so much thought, care and attention into your videos, thank you for being such a wonderful teacher! Uplifting all of us, thank you ❤❤❤
This is one of the most jam packed thought provoking videos you’ve done. Definitely one to rewatch. It’s giving credence to what I already believe - cleaning, tidying, home making have a spiritual element.
I’ve downsized to a small 1 bdrm apt, and have gotten rid of a long lifetime of stuff. I’m not super minimalist, but I have very, very, little that I’m not using or will use somewhat regularly. No closets, spare rooms, cabinets full of “stuff” that I’ve forgotten I even had. I still feel a tad surrounded by things….am pondering how much more I’ll relinquish lately. Living this way has helped this old woman ….less visual clutter has meant less emotional clutter. It works. 👍🏻
Some of the best conversations I've had were in the kitchen doing dishes with other women. Open, heart felt and funny talks. I almost think people need to be overwhelmed with cutter to truly appreciate moving on to mimalism??
I think the companionship while doing regular tasks is important, too. How much easier is it to do a task alone or with someone there helping keep the task light/fun?
I agree with the idea to declutter so that you can clean more easily. That has been a large reason for my decluttering. If cleaning isn’t enjoyable (at least to some degree) then you have too much stuff!❤. Thanks for this excellent video.
Get a 7-day free trial and 40% off Blinkist Annual Premium by clicking: bit.ly/TheMinimalMomMay24 or by scanning the QR code! Thank YOU for watching, I greatly appreciate it!! - Dawn
Floor mats and rugs not only get in the way of cleaning, but for those of us who use mobility devices, they can be a huge hazard - e.g. I've flipped all the way backwards in my wheelchair because there was a mat in the way (and it happened right in front of the bee who insisted, and still insists to this day, that the mat stay there, even though she's seen the hazard it poses).
Has anyone ever found out what authors think of Blinkist? Are they compensated for their books being on it?
Thanks, Dawn! I purchased the Blinkist! And I love it!
Monks worship satan. If it’s not of Christ it’s of Satan. Why would Christians want to look to Monks? I would strongly recommend everyone look to Christ alone and His Word for everything including keeping a home. Has minimalism become your god?
To@@SnowySpiritRuby
It feels SO GOOD to wake up in the morning and not have to clean the dishes from the night before. It reminds me of the Bible verse about each day has enough evil of its own that we shouldn’t have to take on the burdens of any other day than the one we are currently in. Yesterday’s mess in our home is the burden from other days! Today has enough, for heaven’s sake lol
That is such a great comparison! Not only does it feel great to start the morning fresh, but there's also a certain form of peaceful closure to the day when finishing up the dishes before bed. Totally a double win!
Good way to see it ha! Amen 🙏 😁
We've found that to. Hubby and I keep remarking how good a clean, uncluttered kitchen looks.
Iove how you so aptly tied in that scripture! That's a beautiful reminder. I try to not leave a mess when we leave the house also so we don't come back to a mess. Especially on vacation. It's such a breath of fresh air to walk in the door from being away to a clean space. And like you said, walking out from the bedroom in the morning to a clean kitchen just fills me with peace to start the day!
We like to change the sheets before we leave for vacation. There’s nothing better than to come home to our bed with clean fresh sheets!
Dawn, I love the way you talk about your faith. I am an atheist with bad childhood experiences. The last time I tried to attend a church, my brain literally knocked me out to "protect" me from going. Unlike the people I grew up with, your faith gives you joy and generosity, not arrogance and superiority. I am happy for you when I hear you talk about it.
Agreed. She’s the one believer who doesn’t send me running.
Oh, this hurts my heart!!! I'm so grateful you are seeing a TRUE believer but I'm so sad for your childhood experiences! 😢 I am a church going believer in Jesus, but I don't ever want to be seen as superior. When we're in public and we see all kinds of people who probably don't believe the way we do and may belive the opposite, I constantly tell my 5 children, "These people are PRECIOUS souls for whom Christ died, just like He did for you and me!" Church hurt is WAY too real and I believe it's because in every church there are pew warmers and then there's the very few who actually LOVE THE LORD THEIR GOD. Sorry to be so long winded but I just want you to know that there are more of us out here. ❤
Prayers for you! ❤
Cynthia, I love the honest and respectful way you speak about your feelings and past experiences. I had to separate what people had done and what God had done (he never lied). Took a while. Best wishes, fellow traveler. (Yes! I love the natural way Dawn talks about her faith! She is definitely a safe place!)
❤❤❤😊😊😊
Cleaning is a spiritual practice of hospitality - for self, family, others.
I love that perspective ❤
I so agree! Well said. It’s bad for family moral when cleanliness isn’t prioritized to some reasonable degree. It’s like being hospitable to the people who live in the space.
So true! What a lovely way to put it.
I like this. Thank you. 😊
Definitely view it as self care. Such an important reflection of mental health.
My husband is finally realizing this! More than a month ago I did a deep declutter of my half of the bathroom - counter, drawers, space under sink, but I didn't touch his side. For weeks he's quietly watched how easy it is for me to find what I need, put it away, and keep the counter clean. My mom is coming for the weekend and he was helping clean rooms. He did a major declutter of his own stuff, asked for a small storage bin for his items to keep on the counter, and then cleaned both our sinks and wiped the whole counter. So much easier to do! Thanks Dawn for your inspiration!
Great job leading by example!
I’ve volunteered to clean my local temple for my church before, and we did a full cleaning every single evening. They said the point wasn’t to clean it because it was dirty, but rather to continually clean it so it never gets to the point of being dirty. I loved that. 😊
That’s a good way of looking at it.
Something my DinL OFTEN says when she visits my house is, "your house is so peaceful." I believe what she's really noticing is the clean kitchen surfaces, the lack of clutter throughout & the calming effect created by having an easily maintained home. It pleases me, for her, that she has found a place of respite. ♡
You’re also setting an example and possibly a goal for her and your son and grandchildren’s peace as well. 🥰
When my house was cluttered, I enjoyed going over to my parents house because it just felt calm and peaceful. I guess I now realize that was because they didn’t have as much clutter in their living Spaces. We won’t talk about how full their attic was and my dad‘s office was, but your comment reminded me that their home was peaceful and now mine has that same feeling.
Interesting!! That’s what people have said about my home as well, and I never linked it to me keeping a very tidy home. I always thought it was because we live in the country away from the hustle and bustle.
this is lovely.
My husband spent 18 months in a Benedictine monastery (discerning priesthood) before we met. He spent many hours working in their apple orchard. One of the reasons that many monks do 'menial', repetitive tasks, such as making fruitcake, is because this allows them to pray for hours while they work. While some orders are committed to a more visible service to the church (as is the case with a teaching order), monks and other more isolated clergy, consider it their main mission to pray for the church. It is really a beautiful model that we can adapt to our own lives.
Beautiful. Ora et Labora.
As a Catholic myself I loved your comment. It also gives new meaning and VALUE to the menial tasks of homemaking and motherhood that so many women think they are too good for these days. The praying and meditating, FOR MY FAMILY I can do while folding laundry... or cooking the same meal for the 100th time... or rocking a baby to sleep 😍🙏
Yes, there is a serious lack of prayer in the advice from these non-Christian monks. I hope Dawn will take the time to read the Christian monks' wisdom more than others.
Yes!!!!! ORA ET LABORA ❤️🔥🙏❤️🔥🙏✝️🌹✝️
Exactly. I know there are pieces of truth in all faiths, but i was really surprised to hear "monk" and think franciscan, trappist, benedictine.....only to find out it's likely buddhist etc. When faiths come from different places, you're going to get slightly different goals. As a christian, charity should be paramount as part of our lives, which i doubt is something that a buddhist would harp on as much, but yet, as a housekeeper, is forefront on my kind when it comes to serving others, especially the little ones in my home. and Christ always looked out for the little ones. Love to hear about what those in christian monasteries and convents have said for thoughts on tidiness- anybody have any sources i can follow? I'm intrigued!!
I actually overcame depression by embracing, well, not minimalism, but less stuff, every task completed, and not letting things build up. I have always had what I called "The Big List". It was overwhelming, and I couldn't deal with it alone, so I hired a professional organizer to do it with me. I have one or two more sessions, and then I'll be on my own. (Of course I can call on her if I need support.)
My organizer's time is one of he best purchases I ever made. My whole mood has changed; when I wake up in the morning, I feel happy. I even spontaneously cleaned my apartment the other day!
I'm sure I COULD have done everything myself, but I WASN'T doing it. Now it's almost done.
Bravo and thank you for sharing!! 😃👏👏👏❤
Working on doing this myself!
Most people need the boost. I get it whenever a friend says that they’re coming into town.
This is the push I needed to get an organiser myself! Been holding it back because "why pay for something you can do on your own" which obviously I can't. I need someone to kickstart it for me. Thank you being so inspiring!
@@cheryl-annegoh5278 You're welcome, Cheryl! It took me years to get over the "why pay for something you can do on your own" problem. But I finally admitted to myself that I COULDN'T do it on my own.
My organizer gives me "homework" between sessions. Doing those tasks makes me feel competent and empowered. I have occasionally fallen back into old habits, but now that everything has a place, it's easy to put things away and get back to my mew normal. I am actually confident that I will be able to keep the new habits up, and if I need her, I can always hire my organizer again.
One of the best characteristics of a good organizer is that she (or he, I suppose, although I don't know any male organizers) doesn't judge your mess, or you for making it. She just sees it as a collection of stuff to be winnowed down and organized, and a collection of new habits to be encouraged. That gives you permission to stop putting yourself down for making the mess and not being able to control it, which solves a LOT. of problems, both in your surroundings, and in your life.
Good luck, and have fun creating space!
I love it when people are confident enough in their own convictions that they can look without fear at other ways of life. Good practices are good practices, irrespective of culture or spiritual beliefs.
So well said!
Excellent
I am a maximalist, but I am SO TIRED OF BEING ANXIOUS! Im going to highly simplify my house one room at a time and see if it helps.
It will not only help but you will find more ways to be peaceful and calm, an empty and simplified environment brings forth our inner peace that we constantly try to seek outward.
Remember minimalism doesn't mean white walls and furniture! I think people who actually like colour and pattern call themselves maximalists but really you can have way less stuff and still have a home you find beautiful.
Give it a try, not only am I sure you'll feel better but you'll end up keeping the things you truly love that bring maximum joy 😊
I'm still struggling myself, but I like to remind myself of the words of English designer William Morris in 1880 -'Have nothing in your house that you do not _know_ to be *useful* or _believe_ to be *beautiful* '.
P.S. Trying to do things by finishing one whole area at a time doesn't work for me when I get overwhelmed by the rest of the spaces. I'm trying a different approach: one _category_ at a time, throughout my home. Whatever currently seems to be contributing the most to the clutter or is slowing down my functioning. So, for me, magazines and books and paper for the former (clutter), and perhaps clothes, kitchenware/stuff, things around sinks or entry that are in my way, for the latter (daily functioning). Good luck to us both!
You will feel alive again..
Minimalism is what you want it to be. You can be an only 2 plates per person kind of household but have 20 paintings on the walls because you love seeing them every day - then do that. I agree with the other comments, you’ll find that declutterring allows the things you LOVE to shine.
Be a minimalist where you can so being a maximalist where you want doesn’t stress you out.
I have a toddler and baby twin girls. Every day I make all the meals from scratch, take care of the children, do all the cleaning, make smoothies, breastfeed, all on hardly any sleep, and I’m not dead yet. THIS IS BECAUSE OF MINIMALISM!
Whenever someone asks me “ how do you do it”
I say
“ I threw everything out”
That and GOD 🙏
I wouldn’t be able to keep up with the chores if I hadn’t declutterred. It takes me five minutes to make sure everything in the house is picked up for cleaning the floors. Laundry is a task, but we have no more clothes than we need and what fits. I’m diligent to get clothes out of the house as soon as it’s outgrown. And new or not, even if it’s a gift, if it doesn’t get worn for whatever reason, I won’t hesitate to get rid of something even if it still fits someone.
I started decluttering just over two years ago when I was pregnant with my first born. It amazes me how much I’ve gotten rid of, and that I’m still able to find more!
Our home is highly simplified. I’m at the point where, just yesterday, I got rid of two wooden bowls that I LOVE, because they collect clutter. I’m literally donating things that bring me Joy, because not having them bring me MORE!
I used to get a thrill when I found a score at a store…. Now I get a thrill when I find something I can get rid of!
BYE BYE! Hello freedom! What we actually need is not very much!
"I threw everything out"...😂 love that..!!
I loved reading your story, thank you!
@@camillaholst7321 people usually laugh at first not knowing what I mean, and then I say “ seriously, I just got rid of 90% of our belongings. If I don’t own it, it can’t make a mess!”
@@libbykat3958 oh I’m so happy 😀
That's so inspiring!
My mom and grandmother always said don’t go to bed with dirty dishes. It’s so nice to get some coffee without having to look at that first thing in the morning
“Where there is nothing, there is everything”. THIS is what minimalism is to me. The less stuff I have around me, the more grounded I feel.
I love you too Dawn! Thank you so much for saying this, at this point in my life I have no one to tell me that. It's so comforting to me when you say, "I love you". God bless you 🙏
I'm in the same boat. I'm retired and live alone, so if Dawn didn't say it, I might not hear it for weeks at a time.
I love you, too!
@@sgallant2107 love you too ❣️
Love you too 💕💕💕💕
You guys are making me get teary eyed. Sending all the love!!
Sending love from Georgia! ❤️
I have been a fan of yours for a number of years. Although I am in a different season of life. I just retired at 62. I have been able to put the majority of what you teach into practice in my own life. I just sold my home after living in it for 24 years. The packing process was so much easier than I would have imagined because I had been decluttering for about 5 years. I moved into a two bedroom condo from a four bedroom house with an in law apartment. I only brought what would comfortably fit and honestly I am still decluttering as I unpack as I love the feeling of clear surfaces with just the things I love and need. Keep doing what you are doing. I am still learning from all you are teaching.
Dawn, I want to share a total win with you! Yesterday, organizing my bedroom (recently moved in), I picked up something and thought, "Where shall I put this?" The immediate internal answer was "Donation box." Woot! Woot! Decluttering win!! Thanks!!
That is AWESOME!!! Way to go Maryanne!
YES, we know you are a Christian!! IT GLOWS!!
Ramona love the play on words! `it glows` so true. She is so sweet.
I run a garden service in California and it's very very annoying when I get to a yard and I have to spend 15 minutes picking up kid toys and moving beer cans out of the way before I can even start cleaning the yard, plus with stuff everywhere it's impossible to blow the leaves and clean. I can't work around all this stuff.......Works for yards too
Have you considered : Either charging more for the extra time and (preparatory) work necessary for you to be able to do your job, or extending your time by 15 minutes (to allow for the pick-up time) and giving them the option of a price reduction, if they do their own pick-up? After all, it’s not helping anyone to simply ignore the issue. . . You are allowing yourself to be taken advantage of, and no-one respects that!
@@nanwilder2853 They're renters and they moved out as of May 31st which I just found out so problem solved
@@Mouserjan0222: I’m glad for you, Jan!
Take care.
Here at my home, because we only have one royal seat, we cleaned it multiple times a day. Everyone who poops cleans it leaving it clean for the next person. A quick swich and flush keeping it very fresh.
LOVE this!!!
33 years ago my contractor tried to convince me that I needed to add a second bathroom, I told him that one was plenty to keep clean. Never regretted not having an extra toilet, but an extra tub would be nice sometimes.
@@sunshine3914 I wish we had our own house. We would have gotten an exterior toilet with sink for visitors. I really would want 2 ⅔ bathrooms for our home.
@@sunshine3914I understand not wanting extra cleaning, but having a half bath is useful for when someone has an emergency, or when one of your siblings have been showering for the last 50 minutes and you've been drinking water all day 🙄
I expect you don't have 5 children in the house, I have 4 siblings and 7 people with one bathroom does not necessarily lead to nirvana.
Yesterday I had off from work and I took a box of old small rugs and linens to a local animal rescue. It felt so good to get that out of our home. A couple of weeks ago we got rid of our old couch (we had had it for 25 years! It was a beast) and we got a smaller couch, rearranged the living room and it feels so open and tidy now. I find I keep walking into the room just to look at it. LOL But every little thing you do to declutter your home helps to declutter your life. Gretchen Rubin was correct when she said that outer order contributes to inner calm.
LOVE this!!!!
I lived overseas in Bolivia, I loved the lifestyle. I lost so much weight. Coming back to the United States it was a culture shock, I gained weight, and my health declined greatly. Work weeks easily go to 60 to 80 hours. Food is unhealthy and even our frozen vegetables have added sugar! Portions are super large! We don't walk and the town planning is horrible so you depend on your car in most states to drive 10 miles to the grocery store. So you overbuy to save trips to the store. We don't have a healthy lifestyle here in the United States.
At least we don’t live in fear of El Sueno and Unidad.
@@simon3101you're making no sense. You can have a healthy lifestyle and no fear. Like most of Europe
Interesting the monks philosophy about cleaning.
Really, that is nice the hear. I moved to Ireland from the USA and the majority of the available food is so unhealthy. Ireland aisles are full of frozen pizza, fried foods, and icecream . They have limited vegetables and fruits and tons of snack foods. I gained 30 pounds in Ireland and feel so sick. In the USA there were so much healthy options to choose from. There are also unhealthy options to chose from but there was choice.
@SamAttia-f2j Interesting. Thank you for sharing. I think it really depends on where you live. My parents always lived in rural desert towns, so there wasn't much selection in the grocery store. However, when I took a trip to Seattle, Washington the selection was amazing! The fruit looked fantastic. Probably climate and shipping really affects the variety available in my area.
This is lovely! The teachings of Thich Nhat Hanh, a Buddhist monk, talk so much about being present for our lives, ourselves and our loved ones. Something as simple as doing dishes, as you said, Dawn, can be a meditative act. What does the soap smell like, what is the temperature of the water, etc. Actually paying attention and having our minds and our bodies in the same place at the same time, is life-changing and so peaceful. Usually our mind is a million miles away from our bodies, thinking about the past or future but not here in the present.
Homemaking/housekeeping IS a form of worship.
Restoring order and removing the acquired filth of the day, removing weeds to make a garden beautiful/productive, caring for family and friends-all of these push back against the effects of the Fall. All creation yearns for, _requires,_ order and peace.
My husband and the dogs are put of town. Cleaned house last Friday. It's still clean and tidy. I wish he would pick up after himself. House being perfectly clean has me in the BEST mood. 😂👍🤩
Oh my, my brain read "husband and dogs put out of town" ha ha ha.
Right? Still clean and tidy.
This is how I feel when my husband is gone. I miss him, but I don’t miss cleaning up after him. He doesn’t try to be messy, but he’s ADHD and he just sees the world through different lenses. I wish I could feel in control, when things are messy, but I just can’t. It makes me feel so anxious and irritated.
My ex-husband freaked out once, because I'd straightened the pile of scrunched up Post-it notes jumbled across the top of his dresser.
I got him a tray and used a paperclip, smoothed and stacked the multitude; clipped them together and put them in the tray.
He was beside himself when he saw this - in an unholy uproar! Swore he couldn't find important notes!
I reassured him that I hadn't tossed anything - just "de-crumpled" his hoard.
Once he calmed down, he found what he was looking for and pretty much maintained the new system after that.
We lasted another 17 years!😂
My dream is for a family vacation where I get to stay home and everyone else does not. They might have to be gone two weeks, but my house would be glorious. I just need some thousands of dollars to afford to send them off and do all the things. LOL I can dream. But anyway, I did like this video; and need to start thinking like a monk.
My chore, at the age of 10 years, was the family laundry for 2 adults and 3 kids. I loved it then and I still love it!
For all my adult life, my laundry days are Mondays and Thursdays. That has been very manageable; even when we had six children living at home.
Great video! I’ve been following you for six years now! Honestly you’ve changed my life with your message of minimalism. I had a win just a few minutes ago - my son is making the 3 hour trek to IKEA today and I was so excited to give him a list to buy for me. I looked for about five minutes on their website and there it was - I really don’t need a thing. I didn’t even enjoy the “window shopping” on their website and found it to be a waste of time. This is huge for me!! Thank you a million times.
The best thing ever is the FREE BOX in our neighborhood. It even has its own instagram. I love walking down to the free box with the clothes, shoes, etc that we no longer use and giving them away for free. A win for the environment, too!! Loved this video, thank you for sharing!
Love the idea, but it rains so often here. People do it anyway at the food blessing boxes, & the rain & heat turns everything into a moldy mess. We do have a fb group that list whatever is about to be thrown out, but it’s private, so that means very few benefit from it.
How wonderful to have this in your neighborhood. 😊
I love that you drew on science, ancient wisdom, and personal experience to discuss minimalism. It shows how passionate you are about minimalism (as am I)
My Mother thinks everything someone gives you has sentimental value. I don’t feel this way and it’s caused conflict. We have been decluttering and donating in anticipation of selling our house and downsizing. My husband wants to leave his high pressure and long hours job. We want to travel more and have less things to worry about. It’s been freeing!
Maybe if people gave high-quality stuff that they really pubsime thought in whether it suits you. But that is seldom the case these days... There are a few remarks about this in Matsumoto's book. Try to use things that are well-designed and take care of them, repair them, upcycle them. The value in gifts often lies 'only' in the act of giving. So be grateful but don't feel you need to keep every (plastic) trinket you are given :-)
I can relate to the idea of thinking that cleaning was just a thing to get over with quickly so that I can focus “on real things”. Once I started accepting that cleaning is just as important as cooking or gaming or working. It doesn’t have to be rushed. It can be planned and it can be fun! If I need two hours to clean my kitchen the way I want to and I only get to go to bed after, that’s fine too. I didn’t “waste the day away cleaning”. Now I don’t mind it as much. It doesn’t feel like a chore anymore. It feels like something nice I’m doing for myself like cooking a nice dinner or taking myself on a walk.
I like cleaning because when I do it it means that I take care of myself and I have enough energy.
What you said about the "menial" mindless tasks as having important e and significance in that they give our minds time to rest & reflect & process the rest of our times...that is a wonderful, life-changing take-away. Thank you!
Omgosh yes @ the process of cleaning bringing peace. My mom passed away a couple of weeks ago and I'm finding such peace and even comfort in simple things like sorting the laundry in our very simplified home.
So very sorry for your loss. ❤️
My condolences.
Sorry for the loss of your mom
If I've got dirty dishes, I am grateful the family has been fed. So doing the dishes is not a problem for me. Same with laundry. If I have a basket full of dirty laundry, I am grateful we have more than one set of clothes. So doing the laundry is not a problem.
This is beautiful. Thank you.
✨❤️✨ thanks for these Aha moment
Wow...dats great...never thought this way...
What a positive spin!
what a great way to view this, thank you for sharing
I’ve started the Japanese habit of cleaning my toilet daily. It’s quick to do and so nice having a fresh toilet to use daily.
I’ve worked so hard over the last 5 years to declutter , and it’s so easy peasey to clean now . I surprised myself, I don’t even realize how quick I can clean the kitchen , bedrooms , family room / dining room ect . I’m so happy I decided to live more minimally!
Yes!!!! I love how monks consider homemaking an important part of work and prayer life. Amen!! I love to listen to Brother David Steindl-Rast (a Benedictine monk) describe washing his dishes by hand (like I do) as part of his daily gratitude. His voice is fantastic and his talks will uplift you. For an "everyday monk" like me, he is very inspiring :) Great topic! xoxo
I have had my own cleaning business for about 15 years and I LOVE cleaning for people that are tidy! Makes it sooo much easier (and FUN!) to do my job. When a place is simple and everything put away, I can clean deeper and with great happiness. Clients love that. 😊
I love the beauty of a clean and sparkling kitchen sink. Sometimes it helps me to think "I'm not doing the dishes, I'm creating a beautiful sink."
I practice gratitude. For example When I’m cleaning the dishes I give thanks for having food
I love your friendly, supportive manner, Dawn. You are the one I recommend on this topic, because I know you will give encouragement and bite sized advice that is not overwhelming and won't cause MORE stress and guilt. 👍🏻👍🏻
I heartily agree! I used to subconsciously avoid cleaning because I didn't realize it was triggering emotional flashbacks to my abusive and critical mother. Dawn's warm and encouraging tone has literally helped me heal childhood trauma! ❤ Now I view cleaning and clutter clearing as self care and actually ENJOY it sometimes! 😄 Huzzah!
She’s the only one that is a must watch. For enforcement I watch those extreme cleaning situations, like Midwest Cleaning… he’s educated this lifelong housekeeper on things that I had never thought about.
P.S. @sunshine3914 I took a risk and watched some Midwest Magic Cleaning videos. He's funny! 😄I find it kind of embarrassing that I'm so easily triggered by judgmental cleaning content because of my history, but I figured since you like Dawn it might be a safe gamble. Thank you for mentioning him! 😃❤
Yes to all of this. Such great info! So glad I found you during my retirement years from teaching. Less stuff = more traveling, clarity, and I’ve even started putting a childrens book idea to paper….thank you!
There have times in my life i found cleaning brought me balance and controli when life gave thingsvi could not control, such as illness or loss of a loved one
I’m glad to see you wash the dishes with a washcloth. Tired of using a sponge worrying about sanitizing, smells, is it time to change it out, etc. I replaced the sponge with 10 washcloths with a scrubby netting side and that I switch out daily then toss in the laundry at the end of the week. It feels so nice to grab a fresh one daily for that days dishes and it saves sponges from the landfill.
Sponge cloths from Sweden are a game changer for me.
I am a huge fan of luffa dish sponges. All natural material, no microplastics down the drain. They hardly absorb any smells or bacteria.
I’ve watched you for two years. I had two kids under two when I found you. I’ve decluttered and continued to declutter. With a 2 and 3 year old now, I love the freedom to spend days outside relaxing with my kids rather than inside cleaning. ❤ Thanks for everything Dawn!
When my husband and I got married, my parents gave us a washing machine for our gift. We fixed it 3 or 4 times, but after 24 years, it finally died, and I cried because it had been such a great machine in our life. I’m sure I wouldn’t have been so emotionally attached to it had we only had it a few years and had just gotten a new one instead of fixing it when it broke before.
This is what I found with my sentimental items from the 1980s. Was I just keeping them because they were old or were they actually sentimental? I came down on the side of old and when I donated them, I had no regrets or second thoughts. Some were even ugly or had bad memories attached but because they were leftovers from my childhood, I’d kept them. Nothing like a good washing machine, it had a great life!
Same here! Bought our house in 1998 and got new washer/dryer from my parents. We finally replaced them 6 months ago because they no longer make a needed part for a repair. It made me sad to say goodbye and even sadder reading up on the lifetime of newer washer/dryers....much shorter! they just dont make things as well as they used too.
@@Mimulus2717 Same! My washer and dryer are over 30 years old. The dryer won't stop by itself; you have to turn it off or it will keep going, I guess until it burns itself up lol. So I always set a timer. My washing machine stopped working a while back--turns out it just needed a little plastic piece called a "dog ear" of all things. 😊
I'm dreading the day when they finally give out and I have to replace them with modern made-to-be-disposable machines.
We got married and got ours in 1998, too. Must have been a good year for washers!!!
@@Mimulus2717sad isn't it, they make them to live a short life, so you have to buy a new one otherwise they don't sell enough 😢
This is one of your BEST videos Dawn. I’m passing it onto my daughters. God bless you❣️
We love you too Dawn! I have always liked the idea of cleaning as a spiritual practise, because it’s both practical and metaphorical. And I love your anti-consumerism message too. We’re killing the planet producing stuff no-one needs. Enough!
I recently had the privilege to implement what you teach, in a bedroom declutter for family members. I used the phrase "let it go", looked for categories 1 at a time like trash/laundry/broken items and asked the question if you were looking for this where would you find it/if they couldn't answer that, we knew it didn't have a home and found one. Some things were put off for another time like organizing desk drawers but we estimated it as a 15 minute job for later. I referred to your phrasing that it's okay to throw something away if you don't have a donate box/system set up just yet. I also shared with them how to set an expiration date on items that the person was uncertain about. The whole experience was exciting and successful...it felt like the final exam after watching all your teaching lessons. It has built in me confidence to tackle my home this summer!! Thank you for being such a wealth of information and so practical strong and encouraging. I have the same organizing style as you do-broad categories and hidden....and that makes your content extra relatable to me. One of the family members who had seen some of your videos I've shared was so giddy declaring that it felt like the minimal Mom had visited her house.
Thank you Dawn for saying ❤I love you 💞
YES, not to sound pitiful but you are the only one that I have telling me that at this point in my life. When Dawn says, I love you, it is so comforting.
I know I greatly overestimate how long it takes to get a task done. Sometimes I set a mental timer for 15 minutes and I am usually surprised how much I can get done. Dishes can be put away, laundry folded, counters wiped down. It makes the house feel so much better.
Sometimes I literally set a timer and see how fast I can get things done.
It’s amazing how little we actually NEED to live a comfortable and happy life. I lived in the Philippines for over a year and while they had so little compared to what I and my family own and YET were the happiest people I have ever met. If we happen to declutter something we might need, we often just use something else or do without.
Since I started watching you I can't tell how many times I have picked up something at the store and put it back because I find myself saying do I really need this and I find out I don't miss it. So thank you. It's taken me 70yrs to realize I don't need new shiny stuff
This principal applies to everything, mail, laundry, cooking. Do it before it’s daunting.
You have such positive energy. Great content thank you
It's so true. I've started downsizing - it's a gradual process, but it's peaceful. We spend part of the year in the RV anyway, and...we just don't need much stuff.
I have, love and get a lot of value from this book and minimal mom, but for anyone who needs to hear it, just to say generally Monks don’t have other commitments.
Empty nester with a lot of stuff/ memories from my kids childhood filling up my spaces. I needed to hear this today as I work on my decluttering journey. Feeling very overwhelmed by clutter lately
Loved all of this apart from the laundry, here in uk it’s not normal to have a laundry room unless you are wealthy, we don’t have dryers as standard, and washing daily is bad for the environment, I prefer to wait until I have a full load to wash. I am in the middle of decluttering now, I think it will make it so much easier for me to
I used to wash a full load thinking the same way. Now I wash a little every day to stay on top of laundry. I wash on a short (cold) washing program and put less detergent. Modern washing machines also use less water with a smaller load, so I don’t think that washing a little load at a time is hurting the environment more than washing full loads. The only thing I save up to wash is towels and kitchen cloths/ kitchen towels. I dont see the point of washing a little on hot load on a long program, and it would be bad for the environment.
I find it very relaxing, washing dishes by hands....I just love it.
Love how you are using a Norwex towel. Picking up all the germs with just water.❤ I have all the cloths and towels … and the mop!
Me too but I can sometimes get caught up in the process of “cleaning the cloths”…. Then that becomes a problem
Great video, and well cone. I found it as I Googled for the Japanese attitude toward house cleaning. Lots of lessons from them that we can learn, like how Americans see housekeeping as a dreaded chore, but they see it was something spiritual as it calms you, and you are showing thanks for what you have.
This monks’ perspective on cleaning the floors makes me want to go vacuum the second floor of my home, which has been neglected since 2023. And then start cleaning floors and toilets every day. It could be life changing.
I like everything you said, in your gentle and accepting way, about the possibility of viewing cleaning as a part of spiritual practice.
It's been several years since I've implemented doing all of the laundry all of the way (wash, dry, fold, put away) every day and it's a game changer. For our family of 10 sometimes that means 3-4 loads a day, but never being behind on laundry makes life much less stressful!
I have 9 siblings so I remember mom doing 2-3 loads of laundry every day to keep up with it. She did well with basic laundry, but the ironing would pile up a bit 😆
I just LOVE your videos ❤ I’ve been a decluttering fool!! One note: I did a huge declutter in my kitchen. I now clean and do dishes EVERY night. It’s fast and easy. 🙏🏻🙏🏻
Such a Great Way - living like a monk who marvels in minutiae of simple daily tasks: cleaning, sweeping, cooking…
Eternal way of passing by this place called earth 😊
Dawn, your content is always great, but I think this might be your best video yet! I used to hate cleaning but ever since I started trying to be more mindful in my everyday life, I realized that when you stop wishing you were somewhere else and come back to the present, it does feel like a spiritual moment. It's great that all your research backed up this feeling I didn't quite formulated in my mind. Thank you so much for all the work you're doing to help us loving our home again! (:
It's refreshing to see we can learn and respect others beliefs and keep our own too! Thank you
I’ve been watching you for years and gained so much wisdom and peace from you and your practices! This is one of my favorite videos you’ve ever done. Thank you, Dawn!
We've been uncluttering and it's changing our lives!
I really appreciate that you've let usual stuffs around in the bathroom that show us the reality ... Thanks a lot for these video !!!
Many of the things you highlight I already do. I never, never leave dishes in the sink - this is a no-no. For people who live in multi-unit dwellings, with neighbors who are not as clean as you, it keeps uninvited "guests" from your home. If something accidently falls on the floor while preparing a meal, I stop and immediately clean it up (as my area is an ant area and I don't want them to get the vib to find a way into my home. I have to have my bath clean, toilet a must - I clean daily. Keep the kitchen and bath clean daily and you'll never have a heavy cleaning to do. Plus, it's good Feng Shui.
I recently bought a pack of new dishtowels They are woven cotton unless terrycloth like my others. They are a very good quality cotton that dries the dishes well and doesn't leave lint. I enjoy using good quality item. I plan to donate the rest of my kitchen linens to a couple of organizations that help people set up apartments for free. I have been Blessed and I wish to share what I have, only items still in good shape, I was taught to have respect for everyone. It upsets me when I see people try to drop off things that should go in the trash
This is a lovely video. Having stuff simply doesn't automatically lead to a sense of personal fulfillment and a happy heart. Thank you ♥
Great job showing the mental and spiritual importance...so true! Also you do a great job making your home minimal but also look like a warm loving home!
For Christians, we can do menial tasks like cleaning as acts of stewardship: managing the stuff God gave us and thankfulness: thanking God for the stuff He provided for us. Christian meditation is meditating on God's word and the listening side of prayer as in, "What are you trying to tell me/teach me, God?"
Yes! That’s how I see it. I steward it well as a way of saying thank you to God for it❤
I'd add, it is also an act of worship as well as gratitude for everything He has given us. All we have anyway is from Him and always will be. ❤
I’m an atheist but I look at cleaning and other household tasks in a similar way. Being thankful for the home I have as I clean, viewing my labors as a gift to my family, feeling the peaceful and meditative vibes when everything is clean and tidy. How we frame things makes such a difference in finding joy in the mundane.
Yes and amen. I grew up in A family of six. Whenever the dishwasher broke I became the dishwasher. Not fun. However when my Grandma would come to visit she would help me and we would sing in harmony while doing them.
Amen!
I have rid our home of so much and I love the freedom I’ve always kept my home neat and clean however I have now just what we need and we love it Lynn
One of the most enjoyable and relatable teaching videos on decluttering that I have seen.
cleaning as you go makes life so much easier. we have to clean regardless - do you want to clean a little each day or A LOT once it becomes overwhelming and depressing?
Dawn, your thoughts on hand-washing dishes blends pretty well with a book I've been reading recently by Cal Newport where he mentions the "solitude deprivation" that our culture is facing. We've packed every minute of our lives with "the thoughts of others" (music, shows, podcasts, etc) instead of taking time to just be/do our tasks and take time to reflect on our lives. It causes internal chaos and anxiety... similar to our homes before implementing minimalism!
You are preaching it! So spot on too! So much wisdom is pouring out from you….keep sharing because so many of us need to hear this, it’s not form but function, it’s not about the complicated things but the simplest values that make us live in peace. I want value not “stuff” in my life and to be able to enrich someone else’s life by entering into the life i have chosen for myself. Please continue to share your thoughts and wisdom with us because we live in a bombarded world that tells us that we can’t be happy without “their” stuff. Again and again…thank you ❤
When I was telling a friend that I wished I had decluttered way more before moving four years ago, she said, "Well you probably couldn't afford to declutter so much back then." I replied, "Nope--I have decluttered thousands of items since and haven't replaced a single thing."
It’s interesting that there is a school of thought that minimalism is only easier for those with means. I have never needed that which I parted with. It was, as we were advised … excess. It was not my financial state but my feelings of freedom that helped me feel ‘rich’ (enriched)
@@duffyjones4476yes I've seen a lot of comments like that. I gave it all away and didn't repurchase any of it so yes I actually could "afford" to declutter.
I'm glad people are making this point. When I had no money, life was harder, and having more stuff added to the difficulty; it certainly didn't save me money. I've since helped destitute people in my family who hold onto more stuff than they could ever use. The stuff actually prevents them from using what they have and causes them to acquire still more. It is a vicious cycle that adds to their suffering. Minimalism is not only for the well off. It might look different for different people, but that's another subject
I have furniture pieces that are hand-me-downs. I don't give them away because I could literally never afford to replace it.
@@mom2artists I have hand me down furniture too, the difference is I'm using all those pieces. No need to declutter items you use.
God bless you! I think your worldview is absolutely right. Really appreciate all the info and love how you share your own experiences. I was involved in a ministry where I traveled 8 months out of the year and lived out of a suitcase and duffel bag. It was then that I realized that all the “stuff” at home was nearly completely superfluous to life as I knew it, since then I have embraced a minimalist lifestyle and tried to get others to the same. Thank you and keep teaching Sis🙏❤️
Genius! Again! The menial tasks give our brain time to relax and think xxx
Dawn I have been watching you for years and THIS VIDEO is one of your best. I have watched it 3 times already and am back again. I want this. I really want this.
I feel like washing dishes by hand is meditative.
Agreed!!!
Me too! My dishwasher broke many years ago, and I discovered that I don't need it. I always say if you add a bit of soap to the sponge when you're pre-washing, you don't need the dishwasher. And I tend to go over a lot of stuff in my mind while I'm washing dishes. It's a great time for quiet meditation.
Still, it was a big job when I had a cluttered kitchen.
Simplifying my kitchen has drastically simplified the cleaning.
It’s the chore that I like least, but don’t mind since I do them immediately & don’t have a crew to clean up after.
One of my favorite quotes for the times I feel like I'm wasting hours at the sink when I could be doing something more productive... "The best time for planning a book is while you are doing the dishes" -- Agatha Christie
True ! You also are digesting your food better while standing! I find dishwashing so soothing!
I started doing this at the end of last year and it's been amazing. I feel so much more relaxed.
Wow Dawn, this was the best video ever! While I made dinner I listened to it 3 times in a row. Yes it spoke to me. I totally agree with the minimalist mindset. I have gotten rid of so much and it really has helped me. Thanks for this! You are so awesome! ❤
i would not have expected to be hearing about all of this ancient and energetic wisdom from this channel. thank you for sharing these insights with your viewers!
We are a family of 2 - myself and differently abled young adult daughter. We only have a need to do ONE load of laundry each week.
Thank you for putting words to thoughts many of us have but can not articulate! Now I can articulate this with my spouse and seek for clarity on how “minimalist “we” want to keep our house and home.
Really nice video Dawn ❤❤❤
I found the best way to get laundry done is to have my children do their own. My oldest started first when he was 10 or 11 years old. My other children started about 9 and 7 years old and the youngest started at 6. My sister's son had to get on a chair to get his clothes out of the washing machine. I took heart that my children could do their own laundry as well. It took maybe ten minutes to teach them to separate dark and light colors and how to measure soap and turn on the machines. I told them that doing laundry is the easiest work they will ever do. They would fold their clothes while watching a show. They each had an assigned day of the week to do their laundry. They had confidence in a life skill and stress and pressure in my life let up considerably!
Yes, I don't understand why many women think they need to do ALL the housework when the other people living there are capable of doing at least SOME of it. Start them young when they _want_ to help out, and they won't have a chance to become entitled and resentful and get into bad habits, procrastination, etc. They will _need_ those skills when they move out. Plus, children generally have more free time than adults, and can enjoy the responsibility and contribution of doing things for the family.
Also, some weirdos like me have trouble doing their own tasks, decluttering or finding homes for their own stuff, etc. but are able and willing and even find satisfaction in doing it for others! If there is someone in a home like that, ask them to "do for others" and then they can get help with their own stuff.
Yes, when I was a kid my mom had us helping with dishes at 5 standing on a step stool at the sink. We learned to set the table for dinner as soon as we were tall enough. And we started doing our own laundry at 8. I wasn't tall enough to reach the controls so had to use a step stool. We also each had assigned weeks that we were expected to mop and vacuum the kitchen and living room. Great skills to learn before the teenage years.
Your channel, videos, comment section is such a bright spot in my life. I decided to rid myself of negativity on this app and I truly appreciate the positivity you cultivate ❤
Love this SO much! You put so much thought, care and attention into your videos, thank you for being such a wonderful teacher! Uplifting all of us, thank you ❤❤❤
This is one of the most jam packed thought provoking videos you’ve done. Definitely one to rewatch. It’s giving credence to what I already believe - cleaning, tidying, home making have a spiritual element.
Smaller houses help with keeping it minimal. Less to clean.
I’ve downsized to a small 1 bdrm apt, and have gotten rid of a long lifetime of stuff. I’m not super minimalist, but I have very, very, little that I’m not using or will use somewhat regularly. No closets, spare rooms, cabinets full of “stuff” that I’ve forgotten I even had. I still feel a tad surrounded by things….am pondering how much more I’ll relinquish lately. Living this way has helped this old woman ….less visual clutter has meant less emotional clutter. It works. 👍🏻
I am so encouraged by your practices. Many years have brought me to this place. Thank you so much, darling, for your brave spiritual approach to life.
Some of the best conversations I've had were in the kitchen doing dishes with other women. Open, heart felt and funny talks.
I almost think people need to be overwhelmed with cutter to truly appreciate moving on to mimalism??
I think the companionship while doing regular tasks is important, too. How much easier is it to do a task alone or with someone there helping keep the task light/fun?
I agree with the idea to declutter so that you can clean more easily. That has been a large reason for my decluttering. If cleaning isn’t enjoyable (at least to some degree) then you have too much stuff!❤. Thanks for this excellent video.
Another great video. You are so right . . . I don't miss any of it!! In fact, I'm a little disappointed that I have nothing left to get rid of!