The 10 BIGGEST Decluttering Lies
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- Опубліковано 7 тра 2024
- Are you tired of always cleaning, tidying and organizing your home just for it to get messy again?! Decluttering is the only way to stop the clutter cycle, but letting go can be really hard. In this video, I'll break down the TOP TEN decluttering lies that I hear the most often as a Professional Organizer, and I'll share exactly how I help my clients overcome these lies.
No matter how cluttered your home is, let me help you finally get organized for good.
Here is the link for Kathryn's DIY Spice drawer organizer: • Want an Organized Kitc...
00:00:00 Introduction
00:00:23 Decluttering Lie # 1
00:05:02 Decluttering Lie # 2
00:11:54 Decluttering Lie # 3
00:18:45 Decluttering Lie # 4
00:25:15 Decluttering Lie # 5
00:29:28 Decluttering Lie # 6
00:35:59 Decluttering Lie # 7
00:40:46 Decluttering Lie # 8
00:47:35 Decluttering Lie # 9
00:51:52 Decluttering Lie # 10
00:56:43 BONUS Decluttering Life
00:57:50 End Story
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For myself and maybe for a lot of people the reason why I tend to shop more than I should is because I’m trying to fill a void within myself. Shopping is a double edge sword, on one hand it feels euphoric. Therefore, retail therapy, as I call it, provides me with feelings of excitement, sometimes motivation, and sometimes importance. Afterwards, I feel disappointed because that euphoric feeling is temporary and I should be more disciplined. The lesson I’ve acknowledged is my problem lies within myself because I feel like something is missing in my life. I’m 52 and lost my husband to cancer in May 2023 but he had started getting sick in 2022. We should be looking forward to retirement together and marking things off our bucket list but instead he’s gone to his heavenly home. We were married for 31 years and things cannot fill the vacancy in my heart. Thank you for sharing these truths because I too struggle with excess clutter but I’m taking baby steps to create a peaceful environment for myself.
Filling a void... I can totally relate to that ❤ 🫂
I am so sorry to hear that, grief does leave you feeling empty, please be kind to yourself in practical ways, eg a nice meal or taking up a new hobby that involves meeting others, and don’t suppress your feelings. When we shop after loss it’s often for comfort, as a distraction from grief or to try to create a new world that doesn’t hurt so much. I have been there so I understand. It’s also very hard to declutter when you’re grieving and I’d advise focusing on trying to have more experiences rather than things, preferably fulfilling experiences that lift your spirits. When you do declutter I’ve found it’s best to do 15 minutes at a time so it’s not too overwhelming, then go do something nice, even if it’s sit outside with a cup of tea or go for a walk. Also make sure you go outside every day and go for a walk, as it’s too easy to stay stuck inside which can easily lead to depression. Sending you so much love and healing 💜
Your message...😢! I'm so sorry! I'm close to your age and also have been married for almost 3 decades. I can't imagine. I pray you have the support and love you need to get through. 🙏
Thank you for your kindness and I will definitely try some morning walks as it is very hot here my area@@FunnyShellBear
Thank you your kindness@@theynot4u
DON'T ORGANISE YOUR CLUTTER!! Best advice ever!
Yes!! This was revolutionary for me the first time I heard her say it. Total game changer.
You can't.
@@iabbervocium😊😊😊
and stop buying stuff! cheap stuff , consumerism etc have to be reigned in - not healthy for environment or mental health
Absolutely ❤
I started watching you last week. I’m a butterfly. In the last week I cleaned out my refrigerator, threw out old medicine and products, two bags of shoes I haven’t worn in 7 years, five bags of clothes that don’t fit, and reorganized my hall closet where meds, linens, and products are kept in the butterfly way. My dresser drawers close all the way. I still need to tackle the bedroom closet, guest/craft room, kitchen and living room. I’m not putting pressure on myself. Just doing it. Thanks for your work! (A to Zen recommended you).
Great job!!! Blessings 💕🙏💕💕
Wow! That's fantastic!
What a coincidence! I was cleaning out a room today and found a storage tub full of shoes I haven’t seen since I moved to this house 7 years ago! There’s only one pair that I’ve actually searched for since I moved here, so I’ll keep those and donate the rest.
@@SoundofSilence492 Also Walgreens and CVS have containers you can put your meds in. King of like a mail box. Usually near the pharmacy.
Wow that's awesome! My beau is a butterfly, and I'm a bumblebug, so organizing in a way that works for both of us has been an adventure - his closet is my next project, you'll have to let me know if you've found anything you really love. I find for him, he has a bit of a 'eyes wide shut' problem, if it isn't immediately in front of his nose, he can't find it, but if tooooo much is on display, he can't find anything either
The bonus lie ‘a messy home doesn’t really bother me’ was the one I used all the time. But when I knew I was going to have company, I raced around trying to find places to hide my mess. Kinda contradictory.
You made me laugh because I do the same thing, not only that, but I have to clean up a little before my monthly cleaning help shows up. 😂
@@sharh7175 glad I'm not the only one who cleans before "the cleaners" come 😂❤
The lie that causes me (a ruthlessly unsentimental Cricket) to avoid cleaning is: "This is going to take FOREVER". Of course, in actuality, it takes ten minutes. Procrastination and perfectionism will keep you stuck for years if you let it.
I also believed that! Until I started tracking the actual time I need OR setting a time limit for myself.
I have ADHD and the paralysis I feel about my clutter is so hard to work through, but watching these videos really helps motivate me! ❤
Twin😅
Hi Cass My 2 lies are I'm too overwhelmed and I'll do it later.
In 2007 when both of our mothers died we took the things to keep and my husband said, "Just shove it, we'll deal with it later." Then 10 years later after unemployment and dialysis, he died. So, I had 2 Moms stuff and his stuff. Then my daughter got married, I had 2 bouts of cancer, a wildfire, and was diagnosed with blood clots. So, now I am overwhelmed. When I saw that someone could declutter and organize a room in 6 hours, I know I can, too. I'm sure that getting started is the hardest part.
Yes, getting started is the hardest part, but once you do start it will motivate you to do more.
Sounds like you've been through a lot. I can relate just with different things. Do a little each day and give yourself some grace while going through the sentimental things. ((Hugs))
Hugs!! Hope you can get some friends to join you in some decluttering
I’m very much the same as you, feel overwhelmed and procrastinate everything. It helps if you do it bit by bit. Even Cass says, she’s a professional and at home you don’t need to try to do it all at once! You’re a survivor with all you’ve been through, good luck and we can do it! 😊
Oh Karen, I'm so sorry. You and your family have been through so much, too much!! I lost my sweet husband to heart failure /complications from diabetes. it is a horrible disease.I know about the overwhelmed part.
I've been "cooking through" my freezer, fridge and pantry. I've just been buying more and more, and finally I just had to stop myself. I've gotten really creative with some of the dishes and they've tasted good, too!! Now I can see the light at the back of my freezer!!
I bet you've saved some money too... I'm intending on trying to only shop what I have for a while ❤
@@rachelm9925 Absolutely!
What really helped me maintain is before making a meal plan every 2 weeks or a month I'll take a quick scan and see the few items I have the most of and making meals around those items
I have to do this…in two days! 🤣
I enjoy challenging myself to do this!
Your clients are SO amazing and brave to let us see their struggles and successes! Thanks for sharing!❤❤❤
The lie I tell myself: I will find a new owner for that thing. Uh...NO I won't!
Again, I can't thank you enough for your encouragement. While decluttering, I was looking for more bins to put stuff in. Then I stopped myself, got rid of the bins AND the stuff. What an amazing feeling. xoxo
Lol I have caught myself doing exactly the same thing! Get rid of the stuff and then find the container it'll fit!
Every time we go to Costco and I see some person with the black and yellow bins I just want to tell them, "ya know... you don't have to buy more bins... you just need to get rid of the STUFF!"
Yes! I think Dana K White had a podcast or video about how thinking she needs more organizers is usually a sign that she needs to declutter more. I followed that advice recently and decluttered enough expired bathroom items that I didn’t need a new bin for other bathroom stuff.
I'm not sure. Please allow some time for returning visitors, or the other way around perhaps, or enough visits from others wiih extra info attached., seeking more information.I am so sorry, but I'm not keen on rows of Yellow balloons with faces already attached. I didn't see any items like these on your video, unless you keep them laid flat under those ties of course. I so enjoy Spring and as someone once wrote. a Host of Golden Daffodils I do love Bread and Butter. Some Xtra info for you Enjoy !.
I love how savage that was!!!!
My current challenge in my decluttering process is I think about my upcoming age! I will be 73 in two weeks! I keep thinking about how much time do I want to spend on doing when I have other things I could be doing instead. I am wishing I did this decades ago! The problem is YOU were a child back when I could have been decluttering to simplify life! But I am still going to press on and when I leave this world in twenty or so years my daughters won’t have a ton of stuff to deal with!! ❤❤
I had to stop the video in mid-stream and go declutter my spices in my pantry. I am still trying to combine my home with my parents and declutter 60 years of their stuff and 40 years of my stuff and make one home. I have thrown so much away and given away probably as much. And even sold a little. But it is taking me forever. Nothing I do is quick! And believe me, I don't waste time debating anything I'm going through. But I am NOT giving up! When I get finished, I will have room in every closet and every cabinet! The parts that I have done feels SO good. I find myself standing in the rooms I have already done, opening cabinets and closets and just admiring how good they look. I'm 64, sole caregiver for my aging father and mentally and partially disabled son, I have arthritis and a bad back, and I just retired from a full-time job. I worked from home for my son, but it was a full-time job! The first thing I did when I retired was take my desk apart and I took it to the dumpster!! 🤣 It felt great! Thank you for the inspiration and encouragement!!!
You rock, Kimberly! The struggle is real, and you're ON IT!
That beautiful blue dress looks so nice on you!
I agree, this colour looks amazing on Cas!🌟💙
I was just loving how warm-golden her hair looks too!
I thought that every time she appeared again!
I agree and I love her earrings too! ;)
After clearing out my pantry and finding outdated food now as soon as I bring food home I mark the expiry date on the front with a Sharpie. (My vision isn't great.) Then put the newest food in the back. Much more organized, less wasted food and $. Love you Cas❣️
😮😀💯🔥🔥🔥
I mark my food too. It’s been so helpful 😊
When I worked for a school cafeteria thats what we did. before anything was put up in the 'pantry' it must be marked with the date it came in and then placed towards the back of the pantry when putting it up. I've tried to continue this habit in my own home.
The expiry dates are usually really small. Like you, I write it in large print & a glance, I get prompted to use things that are closest to use-by date first. For example packet cake mix - I just think I will make that cake this week, even if I make it into muffins & put them in the freezer (quick & easy for lunch boxes or visitors). Or use other ingredients to make up freezer meals.
That is what everybody is supposed to be doing and should learn to do, it is essential and should be common knowledge. It is done where food is sold and served, it is natural, it should be done at home too.
Start decluttering where you are. Five minutes a day will make a huge impact on your home. After it starts looking better, you realize that those five minutes here and there are what maintains a home. When it is let go, that is when the huge projects come in. Life happens. Poor health, job, kids, elderly parents all take a toll. Small steps to a better space.
I put my kitchen timer for 15 minutes in the morning because that's when I have the most energy. Dishes get washed, bed gets made and one load of laundry get thrown in the washer. At night I do a 10 min. tidy before bed 🛌
Yes! 5 minutes before bed to hang and put away clothes, 5 minutes to put a few extra things in the garbage nag before setting it out on garbage day, 5 minutes of dishes. Those few minutes make a huge difference!
So true!!
Do you do this 15 minutes before going to work? If so, that's my challenging time. I wished my routine was better.
@@lindajohnson2149 Wherever it fits in. Somedays it doesn't and it is okay.
Just a brief word on excessive stockpiling of pantry items. Prior to the pandemic I was fortunate enough to have large amounts of dried beans, rice, pasta and several jars of peanut butter. These items helped stretch my meals during a very stressful time, no harm done there. On the other hand, I too have had expired items in my walk-in pantry. I now get in the habit of checking fresh dates prior to writing my food list for the grocery store.
I will go through periods where I try to reduce our pantry. I like to have cans of soup and dried beans and even boxed meals on hand but it is too much sometimes! My husband buys for a family of 12!!! We have 4, four people that eat our food. Yes, 1 is a teenage boy then 2 adult men BUT we don’t need that much food at one time! We have a very small pantry to add to the crazy. So, I’ll loose my mind and put my food down and say we only are buying coffee, milk, eggs, and bread until we have reduced our inventory! That helps with not having out of date food and if we eat all the can and boxed food with dried beans, I’m ok with that. Its surprising how long you can eat out of the pantry!
I have a printed pantry inventory, which includes freezer items that keeps me from over purchasing items. Plus when I meal plan I'll shop my inventory list first before adding items to my grocery list.
Prior to the Pandemic lockdowns, I was so proud of myself for NOT having a stockpile of extra food. I bought food for the week based on meal planning, used all of it, and went shopping again. Just prior to lockdown, I stocked up for about a month. Now, I have TERRIBLE emotional food insecurity.
@@erinlikesacornishpasty4703 The way that I plan to combat any issues with food supplies is next spring I plan to have at least two large, raised garden beds in the back yard for vegetables. Having an issue with food insecurity is perfectly normal. My grandparents both lived through the great depression of the 1930's, and always had a home vegetable garden as long as they lived.
I stockpiled before the pandemic. About 3 months before it hit, I was in the process of training myself not to stockpile. Then the pandemic hit and we couldn't get so much stuff at our stores. Man of the house told me he was thankful that I was someone that was always prepared (aka "a stockpiler"). I rarely have anything that expires but I still have too much food. I do meal plans now and purchased for those plans. I do shop sales as I know that inflation is high and if I can get it cheaper, I do it.
Regarding 'practice letting go'--I am/was attached to things: things that reminded me of loved ones past and present, things that held a vision of my future life, things that I just liked the look or feel of. Thirteen years ago, I moved out of a 3500 sq ft family home that we had lived in for 10 years. Friends came to help. I rented a dumpster. I was frozen and could not have started if not for friends, daughter, and deadline of 5 weeks to empty house. That dumpster was amazing! By the time I had chosen less than a dozen things to toss, I was getting in the zone. Found lots of stuff to sell, donate, pass to friends, and just throw out (as an artist, I collected stuff no one else would see the value in-like sticks, rocks, scraps, broken things-for 'future' projects!). "One foot in front of the other" became our mantra. My daughter and I would sing showtunes as we worked together. What could have been a miserable, sad time emptying a family home in the midst of a separation (husband gone, son in Marine bootcamp, daughter getiing ready for HS graduation), was a joyous time as I bonded further with my child and was truly grateful for my friends!!! The dumpster was a true asset, because as I tossed stuff into it, I couldn't see it, they were 'gone'. Not in a pile in my house, so our progress was quickly visible. Friends would cart donated stuff away in their trucks/cars at the end of each working day. You are so right! The momentum was what kept me going. (And of course, the grace of God.) I continued downsizing, and I am better at decluttering than I used to be, but as I sit here, listening to you I am decluttering my 1250 sq ft house-again!
So agree with so much of your comment, especially I ALSO LUV DUMPSTERS. Worth every penny.
Renee, YES relate to what Cass says about "Letting Go" as an artist /k-12art teacher I am a butterfly/ bee mom !!!!. Finally I am at almost 74 yrs being able to GET RID of it and NOT BRING IN MORE!!!I 've lived in 1600sq ft home in Missouri & art corner was in3rd level .., then moved Labor day 84 to Wy, finally found/bought 4 level in 1986 & my art studio is( STILL) the smallest 7x8"bedroom". No art ed jobs here so i painted/sold watercolors , substituted for art teachers, & sold Longaberger handmade maple baskets. We ended up in Idaho for 17 yrs 2000 because school district had jobs & we rented Wyo house out girls=were in college. WE rented a home in Bellevue & bought a brand new 1200 sq ft home after 5 yrs ( could not retire yet & move back to Wyo where the kids& grands still were). I struggled with my supplies,&esp Papers I hoped to teach art Again.....nope, but loved my k-6 para and then special needs Para jobs and also got to teach them many life skills and do lots of ART and murals. Long story after we retired & finally sold home 2017, lived in a small home here for 13 mo which we rented out when CAME HOME TO this ONE. -- LOVE HAVING Tiny ART STUDIO TO DO WATERCOLORS. BUT I had family stress here & had an TIA stroke inJuly 2020.!!!my art & GARDENING papers and all the keepsakes ( I am only child! & photos boxes which both families/ our parents had given to Sentimental me ( an ONLY CHILD CLOSE TO MY FOLKS and his!!)to keep and my " cricket"husband ( of54 yrs almost) &family asked me to unbox &clear out. It is slow but YES, Progress!!!! : my 2 youngest grands ages 10 and 13, plus the 13 yr old's friend who is 1 day younger than she is, help0ed me sort and carry ART ideas and bags of supplies to their mom's garage sale. ... And a lady did buy it= I dont have to donate to a preschool!!! YE!!!My artist magazines I am keeping and if our new renter 's girlfriend( at our little rental) who loves flowers wants lot s of my gardening mags I want to share....I am using declutter paper ideas and getting art studio WATERCOLR READY! Yes, my I am not bringing things IN!!Clutter is better since I know I had trama and want to TACKLE those DECISIONS I did Delay!!!! Thank You Thank you, Cass and Dawn and Dana simplifying so I can Love, paint cards, and gifts. enjoy my HOME and relax and have company!!!!Blessings to ALL!
My woodworker husband passed 22 months ago. I am downsizing my house 48 years. Clearing out his workshop has been the most difficult. I did learn some things from your videos. Thanks bunches.
I’m so sorry for your great loss. I’m sure that’s very difficult. 😢❤
I'm so sorry about the loss of your husband. 😢
Debityger, I'm so sorry for your loss. It is very hard. My husband passed 2 yrs 4months ago. I am overwhelmed. Every time I pick up something of his, I feel like I'm getting rid of him. Plus, I'm drowning in paperwork, 25 plus years of it. But, this DID help me.
Sending you love!
Keep the small things that remind you of him stuff that can be kept on you or be 1 or 2 things easily in sight. It took my mum 6 years to get rid of my dad's glasses and she kept them on her bed side table. I've got my dad's first teddy that stays on my bed and his bracelet that he always wore as a anklet that doesn't come off 😁. You don't need to keep everything just the super sentimental stuff and get rid of the rest as you when your mind is ready to part with it.
I think I tell myself all these lies! The biggest one for me is that I am comfortable in my mess, when I actually dream of a nearly minimalist house!
I feel that, I'm slowly very slowly making progress, but its hard
I’m right there with ya! I go back and forth. It’s definitely a lie I tell myself when I’ve lost the fire or vision to keep going.
As Cas went thru each "lie" I was nodding my head yes yes yes that's me. I'm going to clean my office right now with these fresh in my mind!
This was such a powerful video. So many relatable lies and thought-provoking points.
Same - im a perfectionist, then I never get there, then I'm mad at myself and tell myself it's fine, and it's not lol. But! I've learned to give myself some leeway and I've been working on embracing 'good enough', which made a huge difference!
I downsized--1/2 the last house but 1/6 the one before and 1/2 way across the country alone. Before I could unpack, I got deathly ill and needed 2 1/2 years to recover, but I'm still weak. I am so overwhelmed, I decided to get a puppy to get my mind off the mess and get outside in the healthy sun with her. Lol. BUT, I am finally assembling shelves so I can unpack.
Cas, I’d love to know if you followed up with Kathy to talk about the shopping issues. As someone that has struggled with over shopping my road to decluttering has made me so conscious of how much I filled time with shopping instead of activities with my kids, and instead of fun or productive activities. Now, when I hear the word sale I go watch a decluttering video first… it’s a great reminder of the path I’m on now.
"I don't have a shopping problem"
I realized that I still have a shopping problem when my minimalist home started to become not minimalist anymore :(
Soooo, to "fix" this issue, whenever I shop on Amazon now (ESPECIALLY late at night...my most dangerous time of not necessary items!!!) I
I decided that I can still add whatever I want to my Amazon "shopping cart", but I DON'T "check out" anymore!!!!
Then, SEVERAL DAYS later, I go back in to edit my shopping cart and usually end up deleting either all or almost all of those impulse buys that I would have otherwise wasted my money and household space on!!!
Works like a charm for me!!! :)
I think my biggest problem is that my husband is a hoarder 🤷🏻♀️ I’m currently decluttering the garage right now and he won’t let me throw away ANYTHING! He likes to fix everything around the house himself (which I absolutely appreciate) but it means we have millions and MILLIONS of tools and bits 🫣🫣🫣 I can’t even name half of the power tools we have or what they’re for.. if he finds something on sale, he’ll buy it for “just in case” because it’ll be cheaper to do it himself than to hire someone.. I’m not perfect here either, I definitely had a spending problem (especially clothes lol) but I’v gotten to the point where I only buy things I absolutely need.
Please pray for me to organize our little garage and for my husband to learn to let go and not hoard 🙏🏼
I say send your husband out to fix something for a friend and while he's gone, head into that garage and do your magic!!🤣
I won't say my husband is a hoarder, but he's definitely a pack rat. there's things that he should get rid of and toss but it just gets put to the side because its either 'you never know when you'll need that' or 'just put it here and I'll get rid of it later' and it ends up going back into the same spot.
I slowly and quietly put my husband old and 6:59 unused stuff in a box dated it and put it in the attic。 After a year or two of not missing or asking for them I will just quietly donate or trash the whole box.
I've been helping my parents declutter and come up against a similar problem. Something that might be worth looking into is if your local hardware store allows tool hire. If so, it might be easier for your husband to let go of low use items and keep the favourites without the stress of that just in case fear.
Oh my gosh, the story at the end absolutely killed me 🤣 We spent a year and a half living on a friends' property after losing our house to a fire. Granted we were still out in the country, but they had cameras due to hay theft and I couldn't just walk the dogs out to their pen in my underwear for that whole time. We finally moved back to our property and I freaking love being able to just walk out the door wearing practically nothing and not having to worry about being seen haha!
This is one of your all time best episodes!! PACKED with great info and showing examples with real people...priceless!!
I think I am guilty of all these issues. But lately I have been not buying any decor items so I can get rid of things I don't need or use. I have health issues and I am raising two special needs girls so I need to make our lives easier. I also want to show the girls a better way to live clutter free.
I think you will be successful in attaining your goals! Less is more, especially when you have to make extra effort as a mom
Thank you for your grace & dignity with clients. During covid I kept buying food (more than we could eat) out of some fear of running out, or because it was on the BOGO. I covered my dining room table. It was irrational, trying to fill some void. So glad I found you through Dawn, the minimal mom! ❤️
"Working so hard to get nowhere"...sums up my bee life! It's amazing how much relief and sense of accomplishment "good enough" brings🥰 🤦🏾♀️I've told every single lie but Cass, you're a miracle worker..keeping the world honest and tidy🤗❤🙏🏾
Just had an Aha! moment thanks to you (and Cas) "Working so hard to get nowhere" That does sum up my life. I am a very hard working bee and I have little to show for it. Heartbreaking when people think i am lazy because they judge me by the state of my untidy house. Time for change.
I’m currently working on decluttering my entire house & I’m struggling with motivation… it’s been very hard for me but I’m not giving up.
I used to think I needed to organize but finally realized I had way too much stuff. Decluttering is still a journey but I’m getting there. Absolutely love the baskets on Stacy’s wall. Beautiful. Whenever I have stuff that’s too big to take to the thrift store I take a pic and post on Craigslist free. Set it at the curb and it’s usually gone by the end of the day.
Yes… free sign on the curb does magic… once I put it outside I know that I don’t want it anymore.
I love putting the stuff on the curb because it saves me time and I don’t have to answer 100 questions about the item or help them load the car… it’s the best way to donate.
I always had trouble decluttering. But recently we got a new house so I was forced to make real decisions on what was worth packing up and talking to the new house. I was so much more willing to give things up all of a sudden. It was a weird change in mindset. Like oh I like it and Maybe I’d use it someday, but it’s not important enough to spend time packing and moving and unpacking it again. I shocked myself in the amount I was suddenly willing to let go. I think that might be a useful way to approach decluttering for people. Like “If I was moving, would I want this ENOUGH to bring it to a new home?” If the answer is no, you can probably get rid of it and you won’t miss it.
My mother keeps aaaalll of the kitchen appliances under the lie of "I might need this one day", when she literally hasn't used them in YEARS and I mean like at least 10 years. She doesn't let me declutter these closets and it drives me nuts. She would have so much more space.
But she's starting to let go though! I'm not perfect either of course... Your videos have helped me with letting go. GETMO is real. I repeat it to myself: good enough to move on and it works!
Extra love to Kathy towards the end. MANY people shop a lot (including Cas!), and it takes guts to open one's life to public scrutiny. Trying to be aware of removing "should" from my vocabulary when speaking of others or to myself has made space for more empowering mindset shifts like "choose to," and "get to." We're all just learning as we go.❤Big thanks to Cas for this super helpful format and her big heart, and to all the homeowners for sharing. Motivation and overwhelm are my biggest challenges, and seeing *proof* that they can be overcome helps! ; - D
Wow! I've been watching for a couple of months, then I started going back and watching older videos. But, it was this stop lying video that pushed me over the edge. I am 70 and I paint furniture, make new things from old and garage sales make my heart sing. Sigh. I had a former colleague who still paints come over and buy my overstock. Felt good. Decided to do a gigantic garage sale of my own. Kept putting it off. Wait. I equate everything I have with selling and money. Something about yesterday's video made my head snap. Five boxes to charity today. Filled garbage can twice. Keep walking out to the garage to see what else is going. Said goodbye to things my grandmothers gave me today. I am on a roll. I have to get rid of it. It does not serve me. Thank you. Thank you for your great work, your humor and for all the great information. I am almost free.
Thank you, Cass. I live for the end of your videos - hysterical!! I hope you have an easy move and that you and your family enjoy your new home. ♥
I'm with Wendy! saving the best for last.
My mom died a year ago. I'm fortunate that she had a clutter free home. One estate sale, one garage sale, and selling furniture on Craigslist and FB. And donating the rest the house was emptied in about 3 months. My house is not minimalist but it is pretty clutter free. My lie would be the overwhelming one but my studio/office is now in pretty good shape. It does need some decluttering though. Cas, you could be a therapist. The advice you give applies to more than just decluttering.
58:10 I had a good friend help me declutter. She had no sentimentality or guilt for my stuff and made it so much easier. I'm a book hoarder and she took many of my books, keeping some for herself and giving other books to mutual friends. When I see one of my books on a friend's bookshelf, it makes me happy that they are loving it as much as I did.
I love the concept of this video. Not only is she showing us how to get over our blocks, she’s giving us tips on how to talk to people in our lives who might need a little help getting started.
Oh wow, yes!! So so true!
As a perfectionist #4 has been so helpful and can be applied to other parts of life. Done is better than perfect.
"I might need it later "....such a terrible way to go. Makes you hang on based on fear and a sense of lack. "Its wasteful to declutter " is a dated consept from a time when people really did struggle with not enough. His idea is 2 generations old. What we steufgle with now is not availability of stuff but rather square footage. Where I live the price per square meter is an average of 4000 dollars....4000!!! Every inch of your home costs you immense amounts of money. Storing a bunch of stuff, regardless of its purchase value, is very questionable in that perspective ❤ I want space and ease. I want my home to feel more like a hotel than your average cluttered mess❤😊
I love your stories at the end!!! My husband is a stuffer. Whenever anyone is coming over he “cleans” off everything by stuffing it somewhere. I make piles to deal with later, but I don’t then I end up shifting the piles to a new place. I’ve really been working on this. I go through the mail immediately when it comes in the house. If I need to save something I file it immediately.
Omg i think I tell myself all the lies 🤦♀️🤷♀️ Your neighbours will miss you cause you are a lovely, good, kind, caring and funny person. Never doubt that Cass. I’m looking forward to seeing the new house. Have a great week. Mary, Joes wife 🙇♀️👏💪👍🙏💐
I started decluttering three years ago. I finally decluttered the last room of the house this weekend . Its a mammoth task and when you have all those fears and worries, it can be overwhelming. I broke it right down, a drawer, a shelf at a time, and still I couldn't bring myself to throw out anything of any value, it all got shoved in that last room. The hardest part for me was my wardrobe. Id given up using it and was wearing out of the laundry basket. I had clothes in there size 10 to 18 and it was the guilt and shame that stopped me opening it. All that money spent on clothes that didnt fit, worn once or never. My husband is also a hoarder , had to build another garage and a shed. Three attics filled as well and his wardrobe was as bad as mine. But I kept at it, shelf by shelf, drawer by drawer and the husband got on board and we worked through his wardrobe and junk drawers. As I say we did the last room this past weekend.this coming weekend we are having a garage sale. Hes also been motivated into clearing one attic space and the shed as well.
Its so liberating getting rid of stuff. We have no need for all this stuff we have accumulated. It has just been shoved away unloved and not needed for years. Now my house is whilst never showroom, its manageable and I can keep on top of things. The laundry is done and clothes ironed and put away, not sat in baskets. My kitchen cupboards dont empty themselves on me when I open the doors
Im no longer exhausted just thinking about it. I can clean fast as Im not finding homes for objects, we as a couple have time together rather then spending a rare day off together cleaning top to bottom
Cass, I really love your videos. Ill never have the perfectly spotless house, that doesn't matter. What I dont have is the exhaustion and guilt of clutter anymore. Thank you xx
I truly enjoy watching the "real people" examples. It puts the concepts into practice, which makes it easier for me to remember. I am a cricket (though I hate them in real bug life), and I totally understand the struggles of perfectionism. I've been working on fighting that impulse for a long time. I have so many piles of things to do, to put away, projects to finish. Thankfully, I keep most of that contained in my home office, but I keep procrastinating on dealing with it. Your videos give me a bit of motivation to keep on working on it. Thank you for your encouragement.
Thank you for this list of truths (I flipped the ‘lies’ as I took notes). The mess feels awful and its price has become far too high. Grew up with very neat and clean, without warmth. Time to make my own version of neat and clean, with my own warmth, right? Enjoy being all YOU at your new house! ❤
Yes! Clean home but very empty of warmth or happiness!
This is my challenge, too!
Update to your video..... Our basement was still a mess... till last Saturday I went downstairs at 7 AM and I took my laundry and I was doing laundry and sorting through stuff and I am happy to say that I now have a basement that I can be proud of. We took 8 more boxes and two huge construction garbage bags full to the Salvation Army and I have been down there finishing up during the day when I am at home I drive a school bus so I can be home from 9 am til 3 pm. So I have been just working at this the storage room is now the only room with STORAGE stuff in it! The bedroom is decluttered all of my decorations etc are all in totes and I decluttered them as well.... I am feeling so happy and satisfied that I finally was able to get this accomplished... just in time for some workers to come into our house to replace our furnace my husband only did ONE thing and that was go through a box of cords and wires. My 3 little grandkids are coming this weekend and they have never been allowed in the dungeon but this weekend they will be....❤❤❤thank you Cas I have been watching you for a lot of years and you do great work... thanks so much for the push to get this done!
I was watching Kelly’s closet. I thought, “ she needs chickens, chickens would clear that lot up no problem!” They would chomp through the expired stuff . You did a gorgeous job or organising her pantry. My problem is my husband moved us twice. I’ve decided to restrict my hobbies to sewing and beads. So I’m being ruthless and pruning everything else out. Someone else can enjoy the pretty things I’ve collected. My problem is the guilt I feel at wasting things. I have to think of the joy I could bring to someone else by donating my things. Maybe even someone who might not be able to afford them at full price. Clutter doesn’t bother me, dirt does. The “just in case” one is me. That’s SO hard. If you’ve been brought up poor and then struggled, then it’s hard to not be super thrifty.
I think you just admitted to one of the lies when you said “clutter doesn’t bother me”. 😊
A whole lot of stuff happened, literally. I took your advice and permission to finally start dealing with it. One box of stuff at a time inherited tattered old things are (cringe) getting thrown away. I set a goal of one box per day because some of those boxes are emotional landmines, but it's better than being overwhelmed and doing nothing. Thanks, I hope your move is going smoothly and you are enjoying your new space as much as you hoped you would.
As I sit here in a room so stuffed its ridiculous, I have to laugh cry and scream at the same time. I FINALLY GET IIIITTT! And I can finally stop feeling like my life will always be out of control. Its just stuff. Keep it donate it or put it in the trash. And remember you can only pick up one thing at a time so why be overwhelmed. I feel like celebrating but I am making so much progress I dont want to stop. But I will because Tomorrow it will still be just stuff. Thank you Cas. I have been listening for at least 7 years. And now I finally get it. Thank you God bless you!
Sat here watching your video while sorting construction items I've "stockpiled" for my detached garage/shop. You are more of a motivator than you give yourself credit for & that's because you have always shared your own stumbles & falls along the way... plus the usually hilarious end stories. Your story today reminded me that I'm lucky to live in the forest where I often stumble outside naked to get clothes off my clothesline... something that would have gotten me arrested any other place I've lived. Stay true OCD/ADHD sister!
Decluttering out buildings. Same here…in the woods. Have to be aware of the planes and helos going over tho.
😂😂😂😂😂
Oh my God, I am MESMERIZED by that warm blue color on you cas !!!❤❤❤
This video was a great reminder, but it also felt like a trip down memory lane. I thought “oh this was when Cas was filming the show”. Although you only showed Stephanie’s kitchen I chuckled to myself remembering all the treasures you found in the coat closet 😂.
😱 Put labels on crooked ! 😱 Not fold clothes ! OMG 🙈 Its 2am, I should be asleep, going to have nightmares 😂
Amazing tips and examples. I could relate to all of the lies! Mostly overwhelmed, afraid of letting stuff go because it’s worth money, and even though I’m retired I don’t have time. Yep-those are the biggies. I’m going to do the refresh today then decide which tiny area to declutter first. Thank you! ❤🎉😊
What an amazing video!!! Cas, you are such a blessing to soooo many!!! I really appreciate what you do!! You are so gifted!!! I used to be really good at decluttering and organizing but a few years ago my health began to decline. Now my house is a wreck-I hate it-but I physically cannot do anything about it right now!!! This is SOOOO HARD!!! Especially when you are accustomed to things being clean and organized!!! I am trying so hard to work on my health but just keep being bombarded with this and that! I keep thinking that tomorrow will be better!!!😭😭😭. And as hard as it is sometimes I am going to keep thinking that!! Any and all thoughts and prayers would be greatly appreciated!!! Again, thank you for your great videos!!!💖💖💖
I ran over here so fast I tripped over my hubby's oxygen hose. Just kidding. Love watching Cas.
Awe, thank you!
@@Clutterbug you're welcome.
Cass, I did notice something that I did as a student which worked really well then but not anymore.
I had 1 shelf in the fridge at University and people would borrow/steal food. I brought 2 large containers with lids which were not see through and my food was never stolen again.
I still have that same method but I live on my own. 😂 Clear storage would work better now as I don’t tend to eat what I can’t see straight away.
My tip: twice a year I cook with only the food in my pantry and freezer plus fresh veggies for about two weeks till allmost all is gone. I do it after Xmas and in the beginning of the summer break.
With google we find many ways and recepies to cook all the dry goods 😊
Yay! for your new house and neighbors; thanks for the video, lots of tips and hints. I think the 'lie' that is most problematic for me is the 'I don't have the time', and yes, I get motivated late at night, when it is not the time to make noise in the house!!! 😊
Thank you for the long-form video, this is so inspiring!
"You are working so hard ... and still drowning." This one is me. I struggle because I don't know how to just do something. I want it done right the first time and it is such a struggle. I can say that I have started taking the easier way out with our dresser drawers and it feels liberating. I wish I could transfer that to other areas!
Thanks, Cas! WOWZA, I totally identify with Stacy! I took the "quiz" awhile ago and "butterfly" was my result, but now, I know that I actually have some "bee" stuff going on too. I've successfully decluttered many areas in my home now thanks to your videos, but I've procrastinated on my art and craft supplies because of believing I will somehow make use of it all eventually. Plus feeling paralyzed by perfection. I used to avidly do art, and now, I still love a good DIY here and there, but my reality is I'm now in a different season of life, managing chronic illness while trying to also assist aging parents. Thanks for another light bulb moment! Game on!!
I was probably one of the least rebellious teenagers ever, but my one rebellion was that I didn't clean my room. My mom has always been super clean and organized and spent hours every day cleaning. So, when I was young, I had to keep my room spotless. But, when I hit 13, I was like "It's my room and the mess doesn't bother me!"... and I unfortunately had a really hard time breaking free of that mindset. As an adult, she would judge me every time she came for a visit, and she would make a big deal about it if I knew she was coming and I tidied. My stress and anxiety was so high that we finally said that she can't come over (except when we specifically invite her over for dinner or something). So if she comes by to pick up the kids for a day with Grandma, she rings the doorbell and waits away from the doorway. Little does she know that I'm half way to being a minimalist now. As soon as she was banned from the house, I was able to get it together without worrying about what she would think or say. She could randomly drop by any day and she would probably assume that I tidied for company. It's been 4 years now and, for all I know, she probably still thinks that the house is always a mess and I only tidy for her visits. I'm fine with that.
I feel this way about my mom, too. It’s so hard to grow out of our feelings from childhood.
My mom and I had to have the convo that her organizational style is very different from mine.
It’s getting better!
She’s 80, and I’m 54.
So this gives me hope!
My last room of clutter to conquer is my office….
Yesterday I decluttered 3 boxes of things!
Just acknowledging this issue has made a huge difference for me.
Good for you!
I hope you continue to heal and feel better about this issue!
I‘ve been watching your videos for years and I’m only halfway done with this one, but man, this video just made me bawl my eyes out. 😭❤️ Around the 23:00 mark when you talked about giving permission to not be perfect, because, as you said before, “your expectation of yourself isn’t real”. “You’re working so hard and still drowning.” Those statements… I feel so seen! My whole life I’ve been struggling with keeping my room/ flat tidy. I always strive for perfection. I remember as a kid when I was told to clean my room and within an hour it would look worse than before, because I took everything out of drawers and boxes to start micro sorting to make it perfect. But then of course I ran out of energy and motivation and urgh. Thank you for this video. I need to strive for progress, not perfection - that was also a mantra I told myself during my master’s thesis 😂 And it applies at home as well.
Also, a big thank you to your clients for showing their reality. I’m from Berlin, Germany - the other side of the world and I can also relate! ❤️ Best regards!
Berlin here as well! Greetings from Lichterfelde!
A whole hour with client stories??? ❤️❤️❤️
Cas, my friend for 10 years. You have been a big help, I cleared my floor well 1/2 of it & I got to vacuum lol. I donated a lot, I reach my end it had to go. I don’t use it it’s goes. Thanks so much , I’m still working on it but it’s moving like never before. Your such an inspiration
I've been watching these videos, and want to express gratitude to all the people who are letting us into their homes, their lives, their processes - I don't think I could do that, so I really appreciate them.
I like the idea that "motivation isn't something that you have or something you are, it's something that you do." Waiting around for motivation is a great way to not get anything done! (I've seen this in myself time and again...)
You are so amazing with having the 'difficult' talks with your clients. That which all of us should hear! The empathy with which you do that is admirable. Thank you for the inspiration!!
You are so welcome!
Yes! Cass is very honest with her clients and her own struggles. So brave for her clients to open their homes like this!
I recently moved and found that I had so much duplication of items because I couldn’t see what I already had. My new home now has a very organized pantry and let’s just say I won’t need plastic wrap, tin foil and freezer bags for a couple years or more. 😂
My spice drawer is too small to lay things down, so I added small labels to the top with makes so I don't have to pull each jar to see what they are.
Golly!! 6 minutes in to your video, I hit pause and got myself a roll of trash bags and away to my pantry I went! And amazing amount of “old stuff” is out in the dumpster. Thank you ….now on with the show!!! I’m learning so much. 🎉
Lies
1. Decluttering is wasteful.
2. I just need to get organized.
3. I might need this one day.
4. I'll do it later.
5. I'm waiting to feel motivated.
6. I can't afford to replace it.
7. I don't have time to declutter.
8. I'm really bad at decluttering and letting go.
9. I'm too overwhelmed.
10. I don't have a shopping problem.
11.a messy house doesn't really bother me.
Wow I've only gotten through the first part. The kitchen organizing. I was actually having heart palpitations. It was so stressful to see all the junk. I found myself being judgmental. I hate judgmental people and don't want to be one. Then a big wow hit me. I'm a EXACTLY the same but it's my bedroom and bathroom.! I did my bedroom yesterday and today I'm doing my bathroom. I travel ALOT for work but seriously I do not need 20travel toothbrushes! In June I bought a small DVD player for the hours spend in airports and on planes. I ALREADY HAD ONE!! I didn't know it cuz it was buried in junk in my closet! I actually have a duffle bag full of zip loc bags be a use well to pack shoes and shampoo and other things that could leak in the suitcase. But seriously! A duffle bag full!!? Ugg
Congratulations on your a-ha moment! That is so awesome, I am really happy for you :) Good luck on your journeys!
@@Saardestaartje thank you. Blessings to you
I am one of the people who historically has waited for motivation (and I totally relate to the 1am to 3am motivation!!! Lol wish I could post a photo of my kitchen that I woke up to 1 morning after just such a motivation that I was laughing at myself during a 1) I'm disabled so can only do so much at a time, 2) was handling a major plumbing issue during that week so my house was already half in shambles of stuff moved and then about 1+ am I got a bug in my brain that I wanted to take apart my ENTIRE kitchen cupboards and reorganize EVERYTHING EVERYWHERE
But then I got tired (disabled remember) and went to bed.
I woke up and took a photo laughing at myself bc I could barely step foot in my tiny little kitchen to start putting stuff away where I wanted it (it was a fairly new apartment and I guess original set up wasn't to my liking! Lol)
But, it got done! I couldn't eat or even get to my coffee before I cleaned off my counter a bit! Lol
But back to my orginal thought b4 my tangent...I make myself motivated these days by
1) watching your videos and
2) by maintaining the minimalist approach so everything is sooooo much easy to maintain and clean and
3) I LOVE the advice I heard (either u Cass or Dawn the minimal mom, sorry don't remember who of the 2 of you, but I think it was you, Cass the Clutterbug:) you said "if it only take a couple of minutes, just do it now and get it done"
I have been totally doing that for several months and it's AWSOME ADVICE!!!!
Thnx sooooo much for all your videos and advice!!!!
You're awesome!!!!
We LOVE YOU!!!!!
Another option that I'm working on is only Amazon "window shopping" when I'm on my treadmill.
So it either will cut down my impulse shopping time, but I still don't check out my shopping cart for several days,
Or it's a good way for me to get more exercise!
It's a win win!
What a thoughtful and helpful video with so much respect and love for your clients!
Yes, I always kinda liked her; I’m newish, lotsa these cleaning/organizing content creators attract me but also annoy me. Just me, but I didn’t like some of the “what to buy” at dollar stores videos…for a few reasons. & I don’t conceptualize myself as a minimalist at all. It is not my preferred aesthetic. BUT, I AM anti clutter & LUV organization & always wish my home was neater & easier to keep really clean. Like when I was young & living in efficiencies or tiny spaces. . I’m gonna give more watches/listens to this creator becoz in this video I appreciated how gentle, grace filled & respectful she is. And how insightful & smart she is. And humble. That is very difficult to find in anybody. I don’t always like these case study scenarios either, though they are practical. I don’t know why, I usually prefer more of a direct “lecture” or conversational style without the real clients. But after initially not being into it, this video really won me over. It was her compassion most of all, I think. Compassionate, respectful, but also understandable, direct & firm. Great teaching, great mothering…
What a compilation, Cass! Really helpful and motivating. Your directness about their challenges and deep care for your clients is so cool to watch. Nice work by you and your team. 🎉
Thanks!
Hi Cass 👋 thank you so much for your channel! After decades of mess I am now able to set up systems that work for me and east to maintain. I’ve been sending my friends your videos. Thank you for all your time and effort! 💙
At one time or another I have told myself everyone of these 11 lies! I have been listening to you for years now and practicing your wisdom little by little and loving every step you have helped me take toward empowering myself, and releasing my "things"! Thank You! Thank You! Thank You! Lately I have been dealing with health issues, and my daughter has come to help me, and I have been there to help her with her family's health issues, which also created the challenge of combining two household's "things" into one house, and 5 different personality/clutterbug types! It helps that she is the one who introduced me to the "Clutterbug" concept. Now we are slowly dealing with letting go of the extras/duplicates created--I have three sizes of crock-pots, and she has an Insta-pot! Our conflict is that I do not like the taste of the Insat-pot foods, and she doesn't like how long it takes to cook with the crock-pots! But thanks to your suggestions we can work it all out! Bless your heart and Hugs!
phrasing it as "your house is not an alternative to a landfill" is a really great way of looking at it. Recycle what you can, donate what you can, cannibalize the parts that are still good 😄and chuck the rest. If we die an untimely death do we want to give someone else the gift of trying to sort our trash, too?
You are so, so right about decluttering being a muscle you can strengthen. I have a croffice myself, which has also been a storage room and an emergency work-from-home setup at the start of the pandemic. Between your videos and Midwest Magic Cleaning, I realized... I have way too much stuff in not enough space and both my mom and grandma on her side were hoarders. I felt like I needed to start fixing things or else.
My first de-cluttering pass of this room resulted in me getting rid of a small box of things.
Months later, in the last week I've gotten rid of SIX industrial yard trash bags of things from here and my closet!! I never thought decluttering could feel this good, but I just take a deep, happy, breath whenever I come in here now.
“Associating this with self-care”. Wow. Thank you for that TRUTH
You give me so much hope. I tell myself all of those lies. I told myself as soon as I retire, I will get my house in order. It is still a disaster and I keep bringing more stuff I do not need. I have a shopping addiction. Shopping makes me temporarily happy. I am so glad you included that in the video.
For some reason, this video has really worked for me. I’m also confident that I’m a bee. The utterly ridiculous amount of LIES that I have told 48 year old me - OY VEY as one of my colleagues taught me 🤦🏽♀️ and it’s not like you haven’t said these things before, Cass!! My head is just really hard! Walnut like even 😂 Thanks as always! I’m still watching and am at 41:26. Couldn’t wait to the end and am sorting without stopping to organize!
The ending where you’re talking about your neighbors had me in tears 😂 I relate so hard! Real talk though, thank you for this video and thank you to the people who were brave enough to show their imperfections. I’m moving back to my parents next week and I’ve been trying to find the motivation and excitement for decluttering and this really helped. I’ll remember this video when I’m weighing how much my belongings actually matter to me.
The lie isn’t I’m overwhelmed, the is the … and I can’t do it…after it. It’s the feelings about the feelings that stop us moving forward. Once we start, the overwhelm decreases, but the emotion isn’t a lie, it’s the motivator. We don’t want to be overwhelmed, it’s a prompt for change and we need that 😊
Whoa. “Perfection is a lie.” Just wrote that on my mirror
“Messy home doesn’t bother me”; hit me. Cause this video could have been my home from start to finish. Thanks Cass for your honesty in telling it like it is.
I jsut found your channel, I am so glad I did. I am 62 yrs old and have been widowed for nearly 3 years. It has only been in the last 5-6 months that I have started to care what my home looks like again. For awhile I was like no one likes my mess they can clean it. Your video on the lies really hit home with me this morning. My daughter and I have begun the de-cluttering of my house. We have conquered the living room the living room. We will be starting the dining room and the rest of the kitchen this weekend. Thank you for some methods I can use to make this much easier and I swear there are gremlins that just fill up ever single flat surface while I am sleeping! So thank you for the methods to make the daunting task much easier.
The end 😂😂❤️ Yeah, I’m a good neighbour actually. I’ve lived in this 10 story building in the centre of Berlin for over 5 years now and know my immediate neighbour well. After the first couple of months the person who lives below me said: “Oh, you still live here. I thought you had moved out. You’re always so quiet. I never hear you.” I thought that’s was quite the compliment! ☺️
What I would say to the wasteful comments....the items are already in this world. There is nothing we can do about their existence. Someone spent money on it, we can't get that back either. The "waste" has already happened. At this point, if it's something you don't need or use, then it's essentially garbage in your own home. Even if it's still a useful item to someone else. If it's not useful to YOU, then it's garbage. So bless others with the things that still have life left in them, or throw away the things that don't. What we are "wasting" is the opportunity to have a more open, spacious, calm and relaxing home. And a life with fewer decisions and more brain space.
LOL - I've told myself ALL of these lies. My struggle was donating stuff that my mom had given me. Some of it I did like/want but a LOT of it (if I'm 100% honest - most of it) was me not being able to say "Thanks, however, I really can't use it". I was getting better at donating those items until she passed away in 2019. After that, I couldn't part with any of it and stayed in that mindset for about a year. One day I found your channel on UA-cam and you were talking about how objects and things aren't that person. It really hit home and touched me. I realized that I wasn't letting the memory of my mom go just because I donated something that was hers or that she had given me. I started taking baby steps, I kept the really really meaningful things (not too many though) and donated the rest for someone else to use and enjoy. I have great memories of my mom and those few items that I did keep mean even more to me and spark so much joy for me. It was hard at first however, I'm so happy I took those steps. My house is less cluttered and it's easier for me now to just say "donate" and let things go. Thank you so much Cass for ALL you do. Can't wait to see the new house!
This whole video is me. My craft room is a stuffed mess, my living room is too small, and my bedroom and another closet is full of nice clothes. I hesitate to get rid of things because I'll use them later, or you'll never know when you might need that item. I want the picture of perfection and I never feel the motivation to do anything about it until I'm at work watching videos. AND, when I decide to go in any area of my house and start cleaning and organizing, I quickly get defeated by being over whelmed and not knowing where to start. And my bedroom is a place that i don't like to be. The way everything is set up in there and all the "things" make it a miserable place to be. I want my room to be a place of peace for me. ugh, pray for me.
That pegboard is awesome!!! Thanks for all the people who showed us their progress. :)
I am a mix of some of these. The number one thing is overwhelmed. I am motivated more to get things done. I have been doing things slowly but surely. I have to give myself grace.
I grew up with my gram who grew up during the depression so she definitely had a hoarder side to her, mostly food, our pantry at one point was over flowing. I would have my best friend come over and shop in our pantry before going to the grocery store. my gram was going to costco and buying bulk tomato sauce and paste and things and she'd use 2/3 in a month then go and buy another one. it was ridiculous. Then one day we had all these little fruit flies and i couldn't find the source. so my best friend came over and we started taking everything out of the pantry since the kitchen was tiny and there wasn't food anywhere else besides the fridge i was like, it has to be here somewhere. We found a bag of flower that had burst in the back and the flies were coming from it. So we cleaned that out and we also threw away the expired stuff that was hiding, my friend took 2 boxes of food with her that we'd just never get to eat. my gram was disabled at this point and couldn't reach the top shelves so she wasn't using the items that were there. I was finally able to close the door, mostly because my gram just stayed in her room and let us do it. if she'd come out she'd have cried about me throwing things out but they were no longer good, things 5+ years expired so they had to go. I struggle because of growing up like that thinking, i can't throw away something good, but I do donate as much as I can. I've been binge watching your videos and getting rid of so much and my hubby has joined in as well. i inherited clutter lol, so i'm now trying to deal with that and one of my family members who thought the items were worth something and asked me to sell them is finally realizing they're not and they need to just be donated so every day i go through the shelves of boxes and find a box to deal with. little by little does help and it's making a huge difference in my house.
I love your advice and hilarious personality. The lie I tell myself is I feel overwhelmed and don’t know where to start. I’m very sentimental and struggle at times, but after watching your channel (new subscriber) I’ve been motivated and I’ve made a lot of progress. Still have a lot to do but small wins feel good as long as they’re steady! Thank You So Much for the positive energy and motivation!❤
So when you advised Stacey that she just needed one little tiny win that seemed possible for me. I have a workspace in the kitchen, and I’ve been saving all these receipts for the Fetch app just scan them in, so I decided, instead of worrying about the whole flat space I just work on the receipts since they were taken up over half the workspace, the whole area I just concentrate on the receipts. I scanned in the ones that I could use and put them in the box so I can figure out how much I’ve been spending at another time. Sounds really easy and simple as I sat down. I realized I needed the glasses to double check the dates so I clean my reading glasses off since they were all fingerprinted and I thought you know what my driving glasses should be cleaned also, but I caught myself getting distracted, and stopped while cleaning my other glasses and sat down, I did the receipts. The ones that were old I put a pile because when I went to shred them, the shredder wasn’t working and I started to fix the shredder and then I went back. I’m only working on scanning in the receipts I kept on saying
now I did all the receipts, the work space is not completely cleared what was left are in two different little piles because the other stuff needs to be handled with time. There was another pile of things that went elsewhere and I put those away. I only have half the workspace cleared off, but I did get a Accomplish what I set out and that is a good one course I had to stop because of daily obligations, but I waited until I was completely done. And yes, I completed it and to me that was a win.
Any comments I’d appreciate negative or positive.
The way I keep myself motivated for decluttering and such is by constantly watching videos like these. I have a handful of declutter/minimalist vids I watch multiple times a week to keep the decluttering/zoning spark alive!