I can relate to finding new ways to use things I already own. A few that I found to work well for me are: (1) using liquid lipsticks that don’t work well on my lips as a blush, (2) using a shower gel I was gifted that I don’t like the smell of as a hand soap, (3) using face products on my body, and (4) challenging myself with my clothes to wear them in a way I would not normally style them.
Anything that doesn’t work well for my face I tend to use on my feet instead! My feet are less sensitive and don’t really care if a product is heavily scented.
I found my mom's favorite pair of pajama pants in the bin yesterday. They're printed with this cute garden motif, but they're raggedy from a decade of almost-nightly wear. 😂 What she doesn't know is that I took them home, snipped off the really bad bits, and I'm sewing her a set of tea towels while I listen to this video. I really believe that anyone can learn the basics of sewing repairs and alterations! It's not terribly difficult, just takes some patience at the beginning while you're fumbling around and figuring it out. If you have fabric items at home that have reached the end of their useful life, they can be used for practice before you try the technique on a garment you really like!
I am literally at my sewing machine repairing a gown I made 20 years ago. I'm also ready, willing and able to take a hammer and nails to a bookcase, and have. I replaced a broken seat belt on my wheelchair. I have a box of rags made from clothes that were more repair than cloth. I have replaced the plunger in my toilet tank. My crochet is made from yarn scraps people give me or that I buy from the thrift store. Instead of embroidered on fancy fabric, I embroider over holes to do some lovely visible mending. I take a screw driver to things that have gotten loose, like handles on pots. I take glue to repair things like picture frames. My county is at the don't use plastic bags but when I get them, I save them to scoop kitty litter into. I have literally replaced the back of a bookcase with a piece of plyboard to extend its life until the particle board gave out. I bring a bag with me in my purse wherever I go to avoid having to use the paper bags from the stores if I want to get something. I have taken apart my vacuum cleaner to get all the hair from on the bar and I am going to take it apart again to replace the serpentine belt so it'll work, good as new. I wash jars to reuse to keep leftovers in rather than buying more and more plastic containers. Am I boasting? Yes, yes I am. It saves me money and I am disabled so my money can be tight. One thing I have is time. When I feel up to it, I can spend that time to save me money. "Use it up. Wear it out. Make it do Or do without."
I really wish I had a “quarantine bin”, or at least drew or took a picture when I chucked away two very sentimental pens from my childhood. Every time I think back to throwing them away, I feel a literal pain in my chest, no other item I decluttered has ever made me feel such a strong sadness like these have. They didn’t even take up much space, but now I will never be able to find them again. A lesson learned! Thank you for the video.
Maybe you could draw a picture of them now from memory, to the best of your ability, as a memorial to them. Frame it and put it up to remember them by. I bet they would like that. 😘❤✍🎨
I have done this too. I've also left things at people's homes for safe keeping and it is very unlikely I'll get them back so it feels like these extremely sentimental items are lost. It can be a bit painful, but I have some photos of these items, not great ones but they exist, so looking at them has helped a bit. I genuinely hope you can find a method or a way to to capture some of your items 💗
I did something very similar a few years back, decluttered something sentimental even though it was very small, doesn’t take up space at all, just because I hadn’t used it in a while. I’m so sad whenever I think about it. Hugs ❤️
This heals a bit for me too. My dad had recorded himself reading a children’s book on a cassette (yeah, that’s how old I am) and while decluttering I chucked a big batch of cassettes without listening what was on them first. Makes me want to cry just thinking about it. I asked him to re-do it but he refused because I wasn’t a child anymore. 😭 Maybe I can trick him into reading my daughter something on a tonie. 😅
@theweyrd please do it! My parents passed away 12 and 14 years ago now. I can no longer remember their voices, their laughs and it breaks my heart. I had photos and videos on devices that got stolen. I still miss them so much. I wish I had more recordings, you'll never regret having something like that.
Learning about clothes, fabrics and how to care for them has extended the life of many of my items. Just being more mindful when doing laundry goes a long way!
A good way to learn sewing is patchwork. Take some scraps of non stretchy fabric and make a pillowcase for one of your couch pillows. Four squares for the front, four for the back. Add in a zipper or slip stitch (hand sew) one side. Simple 2D project to get you started, figure out basic concepts (measuring, cutting, seam allowance, finishing seams, pressing, etc.) and figure out what else to learn from there.
I honestly used to believe it was wild how many people don’t know how to mend, but my grandparents really pushed it onto me when I was younger so it’s been with me my whole life (also doesn’t help the gender societal pressure around sewing/mending). I started out at age 7/8 doing little kid kits like “sew this super easy tote bag” and “add this button onto the handle”. I 10/10 recommend people watch kid tutorials on how to sew or super beginner ones because the projects are very easy!
I use a flat foundation brush to edge trim when I paint walls. It works better than any wall brush has ever worked. My friend passed on a bunch of brushes to me that she got in her Ipsy bags and I have those set aside for art. A brush is a brush! I ended up buying some of that Lysol laundry sanitizer to hopefully revive my husband’s stinky clothing. Thanks for mentioning that! Nothing that I tried was working and they are still usable shirts for sleeping and yard work and work.
I love that you brought up how important it is to figure out WHY you no longer wear/like something and want to declutter it. This has been such a game-changer for me! It's really informed my purchasing decisions, so I stop buying stuff that I'll regret. Less junk in = less junk to declutter later. I also love that you brought up contentment as a practice. (All of your points were good; these were just the ones that struck me.)
Regarding mending garments rather than replacing…. You also have to consider that the quality of product now is significantly different than what it was when people would typically mend rather than replace. It’s very hard to mend a garment that is made from thin, cheap fabric. Also filling a hole on a dresser can’t be done on MDF or acrylic furniture pieces.
It's wild that the average number of uses is only ten. I bought a t-shirt from Walmart the last time I was in the US (2014) and I finally gave up on it, after several-times-a-week wear for dance rehearsals, in late 2023 - and only because it was basically transparent in some spots where it had worn thin. And most of our old rehearsal footage tells a similar story - I must have got 200+ wears out of those two checked shirts I seemed to live in during the late 2010s. I've even still got (and still wear) the leotard I got for an exam in 2010! 😅
Same here! I just this week had to repurpose a old shirt from a concert in 2010 (will be part of a patchwork piece soon). It has holes under the arms and mending won’t work anymore because the fabric is to thin now. But I probably wore it at least once a week every summer. I guess I wore it about 400 times, probably more.
The degradation of fabric quality unfortunately makes things so much harder. A t-shirt bought in 2012 and 2022 look identical in 2024. It just wears down exponentially.
I bought some slacks, wore them to a job interview, and by the time I got hired at that same job (a year later) they didn't button right anymore. I can't re-wear special occasion clothes unless I either go off my meds or just stop eating between holidays
Even though this is stuff I already know deep down, hearing you say it helps keep me feel motivated to keep working towards contentment so I don’t slide into bad shopping habits. Thank you!!
I'm glad to hear it! You're not alone in feeling this way, and I just had an experience myself. Some folks dropping great advice and reminders in the comments!
Yes!! Same..I said I need to watch/listen to a video when I wake up and heading to bed (when I usually look for inspirations and hit add to cart) to stay grounded.
your videos and specifically videos like this, have been so good for me. i have always been a slave to consumerism and a shopaholic, but it’s leaving me feeling so empty and the constant rampant consumerism on tiktok has really woken me up to the issues with the lifestyle i’ve been living and your videos are helping me become more conscious about how i spend my money and buy things with intention and necessity
With clothes I like to look at inspiration, be it catalogues Pinterest whatever, make a list, and then thrift those items, because there’s really nothing new under the sun. 🤷🏻♀️
I love all these ideas for giving what he already have another chance. I used to follow a lot of the minimalist type influencers on facebook, etc., and they would have these rules like "if you don't currently use it, get rid of it". And I found that so wasteful because lots of times when we're going through our stuff we find things we forgot we had and actually are happy to come across and put to use. Or things we can use later on, or repurpose. In the absence of a true hoarding problem I don't think there's any reason for a "ruthless" declutter that these people encourage so much. Most of us have so much stuff out of thoughtless overconsumption, not true hoarding. I have a real small house so it becomes cluttered easily...and the best way for me to minimize my shopping is to avoid decluttering too much. If I don't have much space to bring in more stuff comfortably it really becomes unappealing to do so!
I’m really guilty of this. I love to have minimal stuff but I still enjoy shopping. It’s a toxic habit of decluttering then bringing more in and loosing interest in the product. I’m trying to stop it. 😢
I'm rooting for you. Take it easy on yourself. It's a learning process, you will not be perfect during the process, mistakes will happen, try to take notice and learn from it.
Am literally watching/listening to this while patching rips in the lining of my decade old leather jacket with fabric from a ripped silk tank I wore under sweaters several times a week for 5+ years. It does take a lot of time, but the mending itself becomes one of the hobbies you also talk about that get me away from shopping while also adding emotional value to the items I already have. It’s not for everyone, but it’s a win-win-win in my book.
A big problem with clothing is the terrible fabric quality. Some fabric, even when I take care of it according to the washing tag and use appropriate quality washing products, it loses shapes over a few cycles. I used to think I was doing something wrong and tried delicate cycles with wool/delicate laundry products but it didn’t extend the life that much. It’s quite a hassle to hunt for quality fabric, even premium brands are guilty of it. But once you find a good wool sweater or sturdy cotton jeans it really makes a difference (also wool doesn’t need to be washed often unlike synthetic fibres which holds odours quite fast). I wear my old clothing at home (sleep/cleaning/renovation).
I will say I was (almost) ready to give up on wool clothing for winter until we discovered our washer machine and dryer were EXCELLENT at doing delicate washes- the fibers are a lot fluffier than when I was hand washing them and it’s made them warmer, although there was some small shrinkage which is a bummer. Also not washing them every wear is just rule of thumb for extending clothing life as well.
I’ve done something different if I find that I want to “declutter” it’s really just an organizing and “stock taking” itch. So I sit down and pull a lot of stuff out and rehome it/ organize it/ and assess what I already have. I’m super into crafts and have a bad, almost collection, type mentality around supplies especially if it’s “on sale” (buttons and needles are my impulse purchases, as well as embroidery threads). I find that the more I organize and actively engage with my items, the less likely I am to impulse purchase more supplies even if they’re a good deal. Same thing with clothing, drinking containers, etc.
I have some sports clothes that tended to get a bit smelly and it didn't wash out. I saw a tip which I do now and it really works. When I take them off I hang them up overnight and put them in the laundry basket the next day instead of putting them straight in. It lets the sweat dry which is where the smell comes from. It feels a bit yuck but it really works.😊
Ive noticed a few things since discovering your channel - i was raised by people that grew up with (almost) nothing, who taught me to fix things before replacing them. Somewhere along the way, i lost that idea, but I am getting back to that mentality and finding joy in learning those skills and not being wasteful. I still overconsume in some ways but i am on a journey for sure lol. That being said, learning to sew the RIGHT way can be time-consuming and expensive (i am currently learning) but i think in the long run, itll pay off because i can make/mend/alter my clothing that will then last longer & therefore less likely to declutter for no reason.
My bad I'm throwing off the average with that one job-hunting suit I only wear when I get an interview, then have to replace when I gain 10lbs next year
My mom's closet is full of "this is what I wore to the office party in 2010, this is what I wore to the office party in 2011, 2012 is the year I dieted so hard I gave my kids a seconhand ED so I wore this one two years in a row, this is my 2014 dress that I got from a colleague who bought it in 2013 but got too big..."
A method I use to cut down on clothing boredom is to have a summer and winter wardrobe. I take all the clothes I already own and either designate them to summer, winter or both. Every 6 months I swap, and it's like having a whole new wardrobe without any of the shopping. In the process of swapping I can also get rid of clothes I never wear, and it's a good way for me to have a wardrobe of only clothes I love and wear regularly. When you swap you either look at things and think "oh I forgot I had this! So excited to wear it again!" Or "I didn't miss this at all, it has to go" it's a great way to keep up with changing tastes while making as few purchases as possible. I only bring in new clothes when there's a noticeable gap. I wear a lot of black and like to add a small splash of colour into the outfit, and noticed I didn't have many colourful skirts to do that with, so I brought in a denim leopard print miniskirt and I can't remember when I last bought something new before that.
I keep trying to do this, but nothing summons a mid-October heat wave like thinking "you know, it's probably time to swap" Idk, one day it was 100° and the next it snowed, i have no idea how to plan for seasons 😅
I have been sewing most of my life, my mom and both grandmothers were big sewists and I am grateful to each one for sharing their knowledge. This is a great reminder that I could be looking for ways to alter clothing and with the internet there are so many opportunities to find inspiration. I just wish sewing in general was as economical as it used to be, I remember as a kid in the 70s we had fabric stores the size of grocery stores, I remember racks and racks and racks of clothing fabric and it was probably my favorite place to go aside from the toy store. Nowadays most fabric stores are mostly quilting/hobby and decor fabrics, their garment fabrics are pretty limited. It's a shame really, unless you're fortunate to have a big city nearby, usually there you can find cloth warehouses which are so fantastic. I went to one in DC that sold couture fabrics (with the appropriate pricetag) and I just wanted to stay there forever. Woops, sorry for the rambling comment, haha!
I've been wanting to get some sewing skills also but my sight has worsen throug the later years 😭. Thank God, here in Mexico, things like carpentry, smithy/ironworks, cobbler/sehoemaker, dressmaker, etc., are already a thing and many people still do them as a job. So, I'm lucky that my neighbor who lives right across the street is a dressmaker and whenever my clothes need new live I walk 50 steps and spend like 2-4 bucks/piece and voila!.
My issue is a lot of the stuf i throw impulse money at are my collectibles. My parents are collectors and "this will be worth something some day" people, but with my own stuff I focused really hard on the Marie Kondo "if it brings you joy" bit. Rarely things have stopped bringing me joy, and gave me guilt instead, but a lot of my collections really just, they make me happy just looking nice and doing nothing. That's the hard part, because I can justify having a TON of that kind of thing.
I can’t even express how grateful I am to have found your channel. I get so caught up in items that I don’t see past it and trends create a terrible cycle for me that I am trying to break. So thank you for putting a little voice in my head
i am grateful that I can sew (neatly by hand and basic machine sewing) because it means I can repair and remodel anything made of fabric. The hardest thing about machine sewing is learning to thread the machine, second hardest is learning to wind a bobbin. really, it is really simple. Hand sewing - it takes a couple hours to learn the hand/eye coordination to make neat small stitches, but once you learn that you will have that skill forever. I am sure there are many yt videos on mending and hemming, it is really easy and quite nice to do.
I have a sweater I bought at a random Target in college that I have mended more times than I can count. It tends to tear at the turtleneck. But I've hand sewn the seam and kept it going. I would love to get a sewing machine and do even more regular mending of clothes so that I can keep as many of my garments going as possible.
Yes girl!!! Former silent viewer here hehe. I'm trying and documenting a no buy this year to try and take notice of my shopping habits, you have been part of my inspiration in this! Learning a lot even though it's not going perfectly. I aim to do "the final declutter" over this summer (list a bunch of stuff for resale...) and vow not to ever get to that point again 👏
Another tip for fabric: some can be dyed. I’ve dyed a portion of my old clothing and bed sheets in black. If it’s natural fabric it turns out black and if it’s a mix it darkens the fabric. It’s a great way to repurpose old tshirts you don’t wear because of the style or something is written on it.
Usually fabric dye is stored in the laundry allay. You put it in the washing machine with the fabric and start a cycle. When it’s over, you start another short cycle to clean out the excess dye.
One thing that definitely extends the life of clothes is cold water washing and if possible, air drying on a rack or clothesline. Hot water and dryers are extremely hard on clothing.
I love posting items onto second hand marketplaces like Depop because I know the item has found a new home when it leaves my house. Even giving the items away for free just charging shipping. The cheaper you post it for, the quicker it will leave your house! I’m not trying to make a profit, I’m trying to re-home items! I’ve changed sizes a lot in the last two years, and buying second hand (especially jeans which have no stretch to them) and passing on my old size has been a great experience.
The best part of making your own clothes is finding great fabric at amazing price and making your staples for a few dollars whenever you want. Once you start making things it's so much easier and less intimidating to modify things and also identify value in buying new clothes. So much to learn in even basic garment construction.
I love the idea of a re-style challenge for items I’m not using s much as I want. Making it into a puzzle or a challenge is a fabulous way to reframe. Thank you!
Yes! To most things you said. I do disagree when it comes to recycling or upcycling things. I personally declutter to simplify my home. So I don‘t want to collect new projects repurposing old stuff. I do mend clothes that I like but I‘m glad to throw away what I don‘t like anymore. No feeling of guilt in that case.
Soooo many good recommendations in this video! 🙌 I especially loved the tip to analyze why we don’t use something - like your boat neckline sweater example. It makes so much sense, but I’ve never been aware of that idea before!
Another use for old tshirts & towels: I realized how many napkins/paper towels i was using just to dry my hands in the kitchen after i wash them. So, i repurposed an old small square food container to hold napkin sized tshirt squares, and i dry my hands (or rinsed off fruit) with that now
For me it has been important to remember that every purchase is an experiment no matter how much I reseach (both a product and my life), so my question is "how much am I willing to spend on an experiment?"
I just found your channel and I needed these videos more than ever! The state of the economy has people like me in financial trouble I over shopped following beauty influencers during the pandemic and continued until about a month ago I’m determined to live within my means and pay off my debts These videos are so helpful Thank you
Just wanted to let you know that I discovered you from my recommended yesterday and I have watched so many of your videos already. definitely a new favorite. Thank you for making great content!!!
Yeah I have figured out I only like tank tops over tight cropped short sleeves . I also only like sleeveless short dresses I can wear a tshirt under lol. When you figure this stuff out you stop getting stuff you never wear.
I've been doing that for decades. What I do is I keep a big bag to keep all the rags. I sort and cut to size some rags and sort into 2 piles and put each pile into 2 pretty kleenix boxes. One set of rags is for SINGLE-USE, the other set is for re-usable rags, this is key. The re-usable rags are for touch-ups, these rags are for light use and can be laundered. But then there are jobs where you really need disposable rags for, the really dirty jobs and the biohazards. I use the rags I've designated as single-use for those jobs and then throw the rag in the trash, not in the laundry basket. This makes washing rags easier if you don't put really dirty rags in the laundry. Another trick is to keep some rags together with your cleaning supplies so you'll remember to actually use them when you clean. I also keep some soft, pretty rags in my purse, backpack to use instead of paper towels.
Donate old bed sheets to animal shelters if good enough to donate. Women shelters need stuff like unused beauty & body care stuff or clothing/shoes ( also kid stuff if women have kids there). Small adult theatre groups or youth theatre groups need donations. Quilting or craft church groups ( for charity) collect fabric etc. Another great option is foster YA group homes for 18+ children that need furniture , unused body & beauty care, clothes, shoes. Homeless shelters take canned food and sustainable foods or clothing. Food bank donations are necessary . Colleges and trade schools need items like fabric, car parts, wood, metal for welding, fashion, or fix-it classes. Day cares, pre-schools, & rec centers are options for toys that qualify. Indoor spray or ceiled paint for school theatre productions stage props/back grounds.
I saw someone suggest donating craft supplies to nursing homes, and I thought that was a beautiful idea (assuming you call and see what they need/will accept first)!
Over the years, I've learned a lot about this exact topic and have gotten really good about not buying things I don't need (not perfect, but still working on it. Thus watching this video) but the overconsumption that's still kicking my butt is Halloween and Christmas decor. I love decorating for these holidays and my collections are starting to get out of control for things that I just use once a year. I'm literally running out of storage space and display space but don't have the heart to get rid of it.
Spraying vodka on my clothes and washing them with borax has gotten rid of every smell I have had on my clothes. I’ve had to repeat the process a few times for some items though (looking at you, thrift store jeans with the thrift store smell). The bane of my repurposing journey is jeans. My jeans ALWAYS tear at the crotch, and I want to repurpose them, but the suggestions I’ve found online are not for me either in terms of appearance or function. They’ve been sitting in a bag for two years while they await their new life 😢
You are right about the rips on the thighs/crotch areas. I haven't been able to repair mine either. I also split pants along the but many years ago and they were beyond fixable. Sometimes it happens!
i have this problem too and its so frustrating! i havent tried it but you could reuse the denim fabric for a tote bag or something, or perhaps pass themon to someone who does work like that with denim?
@@kathytang9712 My favorite quilt is made with old jeans. It's literally about 50 years old at this point (it was a high school graduation gift to my father) and it still holds up to Minnesota winters. If that's not something that would be useful to you, perhaps there are quilters in your area who would love to use your old jeans.
This is a great video 😊 thankfully we have a small thrift store here that is large enough to handle clothing donations but small enough that it doesn’t just chuck shit. I’ll donate a bag and three days later see my clothes out on the floor which is awesome! I’ve definitely gotten stuck in the declutter/buy cycle and for the first time I feel like I’m breaking out of it, thanks for the help!
One of my favorite pairs of pants are almost at end of life and it is so sad. I’ve repaired it a few times but now the fabric has gotten so thin that I don’t think the next repair will be worth while
I taught my kids to get their shirt from the top and when i wash, i place the newly washed ones at the bottom so everything gets worn. My teen daughter has like 20-30 shirts in rotation.
I have watched a few of your videos now and find value in a lot of what you have to say. One area I am going to disagree is in using clothes until they are worn out. We don't live in a fairy tale village where nothing changes, but in the real world, where things change. Take a look around and if no one is wearing the style of clothes you are wearing, you are due for an update to your wardrobe. I'm not talking about changing out your whole wardrobe every season, but if you don't want to look frumpy or dowdy especially at work where your appearance can affect your career, you need to update. Even the classics change - lapels, leg widths, etc. It may be superficial but it is also practical and a good reason to keep your wardrobe small and adaptable. Wear your good clothes and don't save them until you no longer want to wear them because they are out of style or moth-eaten. Enjoy what you have. Small example, I used to volunteer one day a week at church as the receptionist. As I am a much older woman, I asked one of my young co-workers to keep a watch over me to let me know if she ever saw me dressing, "old lady". One day she came up to me as I was wearing something cute but from the bottom drawer and said, "Remember when you told me to tell you if you were dressing old lady? Well, today is that day. I don't think you look as youn as you usually do." I thanked her profusely and put the vest back in my bottom drawer for when it truly comes back for real. I can pull it out then with confidence. So please consider those of us who care about how we look. That's no excuse for excess, but it does point to a need for change sometimes. Can you address this?
Isn't the vlogger in academia? IIRC, many academics look down on being fashionable and it can sometimes hurt a woman's career advancement, depending on her field.
My boyfriend and I keep our discarded clothes in a bag and when there is a little water on the floor emergency like with the washing machine, we use them to mop the floor
donating would be so much easier, but i basically always sell my stuff. this way it funds new purchases lmao but also it is more likely that the item will go to someone who wants it rather than ending up in a landfill.
It's mind-boggling to me that people discard clothes after 7-10 wears. I have some shirts I've been wearing for years. I only discard my clothes when they are falling apart.
Can anyone help me with what a "project pan" is? It was suggested in the video as an alternative to decluttering for makeup and art supplies but I couldn't find a part of the video explaining what a project plan is - perhaps I missed it or it was in another video?
Essentially, I think it’s just challenging yourself to finish your products (“hit pan”). There might be “rules” or guidelines to it-try searching project pan on UA-cam!
@@tessapalthank you, I didn't think about how the bottom of the product is the "pan" - maybe because the old products I have (which I hate) are in tubes and bottles so there's no pan. I was thinking it might be a baking pan or box in the house with a few old make up products that we try use up in art projects. This video actually helped me to get the courage to throw out some products which I've held onto for 5 years because I'm allergic to them but didn't know what to do with them. I realised they aren't sanitary or in-date and I have avoided shopping for new foundation for five years. I found one I wasn't allergic to but it was so awful that I'd rather just wear nothing and I stopped myself buying a new foundation because I hadn't used up the awful one. I do a lot of the projects and repairs mentioned and I have never gotten close to having 50 of anything. I didn't even know people could have that many and was feeling bad I had 5 sunscreens I'd bought to try and hated them all before moving on to an expensive one I love.
@@sharoncox1734 most people do. It's for people who buy in excess and have too many products. Like having 15 eyeshadow palettes, and working on finishing them before buying or rebuying the ones you like. I'm working on finishing my blushes, bc I have an obscene amount - like close to 20. And I'm just once person! How?! I might give some of them to my friends because it's too much lmao
I can relate to finding new ways to use things I already own. A few that I found to work well for me are: (1) using liquid lipsticks that don’t work well on my lips as a blush, (2) using a shower gel I was gifted that I don’t like the smell of as a hand soap, (3) using face products on my body, and (4) challenging myself with my clothes to wear them in a way I would not normally style them.
Anything that doesn’t work well for my face I tend to use on my feet instead! My feet are less sensitive and don’t really care if a product is heavily scented.
I found my mom's favorite pair of pajama pants in the bin yesterday. They're printed with this cute garden motif, but they're raggedy from a decade of almost-nightly wear. 😂 What she doesn't know is that I took them home, snipped off the really bad bits, and I'm sewing her a set of tea towels while I listen to this video.
I really believe that anyone can learn the basics of sewing repairs and alterations! It's not terribly difficult, just takes some patience at the beginning while you're fumbling around and figuring it out. If you have fabric items at home that have reached the end of their useful life, they can be used for practice before you try the technique on a garment you really like!
I am literally at my sewing machine repairing a gown I made 20 years ago.
I'm also ready, willing and able to take a hammer and nails to a bookcase, and have.
I replaced a broken seat belt on my wheelchair.
I have a box of rags made from clothes that were more repair than cloth.
I have replaced the plunger in my toilet tank.
My crochet is made from yarn scraps people give me or that I buy from the thrift store.
Instead of embroidered on fancy fabric, I embroider over holes to do some lovely visible mending.
I take a screw driver to things that have gotten loose, like handles on pots.
I take glue to repair things like picture frames.
My county is at the don't use plastic bags but when I get them, I save them to scoop kitty litter into.
I have literally replaced the back of a bookcase with a piece of plyboard to extend its life until the particle board gave out.
I bring a bag with me in my purse wherever I go to avoid having to use the paper bags from the stores if I want to get something.
I have taken apart my vacuum cleaner to get all the hair from on the bar and I am going to take it apart again to replace the serpentine belt so it'll work, good as new.
I wash jars to reuse to keep leftovers in rather than buying more and more plastic containers.
Am I boasting? Yes, yes I am. It saves me money and I am disabled so my money can be tight. One thing I have is time. When I feel up to it, I can spend that time to save me money.
"Use it up.
Wear it out.
Make it do
Or do without."
I really wish I had a “quarantine bin”, or at least drew or took a picture when I chucked away two very sentimental pens from my childhood. Every time I think back to throwing them away, I feel a literal pain in my chest, no other item I decluttered has ever made me feel such a strong sadness like these have. They didn’t even take up much space, but now I will never be able to find them again. A lesson learned! Thank you for the video.
Maybe you could draw a picture of them now from memory, to the best of your ability, as a memorial to them. Frame it and put it up to remember them by. I bet they would like that. 😘❤✍🎨
I have done this too. I've also left things at people's homes for safe keeping and it is very unlikely I'll get them back so it feels like these extremely sentimental items are lost. It can be a bit painful, but I have some photos of these items, not great ones but they exist, so looking at them has helped a bit. I genuinely hope you can find a method or a way to to capture some of your items 💗
I did something very similar a few years back, decluttered something sentimental even though it was very small, doesn’t take up space at all, just because I hadn’t used it in a while. I’m so sad whenever I think about it. Hugs ❤️
This heals a bit for me too. My dad had recorded himself reading a children’s book on a cassette (yeah, that’s how old I am) and while decluttering I chucked a big batch of cassettes without listening what was on them first. Makes me want to cry just thinking about it. I asked him to re-do it but he refused because I wasn’t a child anymore. 😭 Maybe I can trick him into reading my daughter something on a tonie. 😅
@theweyrd please do it! My parents passed away 12 and 14 years ago now. I can no longer remember their voices, their laughs and it breaks my heart. I had photos and videos on devices that got stolen. I still miss them so much. I wish I had more recordings, you'll never regret having something like that.
Learning about clothes, fabrics and how to care for them has extended the life of many of my items. Just being more mindful when doing laundry goes a long way!
A good way to learn sewing is patchwork. Take some scraps of non stretchy fabric and make a pillowcase for one of your couch pillows. Four squares for the front, four for the back. Add in a zipper or slip stitch (hand sew) one side. Simple 2D project to get you started, figure out basic concepts (measuring, cutting, seam allowance, finishing seams, pressing, etc.) and figure out what else to learn from there.
Can be made from old sentimental shirts! Like 14yo concert shirts with holes in the armpits.
I honestly used to believe it was wild how many people don’t know how to mend, but my grandparents really pushed it onto me when I was younger so it’s been with me my whole life (also doesn’t help the gender societal pressure around sewing/mending). I started out at age 7/8 doing little kid kits like “sew this super easy tote bag” and “add this button onto the handle”. I 10/10 recommend people watch kid tutorials on how to sew or super beginner ones because the projects are very easy!
I use a flat foundation brush to edge trim when I paint walls. It works better than any wall brush has ever worked. My friend passed on a bunch of brushes to me that she got in her Ipsy bags and I have those set aside for art. A brush is a brush! I ended up buying some of that Lysol laundry sanitizer to hopefully revive my husband’s stinky clothing. Thanks for mentioning that! Nothing that I tried was working and they are still usable shirts for sleeping and yard work and work.
hopefully it helps you too!!
I love that you brought up how important it is to figure out WHY you no longer wear/like something and want to declutter it. This has been such a game-changer for me! It's really informed my purchasing decisions, so I stop buying stuff that I'll regret. Less junk in = less junk to declutter later. I also love that you brought up contentment as a practice. (All of your points were good; these were just the ones that struck me.)
Regarding mending garments rather than replacing…. You also have to consider that the quality of product now is significantly different than what it was when people would typically mend rather than replace. It’s very hard to mend a garment that is made from thin, cheap fabric. Also filling a hole on a dresser can’t be done on MDF or acrylic furniture pieces.
It's wild that the average number of uses is only ten. I bought a t-shirt from Walmart the last time I was in the US (2014) and I finally gave up on it, after several-times-a-week wear for dance rehearsals, in late 2023 - and only because it was basically transparent in some spots where it had worn thin. And most of our old rehearsal footage tells a similar story - I must have got 200+ wears out of those two checked shirts I seemed to live in during the late 2010s. I've even still got (and still wear) the leotard I got for an exam in 2010! 😅
Same here! I just this week had to repurpose a old shirt from a concert in 2010 (will be part of a patchwork piece soon). It has holes under the arms and mending won’t work anymore because the fabric is to thin now. But I probably wore it at least once a week every summer. I guess I wore it about 400 times, probably more.
The degradation of fabric quality unfortunately makes things so much harder. A t-shirt bought in 2012 and 2022 look identical in 2024. It just wears down exponentially.
I bought some slacks, wore them to a job interview, and by the time I got hired at that same job (a year later) they didn't button right anymore. I can't re-wear special occasion clothes unless I either go off my meds or just stop eating between holidays
Even though this is stuff I already know deep down, hearing you say it helps keep me feel motivated to keep working towards contentment so I don’t slide into bad shopping habits. Thank you!!
I'm glad to hear it! You're not alone in feeling this way, and I just had an experience myself. Some folks dropping great advice and reminders in the comments!
Yes!! Same..I said I need to watch/listen to a video when I wake up and heading to bed (when I usually look for inspirations and hit add to cart) to stay grounded.
your videos and specifically videos like this, have been so good for me. i have always been a slave to consumerism and a shopaholic, but it’s leaving me feeling so empty and the constant rampant consumerism on tiktok has really woken me up to the issues with the lifestyle i’ve been living and your videos are helping me become more conscious about how i spend my money and buy things with intention and necessity
With clothes I like to look at inspiration, be it catalogues Pinterest whatever, make a list, and then thrift those items, because there’s really nothing new under the sun. 🤷🏻♀️
Caveat, I don’t have a problem over buying clothes.
I also love making a thrifting list!
I love all these ideas for giving what he already have another chance. I used to follow a lot of the minimalist type influencers on facebook, etc., and they would have these rules like "if you don't currently use it, get rid of it". And I found that so wasteful because lots of times when we're going through our stuff we find things we forgot we had and actually are happy to come across and put to use. Or things we can use later on, or repurpose.
In the absence of a true hoarding problem I don't think there's any reason for a "ruthless" declutter that these people encourage so much. Most of us have so much stuff out of thoughtless overconsumption, not true hoarding. I have a real small house so it becomes cluttered easily...and the best way for me to minimize my shopping is to avoid decluttering too much. If I don't have much space to bring in more stuff comfortably it really becomes unappealing to do so!
I think this is an important caveat
I’m really guilty of this. I love to have minimal stuff but I still enjoy shopping. It’s a toxic habit of decluttering then bringing more in and loosing interest in the product. I’m trying to stop it. 😢
Ugh, same.
I'm rooting for you. Take it easy on yourself. It's a learning process, you will not be perfect during the process, mistakes will happen, try to take notice and learn from it.
sameeee :(((( I did a car boot sale (here in UK) & got rid of loads of stuff but I can feel myself buying stuff again oops
I have noticed it's revolving door for me...organize..declutter..end up buying similar item....
Am literally watching/listening to this while patching rips in the lining of my decade old leather jacket with fabric from a ripped silk tank I wore under sweaters several times a week for 5+ years. It does take a lot of time, but the mending itself becomes one of the hobbies you also talk about that get me away from shopping while also adding emotional value to the items I already have. It’s not for everyone, but it’s a win-win-win in my book.
A big problem with clothing is the terrible fabric quality. Some fabric, even when I take care of it according to the washing tag and use appropriate quality washing products, it loses shapes over a few cycles. I used to think I was doing something wrong and tried delicate cycles with wool/delicate laundry products but it didn’t extend the life that much.
It’s quite a hassle to hunt for quality fabric, even premium brands are guilty of it. But once you find a good wool sweater or sturdy cotton jeans it really makes a difference (also wool doesn’t need to be washed often unlike synthetic fibres which holds odours quite fast).
I wear my old clothing at home (sleep/cleaning/renovation).
I will say I was (almost) ready to give up on wool clothing for winter until we discovered our washer machine and dryer were EXCELLENT at doing delicate washes- the fibers are a lot fluffier than when I was hand washing them and it’s made them warmer, although there was some small shrinkage which is a bummer. Also not washing them every wear is just rule of thumb for extending clothing life as well.
I’ve done something different if I find that I want to “declutter” it’s really just an organizing and “stock taking” itch. So I sit down and pull a lot of stuff out and rehome it/ organize it/ and assess what I already have. I’m super into crafts and have a bad, almost collection, type mentality around supplies especially if it’s “on sale” (buttons and needles are my impulse purchases, as well as embroidery threads). I find that the more I organize and actively engage with my items, the less likely I am to impulse purchase more supplies even if they’re a good deal. Same thing with clothing, drinking containers, etc.
I have some sports clothes that tended to get a bit smelly and it didn't wash out. I saw a tip which I do now and it really works. When I take them off I hang them up overnight and put them in the laundry basket the next day instead of putting them straight in. It lets the sweat dry which is where the smell comes from. It feels a bit yuck but it really works.😊
I've started doing this as well. You're so right that it absolutely does help
Ive noticed a few things since discovering your channel - i was raised by people that grew up with (almost) nothing, who taught me to fix things before replacing them. Somewhere along the way, i lost that idea, but I am getting back to that mentality and finding joy in learning those skills and not being wasteful. I still overconsume in some ways but i am on a journey for sure lol.
That being said, learning to sew the RIGHT way can be time-consuming and expensive (i am currently learning) but i think in the long run, itll pay off because i can make/mend/alter my clothing that will then last longer & therefore less likely to declutter for no reason.
shawna: "the average garment is discarded after seven to ten uses"
me in my sweatpants i've had since the age of TWELVE: 👁️👄👁️
My bad I'm throwing off the average with that one job-hunting suit I only wear when I get an interview, then have to replace when I gain 10lbs next year
My mom's closet is full of "this is what I wore to the office party in 2010, this is what I wore to the office party in 2011, 2012 is the year I dieted so hard I gave my kids a seconhand ED so I wore this one two years in a row, this is my 2014 dress that I got from a colleague who bought it in 2013 but got too big..."
A method I use to cut down on clothing boredom is to have a summer and winter wardrobe. I take all the clothes I already own and either designate them to summer, winter or both. Every 6 months I swap, and it's like having a whole new wardrobe without any of the shopping. In the process of swapping I can also get rid of clothes I never wear, and it's a good way for me to have a wardrobe of only clothes I love and wear regularly. When you swap you either look at things and think "oh I forgot I had this! So excited to wear it again!" Or "I didn't miss this at all, it has to go" it's a great way to keep up with changing tastes while making as few purchases as possible. I only bring in new clothes when there's a noticeable gap. I wear a lot of black and like to add a small splash of colour into the outfit, and noticed I didn't have many colourful skirts to do that with, so I brought in a denim leopard print miniskirt and I can't remember when I last bought something new before that.
I keep trying to do this, but nothing summons a mid-October heat wave like thinking "you know, it's probably time to swap"
Idk, one day it was 100° and the next it snowed, i have no idea how to plan for seasons 😅
I have been sewing most of my life, my mom and both grandmothers were big sewists and I am grateful to each one for sharing their knowledge. This is a great reminder that I could be looking for ways to alter clothing and with the internet there are so many opportunities to find inspiration. I just wish sewing in general was as economical as it used to be, I remember as a kid in the 70s we had fabric stores the size of grocery stores, I remember racks and racks and racks of clothing fabric and it was probably my favorite place to go aside from the toy store. Nowadays most fabric stores are mostly quilting/hobby and decor fabrics, their garment fabrics are pretty limited. It's a shame really, unless you're fortunate to have a big city nearby, usually there you can find cloth warehouses which are so fantastic. I went to one in DC that sold couture fabrics (with the appropriate pricetag) and I just wanted to stay there forever. Woops, sorry for the rambling comment, haha!
I've been wanting to get some sewing skills also but my sight has worsen throug the later years 😭. Thank God, here in Mexico, things like carpentry, smithy/ironworks, cobbler/sehoemaker, dressmaker, etc., are already a thing and many people still do them as a job. So, I'm lucky that my neighbor who lives right across the street is a dressmaker and whenever my clothes need new live I walk 50 steps and spend like 2-4 bucks/piece and voila!.
this is so wonderful
$2-4 a piece? If that was an option in the US I'd get more stuff cobbled, but rn I'm looking at over $100 to fix shoes I picked up for 10 at goodwill
My issue is a lot of the stuf i throw impulse money at are my collectibles. My parents are collectors and "this will be worth something some day" people, but with my own stuff I focused really hard on the Marie Kondo "if it brings you joy" bit. Rarely things have stopped bringing me joy, and gave me guilt instead, but a lot of my collections really just, they make me happy just looking nice and doing nothing. That's the hard part, because I can justify having a TON of that kind of thing.
I can’t even express how grateful I am to have found your channel. I get so caught up in items that I don’t see past it and trends create a terrible cycle for me that I am trying to break. So thank you for putting a little voice in my head
i am grateful that I can sew (neatly by hand and basic machine sewing) because it means I can repair and remodel anything made of fabric. The hardest thing about machine sewing is learning to thread the machine, second hardest is learning to wind a bobbin. really, it is really simple. Hand sewing - it takes a couple hours to learn the hand/eye coordination to make neat small stitches, but once you learn that you will have that skill forever. I am sure there are many yt videos on mending and hemming, it is really easy and quite nice to do.
I have a sweater I bought at a random Target in college that I have mended more times than I can count. It tends to tear at the turtleneck. But I've hand sewn the seam and kept it going. I would love to get a sewing machine and do even more regular mending of clothes so that I can keep as many of my garments going as possible.
My local library also has sewing machines available at the main branch. Your area may have something similar!
Yes girl!!! Former silent viewer here hehe.
I'm trying and documenting a no buy this year to try and take notice of my shopping habits, you have been part of my inspiration in this! Learning a lot even though it's not going perfectly.
I aim to do "the final declutter" over this summer (list a bunch of stuff for resale...) and vow not to ever get to that point again 👏
learning is so important and I think better than doing it perfect. congratulations on your journey and success!!
Sydney Graham has some amazing newbie sewing tutorials - easy to follow along and so friendly!
Another tip for fabric: some can be dyed. I’ve dyed a portion of my old clothing and bed sheets in black. If it’s natural fabric it turns out black and if it’s a mix it darkens the fabric. It’s a great way to repurpose old tshirts you don’t wear because of the style or something is written on it.
Usually fabric dye is stored in the laundry allay. You put it in the washing machine with the fabric and start a cycle. When it’s over, you start another short cycle to clean out the excess dye.
One thing that definitely extends the life of clothes is cold water washing and if possible, air drying on a rack or clothesline. Hot water and dryers are extremely hard on clothing.
I love posting items onto second hand marketplaces like Depop because I know the item has found a new home when it leaves my house. Even giving the items away for free just charging shipping. The cheaper you post it for, the quicker it will leave your house! I’m not trying to make a profit, I’m trying to re-home items! I’ve changed sizes a lot in the last two years, and buying second hand (especially jeans which have no stretch to them) and passing on my old size has been a great experience.
The best part of making your own clothes is finding great fabric at amazing price and making your staples for a few dollars whenever you want. Once you start making things it's so much easier and less intimidating to modify things and also identify value in buying new clothes. So much to learn in even basic garment construction.
I love the idea of a re-style challenge for items I’m not using s much as I want. Making it into a puzzle or a challenge is a fabulous way to reframe. Thank you!
when i declutter i post everything on a local Buy Nothing Facebook group
almost everything finds a new home!
I use child friendly house hold stuff as toys for my toddler, so much so he prefers them over the majority of his small collection of toys.
Yes! To most things you said. I do disagree when it comes to recycling or upcycling things. I personally declutter to simplify my home. So I don‘t want to collect new projects repurposing old stuff. I do mend clothes that I like but I‘m glad to throw away what I don‘t like anymore. No feeling of guilt in that case.
Soooo many good recommendations in this video! 🙌 I especially loved the tip to analyze why we don’t use something - like your boat neckline sweater example. It makes so much sense, but I’ve never been aware of that idea before!
Appreciate your consistency in posting it’s always a good reminder to stay on track ❤
Artist here! There are people that makes watercolor by mixing make up with an specific medium. I also use make up brushes as paintbrushes :)
This is SO COOL! I had no idea and now I want to try it 😂
Another use for old tshirts & towels:
I realized how many napkins/paper towels i was using just to dry my hands in the kitchen after i wash them. So, i repurposed an old small square food container to hold napkin sized tshirt squares, and i dry my hands (or rinsed off fruit) with that now
I like this idea!! I'm constantly grabbing paper towels just to dry hands after rinsing fruit or cleaning my guinea pig bowls.
For me it has been important to remember that every purchase is an experiment no matter how much I reseach (both a product and my life), so my question is "how much am I willing to spend on an experiment?"
You have a very calming voice. I enjoy listening to you while I clean my home. Thanks for your insight
I just found your channel and I needed these videos more than ever!
The state of the economy has people like me in financial trouble
I over shopped following beauty influencers during the pandemic and continued until about a month ago
I’m determined to live within my means and pay off my debts
These videos are so helpful
Thank you
Just wanted to let you know that I discovered you from my recommended yesterday and I have watched so many of your videos already. definitely a new favorite. Thank you for making great content!!!
So glad to hear it and am so happy to have you here!
Yeah I have figured out I only like tank tops over tight cropped short sleeves . I also only like sleeveless short dresses I can wear a tshirt under lol. When you figure this stuff out you stop getting stuff you never wear.
I know this was like a blip in your video but I love how you talked about using end of life clothes for cleaning rags! I’m totally going to do that!
I've been doing that for decades. What I do is I keep a big bag to keep all the rags. I sort and cut to size some rags and sort into 2 piles and put each pile into 2 pretty kleenix boxes. One set of rags is for SINGLE-USE, the other set is for re-usable rags, this is key.
The re-usable rags are for touch-ups, these rags are for light use and can be laundered.
But then there are jobs where you really need disposable rags for, the really dirty jobs and the biohazards. I use the rags I've designated as single-use for those jobs and then throw the rag in the trash, not in the laundry basket. This makes washing rags easier if you don't put really dirty rags in the laundry.
Another trick is to keep some rags together with your cleaning supplies so you'll remember to actually use them when you clean.
I also keep some soft, pretty rags in my purse, backpack to use instead of paper towels.
Donate old bed sheets to animal shelters if good enough to donate. Women shelters need stuff like unused beauty & body care stuff or clothing/shoes ( also kid stuff if women have kids there). Small adult theatre groups or youth theatre groups need donations. Quilting or craft church groups ( for charity) collect fabric etc. Another great option is foster YA group homes for 18+ children that need furniture , unused body & beauty care, clothes, shoes. Homeless shelters take canned food and sustainable foods or clothing. Food bank donations are necessary . Colleges and trade schools need items like fabric, car parts, wood, metal for welding, fashion, or fix-it classes. Day cares, pre-schools, & rec centers are options for toys that qualify. Indoor spray or ceiled paint for school theatre productions stage props/back grounds.
I saw someone suggest donating craft supplies to nursing homes, and I thought that was a beautiful idea (assuming you call and see what they need/will accept first)!
@@tessapal good idea!
Over the years, I've learned a lot about this exact topic and have gotten really good about not buying things I don't need (not perfect, but still working on it. Thus watching this video) but the overconsumption that's still kicking my butt is Halloween and Christmas decor. I love decorating for these holidays and my collections are starting to get out of control for things that I just use once a year. I'm literally running out of storage space and display space but don't have the heart to get rid of it.
Spraying vodka on my clothes and washing them with borax has gotten rid of every smell I have had on my clothes. I’ve had to repeat the process a few times for some items though (looking at you, thrift store jeans with the thrift store smell).
The bane of my repurposing journey is jeans. My jeans ALWAYS tear at the crotch, and I want to repurpose them, but the suggestions I’ve found online are not for me either in terms of appearance or function. They’ve been sitting in a bag for two years while they await their new life 😢
You are right about the rips on the thighs/crotch areas. I haven't been able to repair mine either. I also split pants along the but many years ago and they were beyond fixable. Sometimes it happens!
i have this problem too and its so frustrating! i havent tried it but you could reuse the denim fabric for a tote bag or something, or perhaps pass themon to someone who does work like that with denim?
@@podpoe Thanks for the suggestion! A tote bag is definitely something to consider!
@@kathytang9712 My favorite quilt is made with old jeans. It's literally about 50 years old at this point (it was a high school graduation gift to my father) and it still holds up to Minnesota winters. If that's not something that would be useful to you, perhaps there are quilters in your area who would love to use your old jeans.
yesss i love mending things. it makes me feel like a tinker fairy or something idk
Thanks for the type of videos you make content wise, it’s hard to find stuff about these things out there so this is great, thanks.
This is a great video 😊 thankfully we have a small thrift store here that is large enough to handle clothing donations but small enough that it doesn’t just chuck shit. I’ll donate a bag and three days later see my clothes out on the floor which is awesome! I’ve definitely gotten stuck in the declutter/buy cycle and for the first time I feel like I’m breaking out of it, thanks for the help!
Great topic, Shawna! Really appreciate the video! 🫶😊
One of my favorite pairs of pants are almost at end of life and it is so sad. I’ve repaired it a few times but now the fabric has gotten so thin that I don’t think the next repair will be worth while
Saving things because I could use them for something is absolutely not what I want to do. I need the stuff GONE!
I taught my kids to get their shirt from the top and when i wash, i place the newly washed ones at the bottom so everything gets worn. My teen daughter has like 20-30 shirts in rotation.
Just got new work pants but they are replacing pants that completely shredded at the thighs from being worn twice a week for 8 months
Well minor correction I trifted new to me work pants
This is Unrelated but your makeup looks stunning here! ❤
I have watched a few of your videos now and find value in a lot of what you have to say. One area I am going to disagree is in using clothes until they are worn out. We don't live in a fairy tale village where nothing changes, but in the real world, where things change. Take a look around and if no one is wearing the style of clothes you are wearing, you are due for an update to your wardrobe. I'm not talking about changing out your whole wardrobe every season, but if you don't want to look frumpy or dowdy especially at work where your appearance can affect your career, you need to update. Even the classics change - lapels, leg widths, etc. It may be superficial but it is also practical and a good reason to keep your wardrobe small and adaptable. Wear your good clothes and don't save them until you no longer want to wear them because they are out of style or moth-eaten. Enjoy what you have. Small example, I used to volunteer one day a week at church as the receptionist. As I am a much older woman, I asked one of my young co-workers to keep a watch over me to let me know if she ever saw me dressing, "old lady". One day she came up to me as I was wearing something cute but from the bottom drawer and said, "Remember when you told me to tell you if you were dressing old lady? Well, today is that day. I don't think you look as youn as you usually do." I thanked her profusely and put the vest back in my bottom drawer for when it truly comes back for real. I can pull it out then with confidence. So please consider those of us who care about how we look. That's no excuse for excess, but it does point to a need for change sometimes. Can you address this?
Isn't the vlogger in academia? IIRC, many academics look down on being fashionable and it can sometimes hurt a woman's career advancement, depending on her field.
My boyfriend and I keep our discarded clothes in a bag and when there is a little water on the floor emergency like with the washing machine, we use them to mop the floor
donating would be so much easier, but i basically always sell my stuff. this way it funds new purchases lmao but also it is more likely that the item will go to someone who wants it rather than ending up in a landfill.
It's mind-boggling to me that people discard clothes after 7-10 wears. I have some shirts I've been wearing for years. I only discard my clothes when they are falling apart.
Have you listened to Dana K. White? What is your opinion of her decluttering style?
💕
Can anyone help me with what a "project pan" is? It was suggested in the video as an alternative to decluttering for makeup and art supplies but I couldn't find a part of the video explaining what a project plan is - perhaps I missed it or it was in another video?
Essentially, I think it’s just challenging yourself to finish your products (“hit pan”). There might be “rules” or guidelines to it-try searching project pan on UA-cam!
@@tessapalthank you, I didn't think about how the bottom of the product is the "pan" - maybe because the old products I have (which I hate) are in tubes and bottles so there's no pan. I was thinking it might be a baking pan or box in the house with a few old make up products that we try use up in art projects.
This video actually helped me to get the courage to throw out some products which I've held onto for 5 years because I'm allergic to them but didn't know what to do with them. I realised they aren't sanitary or in-date and I have avoided shopping for new foundation for five years. I found one I wasn't allergic to but it was so awful that I'd rather just wear nothing and I stopped myself buying a new foundation because I hadn't used up the awful one. I do a lot of the projects and repairs mentioned and I have never gotten close to having 50 of anything. I didn't even know people could have that many and was feeling bad I had 5 sunscreens I'd bought to try and hated them all before moving on to an expensive one I love.
Also I assumed that everyone always tried to finish everything 😅
@@sharoncox1734 most people do.
It's for people who buy in excess and have too many products.
Like having 15 eyeshadow palettes, and working on finishing them before buying or rebuying the ones you like.
I'm working on finishing my blushes, bc I have an obscene amount - like close to 20. And I'm just once person! How?!
I might give some of them to my friends because it's too much lmao
Clothes fade so so fast. Nothing to do with a faded shirt.
Can you dye your faded clothes?
@@tessapal never tried, feels pointless