What I would suggest is, get sticky notes, 3 colors for keep, donate, don't know what to do... take everything out from attic, storage, crawl space and designate a spot in the house to keep all the boxes and stuff. Mark everything in your house with proper color before you take stuff out and then just go through 5-8 boxes each day. Trust me 6 weeks will be enough... :) and then pack / throw away/ donate everything in last week and then still if anything remains then it will be in one corner of your house...
I don't know if you've thought of this or not, but you could take a break from homeschooling until after the move. I had to do this last year while we were fixing up our house to move in to. I felt guilty but realized my stress level couldn't handle everything, something had to give. Sometimes we just need to be given permission. So I give you permission, Erica. Lol!
During our last move, we had an extended break. This really is something to consider. Being able to "move well" is a life skill they will benefit from no matter what. Best of luck to you!
In a way you've done a "packing party" without realizing it (reference to The Minimalists). The boxes in the crawl space aren't really needed if they've been shuffled around each move. Head clutter is what keeps them, not their contents.
Dear Erica ... This is only my second post on YT and both were to you! In the past 3 years I've gone through divorce, foreclosure, bankruptcy and although have downsized considerably, there's still so much left of a past life to let go of. With 3 children in their 20's and still 5 pets (used to foster) life is still full and busy. I don't believe in renting storage units (paying to house my old stuff?!) but found I had no choice. I've decreased them in size from a 10x10 to 10x5, to 5x5. What's left are childhood memories and what doesn't fit in the current townhouse of utility/decor items. I'm on the way to the storage unit now and look forward to watching your videos for motivation and encouragement to keep letting go. Those crawl spaces, sheds and attics mirror the corners of our minds we also need to clear of old emotions, attitudes and behavior. Thank you, in fact, a million thank you's! In love and light, Rachele~
"Those crawl spaces, sheds and attics mirror the corners of our minds we also need to clear of old emotions, attitudes and behavior." Thank so much for this piece of advice!!
Another few ideas -Move the homeschool upstairs to the dining table, so you can use the basement for sorting NOW. -Limit the toys to 5 per kid and make sure they clean up after each one. Each week they keep their toys clean they can have 1 more back.
I would lose my mind if my children left a room in such a state after having spent all that time decluttering and organizing == rule 1 clean up before moving on to the next - toy- project -activity or room-- 20 years in special education early childhood education with infant to school age = children are capable of putting things away if everything has a home - get them involved - you may be met with resistance and a few tantrums but they will learn and have respect for belongings
@Jen Meyers I had 5 children, we worked together and played together. My house was healthy, but not tidy. There were projects, toys, laundry garden, and cooking always to do. The time I spent playing and being with my children was far more important then a spotless house. Did we play all day-- no! But if we were doing chores they were at our sides. We all know it is a lot slower with kids for anything and everything. But it is also important and they learn our values, who we are, and how to run a house and make a family💗. We are all doing the best we can, with what life throws us. I have found over the years that I do not know what I would do if I walked a day in another persons shoes, because there is so much going on behind-the-scenes that we don't know. Besides I find I am busy enough just trying to be the best me, that I really do not have time to tell someone how to do there life.
I think Erika has so much on her plate right now. It is so hard to keep eyes on your kids 24/7 and doing everything else. No judgment! I do think that she would likely have more control of the mess if the kids were given less to work with. Maybe 20 crayons and markers, rather than 50 at their disposal. Maybe 1 container of Legos rather than all the containers out. The writing and drawing all over the house is really not ok, in my opinion? But, that is just a rule in our house, not everyone's. I do make my kids clean off walls and table tops whenever they forget the rules, and I limit the number of items out . It's funny, my kids learned so much about tidying up and cleaning up after themselves from going to pre-school. It was just expected there, and that translated right into our home. I found myself organizing our toys and art supplies similarly to how they did it at school, and it just became much easier to fall into the same routines of cleaning up at home.
My kids are so much worse than hers at coloring on my house. I have tried everything short of taking the crafts away for extremely long periods of time (which won't necessarily stop them. My 5 year old is proficient at every lock I've ever installed.) I've made them scrub it off for up to an hour every time... They've had a variety of time outs... They just won't learn to "only color/cut on paper or boxes." They've colored on all the walls in 2 bedrooms and the living room, over 30 times. They've colored on the TV, the kitchen counter, they've cut up clothes, costumes, sheets, decorations. They've spilled powdered sugar on the carpet, dumped milk in the heater vent, water on the TV's surround sound... I'm think God's just trying to teach me patience and to care less about material things. It's so freaking hard. My kids have just become part of my minimalist journey - anything they destroy, I refuse to replace or fix until the week we move. I'm not going to spend my time, money or energy fixing things they're still disrespecting. I have purchased so few things for them in their lifetimes, it's amazing to me the amount of carelessness they have for their things. If they destroy the TV, I'm not replacing it. If they break their 3x re-enforced beds, one more time, they will sleep on the floor. Dresser? They can use a box.
I just don’t understand kids destroying things. They wouldn’t have access to them it we didn’t provide it to them...so take it away. If they don’t know how to use an item (like crayons) then they should not be given it until they’re taught. They live in our adult world and I don’t understand parents giving them free reign to everything, causing the family to continually live in disarray and not realize it’s the lack of boundaries causing a chaotic life.
We are a retired military family. My husband enlisted at 18, served 20 years, retired at 38, and went into the civilian work force. I know all too well the stress and anxiety of moves. A wise older military wife gave me the best advice shortly after I married my military husband... She said buy the least expensive items you can live with because, as you said, the movers are not particularly careful with your things. We didn't have heirlooms or China, etc. In our first move the box that contained all my baking pans was lost. We were reimbursed but it's never what replacement costs. I learned from that. I wish I lived close enough to come help you. Maybe a friend or a couple of responsible teens could entertain and watch the children while you and a couple of friends get through things. Would it be possible to put items you need your husband to go through in a room and he could go through one or two boxes each day after the children are in bed? I wish I could think of solutions to help you.
He’s absolutely right!! You’ve had those boxes that you have never opened.., probably don’t need it ... you don’t know what’s in them... you won’t miss it
I do appreciate that you show your house "as is" in your progress to become minimalish. Lots of parents judge themselves against those social media posts that are prettified before the creator posts it & that's so unrealistic
If you are not taking the table from the home school room to the new house, leave it there to use to go through the stuff in the crawl space. Save your back and give you somewhere to sort. Then donate it.
When my husband and I moved from Arizona to Pennsylvania we got rid of so much. We felt we were like newlyweds starting over. And at the end we had wished we left more! Best wishes. You've got this!
It is very freeing and gives you time to do other things. I told my adult kids come get your stuff or it's getting donated. One girl took some, the other just said donate without even looking.
The unhelpful, judgmental comments make me cringe. I love how real you are. It’s hard to find UA-cam and Instagram women that don’t put on an act. Please don’t let the rude comments get you down. I love how bright and hopeful your eyes were in this video! I’m enjoying following your journey.😊
It would be a really fun video idea to go through all your spaces and find the boxes with multiple move stickers on them, gather them in your decluttering space, and open them up to go through them with us. I'd love to hear some of those older memories. I'm curious to see what you'll be excited about, emotional about, surprised about etc. I loved going through all my decade-old boxes and remembering some good times. Most of it I got rid of haha but it was still fun to walk down memory lane.
We have also moved 8 times with the navy. No matter how much I get rid of before the move, it still looks like soooo much once it's packed up. Try not to stress too much. My biggest declutter happened when our family of 4 downsized to a 1200 sq. ft. house...and then we had 2 more kids. My weird moving hack is to have the movers place only the furniture and kitchen boxes in the house. everything else is stacked neatly in the garage with isles so I can attempt to look for what I actually need. Then, as I unpack and organize it becomes much easier to tell what should be decluttered. And since I don't have a ton of boxes in every corner of the house it's easier to relax before it's all done. The closets aren't overfilled with boxes I need to remove and sort. And then once a month or so I will hire a "mothers helper" to keep the kids busy for a few hours while I tackle whatever is leftover in the garage. Good luck with your move. I'm curious if you are heading to the PNW so that maybe I could actually get to meet you.
Oh wow, yeah I’m not moving and I can feel my anxiety raising of putting the boxes on the street without looking at it!! Lol Luckily you have some more time!!
I have moved 23 times. Our last move was to empty nest and to a much smaller home. We had to get rid of heaps. I am a minimalist and to have to halve my already minimalist home was a challenge. But I did it. Housework is a breeze and I am absolutely loving living in a small home.
Aww I’m so glad you finally talked it out with your hubby and got his help! Someone here suggested asking friends or family to keep the kids for a day, a weekend, a week.... if you have any kind of support group , ask for help. I hate asking for help- but I’m learning that sometimes I just have to! I’m praying for you & your family!
So true! My mom fell & broke her pelvis , I was able too see her at the ER but not since (6 weeks ago). Of course I had to quarantine after being at the hospital. It’s a weird time! Some family members have been able to be in contact and help each other out though. I’m hoping that Erica has some options for helpers!
Looks like you have everything pretty much sorted in your head. My suggestion is post everything that is for sale asap! Go rent a big dumpster and trash everything immediately. Take several boxes at a time without lingering sort into sell, move, trash put trash into dumpster. You will pick up momentum as you go.
@@silviathiemann688 Didn't really want to write a full how to book. I am a huge supporter of donating, but I was mainly referring to the broken, worn out, stained, ripped...items, and the things that are covered in insulation from the attic. I was listening to the video and bissy as I wrote the comment before it ended so thought people could read in between the lines. Very sorry for not writing fully my thoughts and intentions of the comment.
"Military removal packers putting grandma's necklace in with a pillow"...this made me laugh! I am British Military wife, we've also moved sooo many times! I once found my grandma's precious ornament wrapped up in my knickers in my underwear drawer(!) I also think that all these moves is what pushed me to become minimalist as i too got sick of dragging all this stuff around with us! Great job Erica 👏 👍
We enjoy putting free things on our curb too! & We've been blessed by collecting from others curbs as well 😉. I'd start putting all the things you know could go for free on the curb now to lighten your load now. Even with the kids help. My kids like watching people pick stuff up from our curb 😊
I almost fell out of my chair with anxiety when I thought you were going to just put your boxes out without checking. I think you're quite right that you need to check them, just to make sure. I'm so pleased you have the extra time, and an extra person will make so much difference with decision making.
Beds could be tossed and mattress on floor for sleeping. My friends did that for their move and actually loved it for their kids. They wanted the junk gone and every week was their garbage challenge. Fill it up!! It was super funny to watch.
Thank you for the inspiration!!!Just found out yesterday our movers are coming June 9!!!! Hubby is not here and is working, so this is all on me!! Attic, garage and my professional organizing and home staging business storage unit. Hiring 2 teenagers to help load up the trailer to donation and what I can sell. Then move the small amount I’m keep to the house for the movers to pack. I totally get your stress and wish I had the extra time to do this but I’m just going to push through and get it done. There is no need to move the crap I have 1000 miles away to eventually get donated or sold.
Moving can be stressful. Erica, think how bad you would feel right now if you had never started decluttering/mimalisting seven months ago. Breathe, and tell yourself you achieved so much and your going forward is so much easier now because of all the hard work already done. I take my hat (if I was wearing one) off to you. Go girl. 7 weeks, you can get through the rest! Blessings.
Longtime minimalist here! Love your channel honestly. We moved overseas (non-military), and we really found it liberating. We moved with 8 suitcases, and stored 30 med book boxes. Basically, as you said, it's about what is essential! And you really figure that out when moving!
Yay! What a burden lifted off of your shoulders with your new plan! This will be such an amazing leap in your minimalist journey. I'm so happy for you! I can't wait to see the videos from your new more minimal-ish home. :-). I've been on a journey of minimizing for the last year or two. My hubby has not wanted to join me for the most part. That's been a tough one. I can just see how managing more stuff takes more time. During this quarantine, he finally got that! He went through our entire 4 + Bay garage that was packed to the gills (mostly his stuff) and cleaned it out over the quarantine. He feels so good about what he got done and how freeing it is that he now wants to come in and clean out his stuff inside the house too! Yay!!
LOVE THE PLAN!!! Not sure if you have neighborhood teenage boys or some from church but it would be well worth the cash to pay a couple of them to move the stuff out of the crawl space so its easier to go through. You could set up a weekly hour for them to come and move some out and take you piles you went through from last week to the street or your car. Glad your hubby is gonna be able to help but even then I would get some strong boys to move stuff and let you focus on what only you can get accomplished!
We're getting ready to sell and I'm making two stacks in the barn. One to keep, one for garage sale, (if we can...) I love seeing the sell pile get bigger than the keep. I just started the minimal journey and am ready to repurge again!!!!
You should have the movers pull everything out of the crawl space and move it into the new empty main space so your not breaking your back or stuck under there. However I do find your crawl space confessionals inspirational😘
Will the movers go into the crawl space? It has been years since my husband retired, but back then the movers would not go into any place not normally accessible like attics and crawl spaces. They would not bring down items stored in the rafters of sheds and garages. We had to bring items down to the floor for them to pack and move.
Sounds like you an hubby make a great team! I'm sure the move will help you shift towards your minimalist goals even if it's a little stressful in the midst. Moving is a great reason for a huge purge of possessions. I went from 3 bed 3 bath house with garage and basement to 2 bed 2 bath apt no storage unit no garage and still decluttering. But it feels better everyday!
Enough with the judgmental comments! You have come so far and are doing so good. The improvements you have made are MONUMENTAL!!! Instead of focusing on what you still have to do -- look around and see what you have already done!!! This move is going to be much easier, so relax and take a deep breath!!! Remember your kids are going to grow up really fast -- enjoy your kids, their toys, and this time in your life. You are an inspiration to many. Ignore the negative comments and know that you are loved, admired, and respected by many who need your encouragement and example!!! Can't wait to see your new home. Blessings!!!
A friend’s late husband was a general so they moved a lot! Her rule was one month. If it was not put away or used it went away. I was amazed because she had a beautifully decorated home and it certainly didn’t look minimalist. But the goal was to have things out and used. So she didn’t have the secret junk!!
I love how genuine you are. You are lovely and transparent and not cookie cutter. I've watched so many UA-camrs and you are by far my favorite and most relatable! Thank you for all you do!
I agree, it is exciting! Erica is in a totally different mind set this time around and they are both on the same page. Hopeful and encouraging! She’s got this!🙌
For my military friend, I suggested she buy stackable crates to put all the homeschool books into so that she could just stack them instead of unpacking them. Then they would be ready for the next move too.
does he have any leave left that maybe he could dedicate to this pushed timeline? I bet if he's able to give 100% of even just a week, you both could easily have it done. He can pull everything out from the crawl space and shed while you rapidly go through every thing Marie kondo style. I would say you will conquer everything within two days and have the next five to do repairs and cleaning for the next tenants. I'm so glad you're letting go of the stress.
Navy Family here too. 8 moves in. It never gets less stressful. Theres just so much to facilitate logistically its stressful! You have so much less now to deal with on the other side of the move. That has to feel amazing!
I totally understand you feeling very overwhelmed. We moved 5 times in 6 years. Two of the moves were to different states. It wasn't easy moving with 3 young children. Now we are going to have to move my mom into assisted living. That is not only stressful for her but for me because we have to get her house ready to sell.
I love watching your videos! My husband is also in the Navy. We are getting ready to move across country in a month. So many moving parts, it is very daunting. You are a great motivator, thank you. You got this💪
I'm so glad he was able to help calm your stress about the move. My husband and I have only moved once and just the thought of moving gives me so much anxiety.
Is there family that can watch the kiddos so you are a bit more hands free in the decluttering? Even a long weekend might give you a boost. What ever happens, good luck and keep the zen moments :-)
Yes, even in lockdown there will be someone willing to help. Not everyone is concerned about a virus or restrictions in place around it. I've hired several people to work in my home in the last two months. There are way more people worried about how they will replace lost income.
It's wonderful when you and you and your husband are on the same page, esp when it's about something that is helpful and needed. Prayer is always helpful too!
Hi there! I admire all the work you've done so far! Your house looks really homey and lovely! You are so strong! I was wondering, when you are buying furniture for your new house, will you try getting things second hand? It could be a money saver and helps other people de-clutter.
I am so glad for you that you and your hubby could put your heads together, get perspective, and make a viable plan. Way to go! I found you about two videos into your decluttering journey and I am rooting for you all the way girl!
I moved back in march for the first time. I lived in my home for 35yrs and I had to go through so much stuff. I took what I wanted and what meant something to me and I'm happy I did. My parents both passed so I had all their stuff. I still miss my home but I'm glad I went through everything. I've been so inspired watching your videos. Got it all done in 2 months
We are moving in 5 weeks!!! YICKS !! We finally found an estate sale company to sell anything we don’t want and “find homes” for all the stuff that doesn’t sell- this almost completely relieved my stress. Good luck on your move!!
Just wondering why the children leave their toys all over the place? No judgment, I was wondering because it must be so demoralising when you clean and sort and then it seems to be undone. Love the thinking about the moving plan, when I needed to move I’ve moved first and left things behind to sort as to what to take and not. It works and alleviates so much stress. 🥰
Figure out the best way to give away your things. The joy of seeing someone else love and appreciate your items will be motivation to give away even more. We just moved and give away so many things. It was so freeing.
After 28 years of active duty Air Force life I feel your pain, our last three moves were accomplished in three years, no sooner did I get unpacked then we were told we were moving, unpacking seemed unnecessary. You are a doing a great job.
Thank you for this video. I’m right there with you! Going through the same process. For the exact same reason. Life has been very stressful but going through and cleaning out has been oddly therapeutic.
As always, I feel inspired by you. I am far along on my decluttering journey, but this time at home has made me realize that my spaces need to evolve with the times......it is not a static experience. I am finding that I get rid of more and more to make empty spaces for those new experiences, interests, and challenges life slings at ya. Making space to live, grow, and be flexible feels awesome. Seeing you uproot and change after all your work is really exciting, as it is the perfect example of having to stay flexible with what we keep. I used your saying with myself this morning as I worked on my studio corner (I am an artist) to make it fit with my new opportunities that are digital, not messy art at this time. Decide what to keep, ask why, let go of the rest has led to a giant to go pile on my table and me being able to jump into the new big project peacefully in my little corner of the living room! I felt your freak out along with you over the last few posts, as I have been feeling one too, and seeing you work through to the solution is beautiful and cathartic as I find my own.
You are doing great Erica and you and your hubby made the best decisions for your move. I wish you and your family always have health,strength and happiness♥ Many kisses and hugs from Athens Greece♥
Great idea with rooms.. Fresh start! But you still have a lot in the other spaces.. So things you know you need/want to keep get the movers to take.. Otherwise you have a lot to move later eg Let the movers take your Christmas deco to.. You will need it.. And when you take out to decorate at Xmas you can declutter what you don't want to use then.. You don't need to deal with that till Xmas... Same for eg Autumn and Halloween deco... Less for you to move after! You've got this :).. Good luck x
You're doing great Erica. Must be overwhelming but at the same time exciting. A chance to move intentionally and keep what you want this time! Can't wait to see the moving journey and your new home.
You have helped me so much. It isn't like watching the young social media people do a trendy decluttter. This is real and so is mine. You are wonderful. Thank you.
We did a similar process when we moved from our last house to our current one. It was great and so much less stressful to just not move the junk or to have to deal with it at the new house.
I think this new move is probably great to spur your family onto even more minimalism- the concept of what would I want to move again has a away of reducing what you pack. I’ve started to think about this too since we hope to move again in the next two years or so and I definitely don’t want to move all this turf I have. I’m on round two of decluttering- some areas that are harder for me needed a second round- like clothing (I’m 8 months pregnant so it’s hard to know what will fit right after and I’m going to work on loosing more weight after this baby is born), kids books and toys, kids clothes (especially my youngest daughter because my mom brought 5 trash bags full of my old clothes and I did a very mild declutter before) and kitchen stuff, and files! Basically a lot of my stuff- so I’m working on it but it’s challenging with homeschool, being pretty hugely pregnant and tired.
Wow gorgeous girl...you generate a huge range of comments! Respect! Good on you putting it out there. You miss your man...you drop everything for him and your beautiful kids...you home school and try and do it all. More power to you... I've moved 16 times. Cull...the kid stuff gets bigger as they age - bikes boats surf skis motor bikes...OMG! Teach "respect"...respect of environment. ..respect of possessions...respect of you, your hubby and all of your hard work...respect of the sanctuary that is your home. You are definitely worth it. You are a wife, mother and Tantrum Response Coordinator. You are everything. You are the hub of the wheel that is your family. Well done. Xxx
Erica, I can feel your relief in this video. I'm so glad you and your husband have figured out a manageable way to finish your decluttering. Keep up the good work and remember that the hardest part of all this will be over soon. Much love!
Hi Erica, I was rewatching your older videos and saw the basement finale where many boxes when to the crawl space because your husband wasn't ready to deal with them. I wonder if you need permission to be the one to downsize some of them, because it seemed like he was hesitant to get started.Perhaps he'd let go of books / items if you took photos of them all. Or if he wrote a list of items he needed to keep, without looking first. Maybe you could send him photos of 10 items per day at work and before he finishes, he makes a decision on those 10 items (bigger items first to decrease the move.) I live in a small bachelor suite with my son, and the only things I'd add to my necessities is a few tools - a hammer, table saw, drill, hacksaw, sander, a wrench set. That's the only things I miss not having outside of the basics. When you start the storage spaces again, there's so little that you need from there and like Marie Kondo says - we keep things out of fear of the future or an attachment to our past. Hugs, I'm looking forward to your next journey. ❤️
Hi Erica! I have watched you declutter from the start and I think you are terrific! So real, so honest, and a great Mom! The moments you are going thru I know many of us have shared. I have seen how hard you are working at this and believe me, I have done this too! (TOO OFTEN) But I only had two kids. Even so many times I worked and he worked, and the packing fell to me. Even after the girls grew up, I spent tons of time, energy, and money, moving my girls households as well. I know that people think they have better ideas, sometimes, but each situation is different. Yes, one thing for sure is your move in will be heaps easier, then the decluttering was! Only keeping what you need and love makes putting it away a whole lot easier. Having small children and all they require definitely makes it tougher. Don't be bothered by the negative comments either. People have to remember that along with decluttering and packing, you still have to feed, dress, and wash those children, do laundry, buy food, etc; etc; oh Yeah! and somehow find time to shower, and crash into bed yourself! Also moving always requires paperwork, and all needs to be done within certain time frames. Ugh! Sooooooooo, I want to say to you that I very much enjoy your personality, your ability to motivate yourself and others, and there is no doubt in my mind that you got this kiddo! I do appreciate your energy, as I am 68 now, just moved to France last July to live with my daughter, and I am taking time off to do NOTHING!! (well aside of dishes, bed making, bathroom cleaning , and weekly vacuuming and laundry) HOWEVER, the tiny house we are in still has boxes of memorabilia, that I just can't seem to part with!! Sigh..... Even grandmothers with moving, decluttering experience still, have to keep at it. Maybe I will get it down to 2 boxes and just give it to my daughter! Cheers Erica!!! Can't wait to see your new place! Much respect and love, Sue
I just moved 700 miles to a new house that is much bigger than my old apartment. It is stressed (I even got into a small car accident on the move day), but we spent the last 10 months doing a major declutter. The night before we finished packing and by that I time was like throw the rest out- I didn't need any of it. We even gave stuff away to friends who helped us pack our moving truck. It feels so good to just let it go. And my new house doesn't look cluttered and it feels wonderful.
I just wanted to thank you because your channel is helping me so much. I just started following you after watching the video that you and The Minimal Mom did together. I started my decluttering journey about a year ago but the realization of the financial guilt really slowed me down, basically to a dead stop for months. My husband is Navy as well and we PCS in about a year from now. This video I can absolutely relate to because I 100% do not want to move again with so much stuff. We’ve been over our limit the past 2 moves now across country and I know how you are feeling here. Thank you so much. Thank you for being so real, for being so truthful, and for sharing every single moment, raw feeling and ah-ha moment you are going through. It’s helping me get past my guilt and helping me to move forward and realize stuff is just stuff and time is more valuable than loss money. Thank you for your husband’s and your service, and God bless you and your family. I look forward to continuing to watch your journey.
It's so calming to have a plan, right!!! Erica, have you thought about what it would have been like to have done the move again if you hadn't decluttered??? So proud of all the progress you have made!!!
I’m happy you managed to extend the time needed. Your husband is correct about getting rid of boxes without looking inside. When we moved there were some boxes in the garage that I sealed and wrote the date on it. If we hadn’t opened it in a year - we would just get rid of it. (I actually got rid of some boxes in 6 months as I couldn’t be bothered with boxes just standing around). To this day - I remember what we had in our old house but wondered where it’s gone. Either we broke it, or it was donated - we don’t miss it.
Good for you Erica! What an opportunity to "Move" into something new! This is a blessing you've been working for!! A new chapter, a new house, and new "cleaner" space is coming!! I'm excited for you!
Erica, I'm in PA and about to go through a PCS move also! We're a month or so away from our move date. I related to everything you mentioned. Especially about hubby not being able to help. A suggestion given to me from a more seasoned military wife and homeschool mom was to let homeschool go during this time. We decided to just do math for my older three sons (ages 10-15) and do reading and math for my 6 year old daughter. And we don't do it every day! Praying for strength and peace for you during this time.
Oh Erica! I think you are in for a real treat. Some more time with your husband and a new start free from all the stuff that has been stressing you out! I moved last year and it was hard work, yes... But the reward is SO SWEET. Big hugs from Montreal ❤️ Sarah
Thank you so much for you being the wife of a military man. Thank you to him also for his service to our country. U have accomplished so much in your journey paring down so much excess! Then boom you got to move and still have more to tackle! Kudos to you!!! You have been so strong and so committed! Love how the kids have worked over the backyard toys. That’s kids for you and you have them all day everyday! Thank goodness you pray and I’m praying for u too. Love how real you are xxoo TFS♥️
Such a great plan. I can just see the relieve on your face :) and just a small reminder: I've been with you through this whole decluttering journey and I think about aaaaall the stuff you donated/trashed/sold/recycled. All that you already got rid of, you don't have to move to your new place. What a great accomplishment Erica. You already made major progress, don't forget that ❤️
Erica, I just re-watched this for motivation. You have come soooo far!!! I am a loyal viewer and enjoy your videos so much that I also rewatch them!!!!☺️
It's such a good plan...it will be exciting to have a new start....my husband was in the air force and I know how they pack....everything together in the box...and the contractors got paid by the box so it was never stuffed full....we had 200 boxes.....this was long before I got into minimalist life. 😊
I guess I am confused. If you have 7 weeks to get ready to move and you don't have to pack, why can't you declutter the crawl space and attic? I have moved numerous times and have always packed and moved ourselves- 7 weeks is a lot of time to get a lot done. Also, it is the end of the school year, take a break from homeschooling (we homeschool too) so you can get this stuff done. Even with littles you can do this. Don't wasted time coming back and cleaning out the house. Do it now so you can have the movers take what you want to keep. Pull out 5 boxes a day (out of the crawl space) and go through them. Get the basement clean and pull them out there. Light will help you stay motivated. Don't declutter in the the crawl space in the dark.
You're doing awesome, Erica! I've moved over a dozen times and the BEST time was when I had a little overlap between getting into the new house and leaving the old one. It's great that your husband will be able to help, too. Hopefully once you're thru all those mystery boxes and say goodbye once and for all, you'll feel lighter and more joyful in your new home. One suggestion (if it's feasible): Have you thought about hiring a professional organizer/consultant to help you? I've been toying around with the idea for my most overwhelming space, the garage. It just seems too big a monster to tackle by myself (even though I'm generally a very organized person). And I'm thinking that seeking the guidance of a professional might be a bit like therapy. Like, helping to stay on track and sort through what actually matters rather than getting bogged down in the minutia.
Hi Erica, seven weeks! Been there done that, chaos and mayhem, but you can do this, dig out boxes open them and decide keep or going, be ruthlessly, when we did our long distance move I let them pack, did wind up with the shade on my victorian lamp broken, and they refused to move all my plants, just because it was 3 wardrobe boxes and 2 normal boxes plus the planters from the garden, but only about 5 or 6 big ones.
![DECLUTTER Before the Move [Part 2]](http://i.ytimg.com/vi/qUNOcmBuqtw/mqdefault.jpg)
![DECLUTTER Before the Move [Part 2]](/img/tr.png)
![EXTREME DECLUTTER || Minimalist Journey Continues in the Attic [Part 2]](/img/n.gif)
What I would suggest is, get sticky notes, 3 colors for keep, donate, don't know what to do... take everything out from attic, storage, crawl space and designate a spot in the house to keep all the boxes and stuff. Mark everything in your house with proper color before you take stuff out and then just go through 5-8 boxes each day. Trust me 6 weeks will be enough... :) and then pack / throw away/ donate everything in last week and then still if anything remains then it will be in one corner of your house...
I don't know if you've thought of this or not, but you could take a break from homeschooling until after the move. I had to do this last year while we were fixing up our house to move in to. I felt guilty but realized my stress level couldn't handle everything, something had to give. Sometimes we just need to be given permission. So I give you permission, Erica. Lol!
Don't home school kids get summer break too?
I think this is a great idea, to be able to put your energy towards the move something else has to be taken away from your schedule or paused.
During our last move, we had an extended break. This really is something to consider. Being able to "move well" is a life skill they will benefit from no matter what. Best of luck to you!
There are definitely teaching opportunities in the middle of a move that you can't get from books.
I think you're doing great ! Keep on keeping on !,
In a way you've done a "packing party" without realizing it (reference to The Minimalists). The boxes in the crawl space aren't really needed if they've been shuffled around each move. Head clutter is what keeps them, not their contents.
Dear Erica ... This is only my second post on YT and both were to you! In the past 3 years I've gone through divorce, foreclosure, bankruptcy and although have downsized considerably, there's still so much left of a past life to let go of. With 3 children in their 20's and still 5 pets (used to foster) life is still full and busy. I don't believe in renting storage units (paying to house my old stuff?!) but found I had no choice. I've decreased them in size from a 10x10 to 10x5, to 5x5. What's left are childhood memories and what doesn't fit in the current townhouse of utility/decor items.
I'm on the way to the storage unit now and look forward to watching your videos for motivation and encouragement to keep letting go. Those crawl spaces, sheds and attics mirror the corners of our minds we also need to clear of old emotions, attitudes and behavior.
Thank you, in fact, a million thank you's!
In love and light, Rachele~
"Those crawl spaces, sheds and attics mirror the corners of our minds we also need to clear of old emotions, attitudes and behavior."
Thank so much for this piece of advice!!
Wow 🤩 thank you for naming what I need to clear out. It is not an item it is an emotion💖
Another few ideas
-Move the homeschool upstairs to the dining table, so you can use the basement for sorting NOW.
-Limit the toys to 5 per kid and make sure they clean up after each one. Each week they keep their toys clean they can have 1 more back.
I would put Christmas into the move category too. You know you want it and would have to move it later.
I would lose my mind if my children left a room in such a state after having spent all that time decluttering and organizing == rule 1 clean up before moving on to the next - toy- project -activity or room-- 20 years in special education early childhood education with infant to school age = children are capable of putting things away if everything has a home - get them involved - you may be met with resistance and a few tantrums but they will learn and have respect for belongings
@Jen Meyers I had 5 children, we worked together and played together. My house was healthy, but not tidy. There were projects, toys, laundry garden, and cooking always to do. The time I spent playing and being with my children was far more important then a spotless house. Did we play all day-- no! But if we were doing chores they were at our sides. We all know it is a lot slower with kids for anything and everything. But it is also important and they learn our values, who we are, and how to run a house and make a family💗. We are all doing the best we can, with what life throws us. I have found over the years that I do not know what I would do if I walked a day in another persons shoes, because there is so much going on behind-the-scenes that we don't know. Besides I find I am busy enough just trying to be the best me, that I really do not have time to tell someone how to do there life.
I think Erika has so much on her plate right now. It is so hard to keep eyes on your kids 24/7 and doing everything else. No judgment! I do think that she would likely have more control of the mess if the kids were given less to work with. Maybe 20 crayons and markers, rather than 50 at their disposal. Maybe 1 container of Legos rather than all the containers out. The writing and drawing all over the house is really not ok, in my opinion? But, that is just a rule in our house, not everyone's. I do make my kids clean off walls and table tops whenever they forget the rules, and I limit the number of items out . It's funny, my kids learned so much about tidying up and cleaning up after themselves from going to pre-school. It was just expected there, and that translated right into our home. I found myself organizing our toys and art supplies similarly to how they did it at school, and it just became much easier to fall into the same routines of cleaning up at home.
Wonderful! I agree!
My kids are so much worse than hers at coloring on my house. I have tried everything short of taking the crafts away for extremely long periods of time (which won't necessarily stop them. My 5 year old is proficient at every lock I've ever installed.) I've made them scrub it off for up to an hour every time... They've had a variety of time outs... They just won't learn to "only color/cut on paper or boxes."
They've colored on all the walls in 2 bedrooms and the living room, over 30 times. They've colored on the TV, the kitchen counter, they've cut up clothes, costumes, sheets, decorations. They've spilled powdered sugar on the carpet, dumped milk in the heater vent, water on the TV's surround sound... I'm think God's just trying to teach me patience and to care less about material things. It's so freaking hard.
My kids have just become part of my minimalist journey - anything they destroy, I refuse to replace or fix until the week we move. I'm not going to spend my time, money or energy fixing things they're still disrespecting.
I have purchased so few things for them in their lifetimes, it's amazing to me the amount of carelessness they have for their things.
If they destroy the TV, I'm not replacing it. If they break their 3x re-enforced beds, one more time, they will sleep on the floor. Dresser? They can use a box.
I just don’t understand kids destroying things. They wouldn’t have access to them it we didn’t provide it to them...so take it away. If they don’t know how to use an item (like crayons) then they should not be given it until they’re taught. They live in our adult world and I don’t understand parents giving them free reign to everything, causing the family to continually live in disarray and not realize it’s the lack of boundaries causing a chaotic life.
You got this girl. When you get there just say NO to the storage. Use it or lose it was my motto, I ain't never going through that again.
We are a retired military family. My husband enlisted at 18, served 20 years, retired at 38, and went into the civilian work force.
I know all too well the stress and anxiety of moves. A wise older military wife gave me the best advice shortly after I married my military husband... She said buy the least expensive items you can live with because, as you said, the movers are not particularly careful with your things. We didn't have heirlooms or China, etc. In our first move the box that contained all my baking pans was lost. We were reimbursed but it's never what replacement costs. I learned from that.
I wish I lived close enough to come help you. Maybe a friend or a couple of responsible teens could entertain and watch the children while you and a couple of friends get through things. Would it be possible to put items you need your husband to go through in a room and he could go through one or two boxes each day after the children are in bed?
I wish I could think of solutions to help you.
He’s absolutely right!! You’ve had those boxes that you have never opened.., probably don’t need it ... you don’t know what’s in them... you won’t miss it
I do appreciate that you show your house "as is" in your progress to become minimalish. Lots of parents judge themselves against those social media posts that are prettified before the creator posts it & that's so unrealistic
If you are not taking the table from the home school room to the new house, leave it there to use to go through the stuff in the crawl space. Save your back and give you somewhere to sort. Then donate it.
When my husband and I moved from Arizona to Pennsylvania we got rid of so much. We felt we were like newlyweds starting over. And at the end we had wished we left more! Best wishes. You've got this!
It is very freeing and gives you time to do other things. I told my adult kids come get your stuff or it's getting donated. One girl took some, the other just said donate without even looking.
And it makes you wonder why you kept it for 20 years!
The unhelpful, judgmental comments make me cringe. I love how real you are. It’s hard to find UA-cam and Instagram women that don’t put on an act. Please don’t let the rude comments get you down. I love how bright and hopeful your eyes were in this video! I’m enjoying following your journey.😊
It would be a really fun video idea to go through all your spaces and find the boxes with multiple move stickers on them, gather them in your decluttering space, and open them up to go through them with us. I'd love to hear some of those older memories. I'm curious to see what you'll be excited about, emotional about, surprised about etc. I loved going through all my decade-old boxes and remembering some good times. Most of it I got rid of haha but it was still fun to walk down memory lane.
We have also moved 8 times with the navy. No matter how much I get rid of before the move, it still looks like soooo much once it's packed up. Try not to stress too much. My biggest declutter happened when our family of 4 downsized to a 1200 sq. ft. house...and then we had 2 more kids. My weird moving hack is to have the movers place only the furniture and kitchen boxes in the house. everything else is stacked neatly in the garage with isles so I can attempt to look for what I actually need. Then, as I unpack and organize it becomes much easier to tell what should be decluttered. And since I don't have a ton of boxes in every corner of the house it's easier to relax before it's all done. The closets aren't overfilled with boxes I need to remove and sort. And then once a month or so I will hire a "mothers helper" to keep the kids busy for a few hours while I tackle whatever is leftover in the garage. Good luck with your move. I'm curious if you are heading to the PNW so that maybe I could actually get to meet you.
that's a really smart idea.
Oh yayyy! I’m a hoarder who is trying to take a journey into minimalism!! I’ve let go of thousands of things so far, so looking for inspiration!
Oh wow, yeah I’m not moving and I can feel my anxiety raising of putting the boxes on the street without looking at it!! Lol Luckily you have some more time!!
I have moved 23 times. Our last move was to empty nest and to a much smaller home. We had to get rid of heaps. I am a minimalist and to have to halve my already minimalist home was a challenge. But I did it. Housework is a breeze and I am absolutely loving living in a small home.
Glad you talked with your husband about this. Hope it helps you.
Aww I’m so glad you finally talked it out with your hubby and got his help! Someone here suggested asking friends or family to keep the kids for a day, a weekend, a week.... if you have any kind of support group , ask for help. I hate asking for help- but I’m learning that sometimes I just have to! I’m praying for you & your family!
The Covid 19 lock downs has made it hard. I am having surgery and I have people who could help me, but I can't be around them.
So true! My mom fell & broke her pelvis , I was able too see her at the ER but not since (6 weeks ago). Of course I had to quarantine after being at the hospital. It’s a weird time!
Some family members have been able to be in contact and help each other out though. I’m hoping that Erica has some options for helpers!
Looks like you have everything pretty much sorted in your head. My suggestion is post everything that is for sale asap! Go rent a big dumpster and trash everything immediately. Take several boxes at a time without lingering sort into sell, move, trash put trash into dumpster. You will pick up momentum as you go.
Trashing is always the easiest solution, but I really appreciate how Erica is trying to donate what is still good. It's so wasteful otherwise.
@@silviathiemann688 Didn't really want to write a full how to book. I am a huge supporter of donating, but I was mainly referring to the broken, worn out, stained, ripped...items, and the things that are covered in insulation from the attic. I was listening to the video and bissy as I wrote the comment before it ended so thought people could read in between the lines. Very sorry for not writing fully my thoughts and intentions of the comment.
"Military removal packers putting grandma's necklace in with a pillow"...this made me laugh! I am British Military wife, we've also moved sooo many times! I once found my grandma's precious ornament wrapped up in my knickers in my underwear drawer(!) I also think that all these moves is what pushed me to become minimalist as i too got sick of dragging all this stuff around with us! Great job Erica 👏 👍
We enjoy putting free things on our curb too! & We've been blessed by collecting from others curbs as well 😉.
I'd start putting all the things you know could go for free on the curb now to lighten your load now. Even with the kids help. My kids like watching people pick stuff up from our curb 😊
Great idea! Starting now with putting things out for others to take will be that much of the way early----literally and figuratively!
Would love to see a mystery three time move box. That sounds super cool to open up and discover what could be inside.
OMG Erica! Please do this! I think this could be a hysterical moment or super sentimental...
I almost fell out of my chair with anxiety when I thought you were going to just put your boxes out without checking. I think you're quite right that you need to check them, just to make sure. I'm so pleased you have the extra time, and an extra person will make so much difference with decision making.
Beds could be tossed and mattress on floor for sleeping. My friends did that for their move and actually loved it for their kids. They wanted the junk gone and every week was their garbage challenge. Fill it up!! It was super funny to watch.
Glad hubby was able to give you some ideas which brought your anxiety level down!
Thank you for the inspiration!!!Just found out yesterday our movers are coming June 9!!!! Hubby is not here and is working, so this is all on me!! Attic, garage and my professional organizing and home staging business storage unit. Hiring 2 teenagers to help load up the trailer to donation and what I can sell. Then move the small amount I’m keep to the house for the movers to pack. I totally get your stress and wish I had the extra time to do this but I’m just going to push through and get it done. There is no need to move the crap I have 1000 miles away to eventually get donated or sold.
April!! I will be thinking of you!! I’m inspired by your strength!!!! Keep me updated on your move!
Moving can be stressful. Erica, think how bad you would feel right now if you had never started decluttering/mimalisting seven months ago. Breathe, and tell yourself you achieved so much and your going forward is so much easier now because of all the hard work already done. I take my hat (if I was wearing one) off to you. Go girl. 7 weeks, you can get through the rest! Blessings.
Longtime minimalist here! Love your channel honestly. We moved overseas (non-military), and we really found it liberating. We moved with 8 suitcases, and stored 30 med book boxes. Basically, as you said, it's about what is essential! And you really figure that out when moving!
Yay! What a burden lifted off of your shoulders with your new plan! This will be such an amazing leap in your minimalist journey. I'm so happy for you! I can't wait to see the videos from your new more minimal-ish home. :-). I've been on a journey of minimizing for the last year or two. My hubby has not wanted to join me for the most part. That's been a tough one. I can just see how managing more stuff takes more time. During this quarantine, he finally got that! He went through our entire 4 + Bay garage that was packed to the gills (mostly his stuff) and cleaned it out over the quarantine. He feels so good about what he got done and how freeing it is that he now wants to come in and clean out his stuff inside the house too! Yay!!
LOVE THE PLAN!!! Not sure if you have neighborhood teenage boys or some from church but it would be well worth the cash to pay a couple of them to move the stuff out of the crawl space so its easier to go through. You could set up a weekly hour for them to come and move some out and take you piles you went through from last week to the street or your car. Glad your hubby is gonna be able to help but even then I would get some strong boys to move stuff and let you focus on what only you can get accomplished!
I love that your husband is on board and excited to see how much you both can let go.
We're getting ready to sell and I'm making two stacks in the barn. One to keep, one for garage sale, (if we can...) I love seeing the sell pile get bigger than the keep. I just started the minimal journey and am ready to repurge again!!!!
You should have the movers pull everything out of the crawl space and move it into the new empty main space so your not breaking your back or stuck under there. However I do find your crawl space confessionals inspirational😘
Crawlspace confessionals 🤣🤣
@@madzabinga8382 exactly!! 🥰
Crawlspace Confessionals should be the title of Erica's next book💓
Will the movers go into the crawl space? It has been years since my husband retired, but back then the movers would not go into any place not normally accessible like attics and crawl spaces. They would not bring down items stored in the rafters of sheds and garages. We had to bring items down to the floor for them to pack and move.
Sounds like you an hubby make a great team! I'm sure the move will help you shift towards your minimalist goals even if it's a little stressful in the midst. Moving is a great reason for a huge purge of possessions. I went from 3 bed 3 bath house with garage and basement to 2 bed 2 bath apt no storage unit no garage and still decluttering. But it feels better everyday!
Enough with the judgmental comments! You have come so far and are doing so good. The improvements you have made are MONUMENTAL!!! Instead of focusing on what you still have to do -- look around and see what you have already done!!! This move is going to be much easier, so relax and take a deep breath!!! Remember your kids are going to grow up really fast -- enjoy your kids, their toys, and this time in your life. You are an inspiration to many. Ignore the negative comments and know that you are loved, admired, and respected by many who need your encouragement and example!!! Can't wait to see your new home. Blessings!!!
A friend’s late husband was a general so they moved a lot! Her rule was one month. If it was not put away or used it went away. I was amazed because she had a beautifully decorated home and it certainly didn’t look minimalist. But the goal was to have things out and used. So she didn’t have the secret junk!!
I love how genuine you are. You are lovely and transparent and not cookie cutter. I've watched so many UA-camrs and you are by far my favorite and most relatable! Thank you for all you do!
I am happy for you Erica, that you and your husband are going to able to finish your journey!
I’ve watched you from the beginning, and I’m so happy for you! This is exciting!!
I agree, it is exciting! Erica is in a totally different mind set this time around and they are both on the same page. Hopeful and encouraging!
She’s got this!🙌
For my military friend, I suggested she buy stackable crates to put all the homeschool books into so that she could just stack them instead of unpacking them. Then they would be ready for the next move too.
So often, just knowing we have options makes all the difference and then we can actually move forward!
I'm so happy that your husband is going to collaborate with moving and is involved in your journey :)
does he have any leave left that maybe he could dedicate to this pushed timeline? I bet if he's able to give 100% of even just a week, you both could easily have it done. He can pull everything out from the crawl space and shed while you rapidly go through every thing Marie kondo style. I would say you will conquer everything within two days and have the next five to do repairs and cleaning for the next tenants. I'm so glad you're letting go of the stress.
You look happy and hopeful and that color looks great on you! Praying for a smooth move for y’all!
Navy Family here too. 8 moves in. It never gets less stressful. Theres just so much to facilitate logistically its stressful! You have so much less now to deal with on the other side of the move. That has to feel amazing!
It is such a blessing to be able to discuss a problem with your husband and make a workable plan together. I'm happy for both of you having that.
Moving is always hard. I really hope the stress of this move decreases and the excitement grows & grows!
I totally understand you feeling very overwhelmed. We moved 5 times in 6 years. Two of the moves were to different states. It wasn't easy moving with 3 young children. Now we are going to have to move my mom into assisted living. That is not only stressful for her but for me because we have to get her house ready to sell.
I love watching your videos! My husband is also in the Navy. We are getting ready to move across country in a month. So many moving parts, it is very daunting. You are a great motivator, thank you. You got this💪
Thank you to your family for your service to our country. So grateful!
❤️
I'm so glad he was able to help calm your stress about the move. My husband and I have only moved once and just the thought of moving gives me so much anxiety.
Is there family that can watch the kiddos so you are a bit more hands free in the decluttering? Even a long weekend might give you a boost. What ever happens, good luck and keep the zen moments :-)
I was trying to figure that out too!
If not hire a nanny for a few days.
Ocanada Standinguard in lockdown?
Yes, even in lockdown there will be someone willing to help. Not everyone is concerned about a virus or restrictions in place around it.
I've hired several people to work in my home in the last two months. There are way more people worried about how they will replace lost income.
Very irresponsible that’s how the virus is spreading you silly woman!!!!! I live in U.K. we are in lockdown no wonder you deaths are 100,000!!!! 🤚🏻
Don't stress yourself out you have everything you need, 3 kids, a hubby and adorable dog. Everything else is just stuff.
It's wonderful when you and you and your husband are on the same page, esp when it's about something that is helpful and needed. Prayer is always helpful too!
prayer is always helpful! Especially when I recognize those "unanswered" prayers were actually answered exactly as they needed to be :)
Hi there! I admire all the work you've done so far! Your house looks really homey and lovely! You are so strong!
I was wondering, when you are buying furniture for your new house, will you try getting things second hand? It could be a money saver and helps other people de-clutter.
I am so glad for you that you and your hubby could put your heads together, get perspective, and make a viable plan. Way to go! I found you about two videos into your decluttering journey and I am rooting for you all the way girl!
❤️❤️❤️❤️
I moved back in march for the first time. I lived in my home for 35yrs and I had to go through so much stuff. I took what I wanted and what meant something to me and I'm happy I did. My parents both passed so I had all their stuff. I still miss my home but I'm glad I went through everything. I've been so inspired watching your videos. Got it all done in 2 months
We are moving in 5 weeks!!! YICKS !! We finally found an estate sale company to sell anything we don’t want and “find homes” for all the stuff that doesn’t sell- this almost completely relieved my stress.
Good luck on your move!!
Just wondering why the children leave their toys all over the place? No judgment, I was wondering because it must be so demoralising when you clean and sort and then it seems to be undone. Love the thinking about the moving plan, when I needed to move I’ve moved first and left things behind to sort as to what to take and not. It works and alleviates so much stress. 🥰
Figure out the best way to give away your things. The joy of seeing someone else love and appreciate your items will be motivation to give away even more. We just moved and give away so many things. It was so freeing.
Thank goodness you had already decluttering so much in your home. You’ve got a plan now calmly and assertively finish it.
Sounds like a plan, you look lighter and relieved 👍👍 husbands can be sensible at times 👍❤️💖🇬🇧
I’m really glad your husband has been able to support you x
You won’t miss anything! We moved last year and got rid of so much stuff that it was a great relief. Only take what you need.
After 28 years of active duty Air Force life I feel your pain, our last three moves were accomplished in three years, no sooner did I get unpacked then we were told we were moving, unpacking seemed unnecessary. You are a doing a great job.
Thank you for this video. I’m right there with you! Going through the same process. For the exact same reason. Life has been very stressful but going through and cleaning out has been oddly therapeutic.
How far away are you moving? How long do you have to get out of the current home? I’m so fascinated by his idea and want to hear more about it!!!
me too I wish she would give more details to give us some context.
As always, I feel inspired by you. I am far along on my decluttering journey, but this time at home has made me realize that my spaces need to evolve with the times......it is not a static experience. I am finding that I get rid of more and more to make empty spaces for those new experiences, interests, and challenges life slings at ya. Making space to live, grow, and be flexible feels awesome. Seeing you uproot and change after all your work is really exciting, as it is the perfect example of having to stay flexible with what we keep. I used your saying with myself this morning as I worked on my studio corner (I am an artist) to make it fit with my new opportunities that are digital, not messy art at this time. Decide what to keep, ask why, let go of the rest has led to a giant to go pile on my table and me being able to jump into the new big project peacefully in my little corner of the living room! I felt your freak out along with you over the last few posts, as I have been feeling one too, and seeing you work through to the solution is beautiful and cathartic as I find my own.
You are doing great Erica and you and your hubby made the best decisions for your move. I wish you and your family always have health,strength and happiness♥ Many kisses and hugs from Athens Greece♥
Great idea with rooms.. Fresh start! But you still have a lot in the other spaces.. So things you know you need/want to keep get the movers to take.. Otherwise you have a lot to move later eg Let the movers take your Christmas deco to.. You will need it.. And when you take out to decorate at Xmas you can declutter what you don't want to use then.. You don't need to deal with that till Xmas... Same for eg Autumn and Halloween deco... Less for you to move after! You've got this :).. Good luck x
You're doing great Erica. Must be overwhelming but at the same time exciting. A chance to move intentionally and keep what you want this time! Can't wait to see the moving journey and your new home.
You have helped me so much. It isn't like watching the young social media people do a trendy decluttter. This is real and so is mine. You are wonderful. Thank you.
We did a similar process when we moved from our last house to our current one. It was great and so much less stressful to just not move the junk or to have to deal with it at the new house.
I think this new move is probably great to spur your family onto even more minimalism- the concept of what would I want to move again has a away of reducing what you pack. I’ve started to think about this too since we hope to move again in the next two years or so and I definitely don’t want to move all this turf I have. I’m on round two of decluttering- some areas that are harder for me needed a second round- like clothing (I’m 8 months pregnant so it’s hard to know what will fit right after and I’m going to work on loosing more weight after this baby is born), kids books and toys, kids clothes (especially my youngest daughter because my mom brought 5 trash bags full of my old clothes and I did a very mild declutter before) and kitchen stuff, and files! Basically a lot of my stuff- so I’m working on it but it’s challenging with homeschool, being pretty hugely pregnant and tired.
Wow gorgeous girl...you generate a huge range of comments! Respect! Good on you putting it out there. You miss your man...you drop everything for him and your beautiful kids...you home school and try and do it all. More power to you...
I've moved 16 times. Cull...the kid stuff gets bigger as they age - bikes boats surf skis motor bikes...OMG!
Teach "respect"...respect of environment. ..respect of possessions...respect of you, your hubby and all of your hard work...respect of the sanctuary that is your home. You are definitely worth it. You are a wife, mother and Tantrum Response Coordinator. You are everything. You are the hub of the wheel that is your family. Well done. Xxx
Erica, I can feel your relief in this video. I'm so glad you and your husband have figured out a manageable way to finish your decluttering. Keep up the good work and remember that the hardest part of all this will be over soon. Much love!
Hi Erica, I was rewatching your older videos and saw the basement finale where many boxes when to the crawl space because your husband wasn't ready to deal with them. I wonder if you need permission to be the one to downsize some of them, because it seemed like he was hesitant to get started.Perhaps he'd let go of books / items if you took photos of them all. Or if he wrote a list of items he needed to keep, without looking first. Maybe you could send him photos of 10 items per day at work and before he finishes, he makes a decision on those 10 items (bigger items first to decrease the move.)
I live in a small bachelor suite with my son, and the only things I'd add to my necessities is a few tools - a hammer, table saw, drill, hacksaw, sander, a wrench set. That's the only things I miss not having outside of the basics. When you start the storage spaces again, there's so little that you need from there and like Marie Kondo says - we keep things out of fear of the future or an attachment to our past. Hugs, I'm looking forward to your next journey. ❤️
So glad you have a plan, and hubby will be able to help!
Hi Erica! I have watched you declutter from the start and I think you are terrific! So real, so honest, and a great Mom! The moments you are going thru I know many of us have shared. I have seen how hard you are working at this and believe me, I have done this too! (TOO OFTEN) But I only had two kids. Even so many times I worked and he worked, and the packing fell to me. Even after the girls grew up, I spent tons of time, energy, and money, moving my girls households as well. I know that people think they have better ideas, sometimes, but each situation is different. Yes, one thing for sure is your move in will be heaps easier, then the decluttering was!
Only keeping what you need and love makes putting it away a whole lot easier. Having small children and all they require definitely makes it tougher. Don't be bothered by the negative comments either. People have to remember that along with decluttering and packing, you still have to feed, dress, and wash those children, do laundry, buy food, etc; etc; oh Yeah! and somehow find time to shower, and crash into bed yourself! Also moving always requires paperwork, and all needs to be done within certain time frames. Ugh! Sooooooooo, I want to say to you that I very much enjoy your personality, your ability to motivate yourself and others, and there is no doubt in my mind that you got this kiddo! I do appreciate your energy, as I am 68 now, just moved to France last July to live with my daughter, and I am taking time off to do NOTHING!! (well aside of dishes, bed making, bathroom cleaning , and weekly vacuuming and laundry)
HOWEVER, the tiny house we are in still has boxes of memorabilia, that I just can't seem to part with!! Sigh..... Even grandmothers with moving, decluttering experience still, have to keep at it. Maybe I will get it down to 2 boxes and just give it to my daughter! Cheers Erica!!! Can't wait to see your new place! Much respect and love, Sue
I just moved 700 miles to a new house that is much bigger than my old apartment. It is stressed (I even got into a small car accident on the move day), but we spent the last 10 months doing a major declutter. The night before we finished packing and by that I time was like throw the rest out- I didn't need any of it. We even gave stuff away to friends who helped us pack our moving truck.
It feels so good to just let it go. And my new house doesn't look cluttered and it feels wonderful.
I just wanted to thank you because your channel is helping me so much. I just started following you after watching the video that you and The Minimal Mom did together. I started my decluttering journey about a year ago but the realization of the financial guilt really slowed me down, basically to a dead stop for months. My husband is Navy as well and we PCS in about a year from now. This video I can absolutely relate to because I 100% do not want to move again with so much stuff. We’ve been over our limit the past 2 moves now across country and I know how you are feeling here. Thank you so much. Thank you for being so real, for being so truthful, and for sharing every single moment, raw feeling and ah-ha moment you are going through. It’s helping me get past my guilt and helping me to move forward and realize stuff is just stuff and time is more valuable than loss money. Thank you for your husband’s and your service, and God bless you and your family. I look forward to continuing to watch your journey.
It's so calming to have a plan, right!!! Erica, have you thought about what it would have been like to have done the move again if you hadn't decluttered??? So proud of all the progress you have made!!!
I’m happy you managed to extend the time needed. Your husband is correct about getting rid of boxes without looking inside. When we moved there were some boxes in the garage that I sealed and wrote the date on it. If we hadn’t opened it in a year - we would just get rid of it. (I actually got rid of some boxes in 6 months as I couldn’t be bothered with boxes just standing around). To this day - I remember what we had in our old house but wondered where it’s gone. Either we broke it, or it was donated - we don’t miss it.
Good for you Erica! What an opportunity to "Move" into something new! This is a blessing you've been working for!! A new chapter, a new house, and new "cleaner" space is coming!! I'm excited for you!
Erica, I'm in PA and about to go through a PCS move also! We're a month or so away from our move date. I related to everything you mentioned. Especially about hubby not being able to help. A suggestion given to me from a more seasoned military wife and homeschool mom was to let homeschool go during this time. We decided to just do math for my older three sons (ages 10-15) and do reading and math for my 6 year old daughter. And we don't do it every day! Praying for strength and peace for you during this time.
Yay for helpful/supportive husbands! You're doing a great job!
What a great way to get some more grace and time. You sound so relieved and both you and your husband on the same page is great.
Oh Erica! I think you are in for a real treat. Some more time with your husband and a new start free from all the stuff that has been stressing you out! I moved last year and it was hard work, yes... But the reward is SO SWEET.
Big hugs from Montreal ❤️
Sarah
Thank you so much for you being the wife of a military man. Thank you to him also for his service to our country. U have accomplished so much in your journey paring down so much excess! Then boom you got to move and still have more to tackle! Kudos to you!!! You have been so strong and so committed! Love how the kids have worked over the backyard toys. That’s kids for you and you have them all day everyday! Thank goodness you pray and I’m praying for u too. Love how real you are xxoo TFS♥️
Such a great plan. I can just see the relieve on your face :) and just a small reminder: I've been with you through this whole decluttering journey and I think about aaaaall the stuff you donated/trashed/sold/recycled. All that you already got rid of, you don't have to move to your new place. What a great accomplishment Erica. You already made major progress, don't forget that ❤️
Erica, I just re-watched this for motivation. You have come soooo far!!! I am a loyal viewer and enjoy your videos so much that I also rewatch them!!!!☺️
Thank you for coming along with me!!!!
It's such a good plan...it will be exciting to have a new start....my husband was in the air force and I know how they pack....everything together in the box...and the contractors got paid by the box so it was never stuffed full....we had 200 boxes.....this was long before I got into minimalist life. 😊
I guess I am confused. If you have 7 weeks to get ready to move and you don't have to pack, why can't you declutter the crawl space and attic? I have moved numerous times and have always packed and moved ourselves- 7 weeks is a lot of time to get a lot done. Also, it is the end of the school year, take a break from homeschooling (we homeschool too) so you can get this stuff done. Even with littles you can do this. Don't wasted time coming back and cleaning out the house. Do it now so you can have the movers take what you want to keep. Pull out 5 boxes a day (out of the crawl space) and go through them. Get the basement clean and pull them out there. Light will help you stay motivated. Don't declutter in the the crawl space in the dark.
I think that all is a wonderful idea!
You're doing awesome, Erica! I've moved over a dozen times and the BEST time was when I had a little overlap between getting into the new house and leaving the old one. It's great that your husband will be able to help, too. Hopefully once you're thru all those mystery boxes and say goodbye once and for all, you'll feel lighter and more joyful in your new home. One suggestion (if it's feasible): Have you thought about hiring a professional organizer/consultant to help you? I've been toying around with the idea for my most overwhelming space, the garage. It just seems too big a monster to tackle by myself (even though I'm generally a very organized person). And I'm thinking that seeking the guidance of a professional might be a bit like therapy. Like, helping to stay on track and sort through what actually matters rather than getting bogged down in the minutia.
Hi Erica, seven weeks! Been there done that, chaos and mayhem, but you can do this, dig out boxes open them and decide keep or going, be ruthlessly, when we did our long distance move I let them pack, did wind up with the shade on my victorian lamp broken, and they refused to move all my plants, just because it was 3 wardrobe boxes and 2 normal boxes plus the planters from the garden, but only about 5 or 6 big ones.
Hello from Hershey, PA! I love your journey. And I've started mine because of women like you. God bless!
Sounds like a great plan! Good luck with the move.
I’m glad you and your husband came up with a plan.