Thank you to Allform for sponsoring! Visit the link below or go to allform.com/minimalmom for 20% off any sofa of your choice! We hope that you have a great weekend! - Dawn & Tom
I was just thinking Dawn and Tom how wonderful it is that your small children all know how to work because you've encourage them to work alongside you and you're so preparing them for the adult world and being successful. Lessons that my busy mother never instilled in us, she preferred to do everything herself
I totally get it… for weeks storage room has been a hot mess. My husband’s buddy is Justin Case. It was driving me crazy and I decided to group stuff… did my husband say anything NOPE, it’s ok because I did it for me
I think this is probably cultural differences between Europe (Scotland ) and USA but Tom seemed pretty positive to me, in fact in Scotland it would be considered lavish praise he was honest, fake praise or overdone praise is annoying as it gives doubt whether it is really meant or just said to keep you happy.I don't want to be treated as a child with excessive praise for something relatively small, "wonderful worker" sounds pretty good to me. I would never tidy or re oraganise my husband desk or garage as he knows where things are, he would not want the oils and greasesfor the cars in the same place as oils and greasesfor woodworking machines and he certainly would not want drill bits for metal with drill bits for wood, Just wondering though for my American friends if you use amazing and wonderful all the time what do you say when it is truly amazing. I also think men and women are wired differently when a man says something is fine he means 9/10 but when a woman hears a man say fine she thinks he means 6-7 /10 , we are all human maybe both Tom and Dawn where expecting something different from each other, but at least nothing harsh was said by either it is just how it is sometimes we can't read the other person's mind and give them want they want.
I think Tom's response to what you did, and how you reacted to it with a good attitude was a very important part of this video. I think many will benefit from watching this, including me. I love that you admitted that you did this for yourself , bc I think it's fine to do decluttering / organizing for someone else. You did it PERFECTLY! You had permission, you let him see before you got rid of anything, and you didn't have unrealistic expectations of gratitude from him. Bravo Dawn!!
Man, I love Tom. But I felt angry on Dawn's behalf. Common man, she did you a solid. He would have never been able to find anything in that junk pile. Don't worry. My husband is annoying too. Just this morning he woke up at 6am (Sunday!) and turned on the tv loud in our bedroom while I was sleeping. I complained and he claimed it was my fault for not telling him the time... while I was sleeping. 😡
Seems like Tom has a bit of hoarding tendencies he might need to address independently. Also I think that it's kind of inappropriate to expect everyone in the family to put up with a mess and not thank them when they help you clean it up. You are Saint! thank you for the service you are doing and your children are amazing.
Oh Dawn, I felt your pain... I want to acknowledge you for the growth & wisdom you showed in the comments you made after Tom left, regarding YOU have to focus on the fact that the messy corner wasn't bothering Tom so that is why he wasn't as excited as you that it is now cleaned up & organized. Please know that as I am watching this video, I want to congratulate you AND Corbin for a job well done. And please acknowledge yourself for the difference you are making in your son's life so that he can be proud of all the effort he is putting in to making his home more beautiful and a safer, cleaner space for the kids to maybe spend some time playing down there in the winter time. I love the results AND your videos!
Very well said! Totally agree. You have done an amazing job. I also realise you did this more for your benefit, but I am surprised that Tom is happy to dig through the chaos, rather than dig through a tub labelled tools. We are all so different. I like your way better Dawn hahaha
I saw Tom’s appreciation when he said “hey, my hammer!” I’m sure he’ll feel it many more times when he’s looking for items and he can go straight to a labeled bin. 😊
His reaction 🙄 was a perfect lesson (and totally relatable)& you handled it with such grace and emotional maturity...we can't attach to other's perspectives...if we find Joy in the thing (in this case, organized space) then their reaction really isn't relevant.
Tom’s reaction was a huge encouragement because that would likely be my hubby’s reaction also! So it isn’t just my guy! How encouraging! Dawn it is true that we really do these clean ups for our own peace of mind!
Omgoodness that allform "commercial" its adorable! First commercial thst makes me want to consider them if we move in March and they break our sofa!!!!
I love when you say ‘I love you’ to us. It always makes me smile. Sometimes our decluttering efforts pay off in unexpected ways. I have greatly reduced my possessions over a few years and was telling my husband how I love everything in my clothes closet as it all fits and looks good on me. He immediately said he is fine with everything he has and I reassured him I would never touch his stuff (although I can hardly find a spot to hang up his clothes when I do laundry). We talked about other things and then he went upstairs and came down with over a dozen shirts a few minutes later. He told me I can take this to the thrift store which I was going to the next day. I asked him why he was decluttering this many shirts since he had just told me he was fine with what he had. He didn’t really know why but it just struck him that he didn’t like everything he had. So you never know what will affect someone else. Just keep sharing what you have learned through decluttering with your family and you may be surprised. I know I was.
That looks great Dawn and as the older woman I can say that most husbands will have the same sentiments as your Tom. The less decisions they have to make about the little stuff the better. You are a wonderful helpmate to him. 👏
So true! Once as a new bride I organized his tools and all the things you did. Without the cute baskets and labels, back in the day, he reacted just like Tom!
I recently reorganized, redecorated my studio (I'm a formerly professional designer, sculptor-- now it's just a delightful pastime). My husband and family members tirelessly teased me for labeling everything and having matching bins, chairs, etc. Worrying about paint colors. Funny thing is, I find them coming to sit with me and enjoying the room far more than their own workspaces. So maybe the appreciation will be wordless but none the less apparent in the end. Just wait till Tom goes to find a screw and doesn't have to dig through 85 tubes of caulk.
My sisters have teased me my whole life for being organized. They made me feel bad, like something was wrong with me. But now I have realized that it is a gift to be able to organize, be proud of my home, and find things easily. One cousin we have, who made fun of me at my house for being organized, did not even let my sister in last time she went there. And a bad smell was coming out of the front door. So, to each his own.
How awesome it is that Corbin is willing to help! His enthusiasm is SO encouraging. Many years from now, his wife will be so blessed by him and all he's learned while working with his mamma!! Great job Dawn, on the basement and the character of your children.
You definitely deserve more appreciation and celebration for your efforts, even if it’s not from Tom. I would’ve been very grateful for a partner who not only helped cleaned my space but also saved the discarded items for me to glance through afterward. I’m sure I can speak for all of us when I say that we appreciate your efforts and especially the work it took to document all of this progress! Good job Dawn! Also shoutout to Corbin for being an enthusiastic helper! What a great duo!
oh, "I don't care" is one of the most demoralizing things to say to someone. I started decluttering for myself, AND I am beyond grateful for my husband for his appreciation, participation, and support. I love how Corbin is so into it and wanting to finish things up. He's an awesome helper! I think it looks 1000% times better! Great job, you two!! 🎆🎆🎇🎇🎉🎉🎆🎆🎆🎆
It depends. I don't know this couples dynamic, but many that want to "help" "change" their partners ways do so in a very toxic manner. "Wouldn't it be "better" if you moved your told where I want them to be?" No they prefer the find out where they last put it method. Their visual cues and memory are truly wired differently. If you hound a grown adult to do things your way, then move their stuff anyway, you expect them to 'care' when to them, why would you waste the energy in the first place? Their mind doesn't organize that way. And unless it's unsanitary or dangerous, their way isn't "bad" or "wrong" vs the other extreme of compulsively labeling & constantly moving stuff around.
I love how Tom said “it says tools but it doesn’t help me know what’s in it” reminds me of when I gathered all my husbands tools in a box. He was like “how do I know what’s in there”. I said “look, having them in one place is better than a pile or strung out all over the house”. He had “lost” our stud finder. It was missing for 2 months. I went to clean the kitchen and found it and a handful of other tools on top of our fridge. Thankfully he’s now gotten organized and I can actually find things. I also have a husband who could care less about what I organize in the house. However he had to show me every bit of organization he did in his pole barn and the garage.
yall are so funny. I believe Tom appreciates what you do. he benefits from being in a clean organized home. your kids are learning a lot by helping. their future families will also benefit. Corbin is such a great helper with painting! Thanks for the reality of doing the mundane and making it better and easier for your family.
Thank you for adding the end with Tom! This is exactly what would happen with my husband and it's so validating to know that even if we only organize for our own peace of mind then it is a valuable task! And usually the kids love it!
Earlier in my decluttering journey for our home, I would get really defeated and feel so offended if my family members didn't rave about an area I pared down and organized. But now, I'm almost 4 years in and my decluttering muscles are getting really STRONG! And so if other people in the house are unimpressed with an area I've simplified, I don't let it get me down because experience has now shown me that what I'm doing is SO WORTH IT! Whether they celebrate my efforts and achievements or not, I KNOW that what I'm doing is reducing our stress AND the time we spend cleaning now! People can pop by unannounced or invite us to so something last minute and we can just enjoy ourselves! Things are tidy and organized and it feels great, even if I DO say so myself!! 👏😄🏆
My goodness. When you said you were sorry for those that have people that are not on board I almost cried. I am helping my Parents declutter...my Mom needs it...she asked for it and it is very helpful to her mental and physical health. My Dad is very negative about the whole thing and is making it very difficult so this episode spoke to me. Tom's laxidazical reaction made me smile though because I think that is 99% of husbands react the same.
Water heater manual taped to water heater. Ditto furnace. Ditto water softener. For those of us who have to call repairmen, the repairmen often appreciate it!
Inside a page protector or Ziploc bag, so it doesn't get dusty and dirty. Our furnace installer actually put a pocket on the side of the furnace with maintenance check sheets etc. during installation.
That's what I do as well. In fact if I have information regarding a faucet or something like that I will put it under the sink that it belongs to. I used to have a file that said here's the information but realized with other family members as they got older it was just easier to have it right at the source
I feel your sense of satisfaction. It is a little disappointing that Tom didn’t appreciate your efforts but, like you said, it was more for you than him. I appreciate the reminder to break things down to keep from getting overwhelmed. Love your optimism!!
Great job! I know how hard this is for folks who aren't natural organizers. Your son does have the organizing gene for sure! I would take the bin labeled "tools" and move it out to Tom's space, along with anything only Tom will utilize (caulk, etc.) Light bulbs can stay, since you would use those too. I tape user manuals to the item and add a date, so I know when I replaced my water heater, etc. Don't let his lack of reaction get you down.
Just a thought, caulk and paint need to be kept at a above freezing temperature. I’m in Alaska where it is necessary to allow space inside for these as we don’t have a heated shop at this time. I know Tom has a lovely shop though. Just know we’ve ruined paint by forgetting to bring it in for the winter
I was inspired after I watched this so tackled my storage area. Oh my goodness, I got through so much in 10 minutes and even more in 40. I’ve trashed and donated so many items, made a quick $80 today selling a few things and will find homes for the rest tomorrow. Thank you so much! This has been hanging over my head for months and months 💕
It looks awesome, and if Tom wants to see tools at some point, the wall to the right could add a peg board. Idk if that's brick. If he's looking for small household tools, though, they are no longer all over or in with trash. Anyone can easily dig through the bin. It all looks great and will be so nice when the last spot is finished. You've made such great progress on the whole basement. 😁
And now it's easier to "shop his 'shop' " rather than going to the store for new stuff all the time! 🤦♀️ A quiet suggestion (I know you're here Tom, lol) have HIM return the unused things to the store!
Actually, Tom’s response was very telling of his organizing style: “a bin labeled ‘tools’ doesn’t tell me what’s in it.” I can see his perspective, but if he wants it to be organized on a micro level, that’s on him! (And it will be SO much faster if he does choose to do so, because you and Corbin have done the difficult stuff ahead of him!)
I got teary eyed for you at Tom’s reaction. It is defeating, if only for a moment, when you do something to help not only yourself, but also to help someone else, & then they just dismiss the end result as “ok”. I’m here to tell you that I’M proud of you, of your determination to make your home and the lives of your family run more smoothly, & also for the effort you put into sharing all of this with us, your viewers. We’ve never met, but I admire you greatly. Sending my love to you! ❤️
Way to go, Dawn! 🎉 Sometimes it's good to do something that makes us happy even if we don't get the accolades that we deserve. I'm sure Tom will appreciate it next time he has to go looking for something and doesn't have to sift through all the extra stuff on every shelf.
I’m a slob coming clean so I still see clutter through the slob-lens. It’s so easy to just drop stuff wherever, then forget about it. Ive not seen this as a problem. But watching you go through piles (that are invisible and unimportant to me) draws my attention so I see it differently! So helpful! I can think “Oh, look at how usable this space is now!” Helpful that I just finished flooring my living room/kitchen. Every single thing in those 2 cluttered rooms had to be moved!! Your concepts of “inventory” and “is it a duplicate?” were game-changers! Someday I may even be a minimalist (except for my sewing room)! Thank you Dawn- please know you help us immensely every day. 🙌
You did a great job - it looks so much nicer! Even though Tom doesn’t care about it, it would’ve been nice if he had expressed his appreciation, because he knows it matters to you. After Tom does a project, if you told him “it’s nice, but I just don’t care“ I think his feelings would be hurt.
It wasn't important to Tom because it didn't bother him as it was, and just like anyone else, he has a right to his personal feelings. At the same time, I feel he did express appreciation and tell her she did a good job. I don't see a problem with what happened.
This is beyond amazing!! Way to go, you two! Like you said, whether he appreciates it or not, you did it for YOUR own peace of mind and YOU will benefit from it. He will too, he just doesn’t know it yet 😉 I feel you though. Love you and all your hard work putting these videos out for us!
Tom, you need to be sincerely grateful when someone does something with mostly your junk to get it more organized even if it's not your idea of perfection or even your idea. Dawn worked hard. I know what she said at the end was very mature and she tried not to make you look bad but I also saw the hurt in her eyes. Dawn, you and Corbin did a great job and I loved your kids doing the Allform ad. It was really cute. Love you all!
I agree. His reaction was really painful to watch! It is still easier to find a hammer in a box labeled "tools" than somewhere in a pile of junk! So, please, Tom, show a little appreciation for Dawn's hard work!
A grown adult gets to put their belongings where they want. "Messy" isn't "wrong" unless messy becomes dangerous or unsanitary - you don't get to tell others how to organize (even if you feel it's super nice and "better" and exciting). Do we hope to find someone we are alike in certain ways before marriage or learn to compromise? Yes. But those that rant and get mad at where their partner puts their socks, aren't mad at the socks. They are mad their partner didn't "do what they were told". You don't get to command obedience from your partner.
@@orphanedhanyou Well, that may be true if you live alone. Then you can be as messy as you like. But if you made the commitment to live with somebody, you cannot be as messy as you want, because it affects the life and well-being of others.
This video came in such a perfect time for me. When my husband saw how I've been making huge progress with decluttering, thanks to your videos, he actually told me that "we" should do the garage next. And he added that when he said "we" he meant me, his wife only. I took it as a huge compliment that he was trusting me to organize his garage by myself. Dawn, I'm sure Tom appreciates your organizational skills. He'll show it even more in the near future when he looks for an actual tool or item and realizes how easy it is for him to find it without any help! It has happened with my husband when he has a bin of 8 or more measuring tapes. Also, I was so glad to see that we're not the only ones who ended up having bins of the same categories as you showed here: nails/screws; painting stuff; electrical; plumbing; hardware, AND, last but not least, CAULK! Thanks for such a wonderful video. I love that your kids are learning and helping along the way as well! God bless!
Just before watching this video, I had walked around in my husband's workshop in the basement.... completely overwhelmed. He died June 17th, as a packrat and totally disorganized man. He was a widower when we married six years ago. I wish he would have allowed me to help him enough for him to enjoy and use what he had. Thanks, Dawn, for the inspiration to go back to the basement tomorrow and start decluttering. I love you and your family! Thanks for sharing yourself with us!!
Affirmation in this one comes from Corbin, who obviously enjoyed helping Minimal Mom with this chore, and he wants to complete the final corner. How rewarding is that?! Not only does it look so much better, the new organization will help to prevent the mess from "spreading." Great job!
What an amazing helper Corbin is!!! Looks great, Dawn. I and hubby are currently going thru our attic "one onion layer" at a time. We work for about an hour pulling things down and going through them. It's very manageable that way. We have our 3 categories. We are on Day #3. Probably will be done somewhere around middle of next week. 😊
Dawn......OH MY GOODNESS.....so Tom's reaction to all your hard work to declutter and reorganize basically his stuff, is EXACTLY the same way my husband reacts to what I do too....like literally, I could have been listening to the exact same words that my husband says, "it's cute" "look at the bins" "ya, I dont really care too much either way" - it can be anti-climatic, but I am REALLY grateful that you showed that on video - it was SO REAL and honestly, VERY VERY helpful for me personally to know that other families like yours are just as normal as our family dynamic. I can hear how tired and difficult it was to get through some points of this declutter, but this was a hard zone for you and YOU DID IT!!!! I love your videos and I love your raw honesty! You have no idea how many people you are helping!!!! Thank you!!!!!
It's VERY defeating when you live or work in a home with people that don't support your organization efforts. SO FRUSTRATING, but thank you for acknowledging and helping me to remember that we can appreciate those same people for other things they do 💕 I definitely appreciate the work you did in the basement 💕👍
Well stated!!! It is very hard to hear unsupportive comments but at the end of the day, I remind myself that I am the one maintaining the inside of our home and not the other individual.
AWESOME Dawn!! I love this so much! This was SO SATISFYING! And I'm so sorry Tom's reaction was what it was. :( I know it's little comfort that we all love it and are cheering you on since we're not the one whose opinion matters most to you. But I could watch videos like this every day of the week. Thanks for setting the example! :)
You inspired my husband and I to pull out ALL of our appliance, tool, and instruction manuals and to sort and PURGE after dinner tonight! He was awesome, throwing away manuals and warranty cards like a Boss! We are now edited down to three ziploc bags: tools, appliances and equipment. Total time: 20 minutes. Pizza probably helped! Thanks for the inspiration!
So thankful that you made this video. This is such a real life situation - overwhelming spaces with others’ belongings, paired with family members who aren’t really bothered by the mess. You showed us how to deal with this tricky situation with grace and patience.
I cannot tell you how wonderful and how important it is to have helper. Little Corbin is a hero to me! And I think he loves spending time with his mama! I love the pegboard idea for the tools it will help everyone. Daddy can have teaching time with Corbin on the use of each tool and it can be a teaching moment for father sons and daughters. Dawn thank you thank you for this video it is so blessed my heart. I know the disorganization can bother us but also it is a way to show love using our gifts to help others! Thank you
Tom’s reaction is exactly like my husband. Plus my husband thinks that I must have thrown away a whole bunch of his stuff. Which I never do. I honestly think it is stressful for him and de-stressing for me. There is nothing for it but to acknowledge that we tidy, clean and organize for ourselves, and that is good enough.
I used to clean my childrens rooms and my sons never even said thanks. My girls on the other hand would be so excited. I love that you tackled this project and went above and beyond to make it an organized space! Love you and all that you do!
Initially I wasn't going to watch this video because I didn't think it applied to me. But as I watched how you reorganized this stuff it did give me some ideas, especially on what to actually get rid of - even if my store would not take stuff back. I have a short fence near the street next to the sidewalk where I put stuff out for my neighbors to take it they want it. And usually in 24 hrs the stuff is gone! Saves me a trip to a donation place...
Your dialog at the beginning was inspirational. I played a personal mind game, cleaned my office (which looked like your basement corner).....it is so much better!!!! Your space is amazing!!!
I wanted to jump through the screen and hug you and tell you how amazing it all looks! Know that SO many are showering you with praise and encouragement! And secretly…it’s nice to know others (esp you) experience what we are going through when we don’t have a spouse on board. Whew. It is HARD! Thank you for acknowledging that! Love you! Love your heart! Love you sweet encouragement to keep going anyway! ❤️
Your husband's reaction is the reaction I often get when doing these projects! I ABSOLUTELY APPRECIATE all you accomplished!!!! Looks amazing! If they'd just appreciate the amount of effort & time required, that would be nice! 😉
Very helpful video AND I loved Tom’s reaction because it was 100% REAL. I think it’s important to show that sometimes reorganizing an area is more for you than the person who’s clutter it is. Plus, I think it will give heart to those on a decluttering journey with partners that aren’t on board yet with the decluttering.
Dawn! You did an amazing job! I am like you and love things organized and looking nice! Super super job! Your helper is amazing too! You are a hard worker!! Take a well deserved break! 🥳🥳
I think just him giving control of what to trash was a huge win. He knew you had done it for convenience and he was happy he didn't have to do it. He loves you..... and trust you.... We love you too.
My husband recently retired, and finally put together a workshop he’s always wanted. I have been decluttering since retiring a few years ago. You are right Dawn, it is a process. Very proud of him though. He organized it to his liking and decluttered really well. He was less of a messy person than me, and my success has rubbed off. I promised not to dump junk in his space lol. I am so happy that I began this journey, helped along by you and a few others who share their journeys.
What a great video! I think the basement with the decluttering and then painting of the floor made it look so much more manageable! I loved seeing your kids do the talk about the couch…they did a great job in front of the camera! It’s hard to believe I have been watching your decluttering motivation since June of 2019 so the kids have really grown up a lot!
Showing excitement and saying all those positive things just isn't his thing. Deep down I'm sure he appreciates it because it brings you peace and therefore you radiate joy to the entire family. Maybe he gets excited about sports and you don't, but you still love each other generously, because love covers a multitude of shortcomings. Thank you for giving us permission to be a little sad when someone doesn't notice all our hard work, but also encouraging us to celebrate every victory over the clutter wars, no matter how small. Keep doing what you're doing, you are a ray of light in this world.
Great job by you and Corbin! It looks great! Makes me sad to see your reaction to Tom's lack of reaction. However, I'm glad you show the reality. It's a shame, because you always praise and build him up when he is working on a project. You deserve that same praise for your hard work, especially since it was his mess. It's also good example for Corbin to see Dad show his gratitude to both of you for your hard work. Anyway, for what it's worth, I'm proud of you guys!
Great job, Dawn! Tom's response was underwhelming, but I think he'll appreciate it over time! A tip that has helped me: I'm known for being very micro-organized (a "cricket") and I don't accumulate a lot of stuff, but when I have projects going on, the project items would tend to get spread out and I'd leave them sitting out. This would, understandably, feel cluttered to my family, even though they are 'logical" and organized to me as I know what each tool is for and where each piece is going to go. I have since ended the clutter by creating simple "Work in Progress" or WIP bins/totes. For instance, right now I'm remodeling the bathroom, and then repainting it, so there are three simple totes for each stage of that project. The WIP totes are easy to grab and take to the project space, and -- when needed -- to tuck back away if something interrupts work. I keep them on a WIP shelf near an outlet so that everything is charged and ready to go so when I find a spare moment, I can dive back in. And if I have left things out due to an interruption and anyone else in my family finds they need to get the project out of the way, they know they can put everything in the WIP bin and they will not have to worry about causing any issues. The WIPs are also a reality check. I keep it to three. If I start trying to take on more projects than I have room for in my Work in Progress station, I realize that I need to complete a project before taking on something new and I add it to a "next" list instead of diving in. The final stage of every project is taking everything out of the WIP bin, cleaning it off, and putting it back in its permanent home; very satisfying. One of the surprise benefits of the WIP bin is that I now start each project with my WIP bin in hand, and I "shop my workshop" before I purchase anything. Often, I start a project with a list from a book or video of the things they suggest I'll need to achieve my goal, but if I look through my supplies first, I discover solutions from the tools and leftover project materials I already own.
Dawn, you did an awesome job and you and your son should feel very proud of all your hard work. Yes, Tom could have expressed his gratitude better, but some men just don't. I have my husband's shop I plan on working on this fall and it's a disaster, but he trusts me to get it in order and has promised to help me with the heavy stuff. You have given me some ideas on how to start. It will probably take me a week or so to clean it up. I have watched you for 2 yrs. and I can say that my home feels so much more open and less stressful... My husband has been on board since the beginning of this adventure. We are still getting rid of stuff! Thank you for all your great ideas and sharing them.
aaah you have worked so hard, Bad Tom for not being more appreciative 🤨 and Corbyn, what a hard worker. You do have satisfaction in walking into a clean and tidy basement so Well Done Dawn, Love all your ideas x x Debbie x
I am a devoted and appreciative follower for years. I value your suggestion, ideas, and that you actually demonstrate yourself how to begin and finalize a project. Your delivery and approach to clutter issues large or small, gives me inspiration to tackle my own. Plus, I adore how humble and honest you are about your family's involvement and support. Please don't allow the naysayers much less critics derail you from the good you're implementing. My overall home and more importantly my attitude is happier, calmer, more functional, tidy, and that gives me peace. THANK YOU for all your guiding efforts, love your family relationships, your faith, and will continue to follow you and your sister's videos as long as you choose to create them. A grateful fan indeed.
So the kids doing the Allform was awesome! Such a great surprise! The basement looks amazing! You are the best at walking us through the "tough" spots and giving hope that it can turn out great! Thank you for that. The Tom reaction....he should know his wife and know that a "Wow, looks great hun" could be very appreciated. I think any human wants that. Even if they really dont care! 🤣Me and my hubby are celebrating 30 years in Feb, he has learned what to say! 🤣🤣🤣 Or he would be in the dog house! Corbin is the best kiddo, so helpful, always. Thank you for the "real-life" videos, its why I keep watching!
It looks great! I have an even more massive storage declutter to do in my basement. It was on my list of things to do this summer, but it just never got done. Since my husband passed away 3 years ago, most of the stuff is no longer used... but my grown son wants to hold onto a lot of the stuff... for Justin Case. I wish Justin would come get this stuff 🤣
Thanks to this video, I was motivated to go into the basement... and worked for 3 hours! There was some trash and lots of sorting into totes, bins and boxes. Plus, I have a bunch of plastic jars from mayo, nuts, etc. to use for various nuts, bolts, etc. It's not perfect, but it's progress! 😁
My Mom still has my Dad's tools. And he had excess of tools. And I have voiced wanting them. Time will tell if she let's me have anything. The whole 'why do you want tools' gets said, but I want to have my own. Where I can find them and put them away. Hubby can misplace his all he wants. Lol
Way to go, Dawn! That was amazing! I never fail to be surprised at how much less time it actually takes to de clutter an area than the amount of time I expected it would take. Thanks for teaching me and sharing your journey with us. I love the kids in the ad/sponsor! ❤️🙏🏻Jane
This was amazing and has given me such great motivation to help declutter my husband's items (with his permission and help of course) thanks for all you are teaching us!
Fantastic job Dawn, such a huge difference and so satisfying to have everything so easy to locate. Your sweet son is a delight and your children are learning so much from you. Maybe there could be a bin for Tom's bland reaction, a really deep bin that is pushed out of sight so you can enjoy the fruits of your labour and know that your viewers think you're great. Looking forward to the next video - you really are an inspiration. This weekend is all about decluttering for me ☺
This was the video I needed. Thank you for your transparency. I hope you will make many more of this video topic (dealing with hubby’s stuff). Best sponsored video too.
I really do appreciate you sharing your disappointment with Tom’s reaction as I’ve been in similar situations with my husband. It honestly helps and provides encouragement.
I had to laugh so hard about Tom's reaction and your thoughts on that. I am glad I am not the only one experiencing the lack of appreciation. Thank you Dawn, what a great motivation!
You are doing an amazing job, and your kiddos are seeing all your efforts. That's what is important for the future. Guys are guys, but you are training the new generation of guys... you are mom, you teach them what kind of guy would be a great hubby for them to be. Use the experiences and just focus on turning the experiences to teach the kiddos about what it's important... love....That will be more long-standing than any temporary compliments. We all see how beautiful the work you do is. I'm 50, and I am gleaning so much from you, girl! You are a great mama, wife, and mentor. Keep it up!
Thank you for being authentic and honest! Most content creators would have done this video completely different and left out what was actually going on. I get discouraged when I set something up like this and my husband and kids still just toss it on the floor. Shed, garage, and attic or the worst spaces to manage! Great job Dawn and Corbin!
Dawn, I seriously just cleaned a space like this. The upside down tool case, old pieces of flooring and tile, empty lightbulb boxes, unopened and unused home project supplies. Wow. Thanks for sharing your normal. I'm usually so overwhelmed and discouraged over the fact that my life is messy like this, but your attitude gives me hope that this is all normal life. Thank you for your constant honesty. 💚💚💚💚💚💚
It looks great! We all wish everyone would appreciate our efforts and hard work into keeping spaces tidy and mess-free but still...this is life. Good for you.
![Gucci Mane & Sexyy Red - You Don't Love Me [Official Music Video]](http://i.ytimg.com/vi/j7IBqyFKT4c/mqdefault.jpg)
Thank you to Allform for sponsoring! Visit the link below or go to allform.com/minimalmom for 20% off any sofa of your choice! We hope that you have a great weekend! - Dawn & Tom
I was just thinking Dawn and Tom how wonderful it is that your small children all know how to work because you've encourage them to work alongside you and you're so preparing them for the adult world and being successful. Lessons that my busy mother never instilled in us, she preferred to do everything herself
ohhh gurrrlll~~ never ask a guy what he thinks! they never give a darn about anything unless your name is lorena bobbit.😊
I totally get it… for weeks storage room has been a hot mess. My husband’s buddy is Justin Case. It was driving me crazy and I decided to group stuff… did my husband say anything NOPE, it’s ok because I did it for me
Where are the pillows from on the couch? I really love them
I think this is probably cultural differences between Europe (Scotland ) and USA but Tom seemed pretty positive to me, in fact in Scotland it would be considered lavish praise he was honest, fake praise or overdone praise is annoying as it gives doubt whether it is really meant or just said to keep you happy.I don't want to be treated as a child with excessive praise for something relatively small, "wonderful worker" sounds pretty good to me. I would never tidy or re oraganise my husband desk or garage as he knows where things are, he would not want the oils and greasesfor the cars in the same place as oils and greasesfor woodworking machines and he certainly would not want drill bits for metal with drill bits for wood,
Just wondering though for my American friends if you use amazing and wonderful all the time what do you say when it is truly amazing. I also think men and women are wired differently when a man says something is fine he means 9/10 but when a woman hears a man say fine she thinks he means 6-7 /10 , we are all human maybe both Tom and Dawn where expecting something different from each other, but at least nothing harsh was said by either it is just how it is sometimes we can't read the other person's mind and give them want they want.
I personally think that Tom trusting you with what you have removed is a way better compliment than him gushing over how it looks. 🥰
I think Tom's response to what you did, and how you reacted to it with a good attitude was a very important part of this video. I think many will benefit from watching this, including me. I love that you admitted that you did this for yourself , bc I think it's fine to do decluttering / organizing for someone else. You did it PERFECTLY! You had permission, you let him see before you got rid of anything, and you didn't have unrealistic expectations of gratitude from him. Bravo Dawn!!
I agree. Keeping it real. That’s why I watch them. True reactions and Dawn’s reflection about the expectations is just real.
Man, I love Tom. But I felt angry on Dawn's behalf. Common man, she did you a solid. He would have never been able to find anything in that junk pile. Don't worry. My husband is annoying too. Just this morning he woke up at 6am (Sunday!) and turned on the tv loud in our bedroom while I was sleeping. I complained and he claimed it was my fault for not telling him the time... while I was sleeping. 😡
Seems like Tom has a bit of hoarding tendencies he might need to address independently. Also I think that it's kind of inappropriate to expect everyone in the family to put up with a mess and not thank them when they help you clean it up. You are Saint! thank you for the service you are doing and your children are amazing.
Oh Dawn, I felt your pain... I want to acknowledge you for the growth & wisdom you showed in the comments you made after Tom left, regarding YOU have to focus on the fact that the messy corner wasn't bothering Tom so that is why he wasn't as excited as you that it is now cleaned up & organized. Please know that as I am watching this video, I want to congratulate you AND Corbin for a job well done. And please acknowledge yourself for the difference you are making in your son's life so that he can be proud of all the effort he is putting in to making his home more beautiful and a safer, cleaner space for the kids to maybe spend some time playing down there in the winter time. I love the results AND your videos!
Very well said! Totally agree. You have done an amazing job. I also realise you did this more for your benefit, but I am surprised that Tom is happy to dig through the chaos, rather than dig through a tub labelled tools. We are all so different.
I like your way better Dawn hahaha
Yes! Congratulations Dawn on a job well done.
Corbin is such a cutie and a great little helper.
Well said! So amazing and great to see Corbin engaged and contributing. Great job!
I agree 💯
Absolutely!
I saw Tom’s appreciation when he said “hey, my hammer!” I’m sure he’ll feel it many more times when he’s looking for items and he can go straight to a labeled bin. 😊
I think Tom's trust in you to dispose of the leftovers was the best reaction. You did great and he knows it.
I agree. That proves that he trusts you completely Dawn! Your response showed a lot of grace! 🤍
I know he said he doesn’t care but he gave you a huge compliment by not going through the stuff you are going to get rid of. That’s a huge compliment.
His reaction 🙄 was a perfect lesson (and totally relatable)& you handled it with such grace and emotional maturity...we can't attach to other's perspectives...if we find Joy in the thing (in this case, organized space) then their reaction really isn't relevant.
Tom’s reaction was a huge encouragement because that would likely be my hubby’s reaction also! So it isn’t just my guy! How encouraging! Dawn it is true that we really do these clean ups for our own peace of mind!
Mine too! That's exactly how my husband would react. 😂
Omgoodness that allform "commercial" its adorable! First commercial thst makes me want to consider them if we move in March and they break our sofa!!!!
@@rev.robynyoung7680 Future Tom will definitely be appreciating Dawn's labor of peace and love.
I too appreciate that you shared his raw reaction and not a scripted one for the sake of the video. This is why we love you!
I love when you say ‘I love you’ to us. It always makes me smile. Sometimes our decluttering efforts pay off in unexpected ways. I have greatly reduced my possessions over a few years and was telling my husband how I love everything in my clothes closet as it all fits and looks good on me. He immediately said he is fine with everything he has and I reassured him I would never touch his stuff (although I can hardly find a spot to hang up his clothes when I do laundry). We talked about other things and then he went upstairs and came down with over a dozen shirts a few minutes later. He told me I can take this to the thrift store which I was going to the next day. I asked him why he was decluttering this many shirts since he had just told me he was fine with what he had. He didn’t really know why but it just struck him that he didn’t like everything he had. So you never know what will affect someone else. Just keep sharing what you have learned through decluttering with your family and you may be surprised. I know I was.
That looks great Dawn and as the older woman I can say that most husbands will have the same sentiments as your Tom. The less decisions they have to make about the little stuff the better. You are a wonderful helpmate to him. 👏
So true! Once as a new bride I organized his tools and all the things you did. Without the cute baskets and labels, back in the day, he reacted just like Tom!
Haha! I showed my hubby the reaction. I don’t feel so alone anymore! 😝
So nice to see “real life” people with “real life” responses. No fluff, just honest😜
@@emotionalstability Same here! I don't feel as alone! :)
I recently reorganized, redecorated my studio (I'm a formerly professional designer, sculptor-- now it's just a delightful pastime). My husband and family members tirelessly teased me for labeling everything and having matching bins, chairs, etc. Worrying about paint colors. Funny thing is, I find them coming to sit with me and enjoying the room far more than their own workspaces. So maybe the appreciation will be wordless but none the less apparent in the end. Just wait till Tom goes to find a screw and doesn't have to dig through 85 tubes of caulk.
My sisters have teased me my whole life for being organized. They made me feel bad, like something was wrong with me. But now I have realized that it is a gift to be able to organize, be proud of my home, and find things easily. One cousin we have, who made fun of me at my house for being organized, did not even let my sister in last time she went there. And a bad smell was coming out of the front door. So, to each his own.
How awesome it is that Corbin is willing to help! His enthusiasm is SO encouraging. Many years from now, his wife will be so blessed by him and all he's learned while working with his mamma!! Great job Dawn, on the basement and the character of your children.
You definitely deserve more appreciation and celebration for your efforts, even if it’s not from Tom. I would’ve been very grateful for a partner who not only helped cleaned my space but also saved the discarded items for me to glance through afterward. I’m sure I can speak for all of us when I say that we appreciate your efforts and especially the work it took to document all of this progress! Good job Dawn! Also shoutout to Corbin for being an enthusiastic helper! What a great duo!
oh, "I don't care" is one of the most demoralizing things to say to someone. I started decluttering for myself, AND I am beyond grateful for my husband for his appreciation, participation, and support. I love how Corbin is so into it and wanting to finish things up. He's an awesome helper! I think it looks 1000% times better! Great job, you two!! 🎆🎆🎇🎇🎉🎉🎆🎆🎆🎆
Yes! Such a selfish thing to say when someone obviously poured so much time and effort into something.
@τєlєgrαм🤳🏻 мiniмαLмοм Spam... reported!
It depends. I don't know this couples dynamic, but many that want to "help" "change" their partners ways do so in a very toxic manner. "Wouldn't it be "better" if you moved your told where I want them to be?" No they prefer the find out where they last put it method. Their visual cues and memory are truly wired differently. If you hound a grown adult to do things your way, then move their stuff anyway, you expect them to 'care' when to them, why would you waste the energy in the first place? Their mind doesn't organize that way. And unless it's unsanitary or dangerous, their way isn't "bad" or "wrong" vs the other extreme of compulsively labeling & constantly moving stuff around.
I love how Tom said “it says tools but it doesn’t help me know what’s in it” reminds me of when I gathered all my husbands tools in a box. He was like “how do I know what’s in there”. I said “look, having them in one place is better than a pile or strung out all over the house”. He had “lost” our stud finder. It was missing for 2 months. I went to clean the kitchen and found it and a handful of other tools on top of our fridge. Thankfully he’s now gotten organized and I can actually find things.
I also have a husband who could care less about what I organize in the house. However he had to show me every bit of organization he did in his pole barn and the garage.
yall are so funny. I believe Tom appreciates what you do. he benefits from being in a clean organized home. your kids are learning a lot by helping. their future families will also benefit. Corbin is such a great helper with painting! Thanks for the reality of doing the mundane and making it better and easier for your family.
Thank you for adding the end with Tom! This is exactly what would happen with my husband and it's so validating to know that even if we only organize for our own peace of mind then it is a valuable task! And usually the kids love it!
I love the kids doing the sponsorship talk!! Such good practice with speech and building confidence!! Great idea!
...Normally I would skip over the sponsorship part but, because the kids were so cute, I watched the whole thing!
Earlier in my decluttering journey for our home, I would get really defeated and feel so offended if my family members didn't rave about an area I pared down and organized. But now, I'm almost 4 years in and my decluttering muscles are getting really STRONG! And so if other people in the house are unimpressed with an area I've simplified, I don't let it get me down because experience has now shown me that what I'm doing is SO WORTH IT! Whether they celebrate my efforts and achievements or not, I KNOW that what I'm doing is reducing our stress AND the time we spend cleaning now! People can pop by unannounced or invite us to so something last minute and we can just enjoy ourselves! Things are tidy and organized and it feels great, even if I DO say so myself!! 👏😄🏆
That would be the payoff for me - having people pop around and not die of shame.
@@user-xr7pc8jf1y Spam... reported!
My goodness. When you said you were sorry for those that have people that are not on board I almost cried. I am helping my Parents declutter...my Mom needs it...she asked for it and it is very helpful to her mental and physical health. My Dad is very negative about the whole thing and is making it very difficult so this episode spoke to me. Tom's laxidazical reaction made me smile though because I think that is 99% of husbands react the same.
Tom is so like my husband. 🤣 Your kids doing the “commercial break” were so darling. They are growing up before our eyes. ❤️
Water heater manual taped to water heater. Ditto furnace. Ditto water softener. For those of us who have to call repairmen, the repairmen often appreciate it!
Inside a page protector or Ziploc bag, so it doesn't get dusty and dirty. Our furnace installer actually put a pocket on the side of the furnace with maintenance check sheets etc. during installation.
That's what I do as well. In fact if I have information regarding a faucet or something like that I will put it under the sink that it belongs to. I used to have a file that said here's the information but realized with other family members as they got older it was just easier to have it right at the source
Good idea! Thank you!
Such a good idea! Logical
This is a great idea. What about the fridge, dishwasher, stove and small appliances?
I feel your sense of satisfaction. It is a little disappointing that Tom didn’t appreciate your efforts but, like you said, it was more for you than him. I appreciate the reminder to break things down to keep from getting overwhelmed. Love your optimism!!
Great job! I know how hard this is for folks who aren't natural organizers. Your son does have the organizing gene for sure! I would take the bin labeled "tools" and move it out to Tom's space, along with anything only Tom will utilize (caulk, etc.) Light bulbs can stay, since you would use those too. I tape user manuals to the item and add a date, so I know when I replaced my water heater, etc. Don't let his lack of reaction get you down.
I usually write the date on the appliance with sharpie in an inconspicuous place, then pitch the manuals.
Just a thought, caulk and paint need to be kept at a above freezing temperature. I’m in Alaska where it is necessary to allow space inside for these as we don’t have a heated shop at this time. I know Tom has a lovely shop though. Just know we’ve ruined paint by forgetting to bring it in for the winter
I was inspired after I watched this so tackled my storage area. Oh my goodness, I got through so much in 10 minutes and even more in 40. I’ve trashed and donated so many items, made a quick $80 today selling a few things and will find homes for the rest tomorrow. Thank you so much! This has been hanging over my head for months and months 💕
It looks awesome, and if Tom wants to see tools at some point, the wall to the right could add a peg board. Idk if that's brick. If he's looking for small household tools, though, they are no longer all over or in with trash. Anyone can easily dig through the bin. It all looks great and will be so nice when the last spot is finished. You've made such great progress on the whole basement. 😁
@@user-xr7pc8jf1y FAKE!!!!
And now it's easier to "shop his 'shop' " rather than going to the store for new stuff all the time! 🤦♀️
A quiet suggestion (I know you're here Tom, lol) have HIM return the unused things to the store!
Actually, Tom’s response was very telling of his organizing style: “a bin labeled ‘tools’ doesn’t tell me what’s in it.” I can see his perspective, but if he wants it to be organized on a micro level, that’s on him! (And it will be SO much faster if he does choose to do so, because you and Corbin have done the difficult stuff ahead of him!)
@@janiebennett5645 WHAT.
I got teary eyed for you at Tom’s reaction. It is defeating, if only for a moment, when you do something to help not only yourself, but also to help someone else, & then they just dismiss the end result as “ok”. I’m here to tell you that I’M proud of you, of your determination to make your home and the lives of your family run more smoothly, & also for the effort you put into sharing all of this with us, your viewers. We’ve never met, but I admire you greatly. Sending my love to you! ❤️
another FAKE reply.
Tom will appreciate this when he needs that hammer and cab find it easily! You did an awesome job Dawn! Well done!❤
This was super helpful. Also, Corbin is the sweetest! Thank you for always being encouraging and supportive to all of us on the minimal journey. 💛😊
Way to go, Dawn! 🎉 Sometimes it's good to do something that makes us happy even if we don't get the accolades that we deserve. I'm sure Tom will appreciate it next time he has to go looking for something and doesn't have to sift through all the extra stuff on every shelf.
Exactly!!!
I’m a slob coming clean so I still see clutter through the slob-lens. It’s so easy to just drop stuff wherever, then forget about it. Ive not seen this as a problem. But watching you go through piles (that are invisible and unimportant to me) draws my attention so I see it differently! So helpful! I can think “Oh, look at how usable this space is now!” Helpful that I just finished flooring my living room/kitchen. Every single thing in those 2 cluttered rooms had to be moved!! Your concepts of “inventory” and “is it a duplicate?” were game-changers! Someday I may even be a minimalist (except for my sewing room)! Thank you Dawn- please know you help us immensely every day. 🙌
You did a great job - it looks so much nicer! Even though Tom doesn’t care about it, it would’ve been nice if he had expressed his appreciation, because he knows it matters to you. After Tom does a project, if you told him “it’s nice, but I just don’t care“ I think his feelings would be hurt.
+
It wasn't important to Tom because it didn't bother him as it was, and just like anyone else, he has a right to his personal feelings. At the same time, I feel he did express appreciation and tell her she did a good job. I don't see a problem with what happened.
The WIN was when he said she could decide what to pitch and that he didn’t need to go through it. Wow!
This is beyond amazing!! Way to go, you two! Like you said, whether he appreciates it or not, you did it for YOUR own peace of mind and YOU will benefit from it. He will too, he just doesn’t know it yet 😉
I feel you though. Love you and all your hard work putting these videos out for us!
Yes Dawn, why don't you try Susans' comment on him for once!
Tom, you need to be sincerely grateful when someone does something with mostly your junk to get it more organized even if it's not your idea of perfection or even your idea. Dawn worked hard. I know what she said at the end was very mature and she tried not to make you look bad but I also saw the hurt in her eyes.
Dawn, you and Corbin did a great job and I loved your kids doing the Allform ad. It was really cute. Love you all!
I agree. His reaction was really painful to watch! It is still easier to find a hammer in a box labeled "tools" than somewhere in a pile of junk! So, please, Tom, show a little appreciation for Dawn's hard work!
@@veronikam3836 I was thinking the same thing! Ouch… his reaction hurt my feelings!! 😬. Hope he learns to appreciate dawns hard work. She’s a gem.
A grown adult gets to put their belongings where they want. "Messy" isn't "wrong" unless messy becomes dangerous or unsanitary - you don't get to tell others how to organize (even if you feel it's super nice and "better" and exciting). Do we hope to find someone we are alike in certain ways before marriage or learn to compromise? Yes. But those that rant and get mad at where their partner puts their socks, aren't mad at the socks. They are mad their partner didn't "do what they were told". You don't get to command obedience from your partner.
@@orphanedhanyou Well, that may be true if you live alone. Then you can be as messy as you like. But if you made the commitment to live with somebody, you cannot be as messy as you want, because it affects the life and well-being of others.
This video came in such a perfect time for me. When my husband saw how I've been making huge progress with decluttering, thanks to your videos, he actually told me that "we" should do the garage next. And he added that when he said "we" he meant me, his wife only. I took it as a huge compliment that he was trusting me to organize his garage by myself. Dawn, I'm sure Tom appreciates your organizational skills. He'll show it even more in the near future when he looks for an actual tool or item and realizes how easy it is for him to find it without any help! It has happened with my husband when he has a bin of 8 or more measuring tapes. Also, I was so glad to see that we're not the only ones who ended up having bins of the same categories as you showed here: nails/screws; painting stuff; electrical; plumbing; hardware, AND, last but not least, CAULK! Thanks for such a wonderful video. I love that your kids are learning and helping along the way as well! God bless!
I appreciate Tom’s honesty and your honesty. Just real life!!!! Thanks for a great video on how to organize other peoples stuff.
Wow. Your son is doing such a great job with the painting. Very sweet boy.
Just before watching this video, I had walked around in my husband's workshop in the basement.... completely overwhelmed. He died June 17th, as a packrat and totally disorganized man. He was a widower when we married six years ago. I wish he would have allowed me to help him enough for him to enjoy and use what he had.
Thanks, Dawn, for the inspiration to go back to the basement tomorrow and start decluttering. I love you and your family! Thanks for sharing yourself with us!!
I’m very sorry for your loss. Just try and take one day at a time.
Very sorry for your loss.
Go through things at your own pace.
Wishing you peace and comfort in the months to come 🙏
Throw it all away.
@τєlєgrαм🤳🏻 мiniмαLмοм Spam ... reported.
Affirmation in this one comes from Corbin, who obviously enjoyed helping Minimal Mom with this chore, and he wants to complete the final corner. How rewarding is that?! Not only does it look so much better, the new organization will help to prevent the mess from "spreading." Great job!
Considering Tom's personality, he DID appear to appreciate all your hard work.
What an amazing helper Corbin is!!! Looks great, Dawn. I and hubby are currently going thru our attic "one onion layer" at a time. We work for about an hour pulling things down and going through them. It's very manageable that way. We have our 3 categories. We are on Day #3. Probably will be done somewhere around middle of next week. 😊
Great job!! 🎉
That’s great! I wish my husband was interested in helping me go through things. It’s overwhelming to me to do it alone.
@@user-xr7pc8jf1y Reported
Dawn......OH MY GOODNESS.....so Tom's reaction to all your hard work to declutter and reorganize basically his stuff, is EXACTLY the same way my husband reacts to what I do too....like literally, I could have been listening to the exact same words that my husband says, "it's cute" "look at the bins" "ya, I dont really care too much either way" - it can be anti-climatic, but I am REALLY grateful that you showed that on video - it was SO REAL and honestly, VERY VERY helpful for me personally to know that other families like yours are just as normal as our family dynamic. I can hear how tired and difficult it was to get through some points of this declutter, but this was a hard zone for you and YOU DID IT!!!! I love your videos and I love your raw honesty! You have no idea how many people you are helping!!!! Thank you!!!!!
It's VERY defeating when you live or work in a home with people that don't support your organization efforts. SO FRUSTRATING, but thank you for acknowledging and helping me to remember that we can appreciate those same people for other things they do 💕 I definitely appreciate the work you did in the basement 💕👍
Well stated!!! It is very hard to hear unsupportive comments but at the end of the day, I remind myself that I am the one maintaining the inside of our home and not the other individual.
The Allform ad was great!! Homeschool assignment and public speaking practice!
AWESOME Dawn!! I love this so much! This was SO SATISFYING! And I'm so sorry Tom's reaction was what it was. :( I know it's little comfort that we all love it and are cheering you on since we're not the one whose opinion matters most to you. But I could watch videos like this every day of the week. Thanks for setting the example! :)
You inspired my husband and I to pull out ALL of our appliance, tool, and instruction manuals and to sort and PURGE after dinner tonight! He was awesome, throwing away manuals and warranty cards like a Boss! We are now edited down to three ziploc bags: tools, appliances and equipment. Total time: 20 minutes. Pizza probably helped! Thanks for the inspiration!
So thankful that you made this video. This is such a real life situation - overwhelming spaces with others’ belongings, paired with family members who aren’t really bothered by the mess. You showed us how to deal with this tricky situation with grace and patience.
I cannot tell you how wonderful and how important it is to have helper. Little Corbin is a hero to me! And I think he loves spending time with his mama! I love the pegboard idea for the tools it will help everyone. Daddy can have teaching time with Corbin on the use of each tool and it can be a teaching moment for father sons and daughters. Dawn thank you thank you for this video it is so blessed my heart. I know the disorganization can bother us but also it is a way to show love using our gifts to help others! Thank you
Corbin is such a little Tom. Great job helping your mom!!!
Tom’s reaction is exactly like my husband. Plus my husband thinks that I must have thrown away a whole bunch of his stuff. Which I never do. I honestly think it is stressful for him and de-stressing for me. There is nothing for it but to acknowledge that we tidy, clean and organize for ourselves, and that is good enough.
haha!! i could have written this comment myself about my husband!
I used to clean my childrens rooms and my sons never even said thanks. My girls on the other hand would be so excited.
I love that you tackled this project and went above and beyond to make it an organized space! Love you and all that you do!
Initially I wasn't going to watch this video because I didn't think it applied to me. But as I watched how you reorganized this stuff it did give me some ideas, especially on what to actually get rid of - even if my store would not take stuff back. I have a short fence near the street next to the sidewalk where I put stuff out for my neighbors to take it they want it. And usually in 24 hrs the stuff is gone! Saves me a trip to a donation place...
Your dialog at the beginning was inspirational. I played a personal mind game, cleaned my office (which looked like your basement corner).....it is so much better!!!!
Your space is amazing!!!
I wanted to jump through the screen and hug you and tell you how amazing it all looks! Know that SO many are showering you with praise and encouragement! And secretly…it’s nice to know others (esp you) experience what we are going through when we don’t have a spouse on board. Whew. It is HARD! Thank you for acknowledging that! Love you! Love your heart! Love you sweet encouragement to keep going anyway! ❤️
Your husband's reaction is the reaction I often get when doing these projects! I ABSOLUTELY APPRECIATE all you accomplished!!!! Looks amazing! If they'd just appreciate the amount of effort & time required, that would be nice! 😉
Very helpful video AND I loved Tom’s reaction because it was 100% REAL. I think it’s important to show that sometimes reorganizing an area is more for you than the person who’s clutter it is. Plus, I think it will give heart to those on a decluttering journey with partners that aren’t on board yet with the decluttering.
Oh my goodness!! The kids were sooooo cute doing the add. I seriously hope you gave them a cut!
Dawn! You did an amazing job! I am like you and love things organized and looking nice! Super super job! Your helper is amazing too! You are a hard worker!! Take a well deserved break! 🥳🥳
Honest, practical, respectful of others and supportive of oneself at the same time. You are awesome Dawn. 👏
Wow! All form owes those sweet kids a huge thank you! Awesome job!
Oh yeah, great video Mim!
You did a wonderful job!
It feels good to service others even if they don’t appreciate it.
Please make more videos like this. This is the help I need. Thank you, thank you, thank you.
!Thank you for the compliment, for the great mentorship and the profitable investment advice ⤴️☝️ѕєи∂ мє α мєѕѕαgє οи τєℓєgrαм👆☝️
I think just him giving control of what to trash was a huge win. He knew you had done it for convenience and he was happy he didn't have to do it. He loves you..... and trust you.... We love you too.
My husband recently retired, and finally put together a workshop he’s always wanted. I have been decluttering since retiring a few years ago. You are right Dawn, it is a process. Very proud of him though. He organized it to his liking and decluttered really well. He was less of a messy person than me, and my success has rubbed off. I promised not to dump junk in his space lol. I am so happy that I began this journey, helped along by you and a few others who share their journeys.
Love the kids doing the commercial!!!! Great job, Dawn!
What a great video! I think the basement with the decluttering and then painting of the floor made it look so much more manageable! I loved seeing your kids do the talk about the couch…they did a great job in front of the camera! It’s hard to believe I have been watching your decluttering motivation since June of 2019 so the kids have really grown up a lot!
@@user-xr7pc8jf1y GO AWAY!
Thank you for talking about organizing into diaper boxes in the beginning. Most relatable mom moment. Thanks for helping me clean my house today.
You did a great job!! And - you have great kids - so sweet!!
Showing excitement and saying all those positive things just isn't his thing. Deep down I'm sure he appreciates it because it brings you peace and therefore you radiate joy to the entire family. Maybe he gets excited about sports and you don't, but you still love each other generously, because love covers a multitude of shortcomings. Thank you for giving us permission to be a little sad when someone doesn't notice all our hard work, but also encouraging us to celebrate every victory over the clutter wars, no matter how small. Keep doing what you're doing, you are a ray of light in this world.
I’m sorry Tom wasn’t more kind in his response. A thank you would have been nice. It looks great and I loved it!
LOVE how Corbin helped with this! What a guy!
Great job by you and Corbin! It looks great! Makes me sad to see your reaction to Tom's lack of reaction. However, I'm glad you show the reality. It's a shame, because you always praise and build him up when he is working on a project. You deserve that same praise for your hard work, especially since it was his mess. It's also good example for Corbin to see Dad show his gratitude to both of you for your hard work. Anyway, for what it's worth, I'm proud of you guys!
Thanks for keeping it real with the hubby! :) I’m guessing a lot of us can relate!
Great job, Dawn! Tom's response was underwhelming, but I think he'll appreciate it over time!
A tip that has helped me: I'm known for being very micro-organized (a "cricket") and I don't accumulate a lot of stuff, but when I have projects going on, the project items would tend to get spread out and I'd leave them sitting out. This would, understandably, feel cluttered to my family, even though they are 'logical" and organized to me as I know what each tool is for and where each piece is going to go.
I have since ended the clutter by creating simple "Work in Progress" or WIP bins/totes. For instance, right now I'm remodeling the bathroom, and then repainting it, so there are three simple totes for each stage of that project. The WIP totes are easy to grab and take to the project space, and -- when needed -- to tuck back away if something interrupts work. I keep them on a WIP shelf near an outlet so that everything is charged and ready to go so when I find a spare moment, I can dive back in. And if I have left things out due to an interruption and anyone else in my family finds they need to get the project out of the way, they know they can put everything in the WIP bin and they will not have to worry about causing any issues.
The WIPs are also a reality check. I keep it to three. If I start trying to take on more projects than I have room for in my Work in Progress station, I realize that I need to complete a project before taking on something new and I add it to a "next" list instead of diving in. The final stage of every project is taking everything out of the WIP bin, cleaning it off, and putting it back in its permanent home; very satisfying.
One of the surprise benefits of the WIP bin is that I now start each project with my WIP bin in hand, and I "shop my workshop" before I purchase anything. Often, I start a project with a list from a book or video of the things they suggest I'll need to achieve my goal, but if I look through my supplies first, I discover solutions from the tools and leftover project materials I already own.
This is brilliant! I’m going to incorporate your ideas into my sewing rooms. 🤩
This is genius! Especially the ‘too many projects’ reality check. Thanks for sharing this!
Dawn, you did an awesome job and you and your son should feel very proud of all your hard work. Yes, Tom could have expressed his gratitude better, but some men just don't. I have my husband's shop I plan on working on this fall and it's a disaster, but he trusts me to get it in order and has promised to help me with the heavy stuff. You have given me some ideas on how to start. It will probably take me a week or so to clean it up.
I have watched you for 2 yrs. and I can say that my home feels so much more open and less stressful... My husband has been on board since the beginning of this adventure. We are still getting rid of stuff! Thank you for all your great ideas and sharing them.
aaah you have worked so hard, Bad Tom for not being more appreciative 🤨 and Corbyn, what a hard worker. You do have satisfaction in walking into a clean and tidy basement so Well Done Dawn, Love all your ideas x x Debbie x
!Thank you for the compliment, for the great mentorship and the profitable investment advice ⤴️☝️ѕєи∂ мє α мєѕѕαgє οи τєℓєgrαм👆☝️
I am a devoted and appreciative follower for years. I value your suggestion, ideas, and that you actually demonstrate yourself how to begin and finalize a project. Your delivery and approach to clutter issues large or small, gives me inspiration to tackle my own. Plus, I adore how humble and honest you are about your family's involvement and support. Please don't allow the naysayers much less critics derail you from the good you're implementing. My overall home and more importantly my attitude is happier, calmer, more functional, tidy, and that gives me peace.
THANK YOU for all your guiding efforts, love your family relationships, your faith, and will continue to follow you and your sister's videos as long as you choose to create them. A grateful fan indeed.
So the kids doing the Allform was awesome! Such a great surprise! The basement looks amazing! You are the best at walking us through the "tough" spots and giving hope that it can turn out great! Thank you for that. The Tom reaction....he should know his wife and know that a "Wow, looks great hun" could be very appreciated. I think any human wants that. Even if they really dont care! 🤣Me and my hubby are celebrating 30 years in Feb, he has learned what to say! 🤣🤣🤣 Or he would be in the dog house! Corbin is the best kiddo, so helpful, always. Thank you for the "real-life" videos, its why I keep watching!
Looks great, your son is a really good helper!
It looks great! I have an even more massive storage declutter to do in my basement. It was on my list of things to do this summer, but it just never got done. Since my husband passed away 3 years ago, most of the stuff is no longer used... but my grown son wants to hold onto a lot of the stuff... for Justin Case. I wish Justin would come get this stuff 🤣
Thanks to this video, I was motivated to go into the basement... and worked for 3 hours! There was some trash and lots of sorting into totes, bins and boxes. Plus, I have a bunch of plastic jars from mayo, nuts, etc. to use for various nuts, bolts, etc. It's not perfect, but it's progress! 😁
🤣🤣🤣
My Mom still has my Dad's tools. And he had excess of tools. And I have voiced wanting them. Time will tell if she let's me have anything. The whole 'why do you want tools' gets said, but I want to have my own. Where I can find them and put them away. Hubby can misplace his all he wants. Lol
Sorry for your and obviously your sons loss..
And: Big congrats on the progress!!
@@KS-un3pi
Sorry you don't get the understanding.. If it was your fathers, I think it's in some way right for you to have some of them..
I think it looks amazing. Great job. The kids did a fabulous job on the Allform commercial. Corbin is the best helper.
Way to go, Dawn! That was amazing! I never fail to be surprised at how much less time it actually takes to de clutter an area than the amount of time I expected it would take. Thanks for teaching me and sharing your journey with us. I love the kids in the ad/sponsor! ❤️🙏🏻Jane
Wow, well done, what a great transformation, very satisfying and you’re little “helper” is so sweet 🙈
This was amazing and has given me such great motivation to help declutter my husband's items (with his permission and help of course) thanks for all you are teaching us!
Oh my word, those kiddos did such a great job on the All- Form ad! So adorable 🥰
Fantastic job Dawn, such a huge difference and so satisfying to have everything so easy to locate. Your sweet son is a delight and your children are learning so much from you. Maybe there could be a bin for Tom's bland reaction, a really deep bin that is pushed out of sight so you can enjoy the fruits of your labour and know that your viewers think you're great. Looking forward to the next video - you really are an inspiration. This weekend is all about decluttering for me ☺
Well done, Dawn. You did an excellent job 👏 It is lovely to see Corbin working with you.
This was the video I needed. Thank you for your transparency. I hope you will make many more of this video topic (dealing with hubby’s stuff). Best sponsored video too.
I'M proud of you and Corbin too. That was really mature of you to say you were really doing it for you. You're a wonderful human being.
Also, we know that Tom is supportive to you in many other ways. :)
Love your content, you are such an inspiration and have encouraged me on my minimalist journey!
I really do appreciate you sharing your disappointment with Tom’s reaction as I’ve been in similar situations with my husband. It honestly helps and provides encouragement.
I had to laugh so hard about Tom's reaction and your thoughts on that. I am glad I am not the only one experiencing the lack of appreciation. Thank you Dawn, what a great motivation!
You are doing an amazing job, and your kiddos are seeing all your efforts. That's what is important for the future. Guys are guys, but you are training the new generation of guys... you are mom, you teach them what kind of guy would be a great hubby for them to be. Use the experiences and just focus on turning the experiences to teach the kiddos about what it's important... love....That will be more long-standing than any temporary compliments. We all see how beautiful the work you do is. I'm 50, and I am gleaning so much from you, girl! You are a great mama, wife, and mentor. Keep it up!
Thank you for being authentic and honest! Most content creators would have done this video completely different and left out what was actually going on. I get discouraged when I set something up like this and my husband and kids still just toss it on the floor. Shed, garage, and attic or the worst spaces to manage! Great job Dawn and Corbin!
“You have a different skill set now” was encouraging to hear
Your kids are such great helpers! Go Corban!
Dawn, I seriously just cleaned a space like this. The upside down tool case, old pieces of flooring and tile, empty lightbulb boxes, unopened and unused home project supplies. Wow. Thanks for sharing your normal. I'm usually so overwhelmed and discouraged over the fact that my life is messy like this, but your attitude gives me hope that this is all normal life. Thank you for your constant honesty. 💚💚💚💚💚💚
Looks SO GOOD! My hubby is the same, he appreciates the work - but isn’t a gusher ❤️
It looks great! We all wish everyone would appreciate our efforts and hard work into keeping spaces tidy and mess-free but still...this is life. Good for you.
Gonna do this for my inner child💛✨
I Love that your son is a finish the project kind of guy!