Thank you for watching! Get a 7-day free trial and 25% off Blinkist Annual Premium by clicking here: bit.ly/theminimalmom or scanning the QR code! Books I recommend: - Out Order, Inner Calm by Gretchen Rubin - Effortless by Greg McKeown - Essentialism by Greg McKeown - Let it Go by Peter Walsh - Eat That Frog by Brian Tracy I hope you have a great day!! - Dawn
My mom and I talk about “renting” from the thrift store. That was we feel fine “turning it back in” when it doesn’t fit our lives anymore. Very cheap rental rate to boot!
Yes! This! We have a fantastic small town thrift store. Because everyone donates there, and no one buys more then they actually need (like we have no resellers or such) there are fantastic quality brand name items whenever you need them. I got my daughter a pair of sorrel boots for $1, used them for a year, and returned them the next. There was another pair for her in the next size. I think of it as hiring the shop to store and organize the items.
I think I’ve spent way more money replacing items I already had, but couldn’t find, than I have replacing items I decluttered and then needed. Gage did an awesome job playing the part of your plumber! That pipe wrench was hilarious! It’s almost as big as he is!
More Corbin-skits! He’s a good sport for getting in front of the camera to help you and give us a great visual representation of the costs of keeping clutter! Thanks, Corbin!
What a fun way to illustrate how foolish it can be to store stuff beyond their initial usefulness! Thank you Gage! This is my new inner monologue: I hired you? Well I can also fire you if you are no longer doing the best job possible!
Your son is the sweetest plumber ever! What a great demonstration on how ridiculous it is to keep things on hand "just in case" we need it. I remember that cute video you did with your husband a while back on the Justin Case theme. Another lesson learned. Thank you!
Brilliant! I once declined my cousin's suggestion that he buy a 12 pack of paper towels, which in a 1BR apt had nowhere to store. I said I'd gladly pay the store a nickel to stock them for me.
I recently visited a thrift store and found a ceramic pie plate for $5.49. While searching the shelves looking for it, I observed many things that others decluttered. I realized, if I donated something I might actually need in the future, it would probably be on one of these shelves. This inspired me to go home and box up a bunch of things for donation similar to what I saw on the Thrift store shelves.
My thought when you put Gage in the basement was that if you did need him again, you won’t remember he’s even there, so you call a new plumber…and end up with multiples…we feel like we’re wasting money by getting rid of it but end up spending more anyway because we forgot we had it.
Thanks to your inspiration, I did a massive declutter last year before a move where we would have to put things in storage for a while. When I unpacked, I did actually look for about a half dozen things (mostly for my kitchen) that I was annoyed I couldn't find. I must have donated them thinking I wouldn't need or want them. So, I schlepped to the store and re-purchased those six or eight things--thoroughly kicking myself as I went. You know what I didn't miss? The 30-40 boxes/bags (maybe more) of items, books, excess supplies, clothes, etc., that I haven't looked for, needed once, or can't even remember I had. I didn't miss having to pack those boxes and bags for the move or move them in and out of storage. I didn't miss saving the money from the extra 20 sq ft of storage I would have needed for those things. And I don't miss having to trip over, clean, maintain, house, organize, and work around those things now. Mistakes? Sure. But, hindsight tends to be 20/20. Looking back, it feels like a total victory.😃🥰
Checking out the book, Outer order, Inner calm, from the public library. Great way to read the book then return to the library!! Not cluttering up my bookshelf.
That's so awesome that your kids are learning this together with you, not just having to live in the house , with YOUR ideas. They'll be great organizers as adults!
Your plumber is a fantastic little decluttering accomplice. Dawn, Cas and Dana combo is magic. Dawn says I'm getting worked up because I really want this for you and I would encourage you to try... and less inventory...❤ Love it! Cas' common words of wisdom and caring in a way only she can deliver best is, stop it! And you deserve... Dana's hands on way to knock down overwhelm and stomp on it is so simple but so vital for getting started. From the questions, to take it there now to The Container concept. It really gets you off the couch!❤ My 3 favorite home management /mindset/ though love ladies make a powerful team!
Thanks to you I have got rid of so much unused “stuff”. I donate to a place that helps fight child trafficking. I am happy for it to be used for a good cause. I have not missed one thing. I paid 500.00 for a roomba that I didn’t use and happily donated. Some things were hard, sentimental things. But I’m still pushing Thank you Dawn 😊
"Many of us believe our work has to be perfect from the start, but this only slows us down" this is a great quote because it can apply to so many things. I have recently gotten into speed puzzling and when sorting the pieces sometimes I get hung up on which pile I should sort a piece into. I have to constantly remind myself that it's okay if I make a mistake. It's more important to make a decision and move on than to waste time focusing on putting a single piece in the right pile.
OK. Today is the day I put aside to clean out and organize my closet. I started and got overwhelmed immediately. So I opened RUclips and there was Dawn giving me a pep talk. I’m going back in my closet and finishing it TODAY! 😊
I can reassure you ( after reducing to an extremely minimal wardrobe) that is possible. I'm not suggesting that you reduce to one pair of jeans like I did. But know that I'm out here with a total of 10 tops (t-shirts, dressy, etc.), 7 bottoms, 5 cardigan /hoodies, 3 colourful scarves--and folks often compliment me on my appearance. So I hope that makes you worry less about decluttering one extra dress or cutting down to 5 or 10 jeans. You'll be ok. Deep breaths. Good luck.
I accidentally decluttered the blade for my NEW ninja blender. So irritated with myself but my kitchen is so simple and easy to maintain now. It’s a blessing to me every single day and even though I made a mistake that ended up costing me some money (I replaced it on Black Friday), I’m still so happy I was cut throat because I definitely don’t miss all the extra dishes, serving platters, pots and pans, serving utensils I decluttered. It’s so easy to keep my kitchen in order now. I love it!
He's so cute! This was a fun one. I love your videos, I have never commented before, but you have helped me so much, it's hard to put into words. Thank you for putting yourself out there to help others. You have made my life better. Also, I LOL every time you describe your sweet gentle little self as "ruthless" when decluttering (books).
I love how you explained decluttering in this video. As I clicked on the video I thought I don’t know how she comes back so often to talk about the same thing but honestly each video puts simple living into a perspective that I didn’t think of before. I’m in the process of decluttering our house and each video is more and more motivational to keep going.
After I broke my 4th stick blender in 6 years, I finally broke down and got a heavy duty one and threw out the old ones that I kept for some stupid reason. :)
The messy middle!!! I’m 2.5 years in (I have 3 kids 3 & under🥵) & it feels like I’ve dedicated the best years of my life to obsessively declutterring. We’ve sold/donated more than 50% of our stuff & this week I feel as anxious about our stuff as when we first began..I hope that means I’m on the final stretch & know how close I am to finally being ready for maintenance mode!
I gave away the oldest thing I own yesterday thanks to you, Dawn; a "vintage" 45 rpm box in mint condition after 45 (?) years. I bought it to store my 45s when i was a little girl. For the last many years, it'd stored our film negatives and photo CDs. I ordered an external hard drive, spent several hours at our local library scanning photos for a condensed "negatives" version and will now store the hard drive in our safe. Side note: The librarian raved over my "vintage" storage case so i gifted it to her. She was over the moon!
Love this video!!! I have gotten rid of so much stuff. I have a family of 11 and my house feels bigger with all the stuff gone. Do I have toys? Yes! Do I have books? Yes! Do I have the kitchen items that I need? Yes! BUT I only have what I need. My home feels like a bed and breakfast now that the random stuff is gone! Besides finding a $4 backpack in excellent condition is a win! Thank you Dawn for your continued videos and support. ❤
I often think about how much of my mortgage goes to paying the square footage of an object that is in question on whether to keep or not. It makes the whole idea of a cost to having and keeping the item real!
I had a very expensive couch and love seat I wanted to keep the love seat. I ended up giving the long expensive couch to a family in need. They use it everyday! And are grateful as well as I am❤
First off, cutest little plumber! He did a great job! Second this really hit home for me because I am always afraid I'm gonna need something later! But yesterday I was able to declutter my desk of all the "just in case"items because I just needed a clean space to work without feeling overwhelmed! Thanks for always encouraging and supporting us in our decluttering journey And for slowly helping us find that peace we long for in a minimalized environment! You're the best! ❤
Oh my goodness. Best demo ever! Just last week I found a large picture frame in storage...the day after I had bought a picture frame for a new piece of art. I had JUST cleared out my storage and kept that frame "just in case." And I still didn't remember it was there. Sigh. I'm convinced now to donate it and the other frame I kept.
What a genius educational video Dawn! I have bins full of plumbers all over my house! I love how the minimalists describe bins and containers…Clutter Coffins! Where unwanted stuff goes to die. Even if you DO need a ‘plumber’ again, you forget that you have that one and will most likely order another one! This analogy will stick with me. Thank you.
Your son is a great helper! Good lesson there. I donated in December many frames and then received at Christmas a beautiful picture of my son with his wife and their dogs… but don’t even think any of the donated frames would match nice. So thrifting I will go to find a frame.
Put the Nutrabulit in your camper. That’s where mine is gonna go. I’m planning to get a van for travel. I have gone through my kitchen and pulled out a couple of boxes worth of stuff to put into a van dishes, flatware, bakeware. I did buy a set of 11” skillet and 4 1/2 quart wok type pan set. Plus an Instant Pot brand air fryer/10 quart oven. In total I’ve spent $110.ish. Everything else is coming from my kitchen. I pulled 2 sets of my service of 8 flatware, two steak knives, 3 kitchen knives, and so on. This is how I’m downsizing my space. If you still have your RV consider using time of your items there before you get rid of them.
Listening to this early on a busy morning while hustling around the kitchen trying to bring some order out of chaos before logging into my work-from-home accounting job... I was riveted when I heard the way to NEVER MAKE A MISTAKE is simple: keep everything! WHAT????? Talk about an AHA! moment! For the last 7 years I've been paralyzed by indecision and second-guessing myself about getting rid of things that belonged to my late husband, worried that I might get rid of something my adult sons would want or I would somehow find myself needing in the future. Due to fear of making a mistake, I have kept everything. Hubby was a creative DIY'er and never threw away anything, so: lots of tools, gadgets, shop manuals, hardware, and bits & pieces of things that I don't even know what they are, filling up my house, stacked and piled everywhere and taking up every available space, while things I actually use have no home and sit out so I can find them (or lose them in the chaos!) So all his stuff has sat here unused since he passed away in December 2016 and now we're going into the 8th year of this insanity. I've listened to this video 3 times now, and each time, I soak up more determination to get serious and evict the unused, donating the usable and throwing away the useless and unidentifiable. No more nonsense about trying to sell any of it online--- there's nothing here that's worth all that time and effort and inconvenience. My sons were told from the start they could take anything of their dad's that they wanted, so I'm going to assume they don't want any of what's still here. I've been telling myself they might come back and say, "Hey, Mom, where's Dad's_____?" (fill in the blank) but then I realize they love me and don't want me to struggle with this heavily cluttered situation every day. If there's something that's needed in the future, I'll trust that God will help us find a way to replace it. He always supplies my every need, INCLUDING bringing me Dawn's video that told me just what I needed to hear to make my life more livable! Thank you, Dawn! This week is filled up but next week I'm going to tackle it!
Great skit! Enjoyable and true. Regarding the item someone purchased, didn't use but because it was expensive, didn't to want to get rid of it; I was in the same position with a pricey stand mixer that I didn't use. After several months of self talk, I donated the mixer to a home where it would get used. When I need a mixer I use my inexpensive, lightweight handheld mixer which is just right for me.
Great video! Yes, I needed the okay to be okay with making mistakes. Making a mistake doesn't mean we've done something wrong. It's just part of the journey. I once donated something that I really regretted later. It ate me up for a long time. Now? Don't ask me what it was because I can no longer remember! It really helped put things in perspective and encouraged me to continue on that journey.
This was a great illustration that drove home your mantra!!!! Because it was so cute, it could not offend anyone. I'm planning to show it to a couple people so that they understand better.
your plumber illustration was spot on!! i just move things from place to place and then when I am ready to get rid of it, someone else who uses it every once awhile in the family talks me into keeping it.... i need to do it when they aren't home :) Thanks for the laughs!
Dawn, we've been going even further this year and it's been fantastic. My kids are already over their Christmas toys and are building with the Amazon boxes. Today I am decluttering a skirt I've NEVER WORN that DOESN'T FIT because maybe I will gain weight one day and need it?? And I'm decluttering old work materials that I no longer use!
Oh my goodness!!! I’m eating lunch and almost choked from laughter!!!😂 I loved the response from “the plumber” (yr precious son), that he “agreed” to stay underneath the sink for future plumbing problems (w/wrench)! A perfect example indeed-what IF we made this type of choice on everyday life scenarios (I don’t think the Maytag Guy would readily wait…!!😉😆
We did the commitment test when we purchased our Ninja Foodi. We grew to love it so much that we use it more than our oven. I sold our crock pots because they took up so much room and didn't do a better job. I have only missed them once or twice and then just used a large pot instead.
I started "renting" party supplies by either getting them from our Buy Nothing group or giving them away on a Buy Nothing group. No need to store in case I decide to use this theme or parts of it again. I used to have so many plates, cups, decor, utensils, etc. just in case they will fit another party theme.
I love that you contrasted the benefits of a decluttered home, versus that one moment of inconvenience when you need something you decluttered way back. I don’t regret a single thing I have decluttered, even when I had needed that thing again. The peace it brought me while it wasn’t using space in my “to do list” is worth it.
An example like Gage's backpack could be a situation where someone else needed that type of backpack more and he may have ended up with one that suits him better
Oh my gosh i love your little cooperative plumber !!! This will come to mind when I’m not sure about something in our home ! I recently gave away an expensive winter coat i bought at a consignment store - it was too small but i was holding onto it - stop it! My neighbors teenage daughter needed a new one and i offered it to her and got the loveliest hand written thank you note ! Such a blessing 😊
What a great analogy, and such a cute plumber! My hubby's a plumber (He's cute, too! 😊). I think I'll let him hang around. Lol Thanks, Dawn! Great info as always! ❤
Dawn, thanks to you and your adorable son, I have a very memorable lesson learned in the cost of storing things UNTIL you need them or IN CASE you may need it. The mistake of KEEPING is much larger and more expensive than anyone realizes! I also loved when you assured us that no child was hurt making this video. LOL
When we downsized my mom and moved her into assisted living it was a sudden situation. Mom told us what she for sure wanted moved. With knick knacks my brother took pictures, showed them to our mom so she could choose. Now 6+ months later there's only been 1 or 2 things she wishes she kept. I'm currently decluttering my apartment and am being ruthless. It feels great.
Wish every plumber was so cute and good natured! I tell myself “If I donate this “thing” - I’ll be just as fine as I was before I got it to begin with!”
A few years ago, I won Christmas decorations from a designer. It was meaningful, because we had set out to surprise our son with a full-sized tree in our apartment (after years of our little one asking for a "BIG TREE" ... 4ft no longer being big enough for him ;) I had scored a huge tree off of Amazon that year marked down to like $50. So this contest was perfect. I was placing my written entry every day of what it would mean for our family. I couldn't believe I won! It had been a bummer year and we felt isolated, so in light of this, it was just very meaningful to be able to make Christmas feel extra special. Part of the decorations came weeks before Christmas that year and the rest would have ended up coming a few days before except they were delayed. So I never really used them all. We are in a new apartment now and every Christmas since, I had intentions of taking my time, decorating the tree from the inside out and really enjoying the creative process. Instead, after days/weeks of the tree being up ready to go (fluffed and with lights) the reality ended up with me spending an hour (before a deadline... usually dinner with family or Christmas Eve :) putting on the ornaments and finding that I had barely made a dent in my stash. I didn't really need to, even if I did take more time. Since we are in an apartment, we don't have the storage for "extra" and this year, good friends of ours moved into their own house. It WAS time to share. I made the decision that it would happen. In the end, I gave most of my winnings away. I kept the silver balls we use on the inside of the tree to help reflect light, velvet ribbon , fairy and pearl lights, amber glass ornaments, some picks for the house ...all from the contest... we have others from the past, ornaments we are attached to and family heirlooms that make it all feel special. Even some given to me this year, gorgeous vintage glass/silver balls... Whatever fear there was, you see, I still lack nothing that feels beautiful or special. Even a wreath... I gave it away because the tree stand around the corner was selling trimmings for almost nothing that helped create beautiful garland on our door. That gave me 2 tubs and an IKEA bag's worth to give to my friend: beautiful picks, ribbon, hand blown glass and beaded ornaments - tons of these beautiful green ornaments - matte with a gold cap, so classy and my favorite color. Even the wreath! Over the years, and thanks to what I've been learning from Dawn and Cas from Clutterbug... I kind of knew having too much, especially while we were in our initial phase of decluttering a couple of years ago (with the rest of the house not functioning well), was part of the problem in getting started each year. By this point, this winter, it was more the brain space... the tension and stress the Christmas stash was bringing during the year with all the other stashes that had to be taken care of yet that I hadn't. Others were more important projects I had procrastinated on... they were sort of becoming morphed together in my mind. A reminder of things left undone that I needed to face and sometimes frankly, a reminder of a rough season. I do love the creativity that comes with decorating and Christmas is our time right?! To just go for it and enjoy; to do new things, I thrive on it. I don't want it too straight forward. I want options to play around with. But I would only be stuck year after year if I didn't do something different and in this case, give some away. I also knew feeling obligated to keep them, was an issue. I mean, how many other people would have loved to win this contest? BUT i entered because I wanted to do something special that year for my family. And I did. It did have the intended effect. It WAS an act of faith. I looked down at my bed covered with beautiful, expensive decorations that I wouldn't normally be able afford. Chosen by a designer. Most were like new. $$ is tighter than ever it feels. There were none of the usual conditions that can help you to let go. Only that this needed to be done and we could in a way rejoice in bringing some cheer to someone we cared about (who had expressed she would like them when I asked... making sure not to pass along a burden). So, do I regret? Not one bit. Sure, maybe I could have used all the beaded ornaments or more ribbon or decorated more rooms or more corners of the house. But it is true; what is the trade-off? There are also mistakes made in keeping (the costs). Extra bins adding to my bedroom/storage room vibe. Stress. Seeing what is unused get broken or turn color. My friend maybe spending extra money she didn't need to on decorations for her home while things just sit here. Another year of avoiding getting started because of overwhelm....and then feeling more guilt. Since then I just feel free. When I think of packing up Christmas this year, I feel relieved and actually am looking forward to condensing more. I'm excited that our Christmases will retain a part of that time and still have room for others past and present. My biggest desire is to create and I love to decorate - giving this away didn't take that away from me. Even now, we share similar decorations with close friends of ours. I used to work in an office environment. Once in a while the copy room - which was quite large and stocked with supplies, needed to be cleaned out an organized. It had to function well. That's sort of in my mind when I am looking at my home now. There is no way we would be keeping old equipment or supplies we no longer needed but maybe-might use some day. I think we don't realize how much we do at home... what an operation it is. It is a burden we are assigning to ourselves to keep stuff that no longer serves us. I'm just picturing telling the office team they have to use the not very sticky post it notes that keep falling (just use tape) that we bought on sale. We should put our mission first, whatever we do at home, above the stuff. I will attest as well, I make way fewer purchases now after having started the decluttering journey.
One mind set shift I had was finding a charitable thrift shop to take my expensive clutter to. It was much easier to let those items go if I thought about them as giving a donation to the charity they sponsor.
Thank you for watching! Get a 7-day free trial and 25% off Blinkist Annual Premium by clicking here: bit.ly/theminimalmom or scanning the QR code!
Books I recommend:
- Out Order, Inner Calm by Gretchen Rubin
- Effortless by Greg McKeown
- Essentialism by Greg McKeown
- Let it Go by Peter Walsh
- Eat That Frog by Brian Tracy
I hope you have a great day!! - Dawn
😊😊vbbgvvb😢🎉😂😮😅😊
I L❤VE the Justin Case video.
I cracks me up❣❣❣🤣🤣🤣
Love your live-in plumber!!! ❤😅
💯
He did such a great job! And that was a really great way to make the point you were making
Could you rent him out to some of us for a time? He wouldn't have to plumb anything!!! Lol
I'll give him cookies 🍪 😊
Hilarious!! 😆
Plumber deserves a treat ❤
This is HILARIOUS!!!!! Can’t wait to show my husband🤣
You need a disclaimer saying “No plumber's were harmed in the making of this video”🤣
😂
🤣👍🏻
Loved the bit. I think it was a really powerful example.
Haha she does at the end
Brilliant 😂!
My mom and I talk about “renting” from the thrift store. That was we feel fine “turning it back in” when it doesn’t fit our lives anymore. Very cheap rental rate to boot!
That’s cool! Like it
Yes! This! We have a fantastic small town thrift store. Because everyone donates there, and no one buys more then they actually need (like we have no resellers or such) there are fantastic quality brand name items whenever you need them. I got my daughter a pair of sorrel boots for $1, used them for a year, and returned them the next. There was another pair for her in the next size. I think of it as hiring the shop to store and organize the items.
I love that
I think I’ve spent way more money replacing items I already had, but couldn’t find, than I have replacing items I decluttered and then needed.
Gage did an awesome job playing the part of your plumber! That pipe wrench was hilarious! It’s almost as big as he is!
Great perspective!!!
Awesome argument 👏
Oh, wow. Such a great visual of what happens with just in case items!!
Same here!
More Corbin-skits! He’s a good sport for getting in front of the camera to help you and give us a great visual representation of the costs of keeping clutter! Thanks, Corbin!
Ps that was Gage.
At first, I thought it was Corbin too. I can't believe how fast these kids are growing up. ❤
I appreciate when your kids participate. They do a great job. ❤
What a fun way to illustrate how foolish it can be to store stuff beyond their initial usefulness!
Thank you Gage!
This is my new inner monologue: I hired you? Well I can also fire you if you are no longer doing the best job possible!
Gage is a doll. Love that he is prompt with his billing too. No shyness there.
Your son is the sweetest plumber ever! What a great demonstration on how ridiculous it is to keep things on hand "just in case" we need it. I remember that cute video you did with your husband a while back on the Justin Case theme. Another lesson learned. Thank you!
Haha true! Those hilarious demonstrations really stuck! Thanks a lot (also to your family) ❤!
Brilliant! I once declined my cousin's suggestion that he buy a 12 pack of paper towels, which in a 1BR apt had nowhere to store. I said I'd gladly pay the store a nickel to stock them for me.
I recently visited a thrift store and found a ceramic pie plate for $5.49. While searching the shelves looking for it, I observed many things that others decluttered. I realized, if I donated something I might actually need in the future, it would probably be on one of these shelves. This inspired me to go home and box up a bunch of things for donation similar to what I saw on the Thrift store shelves.
The plumber example was hilarious! Great job, Gage!
Omg!! This is ridiculous!! Yet is what I do every single time!! So funny and yet so painfully true!
My thought when you put Gage in the basement was that if you did need him again, you won’t remember he’s even there, so you call a new plumber…and end up with multiples…we feel like we’re wasting money by getting rid of it but end up spending more anyway because we forgot we had it.
The plumber skit was adorable! (And instructive!)❤
Thanks to your inspiration, I did a massive declutter last year before a move where we would have to put things in storage for a while. When I unpacked, I did actually look for about a half dozen things (mostly for my kitchen) that I was annoyed I couldn't find. I must have donated them thinking I wouldn't need or want them. So, I schlepped to the store and re-purchased those six or eight things--thoroughly kicking myself as I went. You know what I didn't miss? The 30-40 boxes/bags (maybe more) of items, books, excess supplies, clothes, etc., that I haven't looked for, needed once, or can't even remember I had. I didn't miss having to pack those boxes and bags for the move or move them in and out of storage. I didn't miss saving the money from the extra 20 sq ft of storage I would have needed for those things. And I don't miss having to trip over, clean, maintain, house, organize, and work around those things now. Mistakes? Sure. But, hindsight tends to be 20/20. Looking back, it feels like a total victory.😃🥰
I loved the skit! It really brings home the point of "someday" clutter. Thank you! Oh, and I'm sure an Oscar is on its way for your fabulous plumber!
Checking out the book, Outer order, Inner calm, from the public library. Great way to read the book then return to the library!! Not cluttering up my bookshelf.
That's so awesome that your kids are learning this together with you, not just having to live in the house , with YOUR ideas. They'll be great organizers as adults!
Gage did a fantastic job being your plumber! I LOVED the Just In Case video, one of my all time favorites along with this one !
The just in case video was one of my favorites too.
Yes! I loved Mr. Just In Case!
Your plumber is a fantastic little decluttering accomplice. Dawn, Cas and Dana combo is magic. Dawn says I'm getting worked up because I really want this for you and I would encourage you to try... and less inventory...❤ Love it!
Cas' common words of wisdom and caring in a way only she can deliver best is, stop it! And you deserve...
Dana's hands on way to knock down overwhelm and stomp on it is so simple but so vital for getting started. From the questions, to take it there now to The Container concept. It really gets you off the couch!❤ My 3 favorite home management /mindset/ though love ladies make a powerful team!
Thanks to you I have got rid of so much unused “stuff”. I donate to a place that helps fight child trafficking. I am happy for it to be used for a good cause. I have not missed one thing. I paid 500.00 for a roomba that I didn’t use and happily donated. Some things were hard, sentimental things. But I’m still pushing Thank you Dawn 😊
"Many of us believe our work has to be perfect from the start, but this only slows us down" this is a great quote because it can apply to so many things. I have recently gotten into speed puzzling and when sorting the pieces sometimes I get hung up on which pile I should sort a piece into. I have to constantly remind myself that it's okay if I make a mistake. It's more important to make a decision and move on than to waste time focusing on putting a single piece in the right pile.
Perfection is the enemy of the good. - Voltaire
Done is better than perfect!
OK. Today is the day I put aside to clean out and organize my closet. I started and got overwhelmed immediately. So I opened RUclips and there was Dawn giving me a pep talk. I’m going back in my closet and finishing it TODAY! 😊
You've got this!!! Take breaks if you need to, but you have all of the skills you need!
I can reassure you ( after reducing to an extremely minimal wardrobe) that is possible. I'm not suggesting that you reduce to one pair of jeans like I did. But know that I'm out here with a total of 10 tops (t-shirts, dressy, etc.), 7 bottoms, 5 cardigan /hoodies, 3 colourful scarves--and folks often compliment me on my appearance. So I hope that makes you worry less about decluttering one extra dress or cutting down to 5 or 10 jeans. You'll be ok. Deep breaths. Good luck.
I accidentally decluttered the blade for my NEW ninja blender. So irritated with myself but my kitchen is so simple and easy to maintain now. It’s a blessing to me every single day and even though I made a mistake that ended up costing me some money (I replaced it on Black Friday), I’m still so happy I was cut throat because I definitely don’t miss all the extra dishes, serving platters, pots and pans, serving utensils I decluttered. It’s so easy to keep my kitchen in order now. I love it!
He's so cute! This was a fun one. I love your videos, I have never commented before, but you have helped me so much, it's hard to put into words. Thank you for putting yourself out there to help others. You have made my life better.
Also, I LOL every time you describe your sweet gentle little self as "ruthless" when decluttering (books).
I love how you explained decluttering in this video. As I clicked on the video I thought I don’t know how she comes back so often to talk about the same thing but honestly each video puts simple living into a perspective that I didn’t think of before. I’m in the process of decluttering our house and each video is more and more motivational to keep going.
That was absolutely adorable! What a great idea! I will always remember it when I’m tempted to keep something I don’t need!!
After I broke my 4th stick blender in 6 years, I finally broke down and got a heavy duty one and threw out the old ones that I kept for some stupid reason. :)
Dawn, you’re the BEST😂😂😂
Corbin's big smile during the whole skit just made the whole experience for me! He seems so happy to be included, what a great helper.
The messy middle!!! I’m 2.5 years in (I have 3 kids 3 & under🥵) & it feels like I’ve dedicated the best years of my life to obsessively declutterring. We’ve sold/donated more than 50% of our stuff & this week I feel as anxious about our stuff as when we first began..I hope that means I’m on the final stretch & know how close I am to finally being ready for maintenance mode!
I love the "you buy things to hire them to do a job," to serve you. That's a great way of looking at it
I gave away the oldest thing I own yesterday thanks to you, Dawn; a "vintage" 45 rpm box in mint condition after 45 (?) years. I bought it to store my 45s when i was a little girl. For the last many years, it'd stored our film negatives and photo CDs. I ordered an external hard drive, spent several hours at our local library scanning photos for a condensed "negatives" version and will now store the hard drive in our safe. Side note: The librarian raved over my "vintage" storage case so i gifted it to her. She was over the moon!
Love this video!!! I have gotten rid of so much stuff. I have a family of 11 and my house feels bigger with all the stuff gone. Do I have toys? Yes! Do I have books? Yes! Do I have the kitchen items that I need? Yes! BUT I only have what I need. My home feels like a bed and breakfast now that the random stuff is gone!
Besides finding a $4 backpack in excellent condition is a win!
Thank you Dawn for your continued videos and support. ❤
I often think about how much of my mortgage goes to paying the square footage of an object that is in question on whether to keep or not. It makes the whole idea of a cost to having and keeping the item real!
😮What a cute skit. And it brought the point home!
Your live-in plumber did a great job!❤️ Thanks for another great video!
I had a very expensive couch and love seat I wanted to keep the love seat. I ended up giving the long expensive couch to a family in need. They use it everyday! And are grateful as well as I am❤
I love the idea of using a new appliance for 5 days so you can get familiar with it. I'm doing that right now with an air fryer.
Dawn I love the word Sanctuary..... holding sacred my home....calm allows time to Be. ❤❤❤
The plumber skit was cute and I’m sure he’ll have fun looking back on that when he’s older
First off, cutest little plumber! He did a great job! Second this really hit home for me because I am always afraid I'm gonna need something later! But yesterday I was able to declutter my desk of all the "just in case"items because I just needed a clean space to work without feeling overwhelmed! Thanks for always encouraging and supporting us in our decluttering journey And for slowly helping us find that peace we long for in a minimalized environment! You're the best! ❤
This concept using Gage as the plumber under the sink is quite clever, to the point and HILARIOUS!! 🤣🤣
Loved this video. I love the idea that we hire things to do a job and we can fire them if it's not working out! Gage is an amazing plumber!!! ❤
Oh my goodness. Best demo ever! Just last week I found a large picture frame in storage...the day after I had bought a picture frame for a new piece of art. I had JUST cleared out my storage and kept that frame "just in case." And I still didn't remember it was there. Sigh. I'm convinced now to donate it and the other frame I kept.
What a genius educational video Dawn!
I have bins full of plumbers all over my house!
I love how the minimalists describe bins and containers…Clutter Coffins!
Where unwanted stuff goes to die.
Even if you DO need a ‘plumber’ again, you forget that you have that one and will most likely order another one!
This analogy will stick with me.
Thank you.
I’m dying from laughter with the plumber under the sink 😂 Thank you for visualizing this concept for us.
Yay for Tuesday!!! Thank you Dawn for making these videos for us.
No one will make it through this life without making mistakes. We just have to live with it.
Your son is a great helper! Good lesson there.
I donated in December many frames and then received at Christmas a beautiful picture of my son with his wife and their dogs… but don’t even think any of the donated frames would match nice. So thrifting I will go to find a frame.
Put the Nutrabulit in your camper. That’s where mine is gonna go. I’m planning to get a van for travel. I have gone through my kitchen and pulled out a couple of boxes worth of stuff to put into a van dishes, flatware, bakeware. I did buy a set of 11” skillet and 4 1/2 quart wok type pan set. Plus an Instant Pot brand air fryer/10 quart oven. In total I’ve spent $110.ish. Everything else is coming from my kitchen. I pulled 2 sets of my service of 8 flatware, two steak knives, 3 kitchen knives, and so on. This is how I’m downsizing my space. If you still have your RV consider using time of your items there before you get rid of them.
Love it when you recommend a book and I search my local Library here in NZ and find it in the catalogue. Hardly ever happens. It's going on hold :)
Listening to this early on a busy morning while hustling around the kitchen trying to bring some order out of chaos before logging into my work-from-home accounting job... I was riveted when I heard the way to NEVER MAKE A MISTAKE is simple: keep everything! WHAT????? Talk about an AHA! moment! For the last 7 years I've been paralyzed by indecision and second-guessing myself about getting rid of things that belonged to my late husband, worried that I might get rid of something my adult sons would want or I would somehow find myself needing in the future. Due to fear of making a mistake, I have kept everything. Hubby was a creative DIY'er and never threw away anything, so: lots of tools, gadgets, shop manuals, hardware, and bits & pieces of things that I don't even know what they are, filling up my house, stacked and piled everywhere and taking up every available space, while things I actually use have no home and sit out so I can find them (or lose them in the chaos!)
So all his stuff has sat here unused since he passed away in December 2016 and now we're going into the 8th year of this insanity. I've listened to this video 3 times now, and each time, I soak up more determination to get serious and evict the unused, donating the usable and throwing away the useless and unidentifiable. No more nonsense about trying to sell any of it online--- there's nothing here that's worth all that time and effort and inconvenience.
My sons were told from the start they could take anything of their dad's that they wanted, so I'm going to assume they don't want any of what's still here. I've been telling myself they might come back and say, "Hey, Mom, where's Dad's_____?" (fill in the blank) but then I realize they love me and don't want me to struggle with this heavily cluttered situation every day. If there's something that's needed in the future, I'll trust that God will help us find a way to replace it. He always supplies my every need, INCLUDING bringing me Dawn's video that told me just what I needed to hear to make my life more livable! Thank you, Dawn! This week is filled up but next week I'm going to tackle it!
You can do it ! It will be so incredibly worth it.
@@chiarad4080thank you for that encouragement!
Cutest plumber EVER!!!!!❤️❤️❤️❤️ And his pants fit LOL
Great skit! Enjoyable and true.
Regarding the item someone purchased, didn't use but because it was expensive, didn't to want to get rid of it; I was in the same position with a pricey stand mixer that I didn't use. After several months of self talk, I donated the mixer to a home where it would get used. When I need a mixer I use my inexpensive, lightweight handheld mixer which is just right for me.
This was so funny! Good job, Gage! (Sorry if I misspelled his name!) You made a great plumber!
Great video! Yes, I needed the okay to be okay with making mistakes. Making a mistake doesn't mean we've done something wrong. It's just part of the journey. I once donated something that I really regretted later. It ate me up for a long time. Now? Don't ask me what it was because I can no longer remember! It really helped put things in perspective and encouraged me to continue on that journey.
This was a great illustration that drove home your mantra!!!! Because it was so cute, it could not offend anyone. I'm planning to show it to a couple people so that they understand better.
I love this! Especially because both my son and my hubby are plumbers and we own our plumbing and heating company! Lol
Oh your plumber was so kind! :)
your plumber illustration was spot on!! i just move things from place to place and then when I am ready to get rid of it, someone else who uses it every once awhile in the family talks me into keeping it.... i need to do it when they aren't home :) Thanks for the laughs!
Dawn, we've been going even further this year and it's been fantastic. My kids are already over their Christmas toys and are building with the Amazon boxes. Today I am decluttering a skirt I've NEVER WORN that DOESN'T FIT because maybe I will gain weight one day and need it?? And I'm decluttering old work materials that I no longer use!
I hired it do do a job! What a great mind shift!
Why did i love your cheesy plumber skit so much 😂 Gage is just too dang adorable!!
This is my favorite video next to Justin Case. 😂 Corbin is precious. You guys are the best!!!
Oh my goodness!!! I’m eating lunch and almost choked from laughter!!!😂 I loved the response from “the plumber” (yr precious son), that he “agreed” to stay underneath the sink for future plumbing problems (w/wrench)! A perfect example indeed-what IF we made this type of choice on everyday life scenarios (I don’t think the Maytag Guy would readily wait…!!😉😆
We did the commitment test when we purchased our Ninja Foodi. We grew to love it so much that we use it more than our oven. I sold our crock pots because they took up so much room and didn't do a better job. I have only missed them once or twice and then just used a large pot instead.
We love our Ninja Foodi! And we aren’t using our oven much now either…especially since the oven door fell off! 😂🤣😂
Gage was an awesome Plummer and excellent physical example of the true cost of keeping items in storage for just in case.
Oh the plumber 🫠😍so cute. And hilarious what you did together😂 i love it❤
Corbin is the cutest little plumber ever!! Thanks Corbin! You're awesome dude!
What a great analogy!
This was so cute but very helpful.
This was a great way to explain not holding onto things we don’t use for a maybe later😂🤯❤
Min Viable Action- Pam Barnhill transferred this to homeschooling and describes creating a Min Viable Day- love it!
I started "renting" party supplies by either getting them from our Buy Nothing group or giving them away on a Buy Nothing group. No need to store in case I decide to use this theme or parts of it again. I used to have so many plates, cups, decor, utensils, etc. just in case they will fit another party theme.
I almost spit out my coffee when Corbin was at the door! 😂😂😂 And then when he went under the sink, I completely lost it. 😂😂😂
Or is that Gage? Either way, what a cutie.
The question “If I get rid of this item, what would I use instead?” Has helped me immensely in letting go a few items.
Love your little helper he such a good boy. 😊😊
I love that you contrasted the benefits of a decluttered home, versus that one moment of inconvenience when you need something you decluttered way back.
I don’t regret a single thing I have decluttered, even when I had needed that thing again. The peace it brought me while it wasn’t using space in my “to do list” is worth it.
Gage was a great plumber actor!! Looking forward to seeing him again!! 👍👍
An example like Gage's backpack could be a situation where someone else needed that type of backpack more and he may have ended up with one that suits him better
Oh my gosh i love your little cooperative plumber !!! This will come to mind when I’m not sure about something in our home ! I recently gave away an expensive winter coat i bought at a consignment store - it was too small but i was holding onto it - stop it! My neighbors teenage daughter needed a new one and i offered it to her and got the loveliest hand written thank you note ! Such a blessing 😊
Ohhh Daune... that really illustrates how ridicilous we are to hold onto everything 'just in case'
What a great analogy, and such a cute plumber! My hubby's a plumber (He's cute, too! 😊). I think I'll let him hang around. Lol
Thanks, Dawn! Great info as always! ❤
Dawn, thanks to you and your adorable son, I have a very memorable lesson learned in the cost of storing things UNTIL you need them or IN CASE you may need it. The mistake of KEEPING is much larger and more expensive than anyone realizes! I also loved when you assured us that no child was hurt making this video. LOL
This is a genius visual of keeping just in case items. “We hire things to do a job.” Genius.
“I researched it” last words ever spoken before an impulsive buy 😂 love this video! Needed it!
Thanks to Gage for taking part in the video…..these visual aids are very helpful…..
lol!!!! He did such a good job as your Plummer!!! Hahah I love it!!!! That was great! I’m showing this to my hubby to see if this will help!
The plumber story will make me remember this idea!! So cute.
Such a great plumber you have there. He did a fantastic job!!
This video was hilariously awesome and super insightful!
When we downsized my mom and moved her into assisted living it was a sudden situation. Mom told us what she for sure wanted moved. With knick knacks my brother took pictures, showed them to our mom so she could choose. Now 6+ months later there's only been 1 or 2 things she wishes she kept. I'm currently decluttering my apartment and am being ruthless. It feels great.
Wish every plumber was so cute and good natured!
I tell myself “If I donate this “thing” - I’ll be just as fine as I was before I got it to begin with!”
LOL we all need a live in plumber 😂 great job to your assistant today ❤
A few years ago, I won Christmas decorations from a designer. It was meaningful, because we had set out to surprise our son with a full-sized tree in our apartment (after years of our little one asking for a "BIG TREE" ... 4ft no longer being big enough for him ;) I had scored a huge tree off of Amazon that year marked down to like $50. So this contest was perfect. I was placing my written entry every day of what it would mean for our family.
I couldn't believe I won! It had been a bummer year and we felt isolated, so in light of this, it was just very meaningful to be able to make Christmas feel extra special.
Part of the decorations came weeks before Christmas that year and the rest would have ended up coming a few days before except they were delayed. So I never really used them all. We are in a new apartment now and every Christmas since, I had intentions of taking my time, decorating the tree from the inside out and really enjoying the creative process. Instead, after days/weeks of the tree being up ready to go (fluffed and with lights) the reality ended up with me spending an hour (before a deadline... usually dinner with family or Christmas Eve :) putting on the ornaments and finding that I had barely made a dent in my stash. I didn't really need to, even if I did take more time.
Since we are in an apartment, we don't have the storage for "extra" and this year, good friends of ours moved into their own house. It WAS time to share. I made the decision that it would happen.
In the end, I gave most of my winnings away. I kept the silver balls we use on the inside of the tree to help reflect light, velvet ribbon , fairy and pearl lights, amber glass ornaments, some picks for the house ...all from the contest... we have others from the past, ornaments we are attached to and family heirlooms that make it all feel special. Even some given to me this year, gorgeous vintage glass/silver balls...
Whatever fear there was, you see, I still lack nothing that feels beautiful or special. Even a wreath... I gave it away because the tree stand around the corner was selling trimmings for almost nothing that helped create beautiful garland on our door.
That gave me 2 tubs and an IKEA bag's worth to give to my friend: beautiful picks, ribbon, hand blown glass and beaded ornaments - tons of these beautiful green ornaments - matte with a gold cap, so classy and my favorite color. Even the wreath!
Over the years, and thanks to what I've been learning from Dawn and Cas from Clutterbug... I kind of knew having too much, especially while we were in our initial phase of decluttering a couple of years ago (with the rest of the house not functioning well), was part of the problem in getting started each year. By this point, this winter, it was more the brain space... the tension and stress the Christmas stash was bringing during the year with all the other stashes that had to be taken care of yet that I hadn't. Others were more important projects I had procrastinated on... they were sort of becoming morphed together in my mind. A reminder of things left undone that I needed to face and sometimes frankly, a reminder of a rough season.
I do love the creativity that comes with decorating and Christmas is our time right?! To just go for it and enjoy; to do new things, I thrive on it. I don't want it too straight forward. I want options to play around with. But I would only be stuck year after year if I didn't do something different and in this case, give some away.
I also knew feeling obligated to keep them, was an issue. I mean, how many other people would have loved to win this contest? BUT i entered because I wanted to do something special that year for my family. And I did. It did have the intended effect.
It WAS an act of faith. I looked down at my bed covered with beautiful, expensive decorations that I wouldn't normally be able afford. Chosen by a designer. Most were like new. $$ is tighter than ever it feels. There were none of the usual conditions that can help you to let go. Only that this needed to be done and we could in a way rejoice in bringing some cheer to someone we cared about (who had expressed she would like them when I asked... making sure not to pass along a burden).
So, do I regret? Not one bit. Sure, maybe I could have used all the beaded ornaments or more ribbon or decorated more rooms or more corners of the house. But it is true; what is the trade-off? There are also mistakes made in keeping (the costs). Extra bins adding to my bedroom/storage room vibe. Stress. Seeing what is unused get broken or turn color. My friend maybe spending extra money she didn't need to on decorations for her home while things just sit here. Another year of avoiding getting started because of overwhelm....and then feeling more guilt.
Since then I just feel free. When I think of packing up Christmas this year, I feel relieved and actually am looking forward to condensing more. I'm excited that our Christmases will retain a part of that time and still have room for others past and present. My biggest desire is to create and I love to decorate - giving this away didn't take that away from me. Even now, we share similar decorations with close friends of ours.
I used to work in an office environment. Once in a while the copy room - which was quite large and stocked with supplies, needed to be cleaned out an organized. It had to function well. That's sort of in my mind when I am looking at my home now. There is no way we would be keeping old equipment or supplies we no longer needed but maybe-might use some day. I think we don't realize how much we do at home... what an operation it is. It is a burden we are assigning to ourselves to keep stuff that no longer serves us. I'm just picturing telling the office team they have to use the not very sticky post it notes that keep falling (just use tape) that we bought on sale.
We should put our mission first, whatever we do at home, above the stuff. I will attest as well, I make way fewer purchases now after having started the decluttering journey.
2:34 Two minutes in and Imm kicking myself for not watching this video as soon as it was released 😂😂 Gagey!!!! He did so great!
One mind set shift I had was finding a charitable thrift shop to take my expensive clutter to. It was much easier to let those items go if I thought about them as giving a donation to the charity they sponsor.
Gage was ADORABLE and such a great sport. You can be very proud.