Girl you are preaching to the choir here! I’m a hoarder who has been decluttering my hoarded house the past 2 years! I have decluttered thousands of items so far and a long way to go! Hoarding disorder is tricky but it’s not impossible to change! It’s nice to find someone else in a similar journey as myself!! Love & Peace 💜☮️💜
When you move to your new house you might want to try keeping all toys out of the bedrooms and putting all the non school books in there. It makes the bedrooms less stimulating and turns them into more restful and contemplative spaces. If you ensure all the legos are stashed in one room they are so much more fun because searching for that special piece they need for a project is far less frustrating. Of course they’ll both migrate , but everyone will know where they belong so tidying up is so much less challenging.
I’ve been giving this thought. I loved your suggestion. This move is starting to excite me. It’s a chance to hit a major reset button and establish some rules from the start.
Pulling everything out is a good idea. I had a basement that was part garage and had a good size storage area. After grandparents and parents passing I had a giant mess on my hands. I declared, “Enough!” and we had a moving pod placed in our driveway, so we could protect things and it gave us a month to work. We moved every single thing out. We thoroughly cleaned. We went through everything and only what we needed came back in. It also gave my husband a chance to organize his tools and such. It was worth the hard work and it stayed that way until we moved. There’s something about an empty space that is energizing and it helps you see things differently. 😊
Inspect what you expect. Gently but Diligently call your children back to their messes for them to clean up. If you put the time in now, you will reap the benefits of smooth and easy days ahead.
I don’t remember her asking for our parenting advice - of course she’s cleaning the same messes, the kids only have a few things that they play with! Now that we are out of the early phases of parenting, there are a few things I KNOW. Young children are messy and their adolescence really is a time of play, messes, and watching their parents carefully. Pre-teens change their previous habits and likes drastically when it comes to cleanliness and room aesthetic. Older teens act like, and keep their rooms like, their five-year-old selves, and sometimes worse. Young adults, however, much prefer clean, simple spaces and will naturally gravitate there after years of watching their parents again. The point of parenting minimalism isn’t to banish the messes, it’s to make them easier to clean so you have more times with your kiddos to enjoy them. @ericalucas you are doing a great job with your family and your house!!
Jen V I think the parenting advice comes from a good place . Teaching children young to take care of their own mess is good for them and the parent . Children should definitely have time for play and reading and rest but the should also know work and self responsibility.
Please continue to always be real with us Erica, it's what I love about you. If you tidy before you film then you are reducing the motivation for your viewers. If we see that your house looks like ours then we relate to you better and we see how we too can start the journey to minimalism. Thank you
I love that you have no problem whatsoever sharing with us your real life. We're all on our own journeys aren't we?! Some places will be bumpy but other places will be smooth and easy. Be thankful for both, because it's in those rough spots that we can learn the most lessons. My journey is full of fits and stops, two steps forward and one step back. (Sometimes 1 fwd, 2 back!) Thanks for being you Erica, and keeping it real!!!💟
So happy for you. Even the messes you showed would be so much easier to clean up now. You might want to pack away some of the legos until your boys get to the place they can manage them without leaving them strewn everywhere. Maybe start with a quarter to one third and then when they can keep those picked up move to one half. There are just too many individual pieces for their age.
Erica with three kids a husband and homeschooling plus the everyday things that are coming up cooking cleaning etc , what you ve done in such short time is incredible...i ve been through this i went through all the emotions, i got desperate and tired and confused and emotional and i quit and i ve started over and over again so it took me over 2 years to declutter our house because i have a full time job and i had only the weekends free but i didnt regret a moment of this journey enjoy the freedom of living with less so your kids will take after your example when they grow up God bless you and your family you are special and so sweet kisses from Greece
I’ve loved watching your journey because you’ve never sugar coated the a reality of minimising with a family in tow. I have slowly been decluttering over the last 3 years but made a major push to complete our minimalism journey last year, after a foreign posting, and we just couldn’t get all the boxes emptied! I’m actually looking forward to packing for our next move! I feel your pain with the Covid situation - I feel like my house is never going to be tidy again!
@@ohjeh7388 em to that seeing things in breadcrumbs doesnt give you the whole picture its when one biscuit or just one more biscuit becomes 2 packets in a span of an hour becomes a problem 😂😂😂 if you dont have perspective you have nothing in my opinion. Seeing everything together as it shoould be shows you how much you truly have and seeing it itemised in such a categorical way also allows you to see how much you truly use and makes you sort of have a reality check. I move a lot maybe as much as a military wife without the military factor and no matter how many times i move im still shocked by how much stuff we have granted weve been able to downgrade the size of the moving truck since ive started decluttering but its been a one woman journey while living with a packrat hoarder type who still wont come to jesus so to speak with their habits etc so its a battle against the waves every time i make progress she seeks to drag it back to hoarderland...not fun. I feel like i couldve decluttered at least 3 different hoarder houses top to bottom by now if i didnt have to fight my mother at every turn. Shes not going to change unfortunately since she cant even admit theres a problem and is so blind to clutter she cang find things in front of her face and wont even use organising systems ive put in place *sigh* tbh i wish i could fight fibreglass and not a person 😂😂😂 i hope everyone feels how worth it all the effort is though! Seriously even if im still ok the main decluttering journey still and refining that over and over and trying to maintain things at the very least im glad i started i cant even imagine where wed be now if ten years ago i hadnt started this journey when i discovered what decluttering actually was! 😱😱😱
Hi, my mom insisted on me playing with Legos on a blanket/sheet. Whenever I was finished playing , she took up the blanket and emptied it straight in big plastic box. Perhaps it is an idea for your boys too, to play on a blanket.
That's a good idea! And any Legos found off of the blanket get quarantined for a month! Eventually, when there are hardly any Legos left, they will realize that Mom is serious and play with them only on the blanket!
I cannot believe how much you’ve got done in nine months, you’ve worked so, so hard. I’ve really enjoyed watching every video (whilst I lay on the sofa snacking!) I’m looking forward to seeing your next home and how you furnish it 👍👍 thanks for sharing xx
Great job....keep going! Get rid of 85% of your homeschool stuff! Veteran Air Force Homeschool Mom of two here (pre-K to graduation) you won’t use most of it and your just moving it from house to house! Also on toys- get rid of most of ALL the little toys. They are just messy. Pair down (or put away 1/2 the legos). You can always pull them back out later.
I totally agree with this. Homeschool supplies are tricky because it makes you feel full of good intentions. Once you get rid of it though, your life and mind are so much lighter and you don't miss it. It will save money on the move too. No going over weight.
I have to admit... This video has been so reassuring. I have been decluttering slowly, with occasional furious flurries for almost 2 years now and my house still looks like this almost daily (minus the dog- I have 4 rescue cats and the plastic totes- mine are in my shed😂). It is so much easier to clean up now than it used to be! However I am still on my journey to minimise and organise my home. I'm doing it all on the tiniest of budgets, piecemeal as I can afford it, reusing, repurposing and upcycling what I can. Which means I always have a project (or several) on the go, sometimes stalled until I can get the paint stripper, sandpaper, paint etc I need for the next bit. Plus parenting/homeschooling a special needs child and still trying to keep the household running. I know that I have made a huge difference and will continue to do so. But when I look around in the wake of my daughter's hurricane like devastation of any area she occupies, the partially done chores because I'm constantly having to do something else and don't always get back to it. The things my poor, exhausted partner just doesn't have the energy to worry about on top of working and giving all he can to help and support me, as I do him with what daily life means for us. I feel inadequate and far from judging you, I recognise the enormous effort behind those messes. The love and attention your family are receiving because you are letting those messes go to prioritise them. The courage and strength of will it takes to give yourself a break with so much hanging over your head and to continue with it afterwards. And finally I am so grateful that I am not the only one. Thank you 💕
Cerridwen Rowan Very beautifully written as you shared your heart 💞 I’m in a similar journey as you...and knowing we’re not alone brings us the strength, love and encouragement to keep going forward, step by step, victory by victory!
You are doing a great job! I admire your honesty and transparency. You are probably getting a huge amount of advice, but I am sure it is helping a lot of people in a similar situation as yours. Have you thought to have a tidy up time with the kids just before getting ready for bed. It could be part of the evening routine where everyone tidies up so that you start fresh every day. Tasks could include dishes, counters, tidying up toys, dirty clothes in hampers, all floors and flat surfaces picked up, books in baskets, etc. It could be done including pyjamas and teeth brushing before a bedtime story. Set a timer so it is not too long (20 min.)
Your living room looks so good now, that I had forgotten all about the lonely couch! Also, this video was like a reminder that not only don't we need extra stuff, maybe extra rooms/sq footage in homes like we think. You've learned in future homes you don't need rooms just for Home school, the "sun room", extra bathrooms, and specially the attic! In this phase your kid's like to be together and a lot of space goes unused.
if u arent using the basement, u can get a jump start on decluttering before the move. pull everything out of the crawspace and organize it into categories. when the husband has time, he can easily help say yes or no and then put it out to the curb or donate. depending on the state of stuff in the attic and shed, u could add that to the categories too. i find that categorizing stuff makes it sooo much easier to decide what to keep.
Pro Cleaner here: I’ve cleaned for and been “Beloved Housekeeper” for numerous growing families.. One particular point, either a Sticking Point, or a Smooth Sailing point, depending upon the Mom’s grasp of how families work, is Getting those Dishwashers EMPTIED ASAP! Next to daily laundry processing, the Dishwasher struggles have been most epic. This even includes my own family, when the kids were young. For some reason, it took some years even for ME to realize the dynamics of the flow. I will tell you this: expecting to have anyone else clear the clean dishwashers and put them away is a recipe for Disaster! Emptying/Resetting and giving the growing family the gift of empty dishwashers is a game changer. There’s opportunity to teach them to Fill, Fill, and FILL any and all dishwashers they ever encounter! If you Don’t- here’s the sad truth: you get overflowing sinks and counters full of greasy, cold, filthy utensils and dishes, and you become a scolding parent. And your kitchen ALWAYS looks like a dump. Do NOT expect any child to take responsibility for this step in clearing your kitchen. There’s almost nothing that tops this “little” chore. If you love your lovely home and family, do this! Or hire a housekeeper to do this! Best wishes! ❤️
This may have been mentioned before but, is it possible to pull everything from crawl space, attic and any other areas and put in one spot? That way your not trying to declutter so many different spots at the same time and it would not be so spread out. Just a thought. Good luck!
@@EricaLucasLoves I know for my brain type it would make things easier cause I could see the items as a whole rather than hidden and divided up in different areas! Can't wait to see the progress!
The smell comes from the drains in the bathroom. When the water in the trap evaporates low enough that the sewer line gasses are exchanged it stinks. To prevent the evaporation pour some olive oil down the drain to have a layer of oil over the water in the trap. No evaporation equals no smell.
This is so emotional. New beginning! Old memories! Think about how you’ll be able to organize all the new rooms and make a place for everything in your new home. Like a million video ideas! That’s what I’ve been thinking about. As much as I would love a beautiful tiny home and let my kids have their classroom outside all the time, I come to realize I have to make the best of what we have. Looking forward to everything. The fact that you have stairs to your attic, still amazes me.
Even with the warning . . . I was just not prepared. (lol). That was an incredible amount of work, both physically and emotionally. I know you still have a long road ahead with your move, but PLEASE schedule something very special for yourself at the end.
Erica, you give me hope! I don't consider myself a hoarder but I do have too much stuff and I'm fundamentally lazy about housework and messy by nature. End result is the same, I'm drowning in my cluttered messy dirty house! 🙁 I have no problem decluttering but getting the motivation to start and then getting the stuff out of the house and disposed of is where I struggle!
I have had the awesome privilege to work to help de clutter an office. I have gone through their supply closet four times! It’s like peeling an onion. You pull out the trash first. Then they work with that. Then we realize there is more stuff that’s not being used so we pull that out. Then they work with that a while. Then we realize there’s even more stuff that can go. I’m really proud of all the work you’ve done! I haven’t read the comments, but there might be people that are complaining that you haven’t gotten farther, or haven’t reduced more. However, as you said, it is a process not a Destiination. I am very happy to see this video!
You have done a great job. Wow, what a beautiful dog. Have fun with obedience training. GS are great! I grew up in a minimalist house. The biggest things I think remember that kept it that way, was that we hardly ever bought new toys. We had crafts, puzzles, 3 or four board games. Blocks and big legos when I was very very young. A box of scarves for dress-up, and a few puppets (lots of playing pretend). Later, mostly books, and some art supplies (those were my interests). But we went to the library and park all the time. Rode our bikes, did gardening with our mom. Cooked with our dad. I'm happy to see the garden!!!
I'm loving the rawness of your videos. It makes your videos so relatable. You're doing a fantastic job of decluttering plus documenting it to help others. Thanks for all the effort you put into creating them.
So good to see an overview from when you started to now. You have accomplished SO much, it's awesome! You inspired me to see what I can eliminate in my wardrobe and I went from 97 (shocked me) to 71, so far! Twenty-six items, woohoo!
I think it would be a great idea for you to display your husbands guitar (mine hang in the bedroom). He might pick it up and play it if it were conveniently located. And who doesn’t love watching their man make music for them?
You are adorable and I LOVE how you show us the REAL DEAL!! You inspire me and make minimalism doable for my family!! Thank you for all your honesty and transparency! I’m binge watching your declutter series as I declutter!!
Your bedroom is how it could all look. Wonderful. Just move everything else to the basement and get rid of it quickly. You are so capable of doing it x
O my goodness. Yiur house look so much better. I'm devluttering my things too. I am trying to be ruthless. 😆. But the one thing I have learned, is as soon as I wake up I throw open my bed and then go to the bathroom. When done there, I come and maje my bed. Waje my grand babies up and take all the dirty washing to the laundry basket. My biggest problem is my sowing. I don't have a masjien so I sow by hand. I am quite good but it take long and that's what build up because in between I am making a blanket with the left overs . But we all love you and hold thumbs for your journey. Karima. South Africa
Good job. A lived in well loved comfortable useful home. The difference is amazing. Imagine how many people you have made happy with your donations - people finding the item they desperately needed at a reasonable price and the money your items have raised for needful causes. It's very satisfying to think of the things which were causing you pain going out and finding their home with someone who needed them :)
zone cleaning and a timer (ala Flylady) could really help in this situation. Just a little at a time can keep things in order, or at least help. Love your videos. thanks for sharing!
This was posted from one of my friends. Which I could post the pic. It says 🦋”Be happy with what you have and you’ll have plenty to be happy about.”🦋. I thought of you immediately & how positive of an experience this has been for you. You seem happy with less!❤️
Take the tidying up capacities of your kids seriously. And consider how you can make it easy for them. You chose not to have any shelving, but to me now you are hiding the art supplies under a bench. If toys et cetera have a designated space (for example shelving with bins in which it fits easily, but without unused space which would become dumping ground) it becomes so much easier to put everything away. My 3 year old daughter learned a song on kindergarten roughly translated: “Tidy up, stop playing, put everything in the bin, “Tidy up, stop playing, put everything in the cupboard” Everyday just before dinner we sing the song and I give her one of the bins and tell her what belongs in it. In 5-10 minutes all her toys are back in place, she gets to watch some telly or read a book and I can start cooking. It is the mark of the and of the day.
I’ve just watched through your whole play list of decluttering. And I love it. It’s just so real, and it’s lovely to see the process, not a perfect end result. I was thrust into minimalism 6 years ago when I moved from Finland to Tanzania with our luggage only. I’ve been surprised how it’s an ongoing process at least to me... what felt minimal three years ago, would now give me anxiety. Step by step. And every item leaving is progress to whatever you want your space to be. Good luck with the move. ❤️
You've come so far on your decluttering journey Erica and it's awesome watching you as you get through one task at a time! I think after the recent videos of the attic, basement, crawl space and garage, you've turned our focus to your next big project and we're all waiting for that declutter to begin, so the house tour videos aren't as satisfying right now because we're looking for your "next big move" on decluttering. I really think that the basement & sunroom need a basic tidy, papers and Legos together, vaccumed, etc. Your mind will be calmer for it. And then. Push aside the homeschooling to one side of the wall and open the can of worms that is your crawl space. You know the benefits and how you'll feel after, and I know that hesitancy of starting another project. It's time Erica, we're here rooting for you! ❤️
One of the ways to help minimize your clothes is to turn all the hangers backwards, then as you wear an item, turn the hanger the correct way; once 6 months to a year goes by, those clothes with the hangers backwards are the ones you donate because you haven’t worn them for so long. Also, for clothes stored in the dresser, do something similar like fold the clothes as you would normally, but when worn and put back in dresser, fold the clothes in a roll or trifold as in the KonMari method; again, those clothes that are still folded the original way gets donated.
The powder version of Bar keeper's Friend works so much better! House is looking great! You have done an amazing amount of work with 3 littles in tow ♥️
I think you are doing so good! You really see a difference! And now when you are preparing for the move it is bound to get messy! I am sure you will be very happy in the new house with your new lifestyle 😊
Thanks for the new video! It has already been 9 months!!! And you've come so far... I am really impressed thinking back of how I started following you in October. Congratulations! And greetings from Luxembourg
Hi Erica! Love you channel! I know this is a year old but I wanted to share a tip about the guitar. Guitars are most comfortable where we are most comfortable. They are sensitive to heat/cold/humidity. The attic, car trunk, or non climate controlled basement areas are really hard on them. They can warp or crack with too much temperature or humidity abuse.
I have enjoyed your journey and am impressed on how far you have come. You need to have your kiddos help you clean up their toys daily. The sun room shouldn’t look like it does unless they are playing. If they move on to something else they should pick up before they leave that room. Just a suggestion. You shouldn’t have to do it alone.
How does housing work for you guys? Will you be looking for a place to live closer to your move date and will it be a temporary rental or will you be purchasing a home right away to minimize the amount of moves you have to make? Moving gives me so much anxiety. Hopefully, you will have an easy move and your husband will be able to help you out a lot so you can document a lot of that on fast forward for us.
You have worked incredibly hard and lately under a very stressful situation. Have you looked into the Flylady System for regular cleaning? I often tackle everything at once and get so worn out that I need a break...which lasts until it is all horrible again. I jump crisis to crisis instead of having a plan that I stick to re: laundry, dishes, rooms. Congratulations on your hard work! I never would have started!
I think you've done a fabulous job and things look great! I absolutely love Barkeepers Friend, but I've learned the powder is more effective than the liquid. Keep up the great work. You are such an inspiration to me! Thank you!
Yay, a REAL house with kids! This is mine, too. I'm a military brat, so I sympathize with the moving! It's made me keep fewer things though. For your sink, the barkeeper's friend is great (it's the ONLY thing that'll clean my shower floor) - I also use Soft Scrub with bleach to clean off the stains 😁
I know your crazy busy with decluttering and moving prep at the moment but I would love it if you would do a favourite homeschool supplies and basic activities at some point. My daughter is (I think the same age) as your oldest. The video you did before with him had so much great information.
You are an inspiration to us all. You have done so much and it gives me hope that I can do the same. I am single, recently retired, and have just started the minimalist journey. I was calling it downsizing but it always seemed like I was taking away stuff. I like your way better. Deciding what I want to live with is much kinder than deciding what to let go of.
I love your videos! So interesting, real and motivating. Thank you for these. Am on my own decluttering journey and it’s nice to see real family videosXx
Thank you for keeping it real. My basement has got away on me too. I keep taking stuff down and not putting it away. I plan to start going down for even 20 min at a time and dealing with stuff. I often think of what Peter Walsh said “ later is the best friend of clutter.” Erica you are doing an incredible job! Keep it up 👍😁
Love your videos! Are you familiar with The Minimalists? They have a Minimalism Challenge called a packing party. It involves packing up all of your belongings into well-labeled boxes and then only unpacking items as you need them. That way, you can see what you truly use and want in your life. In your case, you are really moving so everything will be in boxes anyway. Just a thought! I did a version of this myself and it really helped me figure out what I could live happily without :).
Great job! Your house looks good. I started my minimalist journey about 2 years ago. I had a ton of clothing, handbags, shoes, kids had a ton of toys, knickknacks and sentimental items. Feels great to have so much less.
I think it would look much better if you clear stuff off floors and vacuum them. Agree that toys need one or two spots at most and outdoor toys. Bedroom looks really nice.
You’re always so gracious about all the unsolicited advice we throw at you so I would like to add something after what you told us about your home school room. I’m a teacher (and have very mixed feelings about home schooling but I don’t want to go into that), so I’m not just pulling this out of thin air: it is much healthier psychologically to have a dedicated work space and a work-begins-now ritual. (The reason why teachers often ask the kids to stand up to greet them. It’s not a power trip, it’s a little ritual that programs the kids’ brains to go into work-mode, ultimately making it easier for them). If they work, eat and play at the same table that is a lot to handle for their brains and can cause unrest, problems to concentrate and it tires them out. I don’t know if your new home has a beautiful space for home school like your current one but if it’s possible, experts recommend to separate spaces. If you don’t have room, it might even help to only sit at one side of the table for work and on the other side of the table for eating/playing (that’s what I did in university and had the tiniest apartment).
I adore this comment. I hope to create a homeschool environment in our new place. Everything I’m decluttering this week is related to that vision. Thank you for your work as a teacher!!!
You are doing great!.. Good plan to move everything out of crawl space to sort.. More comfortable and you aren't using the other room for homeschooling at present. I have moved 13x in my life so far.. And one thing that has helped with decluttering is... packing and unpacking the moving boxes myself.. Because I label, photograph content and make lists of content as I pack (just by hand as I go.. Eg book box.. I take photo of all books (that is the detail) and Write on list " kids school books maths and science year 7") .. This helps me bin stuff as I pack.. And at new place I know where everything is.. And then bin more stuff that doesn't have a new home straight away in the new house and that I don't plan finding a new home for ie buying new furniture for.. In several of your videos you mentioned that a company packs the boxes and mixes all things together... That doesn't help you at all!.. While you are sorting to move.. Clean the basement and then stack the "finished sorted labeled boxes" which you don't need in the time coming up to the move in the basement. Also label which room they will go to in the new house... Then everything is not so "overwhelming" in the new house.. And you can prioritize opening the boxes you need and you will feel gratification and success in this house as you see the boxes "finished and ready to go" knowing that you have decluttered and organized the stuff that is in them!... That will give you a positive feeling... I also used different colored markers to label the boxes for the different rooms and in the new house used the same markers to write room labels that I stuck on the room doors (eg on boxes blue for kids rooms.. And numbers.. So a blue 1-Lego, blue 1-clothes for oldest kid, blue 2-Lego.. for next kid etc) .. That was satisfying and helps see quickly what goes where! It especially helps the movers put the boxes in the right rooms in the new house... Xx PS.. What you don't have the "head space" to deal with now.. Box with an extra symbol.. Photograph content and write list.. I had 17 such boxes.. Over a year at the new house I took them one at a time out of the basement in the evenings when kids were in bed and I had energy and went through them while watching a film..now I have 1 plastic box and several scrapbooks/photobooks.. It was actually enjoyable and stress free to deal with the more personal stuff that way.!
Id say pack up the homeschool room before moving anything else into it - also packing the rest of the house and just keeping out the bare essentials would give you less stuff and more space to organise things. I know its a big job. It seems like its never ending some days. But you are doing great and it looks way better than when you started 😍
I have a white farmhouse sink and it gets just as messy; here's the perfect combo to clean it! Weimans glass cook top polish (NOT the spray, the spray is useless for this). Scrub it using a thick bristled kitchen scrubber-after some serious elbow grease, the scratches and scuffs and discoloration for the most part will be gone. After a thorough rinse, I then use a bleach based spray tile cleaner to spray down the sink... Let it sit for at least 5 minutes and then come back and rinse it clean. Perfect!
Hi erica, huge change than before, i think it will also help your house keep in tiny if the kid also learn to tidy up. Still waiting for your carpet to be shampoo. 💚💙🧡
I'd love to see you declutter your learning materials stuff because I need to do that too. I love how you present your videos, it clcks more with me than you ' other minimalist type videos. Thank you so much!
You have a really big job mom and your approach is much like Dawn's, The Minimalist Mom (love her tips and honesty)! Thank you for sharing your journey. Your work is amazing! I wonder if you know of Jordan Page's site Fun, Cheap or Free? She's a mom of 8 and has organizing, tidying, budgeting... well, EVERYTHING down pat with her large and loving family. Between the three of you, I continue to be encouraged!!
wow this bothered me so much, I wasn't ready!!! I wish u did the after in color, since you did the before in black and white. wish you a wonderful minimalist/clutter free life
Whenever we moved I found it easy to get rid of things. Mainly because they went with the old house and not with this new house. Base housing has lots of storage. So try not to fall into the storage unit rental trap, if some things don't fit.
Love watching the progress! It can be so difficult with time management - at least I find that for myself. I really have to plan my next day in the evening because I have a way of procrastinating and then feeling guilty if I dont accomplish something. Its hard as a homeschooler, mom, wife, homemaker (and worker if you do that outside the home or inside with isolation) - to go on a minimalism journey while youre trying to keep up with regular 'maintenance' and day to day obligations and then tackle other projects. We've managed our garage, bedrooms and bathrooms. We are on to the basement which has been our drop zone for years but now we need the space so we need to finish it and tackle a biiiig purge to do it 🤦🏻♀️
Hi , you have come so far, I know it's a daunting task to take the time to declutter when you are getting ready to move again, but if you can keep going it makes it easier to unpack later, having done navy moves the less you have the better.
Girl you are preaching to the choir here! I’m a hoarder who has been decluttering my hoarded house the past 2 years! I have decluttered thousands of items so far and a long way to go! Hoarding disorder is tricky but it’s not impossible to change! It’s nice to find someone else in a similar journey as myself!! Love & Peace 💜☮️💜
❤️❤️❤️❤️😂
I've been watching you and you have come a long way❤
@@EricaLucasLoves love how your so minimal that it's a easy clean up for your daily routine
Dear Hoarders Heart... Please read my comment to Erica on this video. The same sentiment is true for you also 💕
Michele Hice you have been a huge encouragement to keep me going 💞 Thank you for that ❤️🙏🏻❤️
When you move to your new house you might want to try keeping all toys out of the bedrooms and putting all the non school books in there. It makes the bedrooms less stimulating and turns them into more restful and contemplative spaces.
If you ensure all the legos are stashed in one room they are so much more fun because searching for that special piece they need for a project is far less frustrating.
Of course they’ll both migrate , but everyone will know where they belong so tidying up is so much less challenging.
I love this idea.
I’ve been giving this thought. I loved your suggestion. This move is starting to excite me. It’s a chance to hit a major reset button and establish some rules from the start.
Pulling everything out is a good idea. I had a basement that was part garage and had a good size storage area. After grandparents and parents passing I had a giant mess on my hands. I declared, “Enough!” and we had a moving pod placed in our driveway, so we could protect things and it gave us a month to work. We moved every single thing out. We thoroughly cleaned. We went through everything and only what we needed came back in. It also gave my husband a chance to organize his tools and such. It was worth the hard work and it stayed that way until we moved. There’s something about an empty space that is energizing and it helps you see things differently. 😊
Inspect what you expect. Gently but Diligently call your children back to their messes for them to clean up. If you put the time in now, you will reap the benefits of smooth and easy days ahead.
This sounds like good advice !
Good advice, because I see her cleaning up the same messes over and over.
@@maggiesue4825 I see the same thing
I don’t remember her asking for our parenting advice - of course she’s cleaning the same messes, the kids only have a few things that they play with! Now that we are out of the early phases of parenting, there are a few things I KNOW. Young children are messy and their adolescence really is a time of play, messes, and watching their parents carefully. Pre-teens change their previous habits and likes drastically when it comes to cleanliness and room aesthetic. Older teens act like, and keep their rooms like, their five-year-old selves, and sometimes worse. Young adults, however, much prefer clean, simple spaces and will naturally gravitate there after years of watching their parents again. The point of parenting minimalism isn’t to banish the messes, it’s to make them easier to clean so you have more times with your kiddos to enjoy them. @ericalucas you are doing a great job with your family and your house!!
Jen V I think the parenting advice comes from a good place . Teaching children young to take care of their own mess is good for them and the parent . Children should definitely have time for play and reading and rest but the should also know work and self responsibility.
Please continue to always be real with us Erica, it's what I love about you. If you tidy before you film then you are reducing the motivation for your viewers. If we see that your house looks like ours then we relate to you better and we see how we too can start the journey to minimalism. Thank you
So many comment about keeping it real so I do that. But I’m a bit embarrassed. :)
I love that you have no problem whatsoever sharing with us your real life. We're all on our own journeys aren't we?! Some places will be bumpy but other places will be smooth and easy. Be thankful for both, because it's in those rough spots that we can learn the most lessons. My journey is full of fits and stops, two steps forward and one step back. (Sometimes 1 fwd, 2 back!) Thanks for being you Erica, and keeping it real!!!💟
You can be minimalist and still be messy. The difference is it’s easier to clean up and tidy up. You are doing great! 🥰
@@billy77511 Thats your opinion.
@@billy77511 Minimalism has nothing to do w/ messiness. If you leave things on the floor or don't clean after yourself you are messy.
Billy Boulton **you’re**
Agreed!
So happy for you. Even the messes you showed would be so much easier to clean up now. You might want to pack away some of the legos until your boys get to the place they can manage them without leaving them strewn everywhere. Maybe start with a quarter to one third and then when they can keep those picked up move to one half. There are just too many individual pieces for their age.
Erica with three kids a husband and homeschooling plus the everyday things that are coming up cooking cleaning etc , what you ve done in such short time is incredible...i ve been through this i went through all the emotions, i got desperate and tired and confused and emotional and i quit and i ve started over and over again so it took me over 2 years to declutter our house because i have a full time job and i had only the weekends free but i didnt regret a moment of this journey
enjoy the freedom of living with less so your kids will take after your example when they grow up God bless you and your family you are special and so sweet kisses from Greece
I’ve loved watching your journey because you’ve never sugar coated the a reality of minimising with a family in tow. I have slowly been decluttering over the last 3 years but made a major push to complete our minimalism journey last year, after a foreign posting, and we just couldn’t get all the boxes emptied! I’m actually looking forward to packing for our next move! I feel your pain with the Covid situation - I feel like my house is never going to be tidy again!
That is such a great suggestion to just pull everything out of the crawl space and work on it in the basement!!! I’m excited to see you do that
@@ohjeh7388 em to that seeing things in breadcrumbs doesnt give you the whole picture its when one biscuit or just one more biscuit becomes 2 packets in a span of an hour becomes a problem 😂😂😂 if you dont have perspective you have nothing in my opinion.
Seeing everything together as it shoould be shows you how much you truly have and seeing it itemised in such a categorical way also allows you to see how much you truly use and makes you sort of have a reality check. I move a lot maybe as much as a military wife without the military factor and no matter how many times i move im still shocked by how much stuff we have granted weve been able to downgrade the size of the moving truck since ive started decluttering but its been a one woman journey while living with a packrat hoarder type who still wont come to jesus so to speak with their habits etc so its a battle against the waves every time i make progress she seeks to drag it back to hoarderland...not fun. I feel like i couldve decluttered at least 3 different hoarder houses top to bottom by now if i didnt have to fight my mother at every turn. Shes not going to change unfortunately since she cant even admit theres a problem and is so blind to clutter she cang find things in front of her face and wont even use organising systems ive put in place *sigh* tbh i wish i could fight fibreglass and not a person 😂😂😂 i hope everyone feels how worth it all the effort is though! Seriously even if im still ok the main decluttering journey still and refining that over and over and trying to maintain things at the very least im glad i started i cant even imagine where wed be now if ten years ago i hadnt started this journey when i discovered what decluttering actually was! 😱😱😱
Hi, my mom insisted on me playing with Legos on a blanket/sheet. Whenever I was finished playing , she took up the blanket and emptied it straight in big plastic box. Perhaps it is an idea for your boys too, to play on a blanket.
That's a good idea! And any Legos found off of the blanket get quarantined for a month! Eventually, when there are hardly any Legos left, they will realize that Mom is serious and play with them only on the blanket!
My mom threatened with the vacuum cleaner... Very effective and minimalish
Pi Ne I like that!
Good idea, I’m going to try that.
Like the blanket idea. The vacuum seems wasteful and harsh
I cannot believe how much you’ve got done in nine months, you’ve worked so, so hard. I’ve really enjoyed watching every video (whilst I lay on the sofa snacking!) I’m looking forward to seeing your next home and how you furnish it 👍👍 thanks for sharing xx
Great job....keep going! Get rid of 85% of your homeschool stuff! Veteran Air Force Homeschool Mom of two here (pre-K to graduation) you won’t use most of it and your just moving it from house to house! Also on toys- get rid of most of ALL the little toys. They are just messy. Pair down (or put away 1/2 the legos). You can always pull them back out later.
I totally agree with this. Homeschool supplies are tricky because it makes you feel full of good intentions. Once you get rid of it though, your life and mind are so much lighter and you don't miss it. It will save money on the move too. No going over weight.
Absolutely! Intention is not action.
I have to admit... This video has been so reassuring. I have been decluttering slowly, with occasional furious flurries for almost 2 years now and my house still looks like this almost daily (minus the dog- I have 4 rescue cats and the plastic totes- mine are in my shed😂). It is so much easier to clean up now than it used to be! However I am still on my journey to minimise and organise my home. I'm doing it all on the tiniest of budgets, piecemeal as I can afford it, reusing, repurposing and upcycling what I can. Which means I always have a project (or several) on the go, sometimes stalled until I can get the paint stripper, sandpaper, paint etc I need for the next bit. Plus parenting/homeschooling a special needs child and still trying to keep the household running. I know that I have made a huge difference and will continue to do so. But when I look around in the wake of my daughter's hurricane like devastation of any area she occupies, the partially done chores because I'm constantly having to do something else and don't always get back to it. The things my poor, exhausted partner just doesn't have the energy to worry about on top of working and giving all he can to help and support me, as I do him with what daily life means for us. I feel inadequate and far from judging you, I recognise the enormous effort behind those messes. The love and attention your family are receiving because you are letting those messes go to prioritise them. The courage and strength of will it takes to give yourself a break with so much hanging over your head and to continue with it afterwards. And finally I am so grateful that I am not the only one. Thank you 💕
Cerridwen Rowan Very beautifully written as you shared your heart 💞 I’m in a similar journey as you...and knowing we’re not alone brings us the strength, love and encouragement to keep going forward, step by step, victory by victory!
❤️❤️❤️❤️
You are doing a great job! I admire your honesty and transparency. You are probably getting a huge amount of advice, but I am sure it is helping a lot of people in a similar situation as yours. Have you thought to have a tidy up time with the kids just before getting ready for bed. It could be part of the evening routine where everyone tidies up so that you start fresh every day. Tasks could include dishes, counters, tidying up toys, dirty clothes in hampers, all floors and flat surfaces picked up, books in baskets, etc. It could be done including pyjamas and teeth brushing before a bedtime story. Set a timer so it is not too long (20 min.)
Your living room looks so good now, that I had forgotten all about the lonely couch! Also, this video was like a reminder that not only don't we need extra stuff, maybe extra rooms/sq footage in homes like we think. You've learned in future homes you don't need rooms just for Home school, the "sun room", extra bathrooms, and specially the attic! In this phase your kid's like to be together and a lot of space goes unused.
Make sure you replace that sea glass mirror before you list your house so you can take it when you move ... so beautiful!
Oh yes!
if u arent using the basement, u can get a jump start on decluttering before the move. pull everything out of the crawspace and organize it into categories. when the husband has time, he can easily help say yes or no and then put it out to the curb or donate. depending on the state of stuff in the attic and shed, u could add that to the categories too. i find that categorizing stuff makes it sooo much easier to decide what to keep.
Pro Cleaner here: I’ve cleaned for and been “Beloved Housekeeper” for numerous growing families.. One particular point, either a Sticking Point, or a Smooth Sailing point, depending upon the Mom’s grasp of how families work, is Getting those Dishwashers EMPTIED ASAP! Next to daily laundry processing, the Dishwasher struggles have been most epic. This even includes my own family, when the kids were young. For some reason, it took some years even for ME to realize the dynamics of the flow.
I will tell you this: expecting to have anyone else clear the clean dishwashers and put them away is a recipe for
Disaster!
Emptying/Resetting and giving the growing family the gift of empty dishwashers is a game changer. There’s opportunity to teach them to Fill, Fill, and FILL any and all dishwashers they ever encounter! If you Don’t- here’s the sad truth: you get overflowing sinks and counters full of greasy, cold, filthy utensils and dishes, and you become a scolding parent. And your kitchen ALWAYS looks like a dump. Do NOT expect any child to take responsibility for this step in clearing your kitchen.
There’s almost nothing that tops this “little” chore.
If you love your lovely home and family, do this! Or hire a housekeeper to do this!
Best wishes! ❤️
This may have been mentioned before but, is it possible to pull everything from crawl space, attic and any other areas and put in one spot? That way your not trying to declutter so many different spots at the same time and it would not be so spread out. Just a thought. Good luck!
Good idea. Just put everything into your homeschool room as you don’t use it anymore !
Good ideas I think.
Yep! I’m going to do that!
@@EricaLucasLoves I know for my brain type it would make things easier cause I could see the items as a whole rather than hidden and divided up in different areas! Can't wait to see the progress!
The smell comes from the drains in the bathroom. When the water in the trap evaporates low enough that the sewer line gasses are exchanged it stinks. To prevent the evaporation pour some olive oil down the drain to have a layer of oil over the water in the trap. No evaporation equals no smell.
What?! Fantastic advice!!
The music choice was awesome! I absolutely love the word "minimalish".
Your doing an amazing job cannot wait to see the new house...xx
Me too! Trying to get base housing. :)
This is so emotional. New beginning! Old memories! Think about how you’ll be able to organize all the new rooms and make a place for everything in your new home. Like a million video ideas!
That’s what I’ve been thinking about. As much as I would love a beautiful tiny home and let my kids have their classroom outside all the time, I come to realize I have to make the best of what we have.
Looking forward to everything.
The fact that you have stairs to your attic, still amazes me.
Even with the warning . . . I was just not prepared. (lol). That was an incredible amount of work, both physically and emotionally. I know you still have a long road ahead with your move, but PLEASE schedule something very special for yourself at the end.
Erica, you give me hope! I don't consider myself a hoarder but I do have too much stuff and I'm fundamentally lazy about housework and messy by nature. End result is the same, I'm drowning in my cluttered messy dirty house! 🙁
I have no problem decluttering but getting the motivation to start and then getting the stuff out of the house and disposed of is where I struggle!
Sounds like me too!
I love the video of you reading to your son in the sunroom ❤️ that’s such a sweet clip!
You’ve put in an amazing amount of effort and your hard work is paying off! I love seeing how far you’ve come. Keep up the great work!
I have had the awesome privilege to work to help de clutter an office. I have gone through their supply closet four times! It’s like peeling an onion. You pull out the trash first. Then they work with that. Then we realize there is more stuff that’s not being used so we pull that out. Then they work with that a while. Then we realize there’s even more stuff that can go. I’m really proud of all the work you’ve done! I haven’t read the comments, but there might be people that are complaining that you haven’t gotten farther, or haven’t reduced more. However, as you said, it is a process not a Destiination. I am very happy to see this video!
You have done a great job.
Wow, what a beautiful dog. Have fun with obedience training. GS are great!
I grew up in a minimalist house. The biggest things I think remember that kept it that way, was that we hardly ever bought new toys. We had crafts, puzzles, 3 or four board games. Blocks and big legos when I was very very young. A box of scarves for dress-up, and a few puppets (lots of playing pretend). Later, mostly books, and some art supplies (those were my interests). But we went to the library and park all the time. Rode our bikes, did gardening with our mom. Cooked with our dad. I'm happy to see the garden!!!
I'm loving the rawness of your videos. It makes your videos so relatable. You're doing a fantastic job of decluttering plus documenting it to help others. Thanks for all the effort you put into creating them.
So good to see an overview from when you started to now. You have accomplished SO much, it's awesome! You inspired me to see what I can eliminate in my wardrobe and I went from 97 (shocked me) to 71, so far! Twenty-six items, woohoo!
Awesome!!!!!!!!
Erica Lucas 68 now! 😄
I think it would be a great idea for you to display your husbands guitar (mine hang in the bedroom). He might pick it up and play it if it were conveniently located. And who doesn’t love watching their man make music for them?
You are adorable and I LOVE how you show us the REAL DEAL!! You inspire me and make minimalism doable for my family!! Thank you for all your honesty and transparency! I’m binge watching your declutter series as I declutter!!
Your bedroom is how it could all look. Wonderful. Just move everything else to the basement and get rid of it quickly. You are so capable of doing it x
Your journey is real and I appreciate your authenticity
O my goodness. Yiur house look so much better. I'm devluttering my things too. I am trying to be ruthless. 😆. But the one thing I have learned, is as soon as I wake up I throw open my bed and then go to the bathroom. When done there, I come and maje my bed. Waje my grand babies up and take all the dirty washing to the laundry basket. My biggest problem is my sowing. I don't have a masjien so I sow by hand. I am quite good but it take long and that's what build up because in between I am making a blanket with the left overs . But we all love you and hold thumbs for your journey. Karima. South Africa
Good job. A lived in well loved comfortable useful home. The difference is amazing. Imagine how many people you have made happy with your donations - people finding the item they desperately needed at a reasonable price and the money your items have raised for needful causes. It's very satisfying to think of the things which were causing you pain going out and finding their home with someone who needed them :)
9 months...I've enjoyed watching your journey so far!!!
Wow you have achieved so much in such a short time. Great job and all that with homeschooling 3 children while raising and training a big dog. 👍👏🥳
zone cleaning and a timer (ala Flylady) could really help in this situation. Just a little at a time can keep things in order, or at least help. Love your videos. thanks for sharing!
Thank you for your REAL minimalist life! You have a beautiful home and family and I am grateful to you for sharing.
Love the warning, and scary music!! And thanks for not cleaning up!! We expect total, naked honesty, and that's what you always deliver. We LOVE that!
You are doing great. I dropped off my bags at goodwill today. It made me so happy to do it. I hope someone loves it.
Wow, that was so cool to see the spaces past and present like that. You've really come a long way!
This was posted from one of my friends. Which I could post the pic. It says 🦋”Be happy with what you have and you’ll have plenty to be happy about.”🦋. I thought of you immediately & how positive of an experience this has been for you. You seem happy with less!❤️
Take the tidying up capacities of your kids seriously. And consider how you can make it easy for them. You chose not to have any shelving, but to me now you are hiding the art supplies under a bench. If toys et cetera have a designated space (for example shelving with bins in which it fits easily, but without unused space which would become dumping ground) it becomes so much easier to put everything away.
My 3 year old daughter learned a song on kindergarten roughly translated:
“Tidy up, stop playing, put everything in the bin,
“Tidy up, stop playing, put everything in the cupboard”
Everyday just before dinner we sing the song and I give her one of the bins and tell her what belongs in it. In 5-10 minutes all her toys are back in place, she gets to watch some telly or read a book and I can start cooking. It is the mark of the and of the day.
And an empty floor/tablemakes everything else so much easier
What a breath of fresh air. This is my place. This looks like our mess here. Easy to clean up in a day but my goodness I wish I had the motivation
Great Video, and perfect timing for it, too!👍 You've come such a long way! So proud of you and also really looking forward to see the new house.😊
Loved the intro! Made me laugh out loud!
I’ve just watched through your whole play list of decluttering. And I love it. It’s just so real, and it’s lovely to see the process, not a perfect end result. I was thrust into minimalism 6 years ago when I moved from Finland to Tanzania with our luggage only. I’ve been surprised how it’s an ongoing process at least to me... what felt minimal three years ago, would now give me anxiety. Step by step. And every item leaving is progress to whatever you want your space to be. Good luck with the move. ❤️
You’ve evolved so much!
You are doing amazing. I agree the sunny room should be a sitting area with only 2 chairs looks nice and inviting especially trying to sell.
All the declutter is is going to make the move so much easier!
You are the bravest woman, what a long and tedious journey. Thanks so much for sharing your story and baring your soul.
You've come so far on your decluttering journey Erica and it's awesome watching you as you get through one task at a time! I think after the recent videos of the attic, basement, crawl space and garage, you've turned our focus to your next big project and we're all waiting for that declutter to begin, so the house tour videos aren't as satisfying right now because we're looking for your "next big move" on decluttering. I really think that the basement & sunroom need a basic tidy, papers and Legos together, vaccumed, etc. Your mind will be calmer for it. And then. Push aside the homeschooling to one side of the wall and open the can of worms that is your crawl space. You know the benefits and how you'll feel after, and I know that hesitancy of starting another project. It's time Erica, we're here rooting for you! ❤️
You have done an AMAZING job Erica!
One of the ways to help minimize your clothes is to turn all the hangers backwards, then as you wear an item, turn the hanger the correct way; once 6 months to a year goes by, those clothes with the hangers backwards are the ones you donate because you haven’t worn them for so long. Also, for clothes stored in the dresser, do something similar like fold the clothes as you would normally, but when worn and put back in dresser, fold the clothes in a roll or trifold as in the KonMari method; again, those clothes that are still folded the original way gets donated.
The powder version of Bar keeper's Friend works so much better! House is looking great! You have done an amazing amount of work with 3 littles in tow ♥️
If that doesn't work plugging the sink and letting a bleach solution sit for an hour or so should :)
I think you are doing so good! You really see a difference! And now when you are preparing for the move it is bound to get messy! I am sure you will be very happy in the new house with your new lifestyle 😊
Thanks for the new video! It has already been 9 months!!! And you've come so far... I am really impressed thinking back of how I started following you in October. Congratulations! And greetings from Luxembourg
Hi Erica! Love you channel! I know this is a year old but I wanted to share a tip about the guitar. Guitars are most comfortable where we are most comfortable. They are sensitive to heat/cold/humidity. The attic, car trunk, or non climate controlled basement areas are really hard on them. They can warp or crack with too much temperature or humidity abuse.
I have enjoyed your journey and am impressed on how far you have come. You need to have your kiddos help you clean up their toys daily. The sun room shouldn’t look like it does unless they are playing. If they move on to something else they should pick up before they leave that room. Just a suggestion. You shouldn’t have to do it alone.
How does housing work for you guys? Will you be looking for a place to live closer to your move date and will it be a temporary rental or will you be purchasing a home right away to minimize the amount of moves you have to make? Moving gives me so much anxiety. Hopefully, you will have an easy move and your husband will be able to help you out a lot so you can document a lot of that on fast forward for us.
You have worked incredibly hard and lately under a very stressful situation. Have you looked into the Flylady System for regular cleaning? I often tackle everything at once and get so worn out that I need a break...which lasts until it is all horrible again. I jump crisis to crisis instead of having a plan that I stick to re: laundry, dishes, rooms. Congratulations on your hard work! I never would have started!
I think you've done a fabulous job and things look great! I absolutely love Barkeepers Friend, but I've learned the powder is more effective than the liquid. Keep up the great work. You are such an inspiration to me! Thank you!
Love that dog!
Yay, a REAL house with kids! This is mine, too. I'm a military brat, so I sympathize with the moving! It's made me keep fewer things though.
For your sink, the barkeeper's friend is great (it's the ONLY thing that'll clean my shower floor) - I also use Soft Scrub with bleach to clean off the stains 😁
An amazing journey so far. I really enjoy your videos.
I know your crazy busy with decluttering and moving prep at the moment but I would love it if you would do a favourite homeschool supplies and basic activities at some point. My daughter is (I think the same age) as your oldest. The video you did before with him had so much great information.
Hi Catfish! yes, I can make this!
You are an inspiration to us all. You have done so much and it gives me hope that I can do the same. I am single, recently retired, and have just started the minimalist journey. I was calling it downsizing but it always seemed like I was taking away stuff. I like your way better. Deciding what I want to live with is much kinder than deciding what to let go of.
Oh yay! I'm glad that bar keepers Friend helped somewhat! Definitely looks a lot better!
I love your videos! So interesting, real and motivating. Thank you for these. Am on my own decluttering journey and it’s nice to see real family videosXx
Thank you for showing a real house! You are a great motivation!!!
Thank you for keeping it real. My basement has got away on me too. I keep taking stuff down and not putting it away. I plan to start going down for even 20 min at a time and dealing with stuff. I often think of what Peter Walsh said “ later is the best friend of clutter.” Erica you are doing an incredible job! Keep it up 👍😁
Love your videos! Are you familiar with The Minimalists? They have a Minimalism Challenge called a packing party. It involves packing up all of your belongings into well-labeled boxes and then only unpacking items as you need them. That way, you can see what you truly use and want in your life. In your case, you are really moving so everything will be in boxes anyway. Just a thought! I did a version of this myself and it really helped me figure out what I could live happily without :).
Great job! Your house looks good. I started my minimalist journey about 2 years ago. I had a ton of clothing, handbags, shoes, kids had a ton of toys, knickknacks and sentimental items. Feels great to have so much less.
Decluttering the kitchen made the biggest difference in my home by far.
"Because I super hate that job." YYYEESSS!!!!!
I think it would look much better if you clear stuff off floors and vacuum them. Agree that toys need one or two spots at most and outdoor toys. Bedroom looks really nice.
You have such a beautiful home! So lovely when tidied up. Im in the process of doing our things... so many toys.... so much paper!
I Love your new house, cannot wait to see it after you get moved in.
You’re always so gracious about all the unsolicited advice we throw at you so I would like to add something after what you told us about your home school room. I’m a teacher (and have very mixed feelings about home schooling but I don’t want to go into that), so I’m not just pulling this out of thin air: it is much healthier psychologically to have a dedicated work space and a work-begins-now ritual. (The reason why teachers often ask the kids to stand up to greet them. It’s not a power trip, it’s a little ritual that programs the kids’ brains to go into work-mode, ultimately making it easier for them). If they work, eat and play at the same table that is a lot to handle for their brains and can cause unrest, problems to concentrate and it tires them out. I don’t know if your new home has a beautiful space for home school like your current one but if it’s possible, experts recommend to separate spaces. If you don’t have room, it might even help to only sit at one side of the table for work and on the other side of the table for eating/playing (that’s what I did in university and had the tiniest apartment).
I adore this comment. I hope to create a homeschool environment in our new place. Everything I’m decluttering this week is related to that vision. Thank you for your work as a teacher!!!
Erica Lucas I adore your entire journey! And I’m sad that I’m German and can’t pick up some of those free books I saw in your newest video! 😄
That bathroom mirror is gorgeous!
It does me so good to see real life!!! Thank You so much
You are doing great!.. Good plan to move everything out of crawl space to sort.. More comfortable and you aren't using the other room for homeschooling at present. I have moved 13x in my life so far.. And one thing that has helped with decluttering is... packing and unpacking the moving boxes myself.. Because I label, photograph content and make lists of content as I pack (just by hand as I go.. Eg book box.. I take photo of all books (that is the detail) and Write on list " kids school books maths and science year 7") .. This helps me bin stuff as I pack.. And at new place I know where everything is.. And then bin more stuff that doesn't have a new home straight away in the new house and that I don't plan finding a new home for ie buying new furniture for.. In several of your videos you mentioned that a company packs the boxes and mixes all things together... That doesn't help you at all!.. While you are sorting to move.. Clean the basement and then stack the "finished sorted labeled boxes" which you don't need in the time coming up to the move in the basement. Also label which room they will go to in the new house... Then everything is not so "overwhelming" in the new house.. And you can prioritize opening the boxes you need and you will feel gratification and success in this house as you see the boxes "finished and ready to go" knowing that you have decluttered and organized the stuff that is in them!... That will give you a positive feeling... I also used different colored markers to label the boxes for the different rooms and in the new house used the same markers to write room labels that I stuck on the room doors (eg on boxes blue for kids rooms.. And numbers.. So a blue 1-Lego, blue 1-clothes for oldest kid, blue 2-Lego.. for next kid etc) .. That was satisfying and helps see quickly what goes where! It especially helps the movers put the boxes in the right rooms in the new house... Xx PS.. What you don't have the "head space" to deal with now.. Box with an extra symbol.. Photograph content and write list.. I had 17 such boxes.. Over a year at the new house I took them one at a time out of the basement in the evenings when kids were in bed and I had energy and went through them while watching a film..now I have 1 plastic box and several scrapbooks/photobooks.. It was actually enjoyable and stress free to deal with the more personal stuff that way.!
Id say pack up the homeschool room before moving anything else into it - also packing the rest of the house and just keeping out the bare essentials would give you less stuff and more space to organise things. I know its a big job. It seems like its never ending some days. But you are doing great and it looks way better than when you started 😍
I like that suggestion.
I have a white farmhouse sink and it gets just as messy; here's the perfect combo to clean it! Weimans glass cook top polish (NOT the spray, the spray is useless for this). Scrub it using a thick bristled kitchen scrubber-after some serious elbow grease, the scratches and scuffs and discoloration for the most part will be gone. After a thorough rinse, I then use a bleach based spray tile cleaner to spray down the sink... Let it sit for at least 5 minutes and then come back and rinse it clean. Perfect!
Hi erica, huge change than before, i think it will also help your house keep in tiny if the kid also learn to tidy up. Still waiting for your carpet to be shampoo. 💚💙🧡
You've come SO FAR in your "minimalish" journey! Its not easy, especially with kiddos, but you should really be proud of your effort. :-)
I'd love to see you declutter your learning materials stuff because I need to do that too. I love how you present your videos, it clcks more with me than you ' other minimalist type videos. Thank you so much!
You have a really big job mom and your approach is much like Dawn's, The Minimalist Mom (love her tips and honesty)! Thank you for sharing your journey. Your work is amazing! I wonder if you know of Jordan Page's site Fun, Cheap or Free? She's a mom of 8 and has organizing, tidying, budgeting... well, EVERYTHING down pat with her large and loving family. Between the three of you, I continue to be encouraged!!
wow this bothered me so much, I wasn't ready!!! I wish u did the after in color, since you did the before in black and white. wish you a wonderful minimalist/clutter free life
Whenever we moved I found it easy to get rid of things. Mainly because they went with the old house and not with this new house. Base housing has lots of storage. So try not to fall into the storage unit rental trap, if some things don't fit.
You are really sticking with it
I love all that you have achieved congratulations on decluttering I have watched your journey you look so much happier now thanks for your honesty
Love watching the progress! It can be so difficult with time management - at least I find that for myself. I really have to plan my next day in the evening because I have a way of procrastinating and then feeling guilty if I dont accomplish something. Its hard as a homeschooler, mom, wife, homemaker (and worker if you do that outside the home or inside with isolation) - to go on a minimalism journey while youre trying to keep up with regular 'maintenance' and day to day obligations and then tackle other projects. We've managed our garage, bedrooms and bathrooms. We are on to the basement which has been our drop zone for years but now we need the space so we need to finish it and tackle a biiiig purge to do it 🤦🏻♀️
Hi , you have come so far, I know it's a daunting task to take the time to declutter when you are getting ready to move again, but if you can keep going it makes it easier to unpack later, having done navy moves the less you have the better.
You’ve done an amazing job! I’m so impressed. 👍❤️
Thank you for this reassuring video. You inspire us. Good work!