Yes. Also to not purchase so much in the hope that less will be produced in the first place. My shopping has become needs only and it has been a huge help.
Yes, decrease the "demand" and the production goes down. By holding on the landfill isn't eliminated, it's just relocated (and I don't mean that harshly). It affects us mentally, so might as well get free from the burden.
Yes exactly. To reduce our buying/spending is how we keep demand down. Purchasing new items is the thing we can try to avoid as much as possible with the biggest environmental impact.
Here in Austria (Europe), we don't have landfills. Everything gets recycled and the rest burned for energy. Our household trash is picked up once a month, recyclables and paper as well. Bigger trash or special trash you have to bring to a kind of "recycle center" nearby. It's a good feeling that you can let things go and you know that there is a system in place. Not a perfect system, but I thought it might be interesting.
As a person who deeply cares about the environment also the most important lesson I've learned about eco hoarding is stop consuming. Stop buying stuff in the first place. Stop printing stuff on your printer. Stop making copies. Stop shopping at the dollar store or five below or other places where things seem cheap and really they are cheap and not very good quality and they don't last and you don't want to feed in to the messaging that corporations are getting from consumers which is as long as it's cheap we'll buy your crap. Yes the single best lesson that I've learned as an environmentalist is to stop consuming. It's a logical fallacy to think you're going to prevent stuff from going into the landfill by making your basement into a landfill.
I couldn’t agree more. Over consumerism and over consumption are such a big problems in quite a few countries now. However, I think America and China are the worst statistically. In fact, I am always totally amazed at just how many cheap nicknacks and little tchotchkes American households have. Plus, how much clothing, furniture and decor they have too. So many people say they care for the environment, whilst continually buying more and more stuff. By doing this they are encouraging massive over manufacture of goods, the majority of which are indeed made from cheap low quality materials which, as you also pointed out won’t last long before they need to be tossed out. However, the actual damage is not by the products themselves, but is done by all the burning of fossil fuels and use of gas and electricity it takes to run the machinery that makes the stuff in the first place; and the emissions from the waste bi-products of manufacturing. Many of which are pollutants that damage the air, land and water supplies.
@@bethstratton3391 If we take a moment to honestly look at our consumption habits and the waste we produce and then we multiply that by how many people in this country, or on this planet and I think it is very sobering. It makes me never want to absent-mindedly participate in the consumerism that is damaging the environment from the fossil fuels used to produce the stuff, to the stuff itself ending up in landfills. I am like Miss Heart though, in that I do my very best to reuse things and then donate or recycle what I discard. Doing that does help but not as much as not buying the stuff and perpetuating the consumer culture that is the big problem.
@@rachellskerlec4713 Me too. Buying responsibly and purchasing only items sustainably made by suppliers who use as many natural and non chemically processed source materials as possible; whilst avoiding buying plastic items as much as we can is one part of the solution. Another part of the solution is to become as minimalistic and streamlined as possible. With regard to things which we have already purchased, we should all take care to ensure we look after them properly to make them last as long as possible. We should also always try to re-use, re-purpose, revive and up-cycle items to make the last. Only recycling or donating items that we no longer need when they become a burden. We should also ensure that we naturally compost food waste, However, in my experience I find many people talk about doing these things, but don’t in reality actually do a lot of these things often enough to make a real difference.
@@bethstratton3391 So many people feel it's hopeless and overwhelming but I say if we each do as much as we can sustainably it all adds up. And if we set a good example for folks in our lives then the impact ripples outward. Carry on, sister.
Oh my gosh, I had no idea other people also had this reason for hoarding stuff! I've known for a while that I have hoarding disorder (self diagnosed), and I was able to figure out that one of my (many) reasons for keeping some items is solely that I feel guilty for sending it to a landfill. But I thought I was an anomaly for thinking this way! I thought surely other hoarders don't have this reason for keeping things? Now I know I'm not the only one after all!
Something that I used to do when my daughter was younger was we would go out for walks together and bring an empty plastic bag and plastic gloves and would clean up trash on our walk. If you are feeling the need to off balance putting things in a landfill maybe you could pick up trash from where it does not belong and put it in the trash which will end up in a place it does belong. Either way, well done as always for the work you do. One day that basement will be done and then you can go through the entire house again. Goodness knows I declutter my entire house once a year at least and always find plenty.
Would it be easier to put the yard sale bins in the garage so that it will be easier to set it up. As well as it is separated from the other items from the basement.
@extrememinimalism absolutely! i feel like she's got through the backyard shed SO FAST this summer. i think it was only 3 or 4 videos and it was completely cleaned out. I feel like she's got her decluttering muscles so strong, that the garage is going to be a breeze as well. she really is powering through everything insanely quickly this year.
I just went to our recycling center today and dropped off a HUGE amount of stuff (as in I had to put both of my car seats down and *filled* the back of my car!) My neighbors probably thought I was moving out lol!
It is so powerful to hear, that keeping trash from the landfill, makes your home the "landfill"....to put it gently. I needed to hear that, even, if I already felt it. I kept, and still struggle with letting go, of a lot of stuff, for same reasons. Also, as not wanting to see it as "trash", as I give "identity" to objects. I would not want to be called trash, so why should I call something else that...yeah, weird mindset, but it is, what it is. You are helping not pnly yourself, but many of us, and me in primis, to declutter also the tangled mind, and start "reasoning" and most of all, loving a clear space. I try to recycle as best as I can as well, and that help tones with letting go, but it does take time. Thanks you Mrs. Heart, and cheering for the Yard Sales!🦄🔥🍁🎁🛍️
Hello my dear dear friend!!! How are you love!!! You bring up another great topic…I have humanized items ever since childhood!! That needs to be a topic in a video too!! You know I’m with you spiritually as you declutter your home too!!! You are doing absolutely amazing in everything you do 🦄💜🌟🙏🏼
@@ahoardersheart Thank you Mrs. Heart! I definately feel the support, when I am decluttering and making my home, bit by bit, the lovely place it deserves to be. As You said in one of Your videos, the Home, that provides us with shelter and comfort, also deserves to be treated with respect! A big hug! ♥️🐈🦄
Love hearing you talk about limits. You’ve been working toward the idea with your konmari declutters but it feels like you are reaching a new level of awareness.
One of my strategies to keep things from the landfill is also to really make sure I don't buy more than what I really need. Resist the marketing and temptations, reuse and repair what I have instead. Then I don't have to spend a lot of time rehoming things and figuring out how to recycle then. Only for a small amount, which stays manageable. They're calling it underconsumption core nowadays ...
Ohhhhhh…thank you for sharing that topic with us! I do No Spend Challenges each week to prevent new things from coming into the home! Let me look up more of this!!!
@@ahoardersheart the no spend challenges are an awesome thing and basically try to achieve the same thing, but your focus is on money there. Not buying to save money. I just expanded the perspective to also be motivated not to buy because of the planet - the less we buy (new), less demand for it on the market, less resources will be wasted for producing things, and less need for recycling and filling the landfills. It doesn't clash with the no spend strategy, it can just add to it. :)
It really bothers me when I see things that are made in such a way as to not be recycleable or are packed in styrofoam. And of course if there are things like your strings of lights that are older that can’t be recycled, it’s maddening. Especially when I see other countries recycling much more than we do here in the U.S. So, I have become very mindful of my purchases. The hardest items to declutter, for me, are sentimental items, especially those that a family member ‘entrusted’ to me mainly because I was always the responsible one. As an older person! I don’t want those things ( most I never did). Relatives don’t want them either. So now slowly they are going and with each one that I donate, I feel so much lighter. Thanks Ms. Heart for your honesty. Can’t wait to see the videos of your yard sales. Hugs to you and Ms. Pepper
Yes, I would love to see more of those advancements in recycling like other countries do too ❤️🙏🏼❤️ I just want to say that you are doing amazing in everything you do as you declutter, donate and recycle 🦄🙏🏼🌟💜♻️
Same, I don't even really wrap things anymore, I just bring them out and pass them to the recipient when the gift giving time comes. Or use a pillowcase! Things already come in packages, so I don't like the idea of using plastic-coated paper (which may not even be recyclable) to cover a gift just so the wrap can get ripped up and trashed immediately afterward. It's weird when you really think about it lol. I also just give fewer gifts, because so much goes to waste. There's estimates that nine billion dollars of unwanted gifts were given last year.
I love your idea about setting a limit on how many gift bags to keep for reuse. I do this with mailing envelopes and packing supplies, since I do sell on Poshmark and reuse when I can, but I have one of those square bins and that's my limit. I clean it out a couple times a year so I know what I have and don't go overboard.
Sorry to hear about the leak still happening! If it were me, I'd just move Christmas to another area and just leave that "cave" totally open to ensure it's always accessible. I wouldn't risk storing items I really cared about in that area :)
I'm laughing .... I'm looking at a box of toilet paper tubes that I have faithfully accumulated. Eco hoarder..... that's me!!! Thank you for lighting up my life! Time to recycle.
@joanne3450 if you have an open fire, you could use these along with the lint from your tumble drier, as fire lighters. I save these up for my friend to use over the winter. I keep some for sowing sweet pea seeds as well.
I can totally relate to eco hoarding. I hate to throw things in the garbage. Sometimes I don’t know the best way to recycle or give something so it stays until I can make a decision. So glad you are coming to more and more ways of understanding yourself. You rock!
Praying that your basement leak isn't too expensive! 💖Those tiny looking plumping problems can get expensive so fast. My grandpa had a pipe backing up into the bathroom, it looked like a clog but it was a broken pipe. He had to replace the entire pipe from the house to the street!
Thank goodness recycling has come a long way and you’ll feel better getting rid of the stuff you hung onto After you have the last yard sale of this year, take all the rest to goodwill that way it’s not going back into the basement just to be in your way.
WOW, you got rid of a lot! I have declutterred thousands of items since last December (and no I’m not a hoarder). I am now trying that “ Get rid of 465 items in 30 days”. This is really hard!
Another great declutter and so well explained. Thank you for explaining all the thoughts, feelings and reasons behind why you kept it and how you let it go. Very helpful and very interesting ❤
Thank you! After this video, I cleaned my medicine cabinet and filled a bag of tossy-tossy. I followed your advice, to throw away the things I'm comfortable get rid of and keep aside for later the things I'm too emotional about. I didn't realize before how the anxiety around some objects in particular was holding me back from also take out the things I'm not really attached to.
Just my opinion, but you are so kind and so empathetic so I think you can do a huge impact on this planet with your Hoarders Heart project or if you write several books about hoarding (please do it, the world needs it) or something else like that, you deserve so much more than trying to recycle every little piece of paper - because it is not your decision to produce so much unnecessary stuff like boxes and mailers...Big corporations should do better, not you. You are so much more than tossy tossy stuff and deserve so much more!!! I am sure with your empathetic approach you use in your videos about your hoarding you are literally saving lives, you are a rare gem❤
Though companies play a big factor I think in general we all have a responsibility to consume less (something I am actively working on), because the market is also based on demand. Buying less is the best thing we can do for the environment.
Thank you so so much for your sweet encouraging message!! I dream of writing a book and I really need to designate time each week to write it out! Thank you so so much ❤️🙏🏼❤️
Unfortunately we are way past the supply and demand aspect for most items. Companies are constantly creating even if they’re not selling and then tossing a bunch. Also to put things in even wider perspective.. I seen a stat the other day talking about hiw it takes about 250,000 tons of CO2 to transport a huge “barrel” of gas across the world. The impact to the environment is way more on the big companies and fossil fuel industries than we could ever imagine on an individual level. Go even further think of all the destruction from senseless war across the world. So much waste! I have stopped putting so much pressure on myself and others after finding out so much information. I still do my best to not consume as much and recycle the best I can, but I will not go out of my way to do so much when I’m destroying my own mental health over the destruction a small amount of people are producing for the masses. That’s just how I am now. Us all finding where we can help make better environmental decisions is great. It’s amazing to see all the people in the comments that actually GET IT. kudos to all of you.
My roommate likes to keep glass containers....I think we need to set a boundary on how many is appropriate to keep. Thank you for another great video! I love seeing the basement progress every week. I'm secretly glad you didn't finish it yet.
Same. Buying something means it's my responsibility. I don't want more fault for junk out there. It's there with or without me, but I don't need to take responsibility, culpability for it..
Melanie, I just want to tell you how thankful I am for your contribution and voice in the youtube decluttering community. I just finished watching your presentation in this year's Get Organized HQ. It is so impactful and helpful. I have a problem with sentimental items and also strongly relate to wanting to keep stuff out of the landfill. I teared up for some of the experiences you've endured but it brought you here to who you are now and what an amazing guide you are to people finding themselves stuck with piles of treasures or trash. Thank you for everything you do. You are amazing.
I like Dana K White’s method of everything has to fit in a container. I reuse old kitty litter containers for organizing our storage. An example of one is plastic bags, I will fill the container until no more bags fit and yes there is still room, but after that I will then recycle the rest.
I love how you still appreciate the mindset of being resourceful. And if you reduce what your letting in you will get to the point when keeping gift bags just make sense ❤ I have a drawer with gift bags and packaging stuff - already used - and that’s it. I also didn’t buy any gift wrapping stuff for at least five years.
Working on discovering a gift bag limit and letting go of Christmas cards! A new milestone! Thank you so much for sharing your journey, it's so wonderful to see!
It is so impressive how far you've come in your journey to declutter large amounts and logically!! I'm so proud of you. As you ponder how many gift bags to keep, perhaps use Dana K White's container concept instead of a number...keep as many as comfortably fit in a large bin. Just an idea. God bless you!!
You sound so much like me 5 years ago. I mean things you say, I know I thought or said as I decluttered. Congrats on getting through it week after week
I’m just the same, everything must go in the right bins even if I have to break mixed packaging apart 😅 right now my recycle bin is full & I keep squashing it all down but I have a big pile of papers I need to shred that’s annoying me too & a few empty boxes ❤
When it comes to holiday decor: I decorate as much as I'm going to decorate. Whatever is *left over* is what I donate! There's no sense in hanging onto things from year to year that never come out of the tote(s)!
Ho. Lee. S**t. So, I discovered your channel a little less than a year ago, and because of you and your brilliant articulation of what I was doing and feeling, I realized I was also a hoarder. But it was/is okay because the main reason I am hoarding is because I cannot let things go into a landfill. I never heard anyone ever talk about that. Until now. Once again, every word in your video is verbatim what goes through my head every day - I cannot control the evil pollution of the world but I can control my part of it, I can find a use for XYZ because I can't put it in a landfill or I will only get rid of it if I can recycle it. I have shelves and bins of things I've just held onto for years because I am physically hurt by putting it in a landfill - and you are the first person I've ever heard acknowledge that as a real thing; in fact you're the first person besides myself I've heard even talk about it! And give it a name! Eco-hoarding. That is me. 100%. Thank you. Thank you for the explanation and the validation. Your videos are such a beautiful service to others and have had such an impact on my life. Now I just have to get up the courage to do something with it.
You can wear the shirt from 2012 when you do cleaning or painting. Or you can cover the year with a patch . But better is not to buy such items! This way they will sell fewer and you will make sure your wardrobe is up to date!
I, too, am an eco hoarder. A recovering one, I hope. I've been trying to talk sense into myself for years and trying to shut out all of the people who make me feel guilty for throwing anything in the trash. Knowing that statistically 80% of stuff that gets donated goes to the landfill, anyway. Knowing that these donating fanatics donate mostly garbage that nobody wants because they think that making the charity pay to have it hauled to the landfill is somehow helping the planet! Thank you for your comradery in this endeavor not to let our homes be landfills.
This is a good topic, I think a lot of people feel stress about getting rid of things the "right" way, but unfortunately individuals were tricked into thinking recycling and "saving the earth" was OUR responsibility by companies who ran ad campaigns to put the pressure on us, instead of cleaning up their own practices. Recycling isn't bad in the abstract, but it's not going to save the planet. The impact of all of us individuals will never match the impact of companies and mass manufacturing. I really recommend watching Shelbizlee's videos to learn more! Many people, our hearts are in the right place, but recycling things is not going to do much. What we can do is "vote with our dollar" to buy less overall, buy from stores and companies that align with our values, buy items with less packaging, and get involved with local and state politics to create eco initiatives where we live and push for change at a larger scale. Miss Heart, this could be a cool video for the future to share how you're engaging in environmentalism now as a recovering hoarder. For example, have you changed your stance on buying packaged foods, shopping at certain stores, buying fast fashion, doing low-buys, etc.? A "sustainable swaps" for hoarders video could be fascinating, explaining how instead of holding onto a hoard items out of guilt and the desire to reuse (which actually has very little environmental impact, since those items were already created and purchased) you could change your focus to making more informed choices about what to buy and NOT buy in the future (which can make a much larger env impact)
It is so interesting the things we say to trick our brains! And we all do it, one way or the other. But it's a very good thing when we finally can be honest with ourselves and see things as the are. Thank you for another interesting video.
This type of eco-hoarding is very very common for people with compulsive hoarding disorder. What they don't think about is that by not passing on anything to people who might use it, or recycling what can be recycled, when they die it will ALL go to landfill to rot.
The "Eco hoarding" with unused Christmas cards, amongst other things. That's me, glad I am not alone!🙋🏻♀️🤦🏻♀️❤ I have a problem, especially with old magazines in good condition, I want to get of them but I'm finding it difficult to let go!🙄😮💨
already got my free pass from one of the other ladies and when I saw the list of speakers and the other things,I went ahead and bought the whole thing because there are so many things I want to check out I would not be able to get to it all. I have a job to work! looking forward to it!
As others have said, addressing consumption is the main way to reduce environmental impact! I know you get a lot of things secondhand, so logically you are reusing those things - but that's only if you are actually using it. If you're not, giving it to somebody else who will is key. Buying sustainable product alternatives for things you use (like toiletries) and reducing consumption where possible is a great way to maintain your identity as an eco-conscious individual while limiting your horde
Did I miss the Halloween declutter? I made another sweep today for warm clothes no longer used or needed. I always find more! We. Cleaned the car today and I washed my gym bag. Tomorrow I am banking and picking up the important paperwork. I am excited about the Kon Marie Christmas video! You are a beautiful person inside and out.❤
I sold bundles of gift bags in garage sales. Also, if you have empty plastic tubs/bins taking up tons of space, those will sell as well. I will empty a set of matching tubs and post them and they are gone so fast! Do you have tips on eco recycling items? NJ probably has better resources than OK, but I don't know what to do other than the plastic and paper our town picks up weekly. I am trying to find a place to recycle old clothing, and what about pots and pans when they wear out?
I am definitely an eco hoarder. I find it very difficult to trash things. If I can recycle it or it is good enough to take to a charity shop then it is much easier to get rid of it.
Eco hoarder here too. But I do take padded envelopes, grocery bags, shopping bags and things to my part time job of putting on estate sales. It is helpful and things get used! I have another problem with glass jars once the insides are used up. I do go through fairly often or when I run out of room, I do donate them.
I had 2 of those Christmas bags that you showed and I swear my mom has had them since I was a small child (I'm 31 lol). Also I am definitely an eco-hoarder and I never had a name for it before but damn it is hard!
You put a name to my mom's hoarding. A big part of her hoard is literal trash that she can't get rid of because she needs to dispose of it the "right way." I don't know how to tell her that it's already in a landfill in her home and it's all just going in an actual landfill when she passes away. It makes me so sad and frustrated.
That was another huge toss pile. Keep organizing the Christmas items so when the cave has no more leaks you can have one hugely decorated house. Then in January you can declutter what isn’t needed anymore.
we still do cards... for gift bags they get regifted back and forth every yr... till they are too far gone. outdoor decor we keep in the garage... and inside decor gift stuffs stays in my "xmas closet" which is very stuffed just repacked on the weekend and still stuffed, I've been adding new seasonal decor as most was centered on xmas. so much better w the more open floor :)
Hi, just in case. I remember awhile ago some of the boxes were wet because of the water that came in from the rain. I'm afraid the new rugs could get damaged. It. They would be protected if placed up against the wall on top of plastic bins. You might have an empty small bin somewhere you can put them in for protection. Just in case. Also, all the cardboard boxes off the floor on top of plastic bins will also help. Just in case.
My eco hoarding is getting back the bows and tissue at Christmas after gifts are exchanged. I hate to see them scrunched up and ask my family to put them in a seperate bag. I have them try to put wrapping paper in a big bag and I go thru it to make sure it is recycled. 😀
regarding craft supplies, Gayle Goddard encourages looking at supplies and only save the best supplies, because the crafter will always choose the supplies they love most and never get around to using the just ok supplies. So she encourages passing on to someone else the supplies you will never use.
A thought came to me while you were sorting a box with a Christmas craft, shoe box and a T-shirt. What if you put some of the boys very good condition tshirts or shorts in the operation Christmas child boxes? Or is that allowed?
"...instead I made my house into a landfill." Wow. That's quite a revelation. Kudos.
Thank you love 🩷 It was a hard truth but a truth that I needed to say so we could change! I want to live in a home, not a landfill 🙏🏼🩷🙏🏼🩷🙏🏼🩷
The impact to the environment is already done when the item was produced. Happy that you could break the cycle of holding on to the items,
That is a good reminder to help let go of things.
Yes. Also to not purchase so much in the hope that less will be produced in the first place. My shopping has become needs only and it has been a huge help.
Yes, decrease the "demand" and the production goes down. By holding on the landfill isn't eliminated, it's just relocated (and I don't mean that harshly). It affects us mentally, so might as well get free from the burden.
Yes exactly. To reduce our buying/spending is how we keep demand down. Purchasing new items is the thing we can try to avoid as much as possible with the biggest environmental impact.
August 2024. Only buy food. Get your kids clothes at yard sales. Family can get the boys clothes for gifts. Tina, Al's wife
Here in Austria (Europe), we don't have landfills. Everything gets recycled and the rest burned for energy. Our household trash is picked up once a month, recyclables and paper as well. Bigger trash or special trash you have to bring to a kind of "recycle center" nearby. It's a good feeling that you can let things go and you know that there is a system in place. Not a perfect system, but I thought it might be interesting.
Same in Germany. 🙃 But the best way to do it, is still not buying it.
I don't know exactly the situation in Italy right now, but I think we are going in the same direction, hoping we'll be there too in a few years.
As a person who deeply cares about the environment also the most important lesson I've learned about eco hoarding is stop consuming. Stop buying stuff in the first place. Stop printing stuff on your printer. Stop making copies. Stop shopping at the dollar store or five below or other places where things seem cheap and really they are cheap and not very good quality and they don't last and you don't want to feed in to the messaging that corporations are getting from consumers which is as long as it's cheap we'll buy your crap. Yes the single best lesson that I've learned as an environmentalist is to stop consuming. It's a logical fallacy to think you're going to prevent stuff from going into the landfill by making your basement into a landfill.
I couldn’t agree more. Over consumerism and over consumption are such a big problems in quite a few countries now. However, I think America and China are the worst statistically. In fact, I am always totally amazed at just how many cheap nicknacks and little tchotchkes American households have. Plus, how much clothing, furniture and decor they have too. So many people say they care for the environment, whilst continually buying more and more stuff. By doing this they are encouraging massive over manufacture of goods, the majority of which are indeed made from cheap low quality materials which, as you also pointed out won’t last long before they need to be tossed out. However, the actual damage is not by the products themselves, but is done by all the burning of fossil fuels and use of gas and electricity it takes to run the machinery that makes the stuff in the first place; and the emissions from the waste bi-products of manufacturing. Many of which are pollutants that damage the air, land and water supplies.
@@bethstratton3391 If we take a moment to honestly look at our consumption habits and the waste we produce and then we multiply that by how many people in this country, or on this planet and I think it is very sobering. It makes me never want to absent-mindedly participate in the consumerism that is damaging the environment from the fossil fuels used to produce the stuff, to the stuff itself ending up in landfills. I am like Miss Heart though, in that I do my very best to reuse things and then donate or recycle what I discard. Doing that does help but not as much as not buying the stuff and perpetuating the consumer culture that is the big problem.
@@rachellskerlec4713 Me too. Buying responsibly and purchasing only items sustainably made by suppliers who use as many natural and non chemically processed source materials as possible; whilst avoiding buying plastic items as much as we can is one part of the solution. Another part of the solution is to become as minimalistic and streamlined as possible.
With regard to things which we have already purchased, we should all take care to ensure we look after them properly to make them last as long as possible. We should also always try to re-use, re-purpose, revive and up-cycle items to make the last. Only recycling or donating items that we no longer need when they become a burden.
We should also ensure that we naturally compost food waste, However, in my experience I find many people talk about doing these things, but don’t in reality actually do a lot of these things often enough to make a real difference.
@@bethstratton3391 So many people feel it's hopeless and overwhelming but I say if we each do as much as we can sustainably it all adds up. And if we set a good example for folks in our lives then the impact ripples outward. Carry on, sister.
Exactly 🎉🎉🎉 I stopped shopping unless it was for groceries or for my birthday.
Oh my gosh, I had no idea other people also had this reason for hoarding stuff! I've known for a while that I have hoarding disorder (self diagnosed), and I was able to figure out that one of my (many) reasons for keeping some items is solely that I feel guilty for sending it to a landfill. But I thought I was an anomaly for thinking this way! I thought surely other hoarders don't have this reason for keeping things? Now I know I'm not the only one after all!
I immediately sent this to another hoarder pal, the term “eco hoarding” is SO HELPFUL for communicating these feelings.
Thank you so so much ❤️🙏🏼❤️ I pray this helps her, she is not alone!
Something that I used to do when my daughter was younger was we would go out for walks together and bring an empty plastic bag and plastic gloves and would clean up trash on our walk. If you are feeling the need to off balance putting things in a landfill maybe you could pick up trash from where it does not belong and put it in the trash which will end up in a place it does belong. Either way, well done as always for the work you do. One day that basement will be done and then you can go through the entire house again. Goodness knows I declutter my entire house once a year at least and always find plenty.
I think a tour of your entire basement with before and after so far would show your progress greatly! I'd love to watch that!
Would it be easier to put the yard sale bins in the garage so that it will be easier to set it up. As well as it is separated from the other items from the basement.
I think the garage is still hoarded. Maybe that can be a nice Fall project!
❤
@extrememinimalism absolutely! i feel like she's got through the backyard shed SO FAST this summer. i think it was only 3 or 4 videos and it was completely cleaned out. I feel like she's got her decluttering muscles so strong, that the garage is going to be a breeze as well. she really is powering through everything insanely quickly this year.
The garage is hubby’s cave so she doesn’t store there. 👍
I just went to our recycling center today and dropped off a HUGE amount of stuff (as in I had to put both of my car seats down and *filled* the back of my car!) My neighbors probably thought I was moving out lol!
WHOOOO HOOOOOO!!!! Yessssss, you are doing AMAZING 🌟🌟🌟
It is so powerful to hear, that keeping trash from the landfill, makes your home the "landfill"....to put it gently. I needed to hear that, even, if I already felt it. I kept, and still struggle with letting go, of a lot of stuff, for same reasons. Also, as not wanting to see it as "trash", as I give "identity" to objects. I would not want to be called trash, so why should I call something else that...yeah, weird mindset, but it is, what it is. You are helping not pnly yourself, but many of us, and me in primis, to declutter also the tangled mind, and start "reasoning" and most of all, loving a clear space. I try to recycle as best as I can as well, and that help tones with letting go, but it does take time.
Thanks you Mrs. Heart, and cheering for the Yard Sales!🦄🔥🍁🎁🛍️
You're not the only one with that mindset. 😊
Hello my dear dear friend!!! How are you love!!! You bring up another great topic…I have humanized items ever since childhood!! That needs to be a topic in a video too!! You know I’m with you spiritually as you declutter your home too!!! You are doing absolutely amazing in everything you do 🦄💜🌟🙏🏼
@@stephanielanghorst8268 Glad to hear, as it seems sometimes, like I am the only one like that :)
@@ahoardersheart Thank you Mrs. Heart! I definately feel the support, when I am decluttering and making my home, bit by bit, the lovely place it deserves to be. As You said in one of Your videos, the Home, that provides us with shelter and comfort, also deserves to be treated with respect!
A big hug! ♥️🐈🦄
Love hearing you talk about limits. You’ve been working toward the idea with your konmari declutters but it feels like you are reaching a new level of awareness.
Thank you so much my friend 🦄💜🌟🙏🏼 Definitely becoming more aware and trying to change for the better ♻️🌎🌱
One of my strategies to keep things from the landfill is also to really make sure I don't buy more than what I really need. Resist the marketing and temptations, reuse and repair what I have instead. Then I don't have to spend a lot of time rehoming things and figuring out how to recycle then. Only for a small amount, which stays manageable.
They're calling it underconsumption core nowadays ...
Ohhhhhh…thank you for sharing that topic with us! I do No Spend Challenges each week to prevent new things from coming into the home! Let me look up more of this!!!
@@ahoardersheart the no spend challenges are an awesome thing and basically try to achieve the same thing, but your focus is on money there. Not buying to save money. I just expanded the perspective to also be motivated not to buy because of the planet - the less we buy (new), less demand for it on the market, less resources will be wasted for producing things, and less need for recycling and filling the landfills.
It doesn't clash with the no spend strategy, it can just add to it. :)
It really bothers me when I see things that are made in such a way as to not be recycleable or are packed in styrofoam. And of course if there are things like your strings of lights that are older that can’t be recycled, it’s maddening. Especially when I see other countries recycling much more than we do here in the U.S. So, I have become very mindful of my purchases.
The hardest items to declutter, for me, are sentimental items, especially those that a family member ‘entrusted’ to me mainly because I was always the responsible one. As an older person! I don’t want those things ( most I never did). Relatives don’t want them either. So now slowly they are going and with each one that I donate, I feel so much lighter.
Thanks Ms. Heart for your honesty. Can’t wait to see the videos of your yard sales. Hugs to you and Ms. Pepper
Yes, I would love to see more of those advancements in recycling like other countries do too ❤️🙏🏼❤️ I just want to say that you are doing amazing in everything you do as you declutter, donate and recycle 🦄🙏🏼🌟💜♻️
I love that you call Pepper’s purr her “motor”. I do that, too.
Yesssss!!! It’s so cute when they purr!!! It’s music to my ears!!!
This hit a chord with me. Christmas bags are now assigned to family members so you get the same one and I have added cloth bags to that rotation.
Same, I don't even really wrap things anymore, I just bring them out and pass them to the recipient when the gift giving time comes. Or use a pillowcase! Things already come in packages, so I don't like the idea of using plastic-coated paper (which may not even be recyclable) to cover a gift just so the wrap can get ripped up and trashed immediately afterward. It's weird when you really think about it lol. I also just give fewer gifts, because so much goes to waste. There's estimates that nine billion dollars of unwanted gifts were given last year.
I love adding cloth bags in the rotation!! I will need to do the same 🦄💜🌟🙏🏼♻️
I love your idea about setting a limit on how many gift bags to keep for reuse. I do this with mailing envelopes and packing supplies, since I do sell on Poshmark and reuse when I can, but I have one of those square bins and that's my limit. I clean it out a couple times a year so I know what I have and don't go overboard.
Eco hoarding is so understnadible to so many but we cant build up the landfill in our houses! You are spot on.
Sorry to hear about the leak still happening! If it were me, I'd just move Christmas to another area and just leave that "cave" totally open to ensure it's always accessible. I wouldn't risk storing items I really cared about in that area :)
I'm laughing .... I'm looking at a box of toilet paper tubes that I have faithfully accumulated.
Eco hoarder..... that's me!!!
Thank you for lighting up my life!
Time to recycle.
@joanne3450 if you have an open fire, you could use these along with the lint from your tumble drier, as fire lighters. I save these up for my friend to use over the winter. I keep some for sowing sweet pea seeds as well.
Whoo hooooooo!!! Oh yes, I’ve had many toilet paper rolls saved before too…and I recycled them!! You got this my friend 🦄💜🌟🙏🏼
yeh ive got a bunch of those too, i use them to make christmas crackers but now i have more then i can use
Yup. The toilet paper tubes. And paper towel. I just can't let them go unless its to a "good cause".
I can totally relate to eco hoarding. I hate to throw things in the garbage. Sometimes I don’t know the best way to recycle or give something so it stays until I can make a decision. So glad you are coming to more and more ways of understanding yourself. You rock!
Thank you so so much my friend ❤️🙏🏼❤️ You are not alone in feeling the effects of Eco Hoarding! We want to see our planet heal ♻️🌎🌱
I love how your holiday declutters are right in time for the holidays! I bet it makes your garage sales very successful!
Praying that your basement leak isn't too expensive! 💖Those tiny looking plumping problems can get expensive so fast. My grandpa had a pipe backing up into the bathroom, it looked like a clog but it was a broken pipe. He had to replace the entire pipe from the house to the street!
Yesssss ❤️🙏🏼❤️ I’m praying we find a great affordable plumber soon too!!!
I like watching you with Miss Pepper. You're such a gentle person.❤
The newly decluttered space looks great! 😊
Maybe do a konmari method on gift bags see if any are ripped or in poor condition that could help cut down on any excess
I admire your care for our planet. Any old shirts that are still wearable could be kept as "work" shirts for dirty jobs or painting.
Yes and cut up old ones to clean with.
Yesss!!! Hubby always needs one for oil changes and things that need to be fixed around the house ❤️🙏🏼❤️
I would use the container method for the gift bags. Whatever your bin for gift bags will hold is the limit.
Wow! So much progress and tossy tossy.great job.
Well done on another fantastic declutter and very informative information. Miss Pepper is adorable. Have a great week. Mary, Joes wife 🙇♀️👏👍💪🙏💐🐈🦄
Thank goodness recycling has come a long way and you’ll feel better getting rid of the stuff you hung onto After you have the last yard sale of this year, take all the rest to goodwill that way it’s not going back into the basement just to be in your way.
Absolutely my friend!!! I’ll put yard sale leftovers on my Buy Nothing group and what doesn’t get picked up goes to Goodwill!!
WOW, you got rid of a lot! I have declutterred thousands of items since last December (and no I’m not a hoarder). I am now trying that “ Get rid of 465 items in 30 days”. This is really hard!
Another great declutter and so well explained. Thank you for explaining all the thoughts, feelings and reasons behind why you kept it and how you let it go. Very helpful and very interesting ❤
Thank you! After this video, I cleaned my medicine cabinet and filled a bag of tossy-tossy. I followed your advice, to throw away the things I'm comfortable get rid of and keep aside for later the things I'm too emotional about. I didn't realize before how the anxiety around some objects in particular was holding me back from also take out the things I'm not really attached to.
Just my opinion, but you are so kind and so empathetic so I think you can do a huge impact on this planet with your Hoarders Heart project or if you write several books about hoarding (please do it, the world needs it) or something else like that, you deserve so much more than trying to recycle every little piece of paper - because it is not your decision to produce so much unnecessary stuff like boxes and mailers...Big corporations should do better, not you. You are so much more than tossy tossy stuff and deserve so much more!!! I am sure with your empathetic approach you use in your videos about your hoarding you are literally saving lives, you are a rare gem❤
Though companies play a big factor I think in general we all have a responsibility to consume less (something I am actively working on), because the market is also based on demand. Buying less is the best thing we can do for the environment.
Thank you so so much for your sweet encouraging message!! I dream of writing a book and I really need to designate time each week to write it out! Thank you so so much ❤️🙏🏼❤️
Unfortunately we are way past the supply and demand aspect for most items. Companies are constantly creating even if they’re not selling and then tossing a bunch.
Also to put things in even wider perspective.. I seen a stat the other day talking about hiw it takes about 250,000 tons of CO2 to transport a huge “barrel” of gas across the world. The impact to the environment is way more on the big companies and fossil fuel industries than we could ever imagine on an individual level. Go even further think of all the destruction from senseless war across the world. So much waste!
I have stopped putting so much pressure on myself and others after finding out so much information. I still do my best to not consume as much and recycle the best I can, but I will not go out of my way to do so much when I’m destroying my own mental health over the destruction a small amount of people are producing for the masses.
That’s just how I am now. Us all finding where we can help make better environmental decisions is great. It’s amazing to see all the people in the comments that actually GET IT. kudos to all of you.
My roommate likes to keep glass containers....I think we need to set a boundary on how many is appropriate to keep.
Thank you for another great video! I love seeing the basement progress every week. I'm secretly glad you didn't finish it yet.
I'm an eco hoarder too! I relate so much to this
Love how Pepper chats away, my phoebe does that, well it seems I'm an eco hoarder as well, didn't even know it had a name
For the Christmas lights you can definitely just fill a small box with the lose extra lights and toss the broken cords
I’m an eco minimalist, I won’t hardly buy what I need for fear of harming the earth. We are different, yet speak the same language in some ways.
Same. Buying something means it's my responsibility. I don't want more fault for junk out there. It's there with or without me, but I don't need to take responsibility, culpability for it..
Melanie, I just want to tell you how thankful I am for your contribution and voice in the youtube decluttering community. I just finished watching your presentation in this year's Get Organized HQ. It is so impactful and helpful. I have a problem with sentimental items and also strongly relate to wanting to keep stuff out of the landfill. I teared up for some of the experiences you've endured but it brought you here to who you are now and what an amazing guide you are to people finding themselves stuck with piles of treasures or trash. Thank you for everything you do. You are amazing.
I like Dana K White’s method of everything has to fit in a container. I reuse old kitty litter containers for organizing our storage. An example of one is plastic bags, I will fill the container until no more bags fit and yes there is still room, but after that I will then recycle the rest.
I can't believe you have more than 50K subscribers now! Your channel has grown so much since the early days 🥰
I love how you still appreciate the mindset of being resourceful. And if you reduce what your letting in you will get to the point when keeping gift bags just make sense ❤ I have a drawer with gift bags and packaging stuff - already used - and that’s it. I also didn’t buy any gift wrapping stuff for at least five years.
By keeping one's stuff out of the landfill then
Makes one's home a landfill
It's either one or the other
Yup! I read somewhere that either your house is your home, or it's a storage unit! I opt for "home"!
My son is 19 and I am down to the last few bags from his baby shower! I’ve even had family use them!
I feel this deeply. 💜💜💜 Thanks for a great video! You're doing an awesome job!
Working on discovering a gift bag limit and letting go of Christmas cards! A new milestone! Thank you so much for sharing your journey, it's so wonderful to see!
It is so impressive how far you've come in your journey to declutter large amounts and logically!! I'm so proud of you. As you ponder how many gift bags to keep, perhaps use Dana K White's container concept instead of a number...keep as many as comfortably fit in a large bin. Just an idea. God bless you!!
On the Christmas lights: retrieve one of your bins and collect just the bulbs! Then you can let go of the strand. (^•^) you’re doing great!!!
You sound so much like me 5 years ago. I mean things you say, I know I thought or said as I decluttered. Congrats on getting through it week after week
Aww a Pepper cameo! How sweet! ❤
I’m just the same, everything must go in the right bins even if I have to break mixed packaging apart 😅 right now my recycle bin is full & I keep squashing it all down but I have a big pile of papers I need to shred that’s annoying me too & a few empty boxes ❤
Another great job! You rock!!!
When it comes to holiday decor: I decorate as much as I'm going to decorate. Whatever is *left over* is what I donate! There's no sense in hanging onto things from year to year that never come out of the tote(s)!
Yes! I decided last year that if it didn't come out of the totes, it was to be donated. I got rid of a whole totes worth last year!
Ho. Lee. S**t. So, I discovered your channel a little less than a year ago, and because of you and your brilliant articulation of what I was doing and feeling, I realized I was also a hoarder. But it was/is okay because the main reason I am hoarding is because I cannot let things go into a landfill. I never heard anyone ever talk about that. Until now. Once again, every word in your video is verbatim what goes through my head every day - I cannot control the evil pollution of the world but I can control my part of it, I can find a use for XYZ because I can't put it in a landfill or I will only get rid of it if I can recycle it. I have shelves and bins of things I've just held onto for years because I am physically hurt by putting it in a landfill - and you are the first person I've ever heard acknowledge that as a real thing; in fact you're the first person besides myself I've heard even talk about it! And give it a name! Eco-hoarding. That is me. 100%. Thank you. Thank you for the explanation and the validation. Your videos are such a beautiful service to others and have had such an impact on my life. Now I just have to get up the courage to do something with it.
You can wear the shirt from 2012 when you do cleaning or painting. Or you can cover the year with a patch . But better is not to buy such items! This way they will sell fewer and you will make sure your wardrobe is up to date!
I love that dress you're wearing :)
I, too, am an eco hoarder. A recovering one, I hope. I've been trying to talk sense into myself for years and trying to shut out all of the people who make me feel guilty for throwing anything in the trash. Knowing that statistically 80% of stuff that gets donated goes to the landfill, anyway. Knowing that these donating fanatics donate mostly garbage that nobody wants because they think that making the charity pay to have it hauled to the landfill is somehow helping the planet! Thank you for your comradery in this endeavor not to let our homes be landfills.
This is a good topic, I think a lot of people feel stress about getting rid of things the "right" way, but unfortunately individuals were tricked into thinking recycling and "saving the earth" was OUR responsibility by companies who ran ad campaigns to put the pressure on us, instead of cleaning up their own practices. Recycling isn't bad in the abstract, but it's not going to save the planet. The impact of all of us individuals will never match the impact of companies and mass manufacturing.
I really recommend watching Shelbizlee's videos to learn more! Many people, our hearts are in the right place, but recycling things is not going to do much. What we can do is "vote with our dollar" to buy less overall, buy from stores and companies that align with our values, buy items with less packaging, and get involved with local and state politics to create eco initiatives where we live and push for change at a larger scale.
Miss Heart, this could be a cool video for the future to share how you're engaging in environmentalism now as a recovering hoarder. For example, have you changed your stance on buying packaged foods, shopping at certain stores, buying fast fashion, doing low-buys, etc.?
A "sustainable swaps" for hoarders video could be fascinating, explaining how instead of holding onto a hoard items out of guilt and the desire to reuse (which actually has very little environmental impact, since those items were already created and purchased) you could change your focus to making more informed choices about what to buy and NOT buy in the future (which can make a much larger env impact)
Ms Heart often mentions her buy nothing community group- those sorts of groups may be the sustainable swaps you mention
It was a great episode!! Hope this weekend I can get things done at home🎉
It is so interesting the things we say to trick our brains! And we all do it, one way or the other. But it's a very good thing when we finally can be honest with ourselves and see things as the are. Thank you for another interesting video.
With paper I hold on to all my mail till winter time and use it as a starter to start the fireplace or in the summer the grill..
Great job! I am also an eco hoarder!
Thank you for the lesson. I never knew there was a word for hoarding recyclable stuff.
This type of eco-hoarding is very very common for people with compulsive hoarding disorder. What they don't think about is that by not passing on anything to people who might use it, or recycling what can be recycled, when they die it will ALL go to landfill to rot.
Great video today! Two months from Christmas decorating…eek!!😮
Here it is again - it seems like a deep rooted cause of hoarding is control. I find this fascinating!
🎉🎉🎉🎉🎉🎉 good job
The "Eco hoarding" with unused Christmas cards, amongst other things. That's me, glad I am not alone!🙋🏻♀️🤦🏻♀️❤ I have a problem, especially with old magazines in good condition, I want to get of them but I'm finding it difficult to let go!🙄😮💨
Gosh! The Christmas present bags question is just like the question, how many towels do you need? And the answer is always different between people.
already got my free pass from one of the other ladies and when I saw the list of speakers and the other things,I went ahead and bought the whole thing because there are so many things I want to check out I would not be able to get to it all. I have a job to work! looking forward to it!
Great declutter as always
As others have said, addressing consumption is the main way to reduce environmental impact! I know you get a lot of things secondhand, so logically you are reusing those things - but that's only if you are actually using it. If you're not, giving it to somebody else who will is key. Buying sustainable product alternatives for things you use (like toiletries) and reducing consumption where possible is a great way to maintain your identity as an eco-conscious individual while limiting your horde
Did I miss the Halloween declutter? I made another sweep today for warm clothes no longer used or needed. I always find more! We. Cleaned the car today and I washed my gym bag. Tomorrow I am banking and picking up the important paperwork. I am excited about the Kon Marie Christmas video! You are a beautiful person inside and out.❤
I sold bundles of gift bags in garage sales. Also, if you have empty plastic tubs/bins taking up tons of space, those will sell as well. I will empty a set of matching tubs and post them and they are gone so fast! Do you have tips on eco recycling items? NJ probably has better resources than OK, but I don't know what to do other than the plastic and paper our town picks up weekly. I am trying to find a place to recycle old clothing, and what about pots and pans when they wear out?
I am definitely an eco hoarder. I find it very difficult to trash things. If I can recycle it or it is good enough to take to a charity shop then it is much easier to get rid of it.
Eco hoarder here too. But I do take padded envelopes, grocery bags, shopping bags and things to my part time job of putting on estate sales. It is helpful and things get used!
I have another problem with glass jars once the insides are used up. I do go through fairly often or when I run out of room, I do donate them.
I had 2 of those Christmas bags that you showed and I swear my mom has had them since I was a small child (I'm 31 lol). Also I am definitely an eco-hoarder and I never had a name for it before but damn it is hard!
Transformers shirt looks cool
You put a name to my mom's hoarding. A big part of her hoard is literal trash that she can't get rid of because she needs to dispose of it the "right way." I don't know how to tell her that it's already in a landfill in her home and it's all just going in an actual landfill when she passes away. It makes me so sad and frustrated.
Perhaps you can get her to watch Hoarder's Heart or any of the decluttering videos to get her motivated. Swedish death cleaning is also good 😊.
I love your cat!
Every nice 😊
❤❤❤
That was another huge toss pile. Keep organizing the Christmas items so when the cave has no more leaks you can have one hugely decorated house. Then in January you can declutter what isn’t needed anymore.
we still do cards... for gift bags they get regifted back and forth every yr... till they are too far gone.
outdoor decor we keep in the garage... and inside decor gift stuffs stays in my "xmas closet" which is very stuffed just repacked on the weekend and still stuffed, I've been adding new seasonal decor as most was centered on xmas.
so much better w the more open floor :)
Knowing myself I keep the christmas bags just to look at or cut out and craft with it. Sometimes i cut out all types of pictures to journal.
Hi, just in case. I remember awhile ago some of the boxes were wet because of the water that came in from the rain. I'm afraid the new rugs could get damaged. It. They would be protected if placed up against the wall on top of plastic bins. You might have an empty small bin somewhere you can put them in for protection. Just in case. Also, all the cardboard boxes off the floor on top of plastic bins will also help. Just in case.
My eco hoarding is getting back the bows and tissue at Christmas after gifts are exchanged. I hate to see them scrunched up and ask my family to put them in a seperate bag. I have them try to put wrapping paper in a big bag and I go thru it to make sure it is recycled. 😀
Shut up mom! 😂
Be quiet mom 😂
regarding craft supplies, Gayle Goddard encourages looking at supplies and only save the best supplies, because the crafter will always choose the supplies they love most and never get around to using the just ok supplies. So she encourages passing on to someone else the supplies you will never use.
This is Nina. I need to start again.
I clicked so fast!!!
A thought came to me while you were sorting a box with a Christmas craft, shoe box and a T-shirt. What if you put some of the boys very good condition tshirts or shorts in the operation Christmas child boxes? Or is that allowed?
That black and white bathing suit is so cute. What size lol
I rarely buy gift bags because I reuse all of them lol I wish I could take those off your hands lol.
Christmas lights can be recycled at Home Depot
Oh really? So good to know 😊.
❤❤❤❤❤❤❤❤❤❤❤❤
U may want to have Xmas stuff in ur fall yard sale?:)
I am the villain here, care more about my mental health that about the environment.
T-shirts that you have a connection can be cut up and use in a quilt.