👏I do the same, I get out the things I want to work with - I have to face them. My rules: give it if someone needs it more than you + take a photo and let it go.
My fave rule is a new one from Dana K White: "better is good". If I declutter an area and it looks better (not perfect though) it's still good. It gives me momentum to keep going and stops perfectionism.
@@coppersense999 Dana is awesome. :) and if you watch any of her videos before her son left for his year long trip a month or two ago, make sure to watch yo the end and read the comments he would add. 🤣
i love my things but I dont want to deal with them over and over again. Storing, searching, cleaning/washing, re-organizing and re-evaluating them is just so draining and time consuming. Letting go is simply the best way to avoid these.
I’ve moved… I dunno maybe 11 times in 10 years. Maybe more. Point…. I shouldn’t wait until moving to declutter. I’ve learned that my “stuff” causes agony. I had 3 strokes when I got COvid in 2020. I very literally had sensory overload to an extreme and a new chronic illness. Everything had to go. But I didn’t realize I could go further. Or that new seasons would crop up and I had to maintain this work. But that pain of visual clutter. The weight of my clothes, my cookbooks, the paper clutter, the extra appliances. Thy experience made it SO much easier to let go now. It’s heavy, it’s filling up my space and collecting dust or blocking me from seeing what I need, and it’s taking time away from my hobbies and my family. For me, and my experience…. It really hurt my heart ❤️and I had to break up with my stuff.
I regularly recall the day I had to empty out my parents' house and it reminds me there's no need to hang onto so much stuff so I'm more mindful of what I bring into my life and regularly let things go.
This is what I do instinctively almost every 6 months! It was trained in me when I lived in on-campus student housing in college and there was always the end of semester white glove inspection. It also really reminds me of Marie Kondo's technique, just on a smaller scale. It really works! And truth spoken: clutter becomes treasure becomes clutter because change is a constant in life. Decluttering never truly ends; we just learn better how to prioritize our values & manage our inventory in all the seasons of our lives. Thanks fellas!
and when you run out of time , everything still needing to be dealt with gets chucked in a box, trash included, so when you get to the new place, so is rhe clutter!!!
This reminds me of a technique told to me a couple years ago: handle each thing you possess and ask yourself if you still need this. My sister-in-law helped encourage me to do this as we went through my nightstand drawers and then all the furniture and enjoy each drawer. It helped me let go of many things. You've reminded me it's long past due to go through this exercise again. Thanks.
To my husband & I this is the power of annoying. When we have stuff we haven’t dealt with (not too much at a time) & put it in the most annoying place possible so it is constantly in our face & in the way. We have to deal with it, often one thing at a time as we encounter it again & it drives us nuts it being there. It is far too easy to ignore stuff hidden away.
My rule is similar - extract and clean - grab an empty laundry basket and remove everything from the space (closet, credenza, etc.) - don’t sort out what you want yet. Clean the space make it something you admire and care for.. then review each item as you put it back. If the items are dusty, clean them. It forces you to see it and take care of it if you actually care for it. Maybe trash ended up in there or stuff is broken or expired.
@@tylerpurrden yeah, definitely - also, if there’s adhd involved it’s helpful to not worry about the items having to go somewhere else and losing motivation lol.
I`m in my 20th year of minimalism. It´s so much fun to look in my development these years. Some years, I didnt´t have the time (because of work) to declutter. But as soon as possible, I startet again.... Love to see and hear your statements, since years!
This is similar to Marie Kondo's first step. She has people gather all the clothes into a large pile so that people can really see what they have. I think this can be a good technique for some people and some times. For some, the packing party works better, for some seeing it all does. There are so many factors and that's why it's awesome there are so many ways of doing things. For some people this out-in-the-open thing would actually shut them down and cause them to freeze and do nothing. My personal rules are hard for a lot of people to understand if they don't receive intuition the way I do. I have to listen to what is calling me next. If I try to force something and it's not calling, it is so hard. If I can tune into the next thing that calls me, it becomes easy.
Well said. A few years back my husband pulled everything out of a walk in closet thinking i would quickly cull and reorganize it to get the new clutter out of the den. I was angry and overwhelmed, so there it stayed and for a couple of years I just avoided the room. Eventually he reorganized the closet himself.
@@JJ-ur9yp I likely would have responded just like you. It has to be on my terms and it can't be too big or I won't do it. Choosing to pull things out of one drawer is often doable. Looking at the whole dresser (or the whole kitchen) at once is usually too much. It's important to know these things about ourselves. It's also important for our loved ones to understand these things about ourselves as well.
I let go of another large bag of clothing that I actually loved all the pieces, and had them for many years. I find it’s interesting to observe how my mind will always have a little doubt on certain items I let go. It’s like I’m identifying part of my value in an object. Hopefully, the next owners can wear them more often and experience the joy they gave me. I still have enough and am enough without any of these items.
There’s a small caveat to this out in the open rule . You’ve got to do it in small batches! And deal with it right away! (maybe you mentioned it in the longer podcast) Otherwise it just becomes clutter all over the place again😆
I am just starting this journey after 3 kids, 40+ Yrs of marriage, grown kids coming back for a bit and taking care of my mother for over 3 years Before her passing. I classify all my “extra” stuff as organized chaos. What works for me so I do not get discouraged or overwhelmed is I plan on one drawer, one cupboard, if I’m really up to it a room. I try to only start if I am going to finish. If it’s a drawer I am working on I will even do it while watching tv if I need the distraction. So far this has been the best catharsis and I always have a trash box, recycle box, donate and keep. Thank you so much for some instructions on this journey.
Love this! I’ve been doing this for awhile. I call it “moving back in” to a space. The best thing about this method is that it switches my mindset from negative to positive. It can be hard to pick things to get rid of of and can feel like a sacrifice. But taking everything out allows you to choose what you value using that space for. It’s no longer about getting rid of but prioritizing what belongs. Then of course you let go of whatever doesn’t earn its place. Most of the time I realize how much I enjoy having empty breathing space and don’t want to fill it back up again. You can also “quarantine” leftover items if you’re having a hard time getting rid of it right away. Usually if you put it in a box for a few months you have time to realize if you need/want it and it separates the emotion from the item.
Great points. Just was forced to do this in a way. If you improve the space and like it after moving "out", then you get protective of not cluttering it up when you move back "in"!
It is certainly a good metaphor for the internal world. I don't know about tossing people, except when Josh pointed out one man's discard is another man's treasure. I want to realize when I release someone from my life, I free them up for a better fit and make space in my own life for someone whose needs I can perfectly meet and who is exactly who I needed. Or maybe an equal balance of lopsided relationships, if it is out in the open as mentor/mentee relationships, and being mindful to nurture peer bonds. I've had a scarcity mentality when it comes to people, having felt loneliness in the past and giving in to the cognitive distortion that I can foresee the future accurately. If so, I need to fire my inner crystal ball reader with the constant negative bias. The future, when I'm giving up an addiction like smoking or a security blanket like familiar chaotic relationships, always appears gray, flat and bleak. Based on my experience however, that future has never come to pass. My baseline happiness recalibrates, I meet new people, take up new hobbies, and am lighter and happier as a non-smoker, or without someone toxic taking up my time. Clutter is just another security blanket or coping mechanism like an abusive relationship or an addiction. Consumerism gluttony drinking loving sexing hm ... all escapes or distraction or shots of pain killer. So the antidote us to sit quietly with the pain, welcome it, have a conversation with the traumatized child whose hurts felt unseen and unheard, if not outright dismissed or mocked or punished, and see them. Hear them. Acknowledge them. Don't fix or feed or smother them, simply be a witness. Be the secure, all-knowing adult that child needed at the time to reassure them they are safe, to forgive them for not doing it perfect, telling them they did the best they knew how with what they had at the time. They were brand new in a broken world, taking on the passed down trauma of generations gone before them. What started as a sharp word 400 years ago became a drinking problem became neglect became a hardened heart giving birth to a hot temper, that maybe married a gentle soul that softened what would have been blows, but all that is surface trauma. You have the underlying dark stream that flows, littered woth sexual detruis, abuse happening to little boys who grow up, before that even, who start creating deviant hurtful sex habits young and don't stop if they are not exposed. The sins of the father are passed onto the next generation is not a threat, it merely describes the cycle of abuse. At any point, any one can bring it into the light, reclaim their innocence, even and especially the abuser. And idk but I would posit that does happen on a regular basis, people wanting to be a force for good in other people's lives more than they want to exploit or abuse others for their own gain. All it takes for a fresh start, for anyone at any point in life, is an open mind and heart. And all I need to return to for my own peace of mind, staying on my side of the street, serenity prayer style, is the humility to admit how much I don't and can't ever know. I want to choose to fill in the gaping cracks of ignorance, that line my base of knowledge and lived experience, with the light of faith and hope and not the mud of assumptions and social media. All that to say, I need to go clean my room.
Considerable thought , reflection and insight went into this statement. The world is certainly broken ; circumstances are often substantially different from how they appear. I have been on a journey of seemingly never ending lop sided and abusive relationships. Only two relationships come to mind that were healthy for me , except for a few school teachers for a quick season , one was a great friend who filled the gap of a father figure for me and I let that several year relationship drift away this was before we had cell phones. The second was a loving relationship I had with my daughter; that relationship has been strained, damaged and darkened by a mentally ill ex wife who I divorced. Sometimes I run across someone who I believe is a good, healthy, interesting, optimistic and balanced person and it seems that there lives are already overflowing with friends, family and interests. I know friendships are transitory but these people don’t need any more people in their life. I’m weary of paying for coaches , self help gurus or cult type leaders. I guess I’ll just keep forcing myself to improve. It’s better to be painfully lonely at times than to be taken advantage of by an energy vampire. Thank you for your thoughts.
I’ve recently started listening to more of your full podcasts and I appreciate the work you guys do. I also for some reason truly loved this practical advice and explanation so thank you. I’ll be searching more of your published content for other gems like this. You all rock! Be well.
I think I've been a minimalist all my life because I don't like to take care very many things and clutter requires maintenance.... Also there's a strange part of me that feels like I shouldn't have 10 sweaters if I see people who don't have 1, so there's that.... the good news is it's made change very easy in my life I've picked up and moved within hours..lol
We just took all our kitchen drawers out and cleared all the lower cabinets this week for the demo and installation of new countertops. Seeing almost all of our kitchen items in full display was an eye opener (upper cabinets were left as is). We have too much stuff! Before everything goes back, we’re going to sort and simplify (and revisit those upper cabinets!).
Love this new rule! I tried it with some boxes that just sat in our formal living room. OMG! I let go of so much stuff that I forgot about and didn’t need. I feel like a lot weight taken off my shoulders. Best advice so far.
Wow this is perfect timing! In one day I have construction on my 2nd floor and have to empty 3 bedrooms to be demo’d for a remodel that’s been long overdue. I’m putting things in boxes and have a huge box by the front door for donations. After living in a cramped basement for 5 weeks I’m sure I’ll be ready and willing to get rid of even more. Wish me luck! Three people n two dogs ugh.
This one works for me better. Doing this right now but I think finding homes for objects afterwards help to set up systems. Putting things needed for immediate use should be seen regularly.
Not a joke. I love that idea of getting all friends out in the open and start to divest. Too many friends/acquaintances is draining, time-consuming, demanding and even guilt-inducing.
I agree, any valuable relationship takes time & effort on part of both parties. Friendships naturally ebb & flow. So, if it's a one-sided relationship (you make all the effort) or this other person is a "downer" at every meeting; drop the relationship! If that "rejected" individual notices you havent been contacting him/her, then lovingly explain that unless he/she wants a meaningful relationship btwn you, he/she has to decide to change b/c he's/she's not pleasant to be around when he chooses to.....(fill in the blank).
January 1st 2023 is a year to the day I started decluttering and the day I hope to finish. Housework is so much easier now, I don’t buy stuff needlessly and the best bit …. I don’t feel bad about spending time doing what I want to do!
Thanks for this video. Inspired me to spend my Sunday bringing my stuff out and into the open. I got rid of many items I haven't used for years that were hiding in containers. I also threw out the containers so I didn't feel the need to refill them.
This is great, I’ve been executing this over the last couple of months since I moved into a new place. I purposefully have delayed acquiring furniture like dressers and drawers. I’m unpacking things as I use them, but also sorting by type, minimizing, and seeing everything folded out in the open all at once rather than stuffing it all the way to deal with later. (Unpacking party + Out/Open + a little help from M Kondo to organize and better ‘see’ everything). Prior to and just after the move I let go of hundreds of items- from large furniture to sorta broken hair pins. Excited to continue reclaiming my space !
Here is my pruning process; I do it by sets. A set is your clothes or your kitchenware, etc. I lay the set of stuff out so I can visually see all of it. Then I prune to the essentials I wish to keep. I take all the rest and bag it and put it in a staging area. If I feel I pruned too much I rejoin the deleted items. After 30 days, the rest of deleted stuff goes and I make a mental note to not buy it again.
Boring, I know - but my favorite rule is in the buying phase: Buy the best I can afford and really take care of it. AIso I try to buy 'on demand' that is I buy the thing knowing I'm going to put it to use immediately or at least within the next week? Yes I buy it. I try not to be sucked in by the special deals and coupons, and 'products that have worked for other people' because for me that's just purchasing future clutter. This is how I have ended up with a craft stash and a moratorium on purchasing any more supplies until what I have is used up. It's going to take *years* let me tell you. So that comes to mind the next time I have thoughts of buying a cleaning tool or starting a new hobby, or buying another journal, or organiser or motivational course - all future self stuff :) It always floors me when we take the contents of a space how much there actually is - the sheer volume. I have a photo of my daughter lying on the floor next to a pile of stationery that is taller than her. That helped us declutter, because it had got to the stage where the stationery didn't fit in the 3 draws space we had for stationery, so naturally we had to have less stationery.
I have actually used this for general cleaning when things get out of control. But I can see that I need to take things to the next level and get rid of what I am hanging onto because I beieve it has value. Thanks for the reminder.
I'm going to adopt Ella's wise attitude and have an honest think about how much I still play with/enjoy my possessions. There's so many stagnant objects in my environment that have become invisible. Like toys that have served their purpose, we all need to pause to consider the value of our interactions with our belongings.
Haha - I know exactly what you mean! I don't even have to put a sign out. I just put the item on the curb on either side of my driveway and wait for it to "walk away", as we all say at my house. It's magical, and one of my favorite ways to donate! :)
I knew someone who's mother passed away and they hired a big skip and loaded in all the crap nobody would want, even for free. They posted free stuff to give away things on Facebook marketplace, and the amount of people that climbed into that big skip to take the trash... wow. Someone even took her old gardening shoes that had holes in the toes
I've been practicing a version of this with my husband for a while. He used to be a major clutterbug then I began stacking all the stuff he refused to deal with on his bedroom end table. He told me I to stop because he didn't like how it looked and I told him it didn't look any different to me when it was spread all over the house. He is no longer a clutterbug, I'm so proud of him.
I like this idea, but you also need to keep in mind that you can’t “force” anyone else to declutter. They need to want to do it for themselves, otherwise, they’ll just gain clutter again in the future. I’m glad you got him on board, though!
I do this with my garage and my closets because those are two areas that can I hide a lot of crap. If I take every single thing out and put back only what I need it’s so freeing.
Excellent. Heading into the kitchen right now to engage with the items waaaay back in the far, dark reaches of one of my cupboards… great exploration for this time of year. Thanks for the motivation y’all. Feeling decisive! 🎉 ❤ 😊
I emptied all my kitchen "stuff", in a box for 60 days. What was left I donated to my daughter's daycare,so the children could play outside in the sandbox! How many spatulas (Xmas, Easter, Hallowe'en), cups, etc does one use. If felt so good!!!
Emptied my hope chest first time in 10 years...2 things immediately went back, the rest...wow it's amazing what I held on to before having minimalist mindset
I do this sometimes, and then I sort. I've got my clothes sorted by color right now, and I've got enough black clothing to start a new beat movement. Next job is to launder and sort each color and fill some bags for the local thrift shop bin.
"The touch it once" rule. If it needs to be donated I immediately donate, or trash it or put back in its "home". I went thru Kon Mari, then Swedish death cleaning. Of course what we think is sentimental is the most difficult.
I have done this a couple of times - put stuff out on the floor - and it has worked brilliantly for me. I've even left the stuff there for a week / two weeks when I couldn't make a decision. The trick is not to 'hide' it again (ie in a box or cupboard or somewhere). Leaving it out on the floor forced me to think about the stuff and make a decision.
One of my favourite rules is that I keep a neat storage bin near the front door. The minute I see something I don't need any more (like a book I've finished reading) it goes into this bin. Then, if there's anything in there, I have to take it with me if I'm going to the shops to drop it into the charity shop (luckily there are several charity shops nearby so that's an easy task for me).
I'm still trying to get past the "better to have it and not need it than to need it and not have it" phase. Anything I've ever gotten rid of seems to become something I end up needing again. It's crazy.
Love this video with The Minimalist decluttering and realizing you need to get everything out to do it! 😂 It sounds a lot like Kon Marie 😂 And I agree! Everything needs to get out in the open also so you can clean the wardrobe, cupboard or whatever it is you are dealing with! Also what you often forget is what you then talk about; one mans finest possession can be another mans clutter. A minimalist thinking is always different depending on who you are and your circumstances! 👍
So strange, but this is exactly I’ve been instinctively doing very recently. Some stuff is harder than others to do in one day, but I keep it out until it’s either saved or decluttered. I won’t put it away until I know what I’m doing with it
The out in open is the worst method for me. Because I’m someone who gets overwhelmed by the pile. I’ve learned to get everything hidden so I feel the calm of my space. Then just organize and declutter one drawer, then another drawer, etc. Stuff in general stresses me out, so doing the major cleanouts makes my brain and body shut down. I can’t actually look at too much at a time. I have minimalists my life simply by opening a drawer and looking for 1-3 items I can use up, gift, donate, or throw away. And I just repeated that action over and over and now I have more empty drawers than stuff and I might sell the dresser too!
I like to apply this rule also in a more permanent way, e.g. how I store things. For instance I put most of my clothes on an open rack. That way I can notice right away when some piece of clothes has lost its purpose to me.
Yikkkkes!!! Really? Good gosh! I wish I could look at my art space (approx 12'x 24') this way ... since so much is already out in the open because all my storage, shelves, tuck spots, drawers and newly created storage areas are full. I've applied many of your suggestions and then some to many parts of my life and have had some wonderful success. My weakness seem to be the art space ... now I even avoid it so much because it just overwhelms me, now avoiding spending time creating - which makes me sad. If I took everything out in the open, I'd be walking on a pile of supplies three feet high ;) Sometimes I dream of being able to sit at a small art station with everything within reach and in it's own place. But that seems just about impossible. Thanks for the video, a Canadian fan, Sunshine
"ADDITION BY SUBTRACTION" (Michael Scott @The Office) I love to do that, take all out, and purge! In fact I just did it again in my kitchen, I love it! Now I have only what I need to teach people how to cook for one!
✨You guys should interview Dana K White✨ Her 5 little rules get the home decluttered without the stress. Together you could make minimalism SO much easier/achievable for SO many more people.
Ah yes, a wise Native American named Sun Bear, once said, "if it does not grow corn, get rid of it". Meaning it it dosent bear fruit in your life, you might want to let it go.
This week I’ve been forced (due to an infestation of mystery-insects) to get rid of some of my plants that were affected beyond rescue or recovery. I had an instant pang of pain and regret that I was giving up on the bad plants by throwing them out, but then I rationalised that I was helping to keep my other plants healthy by removing the infested ones. It’s actually been very freeing to have a bit more worktop space!
I use Kleen Green enzymes by Natural Ginesis. This product can replace so many cleaners, laundry soap, cleans walls, floors, human and animal skin. But. Don't use it in the eyes Because it's sn enzyme.
Death Cleaning is the only way to go for me. Do I really want my children saddled with my stuff? No, I do not. If it’s not important to me, I do not want them to think they need to keep it because they thought it was important to me.
I've had to declutter my things so I could rearrange the furniture in one of my rooms. A plumber needs to come in and he needs access to the wall adjacent to the bathtub so the faucet can get fixed. After donating a lot of things, the thrift store won't take anymore of my things. It's the only thrift store around me, so I've had to resort to throwing everything else in the trash, which I hate. I really hope the dumpster service separates everything for possible recycling like my old one did, otherwise it all is going into a landfill. I hate the thought of that but there's nothing else I can do if nobody else wants anything I'm getting rid of. Trying to sell it on any selling platforms is more trouble than it's worth. 😞
I have said this forever. I think part of the problem is our definition of clutter. Often we think the junky stuff on the surfaces is clutter and the stuff put away is what matters. In fact you said it here in the video that clutter is stuff that is in the way. Easily misunderstood I think to mean the stuff on surfaces we keep having to look at. The clutter problem may not be on the surfaces though in fact very often it is not! The stuff on the surfaces in disarray is usually the everyday stuff that is always in use, the stuff we took the time to find and drag out, the stuff that is in such frequent rotation that it may even seem impractical to put it away for fear of having to access or find it again. So the surface layer may be hard to look at and may actually make stored items hard to get to but the clutter is the stuff that's "put away". It could even be so neatly stored because you never get into that space. There's your clue. Empty that drawer, closet, cabinet! You might still want to hold on to a bit of overflow, or "not everyday" stuff that does serve a clear purpose. But most likely over half the stuff in deep storage can go. Usually it's extra inventory of multiple useful things that you do use where each thing never gets its turn to be used. If you have a pile of towels for example that keeps going from bathroom floor through the laundry and then sits on the back of the toilet because the towel cabinet is full of other towels you have too many towels! You clearly have your favs in rotation and the ones in storage never get their turn. Look at their condition, replace from your stash and let some towels go or at least move them into attic or whatever space, not your prime spots. Save your prime spots for the towels you just washed and can't put away. Repeat repeat for everything!!! When you are shopping and see something you really want to squirrel away, remember things go on sale really often when you truly do need something it will likely be available and if not you can figure out a way to work around not having it. Let the store....store it! Dealing with the deeper storage spaces will make room to put things away that are driving you crazy on the surfaces. Then you can manage your whole inventory easier.
Okay! Took me 2 days but the painting supplies are in area. As I clean my tools I will make a donate pile. Thanks for the encouragement! Found the Corona nippers and the sharpening tool. Amazing
Declutter, don't organise. What is my "clutter threshold" ( to quote Dana K White, the only person to "get" me!) Oh, and declutter decluttering & organising books - I had about 10 at least, of which only Dana's two books were of practical help to me, so I declutter them!
I akways keep a bag handy for donations. It's funny, because i might have something (usually home decor) that i LOVE, then 6 months later Im looking at it, saying "why do i have this?", and it goes in the bag.
While our friends who have moved several times in their 35-40 plus year marriages, we are the only ones who’ve been in the same place almost 30 yrs of our 35 year marriage. They are all envious of, and say we don’t understand how great this is, that we didn’t apply that stress to our marriage, children, professions, lives…And I agree. But, the second I bring up THEIR getting to PURGE multiple times in their lives by moving completely out of a house, they cannot deny how cool that’s been. That if there is a perk, that’s the one. Funny how big of a deal being able to clean out and start over is. When we clean out a drawer, closet, storage shed, attic, shop, pantry, we empty it entirely first as if we are moving. It is psychologically impossible, and I believe even unhealthy, to try and organize and clean out and minimize/minimalize :) anything IN the mire. You have to empty that space and then decide what adds value to your life and put it back, garbage it, sell it, or give it away. I already had applied this method out of necessity when I started watching and listening to The Minimalists. Love you guys, and am so grateful for your touching and amazing life-stories that have brought you into our lives. I recommend you to everyone! ❤️
Great podcast. We are a nation of hoarders. This including putting useless items into A storage unit until evicted. Loss of the items and someone will buy it the unit with contents for 10-20 dollars. No kidding.
If I found this item in a free box at a garage sale would I take it? If the answer is no then get rid of it. This has especially helped me get rid of things I am only keeping because i paid money for them. When I realize I wouldn't take a free item I don't want or need, even if it is costly, then why would I retain and item I don't want or need just because i paid a lot for it??
Now if I can just get my hubby to listen to this 😀 He struggles with decisions on things so he just puts them away to decide on another day which stress that leads to is mind boggling. 🤯 😏
If it is clothes, one day you should have him try everything on, and you both decide together which items make him look good and feel good. If it is kitchen or bedroom stuff, you can get him to do a list of items he uses to most, and then separate the least used items, and do that again to that pile. That way, you’re still decluttering, but not decluttering your whole house in one day. Start small, form a habit, then keep the habit going. ✨
@@megmichelle4437 Thanks 😊 So, we've made head way on clothing pretty well. Now we have things like prints he thought would increase in value but have not & are stored (not properly) in closets. Or a bunch of real western boots that were expensive but again being poorly stored. Other items he feels have value which he nor I would ever have the time, energy or inclination to sell. These also don't have much value in them. 😏
What’s your favorite decluttering rule?
Don’t buy it
If you don’t have double the amount (if you buy something of $$ then you should also put $$ amount in your savings). Then you can’t afford it.
If it’s not a clear yes you need or want it then it’s a no~ get rid of it
👏I do the same, I get out the things I want to work with - I have to face them. My rules: give it if someone needs it more than you + take a photo and let it go.
too many to choose one! But yes to get all out, and get rid of it!
My fave rule is a new one from Dana K White: "better is good". If I declutter an area and it looks better (not perfect though) it's still good. It gives me momentum to keep going and stops perfectionism.
Dana’s the best
Yes! Dana is seriously amazing.
Dana IS the best.
Gonna go out on a limb here and assert that Dana is good, if not better than most, and that is good enough. But idk Dana. *googling
@@coppersense999 Dana is awesome. :) and if you watch any of her videos before her son left for his year long trip a month or two ago, make sure to watch yo the end and read the comments he would add. 🤣
i love my things but I dont want to deal with them over and over again. Storing, searching, cleaning/washing, re-organizing and re-evaluating them is just so draining and time consuming. Letting go is simply the best way to avoid these.
And it’s amazing how quick you forget about them!
And add packing and moving to the list if you do that. Then unpacking and finding a place for. 😑
I’ve moved… I dunno maybe 11 times in 10 years. Maybe more. Point…. I shouldn’t wait until moving to declutter. I’ve learned that my “stuff” causes agony. I had 3 strokes when I got COvid in 2020. I very literally had sensory overload to an extreme and a new chronic illness. Everything had to go. But I didn’t realize I could go further. Or that new seasons would crop up and I had to maintain this work. But that pain of visual clutter. The weight of my clothes, my cookbooks, the paper clutter, the extra appliances. Thy experience made it SO much easier to let go now. It’s heavy, it’s filling up my space and collecting dust or blocking me from seeing what I need, and it’s taking time away from my hobbies and my family. For me, and my experience…. It really hurt my heart ❤️and I had to break up with my stuff.
I regularly recall the day I had to empty out my parents' house and it reminds me there's no need to hang onto so much stuff so I'm more mindful of what I bring into my life and regularly let things go.
This is what I do instinctively almost every 6 months! It was trained in me when I lived in on-campus student housing in college and there was always the end of semester white glove inspection. It also really reminds me of Marie Kondo's technique, just on a smaller scale. It really works! And truth spoken: clutter becomes treasure becomes clutter because change is a constant in life. Decluttering never truly ends; we just learn better how to prioritize our values & manage our inventory in all the seasons of our lives. Thanks fellas!
This is why moving house is good. It forces you to drag everything out of the nooks and crannies, and deal with it all
and when you run out of time , everything still needing to be dealt with gets chucked in a box, trash included, so when you get to the new place, so is rhe clutter!!!
JUST MOVED to an apartment up 17 stairs - also decided to LET GO of any and everything that has a toxic association.
TRULY LIBERATING!
@@susang5445 I just did this. Haha. Although to be fair, most of the rubbish has gone...probably less than quarter left. Greetings from aus.
@@Christina-sf4py Hope your new home is wonderful 😊🌷
This reminds me of a technique told to me a couple years ago: handle each thing you possess and ask yourself if you still need this. My sister-in-law helped encourage me to do this as we went through my nightstand drawers and then all the furniture and enjoy each drawer. It helped me let go of many things. You've reminded me it's long past due to go through this exercise again. Thanks.
To my husband & I this is the power of annoying. When we have stuff we haven’t dealt with (not too much at a time) & put it in the most annoying place possible so it is constantly in our face & in the way. We have to deal with it, often one thing at a time as we encounter it again & it drives us nuts it being there. It is far too easy to ignore stuff hidden away.
My rule is similar - extract and clean - grab an empty laundry basket and remove everything from the space (closet, credenza, etc.) - don’t sort out what you want yet. Clean the space make it something you admire and care for.. then review each item as you put it back. If the items are dusty, clean them. It forces you to see it and take care of it if you actually care for it. Maybe trash ended up in there or stuff is broken or expired.
I love it when stuff is expired. Guilt free disposal😁
I think I like your approach better. Less anxiety 💜
@@tylerpurrden yeah, definitely - also, if there’s adhd involved it’s helpful to not worry about the items having to go somewhere else and losing motivation lol.
I`m in my 20th year of minimalism. It´s so much fun to look in my development these years. Some years, I didnt´t have the time (because of work) to declutter. But as soon as possible, I startet again.... Love to see and hear your statements, since years!
It's like on Hoarders TV show when they put everything on the lawn to sort through, it's a whole process.
thank you sooooo much for not having ads!!!!!
This is similar to Marie Kondo's first step. She has people gather all the clothes into a large pile so that people can really see what they have. I think this can be a good technique for some people and some times. For some, the packing party works better, for some seeing it all does. There are so many factors and that's why it's awesome there are so many ways of doing things. For some people this out-in-the-open thing would actually shut them down and cause them to freeze and do nothing.
My personal rules are hard for a lot of people to understand if they don't receive intuition the way I do. I have to listen to what is calling me next. If I try to force something and it's not calling, it is so hard. If I can tune into the next thing that calls me, it becomes easy.
Well said. A few years back my husband pulled everything out of a walk in closet thinking i would quickly cull and reorganize it to get the new clutter out of the den. I was angry and overwhelmed, so there it stayed and for a couple of years I just avoided the room. Eventually he reorganized the closet himself.
@@JJ-ur9yp I likely would have responded just like you. It has to be on my terms and it can't be too big or I won't do it. Choosing to pull things out of one drawer is often doable. Looking at the whole dresser (or the whole kitchen) at once is usually too much.
It's important to know these things about ourselves. It's also important for our loved ones to understand these things about ourselves as well.
I let go of another large bag of clothing that I actually loved all the pieces, and had them for many years. I find it’s interesting to observe how my mind will always have a little doubt on certain items I let go. It’s like I’m identifying part of my value in an object. Hopefully, the next owners can wear them more often and experience the joy they gave me. I still have enough and am enough without any of these items.
There’s a small caveat to this out in the open rule . You’ve got to do it in small batches! And deal with it right away! (maybe you mentioned it in the longer podcast) Otherwise it just becomes clutter all over the place again😆
I am just starting this journey after 3 kids, 40+ Yrs of marriage, grown kids coming back for a bit and taking care of my mother for over 3 years Before her passing. I classify all my “extra” stuff as organized chaos. What works for me so I do not get discouraged or overwhelmed is I plan on one drawer, one cupboard, if I’m really up to it a room. I try to only start if I am going to finish. If it’s a drawer I am working on I will even do it while watching tv if I need the distraction.
So far this has been the best catharsis and I always have a trash box, recycle box, donate and keep. Thank you so much for some instructions on this journey.
Love this! I’ve been doing this for awhile. I call it “moving back in” to a space. The best thing about this method is that it switches my mindset from negative to positive. It can be hard to pick things to get rid of of and can feel like a sacrifice. But taking everything out allows you to choose what you value using that space for. It’s no longer about getting rid of but prioritizing what belongs. Then of course you let go of whatever doesn’t earn its place. Most of the time I realize how much I enjoy having empty breathing space and don’t want to fill it back up again. You can also “quarantine” leftover items if you’re having a hard time getting rid of it right away. Usually if you put it in a box for a few months you have time to realize if you need/want it and it separates the emotion from the item.
Great points. Just was forced to do this in a way. If you improve the space and like it after moving "out", then you get protective of not cluttering it up when you move back "in"!
I have spent up to a week looking for something, then finally realize I had already gotten rid of it a few years ago.
It is certainly a good metaphor for the internal world. I don't know about tossing people, except when Josh pointed out one man's discard is another man's treasure. I want to realize when I release someone from my life, I free them up for a better fit and make space in my own life for someone whose needs I can perfectly meet and who is exactly who I needed. Or maybe an equal balance of lopsided relationships, if it is out in the open as mentor/mentee relationships, and being mindful to nurture peer bonds.
I've had a scarcity mentality when it comes to people, having felt loneliness in the past and giving in to the cognitive distortion that I can foresee the future accurately. If so, I need to fire my inner crystal ball reader with the constant negative bias. The future, when I'm giving up an addiction like smoking or a security blanket like familiar chaotic relationships, always appears gray, flat and bleak. Based on my experience however, that future has never come to pass. My baseline happiness recalibrates, I meet new people, take up new hobbies, and am lighter and happier as a non-smoker, or without someone toxic taking up my time. Clutter is just another security blanket or coping mechanism like an abusive relationship or an addiction. Consumerism gluttony drinking loving sexing hm ... all escapes or distraction or shots of pain killer. So the antidote us to sit quietly with the pain, welcome it, have a conversation with the traumatized child whose hurts felt unseen and unheard, if not outright dismissed or mocked or punished, and see them. Hear them. Acknowledge them. Don't fix or feed or smother them, simply be a witness. Be the secure, all-knowing adult that child needed at the time to reassure them they are safe, to forgive them for not doing it perfect, telling them they did the best they knew how with what they had at the time. They were brand new in a broken world, taking on the passed down trauma of generations gone before them. What started as a sharp word 400 years ago became a drinking problem became neglect became a hardened heart giving birth to a hot temper, that maybe married a gentle soul that softened what would have been blows, but all that is surface trauma. You have the underlying dark stream that flows, littered woth sexual detruis, abuse happening to little boys who grow up, before that even, who start creating deviant hurtful sex habits young and don't stop if they are not exposed. The sins of the father are passed onto the next generation is not a threat, it merely describes the cycle of abuse. At any point, any one can bring it into the light, reclaim their innocence, even and especially the abuser. And idk but I would posit that does happen on a regular basis, people wanting to be a force for good in other people's lives more than they want to exploit or abuse others for their own gain.
All it takes for a fresh start, for anyone at any point in life, is an open mind and heart. And all I need to return to for my own peace of mind, staying on my side of the street, serenity prayer style, is the humility to admit how much I don't and can't ever know. I want to choose to fill in the gaping cracks of ignorance, that line my base of knowledge and lived experience, with the light of faith and hope and not the mud of assumptions and social media.
All that to say, I need to go clean my room.
Considerable thought , reflection and insight went into this statement. The world is certainly broken ; circumstances are often substantially different from how they appear. I have been on a journey of seemingly never ending lop sided and abusive relationships. Only two relationships come to mind that were healthy for me , except for a few school teachers for a quick season , one was a great friend who filled the gap of a father figure for me and I let that several year relationship drift away this was before we had cell phones. The second was a loving relationship I had with my daughter; that relationship has been strained, damaged and darkened by a mentally ill ex wife who I divorced.
Sometimes I run across someone who I believe is a good, healthy, interesting, optimistic and balanced person and it seems that there lives are already overflowing with friends, family and interests. I know friendships are transitory but these people don’t need any more people in their life. I’m weary of paying for coaches , self help gurus or cult type leaders. I guess I’ll just keep forcing myself to improve. It’s better to be painfully lonely at times than to be taken advantage of by an energy vampire.
Thank you for your thoughts.
I’ve recently started listening to more of your full podcasts and I appreciate the work you guys do. I also for some reason truly loved this practical advice and explanation so thank you. I’ll be searching more of your published content for other gems like this. You all rock!
Be well.
I think I've been a minimalist all my life because I don't like to take care very many things and clutter requires maintenance.... Also there's a strange part of me that feels like I shouldn't have 10 sweaters if I see people who don't have 1, so there's that.... the good news is it's made change very easy in my life I've picked up and moved within hours..lol
We just took all our kitchen drawers out and cleared all the lower cabinets this week for the demo and installation of new countertops. Seeing almost all of our kitchen items in full display was an eye opener (upper cabinets were left as is). We have too much stuff! Before everything goes back, we’re going to sort and simplify (and revisit those upper cabinets!).
Have you seen "the minimal mom" channel? Love her kitchen declutter vid.
@@susang5445 Yes! I watch her channel too! I will look for that video. Thank you for the recommendation!
Light bulb in my head just lit up. I think this rule will work for me in my struggle with clutter.
Love this new rule! I tried it with some boxes that just sat in our formal living room. OMG! I let go of so much stuff that I forgot about and didn’t need. I feel like a lot weight taken off my shoulders. Best advice so far.
Wow this is perfect timing! In one day I have construction on my 2nd floor and have to empty 3 bedrooms to be demo’d for a remodel that’s been long overdue. I’m putting things in boxes and have a huge box by the front door for donations. After living in a cramped basement for 5 weeks I’m sure I’ll be ready and willing to get rid of even more. Wish me luck! Three people n two dogs ugh.
If you guys have obsolete cables, then the whole world must have them.
This one works for me better. Doing this right now but I think finding homes for objects afterwards help to set up systems. Putting things needed for immediate use should be seen regularly.
Not a joke. I love that idea of getting all friends out in the open and start to divest. Too many friends/acquaintances is draining, time-consuming, demanding and even guilt-inducing.
I agree, any valuable relationship takes time & effort on part of both parties. Friendships naturally ebb & flow. So, if it's a one-sided relationship (you make all the effort) or this other person is a "downer" at every meeting; drop the relationship! If that "rejected" individual notices you havent been contacting him/her, then lovingly explain that unless he/she wants a meaningful relationship btwn you, he/she has to decide to change b/c he's/she's not pleasant to be around when he chooses to.....(fill in the blank).
Oh totally! Trying to juggle too many acquaintance friends stresses me out. I want like, one good friend, 3 tops
January 1st 2023 is a year to the day I started decluttering and the day I hope to finish. Housework is so much easier now, I don’t buy stuff needlessly and the best bit …. I don’t feel bad about spending time doing what I want to do!
A hospital stay required my dad to pack one of my apartments. As I was unpacking I said "why do I have this?" I like your method and Ryan's method.
Thanks for this video. Inspired me to spend my Sunday bringing my stuff out and into the open. I got rid of many items I haven't used for years that were hiding in containers. I also threw out the containers so I didn't feel the need to refill them.
This is great, I’ve been executing this over the last couple of months since I moved into a new place. I purposefully have delayed acquiring furniture like dressers and drawers. I’m unpacking things as I use them, but also sorting by type, minimizing, and seeing everything folded out in the open all at once rather than stuffing it all the way to deal with later. (Unpacking party + Out/Open + a little help from M Kondo to organize and better ‘see’ everything).
Prior to and just after the move I let go of hundreds of items- from large furniture to sorta broken hair pins. Excited to continue reclaiming my space !
This actually makes alot of since. I need to do this so bad at my house. Thanks for the great idea!
Here is my pruning process; I do it by sets. A set is your clothes or your kitchenware, etc. I lay the set of stuff out so I can visually see all of it. Then I prune to the essentials I wish to keep. I take all the rest and bag it and put it in a staging area. If I feel I pruned too much I rejoin the deleted items. After 30 days, the rest of deleted stuff goes and I make a mental note to not buy it again.
Boring, I know - but my favorite rule is in the buying phase: Buy the best I can afford and really take care of it. AIso I try to buy 'on demand' that is I buy the thing knowing I'm going to put it to use immediately or at least within the next week? Yes I buy it. I try not to be sucked in by the special deals and coupons, and 'products that have worked for other people' because for me that's just purchasing future clutter. This is how I have ended up with a craft stash and a moratorium on purchasing any more supplies until what I have is used up. It's going to take *years* let me tell you. So that comes to mind the next time I have thoughts of buying a cleaning tool or starting a new hobby, or buying another journal, or organiser or motivational course - all future self stuff :)
It always floors me when we take the contents of a space how much there actually is - the sheer volume. I have a photo of my daughter lying on the floor next to a pile of stationery that is taller than her. That helped us declutter, because it had got to the stage where the stationery didn't fit in the 3 draws space we had for stationery, so naturally we had to have less stationery.
I have actually used this for general cleaning when things get out of control. But I can see that I need to take things to the next level and get rid of what I am hanging onto because I beieve it has value. Thanks for the reminder.
I'm going to adopt Ella's wise attitude and have an honest think about how much I still play with/enjoy my possessions. There's so many stagnant objects in my environment that have become invisible. Like toys that have served their purpose, we all need to pause to consider the value of our interactions with our belongings.
Amazing how many people take stuff when we place it outside the house on the street with a sign saying “free - please help yourself”
Haha - I know exactly what you mean! I don't even have to put a sign out. I just put the item on the curb on either side of my driveway and wait for it to "walk away", as we all say at my house. It's magical, and one of my favorite ways to donate! :)
I knew someone who's mother passed away and they hired a big skip and loaded in all the crap nobody would want, even for free. They posted free stuff to give away things on Facebook marketplace, and the amount of people that climbed into that big skip to take the trash... wow. Someone even took her old gardening shoes that had holes in the toes
I've been practicing a version of this with my husband for a while. He used to be a major clutterbug then I began stacking all the stuff he refused to deal with on his bedroom end table. He told me I to stop because he didn't like how it looked and I told him it didn't look any different to me when it was spread all over the house. He is no longer a clutterbug, I'm so proud of him.
Nice.
I like this idea, but you also need to keep in mind that you can’t “force” anyone else to declutter. They need to want to do it for themselves, otherwise, they’ll just gain clutter again in the future. I’m glad you got him on board, though!
So were there power tools, shoes, pens, tent pegs or bigger items balanced on the end table like a leaning tower of Pisa? 🙃
Thanks, I needed that.
I do this with my garage and my closets because those are two areas that can I hide a lot of crap. If I take every single thing out and put back only what I need it’s so freeing.
Excellent. Heading into the kitchen right now to engage with the items waaaay back in the far, dark reaches of one of my cupboards… great exploration for this time of year. Thanks for the motivation y’all. Feeling decisive! 🎉 ❤ 😊
Good luck! I will be doing the same 😅
I emptied all my kitchen "stuff", in a box for 60 days. What was left I donated to my daughter's daycare,so the children could play outside in the sandbox! How many spatulas (Xmas, Easter, Hallowe'en), cups, etc does one use. If felt so good!!!
@@cuteek Best of luck to you too!
@@nickyb2006 Brave moves with wonderful results… inspiring. ❤
Emptied my hope chest first time in 10 years...2 things immediately went back, the rest...wow it's amazing what I held on to before having minimalist mindset
I do this sometimes, and then I sort. I've got my clothes sorted by color right now, and I've got enough black clothing to start a new beat movement. Next job is to launder and sort each color and fill some bags for the local thrift shop bin.
"Bet you're wondering why I gathered you all here today..." 🤔🤣
"The touch it once" rule. If it needs to be donated I immediately donate, or trash it or put back in its "home". I went thru Kon Mari, then Swedish death cleaning. Of course what we think is sentimental is the most difficult.
Bring it out: I definitely do this. I may empty a shelf or drawer or closet. When you see it all, it becomes eye opening.
I do this with my stuff. For example, if I buy 3 new things, I donate/recycle 3 things
I have done this a couple of times - put stuff out on the floor - and it has worked brilliantly for me. I've even left the stuff there for a week / two weeks when I couldn't make a decision. The trick is not to 'hide' it again (ie in a box or cupboard or somewhere). Leaving it out on the floor forced me to think about the stuff and make a decision.
Haha the way I am I get it all out and it's like "Oh I forgot about that! But I will play with it or use it" 😬
Ok you have convinced me to tackle at least one kitchen cupboard 😅
One of my favourite rules is that I keep a neat
storage bin near the front door. The minute I see something I don't need any more (like a book I've finished reading) it goes into this bin. Then, if there's anything in there, I have to take it with me if I'm going to the shops to drop it into the charity shop (luckily there are several charity shops nearby so that's an easy task for me).
I'm still trying to get past the "better to have it and not need it than to need it and not have it" phase. Anything I've ever gotten rid of seems to become something I end up needing again. It's crazy.
Love this video with The Minimalist decluttering and realizing you need to get everything out to do it! 😂 It sounds a lot like Kon Marie 😂 And I agree! Everything needs to get out in the open also so you can clean the wardrobe, cupboard or whatever it is you are dealing with! Also what you often forget is what you then talk about; one mans finest possession can be another mans clutter. A minimalist thinking is always different depending on who you are and your circumstances! 👍
That photo is hilarious. That's all you had stored away? You don't need to declutter.
I agree with you. If I can’t see it I forget it and don’t use it. I still have a way to go and perhaps it will be a lifelong activity.
So strange, but this is exactly I’ve been instinctively doing very recently. Some stuff is harder than others to do in one day, but I keep it out until it’s either saved or decluttered. I won’t put it away until I know what I’m doing with it
The out in open is the worst method for me. Because I’m someone who gets overwhelmed by the pile. I’ve learned to get everything hidden so I feel the calm of my space. Then just organize and declutter one drawer, then another drawer, etc. Stuff in general stresses me out, so doing the major cleanouts makes my brain and body shut down. I can’t actually look at too much at a time. I have minimalists my life simply by opening a drawer and looking for 1-3 items I can use up, gift, donate, or throw away. And I just repeated that action over and over and now I have more empty drawers than stuff and I might sell the dresser too!
Consumerism and clutter go hand in hand
I like to apply this rule also in a more permanent way, e.g. how I store things. For instance I put most of my clothes on an open rack. That way I can notice right away when some piece of clothes has lost its purpose to me.
Yikkkkes!!! Really? Good gosh! I wish I could look at my art space (approx 12'x 24') this way ... since so much is already out in the open because all my storage, shelves, tuck spots, drawers and newly created storage areas are full. I've applied many of your suggestions and then some to many parts of my life and have had some wonderful success. My weakness seem to be the art space ... now I even avoid it so much because it just overwhelms me, now avoiding spending time creating - which makes me sad. If I took everything out in the open, I'd be walking on a pile of supplies three feet high ;) Sometimes I dream of being able to sit at a small art station with everything within reach and in it's own place. But that seems just about impossible. Thanks for the video, a Canadian fan, Sunshine
"ADDITION BY SUBTRACTION" (Michael Scott @The Office) I love to do that, take all out, and purge! In fact I just did it again in my kitchen, I love it! Now I have only what I need to teach people how to cook for one!
✨You guys should interview Dana K White✨
Her 5 little rules get the home decluttered without the stress.
Together you could make minimalism SO much easier/achievable for SO many more people.
Brilliant !!!! ...a simple, quick, very easy way to declutter very quickly!
Looking under my tv stand cabinet, went over and got rid of all the stuff. Such freedom!! Project 1
As someone who always dates audio people the “cable pile of doom” is the bane of my existence 😂
I found so many things I didn't know I had by decluttering. There are more undiscovered things which I'm finding.
Ah yes, a wise Native American named Sun Bear, once said, "if it does not grow corn, get rid of it". Meaning it it dosent bear fruit in your life, you might want to let it go.
This week I’ve been forced (due to an infestation of mystery-insects) to get rid of some of my plants that were affected beyond rescue or recovery. I had an instant pang of pain and regret that I was giving up on the bad plants by throwing them out, but then I rationalised that I was helping to keep my other plants healthy by removing the infested ones. It’s actually been very freeing to have a bit more worktop space!
I use Kleen Green enzymes by Natural Ginesis. This product can replace so many cleaners, laundry soap, cleans walls, floors, human and animal skin. But. Don't use it in the eyes Because it's sn enzyme.
I laughed out loud…declutter relationships…bahhhhh❤ but on the real, this helped me today realize I don’t need some things I’m holding on to. 😊
15 seconds in, Im overwhelmed!
Death Cleaning is the only way to go for me.
Do I really want my children saddled with my stuff?
No, I do not.
If it’s not important to me, I do not want them to think they need to keep it because they thought it was important to me.
Shopping is great until the container can't contain it.
I've had to declutter my things so I could rearrange the furniture in one of my rooms. A plumber needs to come in and he needs access to the wall adjacent to the bathtub so the faucet can get fixed. After donating a lot of things, the thrift store won't take anymore of my things. It's the only thrift store around me, so I've had to resort to throwing everything else in the trash, which I hate. I really hope the dumpster service separates everything for possible recycling like my old one did, otherwise it all is going into a landfill. I hate the thought of that but there's nothing else I can do if nobody else wants anything I'm getting rid of. Trying to sell it on any selling platforms is more trouble than it's worth. 😞
I have said this forever. I think part of the problem is our definition of clutter. Often we think the junky stuff on the surfaces is clutter and the stuff put away is what matters. In fact you said it here in the video that clutter is stuff that is in the way. Easily misunderstood I think to mean the stuff on surfaces we keep having to look at. The clutter problem may not be on the surfaces though in fact very often it is not! The stuff on the surfaces in disarray is usually the everyday stuff that is always in use, the stuff we took the time to find and drag out, the stuff that is in such frequent rotation that it may even seem impractical to put it away for fear of having to access or find it again. So the surface layer may be hard to look at and may actually make stored items hard to get to but the clutter is the stuff that's "put away". It could even be so neatly stored because you never get into that space. There's your clue.
Empty that drawer, closet, cabinet! You might still want to hold on to a bit of overflow, or "not everyday" stuff that does serve a clear purpose. But most likely over half the stuff in deep storage can go. Usually it's extra inventory of multiple useful things that you do use where each thing never gets its turn to be used. If you have a pile of towels for example that keeps going from bathroom floor through the laundry and then sits on the back of the toilet because the towel cabinet is full of other towels you have too many towels! You clearly have your favs in rotation and the ones in storage never get their turn. Look at their condition, replace from your stash and let some towels go or at least move them into attic or whatever space, not your prime spots. Save your prime spots for the towels you just washed and can't put away. Repeat repeat for everything!!! When you are shopping and see something you really want to squirrel away, remember things go on sale really often when you truly do need something it will likely be available and if not you can figure out a way to work around not having it. Let the store....store it!
Dealing with the deeper storage spaces will make room to put things away that are driving you crazy on the surfaces. Then you can manage your whole inventory easier.
This is a great idea! I have to paint the laundry room. Going to pull out all my painting tools, clean the good, throw out the bad. Thank you!!!😁
Okay! Took me 2 days but the painting supplies are in area. As I clean my tools I will make a donate pile. Thanks for the encouragement! Found the Corona nippers and the sharpening tool. Amazing
You have a "credenza." That's what someone's great great aunt would say.
De-cluttering relationships is an ongoing rule of mine now and forever more.
We have an unspoken rule in my condo complex. What ever you see at the top of or by the mailbox is one mans trash that could be your treasure.
Declutter, don't organise. What is my "clutter threshold" ( to quote Dana K White, the only person to "get" me!) Oh, and declutter decluttering & organising books - I had about 10 at least, of which only Dana's two books were of practical help to me, so I declutter them!
Thinking everything can be clutter and that everything should have a home has made impulse buying almost go away.
I akways keep a bag handy for donations. It's funny, because i might have something (usually home decor) that i LOVE, then 6 months later Im looking at it, saying "why do i have this?", and it goes in the bag.
While our friends who have moved several times in their 35-40 plus year marriages, we are the only ones who’ve been in the same place almost 30 yrs of our 35 year marriage. They are all envious of, and say we don’t understand how great this is, that we didn’t apply that stress to our marriage, children, professions, lives…And I agree. But, the second I bring up THEIR getting to PURGE multiple times in their lives by moving completely out of a house, they cannot deny how cool that’s been. That if there is a perk, that’s the one. Funny how big of a deal being able to clean out and start over is. When we clean out a drawer, closet, storage shed, attic, shop, pantry, we empty it entirely first as if we are moving. It is psychologically impossible, and I believe even unhealthy, to try and organize and clean out and minimize/minimalize :) anything IN the mire. You have to empty that space and then decide what adds value to your life and put it back, garbage it, sell it, or give it away. I already had applied this method out of necessity when I started watching and listening to The Minimalists. Love you guys, and am so grateful for your touching and amazing life-stories that have brought you into our lives. I recommend you to everyone! ❤️
I will do that, everything out and honestly what I need
I first get rid of all the garbage
I do this while we are watching TV.
Great podcast.
We are a nation of hoarders.
This including putting useless items into A storage unit until evicted.
Loss of the items and someone will buy it the unit with contents for 10-20 dollars.
No kidding.
The kon mari method?
How to dispose of knives that are not needed anymore?
Love this. Great rule!!
If I found this item in a free box at a garage sale would I take it? If the answer is no then get rid of it. This has especially helped me get rid of things I am only keeping because i paid money for them. When I realize I wouldn't take a free item I don't want or need, even if it is costly, then why would I retain and item I don't want or need just because i paid a lot for it??
Now if I can just get my hubby to listen to this 😀 He struggles with decisions on things so he just puts them away to decide on another day which stress that leads to is mind boggling. 🤯 😏
If it is clothes, one day you should have him try everything on, and you both decide together which items make him look good and feel good. If it is kitchen or bedroom stuff, you can get him to do a list of items he uses to most, and then separate the least used items, and do that again to that pile. That way, you’re still decluttering, but not decluttering your whole house in one day. Start small, form a habit, then keep the habit going. ✨
@@megmichelle4437 Thanks 😊 So, we've made head way on clothing pretty well. Now we have things like prints he thought would increase in value but have not & are stored (not properly) in closets. Or a bunch of real western boots that were expensive but again being poorly stored. Other items he feels have value which he nor I would ever have the time, energy or inclination to sell. These also don't have much value in them. 😏
Anyone notice that the blond guy says "colzet" instead of "closet"? 🤔
That's how I've had my boys go through their toys--dumping out all their bins on floor to go through it all.
Out-in-the-Open Decluttering Rule - now deal with it!
I give away, toss, etc. at least 10 items each day. I seldom buy anything new. Tina, Al's wife
We tried this. It didnt work.What about all those papers ?
If I buy a replacement for something the original goes in the trash as soon as I get it
Putting it all out in the open will give me anxiety!
Give me your clutter so I can sell it on eBay.