THANK YOU so much for watching!! If you want to see more on this topic, you might also like "Make the Boundaries the Bad Guy" ruclips.net/video/R1YOP0Cuelo/видео.html it has lots of examples of boundaries or limits you can put in place to make decluttering easier!! - Dawn
How can you have only one bin for Christmas stuff? I have three bins plus boxes. I went through a box yesterday and through away an old Teddy Bear I had kept since my brother's passing. It was sentimental but very old, and I figured it was time. I would like to pare it down to two bins plus boxes. lol Or maybe three bins?
@@TheMinimalMom The only thing I decorate is my living room - and it's small. there are some things I don't even put on display because I don't have room (like I once did) This Christmas I'll be getting rid of some stuff. And I won't be buying or accepting any more. Oh, I want to thank you. Watching one of your videos gave me the idea to get rid of some things. I really can't call myself a minimalist yet, but there's a little less. :)
If one were to have a new foster child, one might need 2 more blankets for them so they feel like one of the family? PLEASE tell me what is wrong with this thinking! :--)
I'm 66. I've have the most organized crap in all of Missouri for 35 + years. This spring I found a wonderful woman who supports herself as a resale shop. I've donated it all to her. I'm FINALLY near the end of my journey to declutter. You've been a big motivator for me to keep going. Love your family and your values!
@@marysimpson8457 it FEELS great to let go! After having to dispose of my parents belongings I promised myself I'd never do that to my son. This channel has been a wonderful final push for me. 😊
@@cindym6138 I agree wholeheartedly! Items from my parents are of sentimental value and hold dear memories, but I have learned to take a photo of the item allowing me to walk back down memory lane at any time. My grown kids have no need or desire for these old treasures, so why have I held onto them thinking one day they might see the value in them. Same goes for my mother's hobbies....I have her collection of quilting patterns, fabric, yarn, crochet books etc. I let go of them by donating to a quilting/sewing club, where they can put it to great use.
@@greenize1959 The emotional aspect is probably the hardest part of getting rid of inventory. I know that watching Dawn has helped me and I hope it helps you. Prayer has helped me with many different aspects of my life and I believe it can help you. Having someone help me go through things is crucial for me. I truly hope you get the Heavenly and earthly help you need to make your dream a reality. Your happiness and peace of mind are worth more than any of the items you have that are taking that away from you. You might think of a $10, $100 or $1000 item that is in the way of you feeling peace. YOU are of infinite worth (there is no price tag big enough to hold the numbers of your value =). You are worth doing whatever it takes to have peace of mind. Blessings on you.
You have such a talent of being a friend to strangers through a computer screen! 😄 literally everyyyy time I finish watching one of your videos, I feel like I had a coffee date with a friend and feel reenergized. I’ve watched some RUclips creators and thought “well that was a waste of time” and that has never crossed my mind with you and your videos. So thanks for keeping it real and being relatable. You’re a fantastic human 😉
Absolutely! Husband said "you're just moving stuff from one spot to another". Two truck loads to dump, four to thrift shop, got rid of ten 50 gal totes full of stuff. Completely liberating!
I just have to say... Everyone always talks about the KonMari method as being the end-all and be-all. But I find your videos so much more helpful and "real!" Thanks for consistently fantastic & helpful videos!! 🖤
I did the KonMari method a couple of years ago and loved it but a year later I realized that we still had kept too much stuff. That's when I discovered Dawn - The Minimal Mom. It has literally changed my life! My husband says our home is so peaceful now. Getting rid of "stuff" has made room for relationships. :)
So happy for you--and your garage! My grandmother was a Peggy. ❤️ She would have been 120 next year! And boy did she leave trunk loads of junk when she died. I'm just glad I was so young when it happened or I probably would have tried to keep it all - haha! It's never a bad time to lessen our inventory.
Ruth Gaynor we have 3 children (1 already died) 9 grandchildren and 14 great grandchildren and I don’t want anyone to feel responsible for my “stuff”. Dawn has helped me to realize I can let go of other’s stuff too without feeling guilty lol really freeing for me. Thanks for the comment
Decision fatigue is real! I have actually caught myself putting random stuff back in a box or cupboard, because that's what i have always done with it in the past! Now, i realise that it means :1. Get rid of that thing, and 2. Take a break!
My decision fatigue sets in early everyday! I’m ready to do a major declutter. Then I go to start, and there is so many LITTLE things that I just end up closing the drawer back and going back to my regularly scheduled program ☹️
Hi Dawn, before you get rid of all the extra blankets, if you plan on camping often, you may want to consider having one for each of your children's bunks in the camper. When I was a child and we camped a lot, my mom had the camper fully stocked with items, whose home was the camper. It had its own linens, kitchenware and even our "camping clothes." I know that many would argue it goes against minimalism, but it does drastically minimze all the mental energy and time needed to get ready to go camping, especially with children. And you never forget anything, like warm coats :) When we got home, she would wash all the linens and clothing and put them immediately back into the camper. It took very little effort to prepare for a family adventure...we just needed to add food, hook up the camper, and off we went!
Thank you for sharing your experience. We recently bought a trailer and I was having minimalism guilt at buying a 2nd set of stuff I already had in my house. I'm now starting to realize that I can't make "packing the camper" a huge task or I'll start resenting going out because it's too much work (especially if it's every other week!) And I don't have to worry about forgetting stuff! If we ever give up camping, I can just donate the camper set :)
This isn't a camper thing, but when I used to travel a lot on business & with my kids, I had a separate set of grooming stuff (blow-dryer, hot rollers, makeup, skin care) and device power cords in my suitcase. Made packing a lot easier
I used to have soooo many totes, in the past few years we have gone through them and eliminated at least half if not more. Our solution to keep from tote shuffling was to donate the totes right along with the stuff and get them out of the house so they couldn’t be filled again and then committed to not buy any more totes. I have been tempted but have not bought a tote in 2 years!!!
I moved into my home 6 years ago and the only part of my house that was a problem was the basement but, my health deteriorated over the next 3 years and I wasn’t physically able to manage the inventory. It’s been a tremendous frustration for me because I like things organized and in their place. I feel as if I’m choking! I’ve also realized I have way to much inventory so I’m purging every room, closet, drawer, box, bin, and cabinet because I want to breath again. It’s difficult because I’m alone but still determined. I’ve learned quite a lot from you Dawn and appreciate what you do. (My health has improved significantly thanks to a life saving heart transplant!)
I love the ‘set boundaries’ approach. And sometimes those boundaries change. At one time I had 1 bin for gardening supplies, and now I have 3. But it’s because seasons in our life change as do priorities! Back then I was storing lots of clothes for future babies, and now that we’ve got our 4 I’ve got more space (and time) to give to my gardening hobby. The boundaries are what save our sanity by not overfilling and cluttering our space. Love it!
My kids get very sentimental about their items too. They would often have givers/sellers remorse. I found a way that helps them through this is to tell them that we will not give/donate their stuff straight away. We will store it in a container for a little while (month or so). Then if they do have remorse about parting with one of their items they have the opportunity to buy/swap it back. I found that helped my kids a lot with giving away their stuff. They knew that they had time if they realised they made a bad decision. Hope this helps someone 💕
This is the approach I just decided to take with my husband. We're hoping to move to a new state by the end of this year and I do NOT want to pack and move and store all this junk, that we have packed and moved and stored already for the full 2 years that we've lived in our current place without touching once. I told him this morning I'm making a box of things that I know we won't miss right now and we can go through it together before we move and decide if the stuff is worth keeping. A lot of the stuff in there is stuff I have no problem getting rid of but he has protested getting rid of in the past, but there are plenty of "just in case" type things that I've held on to too
Excellent idea, as I work in a kennel, there r some dogs (& cats) that would love a cuddly blanket. The owners of the pets boarding often bring their own but inevitably they get dirty quickly & need to be washed, so its nice to have a replacement blanket until they get theirs back. So yes! Try donating to Animal shelters & Animal boarding facilities.
Great idea! I'm a huge animal advocate so I really like your suggestion. I don't use all the towels & soft throw blankets I've accumulated. Now I'm inspired to let go & feel happy to contribute. Being able to provide comfort to precious pets warms my heart. Thank you!
These are all excellent guidelines Dawn, thanks for these. We forget that every single item that we purchase requires management, whether it be time, space or energy or all three. And we have to ask ourselves how do we want to spend our time and energy and our money.
We moved house about 3 years ago, and we just packed up all our junk and moved it. When I started my minimalism path a year ago, I approached every tote or box with the hope that it could all be donated, and I would only keep things if I HAD to!
I know what you mean! We have moved house on the average of every 21 months over the past 54 years. NEXT TIME I'm not moving stuff I don't want or need. It's hard enough to move it to the car so I can deliver it to the thrift store or the dump. I'm not a minimalist. I'm just not interested in keeping stuff that requires more work from me than value it gives in return. Does that make sense?
Oh man. It's been a while since I sat down to watch a minimal mom video. I have done nothing but watch your channel for the last 24 hours. The last 18 months of my life has been wild. But I need some serious calm in my life. Who better to look to the the women who inspired me to try minimalism. I took 12 trash bags to the thrift store today 😭😂🤣😬 so happy to be in this part of the internet. Thanks for reading, Carrie Spencer ❤️💚❤️💚
When we donated our Christmas stuff the man said, "It looks like you're never going to have Christmas again." LOL Nope, just years of accumulation. On a technical note, I really like the section headers on the video. It makes it easy to navigate through. Thanks for the encouragement on this journey to minimalism!
I just did this yesterday. I have lost a closet to my son who is making a home office. So I definitely have to pare down. I had dated a tote of home dec items with the last time I had looked in it. Five years ago! I had pillows that were stored away. I purged it, including the totes stuff was stored in! After six months of decluttering, I am still amazed at how much more there is to get rid of!
Congrats on that realization, it means you are continuing to evolve, and focus in on your best self, and are approaching a life where you do not have to serve stuff, but you have just enough stuff that serves YOU.
I'm the odd person who hasn't heard this phrase before! I was afraid of putting a limit of the number of Christmas and holiday totes, so I really liked that you said the number can be different for us all. I enjoy decorating for each season and making it different each year, but using the same things (although not necessarily using everything every year). I like the idea of gathering like items together. I recently did that with some of my decor that I rotate using throughout the year because the various pieces had been stashed in all sorts of places. It was indeed an eye opener, but also so helpful to have it all together when I redecorate and put things away. I loved your soothing and gentle tone of voice as you explain the thought process. It is truly helpful as so much of this is emotional. Thank you, Dawn. 💕
I started to dread dragging out the totes at Christmastime and wouldn't even use half of it. I chose a closet shelf in my guest room and filled it with some clear sweater boxes and broke all of my holiday decor down into groupings. Now I can just decorate gradually, pull the bin with stuff for my dining room. Just looking in there and seeing everything at a glance and knowing that is all there is makes me feel so good.
yes! I've had that happened to me - the relative that comes cover and dumps a bunch of stuff of and says "here it is yours!". After moving to our new house, my in-laws also moved. One day they brought a pick-up load of trash bins of my husband's stuff. We had lived without this stuff for 11 years. Instead of dealing with the stuff, he went out and bought lots of storage bins and now four years later they are still taking up space in storage. I keep simplifying my stuff as that seems to be the main advice for married couples where one wants to be minimal and the other doesn't.
I’m literally walking to my basement right now to go through some totes. This video was just the encouragement I needed to hear to stop the tote shuffling!! Thank you!
I watched the first two points in my free time, then was able to walk around saying to myself “fully deal with it” and “use it or lose it”. Even those two tips helped so much. Thank you! PS I did watch the rest later.
For 12 years, I stored part of a set that I wasn’t using (matching throw pillows, shams, and valances for a bedroom set when all we use is the comforter & curtains). I stored those things in a bin, moved them to a new state, kept them in storage in 5 different houses, and I justified keeping them for 12 years because I didn’t want to separate the set. This summer, I admitted to myself that I’ll never use the things I was storing, and that whoever buys them at a thrift store won’t know or care if they didn’t get the matching comforter and curtains. GONE. So freeing!
Different category but same theory- I had 12 coffee cups that came with my china that I NEVER used, but I kept them because they were “part of the set”. I finally donated them (probably someone will make cute container candles with them) and haven’t regretted it once. Also since then my kids have broken at least two of the dinner plates anyway 🤣
I used to closet shuffle. Move things from one to another. No longer! I’m so happy with clear closets now! I also have limited my bins for Christmas, and now when I shop, I EASILY pass up new things so that I don’t even have to consider trading new with old. Easier to save money and space by just passing on the new. 😁👏👏👍 You inspired this! Thank you, Jennifer 🥰
I am a blanket hoarder. I have a very hard time getting rid of them. I like your idea of a shelter donation. I also heard in another video that animal shelters are great for blanket, linen, and towel donation. It makes it easier.
What funny timing. My parents are building us a "tiny apartment" space in their basement. I'm decluttered to become more minimal so we can fit into that space. But my mom presented me with 4 tubs of sentimentals and my daughter's baby clothes since she's clearing space in her basement. I got rid of 3 tubs of stuff! Love your videos Dawn!
Love this video! It’s not just tote shuffling, it’s closet shuffling, shelf shuffling, pantry shuffling or any other storage area in the house! We move things around to the point where they are packed in so efficiently and tightly! When we do pull them out it’s like pulling stuff out of a black hole. It’s amazing how much we pack into small spaces just to “hold on” to it.
I just cleaned off three shelves in the pantry today. I threw away a bunch of empties. Kids don't throw away the empties and it drives me nuts! The part that drives me the most crazy is my husband's wood working things and tool box.
We’ve limited our Christmas stuff to a hope chest, including the tree. So glad to keep it minimal to add a touch of Christmas without overwhelming our limited storage space for the other 11 months a year.
Honestly I’m so glad you addressed this! I’m in a minimizing mindset, and I know my kids function better with less stuff around, but my husband does NOT get rid of anything. I’ve always told him i am sick of shuffling things!
I am with you! My husband is reluctant to let go of things too. I found I can't ask him to go through too many things in one night and picking easier things for him to let go of helps. I keep in my mind that its also an emotional/mental loss that is felt. Plus letting him see how much nicer my stuff is when it's not so much stuff. Slowly by surely we will get them on board.
@@leanneb6622 I made a rule for myself last year, "Use it, display it but don't store it." It helped me to part with many, many possessions. Maybe help him go through his things and ask him what he might want to display or get some use out of.
My husband gets mad when I ask him to go through a box or drawer of his stuff, so I've decided to leave his stuff alone, and do everything else. There's tons of stuff to declutter that doesn't belong to him (and I can sneak a few of his things out the door that I know he won't miss). haha
I understand getting rid of home decor items that you just found in a store and bought. It's harder with sentimental items. I got rid of a stuffed T-rex from my childhood. I regret it to this day, because it was a unique toy, and I have 2 boys who like dinosaurs. My grandma got rid of a doll made with her mother's hair, and she has missed it ever since. Some memories are worth keeping.
You have to let go of the guilt of having discarded something. Ask yourself: if it was a stuffed toy, would it have reasonably been in good enough condition for your kids to play with after years, if not decades, spent in storing? Would they have even wanted to? There are always a lot of 'what if's when decluttering, but 99% of the time, it's better to just say goodbye.
I threw away two of my childhood books that had unfortunately been stored improperly and smelled bad. I threw them away. I wish I had photocopied them, so I could still read them. I cannot find other copies anywhere, they are too old for that. But at the time I was so sad that they were in such a state that I got rid of them. Before giving or throwing an item just consider another way to enjoy them if you liked the item.
@@lelexoxo303 Yes, it was in very good condition. That's why I donated it and didn't throw it away. And I got rid of it when my older son was 5 or 6. He's 10 now, so it wasn't that long ago.
We have lived in our house for 42 years... My attic was full of stuff. So I have spent quarentine sorting through all of it. I finally finished yesterday. I bought each of my adult children a nice giant duffle bag with wheels. I sorted and threw tons of stuff away, I took pictures and sent to my kids to ask them what they wanted. I also had 4 small totes with , special stuff in it. They can go through that later and then throw it away. I took a picture showing them where everything is. In the garage on shelves. The whole house seems lighter, also if nothing is in the attic we have no reason to go up there. So no chance of us falling down the stairs.
I did the same thing in my attic early in lock-down, ie texted pics to ask if they wanted it or not. The attic is decluttered now & a weight is lifted!😅
I’ve been texting my kids pictures as well. I’m surprised at the things they want me to keep for them. In some cases it eases my guilt about not wanting to keep things myself. I shall not share the channel with them until they’ve moved what they want out of my house. ;)
@@wendybp2867 Good for you! Now after the totes are packed give them a deadline to pick them up and store at their homes! Then you will feel even better.
I love as well how you said these things were meant to be used. Today we all seem to think that old stuff is decoration but they truly were made to be used by people.
Marie Kondo has nothing on you, girlfriend! I have learned so much and have been so inspired by your methods than that "spark joy" lady in the short time I've followed you. The light bulb went off for me when you called my clutter by it's true name - inventory to manage!! Removes all emotion and guilt, so I can let it go. Love it, and love you!
May I suggest that when you bring the ‘gifted’ items to the shelter, bring them in the cleaned up totes you don’t need. When you have not much, something to put things in can be handy. 😊
We have a charity here in Australia (not sure if you have it in the USA) where we donate good quality, good condition handbags to shelters for women with things like makeup, hairbrushes, dental products, toiletries and sanitary items in them.
Dawn, when you said, 'for my mom, it's like 12', I laughed out loud! I fit into the 'mom category without a doubt! Earlier this year, I actually gave away 2 Christmas trees, with all the decorations, including the tree skirts, and I still have too much! You have inspired me to at least clean out my garage, so the car fits into it again. Thank you for your positive can-do attitude and motivation. ~Margie
I am trying so hard to get rid of "stuff". I am doing what I can with my "stuff"! John likes to keep "stuff" just in case! Recently we bought a new tub mat the other one was worn out. He "suggested" that I wash the old one and keep it just in case. I stood my ground and said No! :)
I confess, I am the hoarder in the house. I am also longing to simplify, in my heart. Thank you Dawn for this daily dose of very constructive guidance. What has made the most sense to me is your thoughts on "managing your stuff". So much energy goes in to being the manager of stuff, lots of stuff. My time could be better spent on fun and less stress.
Dawn In an effort to save myself I declutted totes to the basement. This year the basement flooded about 3 feet deep. All that was stored was lost. The Lord works in mysterious ways🤔
I have been watching your videos for about a month now, and every single one has inspired and directed me to stop keeping so much stuff that I have to manage. You make me smile, even while I'm unpacking and getting rid of junk.
This is by far the best and most comprehensive decluttering and minimalist RUclips channel I've ever watched. Dawn, your practical approach uses a minimum of words to get the point across. Speed up the videos to 1.25 to watch them more quickly. Learning so much. Serious ADD, so I really need a "color-by-number" mode to help me figure all of this out. This video was so good for me, because I have a Major in Tote Shuffling. That is one of my huge setbacks: shuffling over a period of more than 50 years has created a huge road block in my decluttering process. My take on decluttering was to rarely donate or throw anything away. And to shuffle, shuffle, shuffle...always. Used to live in much bigger homes, but since I'm a senior, don't regret downsizing at all. The total closet space I used to have in my homes were roughly the size of the entire apartment I live in now. Now that is such a vast difference in closet space. It has been difficult to get used to that in my present apartment. But I do not regret it at all. I "get" minimalism and am embracing it. Rather slowly, but I am learning so much from your videos. It's been a major awakening. Sometimes I watch 3 or 4 of your videos before I start a day of decluttering. I pick the titles that apply to what I want to do that day. I’m becoming braver in just throwing stuff away….that gave me such a sense of power….just tossing things out. Woo-hoo! That has literally saved my life. Since my apartment is 500 square feet, I do allow myself one storage unit that is 5 feet x 10 feet, which I use as a closet complete with one large double Z-rack for out of season clothing. Thank you so much for all you are doing to educate us and to set an example for people who need to see what you do for your own decluttering.
We have been sorting thru my in laws things for the past few months. My father in law passed and my mother in law went to an assisted living facility. I don’t think they ever threw away anything in their 60+ yr marriage. It’s so overwhelming and I’m working on helping my husband to go thru stuff and not want to keep things we don’t need or use. He’s been kinda hard to convince, but I think it’s starting to make sense to him. Thanks so much for this video!
Dawn, your videos/advice are very helpful and motivating. Someone else said they're more "real" than the "celebrity" minimalists or declutterers. I agree! One testimonial: I recently gathered all like items together with linens/bedding. I discovered we had 14 extra pillows that we weren't using! I didn't even realize it until I saw them all together piled on our guest bed. I asked our daughter-in-law if she needed any, and she was thrilled to get them because they enabled her to throw out hers that were less comfortable. The rest of the 14 are now donations or in the trash. This is a very effective technique that's working for me throughout the house. Thank you, Dawn!
Hi Dawn, I have been watching your videos for a few months now after ‘accidentally’ clicking on you. And oh wow, am I glad I did. I thought I WAS minimalist - but I wasn’t - not as much as I wanted to be. I have listened to you and really taken on board the different tips and ‘questions to ask yourself’...and it works! I was keeping things, for example, as memories! Don’t need it all! I’ve made a ‘ memory box’ and those things that I really can’t part with are in there. The half full bottles of....stuff (shampoo, perfume, sunscreen etc etc) all gone! This is as a result of your tip on your bank account not decreasing by throwing stuff away, this was the biggest thing for me - genius. Also, the tip about having a rubbish bag and a box for donations - also genius. This morning I’ve cleared two cupboards, under my bed and my bathroom cupboard. They now store just what I use and the rest I was able to just take to the dump or the charity shop- no mess. Thank you so much. I’m away to do some more now 😘🏴
Up until now, I've been a "lurker", but this really speaks to me. I needed to hear it today because I live in a less than 200 sq ft area and I have waaaay too many totes (and inventory). Now I know what to do about it. Thanks!
Totes totes totes EVERYWHERE! This video was good timing for me. Just about to clean my bedroom/catch all and shed. I’m an organised hoarder, and just buy another tote when I buy more stuff. I love the use of the words inventory and manage. These will be my mantra when i complète these two areas. Thank you.
We call this "stuff shifting" or just plain "churning" at our house! I'm ready to tackle the garage with your tips! I especially like fully dealing with each item. I think that is the key point!
Dawn, I didn't tote shuffle! My overflow was room shuffled! I love following you, Dana and Cas. Especially you, because I really want to go as minimal as possible. I started with Joshua in 2020 and finding you this fall has been HUGE for me. THANK YOU!
So helpful! It's a rainy day here. I think I may finally tackle a pile of papers in my bedroom I've been moving around... it's starting to slide and spill over everywhere! 🙈
To Hearts & Minds at Home I hear you. Our paper clutter is a real monster. I attempted and did alot of old paper decluttering last year but still there's more. Slow and steady wins the race; I gotta start again 15-30 mins daily. And I need to rewatch Dawn paper declutter video.
Yes! "Like stuff with like stuff" to see what you really have...and then decide what to keep or give away....cleaning through one area or one room at a time, reveals duplicate items, and helps me see clearly what I can donate/share. This method is very good! Ok, I am inspired to give away some comforters and clothing, along with housewares. At last! Thank you !
I used to tote shuffle big time. Even as a teen I would empty my room of everything but the bed, sort, organise (a bit of declutter too) then put it back in a different way. I was always super pleased how I'd managed to condense everything down, packing it in a much more functional way. Now I'm adopting a more minimalist lifestyle I can see what a constant waste of time this was. I've got rid of stuff this year that I've been moving around since I was that teen! What a relief it has been to finally release that burden. I started looking at things thinking "if I'm not using it in lockdown then when is it going to happen?" There's still too much, it's a work on progress but I'm seeing it in a different way now!
We have been going through all r stuff again this time my kids where more then happy to donate there stuff because we just had a HUGE fire wipeout a town next to us and my kids seen so many house just turned in to ash and seen kids their own age not have anything no teddy to cuddle with so we r still going through r stuff and donating all we can and I have to say the joy I we get knowing that r stuff is going to help someone makes letting go so much easier.
Love this! I moved house last year and did the tote shuffle dance from room to room multiple times before pulling myself together and following you and realising I needed to reduce my belongings and stop the tote shuffle dance 💃. Love this channel. Thanks. 🥰
When all those blankets suddenly appeared behind you I had to chuckle 😂 I have never heard the phrase tote shuffling but that is totally what I've been doing!! Decluttering one spot but then just moving around the stuff I don't know how to deal with.
So excited! I cleared our mantel off and only put a few things that I love back on. When my hunny came home he said "Wow it feels great in here. Did you dust?"😂😂. I haven't dusted in forever! It just felt cleaner because there wasn't so much stuff! Thanks Dawn for the insight and the ideas that you share! They have been making such a difference in my life.
Fantastic vid.. one of your best for me! I laughed at your blankets.. last week I pulled out a large storage bag from under the bed, thinking it was pillows.. nope, it was blankets, totally forgotten i had them. You are so right that storing in different places is not good.. i already have 2 chests worth of blankets in the hall... waagh, blanket overload!!! so funny!!!
What a great pep talk for me, as we look forward to the holidays. I love that you mention that it might not be just one Christmas tote for others, but the point is to set boundaries. 💛
Love that shift in viewing our stuff : “Can I live without this ?” I downsized to a smaller place , & while I got rid of plenty before moving here ( & after), I know I’d love to part with more stuff still, & SIMPLIFY more. This will help !
Love the rose coloured cups ❤️, Another great video. I’m working on reducing Christmas Decorating Inventory too, which I find hard because the “Stuff” is so cute, and/or I received some as gifts and don’t want to hurt peoples feelings, etc, I have learned one thing though: If I give somebody something- no matter what it is - I always tell them Please do not feel you have to keep this you can return it you can give it away you can do whatever you wish. I usually try to include a gift receipt too. Of course, I only give things I think they WILL really want, can use, or love. (Lots of times now, it’s gift cards, food items, or experience adventure, eg. Movie tickets, home made gifts eg. mittens for grandkids. Sometimes, I’ll ask them ahead of time, before I buy it, what do you think of this as a gift idea? ) I love buying gifts but don’t want to contribute to cluttering up someone else’s home, ❤️
I discovered your channel 3 years ago. Your videos are my background noise most days. Your work made a difference for my life. Thank you for all you do!
One thing I’ve started doing for holidays and seasonal decorating is using organic items that will then be able to be used up or composted like actual pumpkins instead of plastic, real fur boughs inside instead of the fake, it feels better for me to support friends and local businesses when we buy or pumpkins and trees to decorate and less stuff to put back in bins later!
I've been using the term of "inventory" around my husband and it's starting to become his vocabulary too! He's in construction and had SO MANY coffee cans in the basement with random nails and screws. He spent a good amount of time on Saturday getting rid of them. He told me that he realized he wasn't going to send a can of random screws to a job site and he's not going to filter through them to find the right ones for the job. He's just going to end up buying a new box of screws. He said it felt so good to have that area cleaned out!
Opened the comments to basically say this! Orange vase filler and a candle with a little bead vine thing around the bottom would be SO cute! I’d love them 😂
So I’ve been binge watching your videos since yesterday. I’m convinced I want to be a minimalist and want a decluttered home. So, I was up until 3 am and back up at 8 am to keep going. If I could post a picture of my “get rid of” pile, you’d be so very proud of me. I’m proud of me. My husband is proud of me. And it all makes me so happy. I still have what I want and need, but less junk to clean around. I asked each of my children if they wanted my stuff to give them first option, got a garbage pile that’s huge and a donation pile that would make a thrift store look small!! Anyways, I have tons more videos of yours to watch and it’s keeping me motivated. Thx so much.
I used to do this more, but I still move things to a “sell” pile and then never try to sell them. I’ve tried to learn and be more realistic on what has value and my time is worth $. So now I usually donate right away, but sometimes I still find myself doing this.
I have found myself in this same boat- half of my basement turned into boxes that said “lawn sale” on them, then I’d have a sale and maybe make $200.00.....not worth the time, effort and space! Also, seeing some of the things again would make me reconsider keeping it😳! I’m a donator now, only sell really big things on Facebook- and most times I give that away too!
About ten years ago, I inherited items that belonged to my mom and dad and both sets of grandparents. My dad was very sentimental so there was a lot of stuff. It was easy to get rid of the obvious trash, but then I got stuck. About five years ago, I used the KonMarie method to clear out clothes, books, paper, misc items; I got stuck on the sentimental items. By sentimental items I mean things like my childhood toys, and things that had belonged to other family members (whether they liked the items themselves or not when they had them I would never know!) I had an appraiser (who had no interest in buying any of my items so I thought she would be fair) come in after I had displayed all my items and she priced them all out for me. Most of the items were worth less that $25 which really shifted my perception of these items and I was able to donated the ones that I didn't enjoy. I knew I wouldn't take the time to sell items that I could maybe get $25 for!
Blankets multiply magically!! My people love to give them as gifts because they are soft and cozy but I’m sharing them now, whittling down my collection to a few favorites.
When my parents passed away we kept so much stuff, some useable some sentimental. When my in laws passed a few years later, the same happened. Three households can accumulate a lot of stuff that ends up in boxes. Then they keep getting shuffled around the house. Finally, slowly making those hard decisions. We don't want it to be our children's burden and it just feels good to be "lighter".
I've always remembered what I heard from Fly Lady years ago, "You can't organize clutter; you can only get rid of it!" Love the idea of choosing how much room you have for a bunch of like items and then getting rid of the excess. Thank you for your great videos--I think we could be friends!
I'd assign some for just camping that stay in the camper unless being washed. Then if they get dirty or wrecked it doesn't matter as much as the other ones you keep in the house. It's nice to have for sleeping if cold or at the campfire. Just an idea.
Releasing what no longer serves me is incredibly liberating. Most often what is dismissed is the feeling we get when we have to deal with less. Clutter is definitely one of those things. Thank you for sharing this video and your ideas. Great pointers.
I love the story about the cups. My mom recently sold a home she and my Dad purchased over 40 years ago. In cleaning it out, we found, a box of never used, still in the original box crystal glasses they received as a Wedding gift (they were married for 52 years). My husband and I are now using them as our daily juice/drink glasses.
I am actually in the process of going through each and every box and tote that has been squirreled away to stop this exact problem from continuing. Hubby wont let me part with any of the kids stuff and I dont touch his...I just box it, inventory and label the box and I'm ruthless with my own stuff
I've been a tote shuffler for many years but recently bought a 700 square foot condo coming from about a 1400 square foot house and I really needed this video to help me deal with The crazy amount of totes that keep giving me the stink eye every time the garage door opens. Thank you 🙂
I try to remember that SOMEDAY = NEVER. Oh, I have "organized" my knitting to a fair-thee-well. Outcome? I STILL have more yarn, books, tools than I will EVER need. I'm girding myself for battle!
I am a crafter. I enjoy multiple crafts at different times. I have 3 6 foot tall 2-door cabinets full of fabrics. I have gone through them 3 times already and thinning down. I'd love to get to one cabinet but I'm so proud of myself when I can make a new quilt project or attend a guild workshop and all fabrics come from my stash. Yes, this means I've had to handle things 3 times so far and I'm going to continue to purge until I'm down to 2 cabinets and then finally one!
Hi Dawn! Great video-love it. Just a suggestion...maybe put some throws/blankets in the camper so you don’t always have to pack and shuffle them from your home? Or do you already have blankets in there? :)
Yes! Very good idea especially with unpredicable weather. We have 2 fleece blankets in our car. Early morning soccer games can be colder than expected.
Yes, and budget for her have family budget for a new blanket for the new foster child (ren) to pick out. Getting to wrap up in something the pick out and can take with them when they go "home" wherever that may be is special. Little things like that bring so much security. Also, understanding that the child's threshold to get rid of things will be so much less, everything is "special". -from a long time foster and adoptive parent
Thanks for this video. I tote shuffled for decades till I met you. I now touch something as I clean and organize and ask myself, “do I need this?”. Thank you.
🙋♀️ I'm guilty of that! Maybe I should go through my things again and get rid of some things once and for all! 😬 didn't know I was doing that until now🤦♀️
"Stop Tote Shuffling" You are brilliant to bring that subject up! SO true! I did that for a long time, until I realized what a waste of time and energy.
I've "been there, done that" with the shuffling for sure and have finally found the energy and willpower to put an end to it! There are some things I have intentionally allowed myself to put away for another day, but the difference now is that, rather than just sticking a box in the first open space I find, I have made sure all like items are together in clear bins, and since most of it at this point is sentimental, I've told myself they're there in the bins for when I have the capacity to make those decisions, but for now they have a home, and that brings order to my life. In the mean time I've been working on all other categories of my belongings, and it truly has been such a freeing process that I'm almost looking forward to going through that sentimental stuff! 😉
THANK YOU so much for watching!! If you want to see more on this topic, you might also like "Make the Boundaries the Bad Guy" ruclips.net/video/R1YOP0Cuelo/видео.html it has lots of examples of boundaries or limits you can put in place to make decluttering easier!! - Dawn
How can you have only one bin for Christmas stuff? I have three bins plus boxes. I went through a box yesterday and through away an old Teddy Bear I had kept since my brother's passing. It was sentimental but very old, and I figured it was time. I would like to pare it down to two bins plus boxes. lol Or maybe three bins?
@@marilynking4003 It doesn't take much to make our house feel festive because it's small and the Christmas decor isn't competing with other decor ;)
@@TheMinimalMom The only thing I decorate is my living room - and it's small. there are some things I don't even put on display because I don't have room (like I once did) This Christmas I'll be getting rid of some stuff. And I won't be buying or accepting any more. Oh, I want to thank you. Watching one of your videos gave me the idea to get rid of some things. I really can't call myself a minimalist yet, but there's a little less. :)
If one were to have a new foster child, one might need 2 more blankets for them so they feel like one of the family? PLEASE tell me what is wrong with this thinking! :--)
@@colleenbarry5197 Nothing. It's inclusive. If the child moves, let them take their blanket. ♥
I'm 66. I've have the most organized crap in all of Missouri for 35 + years. This spring I found a wonderful woman who supports herself as a resale shop. I've donated it all to her.
I'm FINALLY near the end of my journey to declutter. You've been a big motivator for me to keep going. Love your family and your values!
Organized crap! 😂 So true!
When I read that I almost spit out my coffee!
Same age bracket and same region....I bet I could give you a run for your money as far as having organized stuff in need of purging.
@@marysimpson8457 it FEELS great to let go! After having to dispose of my parents belongings I promised myself I'd never do that to my son. This channel has been a wonderful final push for me. 😊
@@cindym6138 I agree wholeheartedly! Items from my parents are of sentimental value and hold dear memories, but I have learned to take a photo of the item allowing me to walk back down memory lane at any time. My grown kids have no need or desire for these old treasures, so why have I held onto them thinking one day they might see the value in them. Same goes for my mother's hobbies....I have her collection of quilting patterns, fabric, yarn, crochet books etc. I let go of them by donating to a quilting/sewing club, where they can put it to great use.
I like that you call it "inventory" and talk about having to "manage" your things - that takes the emotional out of it.
Me, too. Game changing mind set shift.
Absolutely!! The first time I watched a video from Dawn and she said the word "inventory" something just clicked for me!!
@@sgia2154 Same!!! It made a world of difference as far as how I look at things in my house and if they are worth my time to manage them.
I struggle with the emotional aspect of it all. But, I dream of how nice it would be to not have so much to “manage”.
@@greenize1959 The emotional aspect is probably the hardest part of getting rid of inventory. I know that watching Dawn has helped me and I hope it helps you. Prayer has helped me with many different aspects of my life and I believe it can help you. Having someone help me go through things is crucial for me. I truly hope you get the Heavenly and earthly help you need to make your dream a reality. Your happiness and peace of mind are worth more than any of the items you have that are taking that away from you. You might think of a $10, $100 or $1000 item that is in the way of you feeling peace. YOU are of infinite worth (there is no price tag big enough to hold the numbers of your value =). You are worth doing whatever it takes to have peace of mind. Blessings on you.
You have such a talent of being a friend to strangers through a computer screen! 😄 literally everyyyy time I finish watching one of your videos, I feel like I had a coffee date with a friend and feel reenergized. I’ve watched some RUclips creators and thought “well that was a waste of time” and that has never crossed my mind with you and your videos. So thanks for keeping it real and being relatable. You’re a fantastic human 😉
I was just telling my husband & kids I have a new friend ...we all laughed but I really think I could be friends with her!
She is refreshing to watch, very knowledgeable about minimalism, and so kind.
I couldn’t put it any better!! Dawn has lifted me out of many blah moods and I love her !!!!!!
I feel the same way too 😁
YES! And sometimes the idea is something I do but the way you suggest to mentally process the habit makes it so much easier. 💗
Absolutely! Husband said "you're just moving stuff from one spot to another". Two truck loads to dump, four to thrift shop, got rid of ten 50 gal totes full of stuff. Completely liberating!
Impressive!! Way to manage your stuff! You've given me extra encouragement.
haha for a sec there i read your comment as: "got rid of 50 fifty gal totes full of stuff!" (was thinking WOW! theyre even worse than i am!)lol
Wow awesome work! It does sound liberating!
Congratulations
Inspiring!
I just have to say... Everyone always talks about the KonMari method as being the end-all and be-all. But I find your videos so much more helpful and "real!" Thanks for consistently fantastic & helpful videos!! 🖤
Thank you so much!
Agreed!! Her videos have been life changing for me!
also agree, Dawn's videos inspired me to declutter our ranch home and after a year and a half we are DONE! feels so good.
I agree!
I did the KonMari method a couple of years ago and loved it but a year later I realized that we still had kept too much stuff. That's when I discovered Dawn - The Minimal Mom. It has literally changed my life! My husband says our home is so peaceful now. Getting rid of "stuff" has made room for relationships. :)
Just did this to our garage, boy is it ever freeing!! At 75 I am hurting lol but no more keeping in case someone needs. Love your videos ❤️
Yay! Way to go Peggy!
So happy for you--and your garage! My grandmother was a Peggy. ❤️ She would have been 120 next year! And boy did she leave trunk loads of junk when she died. I'm just glad I was so young when it happened or I probably would have tried to keep it all - haha! It's never a bad time to lessen our inventory.
Ruth Gaynor we have 3 children (1 already died) 9 grandchildren and 14 great grandchildren and I don’t want anyone to feel responsible for my “stuff”. Dawn has helped me to realize I can let go of other’s stuff too without feeling guilty lol really freeing for me. Thanks for the comment
Dear Grandma Peggy- you are inspiring me! I have to start now with decluttering my things and not wait. Much love to you, Ardis
Ardis awe thanks❤️
I've noticed the tote shuffling begins when my decision fatigue sets in.
I think so for me as well.
You will get there, it takes time, years even.
Decision fatigue is real! I have actually caught myself putting random stuff back in a box or cupboard, because that's what i have always done with it in the past! Now, i realise that it means :1. Get rid of that thing, and
2. Take a break!
Yes, that's true.
My decision fatigue sets in early everyday! I’m ready to do a major declutter. Then I go to start, and there is so many LITTLE things that I just end up closing the drawer back and going back to my regularly scheduled program ☹️
We call those plastic totes “clutter coffins”...they gotta go!
Hi Dawn, before you get rid of all the extra blankets, if you plan on camping often, you may want to consider having one for each of your children's bunks in the camper. When I was a child and we camped a lot, my mom had the camper fully stocked with items, whose home was the camper. It had its own linens, kitchenware and even our "camping clothes." I know that many would argue it goes against minimalism, but it does drastically minimze all the mental energy and time needed to get ready to go camping, especially with children. And you never forget anything, like warm coats :) When we got home, she would wash all the linens and clothing and put them immediately back into the camper. It took very little effort to prepare for a family adventure...we just needed to add food, hook up the camper, and off we went!
Thank you for sharing your experience. We recently bought a trailer and I was having minimalism guilt at buying a 2nd set of stuff I already had in my house. I'm now starting to realize that I can't make "packing the camper" a huge task or I'll start resenting going out because it's too much work (especially if it's every other week!) And I don't have to worry about forgetting stuff! If we ever give up camping, I can just donate the camper set :)
Zoe - Your Mom was brilliant! What a great way to simplify. I love how minimalism can look different, and work differently, for every family. =)
Wow- that's a great idea! Thanks for sharing!
This isn't a camper thing, but when I used to travel a lot on business & with my kids, I had a separate set of grooming stuff (blow-dryer, hot rollers, makeup, skin care) and device power cords in my suitcase. Made packing a lot easier
We do this too, minus the clothes, and it’s SO much easier. I’m way more likely to say yea to a spontaneous camping trip.
I used to have soooo many totes, in the past few years we have gone through them and eliminated at least half if not more. Our solution to keep from tote shuffling was to donate the totes right along with the stuff and get them out of the house so they couldn’t be filled again and then committed to not buy any more totes. I have been tempted but have not bought a tote in 2 years!!!
Love this. Clean and efficient way to deal with the excess. Thanks
Great idea!
I moved into my home 6 years ago and the only part of my house that was a problem was the basement but, my health deteriorated over the next 3 years and I wasn’t physically able to manage the inventory. It’s been a tremendous frustration for me because I like things organized and in their place. I feel as if I’m choking! I’ve also realized I have way to much inventory so I’m purging every room, closet, drawer, box, bin, and cabinet because I want to breath again. It’s difficult because I’m alone but still determined. I’ve learned quite a lot from you Dawn and appreciate what you do. (My health has improved significantly thanks to a life saving heart transplant!)
I was in same situation 7 years ago, car accident, baby, finally starting to feel better and that I can take this on.
Christine Macdonnell
What a neat story! Praying for your recovery- both in health and decluttering 😉
So glad you are better! I did the same, decluttering because of my health! We need to take care of ourselves, not our extra stuff!!!
So glad you are better! I did the same, decluttering because of my health! We need to take care of ourselves, not our extra stuff!!!
Christine Macdonnell
Just put a box of things in a box and place a "FREE" sign on the curb. Do that every trash day, and they will be gone in no time.
I love the ‘set boundaries’ approach. And sometimes those boundaries change. At one time I had 1 bin for gardening supplies, and now I have 3. But it’s because seasons in our life change as do priorities! Back then I was storing lots of clothes for future babies, and now that we’ve got our 4 I’ve got more space (and time) to give to my gardening hobby. The boundaries are what save our sanity by not overfilling and cluttering our space. Love it!
My kids get very sentimental about their items too. They would often have givers/sellers remorse. I found a way that helps them through this is to tell them that we will not give/donate their stuff straight away. We will store it in a container for a little while (month or so). Then if they do have remorse about parting with one of their items they have the opportunity to buy/swap it back. I found that helped my kids a lot with giving away their stuff. They knew that they had time if they realised they made a bad decision. Hope this helps someone 💕
I ALWAYS have givers/sellers remorse. It's almost a grieving process to let something go that I might use again.
LOL My brother avoided seller's remorse when we were kids by selling MY toys to the neighbor kids! Boy did he get in trouble.
This is the approach I just decided to take with my husband. We're hoping to move to a new state by the end of this year and I do NOT want to pack and move and store all this junk, that we have packed and moved and stored already for the full 2 years that we've lived in our current place without touching once. I told him this morning I'm making a box of things that I know we won't miss right now and we can go through it together before we move and decide if the stuff is worth keeping. A lot of the stuff in there is stuff I have no problem getting rid of but he has protested getting rid of in the past, but there are plenty of "just in case" type things that I've held on to too
When I went through kid blankets we donated to an animal shelter...makes it easier for the kid to give it up
Excellent idea, as I work in a kennel, there r some dogs (& cats) that would love a cuddly blanket. The owners of the pets boarding often bring their own but inevitably they get dirty quickly & need to be washed, so its nice to have a replacement blanket until they get theirs back. So yes! Try donating to Animal shelters & Animal boarding facilities.
I volunteer for a cat rescue shelter and blankets and fleeces are always welcome.
Great idea! I'm a huge animal advocate so I really like your suggestion. I don't use all the towels & soft throw blankets I've accumulated.
Now I'm inspired to let go & feel happy to contribute. Being able to provide comfort to precious pets warms my heart. Thank you!
Also farm animal sanctuaries. Pigs love snuggling in blankets and hay.
I think “make the boundaries be the bad guy” is one of the most helpful things you’ve ever said. 😊
5:43, “just start using this stuff,” thank you!!!
"Could I live without it?" Brilliant!
Her best one: “Do I really want to touch this again?”
I also like to ask, Would I buy it again at full price? and Could I replace it with something similar fairly easily?
"Could I live without it" was my big ah-ha phrase as well. It inspires me to only have the things I really need.
These are all excellent guidelines Dawn, thanks for these. We forget that every single item that we purchase requires management, whether it be time, space or energy or all three. And we have to ask ourselves how do we want to spend our time and energy and our money.
We moved house about 3 years ago, and we just packed up all our junk and moved it. When I started my minimalism path a year ago, I approached every tote or box with the hope that it could all be donated, and I would only keep things if I HAD to!
That is such an awesome approach
I know what you mean! We have moved house on the average of every 21 months over the past 54 years. NEXT TIME I'm not moving stuff I don't want or need. It's hard enough to move it to the car so I can deliver it to the thrift store or the dump. I'm not a minimalist. I'm just not interested in keeping stuff that requires more work from me than value it gives in return. Does that make sense?
@@bobbidunn8512 You should look at Erica Lucas channel as a navy wife she has moved often and now has declttered
@@hazelmeldrum5860 yes she is an inspiration!
Hazel Meldrum - I’m going to check her out.
Oh man. It's been a while since I sat down to watch a minimal mom video. I have done nothing but watch your channel for the last 24 hours. The last 18 months of my life has been wild. But I need some serious calm in my life. Who better to look to the the women who inspired me to try minimalism. I took 12 trash bags to the thrift store today 😭😂🤣😬 so happy to be in this part of the internet. Thanks for reading, Carrie Spencer ❤️💚❤️💚
When we donated our Christmas stuff the man said, "It looks like you're never going to have Christmas again." LOL Nope, just years of accumulation. On a technical note, I really like the section headers on the video. It makes it easy to navigate through. Thanks for the encouragement on this journey to minimalism!
I just did this yesterday. I have lost a closet to my son who is making a home office. So I definitely have to pare down. I had dated a tote of home dec items with the last time I had looked in it. Five years ago! I had pillows that were stored away. I purged it, including the totes stuff was stored in! After six months of decluttering, I am still amazed at how much more there is to get rid of!
Congrats on that realization, it means you are continuing to evolve, and focus in on your best self, and are approaching a life where you do not have to serve stuff, but you have just enough stuff that serves YOU.
I'm the odd person who hasn't heard this phrase before! I was afraid of putting a limit of the number of Christmas and holiday totes, so I really liked that you said the number can be different for us all. I enjoy decorating for each season and making it different each year, but using the same things (although not necessarily using everything every year). I like the idea of gathering like items together. I recently did that with some of my decor that I rotate using throughout the year because the various pieces had been stashed in all sorts of places. It was indeed an eye opener, but also so helpful to have it all together when I redecorate and put things away. I loved your soothing and gentle tone of voice as you explain the thought process. It is truly helpful as so much of this is emotional. Thank you, Dawn. 💕
Don't worry. I help people declutter their homes and I hadn't heard of the phrase haha
I started to dread dragging out the totes at Christmastime and wouldn't even use half of it. I chose a closet shelf in my guest room and filled it with some clear sweater boxes and broke all of my holiday decor down into groupings. Now I can just decorate gradually, pull the bin with stuff for my dining room. Just looking in there and seeing everything at a glance and knowing that is all there is makes me feel so good.
"Can I live without it?" That's a great question for me! Thanks for another great video, Dawn!
yes! I've had that happened to me - the relative that comes cover and dumps a bunch of stuff of and says "here it is yours!". After moving to our new house, my in-laws also moved. One day they brought a pick-up load of trash bins of my husband's stuff. We had lived without this stuff for 11 years. Instead of dealing with the stuff, he went out and bought lots of storage bins and now four years later they are still taking up space in storage. I keep simplifying my stuff as that seems to be the main advice for married couples where one wants to be minimal and the other doesn't.
I’m literally walking to my basement right now to go through some totes. This video was just the encouragement I needed to hear to stop the tote shuffling!! Thank you!
Don't go in the basement! Mine is scary. As is the garage.
OMG tote shuffling is my organizing method, lol.... work in progress
I watched the first two points in my free time, then was able to walk around saying to myself “fully deal with it” and “use it or lose it”. Even those two tips helped so much. Thank you! PS I did watch the rest later.
For 12 years, I stored part of a set that I wasn’t using (matching throw pillows, shams, and valances for a bedroom set when all we use is the comforter & curtains). I stored those things in a bin, moved them to a new state, kept them in storage in 5 different houses, and I justified keeping them for 12 years because I didn’t want to separate the set. This summer, I admitted to myself that I’ll never use the things I was storing, and that whoever buys them at a thrift store won’t know or care if they didn’t get the matching comforter and curtains. GONE. So freeing!
Different category but same theory- I had 12 coffee cups that came with my china that I NEVER used, but I kept them because they were “part of the set”. I finally donated them (probably someone will make cute container candles with them) and haven’t regretted it once.
Also since then my kids have broken at least two of the dinner plates anyway 🤣
I used to closet shuffle. Move things from one to another. No longer! I’m so happy with clear closets now! I also have limited my bins for Christmas, and now when I shop, I EASILY pass up new things so that I don’t even have to consider trading new with old. Easier to save money and space by just passing on the new. 😁👏👏👍
You inspired this! Thank you,
Jennifer 🥰
I am a blanket hoarder. I have a very hard time getting rid of them. I like your idea of a shelter donation. I also heard in another video that animal shelters are great for blanket, linen, and towel donation. It makes it easier.
What funny timing. My parents are building us a "tiny apartment" space in their basement. I'm decluttered to become more minimal so we can fit into that space. But my mom presented me with 4 tubs of sentimentals and my daughter's baby clothes since she's clearing space in her basement. I got rid of 3 tubs of stuff! Love your videos Dawn!
Love this video! It’s not just tote shuffling, it’s closet shuffling, shelf shuffling, pantry shuffling or any other storage area in the house! We move things around to the point where they are packed in so efficiently and tightly! When we do pull them out it’s like pulling stuff out of a black hole. It’s amazing how much we pack into small spaces just to “hold on” to it.
I just cleaned off three shelves in the pantry today. I threw away a bunch of empties. Kids don't throw away the empties and it drives me nuts! The part that drives me the most crazy is my husband's wood working things and tool box.
We’ve limited our Christmas stuff to a hope chest, including the tree. So glad to keep it minimal to add a touch of Christmas without overwhelming our limited storage space for the other 11 months a year.
Honestly I’m so glad you addressed this! I’m in a minimizing mindset, and I know my kids function better with less stuff around, but my husband does NOT get rid of anything. I’ve always told him i am sick of shuffling things!
I am with you! My husband is reluctant to let go of things too. I found I can't ask him to go through too many things in one night and picking easier things for him to let go of helps. I keep in my mind that its also an emotional/mental loss that is felt. Plus letting him see how much nicer my stuff is when it's not so much stuff. Slowly by surely we will get them on board.
I asked my husband if you arent going to organize and put away whats the point of having it shoved in a corner and you dont even know it is there.
@@leanneb6622 I made a rule for myself last year, "Use it, display it but don't store it." It helped me to part with many, many possessions. Maybe help him go through his things and ask him what he might want to display or get some use out of.
My husband gets mad when I ask him to go through a box or drawer of his stuff, so I've decided to leave his stuff alone, and do everything else. There's tons of stuff to declutter that doesn't belong to him (and I can sneak a few of his things out the door that I know he won't miss). haha
I understand getting rid of home decor items that you just found in a store and bought. It's harder with sentimental items. I got rid of a stuffed T-rex from my childhood. I regret it to this day, because it was a unique toy, and I have 2 boys who like dinosaurs. My grandma got rid of a doll made with her mother's hair, and she has missed it ever since. Some memories are worth keeping.
You have to let go of the guilt of having discarded something.
Ask yourself: if it was a stuffed toy, would it have reasonably been in good enough condition for your kids to play with after years, if not decades, spent in storing? Would they have even wanted to?
There are always a lot of 'what if's when decluttering, but 99% of the time, it's better to just say goodbye.
I threw away two of my childhood books that had unfortunately been stored improperly and smelled bad. I threw them away. I wish I had photocopied them, so I could still read them. I cannot find other copies anywhere, they are too old for that. But at the time I was so sad that they were in such a state that I got rid of them. Before giving or throwing an item just consider another way to enjoy them if you liked the item.
@@lelexoxo303 Yes, it was in very good condition. That's why I donated it and didn't throw it away. And I got rid of it when my older son was 5 or 6. He's 10 now, so it wasn't that long ago.
This is going to sound completely ridiculous, but at age 42, I wish I’d have kept my plastic charm necklace and my sticker album 🥺
@@chapman1569 Try Abe's Books on line. He has a lot of sources for vintage books.
I’m famous for stuffing stuff in a closet especially when we’re having anyone over. The room “looks” minimal but not really. I need these tips!👍🏻
We have lived in our house for 42 years...
My attic was full of stuff.
So I have spent quarentine sorting through all of it. I finally finished yesterday.
I bought each of my adult children a nice giant duffle bag with wheels.
I sorted and threw tons of stuff away, I took pictures and sent to my kids to ask them what they wanted.
I also had 4 small totes with , special stuff in it. They can go through that later and then throw it away.
I took a picture showing them where everything is. In the garage on shelves.
The whole house seems lighter, also if nothing is in the attic we have no reason to go up there. So no chance of us falling down the stairs.
Very smart
Yes, I never use attics for storage for just that reason!
I did the same thing in my attic early in lock-down, ie texted pics to ask if they wanted it or not. The attic is decluttered now & a weight is lifted!😅
I’ve been texting my kids pictures as well. I’m surprised at the things they want me to keep for them. In some cases it eases my guilt about not wanting to keep things myself. I shall not share the channel with them until they’ve moved what they want out of my house. ;)
@@wendybp2867 Good for you! Now after the totes are packed give them a deadline to pick them up and store at their homes! Then you will feel even better.
I love as well how you said these things were meant to be used. Today we all seem to think that old stuff is decoration but they truly were made to be used by people.
Marie Kondo has nothing on you, girlfriend! I have learned so much and have been so inspired by your methods than that "spark joy" lady in the short time I've followed you. The light bulb went off for me when you called my clutter by it's true name - inventory to manage!! Removes all emotion and guilt, so I can let it go. Love it, and love you!
May I suggest that when you bring the ‘gifted’ items to the shelter, bring them in the cleaned up totes you don’t need. When you have not much, something to put things in can be handy. 😊
We have a charity here in Australia (not sure if you have it in the USA) where we donate good quality, good condition handbags to shelters for women with things like makeup, hairbrushes, dental products, toiletries and sanitary items in them.
@@kayelle8005 thanks for this reminder I want to see where we can donate such items in my country (Netherlands). 😊
Ahhhh...yes! We call that “snow plowing the hoard!!” Very guilty of that!! Looking forward to how you fix it!! Lol
I love that phrase! "Snow plowing the hoard!" 🤣
It would be great to see you use these tips on a video☀️
Funny!
Theresa 1967 that’s a very very good idea!! Thank you ❤️🙏🏻❤️ Would that be okay with you Minimal Mom?
Mention her channel and she will be thrilled❤️
Dawn, when you said, 'for my mom, it's like 12', I laughed out loud! I fit into the 'mom category without a doubt! Earlier this year, I actually gave away 2 Christmas trees, with all the decorations, including the tree skirts, and I still have too much! You have inspired me to at least clean out my garage, so the car fits into it again. Thank you for your positive can-do attitude and motivation. ~Margie
I am trying so hard to get rid of "stuff". I am doing what I can with my "stuff"! John likes to keep "stuff" just in case! Recently we bought a new tub mat the other one was worn out. He "suggested" that I wash the old one and keep it just in case. I stood my ground and said No! :)
You go, Girl!
I confess, I am the hoarder in the house. I am also longing to simplify, in my heart. Thank you Dawn for this daily dose of very constructive guidance. What has made the most sense to me is your thoughts on "managing your stuff". So much energy goes in to being the manager of stuff, lots of stuff. My time could be better spent on fun and less stress.
Dawn
In an effort to save myself I declutted totes to the basement. This year the basement flooded about 3 feet deep. All that was stored was lost. The Lord works in mysterious ways🤔
I have been watching your videos for about a month now, and every single one has inspired and directed me to stop keeping so much stuff that I have to manage. You make me smile, even while I'm unpacking and getting rid of junk.
They actually remind me of Halloween rather then Christmas votives. 🤪😁
I was thinking they looked like fall pieces and could even be painted.
@@jeannieplett878 I agree...my crafty mind went there too! 🤪🤣
Thanksgiving/fall votive.
I was definitely thinking pumpkins!
I thought the same thing! They looked similar to pumpkins to me:)
This is by far the best and most comprehensive decluttering and minimalist RUclips channel I've ever watched. Dawn, your practical approach uses a minimum of words to get the point across. Speed up the videos to 1.25 to watch them more quickly. Learning so much. Serious ADD, so I really need a "color-by-number" mode to help me figure all of this out. This video was so good for me, because I have a Major in Tote Shuffling. That is one of my huge setbacks: shuffling over a period of more than 50 years has created a huge road block in my decluttering process. My take on decluttering was to rarely donate or throw anything away. And to shuffle, shuffle, shuffle...always. Used to live in much bigger homes, but since I'm a senior, don't regret downsizing at all. The total closet space I used to have in my homes were roughly the size of the entire apartment I live in now. Now that is such a vast difference in closet space. It has been difficult to get used to that in my present apartment. But I do not regret it at all. I "get" minimalism and am embracing it. Rather slowly, but I am learning so much from your videos. It's been a major awakening. Sometimes I watch 3 or 4 of your videos before I start a day of decluttering. I pick the titles that apply to what I want to do that day. I’m becoming braver in just throwing stuff away….that gave me such a sense of power….just tossing things out. Woo-hoo! That has literally saved my life. Since my apartment is 500 square feet, I do allow myself one storage unit that is 5 feet x 10 feet, which I use as a closet complete with one large double Z-rack for out of season clothing. Thank you so much for all you are doing to educate us and to set an example for people who need to see what you do for your own decluttering.
We have been sorting thru my in laws things for the past few months. My father in law passed and my mother in law went to an assisted living facility. I don’t think they ever threw away anything in their 60+ yr marriage. It’s so overwhelming and I’m working on helping my husband to go thru stuff and not want to keep things we don’t need or use. He’s been kinda hard to convince, but I think it’s starting to make sense to him. Thanks so much for this video!
Dawn, your videos/advice are very helpful and motivating. Someone else said they're more "real" than the "celebrity" minimalists or declutterers. I agree! One testimonial: I recently gathered all like items together with linens/bedding. I discovered we had 14 extra pillows that we weren't using! I didn't even realize it until I saw them all together piled on our guest bed. I asked our daughter-in-law if she needed any, and she was thrilled to get them because they enabled her to throw out hers that were less comfortable. The rest of the 14 are now donations or in the trash. This is a very effective technique that's working for me throughout the house. Thank you, Dawn!
I was working on cleaning up my email in box as I was watching this. The list of steps works perfectly for decluttering emails also!
Oh my gosh - agreed!
Did some if that this morning - unsubscribing from about two dozen things I wasn’t even opening!
I've been doing that too! It's sooo nice to open up the inbox and only see a few.
I'm a few decades behind in email. :(
Hi Dawn, I have been watching your videos for a few months now after ‘accidentally’ clicking on you. And oh wow, am I glad I did. I thought I WAS minimalist - but I wasn’t - not as much as I wanted to be.
I have listened to you and really taken on board the different tips and ‘questions to ask yourself’...and it works! I was keeping things, for example, as memories! Don’t need it all! I’ve made a ‘ memory box’ and those things that I really can’t part with are in there. The half full bottles of....stuff (shampoo, perfume, sunscreen etc etc) all gone! This is as a result of your tip on your bank account not decreasing by throwing stuff away, this was the biggest thing for me - genius. Also, the tip about having a rubbish bag and a box for donations - also genius. This morning I’ve cleared two cupboards, under my bed and my bathroom cupboard. They now store just what I use and the rest I was able to just take to the dump or the charity shop- no mess. Thank you so much. I’m away to do some more now 😘🏴
Up until now, I've been a "lurker", but this really speaks to me. I needed to hear it today because I live in a less than 200 sq ft area and I have waaaay too many totes (and inventory). Now I know what to do about it. Thanks!
Totes totes totes EVERYWHERE! This video was good timing for me. Just about to clean my bedroom/catch all and shed. I’m an organised hoarder, and just buy another tote when I buy more stuff. I love the use of the words inventory and manage. These will be my mantra when i complète these two areas. Thank you.
We call this "stuff shifting" or just plain "churning" at our house! I'm ready to tackle the garage with your tips! I especially like fully dealing with each item. I think that is the key point!
Dawn, I didn't tote shuffle! My overflow was room shuffled! I love following you, Dana and Cas. Especially you, because I really want to go as minimal as possible. I started with Joshua in 2020 and finding you this fall has been HUGE for me. THANK YOU!
You nailed it Sister 😂 you described me to a tee. I’m going to put a stop to this madness right now. God Bless you Dawn your advice was right on time🤗
Yes, i shuffled my stuff around...until I met you. I'm on the journey and feeling liberated. Thank you Dawn.
So helpful! It's a rainy day here. I think I may finally tackle a pile of papers in my bedroom I've been moving around... it's starting to slide and spill over everywhere! 🙈
To Hearts & Minds at Home
I hear you. Our paper clutter is a real monster. I attempted and did alot of old paper decluttering last year but still there's more.
Slow and steady wins the race; I gotta start again 15-30 mins daily.
And I need to rewatch Dawn paper declutter video.
Yes! "Like stuff with like stuff" to see what you really have...and then decide what to keep or give away....cleaning through one area or one room at a time, reveals duplicate items, and helps me see clearly what I can donate/share. This method is very good! Ok, I am inspired to give away some comforters and clothing, along with housewares. At last! Thank you !
I used to tote shuffle big time. Even as a teen I would empty my room of everything but the bed, sort, organise (a bit of declutter too) then put it back in a different way. I was always super pleased how I'd managed to condense everything down, packing it in a much more functional way. Now I'm adopting a more minimalist lifestyle I can see what a constant waste of time this was. I've got rid of stuff this year that I've been moving around since I was that teen! What a relief it has been to finally release that burden. I started looking at things thinking "if I'm not using it in lockdown then when is it going to happen?" There's still too much, it's a work on progress but I'm seeing it in a different way now!
We have been going through all r stuff again this time my kids where more then happy to donate there stuff because we just had a HUGE fire wipeout a town next to us and my kids seen so many house just turned in to ash and seen kids their own age not have anything no teddy to cuddle with so we r still going through r stuff and donating all we can and I have to say the joy I we get knowing that r stuff is going to help someone makes letting go so much easier.
Love this! I moved house last year and did the tote shuffle dance from room to room multiple times before pulling myself together and following you and realising I needed to reduce my belongings and stop the tote shuffle dance 💃. Love this channel. Thanks. 🥰
When all those blankets suddenly appeared behind you I had to chuckle 😂 I have never heard the phrase tote shuffling but that is totally what I've been doing!! Decluttering one spot but then just moving around the stuff I don't know how to deal with.
"Just too much stuff!" Understatement of this century!💕👍🙏🥰
So excited! I cleared our mantel off and only put a few things that I love back on. When my hunny came home he said "Wow it feels great in here. Did you dust?"😂😂. I haven't dusted in forever! It just felt cleaner because there wasn't so much stuff! Thanks Dawn for the insight and the ideas that you share! They have been making such a difference in my life.
Your hunny is a keeper!
@@j.m.7056 He sure is!
“Could we live without it?” Genius!
Fantastic vid.. one of your best for me! I laughed at your blankets.. last week I pulled out a large storage bag from under the bed, thinking it was pillows.. nope, it was blankets, totally forgotten i had them. You are so right that storing in different places is not good.. i already have 2 chests worth of blankets in the hall... waagh, blanket overload!!! so funny!!!
What a great pep talk for me, as we look forward to the holidays. I love that you mention that it might not be just one Christmas tote for others, but the point is to set boundaries. 💛
Love that shift in viewing our stuff : “Can I live without this ?” I downsized to a smaller place , & while I got rid of plenty before moving here ( & after), I know I’d love to part with more stuff still, & SIMPLIFY more. This will help !
Dawn, great way to present this. Can I live without this really resonates with me today.
Love the rose coloured cups ❤️, Another great video. I’m working on reducing Christmas Decorating Inventory too, which I find hard because the “Stuff” is so cute, and/or I received some as gifts and don’t want to hurt peoples feelings, etc, I have learned one thing though: If I give somebody something- no matter what it is - I always tell them Please do not feel you have to keep this you can return it you can give it away you can do whatever you wish. I usually try to include a gift receipt too. Of course, I only give things I think they WILL really want, can use, or love. (Lots of times now, it’s gift cards, food items, or experience adventure, eg. Movie tickets, home made gifts eg. mittens for grandkids. Sometimes, I’ll ask them ahead of time, before I buy it, what do you think of this as a gift idea? ) I love buying gifts but don’t want to contribute to cluttering up someone else’s home, ❤️
Thank you. You have addressed everything I am dealing with this very morning. This is tremendous immediate help. 🥰
I discovered your channel 3 years ago. Your videos are my background noise most days. Your work made a difference for my life. Thank you for all you do!
One thing I’ve started doing for holidays and seasonal decorating is using organic items that will then be able to be used up or composted like actual pumpkins instead of plastic, real fur boughs inside instead of the fake, it feels better for me to support friends and local businesses when we buy or pumpkins and trees to decorate and less stuff to put back in bins later!
Wow! Wow! Wow! What an awesome idea! I can't believe nobody has commented on it.
Totally guilty of tote shuffling. Thanks for a better perspective and mindset.
Thank you for all you do Dawn. You are really helping me slowly declutter. You have helped me more than anyone else! Thank you!
I've been using the term of "inventory" around my husband and it's starting to become his vocabulary too! He's in construction and had SO MANY coffee cans in the basement with random nails and screws. He spent a good amount of time on Saturday getting rid of them. He told me that he realized he wasn't going to send a can of random screws to a job site and he's not going to filter through them to find the right ones for the job. He's just going to end up buying a new box of screws. He said it felt so good to have that area cleaned out!
Honestly the first item looks like a pumpkin! Would look super cute with an orange candle in them. Hopefully someone does that too lol
That is what I thought also, it looks like a pumpkin.
I thought pumpkin as well. Dark orange candle would like nice in it. I would totally love to pick something like that up at a thrift shop.
Fill it with candy corn. Duh!
Opened the comments to basically say this! Orange vase filler and a candle with a little bead vine thing around the bottom would be SO cute! I’d love them 😂
I liked it too, reminded me of a pumpkin as well!
So I’ve been binge watching your videos since yesterday. I’m convinced I want to be a minimalist and want a decluttered home. So, I was up until 3 am and back up at 8 am to keep going. If I could post a picture of my “get rid of” pile, you’d be so very proud of me. I’m proud of me. My husband is proud of me. And it all makes me so happy. I still have what I want and need, but less junk to clean around. I asked each of my children if they wanted my stuff to give them first option, got a garbage pile that’s huge and a donation pile that would make a thrift store look small!! Anyways, I have tons more videos of yours to watch and it’s keeping me motivated. Thx so much.
I used to do this more, but I still move things to a “sell” pile and then never try to sell them. I’ve tried to learn and be more realistic on what has value and my time is worth $. So now I usually donate right away, but sometimes I still find myself doing this.
I have found myself in this same boat- half of my basement turned into boxes that said “lawn sale” on them, then I’d have a sale and maybe make $200.00.....not worth the time, effort and space! Also, seeing some of the things again would make me reconsider keeping it😳! I’m a donator now, only sell really big things on Facebook- and most times I give that away too!
This is 💯 where I'm stuck!! Ughh I can't seem to break free of a perceived value that I should recoup!
About ten years ago, I inherited items that belonged to my mom and dad and both sets of grandparents. My dad was very sentimental so there was a lot of stuff. It was easy to get rid of the obvious trash, but then I got stuck. About five years ago, I used the KonMarie method to clear out clothes, books, paper, misc items; I got stuck on the sentimental items. By sentimental items I mean things like my childhood toys, and things that had belonged to other family members (whether they liked the items themselves or not when they had them I would never know!) I had an appraiser (who had no interest in buying any of my items so I thought she would be fair) come in after I had displayed all my items and she priced them all out for me. Most of the items were worth less that $25 which really shifted my perception of these items and I was able to donated the ones that I didn't enjoy. I knew I wouldn't take the time to sell items that I could maybe get $25 for!
Blankets multiply magically!! My people love to give them as gifts because they are soft and cozy but I’m sharing them now, whittling down my collection to a few favorites.
When my parents passed away we kept so much stuff, some useable some sentimental. When my in laws passed a few years later, the same happened. Three households can accumulate a lot of stuff that ends up in boxes. Then they keep getting shuffled around the house. Finally, slowly making those hard decisions. We don't want it to be our children's burden and it just feels good to be "lighter".
I've always remembered what I heard from Fly Lady years ago, "You can't organize clutter; you can only get rid of it!" Love the idea of choosing how much room you have for a bunch of like items and then getting rid of the excess. Thank you for your great videos--I think we could be friends!
I'd assign some for just camping that stay in the camper unless being washed. Then if they get dirty or wrecked it doesn't matter as much as the other ones you keep in the house. It's nice to have for sleeping if cold or at the campfire. Just an idea.
Releasing what no longer serves me is incredibly liberating. Most often what is dismissed is the feeling we get when we have to deal with less. Clutter is definitely one of those things. Thank you for sharing this video and your ideas. Great pointers.
Yay, looking forward to your video! Always so happy to see the notification.
Thank you Ashley!
I love the story about the cups. My mom recently sold a home she and my Dad purchased over 40 years ago. In cleaning it out, we found, a box of never used, still in the original box crystal glasses they received as a Wedding gift (they were married for 52 years). My husband and I are now using them as our daily juice/drink glasses.
I am actually in the process of going through each and every box and tote that has been squirreled away to stop this exact problem from continuing. Hubby wont let me part with any of the kids stuff and I dont touch his...I just box it, inventory and label the box and I'm ruthless with my own stuff
That was me for years, but we’re finally on the same page (for the most part).
I've been a tote shuffler for many years but recently bought a 700 square foot condo coming from about a 1400 square foot house and I really needed this video to help me deal with The crazy amount of totes that keep giving me the stink eye every time the garage door opens. Thank you 🙂
I try to remember that SOMEDAY = NEVER.
Oh, I have "organized" my knitting to a fair-thee-well. Outcome? I STILL have more yarn, books, tools than I will EVER need. I'm girding myself for battle!
I am a crafter. I enjoy multiple crafts at different times. I have 3 6 foot tall 2-door cabinets full of fabrics. I have gone through them 3 times already and thinning down. I'd love to get to one cabinet but I'm so proud of myself when I can make a new quilt project or attend a guild workshop and all fabrics come from my stash. Yes, this means I've had to handle things 3 times so far and I'm going to continue to purge until I'm down to 2 cabinets and then finally one!
Hi Dawn! Great video-love it. Just a suggestion...maybe put some throws/blankets in the camper so you don’t always have to pack and shuffle them from your home? Or do you already have blankets in there? :)
Yes! Very good idea especially with unpredicable weather. We have 2 fleece blankets in our car. Early morning soccer games can be colder than expected.
Yes, and budget for her have family budget for a new blanket for the new foster child (ren) to pick out. Getting to wrap up in something the pick out and can take with them when they go "home" wherever that may be is special. Little things like that bring so much security. Also, understanding that the child's threshold to get rid of things will be so much less, everything is "special". -from a long time foster and adoptive parent
Thanks for this video. I tote shuffled for decades till I met you. I now touch something as I clean and organize and ask myself, “do I need this?”. Thank you.
🙋♀️ I'm guilty of that! Maybe I should go through my things again and get rid of some things once and for all! 😬 didn't know I was doing that until now🤦♀️
"Stop Tote Shuffling" You are brilliant to bring that subject up!
SO true! I did that for a long time, until I realized what a waste of time and energy.
I totally do the tote shuffle - I spend way too much time looking in totes and not decreasing what is in them!
I've "been there, done that" with the shuffling for sure and have finally found the energy and willpower to put an end to it! There are some things I have intentionally allowed myself to put away for another day, but the difference now is that, rather than just sticking a box in the first open space I find, I have made sure all like items are together in clear bins, and since most of it at this point is sentimental, I've told myself they're there in the bins for when I have the capacity to make those decisions, but for now they have a home, and that brings order to my life.
In the mean time I've been working on all other categories of my belongings, and it truly has been such a freeing process that I'm almost looking forward to going through that sentimental stuff! 😉