Thank you so much for watching! Download the FREE Printable here: www.theminimalmom.com/pl/2148281342 The 5 F's of Creating Motivation (when you feel tired & overwhelmed!) I hope you have a great day! - Dawn
I just want to know where the chips are! I can declutter that for you!😇😇😇I have a notebook that I go to You Tube on and listen to murder mysteries on and it helps me giving up too soon!
I’m just wondering when those chips will be eaten. If it was me, I’d find them next year and beat myself up for forgetting they weren’t in the snack area. 😊😅If it was me, I’d print a small pic of things that are living in strange places and keep the pic where I would have looked for it so I don’t forget about them and jot a note about where to find the item. Thanks for the Fab Five!
Dawn! Can’t wait to watch this video. I work in the mental health field and have been recommending a more simplified home to my patients more and more lately. The link between clutter and stress is undeniable. Thanks for all you do!
After watching Dawn for a few years, the clutter in my home has reduced dramatically. I've still got a long ways to go but the improvement is amazing. I stayed with my mom for a week rather unexpectedly and the amount of stress all the clutter had on me was awful. Within hours I was an emotional wreck and looking for an excuse to get out the door. The home has such an impact on one's health in all respects.
That’s a wonderful intervention (if it can be called that), Megan! Simplify. 🕊️ Perhaps clutter/disorganization in our home environment reflects our inner selves, our heart-home. As Dawn says, by attending to one, we nurture the other. Intriguing!
I am married with 4 kids we have been married for about 25 years so our house is a clutter catastroph. I just started watching 2 weeks ago......and i have got rid of about 70 percent of my kitchen things i dont use, 50 percent of my living room and completly cleaned my hallway that was a filled with boxes with a small path to walk down. on to the bathroom and the bedrooms :) Thank you and Cas from Clutterbug for all you inspiration!!!!
Good for you! I got tired just reading what you accomplished in 2 weeks!!! Dawn and Cas are life savers for a cluttered home..keep up the motivation :)
Do not forget the guys! I watch your videos and have used these techniques in my home. Sometimes to my wife's chagrin. However, she is coming around to the notion that a clutter free home is a good thing.
I use the hack that if it takes less than a minute, do it right now. For example: taking out trash, putting away coats, washing a dish, filing some papers, etc. It prevents little tasks from building up in our house.
I've also used the "try it for 10 (minutes)" technique - often for paperwork - but with the same idea: if you only have the capacity for a short burst, it is better than nothing; but more likely it is enough to build momentum and I keep going until the task gets done.
Thank you so much for this video. I was sitting in my apartment feeling so overwhelmed, that I felt paralyzed to do anything. The 5 minutes, you suggested, turned into 2 hours of solid cleaning!
It’s wild how fast your channel is still growing, I just noticed 3/4 of a MILLION followers, well earned of course, so happy for you!! The world needs you Dawn!!
I have 6 cakes stands. I use them all the time to boost food on the table. Our table is narrow and we often have a lot of guests. Put the bowl of green beans on a cake stand and instantly saves space on the table.
As an alternative to setting a 5-minute timer, I use the commercial time of TV shows to get up and declutter something. Makes it much easier and doable!
Oh Girl! This 69 year old has completely cleaned out a 2nd floor storage area, off a bedroom, electricity and a window but no heat or air. I turned on two electric heaters in Han. And went fir it. Several loads and I mean loads later I have a nice clean storage area that is organized and I love! Also last year I purchased 5 oragami shelves and organized all my seasonal decorations in basement. Also purging tons. I al te organized my whole craft room, I scrapbook and make cards. I love it! All this was done in aboutv3 weeks spending about 2 to 3 days on each project. I have felt so motivated since Christmas and rewarding myself and my husband with several nice trips. The 5 min thing works so well on a daily basis.
Hi Dawn :) I had surgery 2+ years ago and as part of my recovery my doctor told me to walk around my house for 5 minutes each day. Naturally, for me, I started picking things up as I went along and putting them away. I was amazed at what a difference a simple 5 minutes did at the start of each day. Although fully recovered, I have never stopped doing this and I never will !! xoxo
Despite having the flu right now, I felt motivated today and just went through a few rooms to look for obvious thing I could get rid of that took no thought. I got 3 bags of trash and 2 bags and a box for donation. I have a very small house with no storage, so it constantly looks cluttered because there's nowhere to put anything. I realized I just need a lot less stuff.😊
I saw something that resonated with me. Change your mindset by changing the word motivation to momentum. Motivation is something we can't always control. Momentum is something we can.
I have ADD, mild depression and severe back pain that limits my ability to stand or clean for extended periods. So cleaning and decluttering is really difficult for me. I’ve been using a timer method for a while now and it really helps. I use what I call the 10/10/10 method (adjust to 5 or 15 depending on what my body or mind can take) and I do 10 minutes in each room then go lay on my heating pad or ice pack for 15 to 20 minutes (using timer of course) then do another set of 10. It doesn’t matter what task I do in each room as long as it’s productive and necessary (sweeping, dusting, sorting laundry, cleaning counters etc…). One day I went to do the 10 in my living room and was shocked and so thrilled that there wasn’t anything that needed to be done! And on the rare occasion that I get on a roll and want to continue going on a task when the timer goes off I let myself do that, being rigid then would defeat the purpose.
Hi Dawn, I use this "5 minutes" as a game when babysitting our grandson. As we wind down from playing with his toys like cars or magnetic tiles I say, Ok let's play the 5 minute game and see who can put away the toys first in their totes. I then set the timer and say go! Of course he usualy wins and he gets extra snugles and lovin's but the room gets picked up, no stress and everyone is happy😊 I really enjoy all your videos, thank you and God Bless!
I had an aha moment when you put a project away and added it to your task list. Many of us leave incomplete tasks out as reminders to get it done. Better all around to put a reminder on a task list and stash the stuff away until it’s time to work on them. Clutter can often become our to-do list but it’s a stressful and messy way to remind us. Even procrastination is ok in the form of a list and a tidy house compared to “procrasticlutter.
I started doing this last week when I found the reminders app on my phone and already I'm leaving less stuff out. It is working well for me. Previously I would leave out anything that needed to be given to someone, or needed something done to/with it, and it just led to lots of clutter, but when I put it away, I would forget it. I also stopped leaving reminder notes around the house, and just put them all on the phone or tablet.
I am a 67 year old man who is going through a rough time right now and my apartment looks someone opened the door and threw a hand grenade into it. This video has helped me a lot.... Thank you. I will put these practices in motion and get it done. So glad I found your channel. Also, I became a new subscriber. Take care.
Hi 75 degrees and very humid in Sydney Australia. My handy hint is if possible move the biggest bit of junk from an area first. Just with one thing gone you can already see some difference! Even when you fold laundry if you put the sheets and towels away first it reduces the pile to something manageable. Messy yard- move that stack of tyres! When the kids are emptying the dishwasher teach them to take the biggest things first- 2 saucepans put away bottom shelf 1/2 empty! Thanks for all your help!❤❤
So that's why I love rolling up towels! Next, the dishwashing cloths, then the basket of cloths for wiping up spills. Keeping that, it's a container and awesome. Socks are left for the others. I have one pair.
I found a donation center that gives kids in need the stuff for free in my area, which helped me get rid of so much more!! It was an extra trip but worth it since I didn’t have the guilt of feeling like I should sell it to recoup some of the money I spent since it’s going to a good cause (and one that is near to my heart since I was one of those kids when I was little)
I was kind of giving up on working on decluttering during this season of three little kids at home, but I realize five minutes at the end of the day is something I can totally do. Thank you so much!
For things that are "projects", I've started asking myself whether I'm REALLY going to do them. More often than not, the honest answer is no. If it's yes, I pick a day and commit to doing it that day.
Love this!! Yesterday I made the decision to finally go through a tote of my late mother's items, these items were in her garage for years. I took a picture of every item, texted to my brother and he needs to decide if he wants anything otherwise it's all getting donated minus a salt and pepper shaker. It took an hour and it's finally done! 😁❤️
I found you three housecateers about a year ago, and have made quite a dent in my home. But I've hit a wall. My husband's office/storage room is the only room that is still a complete wreck. So 2 weeks ago I had him bring down a couple of boxes for me to go through & declutter. I looked for trash, put things in homes and was too overwhelmed to tackle the homeless stuff. That stuff is still sitting on the table. Over the course of a year I've found the trash, taken things to their homes, and donated. So now any 5 minutes is either maintenance type tasks, or standing paralyzed looking at the homeless stuff that I just don't have the bandwidth to deal with. I've come so far but if I don't continue to make progress it's all going to revert. My husband has already fallen off the decluttering wagon. I'm not one to ask for help or even advice but I could use a match to get my pilot light relit. Thanks
1st step, define what you want the room to be. If it needs to be more his office, then making 1 corner for storage, so it functions as an office may help. If it needs to be storage, where he can go grab office things when needed, then work to set it up as a storage space. It's okay to set the hard stuff back in there, and ask for another couple of boxes to look for easy stuff in.
I needed to see this today. Family of 4, and we have been living with my inlaws for almost 2 1/2 years while looking for a home. We are living in a very small space that has definitely gotten cluttered. Before we had moved, I had decluttered my entire house, and it was very peaceful. I miss that feeling! There is only so much I can do because this space isn't ours, and we are living with our stuff and their stuff, and it has just gotten very tight. I'm gonna try setting a 5 minute timer and start small in trying to get rid of some of the stuff that we have accumulated.
This video helped me see that a lot of the "helpful" things in my house were not helping my stress level. These things were purchased to help with clutter or because they were pretty or because they were a decorator item. I kept trying to find the "thing" that would help me feel better about my home. I realized from this video that I had lost sight of my home because of all the "things" I was adding to solve my problem. The quest for the perfect "thing" was working against me. I am now motivated and inspired to clear out these unneeded things. Your video is the source of that inspiration. Thank you for sharing your insight and tips. Especially the 5-minute focus. What a great way to get the ball rolling and not feel like it all has to be done at one time! Whew!
By the time we start to understand that we have clutter at home, we ourselves become too old and tired to declutter all by ourselves. Now I think after age 50, we all should stop filling our home with anything that we really don’t need. My opinion and experience. Thanks 🙏
I saw this quote and thought it was so applicable to what you do - "When you choose to collect experiences rather than things, you never ever run out of storage space" by Joshua Becker. Thank you for the positive change that you bring to our lives🥰 love your channel and think you are just so awesome😁
Dawn, I can not tell you how much this helped me today. I am completely overwhelmed by a recent move with my children into a fixer-upper that is smaller than my previous in many ways. I have 4 weeks to get this house settled enough to move my adult foster clients here. It is very dirty, needs real work, and doesn't hold my stuff well! Your video today helped me get up and go with a more positive attitude! Thank you!
I have made good strides since starting to watch you recently. My inventory is deep!!! Today I wore myself out going thru paperwork (which is the worst) and took a 2 hour nap and then continued after dinner for about 15 more minutes. My issue is I have saved so much paperwork I simply don't need to hold onto anymore. It feels so good to be able to purge all those papers. I have so many small random things to sort thru. The good thing is I have a thrift shop I can regularly donate to. Thanks for all your good advice 🙏
Thanks, Dawn! I've been putting off cleaning the floor in our bedroom for quite awhile. Most of the rest of the house is under control now, minus the basement, but I've worked on it and I WILL get to it! For some reason I thought the bedroom floor would take a really long time, but I just set a timer for 20 minutes because that was how long I had, and not only did I get everything off the floor, but I also did the closet floors and vacuumed and had 2 minutes to spare when I finished!
You are so skilled at laying out super effective tips in an efficient and straight forward way! For the "floor" tip, we've applied this very seriously. Ive gotten rid of furniture that takes up floor space, like end tables we didn't use, and we've wall mounted shelves instead of having units that sit on the floor. Even by my bed is a small shelf for my glasses and phone (my light is wall mounted) instead of a bedside table. All these steps make for less dusting and MUCH easier vacuuming!!
Just clearing the floors like she said will make a huge difference. Seeing the floor declutterred encouraged me to vacuum, which encouraged me to dust, which encouraged me to clear off the flat surfaces, and that’s motivated me to stay tidier as I go. Timers are the way to go, and reward yourself at the end.
Funny about the floor thing - 20 years ago when I had little kids and life was in a cluttered state I would say to myself “just don’t look at the floor, keep your eyes up”. I guess that was a legitimate coping mechanism 😂😂
Hi dawn , You are my hero , I am a single , 38 year old , living in a studio apartment . I want to simplify so much because I can only stand so much inventory or I feel like I am growing out of my space . I get stressed out easily . I watch your videos as often as I can . Thank you .
I always start your videos thinking I'm just going to watch this time while I lay on my bed. But by the end I am up working alongside you! Never fails. Thank You!
Dawn, you are such a ray of sunshine. You are by far my favorite online personality. You are sweet and I love your content. I’ve told all the ladies in my family. Keep up the good work! 🎉
doom scrolling is my absolute downfall, I start with good intentions and then I've lost hours to my phone, that makes me feel worse and even more demotivated 😢 I have started listening to a cleaning audio and that has helped with keeping on track, but I have to actually turn it on first 😂, many thanks for your continued support, I know I will get through this ❤❤
Thanks for the reminder about the floors! I need to remember to adress them as priority. I've been feeling unsettled in my appartement lately and this is why. Just random things I allow to live on the floor!
Dawn, I don't mean to be weird but I love you! Thank you so much because this really works! I watched this video yesterday and I told my husband about it and did an example by working on our bedroom counter in the RV (which we live in) for a few minutes. I just did the easy stuff and it worked and now I can't wait to tackle other things. I also thought I had to be perfect or finish a decluttering task and it made me not even want to start if I wasn't going to make a big difference. But now I see that even getting rid of a few things if that's all I'm ready for is a good thing and it does make a difference. I feel like you've removed the block that was in the way. It's funny because I've used this principle with cleaning and it's been wonderful. When I wasn't doing well with cleaning I made a goal to just clean for five minutes a day or to just clean one thing that I see that needs cleaning , like a window ledge or one shelf in the fridge. Over time doing that made a big difference and sometimes I would clean more. Thank you, Dawn. Thank you and God bless you and your family.
My 18 year old son has really motivated me to declutter our basement! We have set an appointment with each other 2-3 hours a week to tackle 1 area. The basement looks so much better. I feel like I can breathe! Because of you, Cass and Dana, I feel less attached to things and able to let go of a lot. Thank you!
@@goldieff so funny, bc I commented about that paper bag before seeing these comments! So glad that a few others thought & felt the same way😄 ! I need a whole thing on recycling/ repurposing& organizing those "projects"!😵💫🙃
Hi Dawn: I have been watching for over a year and I've been in maintenance mode for 6 months. My friends are inspired by my highly simplified home, and I've gotten several of them to subscribe to your channel to help the cause. You are so right about five minutes matters. In five minutes, we can reset most of the house at this point. Between your five minutes matter and steps to declutter for things that don't have a home, along Dana's container concept, I love how you both show videos at various stages of the process. It's very helpful for those still struggling to get through the journey. Keep up the great work. You are reaching many with your message. I know you will make the goal for 1M.
Dawn, Great video. Shhh...don't tell Dawn I stopped for a break to watch her video. 😅 5 min really does matter. Last wk, my Hubby told me he had some time to get me started on cleaning my sewing / craft room. I was able to work on it several days. I started with your onion method & got 2 bags of trash, started a giveaway pile, & a bag of papers to burn. It's still going to take a while longer to get it done, but it feels so good to get it started. We'll, I gotta get back to work. 😊
This was just what I needed! I was sitting here looking around my living room and kitchen, knowing that I had to just pick up and Declutter! I set my timer for 5 minutes, and I was amazed at how much I got done. It was fun to work along with you. I love your videos.😘 Your advice has changed my life.
I loved this video! Listened while staging my house to sell. Our first showing is tomorrow morning and I owe MUCH of my success to you!!!! Thank you for what you do! 💜💜💜💜
Sorry, I don't have the energy, because I do laundry in two days. Yesterday I did most and today I hanged what needed to dry indoors and I do fold and put away the other stuff. When your video came up I was parked, waiting for a child to get out of school. It is pouring in Los Angeles, CA ❣️💞😂 Love you ❣️ You are bringing the walls of clutter down ❣️❣️🧐🤔😒🫣🤯🎉🎉Little by little by alot 😂🎉❤ I will definitely be replaying and doing more than 5 minutes when I get home❣️💞❣️ Thank you ❣️
I'm running out of things to declutter. Friday I decluttered a box of organizing items that I found to be useless. This run through has me weeding out a lot less.
Fellow Minnesotan here, the "sun is out - I can accomplish anything" is SO real! 😅 Thanks for the motivation and tips for when it's harder to find the urge to be productive.
Thank you Dawn. I love you. You have helped me more than you’ll ever know. “There is only three kinds of stuff” is what did it for me. I am looking at the Garage right now and it looks like 1million different things. But if there’s only three kinds then maybe I can unfreeze myself and tackle it.
This video came at just the right time. I have not been motivated to clean, just barely getting through. I watched my 3 granddaughters today and 😮😮 they were busy. When the youngest 2 went home, it took everything I had to pick everything up because it looked overwhelming and even tho I saw your video after I picked up, I realized it probably only took me 5 to 10 minutes to do. Everything had a home, and that phrase is one I have loved and have strived for ever since I watched your first video!! Thank you, Dawn! 😊
I tend to anthropomorphize objects (maybe that’s why Marie Kondo resonated with me) but that sock under the box made me laugh. I could just see someone leaving the box there for weeks, which could totally happen, then thinking the sock was lost, decluttering the other sock and then finally lifting up the box and it says “I’ve been under here for WEEKS, where’s my mate?” 😜
Love your videos and ideas! I am not a minimalist, but the more I do this method, the more I realize that I don't need! I am almost 60, and pretty broken for my age. I can only clean/declutter in small incriminates of time, but it is happening! It makes it easier to keep my house clean, and it helps to keep me less stressed. I am a cricket (if you watch Cass) and clutter stresses me out. Thank you so much!!!! I can't wait to see your videos when they pop up!!!!
I was feeling really unmotivated this morning. I put you on and forced myself into the kitchen for five minutes. I got way more done than I thought and am ready to do more. I love this 5 mins rule! Thankyou for sharing
It was a beautiful sunny day here where I live, and I took my grandson on a stroller walk. I really enjoy watching your videos and today I am subscribing . Thank you for all the content you put out and all the hard work you do.
I'm in the process of decluttering my bedroom and I'm here because I sat down and wanted to cry. My boyfriend and I are in the beginning stages of looking for our own home and I can't bring these awful bad habits to a new place. I also want to help my parents declutter their apartment (which is where I currently live) because they deserve a cozy clean space. Thank you for this video, I just subbed, you have a whole library of videos I need in my life.
Flat surfaces always stress me out. To minimalize the wide spread clutter I grab a box or bin so I can more quickly start taking everything to it's home. I organize what's left and know that the rest is trash. Thanks for all the tips! 🙂
Been subscribed and watching you, Cas, and Dana for a few years now. You guys have helped me so, so much!! But.... Every few months I find myself overwhelmed and feeling like I'm drowning in clutter again. I grew up in a hoarder home, so it's especially triggering when things pile up, literally. Today, I felt lost. I've decluttered so much that there really isn't a lot left to get rid of, but I also live in a very small space, so there isn't a lot of room to put things. That being said, I am an expert procrastinator... And there are a lot of projects I've been putting off. While listening to this video, I *finally* hung some wall plates that have been waiting almost a year to be hung. Thank you for helping me find the motivation. You're right; it wasn't as hard as I made it seem. I think that applies to a lot of my projects; it's not hard, I just overthink it until it seems hard. Thank you!!
It works! This morning I had a little free time and looked over at my desk, which has a stack of "stuff" to be gone through but it was kind of overwhelming. I had just watched this post, so I did the FIVE MINUTES declutter... and it WORKS!! Now my desk is clean and clear, and like you mentioned, I felt motivated to keep going. So for the next hour I did a much-needed Paper declutter of the INSIDES of my desk. Woo hoo!!! Thanks again, and to anyone wondering if this works.. IT DOES!
What a great reminder! A while ago I started limiting my screen time to the pockets of cleaning and decluttering. Even just listening to a podcast, some music or a video now automatically gets me into the mood of wanting to do something. My house never looked cleaner and I really enjoy the benefits of good input during tasks I need to do anyway.
Starting this vid, I was filling the sink to wash dishes. Looked at the floor & was surprised at the stuff on it. Paused the dishes & picked up the the kitchen floor. You're right! Does feel much better now. I also figured out, if I 1st throw away any trash, food, & wash recycling that gets in with the dishes, it is a much nicer chore & looks better immediately.
I'm still in the initial decluttering process though I've probably got rid of a lorry load of stuff (I don't think I'm even exaggerating). We have a large house with several spare rooms and every spare room was a mess before. They now aren't but we're still decluttering. A lot has been donated a little has been sold and a fair bit was only fit for rubbish. We plan on selling our home so it's a mixture of decluttering and other jobs that need doing to make our house look better. I have fibromyalgia and something I've recently found that's helped a lot is to have one small job that isn't an every day job (so not the dishwasher), every day that I try to get done no matter how bad I feel and even if I'm at work that day. Occasionally that doesn't work like when I have really bad fatigue but most the time I at least get that 1 job done. And often when I'm having a better day on a day off I get a lot more done. I don't do time because when I'm feeling bad I'm slow. That is really building up to a lot of jobs completed. So today's job after I cleaned the kitchen and volunteered to distribute food was to sort 1 cupboard in my kitchen. The last thing I wanted to do was sort a cupboard when I'd finished volunteering but it only took me about 10 mins to do. I dragged the bin over by the cupboard and just got it done. These small jobs add up to a whole lot as time goes on though. My biggest problem has been my daughter refusing to get rid of stuff. At 16 she seems to be under the misguided impression she's in charge, though it is hard when she's buying things herself with money she earnt. She does like to keep her room really tidy though so if she says she wants to keep something I'm trying to get rid of because it's never used, I go and dump it in her room for her to find a home for it in her room. She often then decides she doesn't want to keep it after all.
Thank you so much! I found this for the no-motivation moments: Flylady Morning: Bed, Bath, Dishes, Trash, Sweep. Then I take the clutter piles all to one place, and decorate those bare surfaces. Then, seeing that basic tidy- up stop and admire! , I rest, drink water, and then attack the clutter piles! I start at 6AM and work the room around the clock, pile by pile. And tomorrow is another day!
I don’t know why but you are so relatable and motivating! I love hearing your voice as I go about my chores! I have decluttered about 1/2 of my “junk” and am working on more. My husband has also become inspired to do the same! The thrift stores have benefited from it! We are still working on it but I just wanted to tell you how motivational you are! M home is so much easier to keep clean!
Still one of my favourite channels to follow 😊 I was able to feel calm about sorting out my Dad's house recently as he now needs a nursing home. No way would I have been able to hone in on the important things and let the rest go without guilt. Thank you Dawn!
Just love your videos. You are so real and you actually talk while you doing it. I used to say 15 min - I can do anything for 15. But I love the 5 min timer!
It was so great to be at the meet and greet with you!!!!! I have always started with the floor and have always know it motivates me, but now I understand more why. 🤯 Love the Menards Christmas bag. We definitely still have those at our house too!!
Thank you SO much for this! I’m a college student that hasn’t lived full time at my parent’s house in almost 4 years. Now I’m home for a few extra months and I have been so overwhelmed with decluttering my room so I can fully unpack and have a clean bedroom again. Motivation is a big factor, and knowing where to start has been a huge stressor. I’m watching this video, I knew exactly where and how to start, and I had easy and simple steps to guide me through the process. Thank you!!
Great tips! I was feeling overwhelmed when I attempted to tackle my computer room. I don't have much time and very little energy, but 5 minutes are doable and 5 minutes at a time is better than not doing anything at all. Thanks for the free printable as well!!
I heard a someone say recently "the problem with saying 'it'll still be there tomorrow' is that when tomorrow comes, it's still there" It sounds like such a "duh" thing but sometimes different people need to think or hear words differently to get it to stick. I wish I'd thought like this 40 years ago when I had homework to do!
Watching you and Cas to find the motivation to do something about the nightmare in my house. I suffer from clinical depression and the current condition of my environment makes it worse. I am so tired of living this way and. being so dysfunctional. Thank you for the videos. I am subscribing to your channel.
I used to clean houses and one of the first things I did was to make the beds and then pick up all the stuff from the floor and put it on the bed. I then started putting the stuff on the bed away. This made me feel the room was cleaner because the floor was no longer cluttered. Also making your bed every morning will make your room seem cleaner. My daily routine is to make the bed and pick up the bathroom and do a quick wipe down with a Clorox wipe. This takes maybe 5 minutes, once a week I do a deeper clean of the bathroom.
I have heard from other RUclips channels that sometimes people get unsubscribed without their . I joined this channel many many years ago and just now I had to resubscribe
Perfect timing! I was literally sitting thinking about how I needed a video on this delema. I am currently 15 weeks pregnant, in the middle of remodeling projects and everyone in my house including myself is recovering from being really sick. I also have 3 kiddos 6 and under and it can be really hard to keep house and have motivation to keep moving forward with it all. Im also homeschooling. But I'm feeling spring coming. Its really sunny outside and gives me excitement to start again. Thank you so much for this video! It was needed greatly.
Not on insta or FB but wanted to tell you Christine that I am on such a roll with decluttering! I unpacked my Easter decorations this year and for the first time was asking myself "Why do I even HAVE all this stuff??" It's just more inventory! I have been taking weekly (minimum) trips to thrift shop. I can't get rid of this decision fatigue and clutter making stuff fast enough!!! And my cupboards are so easy to put stuff away It's awesome!
I started thinking quality over quantity a while back so now I don't spend money on random decor and stuff. That mind set really helped from going from a poor college kid to an adult with kids
Couple of things. 1. I don’t normally look at what people are wearing in their videos but I just want to say that those jeans that you have on are absolutely gorgeous. The colour is just such a beautiful blue. And 2. the reason i became a minimalist was because of all the stress of everyday life and my stuff was just getting so overwhelming to organise. I realised that if I ever wanted to just get up and leave my home for whatever reason I knew I would have a mountain of stuff to pack and also have to pay for moving it to another location. Now I only keep what I need. Even my bed ( futon ) can just get rolled up and put away. I don’t even want to own anymore bulky furniture either. Living light has been so rewarding and it’s thanks to watching videos like these. Many thanks from across the miles…
I do think the "what do I want to keep things that are my projects?" is one of the hardest things! Both my husband and I tend to leave them out because if we out them away, we'll forget either where we put them or that they are a project. I currently have a quilt top sitting in the kitchen table, because I'm waiting to call a gal about taking it to have her quilt it I think I need to designate someplace in my house for "waiting," or "projects"!
Thank you so much for watching! Download the FREE Printable here: www.theminimalmom.com/pl/2148281342 The 5 F's of Creating Motivation (when you feel tired & overwhelmed!) I hope you have a great day! - Dawn
I just want to know where the chips are! I can declutter that for you!😇😇😇I have a notebook that I go to You Tube on and listen to murder mysteries on and it helps me giving up too soon!
I’m just wondering when those chips will be eaten. If it was me, I’d find them next year and beat myself up for forgetting they weren’t in the snack area. 😊😅If it was me, I’d print a small pic of things that are living in strange places and keep the pic where I would have looked for it so I don’t forget about them and jot a note about where to find the item.
Thanks for the Fab Five!
Thank you! I've used some of your techniques in the past, but clutter is creeping back in. I love the 5 minute timer idea! Thanks for all you do❤
Lq@@rhondatallent2396
Thank you!!! ❤❤❤
Dawn! Can’t wait to watch this video. I work in the mental health field and have been recommending a more simplified home to my patients more and more lately. The link between clutter and stress is undeniable. Thanks for all you do!
I totally agree! The way I feel is directly related to my home environment.
And allergies!
After watching Dawn for a few years, the clutter in my home has reduced dramatically. I've still got a long ways to go but the improvement is amazing. I stayed with my mom for a week rather unexpectedly and the amount of stress all the clutter had on me was awful. Within hours I was an emotional wreck and looking for an excuse to get out the door. The home has such an impact on one's health in all respects.
That’s a wonderful intervention (if it can be called that), Megan! Simplify. 🕊️ Perhaps clutter/disorganization in our home environment reflects our inner selves, our heart-home. As Dawn says, by attending to one, we nurture the other. Intriguing!
I'm a special education teacher. I talk a lot about clutter and mess and it's impact on mental health to my students all the time
I am married with 4 kids we have been married for about 25 years so our house is a clutter catastroph. I just started watching 2 weeks ago......and i have got rid of about 70 percent of my kitchen things i dont use, 50 percent of my living room and completly cleaned my hallway that was a filled with boxes with a small path to walk down. on to the bathroom and the bedrooms :) Thank you and Cas from Clutterbug for all you inspiration!!!!
WOW!! This is so cool to hear!!! Way to go!!!
Good for you! I got tired just reading what you accomplished in 2 weeks!!! Dawn and Cas are life savers for a cluttered home..keep up the motivation :)
Dana K. White is also so good.
Way to go!!!! Sounds super satisfying!!!!
Way to go!!!!!!!!! That’s amazing 🤩. Keep up the good work!!!
Do not forget the guys! I watch your videos and have used these techniques in my home. Sometimes to my wife's chagrin. However, she is coming around to the notion that a clutter free home is a good thing.
I use the hack that if it takes less than a minute, do it right now. For example: taking out trash, putting away coats, washing a dish, filing some papers, etc. It prevents little tasks from building up in our house.
I've also used the "try it for 10 (minutes)" technique - often for paperwork - but with the same idea: if you only have the capacity for a short burst, it is better than nothing; but more likely it is enough to build momentum and I keep going until the task gets done.
Thank you so much for this video. I was sitting in my apartment feeling so overwhelmed, that I felt paralyzed to do anything. The 5 minutes, you suggested, turned into 2 hours of solid cleaning!
Same here! Except it was other tasks I'd put off for weeks.
🎉🎉🎉🎉 Once you start.....
It’s wild how fast your channel is still growing, I just noticed 3/4 of a MILLION followers, well earned of course, so happy for you!! The world needs you Dawn!!
She is 1 of the first youtubeers or original minimal teachers
She never set out to make money or be popular
Honestly I don't know why you don't have over a million subscribers❤❤❤
I have 6 cakes stands. I use them all the time to boost food on the table. Our table is narrow and we often have a lot of guests. Put the bowl of green beans on a cake stand and instantly saves space on the table.
That’s just smart. 3D thinking.
As an alternative to setting a 5-minute timer, I use the commercial time of TV shows to get up and declutter something. Makes it much easier and doable!
Your home must be perfect 😆
@@limonade2684 😂 Hardly, but I get what you’re saying lol.
And you get that dopamine reward when your show comes back.
I do the same. Also if I leave a room, I take something with me to put away.
Oh Girl! This 69 year old has completely cleaned out a 2nd floor storage area, off a bedroom, electricity and a window but no heat or air. I turned on two electric heaters in Han. And went fir it. Several loads and I mean loads later I have a nice clean storage area that is organized and I love! Also last year I purchased 5 oragami shelves and organized all my seasonal decorations in basement. Also purging tons. I al te organized my whole craft room, I scrapbook and make cards. I love it! All this was done in aboutv3 weeks spending about 2 to 3 days on each project. I have felt so motivated since Christmas and rewarding myself and my husband with several nice trips. The 5 min thing works so well on a daily basis.
Hi Dawn :) I had surgery 2+ years ago and as part of my recovery my doctor told me to walk around my house for 5 minutes each day. Naturally, for me, I started picking things up as I went along and putting them away. I was amazed at what a difference a simple 5 minutes did at the start of each day. Although fully recovered, I have never stopped doing this and I never will !! xoxo
I love this! Thanks for sharing. It really makes me feel motivated. ;)
@@lacys5045 Aww... thank you :) You can do it! xo
Despite having the flu right now, I felt motivated today and just went through a few rooms to look for obvious thing I could get rid of that took no thought. I got 3 bags of trash and 2 bags and a box for donation. I have a very small house with no storage, so it constantly looks cluttered because there's nowhere to put anything. I realized I just need a lot less stuff.😊
I hope you get better soon.
Feel better soon!
Wow, that is awesome!!! Great work Angela!
Flu or no flu that sounds amazing. Sometimes its hard to say goodbye to 1 item never mind bagfuls.
Feel better!! Good work.
I saw something that resonated with me.
Change your mindset by changing the word motivation to momentum. Motivation is something we can't always control. Momentum is something we can.
I love this idea 😊
This is so good! Thank you 😊
I have ADD, mild depression and severe back pain that limits my ability to stand or clean for extended periods. So cleaning and decluttering is really difficult for me. I’ve been using a timer method for a while now and it really helps. I use what I call the 10/10/10 method (adjust to 5 or 15 depending on what my body or mind can take) and I do 10 minutes in each room then go lay on my heating pad or ice pack for 15 to 20 minutes (using timer of course) then do another set of 10. It doesn’t matter what task I do in each room as long as it’s productive and necessary (sweeping, dusting, sorting laundry, cleaning counters etc…). One day I went to do the 10 in my living room and was shocked and so thrilled that there wasn’t anything that needed to be done! And on the rare occasion that I get on a roll and want to continue going on a task when the timer goes off I let myself do that, being rigid then would defeat the purpose.
Hi Dawn, I use this "5 minutes" as a game when babysitting our grandson. As we wind down from playing with his toys like cars or magnetic tiles I say, Ok let's play the 5 minute game and see who can put away the toys first in their totes. I then set the timer and say go! Of course he usualy wins and he gets extra snugles and lovin's but the room gets picked up, no stress and everyone is happy😊 I really enjoy all your videos, thank you and God Bless!
I had an aha moment when you put a project away and added it to your task list. Many of us leave incomplete tasks out as reminders to get it done. Better all around to put a reminder on a task list and stash the stuff away until it’s time to work on them. Clutter can often become our to-do list but it’s a stressful and messy way to remind us. Even procrastination is ok in the form of a list and a tidy house compared to “procrasticlutter.
I started doing this last week when I found the reminders app on my phone and already I'm leaving less stuff out. It is working well for me. Previously I would leave out anything that needed to be given to someone, or needed something done to/with it, and it just led to lots of clutter, but when I put it away, I would forget it. I also stopped leaving reminder notes around the house, and just put them all on the phone or tablet.
@@alabemosI’m still struggling with this and end up with 50 to do lists on my phone and on post it notes. Any suggestions?
I love that you show that your house isn't always pristine and that you show order can be restored pretty quickly.
I am a 67 year old man who is going through a rough time right now and my apartment looks someone opened the door and threw a hand grenade into it. This video has helped me a lot.... Thank you. I will put these practices in motion and get it done. So glad I found your channel. Also, I became a new subscriber. Take care.
Hi 75 degrees and very humid in Sydney Australia. My handy hint is if possible move the biggest bit of junk from an area first. Just with one thing gone you can already see some difference! Even when you fold laundry if you put the sheets and towels away first it reduces the pile to something manageable. Messy yard- move that stack of tyres! When the kids are emptying the dishwasher teach them to take the biggest things first- 2 saucepans put away bottom shelf 1/2 empty! Thanks for all your help!❤❤
What a great tip! (From country Victoria.)
Yes!
So that's why I love rolling up towels! Next, the dishwashing cloths, then the basket of cloths for wiping up spills. Keeping that, it's a container and awesome. Socks are left for the others. I have one pair.
I found a donation center that gives kids in need the stuff for free in my area, which helped me get rid of so much more!! It was an extra trip but worth it since I didn’t have the guilt of feeling like I should sell it to recoup some of the money I spent since it’s going to a good cause (and one that is near to my heart since I was one of those kids when I was little)
Definitely a win-win situation, and so heartwarming to know that you're giving back now to someone else in need. 🤗❤
I was kind of giving up on working on decluttering during this season of three little kids at home, but I realize five minutes at the end of the day is something I can totally do. Thank you so much!
I Love your Cheerful Nature and encouragement to get our homes in Order💕! Thank you!
For things that are "projects", I've started asking myself whether I'm REALLY going to do them. More often than not, the honest answer is no. If it's yes, I pick a day and commit to doing it that day.
Love this!! Yesterday I made the decision to finally go through a tote of my late mother's items, these items were in her garage for years. I took a picture of every item, texted to my brother and he needs to decide if he wants anything otherwise it's all getting donated minus a salt and pepper shaker. It took an hour and it's finally done! 😁❤️
I found you three housecateers about a year ago, and have made quite a dent in my home. But I've hit a wall. My husband's office/storage room is the only room that is still a complete wreck. So 2 weeks ago I had him bring down a couple of boxes for me to go through & declutter. I looked for trash, put things in homes and was too overwhelmed to tackle the homeless stuff. That stuff is still sitting on the table. Over the course of a year I've found the trash, taken things to their homes, and donated. So now any 5 minutes is either maintenance type tasks, or standing paralyzed looking at the homeless stuff that I just don't have the bandwidth to deal with. I've come so far but if I don't continue to make progress it's all going to revert. My husband has already fallen off the decluttering wagon. I'm not one to ask for help or even advice but I could use a match to get my pilot light relit. Thanks
1st step, define what you want the room to be.
If it needs to be more his office, then making 1 corner for storage, so it functions as an office may help.
If it needs to be storage, where he can go grab office things when needed, then work to set it up as a storage space.
It's okay to set the hard stuff back in there, and ask for another couple of boxes to look for easy stuff in.
The cake plate looks good on the table as is!
I needed to see this today. Family of 4, and we have been living with my inlaws for almost 2 1/2 years while looking for a home. We are living in a very small space that has definitely gotten cluttered. Before we had moved, I had decluttered my entire house, and it was very peaceful. I miss that feeling! There is only so much I can do because this space isn't ours, and we are living with our stuff and their stuff, and it has just gotten very tight. I'm gonna try setting a 5 minute timer and start small in trying to get rid of some of the stuff that we have accumulated.
I rely on these videos each week to help me go deeper in my decluttering mission!
I see the paper bag as a storage container that also will sit on its side so you can see what’s in it like a file folder
This video helped me see that a lot of the "helpful" things in my house were not helping my stress level. These things were purchased to help with clutter or because they were pretty or because they were a decorator item. I kept trying to find the "thing" that would help me feel better about my home. I realized from this video that I had lost sight of my home because of all the "things" I was adding to solve my problem. The quest for the perfect "thing" was working against me. I am now motivated and inspired to clear out these unneeded things. Your video is the source of that inspiration. Thank you for sharing your insight and tips. Especially the 5-minute focus. What a great way to get the ball rolling and not feel like it all has to be done at one time! Whew!
The training from advertising to buy more is strong. I keep telling my kids "The world is for sale" so I hear it myself..
By the time we start to understand that we have clutter at home, we ourselves become too old and tired to declutter all by ourselves. Now I think after age 50, we all should stop filling our home with anything that we really don’t need. My opinion and experience. Thanks 🙏
Just put the kids down for nap time and ready to tackle a little more of the dreaded guest room! Perfect timing! Thanks Dawn! 😊
I saw this quote and thought it was so applicable to what you do - "When you choose to collect experiences rather than things, you never ever run out of storage space" by Joshua Becker. Thank you for the positive change that you bring to our lives🥰 love your channel and think you are just so awesome😁
I love waking up on a Wednesday morning knowing there's a new video from you to help me on my decluttering journey 🎉❤. Love from Perth, Australia 🇦🇺
I'm from Perth too! A very decluttered city we are making 😅
I’m from Hobart, and have only discovered this RUclips video today……
Dawn, I can not tell you how much this helped me today. I am completely overwhelmed by a recent move with my children into a fixer-upper that is smaller than my previous in many ways. I have 4 weeks to get this house settled enough to move my adult foster clients here. It is very dirty, needs real work, and doesn't hold my stuff well! Your video today helped me get up and go with a more positive attitude! Thank you!
Thank you Jennifer. For all you are doing !!!!
Oh that's so much Jennifer!!!! Sending love and EXTRA energy! :)
Thank you!
I have made good strides since starting to watch you recently. My inventory is deep!!! Today I wore myself out going thru paperwork (which is the worst) and took a 2 hour nap and then continued after dinner for about 15 more minutes. My issue is I have saved so much paperwork I simply don't need to hold onto anymore. It feels so good to be able to purge all those papers. I have so many small random things to sort thru. The good thing is I have a thrift shop I can regularly donate to. Thanks for all your good advice 🙏
Thanks, Dawn! I've been putting off cleaning the floor in our bedroom for quite awhile. Most of the rest of the house is under control now, minus the basement, but I've worked on it and I WILL get to it! For some reason I thought the bedroom floor would take a really long time, but I just set a timer for 20 minutes because that was how long I had, and not only did I get everything off the floor, but I also did the closet floors and vacuumed and had 2 minutes to spare when I finished!
You are so skilled at laying out super effective tips in an efficient and straight forward way! For the "floor" tip, we've applied this very seriously. Ive gotten rid of furniture that takes up floor space, like end tables we didn't use, and we've wall mounted shelves instead of having units that sit on the floor. Even by my bed is a small shelf for my glasses and phone (my light is wall mounted) instead of a bedside table. All these steps make for less dusting and MUCH easier vacuuming!!
YES!!! Love this!!!
Your vacuum robot loves this too.
Yes! I was so happy to get a robot last Christmas because now I have more reason to keep everything off the floor!
@@lynnb1226 I want a robot if we get the new flooring we want...
It’s a beautiful day here in East Texas❤ I’m a spring person so I’m in heaven right now. Blessings to y’all from sunny and warm Texas.
I swear the flat surfaces are more stressful than the floors but both make a big difference
Just clearing the floors like she said will make a huge difference. Seeing the floor declutterred encouraged me to vacuum, which encouraged me to dust, which encouraged me to clear off the flat surfaces, and that’s motivated me to stay tidier as I go. Timers are the way to go, and reward yourself at the end.
That is such a cool idea!
Funny about the floor thing - 20 years ago when I had little kids and life was in a cluttered state I would say to myself “just don’t look at the floor, keep your eyes up”. I guess that was a legitimate coping mechanism 😂😂
Hi dawn , You are my hero , I am a single , 38 year old , living in a studio apartment . I want to simplify so much because I can only stand so much inventory or I feel like I am growing out of my space . I get stressed out easily . I watch your videos as often as I can . Thank you .
I always start your videos thinking I'm just going to watch this time while I lay on my bed. But by the end I am up working alongside you! Never fails. Thank You!
Dawn, you are such a ray of sunshine. You are by far my favorite online personality. You are sweet and I love your content. I’ve told all the ladies in my family. Keep up the good work! 🎉
doom scrolling is my absolute downfall, I start with good intentions and then I've lost hours to my phone, that makes me feel worse and even more demotivated 😢 I have started listening to a cleaning audio and that has helped with keeping on track, but I have to actually turn it on first 😂, many thanks for your continued support, I know I will get through this ❤❤
Cleaning audio? What is this, I might need it too!
Yeah what’s a cleaning audio? 😂
Thanks for the reminder about the floors! I need to remember to adress them as priority. I've been feeling unsettled in my appartement lately and this is why. Just random things I allow to live on the floor!
I want you to hit 1 million! Longtime subscriber!
She's on her way...I just subscribed.😀
Dawn, I don't mean to be weird but I love you! Thank you so much because this really works! I watched this video yesterday and I told my husband about it and did an example by working on our bedroom counter in the RV (which we live in) for a few minutes. I just did the easy stuff and it worked and now I can't wait to tackle other things.
I also thought I had to be perfect or finish a decluttering task and it made me not even want to start if I wasn't going to make a big difference.
But now I see that even getting rid of a few things if that's all I'm ready for is a good thing and it does make a difference.
I feel like you've removed the block that was in the way.
It's funny because I've used this principle with cleaning and it's been wonderful. When I wasn't doing well with cleaning I made a goal to just clean for five minutes a day or to just clean one thing that I see that needs cleaning , like a window ledge or one shelf in the fridge. Over time doing that made a big difference and sometimes I would clean more.
Thank you, Dawn. Thank you and God bless you and your family.
Thank you :) Used your time talk to sort out several piles in laundry I’d been dreading, before you finished :)
The most helpful one for me this and last year!!!😅 Thank you sooo much for the much needed motivation!! 🙏 ❤ 2:26
Dawn is so not pushy to say it doesn’t cost anything to subscribe. The million subscribers will be awesome 🤩
My 18 year old son has really motivated me to declutter our basement! We have set an appointment with each other 2-3 hours a week to tackle 1 area. The basement looks so much better. I feel like I can breathe! Because of you, Cass and Dana, I feel less attached to things and able to let go of a lot. Thank you!
No!!! Don't throw that beautiful bag away!!! Been subscribed for years.
I decorate those handle bags and use for gifts. I’m glad it’s not just me who was yelling “don’t throw the bag away!”
@@goldieff so funny, bc I commented about that paper bag before seeing these comments! So glad that a few others thought & felt the same way😄 ! I need a whole thing on recycling/ repurposing& organizing those "projects"!😵💫🙃
I was thinking the same!
Hi Dawn: I have been watching for over a year and I've been in maintenance mode for 6 months. My friends are inspired by my highly simplified home, and I've gotten several of them to subscribe to your channel to help the cause. You are so right about five minutes matters. In five minutes, we can reset most of the house at this point. Between your five minutes matter and steps to declutter for things that don't have a home, along Dana's container concept, I love how you both show videos at various stages of the process. It's very helpful for those still struggling to get through the journey. Keep up the great work. You are reaching many with your message. I know you will make the goal for 1M.
I have a basket for projects. Ironing, mending, repair, paint, etc, when it is full it time to get it done.
😊 11:20
Dawn, Great video. Shhh...don't tell Dawn I stopped for a break to watch her video. 😅 5 min really does matter. Last wk, my Hubby told me he had some time to get me started on cleaning my sewing / craft room. I was able to work on it several days. I started with your onion method & got 2 bags of trash, started a giveaway pile, & a bag of papers to burn. It's still going to take a while longer to get it done, but it feels so good to get it started. We'll, I gotta get back to work. 😊
This was just what I needed! I was sitting here looking around my living room and kitchen, knowing that I had to just pick up and Declutter! I set my timer for 5 minutes, and I was amazed at how much I got done. It was fun to work along with you. I love your videos.😘 Your advice has changed my life.
I loved this video! Listened while staging my house to sell. Our first showing is tomorrow morning and I owe MUCH of my success to you!!!! Thank you for what you do! 💜💜💜💜
Omg yes! The sun and no sun is two totally different energy levels for me!!!
Sorry, I don't have the energy, because I do laundry in two days. Yesterday I did most and today I hanged what needed to dry indoors and I do fold and put away the other stuff. When your video came up I was parked, waiting for a child to get out of school. It is pouring in Los Angeles, CA ❣️💞😂
Love you ❣️ You are bringing the walls of clutter down ❣️❣️🧐🤔😒🫣🤯🎉🎉Little by little by alot 😂🎉❤
I will definitely be replaying and doing more than 5 minutes when I get home❣️💞❣️ Thank you ❣️
Send us some of that rain! Arizona thanks you in advance. 😊
@@martharetallick204 According to the forecast it is on it way❣️❣️💞🎉💞🌦🌧🌨🌧🌨⛈️🌊💧💧☔️
I'm running out of things to declutter. Friday I decluttered a box of organizing items that I found to be useless. This run through has me weeding out a lot less.
You are gold thank you.clutter= stress Wow so true
Dawn, your presentation is so professional, articulate, concise, understandable, and enjoyable. You have a gift, and I am glad that you are using it.
Fellow Minnesotan here, the "sun is out - I can accomplish anything" is SO real! 😅 Thanks for the motivation and tips for when it's harder to find the urge to be productive.
Thank you Dawn. I love you. You have helped me more than you’ll ever know. “There is only three kinds of stuff” is what did it for me. I am looking at the Garage right now and it looks like 1million different things. But if there’s only three kinds then maybe I can unfreeze myself and tackle it.
I find that setting a timer keeps me super focused on getting as much done as possible to “beat” the clock! And it’s kind of fun! ❤😂
This video came at just the right time. I have not been motivated to clean, just barely getting through. I watched my 3 granddaughters today and 😮😮 they were busy. When the youngest 2 went home, it took everything I had to pick everything up because it looked overwhelming and even tho I saw your video after I picked up, I realized it probably only took me 5 to 10 minutes to do. Everything had a home, and that phrase is one I have loved and have strived for ever since I watched your first video!! Thank you, Dawn! 😊
I tend to anthropomorphize objects (maybe that’s why Marie Kondo resonated with me) but that sock under the box made me laugh.
I could just see someone leaving the box there for weeks, which could totally happen, then thinking the sock was lost, decluttering the other sock and then finally lifting up the box and it says “I’ve been under here for WEEKS, where’s my mate?”
😜
Love your videos and ideas! I am not a minimalist, but the more I do this method, the more I realize that I don't need! I am almost 60, and pretty broken for my age. I can only clean/declutter in small incriminates of time, but it is happening! It makes it easier to keep my house clean, and it helps to keep me less stressed. I am a cricket (if you watch Cass) and clutter stresses me out. Thank you so much!!!! I can't wait to see your videos when they pop up!!!!
I was feeling really unmotivated this morning. I put you on and forced myself into the kitchen for five minutes. I got way more done than I thought and am ready to do more. I love this 5 mins rule! Thankyou for sharing
It was a beautiful sunny day here where I live, and I took my grandson on a stroller walk. I really enjoy watching your videos and today I am subscribing . Thank you for all the content you put out and all the hard work you do.
I'm in the process of decluttering my bedroom and I'm here because I sat down and wanted to cry. My boyfriend and I are in the beginning stages of looking for our own home and I can't bring these awful bad habits to a new place. I also want to help my parents declutter their apartment (which is where I currently live) because they deserve a cozy clean space. Thank you for this video, I just subbed, you have a whole library of videos I need in my life.
Thx❤ sun is shining and Im starting with the floor
Dawn, I'm loving that hair cut/hair length on you!
Flat surfaces always stress me out. To minimalize the wide spread clutter I grab a box or bin so I can more quickly start taking everything to it's home. I organize what's left and know that the rest is trash.
Thanks for all the tips! 🙂
Been subscribed and watching you, Cas, and Dana for a few years now. You guys have helped me so, so much!!
But.... Every few months I find myself overwhelmed and feeling like I'm drowning in clutter again. I grew up in a hoarder home, so it's especially triggering when things pile up, literally.
Today, I felt lost. I've decluttered so much that there really isn't a lot left to get rid of, but I also live in a very small space, so there isn't a lot of room to put things. That being said, I am an expert procrastinator... And there are a lot of projects I've been putting off.
While listening to this video, I *finally* hung some wall plates that have been waiting almost a year to be hung.
Thank you for helping me find the motivation. You're right; it wasn't as hard as I made it seem. I think that applies to a lot of my projects; it's not hard, I just overthink it until it seems hard.
Thank you!!
It works! This morning I had a little free time and looked over at my desk, which has a stack of "stuff" to be gone through but it was kind of overwhelming. I had just watched this post, so I did the FIVE MINUTES declutter... and it WORKS!! Now my desk is clean and clear, and like you mentioned, I felt motivated to keep going. So for the next hour I did a much-needed Paper declutter of the INSIDES of my desk. Woo hoo!!! Thanks again, and to anyone wondering if this works.. IT DOES!
What a great reminder!
A while ago I started limiting my screen time to the pockets of cleaning and decluttering. Even just listening to a podcast, some music or a video now automatically gets me into the mood of wanting to do something. My house never looked cleaner and I really enjoy the benefits of good input during tasks I need to do anyway.
Starting this vid, I was filling the sink to wash dishes. Looked at the floor & was surprised at the stuff on it. Paused the dishes & picked up the the kitchen floor. You're right! Does feel much better now. I also figured out, if I 1st throw away any trash, food, & wash recycling that gets in with the dishes, it is a much nicer chore & looks better immediately.
5 minutes leads me to more minutes 😮 love these kinds of videos ❤
I'm still in the initial decluttering process though I've probably got rid of a lorry load of stuff (I don't think I'm even exaggerating). We have a large house with several spare rooms and every spare room was a mess before. They now aren't but we're still decluttering. A lot has been donated a little has been sold and a fair bit was only fit for rubbish. We plan on selling our home so it's a mixture of decluttering and other jobs that need doing to make our house look better. I have fibromyalgia and something I've recently found that's helped a lot is to have one small job that isn't an every day job (so not the dishwasher), every day that I try to get done no matter how bad I feel and even if I'm at work that day. Occasionally that doesn't work like when I have really bad fatigue but most the time I at least get that 1 job done. And often when I'm having a better day on a day off I get a lot more done. I don't do time because when I'm feeling bad I'm slow. That is really building up to a lot of jobs completed. So today's job after I cleaned the kitchen and volunteered to distribute food was to sort 1 cupboard in my kitchen. The last thing I wanted to do was sort a cupboard when I'd finished volunteering but it only took me about 10 mins to do. I dragged the bin over by the cupboard and just got it done. These small jobs add up to a whole lot as time goes on though. My biggest problem has been my daughter refusing to get rid of stuff. At 16 she seems to be under the misguided impression she's in charge, though it is hard when she's buying things herself with money she earnt. She does like to keep her room really tidy though so if she says she wants to keep something I'm trying to get rid of because it's never used, I go and dump it in her room for her to find a home for it in her room. She often then decides she doesn't want to keep it after all.
Thank you so much! I found this for the no-motivation moments: Flylady Morning: Bed, Bath, Dishes, Trash, Sweep. Then I take the clutter piles all to one place, and decorate those bare surfaces. Then, seeing that basic tidy- up stop and admire! , I rest, drink water, and then attack the clutter piles! I start at 6AM and work the room around the clock, pile by pile. And tomorrow is another day!
I don’t know why but you are so relatable and motivating! I love hearing your voice as I go about my chores! I have decluttered about 1/2 of my “junk” and am working on more. My husband has also become inspired to do the same! The thrift stores have benefited from it! We are still working on it but I just wanted to tell you how motivational you are! M home is so much easier to keep clean!
Still one of my favourite channels to follow 😊 I was able to feel calm about sorting out my Dad's house recently as he now needs a nursing home. No way would I have been able to hone in on the important things and let the rest go without guilt. Thank you Dawn!
I love that you are introducing your own video. I don't like it when someone else does it, instead of you.
I think the intro is only on the podcast channel.
Just love your videos. You are so real and you actually talk while you doing it. I used to say 15 min - I can do anything for 15. But I love the 5 min timer!
It was so great to be at the meet and greet with you!!!!!
I have always started with the floor and have always know it motivates me, but now I understand more why. 🤯
Love the Menards Christmas bag. We definitely still have those at our house too!!
Great message 5 minutes matter. Let’s get it done 🎉
Thank you SO much for this! I’m a college student that hasn’t lived full time at my parent’s house in almost 4 years. Now I’m home for a few extra months and I have been so overwhelmed with decluttering my room so I can fully unpack and have a clean bedroom again. Motivation is a big factor, and knowing where to start has been a huge stressor. I’m watching this video, I knew exactly where and how to start, and I had easy and simple steps to guide me through the process. Thank you!!
Great tips! I was feeling overwhelmed when I attempted to tackle my computer room. I don't have much time and very little energy, but 5 minutes are doable and 5 minutes at a time is better than not doing anything at all. Thanks for the free printable as well!!
I heard a someone say recently "the problem with saying 'it'll still be there tomorrow' is that when tomorrow comes, it's still there"
It sounds like such a "duh" thing but sometimes different people need to think or hear words differently to get it to stick. I wish I'd thought like this 40 years ago when I had homework to do!
Watching you and Cas to find the motivation to do something about the nightmare in my house. I suffer from clinical depression and the current condition of my environment makes it worse. I am so tired of living this way and. being so dysfunctional. Thank you for the videos. I am subscribing to your channel.
I used to clean houses and one of the first things I did was to make the beds and then pick up all the stuff from the floor and put it on the bed. I then started putting the stuff on the bed away. This made me feel the room was cleaner because the floor was no longer cluttered. Also making your bed every morning will make your room seem cleaner. My daily routine is to make the bed and pick up the bathroom and do a quick wipe down with a Clorox wipe. This takes maybe 5 minutes, once a week I do a deeper clean of the bathroom.
You are a really good person. My clients have to put their own stuff away and get stuff off the floor bf I arrive
I have heard from other RUclips channels that sometimes people get unsubscribed without their . I joined this channel many many years ago and just now I had to resubscribe
Perfect timing! I was literally sitting thinking about how I needed a video on this delema. I am currently 15 weeks pregnant, in the middle of remodeling projects and everyone in my house including myself is recovering from being really sick. I also have 3 kiddos 6 and under and it can be really hard to keep house and have motivation to keep moving forward with it all. Im also homeschooling. But I'm feeling spring coming. Its really sunny outside and gives me excitement to start again. Thank you so much for this video! It was needed greatly.
Wow, you have a lot on your plate. Maybe you need to lower your expectations a bit or get some help. Cheering from the sidelines.
Not on insta or FB but wanted to tell you Christine that I am on such a roll with decluttering! I unpacked my Easter decorations this year and for the first time was asking myself "Why do I even HAVE all this stuff??" It's just more inventory! I have been taking weekly (minimum) trips to thrift shop. I can't get rid of this decision fatigue and clutter making stuff fast enough!!! And my cupboards are so easy to put stuff away It's awesome!
I started thinking quality over quantity a while back so now I don't spend money on random decor and stuff. That mind set really helped from going from a poor college kid to an adult with kids
This three category system is so helpful. It´s great to get the recycling and "have a home" things out of the way and then face the homeless things.
Couple of things. 1. I don’t normally look at what people are wearing in their videos but I just want to say that those jeans that you have on are absolutely gorgeous. The colour is just such a beautiful blue.
And 2. the reason i became a minimalist was because of all the stress of everyday life and my stuff was just getting so overwhelming to organise. I realised that if I ever wanted to just get up and leave my home for whatever reason I knew I would have a mountain of stuff to pack and also have to pay for moving it to another location.
Now I only keep what I need. Even my bed ( futon ) can just get rolled up and put away. I don’t even want to own anymore bulky furniture either. Living light has been so rewarding and it’s thanks to watching videos like these. Many thanks from across the miles…
I do think the "what do I want to keep things that are my projects?" is one of the hardest things! Both my husband and I tend to leave them out because if we out them away, we'll forget either where we put them or that they are a project. I currently have a quilt top sitting in the kitchen table, because I'm waiting to call a gal about taking it to have her quilt it
I think I need to designate someplace in my house for "waiting," or "projects"!
This is really helpful. The three kinds of things trick is life-changing.