For us, family minimalism allows us to enjoy this one life we've been given. We help you PURGE unwanted items quickly, so that you, too, can get out from under piles of stuff and enjoy life!
WHO WE ARE: We're Tom and Dawn and we live with our four kids (ages 8-13) just outside of the Twin Cities in Minnesota. We took on a minimalist lifestyle about 8 years ago and haven't looked back! We don't miss any of the stuff...none of it!
BRAND PARTNERSHIPS: At this time we do not offer product reviews outside of sponsored promotion. To download our media kit & for brand partnership packages, please visit here: www.ithinkwecouldbefriends.com/2019/03/27/brand-partners/
Thank you, This was the perfect video to watch to help me finish my late night cleaning. I never thought of watching cleaning while cleaning it's great!. I usually wait to finish my daily cleaning until my kids go to sleep because they are small under 3. We pick up the living room together and put away all dirty clothes in the bin/ dishes in the sink before bed. Also the decluttering is a game changer and takes the " inventory" out of my mind when trying to organize, I love that. I just got rid of our hightop dining table because my toddlers kept getting injured trying to climb it and once it was gone the space felt so much better. We are temporarily using a card table, can't complain tbh
When your cell phone is your only phone you have to keep it by your bed. I’ve received too many emergency calls in my life to not hear it and be there for a loved one.
did you have to put a foundation down for your mattress? I was just on the Helix website and noticed it didn't seem like you had one. Just curious and trying to figure things out...
I decluttered SO MUCH that I no longer have a dresser (my husband still has his tho lol!) I have very few clothes. I also have plastic drawers (I got them at Walmart). They used to hold craft supplies (decluttered those!) and they now live in my closet holding all of my folded clothes (t-shirts, under wear, pj's) I hang everything else (PS - I do not have a walk in closet!)
I let go a ton of books and journals, notebooks a few years ago, probably the hardest to let go because I love books and learning. But I told myself the knowledge was still in my mind and I could always get them again if I wanted too. Now I don't miss any of them and am thinking of letting go of even more!
Thank you so much for taking your time to do this video!! As a senior, I'm unable to try everything and get rid of stuff that doesn't work. Years ago I had that experience with various products-just not doing it anymore. THX ❣
Love these so much. You continue to inspire me. My life is so much better now that I'm following so many of your principals. Thank you for making a difference!
These all sound like amazing tips and I would love to work on a number of these in my own room! I love the idea of getting rid of furniture and flat spaces; however, I'm sharing a room with my sister and we have a tiny closet that we share, which is hard to see what's inside, plus a dresser for each of us. Any tips on how to make more space in the room itself while having such limited closet space?
I just cleared off half of the contents on my dresser while watching this video. I put it in a box, I’m going to tuck it away and check back the box in a month. I’m 12 months post partum and some of the items we used when we brought baby home that we don’t use frequently (humidifier, books half read, lotions, deodorant). Some can be put in the bathroom. I want our bedroom to be peaceful and distraction free.
Instead of buying detergent, I recommend getting an ozone machine. Ozone does the same thing as soap - ie allows the water to penetrate the fabric. For ~$250, you never have to buy soap again!
Focus on things that are specific to you, such as your shoes, your toiletries, your books. Don't make a big pronouncement. Start small with a cupboard, a nightstand or drawer here and there. Keep a tote ready by your backdoor and as you slowly clean out, that tote will be filled and ready for the thrift store. On your errand day, drop off without any fanfare or declaration. Slow and steady will make a huge difference in feeling swallowed alive by stuff or that the goal is hopeless. It is indeed in your reach, even in small steps.
For manuals, we have a file folder in our file cabinet. Coffe maker, lawn mower, ANYTHING that came with a manual, it all goes in there. You could also designate a box in a closet or whatever works dedicated to manuals. My problem is magazines and catalogs. I just cannot bring myself to get rid of them because I like to go back and look at them. 😑
I have completely failed at a gallery wall! I loved seeing pics of my family everywhere but It made my house feel smaller and look more messy. It is definitely something that requires alot of planning to make it nice.
I LOVE your videos Dawn!! Thank you! My family also has an issue with bread, and we've moved into ancient grain and it's really changed things for us. I hope you're able to find a good solution for your family! <3
This is one of the best comment sections I've ever seen! So many useful tips! I just found you today, and this video had great ideas that I never heard before. Thanks for your content! Sincerely, your newest subscriber. 💕
Dawn, I’m trying to figure out where to make my Deliberation Station. I live in a small house like you with a family of five with no garage or spare room. That seems to be my sticking point moving from the piles of things I want to get tried of to finally getting it out of the house.
I would suggest a coat of paint once the room is decluttered. I patched holes after decluttering decir and then painted a fresh coat of paint. Made all the difference!
I currently have no shelves or cabinets Everything I have has to be stored in the other room. It's temporary for 2 years but still a hassle. as I'm in the basement. The kitchen area is only 11 x 7, I have a microwave cart, a utility cart and 2 black wire shelves. Surely there is a way to work with that. I don't like visual clutter by the way. All of this has to be hid from my sight. Any suggestions?
When I redesigned my bedroom, I wanted to eliminate both dressers and nightstands, I have built in wardrobes either side of the chimney breast so built a slightly wider headboard for two baskets for medication, my inhaler, etc, I then bought an Ottoman bed and my seasonal clothes go under there, no TV it's so much more peaceful and it was definitely inspired by Dawn ❤
Wow, honey! Fengshui of your bedroom needs adjustment. You get your bed in command possition and really the only way it the other wall. And no ladder! Climbing over harmony? Bedside table x2 or if no fit - 2 tiny wall round shape drop shelf on each side, ground your equal relationship. Just do it. Your marriage will bloom and prosper. And oh never ever stuff anything under your bed. Never! Don’t give excuse to yourself to be ok saying you are minimalist. Find real storage for that. Bed is joy, no storage. Your esoteric body is 6ft so under bed and above bed nothing should be anywhere. You are asking for bad health- mental or physical.
You literally answered my minds question ❓,,,IS SHE A BELIEVER? ...and then you said it!! Blew my mind Dawn! And yes, we as Christians can take words of wisdom from other sources and NOT lose who we are in Christ. Thank you!
I haven’t watched for a while and my house shows it. Peaceful it is not that sounds like an oxymoron. It took me two days to clean out my bedroom closet. I love it so much now I have a whole lot of house to work on.
I've been keeping my dresser in my closet in various apartments (as long as that apartment actually HAD a closet...one studio didn't have a closet at all, so I couldn't:( Since about 1992-ish, during my apartment off-campus in college!!! And now I don't even HAVE a dresser at all!!!! I have a closet with those wire shelves on top and a few plastic bins on the shelf for my socks and undies!!! I used the covers that came with the bins to put next to the bins for my folded jeans and just a couple of sweaters that I didn't want to hang up (so they don't stretch out) Otherwise all my other clothing is hanging! :) And I have ABSOLUTELY NOTHING on my bedroom walls for decor, and the only things on my bedroom floor are the bed (the frame has drawers for my book collection (romance lol) plus 1.5 drawers for my yoga/stretching stuff, so nothing mentally 'to do' list going on in my head;) So my bed, bedside table, bedside small trash bin, my kitty's bed in the corner, and an air purifier and humidifier, plus a couple of bowls for kitty food and water:) Add a couple of kitty toys tossed on the floor and that's it in my entire bedroom! I actually counted my bedroom stuff out of curiosity and (without my books) I had only 35 items, but that INCLUDES everything INSIDE the bedside table's drawer (this is where I keep all of my meds, Rx & OTC, and supplements, for easy am & pm access) lol...
Dawn, as part of my decluttering journey & preparing to join the Mentorship Group, I've been watching your older videos the last few days. I have a question about this one. After everything came to light about Ruby Franke & the abvse of her children, how do you feel now about expressing in this video the same views Ruby expressed with telling the school not to give your child food in order to make them feel the effects of their natural consequence of forgetting their lunch? Do you still stand by that opinion? Or has your perspective changed since then? I am just curious to hear your thoughts.
