Decluttering is definitely a calming ritual for me and it's so great seeing others do the same! It makes the harder parts a bit easier knowing there's a whole community behind you!
The people who were commenting on your journey to minimalism- I think you’re planting seeds! There wasn’t a label, but my dad is a minimalist and I never understood it, and even took it personally when he would get upset when I bought him birthday and Christmas gifts (after he told me not get him anything...). Now I understand him. So no matter what people think now- you’re still planting seeds and being a great example of a, in my opinion, a life better lived. :)
I'm like your dad. I don't want people to give me stuff....so if they insist I ask them to get me beef jerky or some kind of food. We can always use food 😎
I love how your mom is so involved with your everyday life. I live across the country from my mom but we are moving closer to her in a few months and this video reminds me of how it will be with my 2 boys and their Oma! I am also in the midst of minimilazing in anticipation of our move, so thank you for your inspiration! One other thing, I really respect that your house is a good example of what America is. All these other videos on RU-vid show people with unbelievable "model" homes that aren't really relatable for the everyday viewer.
Thank you, That is great you will be living closer to your mom! Yes we live in a 1950's home and most people in America do to ha ha, I know what you mean though about watching YT and only seeing brand new homes I see that too.
Saying No is the hardest, especially to family members. I end up donating 90% of things my sister and mom gave me. It is exhausting to clean up unwanted gifts..
I just tuned in to you today dec 19/2020. I haven’t gotten there yet and I have enough clothes to last a year without washing some! In your video “say no to things and not accept them. I have a really difficult time saying no to my mum when she picks up clothes on her travels as I can’t part with the one in one out rule. I have to purge my clothes indeed but it’s difficult. I have said no to my mum on some items but she doesn’t respect me to listen and keeps bringing stuff I don’t want despite saying no.(so does my dad who finds things and brings them over to drop off and never uses it again) I tell him to please stop and he doesn’t listen. He keeps doing it bringing more and more “junk” he has found and defying me as I am the child even tho I am in mid 50’s (my parents treat me and speak to me as if I am still a child). It is frustrating when I want to minimize and you have hoarders for parents!!
Just wanted to say- I adore your kitchen. So charming. People always want to change everything to get the latest style but I love that you’ve kept the green & yellow & the vintage cabinet style. When it’s clean & fresh like yours is, it is very charming & cheerful. I love it. It also shows how people can be content with what they have, freshen it up a little, and it can work beautifully. They don’t have to have an all white kitchen with quartz (because granite is out of style now) counters to be “enough “ and because everyone else does.
You are the first person I’ve ever seen on a minimalist video, tell me that it’s ok to not be so busy all the time! I love it!! I’m mean that’s the goal- right?? To not have so much stuff to manage. To not have so many toys to pick up and laundry to do. I’m in the process of decluttering my home and that’s my goal- to have less stuff to manage. To not be so busy and have more time with my kids.
Minimalism isn't about getting rid of absolutely everything. If you enjoy spending time every day choosing your outfit then you should do that. It's all about where you want to spend your time. While I don't have a capsule wardrobe, I do have a more minimalist wardrobe than most people and I've found it helpful to go through my wardrobe and get rid of all the clothes that I find myself not wearing very often so that I only have the clothes that I really like wearing. This way I reap the benefits of a capsule wardrobe (saving time in the morning when getting dressed), but I still get to have the clothes that I enjoy wearing.
Just had to tell you...I binge watched the decluttering videos with your Mom tonight. Found 4 of them. I just love her. She's crazy like me when I do things with my grown daughter. So fun! Say hi for me😊
I watched a video, can’t remember who it was but instead of picking through every item in your closet, they said to just grab what you actually wear and get rid of the rest. I did that and now I only have 10 items in my closet! It’s refreshing :)
For the last months I have been wearing a capsule wardrobe and I just sent two huge boxes of clothes I have not touched to charity. I still have drawers full, but it's a great start!
Really nice video. I like your no-frills approach to presenting your ideas. No fancy effects, no over-dramatic expressions, just a simple articulation of your thoughts. I really appreciate it and I hope that as your channel inevitably grows you maintain these qualities and stay true to what you are trying to convey. Best wishes, friend.... Have a great year 😊
I really admire that you are concerned about the environment. The mining, manufacture, transport and disposal of so much stuff that we really don’t need, is becoming a nightmare for our waterways, our soils and our planet generally. We simply must reduce our consumption for the future wellbeing of our children and grandchildren and also for the other species that share this precious Earth, both plant and animal.
Love this video, some great tips and I especially appreciate that you don't try to make everything match in your storage, you just use what is on hand. Thanks also for putting in subtitles, I always appreciate when someone makes accomodations. I'm lucky I don't need subtitles but having kids with disabilities makes me realise that there are many who may need that help.
I love your home. It is so comforting to just look at. I have been decluttering for the past 3 years and still find "Stuff". I know the problem with impulse buying. We don't live near department stores, so when I get to drive 120 miles to a store I like, I tend to buy something I already have! (My how my memory disappears). I need to write down the colors of sweaters before venturing out. I recently went to JCP (which is closing near us). I came home with a white pullover I already have! I enjoy your blog and also Noemi at Scandish Home. I was devastated when she said they were moving, but do understand. I now love watching her and her husband remodel their "new" home. Thanks for all the good advice.
This was REALLY helpful. I don't aim to completely become a minimalist but I personally think MANY of these habits are very helpful and applicable to my life, esp. to save money, stress, and your mind haha. Thank you for this, I will try to tackle some of these for 2021!
Haha when she was picking things off the floor in the lounge room. Pick up blanket and the son immediately threw it back on the floor. I was like ”triggered”
Clear kitchen surfaces. Yes! DH loves to have all his nifty appliances (which seldom get used) all over the counter where he can gloat over them. Not only does it limit work area, they make it look cluttered and collect crumbs and dust under them, because who is going to shift a heavy mixer and bread maker and blender and everything else every time they make a piece of toast?
Wow.. What a elegant space you have created in your home.. I just loved it. I am also in the journey of minimalism. I will really incorporate these tips in my home and life.. Lots of love from India 🇮🇳
Love to watch & Re- watch episodes 👍 Inspiration for my own Decluttering - helps go not just top of mind, but also go into the subconscious 😁.Good positive ideas for everyday living. Also, enjoy seeing your art🎨!
Being a conscious consumer and being minimal is where I'm having a bit of a conundrum. My husband keeps asking what I want for Christmas and I can't think of a thing since I'm trying to get rid of stuff rather than needing stuff. And us spending time together is something we do often and when we do we tend to go shopping. I really need to think outside of the box this Christmas.
Hmm this is a hard one! My husband and I don't get each other anything because of this exact reason. Usually, we will save our money for a trip somewhere, but of course this year we will being staying home LOL
Maybe you could ask him to make a donation in your name for a needy cause eg, here we can plant a tree 🌳 & receive a certificate in the person’s name or donate to a hospital or institute & get a plaque in their name etc Good luck 👍🏼 & happy Xmas 🎄💝🎉💐
@@sharonshmuel3386 I've thought about doing something like this with my kids since they're older and harder to buy for. Plus it'll instill a great sense of giving.
Donations, experiences (my son is getting tickets for a show in October 2021), acts of service (my ex would take a task off my shoulders for a span of time).
Definitely want to implement these habits! I feel like I do a big declutter once a year, but don’t have habits that keep it decluttered. I probably need to cancel amazon prime too. 🙄
I did the 40 items declutter challenge for 7 days. I was surprised at the number of things I was able to purge. It also taught me to say no to freebies that I don’t need cluttering my space.
I agree that it's really difficult not to make impulse purchases or wish for the newest things. While it's still easy for me to get rid of items, I'm finding that I'm in a constant state of just replacing them with something more trendy, which is really no better than hoarding a bunch of stuff. Thanks for the reminders!
I love that you are doing these videos and bringing environmental aspects into it. If you do sushi a lot get yourself a couple of sushi mats. They look like placemats made with thin sticks or strip of bamboo and they will make your life SOOO much easier. Especially for tiny fingers. Much easier to use than saran wrap and reusable so Eco 😊 We keep a couple in the cutlery drawer and the kids adore making sushi.
Super video! I truly enjoyed this a lot because I have been getting rid of more and more items in my home and it feels great! Your videos are always so inspiring and upbuilding for me. Thanks so much for sharing your life with us.
It's really nice to see these tips...could you please do a video in reducing food wastes , especially the perishables and how you generally do grocery shopping without ending up buying excess..thanks
Just found your channel. Today I decluttered my China cabinet drawers and got rid of little spoons and forks that were my mom's. Don't know where they came from but I never used them. Saved them because they were either silver or heirloom pieces from my stepdad's family. Put them all into donation box. I love ❤️ my capsule wardrobe. Used to be an impulse shopper but when the pandemic hit, no more shopping. Never liked online shopping. Do now I am very happy with my 36 piece winter wardrobe. Will do same for other reasons. Great advice and I'll watch all your previous videos. It snowed 4 inches here in Saginaw Michigan so good time to decluttering stuff.
I really love minimalism! So much easier to clean our house... people will always have their own opinion. But I don't let that phase me. We are slowly getting rid of unnecessary stuff! Thanks for your advice and video. Greetings from a very cold South Africa lol
These tips were really good and gave me motivation to get started! Especially on budgeting I start and then stop every year it's my goal to budget more.
I really love all your tips! You are really good at explaining , and using common sense! Really really enjoy your videos and putting those ideas into practice seems so much easier the way you explain it ☺️ thank you!!
Love watching your videos Shannon :) You inspire me so much in my minimalism journey. I have decluttered so much during the lockdown as I felt I need that space mentally and physically to think more clearing and simplifying my life has been transformational. Thank you for the tips :)
I hear you with other people’s comments, the harder I try to de clutter the harder it seems my husband and som keep bringing things in. Also trying to go as paperless in kitchen as possible, I made up paper towels, and cloth napkins they both complain about them and won’t use them.
Hi Nancy, I also had some complaints about not having paper napkins so I got 2 sets of cloth napkins and I stopped buying the paper ones LOL. Now they have no choice hahaha.
@@shannontorrens1 my mother lives down the road from Pismo. It’s one of our favorite places to go (that and the Bob Jones walk). Wishing you and your family a happy and safe holiday.
I love the part about a minimalist wardrobe, and also the tidy kitchen! However, I can't really see how you will avoid having to buy new beds or mattresses when the children get older and want to have friends staying over. Or if you want/need to have friends or relatives staying over at some point.
Loved this video💖, great info and tips!😊 I've just started to simplify and declutter my home and already I'm seeing major benefits for me and my family. Looking forward to following your channel and learning more👍...
Do you have a list of video of clothing vendors? I would prefer to eventually start investing in higher quality and more classic items that will last a long time vs buying clothes often because they fall apart or are fast fashion.
I don't have a list, I usually just feel each item I buy to make sure it's made with good material and the stitching is done well. I don't really go by brand, but by the fit and feel of the clothing. =)
This was great Shannon thank you! So many pearls of wisdom. I love the create a space and don't feel like you need to fill it. I live in a sharehouse and it gets tricky when we all aren't on the same journey 😔 but I know at least with the things I have I truly like them. I like your point about being OK to not be busy. I'll work on that 👌love the art that you all do together. So special 💞 thanks again & keep up the amazing work 👏 hi from Australia 🇦🇺
Nice tips ☺️ I am still buying things that were not planned somethimes - home decor or new toys and I allways regret it but it's hard to stop 😣😢 I don't want to spend on something that I will decluter in few days
I'm trying to become a minimalist, (kinda)but it's especially hard because I'm a kid, because your family give you lots of gifts for your birthday/Christmas 😅
I somehow encountered your video and I am glad I found you because I tend to buy on impulse and I need to save money for vacation and for other stuff.Just continue what your doing.You definitely inspired me.By the way I subscribed .
I used to do a capsule wardrobe but in the fall of 2017 I minimized to owning 40 clothing pieces for all 4 seasons 🇨🇦. I have 19 professional pieces, 11 casual pieces, 6 workout pieces & 4 lounge items. I have been commuting to the office daily through 2020, so my wardrobe needs did not change. I also rarely shop. We get groceries once a week. Other than that, it is a 2 hour drive to shop so I have to really, REALLY need something before I will bother!!
It took we a second to get this, but I remember the Friends episode. The footage I left out was when my husband first turned the couch on the side and the stow away bed popped out and slammed the whole thing to the ground LOL!
I have all my living room furniture against the wall so I can use the space, working out, kids playing etc. My mum keeps trying to give me coffee tables. Apparently the first three I sold weren't a big hint.
I like that you've been talking about the environmental impacts of minimalism. Are there any low waste RU-vid channels you really like? Minimalism has lead me towards low waste as well. But many low waste people are also young, single &/or don't have kids. And sometimes it's hard to take them seriously lol.
Hi Kiya! I like the channel Shelbizleee, but she does not have kids. My friend Noemi from Scandish home lives a low waste lifestyle with kids and she shares some excellent ideas on her channel.
@@shannontorrens1 I also like Shelbizleee. Although she doesnt have kids, she has a maturity & flexibility to her that I can still relate to. Thank you for the other recommendation as well. I will check her out.
Being a minimalist is a great idea especially when raising children. Raising kids is a lot of work. Sure wish I knew this when I had children, a job and all that goes with life