If you want to know my biggest lessons from decluttering 10 years worth of stuff, watch this video ru-vid.com/video/%D0%B2%D0%B8%D0%B4%D0%B5%D0%BE-eP9PcAQlELY.html
I started decluttering when I realized how large our moving van was for the entire house and the fact we had to make multiple trips in our own vehicles with more stuff. I've been working on this for 3 years now.
Yes.. there are a lot of white/black and either/or thinking from people who promote decluttering. Like the saying “if it’s not a clear yes, it’s a no”… BUT we’re all different and some of us have a slower process and need time to think (and feel) things through. I often take decluttering “rounds” and end up getting rid of things the third or forth time I have that item in my hands. Thank you for reminding us ❤️ that we are also human and there is nothing wrong with the attachment to things and stuff. Letting go is also letting go of too high standards of how to declutter or how to be a minimalist. We have to find our own way. And a big YES also to your explanation about decluttering is not nescessarily the same as minimalism! 👍🏼😉
Thank you for your lovely comment. Yes, I've come to appreciate the benefits of taking time to declutter rather than rushing to get rid of things in one go ❤️
I did this! I walked away from everything in my home I couldn't carry myself. Which didn't leave much. I don't miss any of it. But I didn't have emotional attachments to the stuff. I think that's key.
My experience at "decluttering" my home has lasted 3 years. I take it in phases. Now, I really think 2x before purchasing anything not consumable. I found the "one and done" approach to be overwhelming. Slow processing fit me better both mentally and physically.
@@ThisEditedLife yes but unfortunately this unnecessary American extension is creeping into some UK RU-vidrs and I can't stand it! Along with adding 'ality' at the end of words that don't need it!! What is the function of a kettle? / What is the functionality of a kettle? Makes my kettle and my blood boil!!
Thank you for sharing your experience with us. You have a way of helping sort what is important and what isn’t. It never is a one size fits all when it comes to our lives. Thanks 💕🇨🇦
I think it's good to chunk areas down, if you aren't up for a large area, just a small easy one can keep the momentum going. I also try to not be hard on myself, if I am torn on something I keep it and often times the next time I go to that area I get rid of lots more stuff and wonder how it didn't make the cut the first or 2nd time.
What really helped me was establishing a curation process. I'm in my 70s. I wanted to pass on meaningful photos to family members but not burden them with a bunch of boxes of random snapshots. I made up two albums, one for each of my sons. These contained photos of their ancestors mounted in an old-fashion album with heavy black paper and white ink captions. These photos had come to me from my mother. I had photos dating back to the 1800s. I used a good color copier and photo paper to make duplicates for the albums if needed for the two albums. I added to the albums significant photos of my sons' childhoods. After giving them the albums, I felt that the responsibility for the family history had been respectfully passed on. I went through my own photos and reduced them to my favorites and put them in a photo storage box. These were for my own pleasure to look through when I wanted. The rest of the photos I discarded. These were photos I knew no one else would want. I'm really not worried about losing photos anymore. My sons have taken thousands of their own photos of their children, which I have digital access to. Their families are well documented.
I have begun to dispose of photos from my own life that have no meaning for my heirs. They do not know the people or why I have pictures of them. Family photos are being labelled (in pencil on the back) and my heirs can decide for themselves what to keep and what to discard.
