Decluttering is like peeling an onion. Revisiting the same areas for a 2nd or third time u will find things u missed mainly because your used to an object being there, whether they r useful or not
Yes, I'm donating my stuff in layers. I gave away a big garbage bag from my walk in closet. Now it feels like I have a 'wardrobe'. Gave away a wine box full of lotions and potions, from my bathroom cupboards. Cleared out a big stack of blankets, coats and pillows from my guest room, too. Yes, it's time to go thru some more stuff. I'm trying to give away a bag or box of stuff every week. ...and, Yes, not bringing more stuff in.
It is so relieving that hear that it's normal to take that long. I have been decluttering the family home for a few weeks now, and I feel like I have barely made a dent. Thanks a million.
Yes It took me a long time, but I am happy I took my time because I didn't want to get burned out and I didn't want to regret anything I donated. I usually decluttered one area of my house every week or every other week, this gave me a lot of time to think about what I was actually using before I started the next section. I wish you luck on your decluttering journey.
Thanks a million :) It is actually very draining, and you need some tome to rest physically and emotionally, especially that I'm decluttering following a great loss on the family. Thanks for the support :)
When I was raising my children I would rotate their toys. They loved it when they would see their other toys again, and they would play with them more. When we moved to our brand new home over a year ago, I purposely set our home up in a much more minimalist way. We got rid of 75% of what we owned. I bought all new furniture, that was raised up so cleaning under them is extremely easy. I rarely need to move furniture. It takes me maybe 30 minutes at the most to do my daily house work. TFS 💗💗💗💗
I rotated toys too. It seemed that people would give my kids a LOT of stuffed toys, sometimes fairly large ones. They would even win large stuffed toys for contest prizes. I would donate those large toys right away since both my kids had dust allergies and stuffed toys are dust magnets. Women's shelters can use new toys like that for the children who come in scared with their moms. Each of my kids had two or three fave stuffed toys that would get laundered each week. The rest got donated. We valued books more than toys actually. My kids had some cherished toys and dolls and the rest of the toys were fairly transitory, got used up like art supplies, or were outgrown. Again, donate. If you know you won't have any more kids that is a great time to donate clothing and toys and books.
Biggest change for me (only 6 months in and halfway through my home): I can find things! I can’t believe how much of my life I wasted looking for things. Literally digging through drawers full of do-dads and crap I didnt even need or want to find one useful bit or bob that I did.
Wow Shannon! You have decluttered while being a mother to two small kids. Excellent! Great time to reap those benefits. My son is grown, and I am currently working on our living spaces, excluding his room and his things in storage. (Saving those for after my stuff.) I've been amazed at the benefits. One thing that has happened for me is figuring out things that I really need instead of what I have. I just replaced 2 small bookcases with an IKEA cabinet with closing doors. It's cleared up clutter and given me adequate room for photo albums.
Thanks to now that that you do this in 1year. It gives my hope and that i can thake my one time to do this . Sorry i am i dutch persone from belgium. 😊
It took me 6 years total to completely declutter. There are so many stages to go through depending on what you have, where you're going and how old you are.
These are great things to know for anyone considering going more minimal. I love that you took a year and still consider decluttering an on-going process. I am definitely doing my decluttering in stages and each time I revisit an area I am more ruthless and satisfied! Thanks so much Shannon for all the encouragement you provide! 💛🤗💛
I love the small steps approach. I tried decluttering an entire closet in a weekend and was so overwhelmed. Now, I do a drawer here and there and slowly it's getting better. The biggest tip is don't bring more stuff in! My family and friends are always giving us things but then it becomes our clutter to deal with. Sometimes, you just have to say no.
I can so relate to the lunch box situation... My husband thinks that if there is a surface available, he MUST put something there; I’m like NO. Surfaces can be clear 😂
Great video. All of these are true for me too. I'm in a second wave of minimalism now decluttering even more. For me it's a long term learning curve to find out what I need/don't need. So now, after a few years with less stuff, I'm motivated to minimise even more❤️❤️❤️
I feel the same way about waves and minimalism. Right when I think we can't get more minimalist I will realize there are things we never use. I hope you are doing well.
i spent 14 weeks of going thru my possessions and preparing for an estate sale I hired people to do. Only 1/3rd of my possessions and I kept the most expensive/treasures. I got discouraged but trooped on. I wondered WHEN I was going to reap the benefits, feel as though I was making a dent towards my goal of less. All I saw was stuff. Well, last week I saw a definite turn around with my sale. I just was handed a $7750 proceeds check which paid off a dental surgery for January. I am in bliss. I also set up a 2nd estate sale when I move to my much smaller place prior to leaving the state and getting an even smaller place and then perhaps living in an RV/Van situation. Yes, I am on my way. Thank you!
Hey Shannon. Thanks mate for the inspiration to keep going. Been in this house 20 years, mid 60s now.. decided to discard instead of loving everything in 2022. Have only done half my wardrobe but completed the kitchen. Can already see that my favourites remain. Have used the rule if I haven't used the item in 18 months then it is donated. Thank you again. 0.🇦🇺👍🙂
Hi Shannon. 🙋 I have problems, when I try to declutter much stuff in a short time. ⏳ I realize, I have to create my own way of decluttering and your channel is a wonderful inspiration. Thank you! 🌻 Greetings from Germany! 🇩🇪
The most efficient way to do it if you dont have much time: use a big, clear surface like a dinnertable. Next to the table place 4 cardboard boxes labeled: 1.donate, 2.garbage, 3.keep & 4.maybe. spread your items on the big, open surface and go through them fast based on 2 rules: is it a favorite? & did i use ot in the last year? If its no to both its gone. Are you even just a bit unsure: its for the "4.maybe" box. The maybe box allows you to speed through a pile. Not all the decisions are so final and it takes the preassure of and allows you to move really fast
Thank you for this video. I have been watching minimalism videos for some time now and I know I need this for my happiness. It is so hard for me to let go of things and I don't know why I become so attached. 2020 is going to be my year to DE clutter and you and Noemi will be my strength. Thanks again and many blessings to you
Norse Fire The more you do it the easier it gets! Start small and my best tip is to understand that even if it’s organised doesn’t mean you can’t declutter from it. X
I totally agree that decluttering is not a one time and done thing. Its a process and I keep paring down, and paring down. The Minimal Mom calls it "editing". I love the way cleaning is faster and easier after minimising our inventory😀 great video as always!!
All points are right there! I had the same experiences! I love how you collected them into this video very inspiring! Decluttering changes our behavior tremendously. We will be more aware of our everyday decisions 😊🤗❤💜xx
I don't think I'll ever be a minimalist, but I'm becoming a lot more minimal. Meanwhile, I'm a plant hoarder (lol), so, that's more about organizing than donating. Wish me luck!
So great to her about your journey and things you have learned along the way. We are really never “there”. Our journey is our life lived intentionally every day.
Thank you, the view backward for lessons learned are so useful! There is light at the end of the tunnel and I find getting to our own level of minimalism is more permanent by taking time. Once you start the momentum starts. I really like that you mention taking time to 'live in the now' and enjoy life and not become obsessed with it.
Hi Debbie! It really is easy to become obsessed with decluttering and making everything perfect. I decided it was going to be a slow process for us and this way we could still live normally and have fun during the process.
I learned about letting go and living with less in a similar process - moving halfway around the world twice - I'm from NZ originally :) Lately I'm realizing that I don't like a lot of things "shouting" at me - which brings me to my pet peeve I noticed in your video (sharing this because I think it's helpful, not to be nasty). Have you taken the big wordy advertising sticker off your Dyson yet? It drives me crazy that everything we buy is plastered in marketing, but it drives me even crazier that we don't realize we can take them OFF after we get them home. Those long tags on pillows that say they can't be removed "except by consumer" - that means we are allowed and expected to cut them off! My MIL still has all the shiny "features" stickers on her rice cooker and laptop. They're advertising for something we already bought! I'm on a mission to peel off things that shout at me unless they're necessary for safety. Anyway, thanks for sharing, going to check out your other videos :)
I know what you mean about the stickers. I don't normally take them off because every time I do I am left with a huge sticky residue that I can never get off LOL. Actually now when I do purchase something I normally look to see if the sticker can be easily removed to avoid the sticky residue. On the same topic, once I started decluttering and doing less shopping I now notice how annoying most ads are and how many there are. This is just something I never noticed before. I hope you have a great day.
Great video, Shannon. I'm always in the process of down-sizing. Right now, I'm contemplating selling my HUGE entertainment center in the living room. I've loved it through the years (It's gorgeous at Christmas), but I really want to open up the space in the room once again. My next TV will be wall mounted and I'll have a small cabinet/shelf system under it. Thanks for reminding me off all the benefits of decluttering.
Thank you! We mounted our TV and I am so happy we did, for years I didn't want to mount it because I was worried about the way it would look, but it really made our room look less cluttered. I hope you have a great weekend.
I love your story in the beginning. I still haven't watched the minimalism documentary lol. I can totally relate to the things you learned and are the reasons I love minimalism! My favorite things I've learned are being more intentional with items I bring in, how less I can now, and the money I save :)
Oh yes I understand the feeling of looking around the house with kids and just feeling overwhelmed, it comes with anxiety and a feeling of no control! We started decluttering after my son but then my daughter came along and now she is one I feel like we have been decluttering again for a few months with so much left to go! Point one so true - it takes so much time! :)
It's been a year since I started. I used to think I didn't have enough room for my things. I was actually fantasizing about a bigger home. What a fool I was. So many of our storage pieces sit empty now. I also have more free time and I'm at the point where I have inspiration and drive to accomplish larger goals. Like writing and selling crafts.
That is so nice you can write and sell crafts now! That is what I found too, way more time for what really matters to me. I hope you have an excellent week.
I can relate to the thought of "where will this go" while shopping and it has prevented purchases. Another thing I have thought about during my no spend year is how everything I purchase will potentially have to be decluttered in the future. It helps to have that perspective as it makes purchases more intentional! Thanks for another great video! :)
Yes! Thinking about how everything will have to be given away in the end is another great way to avoid purchases. How is your ne spend year going? That will be a great video, blog post or book. Are you going to share your year when you are done?
@@shannontorrens1 thank you! I have written a monthly blog post on my progress! I would love to compile everything I've learned at the end of the year... most likely a blog post, but I just may have to start a RU-vid channel ;) My website: organizedwithjoy.com
Love your videos! We just moved from Kansas to Maine. We sold or donated furniture and dishes, cookware, etc. We put other personal belongings in storage temporarily. Now we will just replace what we need a little at a time.
When I owned a house, I met the older man on the back of the yard. He told me he started raking 30 years ago and still wasn’t finished. At that point I decided raking wasn’t that important.
Shannon, this is one of the best video I’ve seen about how your life can change after seeing everything in a different prospective!! I can absolutely relate to you about the lunchbox! 😬 you’re an inspiration! Thank you so much 😊!
I love your videos, you, your family and home. I have learned so much and I’m in your mom’s age range. We need to de-clutter because we are going to retire in the next 4 years.
I really liked your video. It was so precise and liked the way you talked. It didnt give me anxiety like so many other decluttering videos do. Very helpful.
Just subscribed. 😊 Moving into my first purchased property & realizing that a lot of the items I packed do not have a place in my new home. A lot of items I have accumulated are not a good fit physically or in terms of being compatible with the person I am now & the person I want to become.
Time to get decluttering! Dont be afraid. The things you let to og you dont even remember ! I also decluttered when i had moved to a bigger place and was shocked to see hoe much stuff i had! Now i habe about 60% less stuff than back then. But i want to narrow my things down even more now
Really enjoyed your video. Love all of the tips and your minimalist journey. I love opening cupboards, drawers and closets and without so much "stuff" can quickly see what I am looking for. I love your tip, while at the store when considering something; asking where its going to live. Brilliant. Thanks Shannon.
Thank you Jan! That tip about imagining where something will live has really helped me. For instance I am in love with plants right now, but honestly I don't have anywhere for more LOL. I hope you have a great week.
Your 'I hope you're having an amazing day' made my really not-so-amazing day a little bit better. Thank you for that :) I can relate to a lot of what you're saying.
I lived in a 300sq ft studio apartment w a roommate, and had little like you back in the day. after having kids people hand stuff down or buy them huge trucks and toys, that they don't need because its too big to play with. And I finally, after 4 years went thru everything,got rid of tons of toys and organized...I wish I did this sooner tbh. I'm just glad I am not the only one..ty for the video 👍😀
Cleaning goes so much faster. I work outside of the home full time and dreaded Saturday mornings feeling pressure to attempt to straighten rather than a simple cleaning
Thank you. I'm at the point where my youngest is one and I'm overwhelmed with stuff 😫 it's so hard to get rid of stuff! My 4.5 year old especially does not want to get rid of stuff.
I know how you feel. It can be really hard, but I have found going very slow with decluttering the kids stuff can help ease the fear of getting rid of stuff. I payed really close attention to what my son was playing with and then I would rotate something that he wasn't playing with out of the room. I would keep it for a while in case he noticed and eventually I would donate the item. This slow process worked great for us. I wish you luck on your journey.
totally agree! that's the biggest change I noticed, I can clean our 3 bed 3 bath ranch in 2 hours max and can clean in 15 minutes if someone is going to pop in.
I found that documentary too! Life-changing! I watched it first on Dec 24, 2016 as we were about to make a huge life change. I even got to see them live. That was fun. (I totally paused the video to share - back to what you were saying ... 😉)
That documentary really changed my life too. I didn't think anything I watch would ever do that, but it really opened my eyes to another way of living. I hope you have a great weekend.
U said it! it never gets done in one weekend or 1 week. i removed everything from every closet for one weekend clean and im exhausted bit nothing even remotely close.
Love your videos. So ready to do this, but also so overwhelmed. I know it will help so much of my life, disappointed in how much value I put in every piece. But I want a more free way of living and want to raise my son with that lifestyle. Also it would help my marriage.
Ha ha. My house looks like a tornado hit when my grandkids visit. Toys everywhere. Then they take all my pillows off the sofa and throw them on the floor along with the throw blankets.
I used to go thriftshopping all the time for decorations and clothes thinking I was saving a ton. But I realized I would buy a lot, like it for a month and then go shopping again. It added up so fast but over the last 3 years I've reduced our items DRAMATICALLY and now have no desire to shop just for the sake of seeing what I can find. Even window shopping can be dangerous. My kids are doing better too. My son and I have adhd so we do much better with simplicity and knowing exactly where everything is at at all times.
Everything has changed since we began decluttering in late 2014. Most notable...Our house is now a calm, organised home. We have more money that we happily spend on experiences not material things.
Loved this video so much! We are in Lisa’s blog course group together and I have noticed you really putting in more effort with your blog. Congrats! I have not been putting any effort into mine. I have been decluttering one bite at a time but it’s been too slow almost. I need to really gain some traction and start working on those goals I have for myself too. The clutter can be life sucking! I want to live more simply so I can serve and build our homestead dream! Thanks for the tips!
Thank you! Lisa's class is amazing. I wish I had taken a class like this 10 years ago when I first started blogging, but its never too late. Stick with it and you will hit your goals. I hope you have a great week.
Wonderful idea presentations on this video. Great thoughts put into this. Isnt it funny how when you have boys everything turns into a sword (or a light saber)😂
Ha ha I really thought I would never clean again LOL. A funny thing happened though the more we decluttering the cleaner I wanted my home to look. I hope you have a great day.
Thanks God; thank you for beeing so genuine...you are one of the first I come across, that is not groomed to the core just to make a video on RU-vid and you do not go around an already spotless cleaned home hypocritely doing as if you were going to clean a hudge mess. Some women just make an incredible over the top show about this topic and forget to mention, that with small kids, it sis just dayly routine repeating..... which could put so much pressure on young moms who don´t really know, that when you have small kids it is normal to have a certain amount of mess and until the children are about 7-8 years old it is that way because they have not notion of order... I like you, because you are genuine really...you do not complex other women but speak the truth. I had a story of travelling and expatriation behind me just like you and it is true, that at the end of such an experience one realises she/he does´t need that much to live. As well as it is true, that as soon as children are born, up to about 5-7 years old, they grow so quickly that one can quickly an easyli invaded with so called clutter...which in fact ist not; but everyone who does not have 2x2 couples of grandparents available to help or even one couple of them does not necessarily have the time to sort out, sell or donate all the items...as priorities are made and the priorities are the children themselves and not the appearance of the living room.
Thank you, I agree that with little kids there is going to be stuff/toys to pick up everyday. I am sharing my experience with decluttering and also adjusting to having kids and the stuff that comes with that. 90% of the time our home looks "lived in" there are things out and dishes in the sink LOL. If I spent all day picking up toys even in a decluttered home, I personally would have no life and wouldn't be able to get anything done. We have routines at the end of every night to pick everything up and put it away to start fresh in the morning. I hope you have a great day. 😀
@@shannontorrens1 God bless You, such an honest personality, without bling bling and acting "perfect housewife" ...and that ist a reckon the expression in english; yes houses of happy families look "lived in". All the Best for You an Your family. (excuse the awkward writing please, my mother tongue is french...) :-)
Just a thought, but do you also keep only what you need in the way of food for a couple of weeks, or do you do a monthly shop, just curious ..loved the videos you did with your dear mum..what a lovely lady ..
I have switched this back and forth throughout the years. For a while I was trying to go to the grocery store once a month for a huge shop and then only go when I needed something small. Then a few years ago I started to not store much food at all (besides emergency stuff) I would go to the store once a week and get only what I needed. I really prefer going to the store once a week for exactly what we need that week. It feels like we waste less food that way. I do keep can food and frozen food as back up stuff though.
@@shannontorrens1 thanks for replying Shannon, we find the greengrocery from English supermarkets just doesn’t last more than 3/4 days..we try to go to farm shops which is better…your videos have encouraged me to cut down on my things, clothes mainly.. Thanks very much I needed that push ..
Shannon Torrens Thank you. I’m still not finished because I have blood pressure problems and keep having to take breaks. One thing I discovered is that almost all of my organizing containers had each turned into a junk drawer, which isn’t organized lol. I ran out of dividers for my dresser drawers so I’m using some of the plastic lids and books as dividers. I told myself I had to stop at noon today, or I will be too exhausted tomorrow.
