My only wish is that you updated more often. I love watching your vids…. YOU changed my life for the better. Can we have an update on your foster care journey, I’ve fostered for 13 years now. Xx
My first declutter was my closet. I took 6 large bags and several boxes of clothes, shoes, scarves, jewelry, and hats. The next day I felt so good, with no regrets, I went through a second time and pulled out 4 more bags full. After experiencing no regrets, I found that it just became easier. My entire home is decluttered now. So my tip: let go of the absolute NO. Wait a day or 2: go back over the same area and see if there is more to let go of. If you are feeling regret, STOP. Wait a while and see if the regret passes. I basically declutter an item now if I pass by it and say, "Why do I still have that?" It is taking up space and is no longer useful to me." Then out it goes to the local thrift store for someone else to love. Thanks, Dawn, for all your help- you're the one that got me going.
I found your channel in January. I was so overwhelmed and definitely embarrassed by the state of my home. My husband is just finishing up a serious declutter of the garage and then we'll have the whole house done! We feel so much better and the kids find it much easier to clean up. We're all so thankful for you, Dawn. Even my brother-in-law talks about how you've changed his family's life! Bless you, sister.
I have always hated cooking and now that I am a minimalist and have a highly simplified kitchen that’s easy to manage I’ve realized that I still hate cooking 😂 I enjoy being in my kitchen more, I just still don’t like to cook 🤣
I’m just starting to live without a hoarder and already I’m going into every room and doing a Wonder Woman twirl as I can see the floor and am not participating in an Olympic hurdling event and giving myself a compliment for not hurting myself of tripping on stuff. Nothing is going back in the house that doesn’t have a home and is useful or beautiful.
I find the biggest problem in keeping things for "some day" is that either you don't remember that you already have the item, or you have so much stuff that you can't find it. Thanks for the inspiration! Decluttering really helps me not shop near as much. I just don't want to reclutter.
I respectfully disagree. I had this situation & lived with negativity for decades. It truly brought me closer to God! I guess I needed God to survive it. Today, both God &my attitude rubbed off on that person & I LOVE spending time together! I don’t believe it is God’s goal to make us happy, but rather to make us holy. Don’t run from difficulty, look for the lesson in it and grow. I am much happier today than ever before in my life. The difficult times build resiliency that will carry you through future difficult times with greater ease.
Hi, Dawn wow this is me now! No decor, nothing to dust, nothing to rearrange every night, no stress and i love living with so little in my home. So much more peace and quiet surroundings. I love minimalism in all it´s glory. Love your content😁
You’d be so proud of me , I am not a hoarder or overly sentimental person but I cleaned out over a dozen garbage bags and boxes and trashed or donated. I went through my storage and every drawer closet and dresser and got rid of everything I didn’t use in the last year or more . Im hoping it will make my house cleaning easier .
This is what cinched it for me: What’s worse than knowing you threw away something you now need? Knowing you have something you need but not able to find it because of the clutter
I would also add, looking at stuff you paid for money for but never use. I'm so much happier not looking at those things! Especially clothing and kitchen appliances but it could be anything - the guilt from just looking at that stuff is real!
Having learned thru you Dawn about the brain and the process of getting rid of toxic inventory, I’m still amazed at how free I am now that I’ve been a minimalist over a year now. It turns out I need waaay less than I thought. Life proved that all those “just in case” items were never to be. Go with the season you’re IN NOW!
"We imagine the future without enough." This is the first time I've heard of it like this - fascinating concept! The new focused analysis is so good, so philosophical and pragmatic.
I've been following Dawn for several years now and I joined their "Take Your House Back" course then too. I've decluttered and I can say she is 100% correct, it is much easier to keep things tidy and much quicker to tidy after you've been 'living' in your house. My 5yr old granddaughter comes over and pulls out ALL her things and destroys the house but it only takes me 10min to get it back in order. I love it. 👍 Thank you soooooooooooo much Dawn, Cass and Dana. Cheers Obelia from Australia 🦘
Thanks to you! I have leveled up in my decluttering over the past 6 months. I actually have had at least three times that someone asked me for or I thought about needing an item very soon after I decluttered it. Personally, I put this in the category of spiritual warfare and determined that it would not deter me. None of the items were expensive or hard to replace. It only dinged my ego a slight amount from not having a resource that someone wanted or needed. I can deal with that. I am so grateful that I am nearing a life goal of living in a space that is relatively neat and tidy and containing 90% items that I am using daily or weekly.
I grew up hearing: “Fix it up. Wear it out. Make it do, or do without.” I understand why that was an important “motto” in generations past, but I have found it detrimental to the mindset and ability to easily let things go, because everything is potentially useful. However, thanks to you, Dawn, I am reframing my outlook and giving myself permission to view things differently. Thank you so much for all your efforts! I have followed you for many years, and you still inspire me!!! 😊
Thank you for the reminder of saving 40% cleaning energy. Now I’m having health problems and lack of energy is making it go from Decluttering for peace and harmony alone, to now it’s a need* to declutter. Appreciate all of the time and devotion you’ve spent in making this content available for all of us naturally messy people ❤
A number of years ago a friend of mine decided to do a full on declutter. She approached it with the "yes, I might have to buy it again, but what are the chances?" It inspired me as well and I'll be 100% honest here--I've not had to buy any of the things I donated/tossed over again.
I loved the tip of putting the lids ON storage containers in the kitchen. That was a game changer. I love your channel. Keep up the great work. I LOVE order. My adult daughter thanked me for "keeping a clean house when we were little." Thanks, Dawn
I've always, before this minimalist movement, been like this (according to my Mom and close friends) literally, in my life, roughly every 6 to 9 months, I go through everything that has(in past) or is mine now, and say, "Rose do you want to repack this on your next move/phase of life". 95% of the time it's a resounding "Heck No" and then I get rid of said items asap.
Dawn, I saved up my pennies and bought a pair of the Dansko house slippers you recommended. Oh my gosh, they are wonderful, my feet feel so much better, and I’m worth it!
I’ve been concentrating on getting rid of the ‘what if I need it’ and sentimental items, polystyrene and cardboard boxes and it’s been life changing. My calves down to my feet feel lighter when I do it. Can’t believe the amount of foam in boxes. Could have filled my car 2-3 times with it and I’ve been decluttering for about 7yrs. I also figured out that there’s a difference between sentimental items and stuff I’ve had since the 80s because it’s old or part of a collection.
You are truly an amazing teacher. Your home looks lovely. Being a minimalist certainly doesn’t mean that you have to give up pretty decor. Just that the pieces have to be thoughtfully placed. I am just a newbie at this but already see many benefits.
I’ve been watching you since your channel was small and I would imagine it’s hard for you to say the same general idea over and over again- but it’s amazing how I still enjoy listening about de cluttering over and over again! We must be alike- we do let clutter come back so always need to remind ourselves about decluttering! We have a big family so it’s always getting messy and kids grow and change all the time.
I listen to her over and over too! And I sometimes find something new. Today it was that we have a grim view of our future! Yes! I certainly do - and that does lead to stockpiling for me. Now I can address it intentionally, knowing my future will NOT be grim!
I’m not a minimalist, but downsizing my inventory has definitely reduced my daily stress. I have to be diligent in making a home for the things I want to keep and being real about what’s not being used, but it’s worth not having to dodge or move piles just to use my house.
Same here. We recently came back from a few days away. I realized that I only had to put the laundry in the washer and empty the cooler. Period. The house was in order!
You’ve helped me so much. I’m determined to make a more peaceful and happy home than the one I grew up in, and you and a few other minimalist favorites are showing me the way and keeping me motivated, thank you so much!!!
You're so awesome Dawn! I can listen to you talk about these same ideas over and over and not be bored. Feels like a breath of fresh air every time. Love you.
Dawn, I’m so thankful that I found your channel! Decluttering & your advice has changed my life. I’m a SAHM and not enjoying it bc of the clutter. Watching your videos showed me that clutter is one cause of my anxiety/depression. I get so excited when you drop a new video bc as soon as I turn it on, I feel motivated! Thanks for sharing your expertise & please consider starting a podcast 😂
Do you follow the Clutterbug Podcast? I love Cas' channels - been watching her videos for about 15years - and she's how I found Dawn (and Dana). Hope you like it 😊 ... I think Dawn would be great at Podcasts if she has the extra time to do them too, but hopefully Cas' will tide you over until if/when that happens. 💗
One of the neatest things my granddaughter said the other day was grandma, I have too much inventory will you help me go through it. They watch what you do without any prompting.
I have been watching your videos for a long time and have been wanting to pare down the clutter. I’ve finally been able to get my husband on board with it and have just spent the last few days decluttering my kitchen. It was the easiest place for me to start since it is mostly my domain. It was so satisfying to throw out old outdated food, vitamins, spices etc. I really had no idea how much stuff I had like 8 pie pans! Who needs that many?? I kept 2. Thanks for sharing these videos. I’m looking forward to getting my whole house in order.
You read my mind! I’ve been watching for years. I finally let go of an upright family piano I’ve had since 1938. It has made a big difference in my feelings and attitude. Thank you Dawn, Cas, and Dana! ❤
Dont know why I felt the pressure to create a home that looked like a gift shop when I was raising my family. With your inspiration Ive dealt with the main floor and second floor- bedrooms. Still haven’t taken the time for printed photos which are in the basement. Maybe you can offer so addition tips ? Incredibly grateful for your channel, its a great feeling and the house looks way better!
I have been going through 65 years of photos from my parents as well as my own. Tossing the ones of people I have no idea as to who they are. Also tossing the photos of flower arrangements, back yard and snow photos. Hope this helps you
Your comment about your home looking like a gift shop gave me a laugh. I think I did the same thing, but no more of that. I did a clean out of bad photos, duplicates, bad scenery and many pictures of zoo animals. Don't know what I was thinking?! I need to go through them a second time when I get motivated again. Good luck!
@@maryeb08 Cleaning, decluttering has become something I enjoy, family not included! Yeah, memory lane with tackling the photos is something I need courage for!
@@janicesztabnik5471same here. I spent an entire day at the dining table with my daughter sorting my albums. I have a cupboard full. Very organised from the last 26 years. I became meticulous about photo taking when I thought I may loose my daughter at an early age. I took out duplicate photos. Photos of trains, animals, random places I couldn’t even recall. Photos I didn’t like. Got the inventory down from 7,500 to 2,500. Put them into new albums as the old ones were degraded and worn. We look at the photos all the time. My daughter has special needs and loves doing this. We had a great time going through them all. I’m a lot more relaxed now about getting rid of things. Any I wasn’t sure about disposing of I put in a basket and will revisit in a while. It was such a relief to get this done. It had needed done for an age.😊
Awh no, that's so wasteful. Can they be encouraged by telling them that they spend unnecessary money that can go towards a bigger goal (vacation, home reno etc.)?
Been there for sure. For me it took the gradual work of practicing clear communication around these items when they became known, but I was careful to show extra patience and grace to encourage awareness that might lead to change, rather than putting my husband on the defense. He still has his own ways of managing his things, but as I've further simplified things for myself, explained my thought process along the way, AND -- big part of the picture -- embraced his Clutterbug style, we've been able to work together much better as a team (as well as improved memory around what we already have) 😊
As a man, a good shop tip I heard is that if you think you have something, but can’t find it, stop working and start cleaning your shop. You will either find it, or your shop will get completely cleaned and you realize you don’t have it and need to buy another. So, the possible outcomes are: a cleaner shop and the tool you need, or completely clean shop and a needed new tool. Win-win!
Thanks for another great video. Your videos always inspire me to reconsider the choices that I am making about the things in my home. Less is definitely better.
I love your videos and words of wisdom! I’ve been on this journey for several years. Your kindness and encouragement has helped me tremendously! Thanks so much for all you do ❤. Every time I remove something from our home, it lifts another burden.
Also, my husband was completely against decluttering but since I started I have decluttered about 5 to 10% of our things and he has now gotten on board. He even mentioned going through his own clothes to get rid of some. We are both borderline hoarders so this process is very hard.
I have nearly finished my bedroom, I designed it so I don't need bed side tables or chest of drawers. Utilising a ottoman bed, decluttering anything that doesn't make feel wonderful when wearing it, bespoke wardrobes, a practical head board, etc. Can't wait to move in, just waiting on the new bed and mattress. Without Dawn 'walking beside me' I couldn't have achieved this. So thank you so much ❤
I am having difficulty letting go. But when I do give away, I feel guilty since the Good Wills and Salvation Army are getting overloaded with items. My new way of dealing with this is, when I hear of someone holding a silent auction or yardsale I ask if they are looking for donations. This is a win win. I get rid of things I am not using. And hopefully the charities can use them to raise money. Thank you for showing it is not a quick and easy process to declutter.
There was something the other day that we couldnt find. I thought, "we must not have that anymore." I kind of miss it, but we can live without it. Later, I found those things and was disappointed that I have more inventory to manage.
What if you are not afraid that you might need it someday but more that you might miss it someday. Like emotionally miss it. Or if someone asks you about something they had given to you. I love your videos and inspiration but these are things I still struggle with.
I've been watching your videos for a few weeks. I have decluttered my kitchen, and lots of little areas in the house. I'm starting to feel the relief and benefits of having less inventory. Thank you for sharing with us.
I think your past identity as a "lazy" person makes you an ideal leader for someone wanting to organize their life. It didn't come naturally or easily to you, so you are a more compassionate teacher and you truly understand the necessary steps, because you had to learn them yourself. I am working on decluttering our house, now and have forwarded some of your videos to my adult children as inspiration and to reaffirm that even though they grew up in a cluttered (maybe even hoard-y) house, they can break that cycle and go ahead and get rid of "stuff".
Dawn, I think it might be a good video to talk about basic home safety tips. What are some things that everyone needs to be aware of and have on hand for family safety in different areas of the home, and don't forget the garage and tool shed. Have you got a friend who works for the fire department? police? emergency medical care?
I have been decluttering my bedroom and bathroom that I have at my Dad's where I live. He doesn't want to get rid of anything but I hope He allows me to remove me I will! I feel better each day as I declutter my rooms!
I had to declutter with a husband who loves clutter. I started with “islands.” Clean areas that couldn’t be recluttered. Years later, most of the house is fine and the“islands” are his areas of clutter. Start with your room. Hang in.
Dawn, I don’t like to be personal but I have to say that the navy top really suits both your eyes and the colour co-ordination of the whole scene with your hair and couch matching and the soft colours behind you. It was a visual pleasure to watch the video on top of your usual excellent content. Thank you.
This is a great message both to those who are starting decluttering for the first time and those who have taken a long break and want to start again. I decluttered in Jan - March this year but left one drawer and one closet! Now I want to finish it.
I can’t agree more everything you have said is on point. You are a true inspiring person. I love your videos and watch them over and over again to keep momentum thank you 🙏
Hi, with the holidays coming up , I was wondering if you could do a video about how to not falling into the trap of buying holiday decor. I know I don't need any of it and it will just end up ad clutter but marketing!...it's so hard sometimes! Thanks!
How about using the "1 in = 1 out" rule? I decluttered half our baubles as we only have 2 mini trees, and think about the spaces I have vs what decorations I have/want BEFORE I go to a store. Only items that fit my criteria come home, otherwise I can look and think "that's pretty" / snap a picture then leave it in the store. Hope that helps 😊
Thanks. With respect, hired two organizers who threw out jewellery, important documents, precious photos, et cetera, et cetera…. Yes, I continue to declutter. However, it’s all been much more painful than I would have expected. Thanks.
This is going to be a super odd comment 😂….but I just noticed how your hair perfectly matches your couch and your eyes perfectly match the computer desk behind you….You basically look great in that room 🤪🙌🏻
If you accidently declutter something you later need and you have to buy it later, its still cheaper, because before decluttering you have to rebuy many things just because you can't find them. From my personal experience, I clean much less, because I dont have to move stuff around.
Great video, the pros and cons are real, but having gone through the process, the pros far outweigh the cons. After downsizing and minimizing, I have NO regrets, and have never felt I wanted to replace anything. It also makes me more mindful in what I purchase. If I admire something in a store or online, I consider what will I do with it or where will I store it when the season changes, or if it is going to replace something, what will I get rid of.
You have given me "courage" to let things go that I have not used for years. I also find myself questioning purchases now. Do I really need that? Don't I already have something similar I'm not using? If I get new home decor I let some of the previous stuff go. I no longer wait until I have a load to donate. I fill a box and put it in the car. Amazing how letting one box go gives relief/satisfaction. Baby steps
I decluttered my kitchens drawers at the beginning of the year and a few weeks after, when my in laws came for the weekend, my mom in law asked if I had a specific gadget. I told her I had just donated it. We made do with something else and I don’t even remember what it was now we “needed”.
It seems I’m only able to declutter around my “keep everything” husband when extreme circumstances allow: tossed tons of stuff in the basement several years ago when the water heater burst and flooded the entire floor, and now I’ve been able to do a first pass on the attic and detached garage because they are about to be reroofed (down to the rafters!).
Just coming here to reinforce that decluttering doesn't have to be a huge project like Dawn talked about. I have been slowly working on it over the last past 2 years and it has been an amazing change! Just take one step forward each day towards reducing the amount of clutter and excess in your home and you will be amazed at the change!
Most the time, if on a rare occasion I declutter something and later need it, the reason is I had forgotten about the item and decluttering it reminded me I had the item. Had I not decluttered the item I would not have needed it because I didn’t know I had it. 😂
SUCH a GREAT video!! I will admit I had to watch it twice in a row tho, bc i was SO distracted by how beautiful you look!! 🙀💕 I can see your lifestyle has a wonderful effect on your health! 🥰 You are ABSOLUTELY GLOWING!! 🤗💕 I love this top on u!! You have beautiful skin and i am so jealous!! 😅 I kept seeing how lovely your hands and arms were too! My goodness!! I feel odd gushing about it honestly 🤣 Just had to say something and ofc to thank you for the amazing video!! Already shared it to my sister!! We love you!! Keep up the great work!!
