Struggling to Declutter? This video might help... 

What item(s) do you struggle to declutter?

I love Christmas cards. I save them every year. I write the year on the inside. Every Christmas I tape them around door and window frames as decorations. Christmas cards are so pretty and festive and a cheap way to decorate for the season. You could do a whole wall or put them in the shape of a tree. I love looking through them. They go back in the box for storage. Don't get many now due to the digital age so I really cherish them.

So hard to eliminate some sentimental items because both of my parents have passed. But there is only so much space and it can be so overwhelming. This is the year to be brutal and make shadow boxes of a collection, scraps of fabric instead of the whole item. Prayers welcome as I tackle the monumental task in my 1650 sq foot house 3 years after bringing home so many things after dad passed and we emptied his home of 60 years!

Love your videos. I was recently decluttering a junk drawer when I came across a handwritten birthday card for my mother from my late father. Ah the emotional journey of decluttering is a real thing...

My mother saved every card I ever gave her. It is so heartwarming now to read all the loving sentiments I wrote to her over the years. It brings back a lot of memories.

This is such a timely video for me. I’m struggling bad with getting things in order at home and between feeling overwhelmed and difficulty being motivated, it’s been rough.

I do the flylady system. I have a put away basket, I throw things in the rubbish Bin and I have a pile to donate/sell for each time I declutter. 1 zone a week and only 1hr a week of decluttering (15mins for 4 days) and 1 big task a week. It also helps with routines and weekly clean. I also don't buy anything for my house like ornaments, pictures, books or pillows, duplicates etc. Another secret is I volunteer at a second hand store. I take stuff in to donate and I'm just aware of the stuff at my house lol

I am amazed at the price of cards. 5 to $7 for a paper card is outrageous. I shop at the dollar store for my cards. They're either $1 each or two for a dollar. They are perfectly good cards. They get the message out. I would rather spend those $7 towards the gift and not a card

1. Define MIA’s - Most important areas 2. Schedule it - Time block 15-30 mins so they actually happen 3. Keep the end in mind - Visualize what you want your space to look like 4. Ask yourself tough questions - No emotion! Don’t hold on to what you don’t need, just keep what you actually use! 5. Finish the process - Giving away, selling, etc

Great tips. We are slowly decluttering. I am 27 and still live at home with my parents. My grandparents passed several years ago and my Dad and his siblings have not even attempted to go through their things (other than cleaning out a storage building). My grands grew up during the great depression and saved everything. I have went through the majority of their pictures, cards, and letters. I kept a majority of the cards but you can't save everything. It is overwhelming. My grandmother had saved every birthday card, Christmas card and little valentines cards for my Dad, Aunts and Uncles. So instead of just giving them a bag of the cards I am going to attempt to finish the scrapbooks that she had started. Thanks again for all the tips.

I take before and after photos. Its satisfying at the time, and looking at them motivates me to do the next area. I also do 'need it, use it, love it' although not the other things you suggested.

Thank you for the great video. I pretty much follow what you stated - After I check out the entire area and think my plan - I put on "get - you - moving" Pop music that I enjoy. Volume Up! First - I remove any / all kitchen & food items and get them out of the way placing them either where they belong or in the sink, dishwasher and / or trash. Then, I always start with the big stuff....like maybe coats or blankets (anything BIG) (Just getting them folded up and sitting there until I move them looks much better.) - I then place the smaller "like" items together in piles. I work my way down in size. The smallest items I set aside in a larger container to continue the same way in another room where the smallest items will be added to the others. I do this room to room and then at the end, I do all the small items at one time....things like receipts, coins, and all those little pesky things that seem to attach themselves to me. Again, I group them on a table. As I declutter, I do keep a trash container and a donate black bag near by to get rid of items. I will be doing this today. Just two more things - when grouping items, I do it according to the place it goes and that determines the pile I place it in. Sometimes, I set a timer and try to beat the clock. I am easily distracted and the music and timer keep me "on task".

As we lose loved ones or as relationships change, cards increase in value over the years. Scan them and save their image to a disk or flash drive before you discard the paper copy. You'll enjoy the image of them in the future, as they bring back memories or evoke emotions.

I feel the same way about greeting cards. I save mine in archival page protectors & put card in them to store the cards more sturdy. I don't keep all my greeting cards tho, just mainly ones from family & close friends. Greeting cards are really special to me & I've got some from whenI was born. I'm never throwing those away. A couple of years ago I sent my brother & sister-in-law a wedding anniversary card & my sister-in-law sent me a picture of last years - I'd sent the same card 2 years in a row.:)

Once a year or so I go through cards, and letters from my former 5th and 6th students. I'm retired now, and I've kept only the most precious ones. I also go through my file box after I file my taxes, getting rid of unnecessary manuals, receipts, medical paperwork, credit card papers, etc. I switch out my clothes twice a year. I'm putting away Fall and Winter clothing, so I'll declutter any unloved or stained clothing as I go. Then as I put my Spring/Sumner clothes in the closet I'll inspect them and get rid of any items I no longer want. I just got rid of a wool sweater I've kept and worn for years because it matches my eye color and looks pretty on me. That sweater has sleeves that are too short and wool makes me itch. I cannot believe I kept wearing it! I amuse myself sometimes.

A trick I have to make it a little bit easier to declutter sentimental things is to take a picture of them. So whenever I want to re-live the sentiment I get from the actual thing, I can just look at the photograph in the cloud

You definitely nailed it! MIA and starting in small steps is the only way to go when you need tackle something big. After spending 30 plus years in a career with constant deadlines requiring a zillion little details, I learned very quickly to break these massive projects in to little steps. It definitely works for an ADD person like myself. I learned to carry this over into all other areas of my life. It works!

☆New subscriber☆ Just want to say you Nailed it! Greeting Cards are my kryptonite! My mother held on to every single one for all 5 of us kids.🤦🏻‍♀️ All occasions. I found my 1st birthday card from 1969. Cards from Aunts and Uncles who have passed but their physical signature is in there and my heart aches to throw that piece away. I will be working on that and possibly doing a private burning ceremony to let that go back into the Universe so I can create a healthy space in my mind, heart and home.♡

The cards and written notes and thank you notes struggle is REAL!! I feel you.

The whole house, lol. I'm a retired disabled RN. I live back in the family home taking care of my Momma with dementia. We play hide and go seek thanks to her moving stuff and forgetting where it was put. Then there's the accumulation of being in same house 50 years. Momma is the typical Dust Bowl/Depression baby. Nothing gets thrown out because she can fix it. Truthfully in the past that may have been true but over the years her abilities created not a walking on trash house but one where an active family lived, filled with memories. I physically can't walk over a dozen paces without needing to sit or if severe,lay down. Surgeries and medications have made the overall arrangement symbiotic. I do all I can there's no funds for a handyperson. Oh did I forget to mention she goes through the trash to retrieve a broken can opener, etc that I just threw away. We need a miracle, lol. I will continue watching your episodes to learn how to tackle this. Mainly I want to get donateable stuff where it needs to go. Because if this task is left to my sister, we'll let's say she's the psychopath you mention when things will really get cleared out of here. She's a minimalist and this path gets on her nerves, lol. Thx for letting me vent.

Love the siamese on the table drinking water from the glass😏. We had a meezer years ago too. He was named bear by the previous owner. He must have really had great taste buds. He cried for fresh water often. Even with real tears once!! Such a loving baby kitty. We called him baby bear and our purrito🥲

I struggled with card clutter. My grandma saved every card ever given to her. When she passed away, it meant so much to see these items. Things tend to become more important and sentimental to loved ones as the years roll by. I think saving things digitally is a good compromise. We can still see the card, the handwritten note and are even able to re-print, if needed. Not a perfect solution but something to consider for those with lack of space to save all of those heartfelt messages

Perfect timing Melissa 😁 I am in the process of moving and is currently trying to declutter. I am struggling with my library. For cards I snap a photo with the message of really sentimental and meaningful messages, keep it in an album on an external drive review them when the special occasion dates arise😁

This is perfect as I just got finished going through my kitchen, now mind you my husband is the cook so that was easier for me, I work from home my office and all the paperwork is cluttering on my desk and well that is going to be the hot spot for me, not to mention all the toys that I will have to let go. I do know that it is one thing at a time

9:18 - Ah, greeting cards. I was doing some downsizing about 5 years ago and kept finding them here, there and everywhere. I took them all & put them in a pile and then into a plastic bag. I then went through them. Birthday, Xmas, Thank you & wedding invitations going back 40 years. I couldn't bring myself to toss 'em and they sat in a corner of my bedroom for 3 years. I'd see the bag & wonder what to do during that time. Finally in 2021, I took that bag & I went through them again. The sentimentality emotion is so powerful! But I took 'em and tossed 'em into the recycling. I felt really good after.

After reading Marie Kondos book I stoped saving a lot of items, cards being one of them. If it is super special I take a photo of it!

I struggled with cards & letters, also, because years ago I heard about having a “happy file” of wonderful things that have been written over the years to read when you’re having a bad day. However, my motivation,now that I’m in my 60s & have outlived both my parents, is this: My sons will just look at these things, en masse, and say, “Pitch it!” So , I have saved some very special ones and, tho painful, most have been burned. Many fronts can be saved for gift tags or given as craft items to thrift stores.

Good timing! Just bought my fist at set of the Makers’s microfiber cloths and DESPERATELY need to declutter and clean this weekend.

My sewing room. It's a work in progress. I've spent the last couple of months using up unloved fabrics, in quilts I plan to donate. The scrap quilts are actually coming out pretty nice,lol.

You're so right! Thinking too much about the items that don't serve me thwarts my decluttering attempts.

Mom passed last year and I threw boxes of greeting cards away. She always said I should keep them whenever I got some like a guilt thing. I got home after another day of cleaning at her place and got rid of a file drawer full guilt free!

Thanks very much, I like your no pressure approach to start even if it's 10 mins schedule 🎉🎉🎉🎉

I love your planogram idea! As someone who works in retail I am very familiar with them but never thought to use them at home. Makes a lot of sense to me and I've never heard this tip before. thanks!

I needed this so much, you have the best timing! ❤️

Great timing! I’m about to help clean my parents garage this weekend. It’ll be hard because it’s my parents things and I’ll have to ask them for their decision on each item. I got the house pretty under control. We decluttered a lot of linens a few weeks ago. They are gonna renovate their kitchen and basement. Super excited to help decorate those rooms.

I haven't received a lot of greeting cards (thankfully), but I do have some. For most of them, what I did was scan them into the computer, then toss them. So I keep the thoughtful notes and even the beautiful artwork, but don't have to deal with clutter. However, we did get a beautiful card for our wedding from my husband's grandparents that featured a couple verses of 1 Corinthians 13 (the "love chapter" for those unfamiliar). I actually framed that one and put it on my bedroom wall. It fits in well because it was already decorated with Scripture art. I think my husband saved all the greeting cards he ever received before marrying me, though, based on the pile in the file box. Thankfully (again) he doesn't have that many. For those who are into scrapbooking, that would be a good way to preserve the really special cards, though.

This couldn't have come at a better time.. started my spring cleaning today. Thank you !

Things you could do with cards: - take a picture of the writing and toss the card. - cut out the writing and put it in one big picture frame (maybe per birthday or occasion). - make a scrap book. Hope this helps someone. 😉

I’ve tried to save very few cards for myself for sentimental reasons. However, the others I’ve saved when my children were younger, they’ve cut the cover off to make new cards to give to classmates, teachers, friends & for seniors in a nursing home & soldiers overseas. When my brother was in the Persian Gulf War, they made ornaments with them using yarn to hang them up with. My brother hung them up all around the 12 man tent he was in, & all the soldiers loved them. Now I have a granddaughter who likes to do all the things mentioned. We keep the cards in a shoebox (so we keep it to a minimum). Yes, the shoebox takes up a little space, but it’s so worth it to teach children to care for others & the cards are so appreciated. You can call the nursing home to find out who’s having a birthday that month & deliver the cards on the first day of the month.

THE CARDS!!! I have the same struggle. Memories. Good tip on how to sort through these items.

Just a thought for your card's; I have the same thing, is to take a PICTURE and File Them Under Whatever The Sentiment Is. My Would Be, From My Son, My Daughter, Husband, Etc. Thank You For What You Do ❣️ ADD and Dyslexia has me spinning in circles. May God Bless You and Your's, Barbara 🦋🙏

I like the most important area concept. Mine is the kitchen. I used to enjoy giving and receiving cards. I moved to an apartment building that does not recycle so I gave it up. When you don’t send cards, you receive less and less cards as time goes on. I usually send a GIPHY or email instead 🙂

Yes, to cards & letters-from family, friends, former students. I put them in a pretty memory box.

My sewing/quilting room. I have some fabric+ storage systems in place, but it’s not as good as I want. I also tend to sew right to the last second w/o allowing clean up time. That makes for messy table tops, etc

One of the things I know about myself is that I have to make a visible commitment and write down invites out with people. If I don't, I will find a way to not go. I just love my quiet alone time in the comfort of my house. I never thought that this could work for me with cleaning/decluttering too. Maybe I will even try it with sewing and craft time.

Best cleaning channel ever. Thumbs up. Greetings from Germany.

For cards, I often take photos of them along with the message inside. The photo doesn't take up space and I still have the beautiful memories. I have actually done this with souvenirs someone gave me or perhaps I bought somewhere that are really just clutter but I like them anyway. The photos make me happy and again, they do not take up physical space and don't need to be dusted. :)

Sentimental items are hard for me. I have paired down to a shoe box and the box used to be bigger, the goal is to get to a smaller shoe box... I have a hard time parting with anything I've been given from family and friends who have passed away. So I have gone through a lot but every year there is more so I do this often. I am proud of how far I've come and it motives me to keep going!

I’m a sr citizen follower-thanks! *** What to do with old greeting cards? Consider cutting & saving the pictures in a bag to donate to a camp, church, school, playground, etc. that has children making things. *** I have a small special memory box in which I save some messages. Every few years I re-read & purge naturally. ***You do a great job encouraging my cleaning, etc. Thanks!

Yes! I went through cards. I only kept a few from friends who had passed on. Trashed the rest. Still have photographs and documents to be intentional about. I’ve gone through tons of clothing and stuff that were sold or donated or trashed. Felt good!

This is the sauce I have been looking for!!

Took me a year to go through paper. Did a lot of shredding at home but also went to four free paper shredding events in the Chicagoland area. I am reorganizing and have to get rid of a pile of stuff that is on my dining room table next. Very annoying to see the mountain there! On the positive side, many mountains have disappeared. I have also been giving away things I no longer use to family or friends that can use an appliance or clothes. Still decluttering! Thank you for your video!

You guys are awesome! Love you

Cards!!! I keep a few from my mentor and best friend who write really great, inspiring messages.

I need to learn this, very timely.

Loved the visualization of your preferred cards. made me lol

This is so appropriate. Everything. But mostly now, my bedroom/ closet.

Great tips!:D I struggled with greetings cards too, just to have them up on display. Nowadays I take Photos sometimes also videos of them and upload to several cloud services. I do keep new ones up for a while but try to let go of them after a month or so tops. Chose this as dusting was something i liked least about cleaning and boy do paper attract dust.

I have a box of cards. I struggle with where to place zones. Thank you for your videos!

First again!

Great video!

it seems that funerals bring emotion and that is counterproductive to decluttering. I know it sounds obvious, but that's why divorce, death and heavy subjects, like job loss...so difficult decluttering the home and decision making. hearts out to everyone. i come from hoarders and am recovering...thanks Molly maker.👍😎

Thanks great video!!!!!

Melissa, when you make a digital foto book, take a pictur of the cards you love and show it in the album. Then it's in the corectt refrence, and you enjoy it every time you look through the albume.

Thanks for reminding me about the gift cards.. like your idea of how to purge them. Another idea I have for things I want to save but save space, is I love my photography, so I have taken a photo before I've ditched something. Then it's stored digitally.

I've lost both of my parents so things that remind me of them or things they've given me I have a hard time letting go of, but then I look around wondering where in the world I can out some of them. I don't think boxing them up honors them so I need to find away to not attach love and memories to items.

My bedroom is my biggest problem right now. My elderly mother moved in with me and everything that was in the room she is using, moved into my bedroom. Mostly office type stuff. Anyway, my bedroom is very crowded and cluttered now and I keep procrastinating on it. I’m hoping to get some help and inspiration from your videos.

I always have clean my desk area in my room. I am in college it’s always a catch all place. I mostly just pick stuff and put them away. I been putting off giving my desk a good wipe Down. I might do that tomorrow.

Love your channel. I have been rewatching your house renos lately and was wondering if u guys were ever going to release a series on your downstairs renos. Or have I missed something somewhere 🤔 thanks very much

Hallmark has always been my weakness!!! Cards from my husband I have kept. Joan Bates

For greeting cards I take pics of them with the sentiment and have a dedicated folder just for cards.

One way I started decluttering my greeting card pile was to throw away anything that had my name misspelled…sadly, most of my family/friends/coworkers get it wrong and I try not to take offense but it’s my name and if the sentiment were there…anyway, that’s how I started and it cut my pile in half! Then onto my husbands cards and anything that just said his name went in the trash! I only kept the cards that had handwritten messages from him in addition to the printed message. Hope that makes sense…happy decluttering!!

I have friends who struggle big time with getting rid of anything. It drives me crazy lol.... I have decluttered these past 5 years and have acquired things from my sister in law who passed away, from a friend who moved, so I must go through my things again to reevaluate. But, I do get it done and I am less emotional about getting rid of sentimental items. Could be because I am in my 50's and I don't want to leave my two boys with a bunch to stuff to get rid of when I am no longer here as I had to do for my mother who passed and my sister in law as these were two huge jobs. So, staying organized is crucial in life. Thanks for the tips and I have forwarded this vid to those gal pals of mine lol cheers

Kitchen and I tend to save EVERYTHING my kids ever made!!! And or Christmas gifts that I got from passed away people such as grandparents etc

I also have a box full of cards. It's on my list to declutter. I still won't get rid of everything, but I have cards from my high-school graduation in there (and at this point, it's pretty full).

The basement 😭 It’s huge, we have room but there’s so much junk and almost no furniture at all, it’s overwhelming. On a daily basis I struggle with keeping the kitchen decluttered too.

I struggle with a small area which is the landing to the basement. Luckily I have shelves but I tell myself I need too much (air fresheners, cleaners, napkins, hand sanitizer, etc), readily available. I have totally emptied the area now I will declutter. I will downsize and store the majority in the garage. And doing this we will be able to use the stairs to the basement. Wish me luck 🍀

We remodeled our kitchen a couple of years ago. I am still going through boxes and donating a lot of things. Where did it all fit before? Haha Cards? Oh yes this is a very emotional spot for me too.

I am overwhelmed by books and papers.

I still have all the greetings cards from when my daughter was born back in 2018. I have a box that I put her 1st birthday cards and baby keepsakes .

Not going to lie, kind of jealous of the people who get SO many cards that it's an issue. 😄 I keep mine with the decorations for whatever occasion they're from. Putting up my favourite Xmas cards etc from over the years & revisiting them is fun..

My MIA is our basement. It’s a nice big space, but could be decluttered, organized, and paint walls and cement floor. But most of the stuff is my spouse, who is great at home projects but doesn’t really see the mess

I struggle with my bedroom. I hold things for sentimental reasons so I have too many clothes.

I have a big box of cards also. From my kids and hubby. I should go through them also and get rid of some of them. The ones from my son when he was little is hard because I lost my son 3 years ago.

Haven’t read the comments to see if this has already been suggested but, to deal with sentimental paper items I have had trouble getting rid of such as children drawings or cards, I have taken pictures or videos of going through them before getting rid of them.

Christmas cards with family pictures…. I feel guilty if I trash them. I have a ton of them in a huge box in the attic. I’ve watched these kids grow up. Now I’m getting pictures of the children’s children!!! Other cards, I keep for one day then it’s in the trash bin. Thanks for the encouragement!

How do you feel about steamers for cleaning? I just bought one. I also ordered a bunch of the makers cloths. Cannot wait to get them!!

Scan all your cards and keep them digitally, maybe keep the top 5 best physical ones. Problem swept under the digital rug :)

You might be able to make a scrapbook of your gift cards or the writing and those gift cards by cutting them out. Or you can also contact your local schools, science centers, boys and girls clubs or even Ronald McDonald houses and ask if any of the art teachers or fun centers would like cards for activities. From experience,My art teacher used to pull out a big box of donated cards and we would do a ton of activities with them. Also at Ronald McDonald House too. Yes, we would have to cut them up but so many great pieces of artwork came out of that.

I use old cards to make gift tags. People then give me lovely cards to reuse. I get donations for little packs of 20 and the money goes to a charity. Maybe suggesting collecting more is encouraging more clutter! It is a nice craft to do in the dark nights.

My kitchen cabinet! Hahaha mix n match of cups n bowls.. n a hollow space tt is super difficult to reach. Also nt forgetting missing Tupperware covers haha

I have the same problem with birthday cards 😊

My kitchen, living room and bedroom! I know a lot!!! I have less struggles, but still too much stuff! I just got rid of my wedding and kids birth cards. All were over 20 years old!

I worked in an office on tight deadlines for many years so I have an aversion to schedules (and alarms!) so I tend to rebel (aka ignore) against scheduled tasks. Instead, I have a list of tasks and then choose one or two to accomplish that day so it gives me more control, which is less threatening to me.

I just this week made our disgusting laundry area in our garage so fresh and minimal! I have always used the excuse that because I don’t have a dedicated laundry area it can’t look nice. So it just became a dumping ground for all sorts of random stuff that had nothing to do with washing or drying clothes. Weirdest thing I found? A ziplock bag full of owl pellets my science teacher husband keeps saying he’s going to bring to his school. We found them on a hike. Owl pellets are either owl poop or owl barf, I don’t want to know. They are NOT staying in my newly painted laundry center!

THE KITCHEN- i CAN'T IGNORE IT MORE THAN A DAY!

Anything (mostly cards and pictures they made me) from my kids or cards from my grandparents and parents

I love your vids

MY BASEMENT!!

I think that some sentimental cards should be kept in a file or album if it has a special meaning or memory in your life. Especially if the card giver is someone special to you. It’s also very precious if the giver made the card, or took the time to write something meaningful inside of the card. I try to keep at least some cards from my family and close friends until the next year marking the event. Otherwise I will store or file the special sentimental cards away like I described. Like precious photos.