YOU DON'T NEED ALL THIS STUFF. 

I agree! I had never thought of my items as employees before. Right away, I thought of two spatulas in my kitchen drawer that are rarely used. They’re cute, but useless employees! They’re getting fired today! 😂

I've done something similar for larger items costing them as renters but this way is better

@@ckee8437 I do that, too. Especially rarely used large items I check how much space that item needs and calculate how much rent that is - makes it really easy to get rid of things, even when it was on the pricey side because rent adds up fast.

However, equating employees with "stuff"--disposable material items-- just isn't right or respectful.

@@dianeyoung8068 But some employees will be happier in a new place of employment where they can finally work for their pay instead of sitting in a cubicle/cupboard doing nothing! Or again, think about toy story where either he could remain as a toy getting played with vs staying in a box in pristine unused condition.

That is a great ending. I used to be a teacher's aide, and the amt of their own money they have to spend is shameful. I am currently doing my craft supplies. I feel bad about the $ wasted on my fantasy self that crafts like Martha Stewart. The real me doesn't have the patience. I am going to use your story as inspiration and believe that when I let it go, it will arrive at the perfect place. Thanks.

What an amazing story. I hope the kids enjoy using the supplies

Praise God 🙏🏼

That’s amazing 😻

Wow. Meant to be!

That is really funny. And creative. I never ever thought of that. One woman told me she carries things out to her car before people come over.

That is a great story....smart Mom. Mine was the closet, but when people came to visit and see my home....I showed them the closet!!!! Forgot the stuff was there!

Priceless lol

@@NLY1WAY4U amateur

It concerns not only the USA, it’s the same here in Europe

I just spent two weeks with COVID. I started clearing out a lot of my stuff. I think part of it was that I had more craft supplies and other stuff that I had just in case that I would die before I could use it all. It made me so happy to clear out drawers but it is hardly noticeable. I think this will be once a week or even more often looking for things to get out of my space.

Yes, Covid did make us all question our security

Completely agree. I never noticed that I stress eat until COVID came and I was forced to see myself differently. I hope you are able to feel more comfortable at home with doubles of things. I was never one of those bulk buyers during COVID or anything but I feel insecure without backup food. I have a few weeks worth of cans/noodles/rice etc to keep me from getting too uneasy

@@terrisaunders7036 I found myself without a lot of essential supplies when Covid hit. I wasn’t one to store certain things like food, cleaning supplies, and paper goods. But the couple of weeks leading up to Covid I was very busy getting ready for my then turning 7 year old’s “Proper Princess Tea Birthday Party” as she called it. I was making everything homemade because one of her friends has food allergies and I didn’t want anyone to feel left out. Then one of my neighbors lost a parent and I cleaned out my pantry cooking a large meal for them. Then “bam!” Covid shut everything down and I was out of EVERYTHING! Literally! So now I’m still having a hard time not feeling like I have to have 50 rolls of toilet paper and tons of food on hand! Right now I’m trying to use up things in my pantry so I can actually see what I have and we eat it before it goes out of date. But in the back of my mind, I’m thinking, “What if something happens again?” It’s hard to get “unbrainwashed.” But I’m working on it! I hate clutter! What I found I did too, was ended up buying too many storage cabinets to store all the clutter which is just as bad because then furniture felt like it was closing in on me! But I’m diligently working on getting back to normal!

Definitely have to strike a balance. I wanted to get something for my brother's birthday, a coffee he liked. I wasn't able to because I waited until I was heading to his house and it wasn't on the shelf.

🤣

“Sanctity of the set” . I totally suffer from that guilt too. 😂😂😂

@@sharonozvenom same. What is it about having the set that we have all been duped into??

I need to get rid of vacuum cleaner attachments from old vacuum cleaner and the bags!

It is so annoying looking for the second sock and glove... ...and matching all the gloves to right ones again... .

Wow. Have never related more to a post in my life.

Every time I watch an episode of hoarders it stresses me out so bad that I want to go through my own home and start cleaning and decluttering

@@jac4RU-vid I have to admit, as much as I hate going over, I ALWAYS come home and start purging 😅

@@jac4RU-vid Can totally relate. I can't take more than one hoarders episode at a time. Freaks me out. I run around gathering stuff to get rid of, even though my home is fairly clutter free and organized (but there's always room for improvement).

I've been decluttering like a mad women. I think I just heard my house say "thanks". If feels a lot better now.

This! Drives me crazy.... All the stuff in the stores. And so much plastic. 😔

I think about the plastic when at dollar tree...broken items are inevitable then the garbage. Ugh!

I do not have any of those things. I grew up with less and we never got into all of that. My three sisters did not want all that storage of one day unnecessary decor.

You are so right! And it is all so pretty and would look great in our house...ugh! I have more Christmas, little fall, and some religious Easter items. I remember my Grandmas only decor was a Christmas tree. Simple living and no storage (used tinsel) as the tree was real!

Exactly! I realized years ago that every time I went to Target I would come out with extra things that were mostly just junk. So I stopped going. I have only been to Target probably twice in the last 6 years. And I don't miss it at all.... that's the best part. Can't even imagine how much money I have saved as well.

You are doing a great job . I hope you will be very happy in your new clutter free home . When decluttered I put donations immediately in my trunk and try to drive daily to get rid of it ( it was a 2 min drive but I felt so free and liberated each time that it motivated me to keep going ) I am so proud of you . I was in your place 6 years ago .

@@rev.robynyoung7680 you are sooo right . It feels like a waste of time and money and stress. Having all that stuff in your new home can instantly make you feel depressed. Thank god I have been clutter free for 6 years . I am live on the west coast and transitioning to the East coast . I left about 9 months ago with just my cat a 1 suitcase packing last min . I had friends and family that wanted to meet up before I left . I was supposed to come back within 3 months which actually ended up in 9 months later. It was not easy and so many things were left behind . ( my mind was not there as some other unnecessary drama had happened while I was trying to leave ) Now I am back to the west coast trying to finalize my move . Here is my advise: Schedule time daily to declutter Plan it out with sections like 1 week for the master bedroom, 3 weeks for the garage on a big spiral notebook. This gives you lots of areas to write notes or break down sections like a dresser . Before starting a room break it down so that you have a section each day and then once completed you can check it off . You can also take notes like how many boxes you will need or special packaging like bubble wrap . Give yourself the last month as padding to do last min stuff . If you are going to meet friends or family make sure you complete your weekly schedule and as a reward you go out with friends and family . Example Monday -Friday declutter 1 hour in the morning and 2 hours in the evening . Saturday complete your goal for the week . Saturday night and Sunday are your free time Label and take pics of each box . I would honestly declutter for 2 months as you will realize after decluttering you are now realistic and can actually let go of more . So you have 5 months left . 2 months declutter next 2 months packing last month last min stuff . Listen to RU-vid videos ( especially moving or decluttering ones ) or have the tv on while I declutter so that I am not so stressed and makes the time go faster

Last month I gave away 7 contractor bags of things. I cant even tell you what was in there. Smh

@@rev.robynyoung7680 I am happy that you are busier and enjoying your retirement. I love your attitude that it will get done but you will still enjoy yourself . I am sooo happy for you and your positive attitude. Giving yourself grace is such a huge life lesson . Stay blessed and stay hydrated/ cool If you can please pray for my sons missing new 2 pound kitten that’s missing and that god brings him back to us safely would be so appreciated.

@@rev.robynyoung7680 we checked the house and even had to vet techs check our home . We have made made many attempts on Facebook and walking and driving around the neighborhood and posting flyers and talking to anyone including the Amazon guy Thanks for your prayers

Same!

All the time and it's so frustrating 😔

Yep. Moving this and that out of my way for a year decide to donate it and a week down the road... Dammit I need that thing...annoying.

Murphy’s Law strikes again lol

Has happened to me more than once...🤪

I’ve been following for about a year, life changing

I just found her too. I was a little spooked when she showed up in my feed (not my usual category) as I’ve been obsessing over decluttering lately. I’ve had enough! How did my phone know? I’ve been binging her videos in the last few days and I’m overjoyed. She is amazing! Her comments and editing are perfect, in addition to her content. I’ve already gone through a lot but the road is long and will be very bumpy along the way.

Same!! I went to skip ahead, realized it was dog related, and watched the whole thing 😂

The only time I ever used the manuals for our appliances was when we sold the house and I put together a binder for the new owner. I downloaded the manuals for what we own now, and so far, the only times I've visited those files is when I've replaced items and need to toss the old manual. I'm betting he never notices that they're gone.

My husband has these stupid things too. I want to toss them but I have a strict no decluttering other peoples things policy. So I think they will move into his walk-in closet. (Mine is an accordion closet btw.)

I started to get the incorporating my 3yo into an annual pre-Christmas declutter of her toys as she grows she is learning to choose some toys she no longer plays with and “give them” to another baby who might like to play with them. I tell her she’s making space for any new toys she might get as a present. She’s now 6 and regularly goes though her toy stash and makes decisions about what to keep and what she’d like to donate.

We live in a 2300 square foot home and it is the largest home we have ever owned. I can't even fathom the upkeep on a 6000 square foot home! Do you love your 1300 square ft home?

@@embr4065 We sure do! It’s definitely easier to keep clean. And with less junk cluttering it up, it’s less stressful too! I can enjoy the 5 acres we live on and feed the fish and turtles in our lake. Beats cleaning all the time! ☺️

@@rev.robynyoung7680 agreed, 2 of them are my teenagers and the other my husband-who has an extreme case of clutter blindness!

@@kimberlyreiter3213 If your husband is on board with cleaning, but is blind to his own clutter, try to make him scan the rooms like he has to describe it to a third person. Works wonders for my clutter blindness

Another way to help break clutter blindness is to take photos of the cluttered spaces and try to imagine you were a stranger viewing the room for the first time. Maybe that would help your husband see it?

I am on a decluttering journey too, but my strategy is to get rid of anything that can go regardless of where it is. Trying to concentrate on a particular room or space can be frustrating. Sometimes I will take a pre-look at a space just to let my mind begin processing, and then actually start doing some decluttering later. I live in a ranch style house on a full unfinished basement, which is nothing but a magnet for clutter. The house and basement, but especially the basement, have tons of stuff that needs to go. I have committed to making a short 30 minute trip every day to the basement to do some decluttering. I also have been going through stuff in the house. It has been gradual, but I am proud to say that I have filled my Herbie Curb the brim the past 7 weeks in a row. It is gradual, but I am now starting to see results. I went down to the basement a few days ago and could actually tell the difference.

@@Tes7000 I usually find myself picking up things I see wherever I walk through the house and grabbing them if they need to be trashed or donated. But for me, if I don't concentrate on one room before I know it I'll have torn apart every room in the house making a bigger mess lol. I'm pretty sure I have some form of undiagnosed ADHD because concentration on one task is HARD 😫

@@dorothyphillips1677 That makes so much sense. You definitely don't want to put stumbling blocks in your own way.

Can you keep a few favorite books to read to little kids who might visit you or for future grandchildren? Then once you've chosen a few favorites, it might be easier to release the rest.

My grandmother used to record herself reading books for her grandkids. On casette tapes. I kept them for a while even though I couldn't play them on anything... but eventually got rid of them. I don't miss the tape. I miss her. But I have the memory of listening to her read children's books. Your son will remember you read to him, not what you read. It's you at the center of his memory. And him at the center of yours. :)

@@ladyvignette What a sweet & great idea your grandmother had by recording herself, I love that. I also really love & appreciate everything else you said.. it's not necessarily the books or recordings that you miss, it's your beloved grandma, and that it's not the physical books which we read to our younger children that formed & solidified such special memories, but rather the experiences we shared while doing so. That advice is particularly helpful for me right now, so I thank you😊💜

Maybe when people you know have babies you can gift them a few books and explain how they were a favorite and you are passing them on.

Truth! You can live life if you’re always managing your stuff! I was blown away by the thought of your stuff talking to you!!! And it does! This clutters your mind! I don’t think I will ever be a “minimalist “ but I want to get really close! 🙃

I had a similar experience visiting my mom earlier this year. My kitchen isn’t minimal at all though I do have things kinda streamlined but visiting my mom, I could see how easy it is to feel overwhelmed by all the extra things we don’t need but have to care for.

I am curious. How exactly does it take less time to clean up a minimal kitchen after dinner? You need to clean the pots and dishes. It can't really be fewer plates, because only because you're a minimalist doesn't mean you share your plate with someone else. I have been on my decluttering journey for years now and I want to become even better, but I really wonder if cleaning up a kitchen after a meal is really so different in a conventional and minimal kitchen. I'd be happy for some perspective.

@@claudiaheilmann4883 well, I can tell my story. If you have one plate for a person, dishes don’t get collected from several meals. So, for each meal you’ll need to wash the plate/fork right away to use them next time. And if you don’t have extra bowl you start putting food right in everyone’s plate without that transition to a bowl. Also, my hubby and I do sometimes eat from a pan. Also, if I have limited things for cooking I reuse stuff rather than take something specifically for one purpose. Or I wash that one thing that I need right away before I need it second time, because I don’t have multiples. That’s just my experience, sure, it can be different for everyone 😅

@@claudiaheilmann4883I have made some decluttering progress (finally) and here's what I have noticed. If you have fewer items, there is more room on the counter tops, which makes it easier to wash a dish and set it on a towel on a cleared off countertop. Also putting things away inside a cabinet is less stressful and more satisfying because there is plenty of room to put it away. So I used to absolutely dread putting things away even though I wanted all the things put away. Now I like putting things away because it's easy, and I get an instant high from the neat and tidy appearance. This has taken me years to achieve. I feel bad that I didn't know how to do this before. I have 6 kids. My oldest moved out 2 years ago, and that has helped. We still have some of his things in boxes.

What did she say at the beginning? I’m a newer follower. She’s fantastic! That’s so kind of you to tell her you’re proud of her. Even though I’ve just “met” her I am too. To do all this with young kids is mind blowing.

I don't have a basement and live in less than 200 sq ft. I'm learning that I don't have the space for too many "just in case" items anymore. Getting rid of these things is a continuous process for me in order to keep the clutter down.

Totally agree! ☺️

Doing the exact same now! It’s a beautiful Sunday morning, I’m sitting on my porch drinking my coffee, exited to make the best of the day but not sure how I want to spend it. These videos are the perfect segue to getting out of my chair and willfully jumping into productive activity!