About trying to start minimalism while living with a hoarder 😬

Simple Happy Zen Quick vegan meals or meditation would be wonderful.

What's the secret of your teeth

I'm single & live alone. I feel uncomfortable getting rid of photos of people I know (including myself) and framed diplomas, etc. Why is that? How do you do it?

What are your personal policies? Could you make a video about that please? Or on how to set up your own rules...

Sounds like a very valuable insight :) Thanks for sharing Nedra!

Thanks for sharing your story Regina. I can completely imagine that going through something like that will have deep consequences. Actually my grandmother lived through the war and also still has that exact same mentality. Which is very understandble. I think it's awesome you're making good progress and wish you lots of luck :) One thing I do like about that mentality is trying to fix things first, before mindlessly replacing them.

I am in my 4th year of minimalism. I started a new season of decluttering this week. For anyone that wants to start but is afraid, I would just like to point out that less stuff automatically equals less time spent cleaning, less stress, stimuli etc. You will see mental benefits right away. Dont be afraid, its just stuff :)

I notice a trend with my grandparents (mostly my grandfather). So first I've seen people who were raised in poverty go to one of two paths later on: either get frugal and wise over their money or resources, or they burn their money on impulse buys to fill their space or buy foods to fill the fridge/cabinets even though they probably won't eat it all and gets wasted. I've noticed my grandfather is an impulse purchaser when he has a lik extra in his pocket or buy more food than needed and it ends up going bad. Since I'm more minimalist and sustainable with things including food, my grandma is trying to not have us have as much wasted food like before. So it's a start.

Priscilla Jimenez I was there too before. When I was child my parents was in difficulty in financial so we took what we had with us that served at home. The time I first got my job and had my salary I ended up craving buying those things I didn't really need for my body. But as I grow older I start to learn taking what I really need only, not because I want them. I save more space in my life for important things. I think there are always something behind everything. Like story behind what we do today.

I was doing ok, not great, until the pandemic. Just like the Great Depression I now need extra cleaning supplies that can last until the supply comes back... 3 mos maybe.

Thanks so much for sharing your experiences Debra, I think it's awesome you're taking these steps! Good luck with everything 🤗

Despitemy decluttering, those are ky Hercules heel lol and classroom stuff since I use to work as a teaching assistant.

I completely understand Corinne :) Just keep taking the small steps and you'll see the results you want to see eventually :) And I think it's great you and your husband are doing this together. Good luck and take care!

Thanks for sharing your experiences Cheryl. I know that lack of support or understanding can be tricky sometimes.

You will find your tribe, just keep being true to what you want to achieve.

They will come around. Keep doing what you do and doing it in front of them. My dad started to use reusable produce bags and biking to the store. He used to be so cynical and say nothing we do makes a difference. I'm so proud of him but I'm not saying a thing. 😊

Awesome tip! Thanks for sharing 🤗🌼

And write down what you already did! It's such a reward to see all done after a week/month/year of this.

I'm so happy to hear that Lara! :) Thank you, have a happy Monday!

Hi Linda. Yes I recognize that. It was only until I actually started to let go of things that I was able to find an organization that works. :)

Same with me!

Thank you so much Sanghamitra :) Have a great day

Wow amazing!!! Way to go Lynby 🤗💕

Udom Ok9 UK u will not get 8AM 999j9888888 mi and you onh9

Awesome, thanks Raul! :) Enjoy your weekend

@@SimpleHappyZen Vera means bringer of truth.

Thats a really good idea i struggle with the gap that sometimes filled

Oh my! I am not alone 😂 I do exactly the same. I watch how other people come into their houses and become grossed. So always try to keep everything as tidy as possible )) which is still quite messy. The only remedy is to actually have less things to care for, dust, clean, etc.

I do exactly the same! I always think to myself I don't want to end up consumed by stuff :)

Happy to hear it! 🤗

That sounds amazing 💕

Well said :) Thank you Fana Alfia

Thanks for sharing Frosina :) Yes I can imagine that can be tricky to navigate. Have you seen this video where I share 5 most common minimalism struggles? This one is one of them: kzfaq.info/get/bejne/ib-AaqmU0afSY4E.html

@@SimpleHappyZen I have seen them all 😀

I agree. Some of my family seem uncomfortable with blank spaces. I find relief in open spaces. One of my family members, in particular, immediately feels the need to fill it. Lol. It’s taken some time but I have decided to put some of my minimalism on hold. I won’t have them living with me forever (no worries, it’s not my husband) so I am kindly, calmly waiting, and loving that I have her with me for this time.

I have the same problem Frosina. My husband wants to hang on to everything. I just deal with it the best way I can. 💜

YAY! Thanks Teresa 😄

Oh yeah, one tip I would share for newbies to minimalism would be to “know thy self” and “trust thy self.” In a world where conformity still reigns, a person has to be fine being different in the way he or she expresses his or her personal ideas, styles, beliefs, etc. when it comes to minimalism. Too many people try to follow to the letter what others on their minimalist journey do. That breeds frustration, so I say stay true to yourself when on your own journey.

Wow thanks so much Jaime, that means a lot :)

Yes they can be very helpful :) Thanks Lynmarie :)

It's a lovely feeling isn't it :D

You're very welcome and I'm glad the video was helpful for you in this situation! :) I've also been there before and it was challenging for me as well. In the end, it turned out I made the right decision :) Good luck and take care!

@@SimpleHappyZen Thank you so much for the comforting words and understanding. I really appreciate it! Have a great day :)

You can do it, just keep taking small steps and you'll get to where you want to be

Josefina Tibrey I feel exactly the same. I have sat in one of our rooms for over 2 weeks looking at items which I have put out onto the floor to “sort out”, I do such a small amount each day. I wish i could just make a quick decision on items.

One of my secret methods for decision fatique is this ... No matter how much we like an item it usually always has some flaw in it. Using a mental pro's and con's view of it truly helps speed up the process. Finding that flaw helps to decide if it's really worth keeping, making it so much easier and quicker to part with. If after looking for the flaws there aren't any then it's pretty much a keeper. Things i thought i would never let go of actually become an irritant once i admit the flaws in it and it doesn't hurt to let it go. Not everything with a flaw is worthless however. It just depends on how much you love the item and are willing to see or deal with the flaw all the time. One example of that is a ceramic rabbit i found that was adorable & perfect in every way except for a missing broken ear. Someone had thrown it out because of that flaw but i didn't see any sense in trashing it simply because of that one thing. I took it home washed it and use it as a doorstop with the broken ear towards the door where it doesn't show. That is the happiest looking rabbit now and it brings me joy each time i see it.

Me too. I finally settled on taking the time to digitize all of my old papers. It took a few weekends over the winter but now it is done. I scanned my documents and put them on Google drive. Now I actually can access them more often and more easily, so that is a pleasant surprise.

That's a great strategy! :) I do that too :)

Aw thank you, that's so sweet :) Have a wonderful week!

Yay ,so happy to hear it! :) Good luck with everything!

@@SimpleHappyZen Thank you!

I can really relate to that :) Thanks for sharing Lucy. Take care and happy Monday!

I completely agree with starting at the easiest stuff and working your way up to the more challenging categories :) It helps to create momentum and practice the skill of decluttering

Thanks so much for sharing Anne! I don't have kids myself but I can definitely imagine this would be a tricky category. So many memories, and also if items are still useful or were expensive, it could be good to pass them on to your daughters when they're older. On the other hand, I've also spoken with many parents who felt overwhelmed by all the stuff they were saving for their kids. So I do think it's important to find a balance. I don't think it's your responsibility to keep everything for them. So maybe you could come up with a system to help yourself decide which items are worth it to store them somewhere. Also, I don't know how you feel about this, but donation can be an option you can look into. Maybe there's a local charity in your neighborhood to donate items for families who are low income and cannot afford to buy these things for their children. That way the items won't have to be stored a long time before they can be useful again, they can be useful right now for another family. Maybe something to consider :) I would personally let memories and sentimental value be more important in my decisions to keep an item than the price it was. Unless you can sell them to get some money back for them :) Good luck!

Teach your kids one thing in one thing out. This is good even for adults. Nothing worse than to keep things because 'What if one day........' That day seldom comes. I believe in minimalism. Cluttering is like a mental illness. Let things go. Hope this helps.

Set yourself boundaries: we dedicated one bin per child and put in some baby stuff, drawings etc. My Inlaws put away everything for my husband and as we cleared their house recently he was overwhelmed and got rid of almost everything. Always keep in mind that this stuff also can be a burden for your kids. For drawings: you can take pictures or scan them and make a photobook.

@@corinnestauffiger5693 Less is more. In all areas of life.

@@corinnestauffiger5693 That's a really good idea about the drawings! I'm saving that. I have a lot of my favourite drawings from my childhood and from over the years - scanning them and making a book out of them saves room, because many of them are quite large, (for the simple reason that it's easier to draw something larger, but it's more pleasing to the eye to watch it from a distance or scaled down).

Wow thanks so much!! :)

Aw that's amazing, thanks Sharon! Good luck with decluttering

Hi Rachael! Thanks so much for sharing :) Yes I can imagine those 'haul' type videos can have two different impacts on people. Sometimes they can help to shop less, others might get tempted by them haha. So I always say do what works for you. Have a great day!

Thanks so much!! :)

Aw thank you so much! :) Take care Brigitte

Same, if I am a fan of something I want to pay the artist for their work, but I'm not so into merch. I know if I went down that hole it could consume me. The original story is the reason why I like it in the first place, so I might as well place my support there.

@@raapyna8544 exactly. I will make exceptions (I do like having T-shirts of my fandoms), but I am more particular about the merch I buy.

Thanks so much Cristina, that's so sweet :) Good luck!

Thank you Anne :)

Same here Ann, what i did was group them together on a nice trays or plates. It looks so much more peacefully and less cluttered.

So happy to hear that, thanks so much :) And ooooh so exciting for you and your husband! I'm sure it'll be a great experience for you

You're very welcome Isabel, glad you enjoyed the video! :) Take care and good luck

Good tip!! Thanks :)

Glad to hear it :) Thanks Sandi, have a great day!

So happy to hear this video was helpful for you! Happy New Year!

Aw thanks so much for your kind comment! :)

Hi there! :) Maybe it could be helpful to do a journaling exercise called 'my dream home'. Sit in your space, close your eyes, take a few deep breaths. Then grab a notebook and a pen and start writing down what you would like your ideal home to be. Try to let go of any impossiblities, just write down what you want. But instead of writing about the stuff, write about how you would like to feel in your home. Include senses like colors, smells, and also feelings and atmosphere. After you've done this exercise, you might get a clearer insight into what you want from your home, and how your current home is different from this dream home version. Because it's likely that something is missing for you, or not in alignment, which makes you feel like you need more cozy and hygge things. Like something deeper. Good luck :) Also, I recently made a video about how to decorate your home (and make it cozy) without cluttering it up with decor items: kzfaq.info/get/bejne/m7CXa5aktNOlgHk.html

Glad to hear you enjoyed the tips :) Have a great day!

Thank you so much and welcome to the channel! :)

Hahaha it's a lot right :D Good luck!

Yes I used to do that too :) Now I've commited to using up everything before buying something new, and usually it's the same thing I've already been using because I like those products the best

I'm so happy to hear that 💕🌷 Thanks Gena, I appreciate it

I can understand that :) I think the thing that helps the most is prevention, like you said. Trying to make sure we're not buying things that we don't need, and then have to discard. That's where the best progress can be made in my opinion :)

I can imagine, thank you for sharing. If you have personal advice for anyone who has a similar experience, please share that here :)

Thanks so much for sharing your thoughts :) I agree with what you said :)

Good luck, you can do it! :)

Great, thank you Caroline! :)

So happy to hear it, thank you! :)

I love it! Thanks for sharing Anne 🤗🌻

So, you have a designated "shop" in your home? :) Did I understand correctly?

@@raapyna8544 ​ In my case, it's a shelf in my laundry room where I put all my extras. I'm new to minimalism and have a lot of consumable duplicates that are still good (i.e. facial products I received as gifts or purchased myself). Instead of overwhelming my personal space with these extras, I set up my bathroom with my daily necessities only. When I run out, instead of going to the store I "shop" in my laundry room. I also love handbags and haven't had the heart to let them go yet. I put those away so that when I get tired of my current handbag, I switch it out and it feels new again. When I kept them in my closet, I saw the unused bags everyday and didn't get the same thrill when I switched out my bags. My goal is to downsize this area of my life but will be one of the last areas I tackle.

Thank you! :)

I'm happy to hear it Danny, good luck on your minimalism journey!

Great advice, thanks for sharing Carol! I like what you said about thinking twice before purchasing something. Like you, I find selling and getting rid of items in a responsible way to be a hassle. So it makes me really consider things extra carefully before I make a purchase :) I think it we bring something into our life, it's also our responsibility to get rid of it in a mindful and responsible way :)

Do you have any tips for selling things? We wanted to have a garage sale (I am living with my parents currently, and they are thinking of downsizing, and I have stuff I would like to sell), but, being as it is 2020, a garage sale may not be the best idea. I thought of setting up an Ebay seller account, but shipping and stuff sounds like a hassle. What would you suggest?

feylights I use an app called Wallapop. I think it is the equivalent to Craigslist. Sometimes I can ship things, some other times people wants to meet. I honestly prefer shipping, you don’t have to accomodate to someone else’s schedule.

@@carolc2574 thanks!

Yes these are great things to think about! And you could do it like you said, storing it a year and see if you miss it. If not, you can safely declutter it and pass it on to someone else :)

That is fine, if he's not a big shopper, and he doesn't place that sentimentality on everything.

You're very welcome Joan, have a wonderful day!

Happy to hear the video was helpful for you Chris :) We all need some reset inspiration sometimes :) Take care and good luck!

Yes small steps is the way to go :) Good luck and take care!

That's awesome! Good luck with the move! :)

You can do it, small steps :)

Hahaha thanks! :D

Am currently trying to do a 30 day low spend challenge, i started with no spend and struggled. Do you have any tips? Thankyou again fornyour advice and guidance