Hey friends!!! It was so fun to think about and share what I’ve been learning during my declutterring journey. I’d love to know if you’ve experienced any of the same things or some different ones! 😊🫶🏽

For me it really stopped my shopping habit in its tracks. Decluttering thousands of items over the years is a humbling experience.

Minimalism is not about having as little as possible. It is about getting rid of things you don’t really need. To be extra mindful about the items you have.

Decluttering changed my shopping habits drastically. My first thought after, 'Oooh, shiny! I want that' is now, 'Where will I put this?'. It's surprising how much that curbs my spending. 😉

I recently came across a youtube video of a woman named Dana K. White who has a decluttering style that is a no mess, no piles way of doing it. When I followed her way of doing it, I found it easy and gave me a “no pain of letting go” experience. To answer the question of has decluttering changed things in other parts of my life, “Yes”! When my husband mentions we need to do a certain chore, fix, etc. I use to say ok, tomorrow (or some other time down the road). But now, I get up and we do it right then. When I notice something needs cleaned, darned, whatever, I am now more likely to do it as soon as I see it needs to be done. I think the clutter had weighed me down and now that I got rid of so much, I feel more energized.

I have found one of the hardest parts of decluttering is letting go of my fantasy self (who I used to be or who I wish I could be - but my characteristics/actions/abilities don’t align). 😊💕

I love the part about how decluttering translates to more decisiveness in general. It's like decisiveness is a muscle, the more you are honest with yourself about what you really want, the easier it gets to know what you want and why.

"Messy b4 it gets better" - that has been my state for the last 3 weeks. Thank you for the reassurance. I no longer feel bad about the declutter process. Well said.

I finally found someone that I can relate to. I can’t live with 2 pairs of pants n tops n I love different choices of makeup n perfume but I can still declutter things that I don’t need without going to extreme and ending up with one chair to sit on! Lol!😂

I agree with your insights. It took me 3 years of decluttering to feel like I had finally gotten things down to where I want them. Going over categories of stuff multiple times, selling, donating, giving away. You are so right when you said it's freeing to let it go. At one point I was shooting for minimalism, but then realized i wanted my place to have things, and to go for making it feel cozy and comfortable rather than bare. What I have now is an apartment where I can easily manage everything I have in it. =)

You mentioned the Lord and so i feel comfortable sharing- this decluttering startwd because Honestly being a sahm the past few years has really humbled me and taught me a lot. Being a 9-5 woman for 15 years to a sahm was harder transition for me and so anyways i was praying to the Lord for guidance and peace and patience because i was getting frustrated with my family picking up after 4 older children and a husband and dogs and parrots keepn the house clean it was just a lot and i didnt want to be frustrated or feel like a failure everyday And i was just sitting with the Lord he told me go and be a good steward of all that i have given you. Ive given you more than just money ive given you a body time energy husband children pets house abilities etc. you keep doing what your doing but be cheerful be glad be grateful be a good steward. And i just cried and repented felt silly my thoughts got to me and so since then ive been at peace and i feel revived and focused. The Lord is so good he corrected me with his word and then answered my prayers for peace and how to fix it. So thats what im trying to do everyday donate or toss whats not needed or used and not buy anything unessential. Sorry for long response just felt convicted to share. Thanks for the video

“Dealing with my foolishness” describes my current season of life & would look awesome on a t-shirt or pillow … that I already own.

This is video number three for me and I'm overwhelmed. I'm overwhelmed because I started watching while folding laundry and linens and I just sat down. I feel clustered emotionally, mentally and physically!! I can feel the tears swelling up in my eyes and I'm just tired!! I don't know how I got to this point but I hold on to so much stuff and I still buys things. I have things that are still in the store bags and in bins that "I'll put out when I clear out my closet". Things in my guess room, things in my shed and my garage. Like why!!?? In my heart I feel like I'm a minimalist (at least that's what my heart desires) but I look around my space and it makes me feel heavy. A part of my just want to grab trash bags and start angrily stuffing them, and another part is thinking "what about those things". I've thought about having a garage sale and attempted to set up for one but that was a fail. I'm just overwhelmed and tired. Thank you for sharing you journey and your kind words.

Love that I found your channel! You are so relatable. You said "I like things" and enjoy having more options in your closet and fridge. I thought, "this lady is for me!😂"

1.) Thank you for saying out loud that it is okay too if you LIKE stuff. Decoration, more clothes than the minimum needed, things that just spark joy when we see them. 2.) I noticed how GOOD I feel, when clutter leaves my house, so I am beginning to do it more often. Just to feel good. (Not one full car load every two or three months, but one bag or one box at a time. Little bit of good feelings today, little bit next week... I totally like that!)

I have found that since decluttering, my impulsive buying has stopped. I relate to your comment about not being a minimalist - that you like certain things. While I understand the point minimalists make, when I see their living spaces, it looks so unappealing to me. It looks like there's no one living there . . . there's no life, no heart, no warmth. It looks so clinical to me. Different strokes! Thanks for the video!

Messy before it gets better is so right. You know , being confronted with your overconsuming, overspending, thoughtless collecting self is very humbling. I felt so guilty when I first went into my deep dive, but once you get going, ........what a feeling of freedom!❤

You are so correct…my anxiety is at an all time low. Declutterring has truly helped.🦋

6:23 "i am not wasting any more time on this, this is going to take this amount of time & that's all i'm going to give to it" very useful, thank you !

I love this video! I decluttered things many years ago . I probably brought 3 huge truckloads to goodwill. As you said, with time/space I can see things I need to declutter again because I just wasn't ready to get rid of them. I recently cleaned out the space under the stairs and removed 4 bins of very cool dishes, I wanted to use "someday", but it was never convenient, so i said it was time for them to go. Its hard, like you, Im not a minimalist by nature..but the purging feels great in the end. My tip: is I go room by room. To do more completely overwhelms me and sometimes I do space by space, for example--just declutter my dresser. good luck in your continued journey.

One thing I recently saw was to sit with a paper and pen first and decide what you want the area to look like and what you want to store there. Seems basic… but, I had still been doing the “manage the mess” rather than “what do you really want”.

I did a lot of decluttering a few years ago in the midst of Covid lockdowns. I was shocked at the amount of stuff I was able to get rid of that really did not feel painful at all. I must have made 10 trips with my minivan to thrift stores with everything. But there were areas of my home that I never got to because there’s just so much decision-making and it’s draining. I’m hoping to get motivated again this winter and I need inspiration! Thanks for getting me jump-started!

It was explained to me that some people are minimalists and some prefer to "live abundantly". Not calling it wrong or right. I just appreciated the name. I also live abundantly. :)

It’s hard letting go of some items. I declutter quarterly, and if I haven’t used the item in question by the next quarter, it has to go. It’s constant, I definitely reconsidered my shopping habits.

My biggest lesson was to not make Perfection the enemy of Progress. I originally tried to do a massive decluttering in a short window and then gave up when I failed. It took me a while to appreciate what I was able to accomplish and start again with the goal to do the best I could with a little help to keep me accountable in a more reasonable way.

Thank you so much for this video. It speaks volumes to me. Your thought process completely described mine, and I too, “Like Things” lol. One of my biggest challenges is seeing an item at a store I really like on sale. I feel like I have to take advantage of the sale even though I really don’t need the item. Discipline is key! I’m actually in the process of declutterring my home and it’s definitely taking longer than anticipated, but I know it will be sooo liberating in all aspects of my life when completed!

My mom passed away 3 years ago. I brought half her bedroom with me. I couldn't let go. My impulse buying, depression and hoarding was terrible. My finances went to crap. My emotional well-being, mental health, and everything turned. Since December I have been getting rid of things. I still have a eays to go. But ive made so much progress. With God first, therapy, and self love. I cried seeing how much stuff ive accumulated in just 3 years. Ive been throwing away and donating so much now i have more time with my kids, and serving others.

I am on my 3rd round of decluttering, and your right, the first time around, I had the emotional attachment to an item. This 3rd round is going great. You are right about it going into other areas of your life.

Thank you, Sister! May God continue to bless you and your husband. Your video is very encouraging! 😊

Please pray for me. I'm 64, disabled. Babysit 5 days for my 1 yr old grand. Trying to declutter to move also. But have pain and am tired. Hubs no help.

So far, my declutterring is happening in layers. Like I felt really good about sorting clothes and holiday items, then I went back and MORE needed to come out. Same with the kitchen, outerwear, pet items, old toys & games from when my kids were younger, etc. I sorted and thought the “category” was complete, only to find out that in some cases, we had just scratched the surface. I also thought the process would be quicker. It’s not. But the journey is good overall. TY for your honesty

"We don't realize how attached we become to things and how those things are a refection of who we are and how we feel about ourselves..." So true! I'm decluttering and discovering this to be true about myself. Great video, TFS.

Thank you for sharing your experiences in decluttering. True, it is an ongoing process to declutter the unwanted items 😊

New subscriber here. I’m a wanna be minimalist living with two hoarders.😩 My husband and I have bought a home for our retirement so I am wanting to declutter so as not to take a bunch of junk with us. Our adult son still lives with us so we are waiting until he gets his own place and then we will move. Meanwhile I have high anxiety seeing all what I see as clutter. As I have an autoimmune disease as well as anxiety it is a very slow process for me. I live with chronic pain so it’s very difficult to get much done at a time. I am making small steps so I love watching videos like yours to help motivate me. I see you have quite a few videos on decluttering so I will be binge watching them. I also have a very small channel but it’s about luxury and contemporary handbags and other things I love. It doesn’t really go with a minimalist’s esthetic but they are things that I love. If you ever pop by I’d be very appreciative. I haven’t made a video in over a year because of my health but I’m hoping to get back to it. Looking forward to watching your videos.🥰🙏

I just found you and thank you so much for your content and honesty. I’m struggling with decluttering and feel overwhelmed often. My four year old tells me, “ Mommy you have to clean this up”, and I say to him, “I know baby, mommy is working on it”. I want to do better for the both of us.

Such a similar journey for me. I’ve been decluttering for over 5 years now and with each “round” it gets easier and easier to let go of things. They have less meaning and attachment. You build up decluttering power or something where your things just don’t have as much control over you anymore. You understand that the feeling you get from a well managed space and the peace there is so much better than having the things. I think coming to it gradually and on your own terms is a great way to do it. It means a lot that way because you had your own real epiphany that way. At least for me it has. I feel freer the closer I get to just having the amount of things I need and truly enjoy. It’s an ongoing process.

lol... it's like we're the same person. I felt every part of this video ❤

I listen to this while de cluttering my closets! It felt so good to get rid of the guilt of not fitting into clothes that have been in my closet for 2 years. Buh-bye. To the goodwill it goes. And is freeing. I did my clothing shelves yesterday. Tomorrow it’s socks and intimates. I saved this for future motivation and reminder of why it’s so important for my mental health as well. The k you for this post.

My problem is yard sales. So many things for so little. Now decluttering that. I'm not a minimalist just a essentialism. My first video here. Really enjoyed it.

Thank you for reinforcing my concept to self care within

This was so inspiring. Thank you for sharing your journey in a realistic yet motivating way.

Thank you. Finally someone that understands and articulated what I feel and what I'm going through. I appreciate you

You mentioned a number of things that were very helpful. Thanks!

Girl! You and I are the same when it comes to having too much stuff and overthinking! I desperately needed this video ! I get so overwhelmed easily when it comes to decluttering😢 My problem is that I start, and then I never finish! I definitely try to work in small sections, but it's hard for me to let go of things, but I'm trying

I am currently in the process! I started and thought I could declutter in a weekend 😭 my body is in pain, but my owners retreat closet is beautiful! This was so timely!

I took four years to declutter. I still bring stuff in, but it isn’t just stuff that I bring in and store in a random cupboard! It changed my world. I painted the house inside and out, I changed out the taps and showers and just renovated one after the other it changed my life.

What a bright, sweet, well spoken young lady you are! Pleased to have found you! 🥰 Very good points! Great video!! Tfs!

Decluttering kind of means organization 😊 Declutter/Purge a few times a year and just keep everything organized and in its place. Now, somebody tell my husband that!! 😂❤

Thank you for making this video. It was so helpful to help me get started on my decluttering journey

It's the messier before it gets better that makes me batty but I push through. Yes doing it often is key.

Hi great vid tfs! Decluttering has really helped me stop over shopping too! That has then helped me manage my money a lot better xxx

Minimalism is not about finding joy with as little as possible. It's about only keeping the things that you actually use, have a need for, love and brings you joy and fulfillment. You can have hobbies, tools, crafts and be a minimalist. And to be honest Jesus was the ultimate minimalist. You never hear about him having a massive wardrobe, a ton of scrolls, houses, flocks of animals and so on. By being more like him you really shouldn't be tied to a lot of possessions anyway. Becoming minimalist opened me up to be more giving of both my resources and my time and to truly be grateful for what I have been blessed with that I no longer want to own/have everything/everyone that I see.

Great video! I really like the way you think and speak plainly of steps you've taken that is actually helpful. It's taken me a while to realize decluttering is not a one time deal and I don't have to do it all at the same time. I always think I'll do it in my free time. But when do I have "free time"? I am a procrastinater to the core. So, I have been taking increments of time to do something small. Like clean/organize a drawer or go through a stack of papers. Getting things out of the house that I have been holding on to for no reason has definitely been freeing for my mindset.

Best of luck on your upcoming move Kristi! I really love the process of moving and setting up a new home in a new way. I hope it isn't a stressful process for you. ❤

Awesome...because I have been saving alot of stuff that I said I was gonna do prior to the pandemic and need to just let it go!

Great video! Needed to see this! Just moved to a new home and my garage is stuffed w/things from our storage unit! It’s depressing that we can’t even put our vehicles in there 😅 It was a sign for me to see this video! You have a new subscriber and I look forward to watching more videos ❤

Glad I found you! I appreciate the way you explain this topic, and you’re expressing the process in a matter of fact and practical way. Easy to listen to. Yes, don’t block the blessings!

Loved this video and i totally agree with. Dealing with my foolishness is the perfect way of describing it. 🎉

Being purposeful with items is important

Love your philosophy about this - our belongings need to support what we're up to, where we're going, and reflect our values. Attachment makes so many things difficult - decluttering, relationships, dieting, spiritually - all the ways. Love especially you saying that you no longer want to wait for your life, but to start living. Decluttering our 'stuff' will declutter our minds, too.

Great video!🤗🙌🏽💖 Yeah, I give away a lot then fill in the empty spaces.🙄

Excellent points! Thank you this has helped me so much! It’s a mindset change, it gets worse at first, it’s a process and you must constantly do it!!

I agree so much with your statement that, once you bring something into the house, you have to find a correct place for it immediately so it doesn't become clutter to deal with later!❤ Peace and love.

Just came across your video. I like your presentation style. I have been decluttering for a few years now but became sidetracked with serious health issues. The areas I have completed definitely now feel the most peaceful in my small home. For me this was the bedroom to give me tranquillity at the end of the day and the kitchen to bring me functionality. I have a few closets left that still fill me with dread! I'll be sure to check out more of your videos.

It's okay to love our stuff. As a pro organizer at one point, I can tell you think of it as "streamlining". Like if you had to move what would you take with you? Be move ready. If it makes you feel, poor, or less than, bail on it.

Something ive been telling everyone is you should do a yearly inventory of everything you own. This is because my house burned down and it was so hard to itemize stuff. All the books we owned especially

WaaaaaaaHhhhhh! This is me every-time i try to declutter. I love this, thank you for sharing.

You are in my head Ive been feeling and thinking this way for the past 2 weeks. I needed this video.

Hi! Your video came up on my KZfaq feed because He works in mysterious ways! I had JUST read my daily devotional....it was about loving others/forgiveness. I was feeling convicted this morning when I realized I still had some bad feelings for someone when their name came up in conversation. When you spoke of forgiveness and letting going along with decluttering, I realized this (and the devotional) was for me. So know God is using you in yet another way. 😊 Also, when you were speaking of keeping only the things that serve you & your husband moving into the new life God has for you, the word "curating" came to mind. Thank you for sharing your journey.

I subscribed because I need this content! Thank you.

Oh my goodness, what an AWESOME video! I just happen to stumble across your video and the title “what I wish I’d known prior…” really caught my eye. And your insights are so powerful and so encouraging! Thank you so much. And your sense of humor/reality is grand. Self-awareness itself is a process and it’s great to hear someone embrace what they didn’t know and have such a healthy and fun attitude about that. Thanks so much! I’m starting on same journey - 30 years of accumulated stuff, and I needed that affirmation - of laying it all out and ‘taking it in’. My kids thought I was crazy but I was like, Nah! I need to set it all out and roll around in all this crap to really get the full scope of it - and be DONE. I’m in a new house after a heartbreak, and have unpacked all my stuff all over the floors so I could just take it all in - and giving myself that permission (and that my kids have now moved on and I’m in my own house for first time in a long time - was great. No mom yelling at me to clean up after myself. I’m the mom! 😂 And my ‘wish I’d known then what I know now’ self is staring at all this stuff like, for reals?! Anyhoo, it’s been fun and your video confirmed the ‘fun’ side of self-realization. Cheers! 🥂 And huge thanks! 🫶🏽

Thank you for this. This video is very helpful! 👍🏽

Thank you for sharing. I'm just starting to declutter my home after years of ignoring the mess and your video gave me the inspiration I need to continue the process.

Such a practical video. Thank you.

This is wonderful! I love that you share decluttering wisdom in this video, not tips, hard earned hard learned from going through the process. It makes a huge difference! Thank you!!

So glad I found your channel 😊. This speaks to me . Working on this now. We’ve lived in our house for 30 years…raised a family in this house. Have way too much stuff. Making the grown children take their things and going through things that we just don’t need or use anymore.Sure does / is taking a lot more time than I realize it would. But I am keeping on. You are so right about it being a messy business of doing this. It makes such a mess pulling it all out to deal with it all🙈

Thank you for your introduction. So often I turn off these types of shows because the person just doesn’t seem real. ❤❤❤

Thanks Kristi I have been on the declutter journey for quite a while but your observations were very helpful reminders ❤👍💥

Moving across the country made me realize how insane it was to hold onto things just cause. I moved an ironing board. 🥴 That thing was bent and raggedy. I learned A LOT

Thank you, Sister, for this video. I can understand why a person might think that the goal in minimalism is to find joy in as little as possible. However, as a minimalist, I’d say that it’s more about letting go of the things that don’t bring you joy (or don’t have a purpose). The process of letting go often leads to minimalism because we often have many things that don’t add joy to our lives. By letting go of these things, there is more time and energy to focus on the things and experiences that add joy and value. There’s really not one way to do minimalism. Some minimalists probably do find joy in having as little as possible, while others have a collection of objects that bring them joy. Some like a stark black and white color palate, and some, like myself, love warm, inviting colors and comfortable furniture. It depends on the person. I just started watching your videos today, and I’m enjoying them and finding value in your tips and perspectives on things.

“I just know me…I LIKE THINGS.”💛🙂

Glad to find this video. This is so me!

I'm really overdue for a decluttering. My acquiring habits really ramped up into overdrive after installing the Amazon app on my phone. That app needs to go to. It's not just the things you've aqyuired, it's also the means by which you get them.

I LOVE YOUR DELIVERY!! i believe in my heart that you could actually cure a hoarders mindset and make it healthy. Without the guilt or emotional attatchments! Very motivational!

Thank you for freeing me while I’ve been decluttering while working and making space for family

What a great video! You nailed it! The Minimal Mom changed my life in 2020, and decluttering my life gives me so much more time for the people and activities that I love!

I had to watch many different decluttering vidoes over the years to hear some of the stuff mentioned in this. Very consice and useful info. One of the best videos on decluttering on the internet. It needs more views.

I like things too. 😂 my 'ideal self' likes wayyyy more things than i do. I fell into the declutter YT community and i haven't looked back. I found a donation center that picks up. They've picked up twice this month...big loads that wouldn't fit in my suv! It feels so good. I streamlined my selli g process on FB marketplace and made over $200 in the past 2 weeks. 20 pairs of shoes that i never wore, didn't like....and was going to donate...i put 10 up on marketplace On a whim.and immediately sold them. That same person bought the other 10 too. So that was $40 and the crap is not taking up space in my house. I've gotten pretty ruthless about it. If i havent touched an item in 2 yrs and it isnt sentimental it goes.

Ponchoes. Just so many attempts with that kind of fashion item! 😂😂

Congrats on decluttering and welcome to minimalism. Being a minimalist as with everything comes in all shapes and sizes. Not all minimalists only have one plate per person. Lol but We do all embrace to concept of only keeping things if we are/are going to use them. Also we continue this process for life its not a one a one and done. So welcome I wish you happiness, love and a clutter free space 😊

I love your philosophical view on this. I am working on myself and also starting a decluttering journey and I relate to the emotional aspect of it all.

I absolutely love how you explained your mindset!!! Thank you so much!!!

You are correct that it is a process. I started decluttering several years ago and have come a long way but it is still a work in process.

You're lovely in a most refreshing way. I very much enjoyed your simple & to the point content.

Hi, I’m new to your channel, but listening to what you said, as really made me think a lot.

I struggled the most with the 'gets messier before it gets clean" portion BUT sitting with those emotions helped make the change stick. It lets you mindfully confront yourself & can help change shopping or grocery behavior.

Thank you bunches i am not a natural declutter either so I too go back over

So true ALL of it!!! I have spent the last four weeks being ruthless and purging everything 110 bags gone!! But boy im physically and mentally drained😭😭Should have done it years ago tbh Thanks for talking sense 👏👏Love from Yorkshire England xx

I am SO glad I found your channel. Your content is incredible and so helpful ❤

New subscriber!! Love your videos... super helpful😊