My child has seen me declutter 80% of the house🎉 ... Depends on age (mine is 13 & has more say). He just went thru his "toys" to clear out stuff! He was able to release the majority of Army "stuff", old dress up military stuff, books, etc. He decided to keep all Legos & some toys he said were memories- I was respectful of all his decisions & happy w/his progress!😊... (I only asked him to take 30min- but he spent 2&1/2hrs)... our decisions & examples definitely influence our children!❤

The one special thing I kept for my daughter was the ribbon belt from her confirmation dress. It was blue. I saved it, in a small plastic box, moved it with me thru several moves. When she got married, I got it out and gave it to her, as her something old, and something blue. She had no idea I still had it. She tied it on her bouquet. I didn't have all the pictures she drew,as a child, because a flood happened that ruined the boxes of things I'd saved, but none of that mattered. I had the one thing that did matter. So, only save what really matters.

Dawn, I love how you say, "Yes, we all visit Crazytown from time to time, but we don't want to live there." Great video! ❤

As an adult I’ve realized I don’t care about most of the things my mom saved especially the baby stage. My kids baby stages are special to me but they don’t remember it or care. So I have my own memory box with things I’m not ready to part with but the kids don’t care about. Then, they have their own memory boxes for what they think is special.

I’ve found that it doesn’t always work saving baby clothes because subsequent babies might be different sizes and born in different seasons. Love your videos!

I also have started using the photo trick! I have found that photos of things bring back SO many great memories!! And with digital photos, it doesn’t take up physical space, but I can browse old photos any time I want!!

I have something I want to say about the saving of baby things. It's an example of something that happened to us, that fully supports what Dawn was saying. I have 2 kids, a boy and a girl. I also knew we weren't done having kids but we were struggling to get pregnant, and also had a miscarriage. During that difficult time we moved and had to put all the things I had saved, into storage. It wasn't a time where emotionally I was ready to go through it but it did need to be pared down just a little if I'm being honest. It really wasn't excessive though so I didn't beat myself up about it when I wasn't ready. Fast forward just a little bit, and we find out we are pregnant after a loss! So exciting! We were getting ready to take care of the storage area and move things to a more permanent home, and found that it had been broken into and everything was stolen. I'm now 31 weeks along and so far we have just shopped really smart with the big items, and we've had so many blessings. Friends and even strangers have come together to help us because they knew what happened. I think that this time I'll have a more manageable amount of things as well. We are having our 3rd child and a chance to start over. I'm not overwhelmed with all the stuff. Yes, im still sad. I lost some special items I wish we could reuse, but God is good, and He is providing for our needs. It just looks a little different than we thought it would, and that's ok. It might have been a blessing in disguise.

My mom gave me a gift for my birthday many years ago. It was a baby dress outfit I wore as a baby 40 something years ago. I was happy to receive it. She decluttered the rest.

Until I found your videos- mentioning memory boxes - I was very embarrassed and emotional about things from my childhood - my memories are from Germany childhood- toys - stuff and books - I always thought there was something ‘wrong’ with me Now I know it’s ok to have them tucked away in beautiful boxes - I put a note on it that it’s just personal memories and my daughter can ditch without feeling guilty throwing something away that’s me❤ thank you (of course I have boxes of my daughter’s art etc too)

I feel it’s important to accept now, when your children are young, that the things you save - clothes and artwork will be either obsolete or unwanted by your adult children!! I’m 62 and I have seen it. I have a good friend who saved literally all their children’s schoolwork that seemed of importance and memorabilia that they deemed important. Nope. After storing that stuff in their homes for years, the adult children (early 30”s) were totally not interested in any of it. This was my experience too. They don’t need to look back and don’t get emotional about “things”. I let my son choose what he wanted when we moved recently and it was pretty much nothing. I have one small tote that has a few items that mean something to me and that is it.

Dawn, Great video. I have a problem getting rid of stuff that people give me. This was very helpful. Now, let me go get rid of some stuff. 😅

I saved so many toys, and clothes from my children’s childhood. At some point when my youngest son was a teen, I bought 5 plastic sweat her boxers, one for each child. I then saved their special clothes, only what fit into the box. As they moved out I gave them their box. My youngest granddaughter is 2, and it brings me so much joy to see her wear the few special clothes her mother wore.

Another great podcast Dawn. I grew up we didn't have a lot. When I was under the age of ten we lived more minimal, But we also moved a lot so my mom didn't keep things. From when I was young I was the oldest. So when I had children I had in laws that kept everything and encouraged me to keep everything. Like you said I found how styles would change even in a matter of 5 years I had three kids in five years. Their body types were different and so even though I had three sons they didn't wear each other's clothes always. Tough situation happened in our family and made me have to hold on to things, Things had a place but I'm now learning it's okay to have things more empty. 13 years after my youngest son was born I had my fourth my daughter in a new marriage and like you said I was able to find so many new things. I had given away most of the baby stuff from my sons but my fourth one was a daughter. Things were difficult in our family. My husband wasn't around but it's amazing how God had me find everything I needed. But again fell into holding on too too much. I have over the years been getting rid of more and more. Also people need to realize if you keep things too long the plastic gets yellow, If it has rubber on it many times that gets brittle. We found this recently from a motor kit from 1 of my sons, Everything else was fine and except the rubber tubing was brittle from being old. Yes I wish society was more of a lending and borrowing. I did not experience that with my children but I was able to find things and make it work. I will tell you 2 of my Children that are married so far with five grandchildren they don't keep a lot. They let it go And many times it's just to bless somebody else. I know my children will tell me they could tell that I grew up in a tough time and that I have a hard time letting go. But I will tell you Dawn Learning from you and a few others, Also from take your house back course and your private group the minimum mom group has changed my life and my home. My youngest is being more minimal and she isn't holding on to things. Even though things weren't the easiest when she grew up she doesn't hold on. So all I can say is praise God for your wisdom

We had some construction in our storage attics. My mom's parents never kept a thing. My mom kept everything. I finally sat down to go through another tote, it was fun to see but I was ok parting with it. We have a bin for toys/clothes and an accordion style folder for their school papers/awards etc. This video was so timely! Now on to the kids' toys. Thank you, Dawn!!

I have 3 grown sons. Two are married with children now, and honestly, they don't much care anymore for their old things. I have kept some things, and each son has a box and a few very sentimental things on their walls, but I have kept video and pictures. It is more about the memories, and who they are now. I only kept very little from each year of their life.

I have a keepsake bin! I only put very special items in. I’m a very sentimental person and I find this so helpful. If I could only keep one item, it would be her hat she wore in the hospital when she was born.

I love your KZfaq videos, of course, but I’m really enjoying how these podcasts can go deeper into the struggles we may face when trying to work toward minimalism.

Just don't be the parent that throws away their kids things without there permission. When I went to college, my mom threw away ALL of my tropies without my permission. And I am still very resentful to her for that now. We had previously agreed that I could keep anything I wanted in my room when I left for college and she wouldn't touch anything unless I was there. It's about trust. Just because you as a parent are a minimalist doesn't mean your children have to embrace that life style. It's about being respectful towards them and there things.

That's helpful.... "if you keep it all, nothing is special..."...

100% agree, looking to the future is so much better. Fun to look back for a moment but then back to the present and into the future.

I have my kids help me go through their own stuff. They know that in the end it's gonna be theirs so they keep only what they want.. I sometimes take something and put it aside for my own memory but for the most part, im not gonna keep something my kids don't want, and dont need throw away something they DO want.

I love how personal your podcast is. ❤

Last year, I gave my son a shirt we got in Amish Country, PA, his son, now 2 was wearing it last week. I was so excited, it was one of just a couple of his shirts I saved for him.

First off that picture in the background is pretty, great tips as well.

Thank you , Dawn !

Love your laugh! Contagious 😆 ❤ great video

Really good question, Really good answers!! ♡♡♡

As a TK/Kinder teacher I would say save a few items that show before/after/change/growth. Let them choose 1 item and take their picture with the items that you live but can't keep. Hope that helps a little. Take a video of you reading their favorite book to them and a video of them reading a book that they have learned to read that year.

This helped, THANK YOU!!! 💛

Time is needed to determine what is so special. When he was 3 I kept so many shirt. This one came from gram, or that one from aunty… then as they are older they just go in a bag to goodwill. But if you go throw the 3 bins in the closet from the 4-7 age only a few shirts are special. And the guilt over the people who could not use what was in the box so long is strong.

you are brilliant.

I'm totally with you on my own childhood memorabilia...I don't care about 90% of it and I was so young I really don't remember most of it. My parent is the one storing it all, and they say there's no way they're getting rid of it but they never look at it either! I think the older generation really struggles with sentimental stuff more.

❤ Truth!

My young child doesn’t always want to go through her stuff (like her bin of artwork) so I ask her if she trusts me to go through it for her. If she says yes I can make decisions on her behalf of what gets trashed or what goes in her memory box.

My 4.5 month keeps smiling at you

I can’t get over that fact that you got the guy from the radio to do your voice over.

Maybe it's because of my abusive past or my autism I don't have a sentimental bone in my body. Maybe that's a good thing because I don't hold onto anything from the past.

Generations want less stuff. In the 70’s and 80’s there were all these parties like Tupperware but decorative. Honestly they are like chain letters the obligation felt. So some were art parties. I can’t tell you the number of painting and decorate dishes on my moms wall. And they have stayed there 50 years. There is no clear out. All the precious moments. Today people move more so get rid of some of that more often. Or they get the cheap stuff now in stores and not sold through art shows in your friends house so you change it up. The reason people want less stuff is actually people being better off financially. The more money the less stuff you want to clutter it up. I also think experiences are done more and the money goes to those things.

I have about three little outfits win Daniel, my eight year old with born bomb blanket some cards, some paintings that he’s done and that’s literally about it

As an adult whose parent or who kept their stuff I can tell you I don’t want it. My husband doesn’t want it. Sometimes a book or and outfit is fun to have for our kids, but one and that’s it. The only thing I care about having is photographs. That is all.

I tried to save a couple of my daughter's baby clothes and guess what she didn't want them so I got rid of them.

Did I somehow miss Episodes 1-11? 🤔

Infant/carseats do expire. ( plastic deterioration)

What about the knock knacks people keep giving me? I don't want to offend anyone but I don't want ANY of it and am afraid they will find out I immediately got rid of it.

Promo`SM 👇

Its said there is 8 to 1 baby stuff to baby ratio. Market is over saturated.

The Bible is clear that we are not to be borrowers. Not all of us have people to borrow from.

Although I love your KZfaq channel, I don’t like the slick announcer you have for these podcasts. I wish you’d record your own intros, etc. If you “must” have a slick announcer, choose a woman because the great preponderance of your followers is made up of women!