This is so good to read! Thank you for sharing...inspirational

Yes! And this helps ease my guilt if I'm sharing an unneeded gift. Would make it easier to explain if my unlikely nightmare comes true of being asked about the gift by the giver. Like if I gave it to someone who really needs it.

I know how you feel. I once donating a stack of fancy tops to my local thrift store. The woman that runs the store told me a woman came in and bought all of them. She was so excited, she’d wouldn’t have been able to purchase them at retail.

I really like what you said here. I think this will really help me. One thing that is helping me right now is knowing the lady that owns the small thrift store in the little town I live near. She is a mom to 6 kids and knowing that my donations help to support her and her children, makes it easier for me to get rid of stuff my family isn't using. I make sure I only give her stuff that is in really good shape so she can actually make some money off of it and doesn't add clutter to her store.

Thrift stores landfill 90% of donations. Stop buying things!

Yes, best on local giveaway groups - really nice to meet people picking things up:)

Well said! My first time will tell bins got 6 month expirations, and even then I would occasionally "save" an item or 2, but the "time" has decreased as confidence increases. 3 years later - my husband "surprise" helped by taking "donations" before I had to ask him.... But it was actually my fresh time will tell bin!! ... I took a second to think, and as I couldn't remember what I had even had in it, I just shrugged it off!!! I can't miss what I don't remember! 😊

That is a goid point. And you don’t need to start by decluttering the hardest stuff. If you start in other, easier areas then you can get to the tougher stuff when you’re ready.

Yes!! You're my favorite, Dawn!!

My mom always used to say our things are only worth what someone else is willing to pay for them. Most of what we purchase during our lives is pretty much worthless as soon as it becomes 'used'. (I'm not including mementos as 'things', but it's easier to let those go if you ask yourself, 'Whose memory was it?' and 'Does this make me happy?')

I love your comment. My best memories are of my daughter babbling and sitting on kitchen floor with a wooden spoon and pots and pans - loving her “toys”

This is so true! My son sat in a laundry basket to bang on pots - hung low on a pegboard for that purpose. HIS toddler loved stacking all sizes of funnels and measuring cups, and to "shop" among small (tightly-sealed) plastic spice bottles - left within reach on a low shelf; shaking and dropping them into a small basket. 😊

My babies loved that too! Stacking empty containers and lids made cool towers!

I'm so sorry for your loss 💜

I'm so sorry for your loss 💔

This is literally the only thing I miss about Facebook. But I don't miss it enough to install the app again.

Agreed. Younger people are just not interested in what we have collected and enjoyed. A friend of mine has come to the same conclusion. She has brought her collections to dealers and no one wants them. So…. It is hard but let them go if they don’t easily sell. I place the more valuable items for sale. If they don’t sells we bring them to the Salvation Army. That way we are helping others even if we don’t get money for the items.

If it's a real future, keep it. I keep old clothes for younger kids. And we use them.

Best wishes figuring it out, and I'm so sorry you've gone through that loss. When I had a house under contract but wouldn't be moving in for a few months, I started collecting items for that future larger space. I'm glad I did. But I'm glad I waited till we had something official coming up soon instead of starting before I was sure what we'd be moving into.

I'm sorry about your home. I don't think you should feel bad for keeping essential things in storage. Once you move in you can always downsize the amount. Good luck.

Do you have a Buy Nothing group in your area? Ask for what you need. At least where I am people give away furniture, clothes, appliances, everything.

I would feel good about having those things ready for the new house. Maybe just wait until it is finished to purchase more. As long as there are beds, linens for it, and a couple bath towels, everything else can be added after you move in things already stored. Then you can see what you actually need. Do basics first.

😢 yes she looks quite ill here to be honest. I feel she should have granted herself some time off❤

Could have a box or area where you store finished projects, and when it gets full, pull out your least favorite to make room for the new. 🤷🏻‍♀️ And you could offer it on Buy Nothing or something to bless someone else with it, not throw it away. That's a tough situation. Good luck!

My aunt creates watercolors and pastels- she has been framing them and offering them to family. She has the funds to do the expensive part of framing, love being able to pick decor for our home for free and have my aunts artwork!

Best wishes! I think what would help me in that case is looking around with an eye to what could be really helpful to a person in need in my community--someone who needs the thing more than I do and can't afford it. Helps me let go of unused clothes etc.

I really struggle with energy too. In case it's helpful, here are some things that have really helped me. Good wishes to you! 😀 1) Remembering to Temptation Bundle FUN things with decluttering 🤩 This has been such an essential tool yet I forget sometimes to use it! Podcasts and music while decluttering + something rewarding immediately afterwards that I already do often (e.g. having a meal or cup of tea or watching TV or a KZfaq video) have helped so much! 2. Letting (a bite-size chunk of) the mountain come to me. ; - D I have health issues that affect my energy and can make decluttering physically painful, so instead of bending, squatting, or standing next to the clutter, transferring a do-able chunk to a bin and sorting it on the couch with the TV really helps. (I also love Angela Brown Cleaning's suggestion of dedicating a table just to sorting when you have a large ongoing project, although I don't have room for that yet!🤪) 3. Keeping a Metacognition Journal about decluttering Having a place to work out what might be blocking me and remind myself of my Whys, the progress I've made, and what's helped in the past has been invaluable! 🤓 4. Taking lots of before and after photos so I can SEE that I've made progress and reviewing them for inspiration when it feels like an endless slog 5. Looking at a "before" photo instead of the actual stuff to more easily identify what can go. I don't know why this works, but it's helped me so much with decision fatigue and being overwhelmed by not knowing where to start. 6. Reminding myself how GOOD I'll feel just for taking action, and *giving myself praise and credit* during and afterwards ❤😃❤ Noticing what I'm doing RIGHT and celebrating small wins has made a huge difference in *many* areas of my life! 7. Putting reminders of my "Why" directly in my eye line from wherever I'm decluttering 8. Using a vision board or reviewing an index card deck (or other format) of Goals, Whys, and Encouragement, including *Evidence* that things are possible (my past successes, character traits I have confidence in, *reminders of my progress,* stories or images of people similar to me who've achieved the things I want to... ) Actively cultivating BELIEF that I really can accomplish big or very longterm goals is an *essential* part of finding the energy and will to act for me. Things that feel doable inspire me to do. 9. Using Pretty Home Power! Prioritizing decluttering and prettifying the areas I see most from where I spend the most time in my house has helped motivate me to keep decluttering even when it feels it will never end. It really is amazing how a cleared countertop, TV stand, or dresser top with simple pretty touches (a framed photo or plant, flowers, etc.) *continually* make me feel good, so adding more areas like that as a sub-mission of my decluttering really adds fuel to my tank. I realized I also get a boost from adding pretty touches WHILE I'm decluttering, so even just taking a moment to really appreciate something as small as how neat and organized the half of a shelf I've completed looks before stopping for a break or the day helps me find energy to continue. (Cas from Clutterbug has a great video about this. : - ) I've noticed that when I feel demotivated to clutter clear, there's often stuff accumulated in at least one of these previously prettified areas, and that giving them a little TLC and maintenance helps reinspire me to tackle other areas. - I'd love to hear other people's energy and motivation tips! Good luck and godspeed! 😃💖

@@bellaluce7088 what awonderful post so many great ideas and inspirational post thank you

@@janicebrown8589 Aw, that really makes me feel good! ☺Thank you! : - )❤

Keep yearbooks! They’re fun for us and for our children, and they will come in handy “reviewing” before class reunions!

It's brought up every week. Please feel free to fast forward. ❤

@@dianasimplifiesI think the real problem is the change. There would probably be fewer complaints if Dawn did it herself in between answers. (Honestly, I hate the voiceover. It's jarring after Dawn's sweet soft voice.)

It's been mentioned, and Dawn obviously likes the voice, so I think it's time for folks to let it go.

@@MyFocusVaries 💯

It's a dear friend of hers, so she likes having him on here. ❤❤

It's a professional voiceover style. It's been mentioned many many times and Dawn continues to use it. I think at this point people need to let it go.

That actually isn't what she ever says. She says its easy to come by baby items or kid clothes and she means second hand at a much reduced cost. Also only rebuy a very minimal amount. As far as decluttering items and the 20/20 rule goes she mentioned that you almost never feel you need to replace the items.I have personally found this to be true in my own life. I can't think of anything I've had to go out and re buy. She did a video one time about things she regretted or had to go out and buy again and I think it ended up being one cord for one camera and it was less than $20. She says borrow if you need to or find a way to get around it by using something different. She actually said that again in this video I believe or maybe it was in Tuesday's video on the main channel.

I think time/effort is another aspect of this. Like if you'd have to take little kids on public transit to the thrift store and keep them from running around the store etc it adds to the overall replacement "cost." Or if they have barely any time to shop at an online thrift store and do returns. But everyone can factor things in according to their circumstances.

She says more about using alternatives and using our imagination to not replace the item. And how realistically we don't actually end up replacing items we declutter. It's fear that stops us decluttering, not a reality that we'll ever need the item.

I discovered the Minimal Mom while unemployed due to health issues and still have huge anxiety about my ability to ever work full time again. Thinking through what it would actually take to replace or borrow something if I really needed it again has helped me defeat "just in case" clutter paralysis even with ZERO income coming. And that feels so empowering! 🏋‍♀ As with any advice, I think the key is taking what works for you (or modifying it) and leaving the rest. ❤ Going through the process of decluttering has helped me realize how little I actually need and use, and ironically, that's helped me feel MORE secure even while unable to work. Having less STUFF weighing me down is also reassuring in case I have to downsize to a cheaper living space or move for a job. Plus, it just *feels GOOD* to live in a less cluttered space. 😃 And when you're dealing with financial struggles or any challenge, that's simply a nice thing to give to yourself. : - ) For me, the peace of a decluttered home is *definitely* worth some hypothetical time or money I *might* have to spend someday if I end up needing one or two items out of the HUNDREDS I've given myself freedom from. 🌈🌱🌿🍀💐💖

I have been a minimalist with a kiddo for 8 years. The only baby or toddler items I have ever had to replace was things that broke, stained, lost. Otherwise we've been okay. My kiddo loves adults kitchen stuff, so we changed our bowls and plates and cups as they got too stained or broke to stainless steel so I'm not having to worry about it. Same with toiletries, I just use theirs too expect for a toothbrush and toothpaste. You don't need kids bedding or toddler size beds, use what you already have works and a mattress on the floor works very well. You don't need a chest of drawers and a wardrobe, one or the other will be okay. A pack of 12 pens, 12 pencils, 8 crayons and chalk if you want and water colouring paint sample size, if you dont mind it has been fine. A pencil case with all that stuff in is more than enough. A3 or A1 paper and then a lil notebook for on the go works. Fidget cubes or pop it's, maybe a play phone lol and then a hot wheels is good for everyday commutes. We don't need much for them.