Whole House Declutter with Me!

Thank you so much for watching!! You can see Last year's whole house declutter (lots of decor & kids stuff) here: https://youtu.be/_wFMmRh6kec and the laundry room makeover here: https://youtu.be/xS2lSYXISTg I hope you have a great day!!! - Dawn

On the topic of giving way nice stuff. I was once that person who had to buy everything at thrift shops. The thrill of finding something truly nice was amazing. When I have something really nice to give away, I alway remind myself how I would have felt 20 years ago had I found it. Makes it so easy to put into the donation box!

We don’t have trash service here in North Carolina. We have to take everything to the local dump. They have a metal building that is called the swap shop. You can donate just about anything in decent condition. That has helped me because it isn’t an extra trip to the thrift store or a pile of stuff that is sitting around. Plus it is helping someone else that lives near us! It helps me keep our inventory down

Dawn, you changed my life in 2020 when you introduced me to the concept of "reduce the inventory in your home, to an amount you can easily manage". Our home is so peaceful now and easy to clean. The best part is now I have more time for the People and Activities that I love! Thank you!!!

I helped a health impaired, disabled friend declutter and blitz clean. She’d been unable to clean or even pick up stuff for a while, but we didn’t have time for a deep clean, except in the kitchen. We had worked really hard and decided to reward ourselves with a dinner out. I insisted before we left that we go on a tour of inspection and praise ourselves and each other, so instead of leaving (and returning) feeling exhausted and overwhelmed she felt tired and proud. I didn’t go back to her place after dinner, so it was important for me too to have a final viewing that let me feel I’d really accomplished things. >>> This is my ( long winded point >>> Both of us slept really well, and she told me that felt “lighter” next morning, happier to get up, and get moving. She was even able to follow ‘mantras’-don’t put it down put it away, don’t leave a room empty handed, etc etc. Previously it had all seemed useless, too difficult, and even ridiculous. As she said, it made no difference, so why bother. Now, it made a difference !! One empty coffee cup or misplaced magazine looked messy, so there was motivation to follow all the hints.

Better to get rid of something while it has value than to hold onto it until it's worthless. Let someone else be blessed with it.

To help with my mental block of getting rid of nice items I don't need is I look at the items as gifts I'm giving to others in need. ❤️ This is also what I tell my kids when we go through their toys.

My tried and true method is this: if I come across something that I want to declutter but then get caught up in all of the "what if's", someday, its useful, blah blah blah, etc, and I'm hesitating, I say to myself, "Leslie, you know you want to let this go. If you don't let it go now, you will only have to deal with it again. My time is WAY TO VALUABLE to go through this thinking process again, so I just let it go right then and there and NEVER LOOK BACK!! Works every time!

Dawn... I have decluttered almost 80% of everything myself and daughter own since following you! Opposite of most, I hung onto clothes too BIG for me thinking I'd be able to wear them again. I had TONS of inventory from my business that closed in 2020 and just STUFF.. including sentimental items. I used to be in debt (years ago now) I'm totally debt free but found myself still shopping out of boredom being stuck indoors for 2 years. 🤦‍♀️ I did many, MANY "rage purges/Swedish death purges" whatever you wanna call them... but, they work for me! I've donated 50% to a local charity for children who are terminally ill, donated a TON to local non profits, salvation Army, etc... and now I'm in the final stages of finishing up the rest of the "things". I now have a "uniform wardrobe " of my favorite colors and what I actually wear, and still have a goal of at least 1 or 2 more 40 gallon black bags to be donated each week. I'm looking for my first house and I want to move as LITTLE as possible.

To keep my side of the bed clear and free of clutter, I have been using an LL Bean tote bag to carry my Bible study books, journals etc that i am using during this Lent. I love this idea bc I love being able to take the bag to the car or to other parts of the house, without adding visual clutter and losing things. It's a very visually minimal bag and has been a great answer to the piles. I am a reader and I want my books, but I don't qant thr clutter accumulation.

THANK YOU…THANK YOU…THANK YOU!! I found you in February 2020 while my husband was out of town on a Church Leadership trip. He was away for 2 weeks & I began my decluttering journey within a few days of learning about Minimalism. At the end of the 2 weeks, just before he came home, I took 7 trips to Goodwill with my Explorer completely full (all of the seats were stowed & cargo area full)! I have managed to continue to declutter as times go on. We are empty nesters with 4 grown daughters, who have all married Godly men & have blessed us with 9 awesome Grandchildren! God has been SO good to us & you are another blessing from Him! Keep up the good work blessing others with a passion to be content with less carnal things, allowing us to focus on more spiritual blessings🙏🏼! “Well, I Love You” & hope you have a good day, Lisa F. from Texas

The hardest for me was a few pieces of my Grandmother's jewelry. One day I just let it go and it still bothers me a little bit but I am happy I let go. I never wore it over 40 years. I am 66 and just moved into 365sqft. I bought your book to make sure I have removed all I can. As I find a home for things in the new place I will let go of the last few items not needed. Yahoo

When I am getting in to the "hard" stuff to declutter I do the following (which you basically taught me!): - picture my dream, perfect "vacation" home. Build up that longing and desire for having just what I love and need. - force one of my sisters to come over and sit with me while I sort through the stuff. - keep repeating "if it's not an immediate yes it's a no." - ask whichever sister is helping to take the donate pile with her when she leaves so I'm not tempted to go through it and it doesn't sit for 3 months on the floor.

I was watching while sitting drinking coffee. Then I decided to go clear a small area of my basement mess. I just 15 minutes I got rid of garbage and recycling and put a few items where they belong. Now is a clear path to walk to the rest of the mess. Thanks for the motivation. Tomorrow another small area.

I am a Marine Corps wife and have am working on my 8th move in ten years. Thank you, Dawn for giving me permission to stop keeping things in case they work “in the next house.” I think I had at least 150 lbs in linens that didn’t work where we were living. Now in my second year of decluttering I feel so much lighter! I even have my pack rat little girl on board with her own donate box in her room. I can keep a tidy house now! Mind blown.

Our homeschool co-op has a "free table" where we can bring anything we might donate and also take anything we can use. Someone takes everything to donate at the end of the day. It's fantastic!

Donating should always be “perfectly good” stuff…no need to donate garbage. Sure something might not be perfect, but anything donated should be usable. And think of how excited you are as a shopper when you find just the thing you needed at a thrift store for much cheaper (especially now when things are so expensive!) Also I think it makes sense that in previous generations the cost of something was the determinant of it’s value. Back then, (even like 30 yrs ago when I was a kid) buying things was not so easy. Things were expensive relative to income and we didnt have the wide selection, discount options, etc. Now, we have to look at things differently because things are so cheap and easy to obtain. I try looking more at it from an environmental perspective and remember that I don’t want to keep adding to the unnecessary stuff in the world. My question now when deciding to buy something is: “will it solve a problem I currently have?”

I always feel good when I give away old bed sheets and rugs to animal shelter that's in need has help me to let go...and now all my old good quality clothes are going to homeless shelters and my children clothes...just knowing it helping someone who will appreciate the donations is a good feeling and always beats the overwhelming feeling.

I HAVE JUST COME OUT OF HOSPITAL!!!! One bonus I felt all the love of my family what a blessing. What was also good was that I am a tidy person and I could tell people where stuff is so they could keep the place going. They actually found stuff to.I could even tell my son where the glue and some paint brushes were kept. There really is value in keeping down the stuff and being organized.

When looking for ways to not feel guilty, I ask…WWDD…what would Dawn do?!?…or Cas or Dana. You have all given me inspiration to let things go that I have held on for decades…yes, DECADES!! Moving it from one house to the next. My dad reminded me recently that I still have stuff at their house!!! Now I can’t wait to help him and my mom declutter my stuff from their house as well as all their years of collecting “treasures”. Thank you for the help and inspiration that I needed♥️♥️♥️