10 Decluttering Secrets from over 100 Simple Living Books!

[@TheMinimalMom]

THANK YOU for watching, I'm so grateful for your support! Get a 7-day free trial and 40% off Blinkist Annual Premium by clicking bit.ly/TheMinimalMomJul24 or by scanning the QR code! Find these simple living books on Blinkist: - Digital Minimalism - Life Changing Magic of Tidying Up - The Joy of Less - The Minimalist Home - Love People, Use Things - The Paper Solution - The Art of Simple Living - Essentialism Have a great day!!! - Dawn

[@SnowySpiritRuby]

Unrelated to the video topic, but would be cool to get an update on the dogs, the rental properties, the house-moving project, etc., at some point.

[@rochellecrockett5000]

Thanks. Wish u could come here lol

[@bettina1973]

wow, your offer with this link and the 40% off Blinkist is so great. I don't know it yet and would like to try it out. Thank you very much for your videos and the opportunity to try Blinkist at such a low price.❤❤❤ liebe Grüsse Bettina from Switzerland 😘🇨🇭

[@tarawasinger]

I’m definitely joining Blinkist as I am obsessed with personal development! Love your videos! 🤗

[@smathykins]

😂😂

[@pamcadd8658]

Although I agree with many of these approaches, i balk at "all of one item in one spot." For example, scissors: I love the ease of finding a pair of scissors when one is kept in almost every room. Opening a package while sitting in my chair? Opening a food package in the kitchen? Trimming a plant on the porch? It's great to reach out and find a pair of scissors in its spot, right where it's needed. Each pair is labeled, so when one is found wandering, everyone knows where it belongs. i can't imagine going up or down a flight of stairs every time I needed scissors!

[@laurieandersen3095]

I agree for stuff like that. But for most stuff it’s better to have designated area

[@jbridges9574]

I think it’s best to declutter by category but then put things back based on where we use them. So I would gather all the scissors in one place to sort and see if any need to be removed but then put the keepers where they are used. That way if you need 5 pairs of scissors you don’t end up with 9 because you don’t realize you have more than you need because you forgot you have others in another room or worse, buy more.

[@SavvyCoachandOrganizer]

I agree. Scissors and a few pens/sharpie in several places in my home and Sharpie and a couple pens always in my purse. I use my Sharpie in the grocery store to write expiration date on packages so that my husband and I can see what to eat next and not waste food.

[@janethunt4037]

I need pens upstairs, one next to my bed, and some upstairs.

[@clairem.caterer856]

Reading glasses! A pair in every room 😂

[@hzharry]

Regarding Gifts…my friends and I give each other “disposable’ gifts such as wine, baked goods, books and even a movie night or pizza night. No more “stuff” taking up precious space in our homes.

[@kierstendainton4521]

We do the same within our large family. Also we discuss with each other what they actually want/need so nothing is given unnecessarily. If a surprise gift is given its often flowers, wine etc or something that someone has noticed hey need or listening to dropped hints.

[@nakias8362]

Love all these ideas and like all I really want ever is a movie night...not more stuff

[@stefs3460]

😋 Your idea sounds delicious! My friends and I often get each other a special food for a gift already not for decluttering purposes but we just really like good food!😂

[@peachpathfinder]

Not disposable but comestibles and experiences. Yes- those are the best gifts!

[@ErinLy]

Can I ask how you get this conversation started with friends and family?

[@JoshuaBecker]

Hey Dawn! Thanks so much for the kind words about The Minimalist Home. Your videos are always inspiring.

[@ninnymuggins5159]

Joshua- what do you think about this? One thing I will always disagree with is getting rid of other people's possessions behind their back-- even if they are 3 or 12 years old. This creates distrust that can have long-lasting and often rebound hoarding effects, as they struggle to hold on to items even more. Also the person is not learning how to manage their own inventory and develop skills in decluttering and decision-making on their own.

[@The_Vegan_christian_kristy]

​@@ninnymuggins5159 I agree. My mom always decluttered my things, even when I was a teenager and fully capable of doing it myself. I wish that she would've just let me have a say in what I wanted to keep of MY things.

[@terrig2298]

My mom got rid of my stuff when I would go to elementary/middle school. When I asked about where something was, she always said I must of have lost it somewhere. The worst was shortly after I went up to Girl Scouts, a neighbor girl was in front of her house. When I rode my bike past, she was dancing around and shouted to me that my mom had given her my Brownie uniform. She was outside playing in it! 😭My mom said she gave it her because they were poor. I don't think the girl was even in Brownies or ever planned to join. Also "somehow" my Barbies went missing 😭. A girlfriend gave me some clothes and somehow my favorite dress disappeared. I agree with what @ninnymuggins5159 says.

[@devinfarrelly3768]

My life has changed so much since I’ve been watching you for the last three years Dawn. I think there’s a huge link between consumerism and anxiety/ depression. I took your at home course with Dana and Cass. It was super effective. My home, papers, clothes and even garage are organized and decluttered now. Most importantly I’m free of guilt from undone tasks, unworn clothes, unused gifts, and the silent to do list. I feel mastery over my domain, and myself. The relief of anxiety is such a gift !! Being in control of my calendar, schedule, mail, finances, has all come from reducing the amount of possessions and our home is so peaceful. The energy I have now is so much more because I’m living with the right amount of stuff. Thank-you Dawn !!

[@jennifershaw4756]

Regarding children's toys... my 5 year old grandson is sure to want to play "grocery store" every time he visits. We have a kid's shopping cart that I bought at a garage sale, some old monopoly money, a used gift card and empty food boxes ( KD, cereal, cookies). We place 4 coasters to form a square as our scanner. If Grandpa's not around to be the cashier... it's self check-out. haha Kid's need very few toys to have fun. Just imagination.

[@patriciam1550]

Decluttering at the Speed of Life is a gem. It helped from getting me started with decluttering to turning habits into behavior modification.

[@johannabjorkell4226]

I think I’ve listened through that book 3 times in total. Funny, insightful, creative and observational.

[@beth6810]

The first decluttering book I read, ages ago, was "Clutter's Last Stand" by Don Aslett. It's motivating and very humorous. I find myself occasionally repeating this little poem from the book, regarding things to get rid of: "Something red, something dead, something underneath the bed/ Something gray, in the way, should have chucked it in the bay." 😄

[@patriciam1550]

❤❤❤

[@danidelyon7093]

Yes, yes! I loved that book!!

[@HazelCotton]

Me too. I read it about once a year, the OLD one. It's about time I dragged it out, again. It's my favorite motivational book. Uncle Don is the bomb.

[@gaylec8409]

Clutters Last Stand! That was my first declutterring book also. Great book 📖

[@robyn3349]

Don Aslett! His books helped me a lot!

[@kbal1451]

Life Changing Magic of Tidying Up was the first book and probably the best one I've read. But I don't use all the techniques she mentions and I use much smaller categories than Marie Condo does. If I put all my clothes out it would be overwhelming and take me three days to do it, but if, for example, I just simplify it by using a smaller section like looking at all my shoes together then I can curate them easily in a quick time frame. Yourself and a number of other content creators on youtube have really kept me going with decluttering. I also struggle to do all the housework, I have a disability, and having a cleaner come in once a fortnight also keeps me more accountable. I had my daughter help me with my clothes last year and that was wonderful, I was able to make quick decisions, categories items quickly and she took the donations to the charity on the way home. She also kept a few things for herself and was complemented while wearing one of my tops, at work, the following week. It certainly increased my feeling of wellbeing.

[@shiragill]

What a delight to see my book Minimalista featured here! Thanks so much Dawn! xoxo

[@wilhelmina8843]

I had not heard of your book so I’ll be checking it out for myself! Thank you in advance for your efforts to help everyone!

[@shiragill]

@@wilhelmina8843 Hope you enjoy!

[@myhumbleheartedhome]

Number one is in Proverbs chapter 31! Conviction when reading “she looks well to the ways of her household”! It’s what began the KZbin search where I found you 🤗

[@aleithea2715]

Wonderful, finding the answer in God’s holy word.

[@xkxmxnx]

I've been decluttering my house again for the 1st time in a couple of years (with a 3 year old trying to "help" 😂) and it's been so much easier this time around. Not because I've got less stuff, because I haven't maintained at all since the last time and there's all the baby/kid stuff this time around. But because last time I started with the worst/biggest mess in the spare room and I lost my mind and lost determination. This time around I've started in the smallest spaces first, a cupboard at a time in the kitchen, the unit in the living room, then a wardrobe at a time. Now my entire house is done except the spare bedroom. And it's made me feel so much better going in to the bedroom the last couple of days because all those things I need to keep I now have the appropriate home elsewhere in the house FREE for them to go into. Things are either in the donate box, the black bag, or straight back into their correct home which has plenty of space available now. It really helps to leave the biggest disaster to last because the rest of the house is prepped and ready for the things that got thrown into the spare room because I couldn't put them away.

[@pippas5808]

My issue with Marie Kondo is that if I threw away everything that didn't 'spark joy', I would have nothing in my home but books and plants 😄

[@QueenMegaera]

I think it's the way it's phrased and her very cheerful nature that gets in the way of the general idea. When she describes it, I think of it more as "sparking contentment". At least that's what it feels like for me.

[@mrsstrople]

When I read her book, this didn't seem to apply to like just practical things, like say a screwdriver. I think it was in regards to what we are choosing to augment our lives with.

[@sgallant2107]

There is a companion book by Marie Kondo, "Spark Joy," in which she further explains and clarifies her methods. I recommend reading it, along with the first. It definitely helped me to understand the what-and-why of her techniques.

[@racingrachel]

I think "spark joy" is possibly lost somewhat in translation. Obviously, there are lots of things in our lives that we need that don't "spark joy". But the absence of them would certainly cause irritation. It adds value to your life, even if it doesn't put stars in your eyes. Additionally, the things that don't "spark joy" but we still need are unlikely to be the things we are really struggling to decide to declutter. I don't think anyone is in agony over whether or not to declutter their broom and dust pan bc it doesn't "spark joy". But if we have more brooms than rooms or floors in our home, then maybe it's worth considering which ones "spark joy". Maybe it's more helpful to think of it like William Morris did: "Have nothing in your houses that you do not know to be useful or believe to be beautiful". 🙏

[@pippas5808]

@@mrsstrople I know she particularly mentions getting rid of any clothes that don't 'spark joy' and I remember thinking that if I did that, I'd get arrested for flouting public decency laws!

[@tistheseasonforpoetrybyvan239]

Dana K White's books have been most impactful. I own all of them as audio; I like that she narrates her own books.

[@DonnaRut21]

Flylady’s Sink Reflections changed my life ❤️

[@lauried9646]

Me too!!

[@noraanderson6763]

Yes, me too! Still in my top 10 books!

[@cfjohnson7369]

I started to develop allergies, such as sneezing and coughing. stuffy nose! I have been that person for a long time who would accept old, outdated items. Boxes of books. Useless kitchen items. I had seven broken vacuum cleaners! It was a shock to realize that cardboard boxes create dust, paper items stored in damp basements get moldy. Thank you, MinimalMom for giving me the tools to let so many things go.

[@barbarahaberman349]

I would be SO careful about decluttering kids' things without them. My in-laws literally created my husband's hoarding disorder by sneaking things out when he wasn't looking. It took so long to get his trust for me to be able to declutter anything at all. He was so afraid.

[@aliesefitch1099]

How heartbreaking! Did he ever confront them or ask about his things growing up? Just wondering if there would be warnings with my own children

[@barbarahaberman349]

@@aliesefitch1099 He is going to be 70 this year, so he was growing up in the 50's, a different time. Now, in 2024, he would probably be on the spectrum. So, he remembers more than the average person, and therefore missed things most kids would forget. His parents just dismissed anything that wasn't important to them.

[@Verenike4ever]

@@barbarahaberman349😢❤

[@Verenike4ever]

I’ll be 68, and have had collecting and hoarding tendencies and even full blown at times, I get him. Bless your heart, for understanding and loving that part of him❤

[@pippas5808]

Yes, I had a friend whose mother used to do that - she would come into school in tears on the day she knew her mother would be decluttering because she was so afraid of losing something precious.

[@ginashepherd9552]

The first book that really got me thinking about having less was called Stuffocation by James Wallman. It really struck a chord with me and after that I read Marie Kondo. It just took off from there. I was never a hoarder and often found myself decluttering, but after this I was unstoppable.

[@carolinemurray7648]

Loved that book. Still re-read it occasionally for inspiration!

[@cherryghost15]

Buying classic clothing items that you love, getting them tailored, and taking care of them is the best way to wear clothes you love for years! You can stay "updated" by adding a few new items and accessories each year. You'll feel great every time you go out/

[@janethunt4037]

Dawn, I love that you are not wearing a black blouse all the time anymore. You look great!

[@claudia_christianmommy]

Quarantining my Kids toys was the best idea when decluttering their toys. Out of a whole month keeping their quarantined toys in my closet; only one kid of the 3 asked for his missing truck. I gave it back to him and kept the bag for another month to just see if anyone else missed anything. Nothing was missed so i donated the toys. If I feel overwhelmed with the decluttering task then how much more do my kids feel the same when they have an abundance of toys they barely play with but don’t know how to articulate it. Also I’m an observant person so I notice what they play with and I was intentional with items i put in the quarantine bin in the first place.

[@pinkroses135]

Joshua Beckers approach resonates with me the most. The life I want to live is my key motivation. Loved this video idea.

[@cynthiaclark4990]

Remembering how my house used to look and how it looks now is my inspiration along with play BFF who had helped decluttering her house from another friend and a family member. Her before and after are phenomenal! I am slowly decluttering my house. And I have heard you mentioned Max Paxton's book, keep the memories, lose the stuff. I really want to get that book or borrow it from the library.

[@AppalachianTransplant]

I read Simplicity Parenting many years ago and it is a jewel! But I worked with my kids to remove their toys. I know 2, unrelated, people who are hoarders and it's linked with their moms getting rid of their stuff when they were kids.

[@KellyBoettcher-qo9tx]

He has a podcast too.😊

[@brendaputnam4675]

I worked in a library when I started declutterring before I moved on minimalism. That’s the time Joshua Becker’s book the minimalist home came out and it really was the push I need to rethink everything in my home. I found your channel a couple of years ago which helped me go even further!! Thanks so much for your guidance and how to really think about what’s NEEDED in a home.

[@katiegilbert1131]

One of your best videos to summarize your key points. Thanks for pulling it all together for us.

[@brg2743]

Dana K. White has helped me along with you and Cas.

[@kateanger5560]

Those are my three “gurus.” Listening to these three women share their experiences, foibles, struggles, and wisdom has changed my thinking & my home. ❤

[@jennesont4791]

“Decluttering from the inside out” was Essential for me to get over my stuff hang ups.

[@jeanettehansen4852]

I appreciate the principles and suggestions you've shared on your channel. It's a great service to help people you've never met. On one author's point of view today, I strongly disagree. Along with some other commenters, I think it's harmful to remove your child's belongings without their knowledge or input. I like to think of it this way: how would you feel (as an adult) if you came home to find that some well-meaning friend or relative had removed all of your belongings that they deemed unnecessary? I'd be shocked, hurt, and angry, and I think most people would. Children are people, too, and have preferences, feelings, and needs just as we do. I think it's much wiser to teach them principles of decluttering, show by your own example of how you decide what to keep or get rid of, and patiently guide them through the process. To me, it's not the end of the world if they have a lot of possessions, but it could really disrupt their world if you break their trust by taking away their automony and sense of self in that way. The message they could get is that their needs and wants don't matter at all, and I don't think that's worth a less cluttered home.

[@RoxanneR8375]

I agree 💯%! I think back to my childhood and how my things would disappear,or get broken by someone else, or borrowed (even with my permission) and never returned. And no one ever apologized ! I felt so disrespected. I felt like I didn't matter because my possessions didn't matter to the people in my family. I think the suggestion to cull some excess toys and put them in a box is a good one. If there is something special they miss, it's still there. After 6 months to a year, have them go through the box and choose what to get rid of. You lose nothing as a parent and they are treated as people deserving dignity. That's HUGE!

[@joanmc6108]

I found you Dawn after reading Jennifer L Scott’s books and learning about her 10 item wardrobe. I started watching her KZbin channel and she mentioned you and others who were espousing paring back their stuff. I went down the rabbit hole and haven’t looked back. I like the way you all give credit to each other.

[@denisecarter5117]

I enjoy reading. Holding a book, moving from spots inside or out, writing in it if I own it. The whole shebang. Blinkist is like the book reviews we had to hand in for school. Sure it saves time but a lot of the pleasure is missing.

[@HistorianMom]

Do authors get paid for someone getting their best ideas? Or does all the $$$ go to the condenser?

[@annecarter5181]

@@HistorianMom Good question!

[@e-r2961]

Fumio Sasaki's book is my favorite. So much wisdom in his words. The book itself is minimalistic as well. Curated words.

[@sandratakagi2204]

The first decluttering book I have read is Julie Morgenstern’s Organizing from the Inside Out - it was inspirational and well written but didn’t do the whole trick - then years later, Marie Kondo’s Joy of Tidying Up which really worked for my clothing decluttering but I didn’t have the space /energy to tackle the other categories - Take Your House Back series with you, Cas and Dana have been the most effective though I still am not done 😊

[@wilhelmina8843]

I relate to this totally as these are also my major milestones. Pivotal also is Dana K White’s Declutterring At The Speed of Life and the Gentle Art of Death Cleaning. Good luck and keep going!

[@no_peace]

I'm not type A and I'm disabled, I'm AuDHD. I thought it would be impossible for me to have precise homes for my stuff. But it's way less work. I only have to think about where to put each thing once, or maybe a couple times if the first place doesn't work well. It's so much easier and so much less work. My brain is so tired and scattered but my hands can often just reach out and grab things because they're always in the same spot

[@no_peace]

I moved my bin of rags away from the fridge so I kept punching the fridge for like 2 weeks when I needed a rag lol. It requires no brain power

[@dianasimplifies]

@@no_peaceit's wonderful you have found a solution that's working! ❤❤❤❤

[@greysky09]

I love this for you! I’m not neurodiverse but I get neurological fatigue with medical issues. The ability to just “go get it” on a bad day has changed my life giving me so much peace and grace on the worst days. I’m having a good day today and it was amazing to find the “birthday bin” and put away the party hats cluttering the room. I felt silly making that bin 2 months ago. I felt loved and proud as I zipped them to it today 🙌 my daughter asked for a specific doll, I went to the “time will tell” soft toy bin in the basement and found it in 1 min flat. She felt so loved and I felt so efficient.

[@lindseystewart3194]

Marie Kondo got me started on my minimalism journey so many years ago. And Simplicity Parenting was great...i read it many years ago when I first became a parent. Since then you've inspired me Dawn!

[@skyedaisy4007]

"It's All Too Much" by Peter Walsh is very good.

[@heloisepoye8891]

My favorite book was "Is there life after House work by Don Aslett. He recommends decluttering first but he was wonderful for me. He has written many books. T/u Dawn. You too are wonderful...

[@elizabethdemerchant6408]

Thank you for the book suggestions. Here is how I dealt with "What about gifts?". I told the few people that we exchanged gifts with, that going forward, we would not like to receive any more gifts. In the future, we would celebrate special days with meals and togetherness. Some people were happy with this approach, and a couple were not as happy, but everyone has respected my wishes. i have not missed receiving gifts even a little bit, but I have greatly enjoyed the meals and togetherness. I really have everything that I could possibly want in the way of possessions. I could never have too much fun with loved ones.

[@dianasimplifies]

I would not miss the gifts at all.

[@HazelCotton]

Another concept from "Clutter's Last Stand."

[@Msjudyyduj]

I love Gary Chapman's book The Five Love Languages. Like you, I replaced material gift exchanges with shared experiences (e.g., meals/movies/put-put golf). This worked well for me because my #1 love language is quality time. Unfortunately, one of my friends has a #1 love language of gifts, so she didn't like this change at all.

[@kathymedlin1569]

But what do you do when the giver (my adult daughter's family) doesn't agree to no physical gifts? We celebrate together with a wonderful meal and dessert, and then, you guessed it, the gifts come out. It's hard to be excited about their gifts when you specifically ask for no gifts.

[@dianasimplifies]

@@kathymedlin1569 I get rid of almost everything I'm gifted when I get home. And if they have a problem with that you can say again we asked specifically for no gifts. I do not have space to store anything.

[@ERSkeleton]

The way you cracked the spine of that book at 6:11… concerned and frightened sideways glance. Hugging my 3 remaining hardcover books.

[@tquirkyt7118]

❤ Swedish Death Cleaning is the best! I leaned into this after my father‘s passing and my mom and I had to go through the entire house for an auction and selling the house. My dad always placed value in having things just in case my mom is quite the opposite and now she is able to have just what she needs. Swedish death cleaning is the best thing you can do for your love ones and also for yourself.❤️✨

[@denisebunker6674]

The books who have help me most are your workbook Decluttering your Home in 15 minutes a Day. And Decluttering at the Speed of Life, and Swedish Death cleaning.

[@Carolyn-qd8mj]

Is that 15 Minutes a Day, by Dawn?

[@denisebunker6674]

@@Carolyn-qd8mjyes

[@debbiejamison101]

I listened to Goodbye Things three times, and it greatly inspired me every time - for the whole time it took me to listen to it! Great book!

[@kimdavies9364]

Peter Walsh’s Let it Go is sensational for dealing with sentimental clutterz

[@SnowySpiritRuby]

_The More of Less_ is what finally taught me exactly how to go about deciding what to keep and what to declutter - I read the entire thing in one day, and 2 1/2 months later I got rid of 11 large boxes of stuff in one sitting: half got dropped off at one of the reservations in South Dakota, the rest went to the thrift store near my parents. We got a tax write-off of well over a thousand dollars that year for that load alone - donation receipts are 100% worth getting!!

[@Carolyn-qd8mj]

That’s interesting. I never ask for that receipt.

[@SnowySpiritRuby]

@@Carolyn-qd8mj The ones my mom gets have the donation center/organization name on it (or some other equivalent label), and then she fills them out with the items and values (which she has already written down on a list at home, so she can fill the receipt out after she drops the items off - she writes them down on the home list as she puts them in the donation boxes/bags). Not sure if that's how it works at all donation centers/organizations, but that's at least one way it can work.

[@Carolyn-qd8mj]

@@SnowySpiritRuby. Thanks, I might try that.

[@Carolyn-qd8mj]

I really liked her book - and blog, I think? However I got stuck on her concept of only having one bag, one pair of shoes. At least I think that was her, it’s been a while. I like the idea of making a “pass” and potentially getting rid of more on another pass in the future.

[@SnowySpiritRuby]

@@Carolyn-qd8mj _The More of Less_ is by Joshua Becker.

[@poirotgirl8001]

When it comes to Marie Kondo's take on books we need to remember that she is coming from Japan where space is at a premium! her take on keep few books is really reflection of spacial limitations of her region! we might apply her rules successfully in some apartments in NY !, maybe ! years ago i reorganized my home using her principles of "spark joy "… fir me it worked very well although my style is not minimalist ! there is something joyful about Kondo method !!!

[@patriciacerwin6266]

A friend had sent me a book titled "Does This Clutter Make My Butt Look Big". Hysterical! But, I began to realize clutter and body clutter are related. Holding onto "stuff". Began to lose weight while decluttering but it is a slow process for me.

[@littlebluefish6606]

Believe it or not, my journey into minimalism didn’t come from any books. I stumbled across Joshua Becker’s blog. From there I fell into Francine Jay and Courtney Carver’s blogs. Then I just kept rolling into Leo Babauta, The Minimalists, etc. I jumped over to KZbin and found you and a few others. I don’t own a single book on minimalism. I did borrow a few from the library though. We just recently moved into a 950 sq ft duplex and had a 26 ft moving truck crammed full. This is a 3rd move in 4 years and I purge with each one. Everything got offloaded into the garage and now even my husband is onboard with purging out more stuff. We spent the last 8 months traveling and it’s really eye opening how little we really need.

[@sgallant2107]

Similarly, we were surprised when the pre-simplified contents of our home completely filled the large trailer of a full-size moving van. And we'd already left a ton of stuff at the curb for free. This was a small house with no garage - and we didn't have a clutter problem at the time. Maybe the packers used larger boxes than necessary?

[@Equinella]

6:11 autusm/ADHD/cPTSD .. (?) I super cringed when you snapped the spine of that book (Outer Order Inner Calm). Such a clear example of how Neurodivergent are wired SO DIFFERENTLY and affected so powerfully by things others typically don't even notice. The ever learning path, what a journey! Thank you Dawn, I binge watch and listen and appreciate your compassion as you learn about how others process their belongings and lives along with your own 🙏🏻

[@DebraofSENC]

I own several of these books. Purchased House Rules because I saw it on your video a few weeks ago.. My favorite so far is Sink Reflections by Fly Lady. Really enjoy reading decluttering books.

[@amandamccarthy5635]

Such a great summary! Simplicity Parenting really helped me clarify the "why" of decluttering and simplifying in regards to the type of relationship I want with my kids. Too much stuff (clutter, overscheduled) gets in the way. I loved that book!

[@katew3818]

I think it is best to have a space for everything and declutterring when the space is full. We had an IKEA shelf unit with 6 boxes. Before Christmas my daughter knew she had to empty one box, to make space for presents. She was fine with that, and we took the toys to the charity shop. If she was uncertain about giving away anything it went into the wait-and-see box in the garage. The box was closed and the date written on it. Anything in the box could be retrieved (as long as it fit into one of the 6 toy boxes) but if the box was not opened, in 6 months it went to the charity shop. She would have been very upset if I had decluttered her toys without her involvement.

[@aidar4816]

Keep the memories and lose the stuff is a great book, I absolutely loved it!

[@christinahummel6947]

"Take it there now" is a great concept, but if one is blessed with a rather large living space (like me), one would spend a whole lot of running from A to B to C. I have a basket sitting on my stairs that travels up and down with me as I go about my day, and I toss things into it that need to get moved to another floor. Yes, the basket sometimes ends up sitting on that other floor for a few hours/days, waiting to be emptied, but it works better for me than running up and down the stairs for every misplaced item I find.

[@marymorrison2484]

Great tips! Both of my kids grew up decluttering their toys. We did it together. There were always stuff they didn't mind getting rid of. If they felt strongly about something, we kept it. Another approach has been to put out what I chose to toss and have them double check to see if they agreed. #1-They learned how to declutter and they are not scared of it AND #2-They won't end up in a hoarding situation some day.

[@MyFocusVaries]

Moving all my office equipment into one space (instead of some in the office and some in the kitchen) was so helpful. It avoids repetition and saves space

[@patricia.g1651]

One of the books I recently decluttered was the Marie Kondo classic lol! Such a relief to clear that space! 😊

[@dianasimplifies]

Just wanted to encourage others who maybe don't particularly like to read non fiction. I haven't read any decluttering books but I've decluttered my entire home. I did listen to Dawn discuss the various books in other videos. ❤❤

[@deniseharrison1410]

The books that have inspired me the most is Decluttering your home in 15 minutes a day, Decluttering at the speed of sound, The life changing magic of tidying and Spark joy.

[@lokenpettit8028]

My house looks like your now, Dawn! I'm constantly decluttering and I LOVE the PEACE & HAPPINESS it brings! I love the book, "Let It Go" by Peter Walsh

[@Suki022]

Goodbye Things is my absolute favorite book! I am glad you recommended it because it is such a great read. I have listened to it countless times. ❤

[@nancywhitmore3497]

Dawn, I LOVE your videos! I have been watching you for a couple of years and your ideas have helped me so much! The one thing I would ask you to change is the speed of your speech. I am a senior citizen and it's hard for me to keep up with you! I tried slowing down the video, but it's unsettling to hear you sounding like you've had too much to drink. Ha ha! Again, you are amazing, and I appreciate all of your hard work! This video in particular is SOOO helpful!

[@karendutton3344]

Yay Dawn, this is one of the best videos you’ve made! Love all the summaries of these wonderful books! Thank you! 🥰🙏💖

[@danidelyon7093]

Did you read: CLUTTER’s LAND STAND That book was really good.👍🏼

[@auntiedoodles6898]

My issue is that once I love something, I love it forever. Knick knacks I've collected over the years. I have clothes I've had for over ten years that I still love. I finally changed out some drapes I bought in the 80s! And yes, they are still in a drawer somewhere because I still love the fabric. I know, I'm a lunatic. But after 40 years I need to let go, so that's why I'm watching these. 😅

[@lauranewman564]

This was such a good one for me as a book lover! I have been decluttering my kindle. Yup. I don't need to keep all of those books if I'm not going to reread them! I love the idea of the legacy list. I did spend some time clearing out duplicate pictures, and have passed on at least 50 photos! And I thought I was basically done decluttering, and I was, basically, but somehow the pictures stayed after Mom, my brother, and Dad died. I even waited a few days until I had time to write a letter to 2 of my granddaughters with the pics I sent to them. That's ok! I shredded about 20 that nobody would want. Now my pictures are in control. It's the 3rd time in my decluttering years that I've done pictures, and I might be done with the layers now. Matt Paxton's book is small but powerful! I also hope you bought some of those physical books on Thriftbooks. I also have exactly zero toys from when I was a child. My son has 2, and they were hand carved for him. I think my daughter has one doll, and I don't think my other daughter has any. Point is, they don't usually matter for long. I do have a few books.

[@carolineasebrook6643]

This was a very good episode!! I actually learned something new/saw some new ideas. Thank you!!!

[@michellegleave2550]

I love this! I’ve just recently been made aware of Greg McKeown’s books Essentialism and Effortless. These are wonderful too. I have the physical copies, but if you can listen to them on audio, I really recommend. I have them on audio from my library.

[@renaeans6793]

One BIG aspect . Is the sheer size of our homes . Dana’s concept of take it there now is completely different in my moms house of over 2000sq feet vs my cabin of 400 sq feet.

[@britt5753]

100 years ago I read How to Conquer Clutter by Stephanie Culp. I loved her sarcastic wit about how silly it was to keep all the stuff. It's a good book for people who are ready to be ruthless and want a good chuckle about the absurdity of keeping everything. The more sensitive souls probably won't see the humour, but I wish I still had it because it's a quick read. I loaned it out and it never came back. I hope it's made some good rounds to people who need it.

[@danidelyon7093]

Sounds like my kind of clutter book. ;)

[@mrandisg]

I have a copy of that book! I think I bought it at a flea market when I was a teenager or in my early 20s. It's been all marked up, written in, and highlighted! I also have Let Go of Clutter by Harriet Schecter and Cas's book Cluttered Mess to Organized Success. Also just checked out The Paper Solution by Lisa Woodruff from my library, which I noticed was one of the books in the stacks in the thumbnail! I bought How to Keep House While Drowning on Audible but haven't listened to it yet. I got a lot of reading to do! lol

[@YellowheadHomestead]

Yay! I love Joshua Becker's books. His style of writing is great! I always go back to them.

[@debra910]

I didn't see SHED Your Stuff, Change Your Life by Julie Morgenstern in your collection. Her process has been huge for me, especially the step of naming a theme to help get unstuck and provide direction. And examining what the stuff means to you --- the psychological need it has been serving -- so that you don't recreate it unconsciously.

[@jeanettehansen4852]

Years ago I read Julie's book "Organizing from the Inside Out". I set up my kitchen using her principle of storing things where you actually use them, and 25 years later, it's still functioning quite well. Thanks for reminding me of her books! I'll look them up again to help with my current decluttering/organizing projects.

[@debra910]

@@jeanettehansen4852 Another gem of hers! I love her inside out sensibility. When SHED came out, it was originally titled When Organizing isn't Enough, SHED Your Stuff and Change Your Life, or something pretty close to that. Cheers!

[@carmelasantana3091]

Thanks for the mini-Blinkist of these books! I had no idea there were so many, and each with its own focus. I did the Kondo method, and it really was life-changing, in my case. I've also literally moved to another country recently, and that downsizing was eye-opening and very intense. But, there's always room for improvement, and this is the inspiration I needed. Thanks!

[@lauried9646]

Simplicity Parenting is life changing. I purchased it in 2010 when it first released. I immediately changed the environment we lived in and never looked back. I often gift this book to new parents.

[@inspiteofbecauseof4745]

Yes, Dawn 85% less stuff = 85% more energy, joy, time, peace and money.

[@victoria9663]

I've read Goodbye Things 3x, and loved it and got more out of it every time, thanks to hearing about it for the first time on your channel! Thank you!

[@alicelindborg5096]

Sometimes getting a compliment on something you’ve been wearing for a decade is the best thing to remind us of principles. I stopped saying ‘oh, this old thing?’ And just say thank you!

[@barbkandel777]

The Life changing magic of tidying up, Let it go, and The gentle art of Swedish death cleaning have truly impacted my life. Great video, Dawn! ❤

[@melissataulbee2048]

I love the Good Bye Things book!!

[@DianEnglish56]

Enjoyed watching this and learning about books I haven’t read yet.

[@joybrown9600]

What helped me the most is YOU! My neighbor and I quote you to each other!

[@JeanS-hi8sf]

Thank you for your wisdom ❤

[@janetbennell9855]

I am fortunate enough to be in Australia where we have Peter Walsh’s program Space Invaders to watch. He’s a master at decluttering with clients and working out why they have so much stuff, so they don’t repeat. He’s very gentle but firm with extreme chronic collectors of stuff. His gorgeous team also renovate the clients’ homes while they sort their stuff off site.

[@lidijafey5863]

Marie Kondo definetly And the gentle art of sweedish death cleaning Both are 👌 fabulous And going with me to my new house. I am currently packing and decluttering. Heaps of fun!!

[@1Kiminca]

Great video! I really appreciate seeing fresh flowers throughout your home, it is such a touch of beauty 😊

[@sadiedom]

Another great video. Hearing your voice got me off the couch and folding laundry 👍. Love you too ❣️

[@ruthtownsend8652]

Your comment reminded me I have laundry that needs to come out of the dryer

[@grandmaof9857]

I understand seeing sll items at once , but often I want to have an item in various places.... Ex for convenience i want sissors in the different places i use them so i don't have to go get them every time I need them😊

[@hopejstone]

Yay! A minimal mom video :) I'm really enjoying your podcast too!

[@TheMinimalMom]

Thank you so much! 🥰

[@ninnymuggins5159]

One thing I will always disagree with is getting rid of other people's possessions behind their back-- even if they are 3 or 12 years old. This creates distrust that can have long-lasting and often rebound hoarding effects, as they struggle to hold on to items even more. Also the person is not learning how to manage their own inventory and develop skills in decluttering and decision-making on their own.

[@eileencapelle7478]

This was a great breakdown of these books. I love reading and listening to books so I appreciate the recommendations. I will add Simplicity parenting to my list. I haven’t read many decluttering books but I did enjoy Lisa Woodruff’s paper solution (although this is still a struggle) and your devotional you did with your Sis, that one gives good perspective on what really matters instead of material stuff.

[@Caulyfleur]

I love getting glimpses of the living areas in your home. It is so peaceful looking.❤

[@imjustsaying7300]

Lots of good tips and a nice round up of the decluttering books!

[@tarawasinger]

Never heard of blinkist but am glad you mentioned it & am getting it via your link!

[@ajvoit]

The Paper Solution saved me. Along with Organize 365 with Lisa Woodruff.

[@Pinklily-r4h]

I love you Dawn!! So thankful for your friendship 👯‍♀️♥️

[@AmyJo-54501]

I really feel uncomfortable asking but, I’ve noticed your nail color for several months and absolutely love it - if you would share I’d appreciate it. Thank you!

[@TheMinimalMom]

Thank you! I actually don't know what shade it is...I've been getting my nails done and seem to pick something a little different each time...I should ask if there is a way to know the name of the colors!

[@AmyJo-54501]

Thanks for replying. I’m lousy at picking colors but think a more “coral” type would work better with my coloring but - who knows -lol definitely not me ;-). Appreciate you!

[@nancycloin4097]

I love you and your honesty...you have helped me to declutter more and my house and my husband is loving it ☺️

[@brightpurpleviking]

Each time I get rid of some stuff it feels like someone is taking one big textbook out of my backpack. I imagine that you, Dawn, are at the stage of actually taking OFF the backpack and carrying one necessary book in your hand. I hope to get there someday ❤

[@gitouttamycage9221]

I've read many of the books you mentioned but my favorite is Tidy the F*ck Up by Messie Condo. I picked it up at my library, Amazon only carries hard cover and digital versions. I've been working on decluttering and minimizing for years but always manage to find things that make sense to let go of. Honestly, my kids really don't give a hoo haw about my report cards from k-college. So I'm still able to make progress. 👍🏻

[@JuliaBuljovcic]

Great video. I loved The Gentle Art of Swedish Death Cleaning. probably the most. Just put Minimalista on hold from my library, though!

[@mousenation3867]

That’s a whole lot of decluttering books, thanks for summing them up for us.