Are We Decluttering WRONG?!

Wait… are we decluttering wrong? When I first tried decluttering, minimalism, simple living, and organizing my house, I thought it would be one and done. I would declutter and organize and think the space was all set.
Then I started tackling one area at a time. I felt like I did tons of work, loads of decisions, but made little progress. It would take hours and I’d have very little to show for it.
In fact, according to a survey from decluttr.com and the National Organization for Professional Organizers, 78% of us have no idea what to do with clutter in our homes. We find it too complicated to deal with so we let it build up.
What's the solution to decluttering when most of us feel like we cannot do it?
survey: www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/survey-finds-54-percent-of-americans-are-overwhelmed-with-clutter-and-dont-know-what-to-do-with-it-300019518.html
#declutter #minimalism #simpleliving
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WATCH NEXT!
15 Advantages of Simple Living
kzbin.info/www/bejne/rnOnm3WGbdmHgLs
3 Habits for Simple Living
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The Journey from Decluttering to Simple Living
kzbin.info/www/bejne/bJS6k353fd2qgas
The Question I Ask to Declutter MORE
kzbin.info/www/bejne/ap65ZpyLg6yfkLs
Use the 50% Rule to Declutter Your Drawers and Cabinets
kzbin.info/www/bejne/nWrap4Cig76Jea8
Scan and Plan Recipe Binder Kit:
kzbin.info/www/bejne/l4CbnGZ-Z9x7qtk
Hello! I'm Erica Lucas. On this channel, I share videos about making life simple one day at a time. Obstructive, massive, problem-level clutter overwhelmed me... until I decluttered thousands of items! 2024 marks my fifth year of decluttering, and I am now bridging from decluttering and minimalism into simple living, slow living, and sharing tips with you for minimalist living!
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SIMPLIFY YOUR HOME!
Simple living includes uncomplicating the ownership of items. Grab these printables and products to simplify your home and simplify your life:
www.etsy.com/shop/EricaLucasStudio
www.amazon.com/shop/ericalucas
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// CHAPTER TIMESTAMPS
0:00 simple living
2:55 day in the life
6:00 visual reminders and routines
8:00 simple living lens
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// FROM THIS VIDEO
MEAL PLAN SHEET
www.etsy.com/listing/1686781162/meal-planner-weekly-printable-meal-plan
3 CUP PYREX
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FAVORITE COOKBOOKS
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// SAY HELLO! ERICA LUCAS
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[@dragonflyneb8212]

Erica I have been watching you from when you started and never subscribed until about two weeks ago and have been watching all your videos. Lost my mother and brother in 2009 and 2010. I am about 25 years older than you watched you crawl space video again all the way through. I said enough is enough I do not have just my things but 4 family members of stuff. Do not drive so filling up a trash can 1 week at a time, thank you I just keep putting stuff in trash bags, I have many bags full waiting to go. I guess age and not wanting to leave for someone else to deal with has given me the push. But can not leave you and your videos out of this equation if I get tired I sit down and watch another one of you videos get back up and say I can do this. Love you and thank you

[@sashacerny8227]

You got this!!!!❤❤❤❤

[@juliepack3459]

I’m so proud of you! I’m just starting my decluttering journey and find Erica so inspirational! All the best!

[@sburwell75]

You are showing us how to give ourselves grace in decluttering. I used to think that I had to tackle a room top to bottom when cleaning or decluttering. As I have gotten older, I do more frequent but smaller tasks.

[@dragonflyneb8212]

@@juliepack3459 Thank you have filled trash can 2 weeks now, more bags next week. I can get 3 big bags in can a week. My neighbor yesterday said she goes thrifting once a month and will take as much as she can fit in the back of her, this is a blessing for me.

[@sweetli9350]

Thanks for sharing! There’s prob a charity in your community that will come and pick up any donations that you may have. Makes it convenient!

[@janego2018]

This is helpful, thank you. I also decided to reduce chances of clutter coming in: 1) delete Amazon prime (and other cheap shopping adds) 2) I no longer buy duplicate toys for the kids. Learning how to share is an essential social skill anyways. 3) I will move more of my money towards my 41K, rather than having it "around", ready to be spent. 4) I already upped my monthly financial donations. Yet again, money gone is money I can't spend, and also, help organizations which need money more than my decluttered crap. And I will keep decluttering all the same. Stuff just keeps coming in at this phase of life. Even if we can't stay on top of things the way we wished, we still get to share it while other people can actually use them (still in fashion, still good, still usable etc) and we do get to train our decluttering muscles 💪 Hang in there, everyone!

[@shadegarden7375]

You have 3 children!! A husband and dogs!! It all adds up🤣😃. You are the one driving that train!! Great job in keeping it going!!

[@fbz2415]

Hi Erica, you never end decluttering, but once you have the less you need, it is easier, I have been decluttering for many years now, and when I just open a drawer or a door and see something I don't use anymore, just take it out and put in my donating basket, is something I just do without thinking, love your videos

[@kaycee625]

How lovely to see you drying the laundry outside. I have never seen anyone in American videos do that. It seems everyone uses a tumble dryer, yet in many states the weather is amenable to line drying. It’s very common where I live in southern Europe. A huge saving on electricity, and that wonderful smell of sheets dried outside always brings joy.

[@marinard6293]

I second that wholeheartedly!

[@karenhaire5451]

Wrong! This 63 year old American has been hanging out her wash her whole life. Please don't judge us on KZbin content alone.

[@soniacoelho3900]

Love how you said to declutter the mind set of all or nothing, Decluttering your home, room or a dresser is like peeling an onion it’s one layer at a time, it’s a process 😊

[@carrie3206]

Yes! We need to keep revisiting areas that have already been decluttered. I used to think that if I had just the right, organizational tools and containers, etc. that everything would be organized and there would never be any messes, but then I realized I actually have to make decisions, and I actually have to remove items and if I wait three months to do it, I’m going to have a bigger pile, but if I revisit it more frequently and more often, it will become easier to declutter, and it will become less and less. So what’s the magic for me? I have to do the work and more often.

[@ThatPlacefkaNebraskaBugeater]

I understood the concept of deciding what to keep instead of deciding what to get rid of & the logic behind it when you introduced it, but it just didn't click in my brain until I saw this video. Then I went to one of my many bookcases & decided which books in the case I wanted to keep & removed the 20 books I didn't feel quite so strongly about, even though they had survived at least two previous pass-throughs. Thank you, Erica, for inspiring me...again.

[@jennyjenkins877]

I've decluttered so much but, with my daughter moving back home in a couple of months, I want to do a round of extreme decluttering so that everything she owns can fit comfortably.

[@michellemarcisz7059]

I so wish I could help you. You are doing amazing. I’ve watched your progress since the day in the other house when you got all those boxes delivered. As an older homemaker who has been around since the Don Aslett book days, even before Fly Lady, I have tried a lot to get where I am. Yes, my children are grown but… IYKYK. Anyway…. I have a home that works. I still try to declutter an area for 15 minutes a day. Just yesterday, for example, that was our first aid kit. If a place continues to not work, it is only because the system you have in place hasn’t been tweaked to where it works for you. For example, for years my spice drawer was always messy and had to get re-done. Now, it’s always tidy. I just needed to figure out the system that fit my needs. I see you doing that. It just takes time and as your children grow your needs change. I enjoy watching your channel and seeing your progress 💕

[@dianebahl8241]

I have been a subscriber for a long time and just want to let you know that I can truly tell how far you have come in your decluttering journey. You do a wonderful job of inspiring others! 😊

[@barbaraweber3084]

Small victories feel so good. I like to sit in them for a while. Right now I am weeding one small section at a time. Lord willing I'll get to all the flower beds once this growing season.......my give a hoot is waining.

[@terryruiz7417]

Oh, how I can relate! I'm going to battle...once more...with a particular kitchen cabinet. I'm determined to get it under control! And that's just one tiresome space. Thank you. I've been working at it all a long time.

[@helsbels7686]

Yes, decluttering is a continuing process not a one time project. I'm helping my parents to declutter before moving, there's a lot of stuff to get through but we'll get there! ❤

[@hanneshuette]

Hi Erica! Your first video made me cry with pride for you and it was the first EVER time I commented online. I‘ve just come back to you with this video (as my stuff has secretly piled up and I need to start decluttering again) and I am really really impressed at your BEAUTIFUL home - you have come so far - I am proud of you again ❤ Thank you for sharing all this with us 🙏🏻

[@lesliestanleyangles]

Erica, I finally tried the reverse declutter method, when I decluttered my closet! It was so fun to try a different strategy & got me thinking about things a lot differently! ❤ thanks for sharing so many great tips!

[@lulahbelle970]

And when you get to a place of not improving upon what already works 😉 seeing that gem at the thrift store and appreciating it and walking away. Boundaries 👍

[@pamelafowler4406]

Your videos address real life. Thank you!

[@dianamarsden1933]

What a great video! Sometimes I get so overwhelmed with stuff, that rather than deciding what to declutter or whatever I do nothing at all! It’s easier to do that, in my comfort zone. I do sometimes get rid of a couple of things but then I am afraid I might need it!

[@karenhaire5451]

Really good info. Kallie Branciforte also did an indepth video on this concept a year ago.

[@bethbranson9050]

Useful thinking!! TY Erica!!❤

[@lunagabriella213]

I enjoy decluttering. I'll donate and give presents to people :) Maybe it's my love language? I see it as an act of service, too. Time to look through everything to update my MINDSET

[@amykotlarski9250]

😊 ❤ love the message that we are not alone...

[@EsterHorbach-it9tb]

Being overwhelmed and doing nothing bc of it....the endless decisions: do I need it, can it be trashed or given away ? Will I need it in the future, so I can't give it away.....aaaaah....

[@3TXSisters]

I was an all or nothing person for so long. I still get stuck in that mindset and become overwhelmed. Thank you for the encouragement. By the way, your hair looks beautiful! Take care, Linda 🦋

[@cynthiaakacyndsmith6539]

Thank you.

[@margaretlowans8429]

You were my inspiration for decluttering my house. Unfortunately I'm still in the messy middle

[@sandrafromscotland]

"You're not alone" Better is better. I think don't add to the clutter. Stop or greatly reduce what is coming in. Flip the one in one out to one out first. You might just find you have what you were going to buy! I like your 50% less strategy Erica, as both a good functional tip and a good visual tip to see the difference it makes.

[@KlingonPrincess]

Hi Sandra! So funny, we were just in CC and Juju's together. I love Friday when all my favorites have new content. Blessings 🌻🍄

[@sandrafromscotland]

@@KlingonPrincess 😂 Same. Fridays 👍

[@robynnjasper3843]

I don’t think it is “wrong”. It is just the evolution of decluttering of where you are in your evolution in decluttering, at your stage of life, and as your interests/life have changed. It is definitely not a one time process. I’m at the stage of life where I do a shelf, drawer, box, bin at a time.

[@KlingonPrincess]

This was good, gentle encouragement, especially to celebrate the small unseen wins. 🌻🍄

[@christafisher8533]

Some very valid points. Plus - what to do w.things that you don't want to just gv away.

[@vzeimen]

Great video and important ideas to think about and implement. I feel that if you do these things and feel that it's only a short time till you are overwhelmed again with the same areas of your home, then there are areas outside of decluttering you need to look at. Can you change your shopping habits and stop purchasing on impulse? Do you need new clothes or can you wear what you have? Do you have to buy six of something because it's on sale? Do you replace items that are worn out or do you just keep adding new stuff?

[@monaminchau4798]

I differentiate between “decluttering” and “tidying up”. To me, decluttering means getting rid of things and not replacing them rather quickly afterwards. Tidying up means giving every item a home and putting it back there regularly. Decluttering should come to an end, while tidying up won’t.

[@lennyburdick3192]

Ah, but seasons change, a charger cable breaks down, someone gives me a new soup bowl, I don’t like my purple sweater any more. There are always things to declutter; the amount just lessens.

[@lunagabriella213]

I like this

[@gmm5550]

look at Swedish, Norwegian Finnish or Danish homes..the nordic country's are no1 in living with just a perfect balance in life and are most happy in the world

[@faithdenis6746]

Great video!

[@shadegarden7375]

You have a full line of clean clothes outside…doing a lot!

[@suzannerockall4030]

❤❤❤❤❤❤❤❤

[@Jazzatic2011]

2 min in and I don’t like this answer but I wonder… what if this point of decluttering is like many other things in life. The idea that you have to feel pain and loss before it gets better. Idk if that’s to say there has to be a greater sacrifice. Like exercise, you don’t want to go soo extreme but in some ways not working the muscles to a sore level might mean you don’t see results as quickly. On the other hand I think this is one of those you haven’t processed or given credit to the work you have declutterred. Maybe rewatch your first video and just think on how much stuff you have actually dealt with. We, as people, do have some kind of psychology situation where we feel or recall the weight of a negative matter much stronger than a positive one. If that’s a new concept : the study, findings and idea was a person finding $20 and then losing $20 showed that the loss was far greater than the gain. Otherwise yeah… decluttering is more like a habit or activity needed routinely not a once in your life thing.