I want all of the holiday joy, but none of the clutter! (Q&A)

[@saundraweed9738]

My new way of “Holliday “ decorating is magic. I take $20.00 to the thrift store and a theme in mind. Santa’s, snowmen, angels. ( a different one each year. ) Buy items, decorate, and re-donate immediately instead of storing till next year. Each year becomes a new adventure. ( yes I save a few very special items .)

[@andreahazen9013]

@@saundraweed9738 That sounds brilliant! I may try that this year!

[@erikastanger7848]

Some people think I'm weird because i want to throw away my yearbooks. I don't keep in touch with anyone, and those things have been moved 10 times without me ever opening them even once! I think it will be ok to toss them. I love my life now, and i don't need to revisit high achool.

[@LM-kv5kp]

I threw mine away the year after I graduated. Like you, I didn’t need to look back on any of that. My husband still holds on to his. A lot of yearbooks (like mine from the 80’s) are online now.

[@junelleeeee]

I got rid of mine and it was so freeing! I don't miss them at all 😂

[@k.johnson1256]

I don't think you're weird. I think I keep them because when I was young *I* liked looking through older peoples yearbooks and reading the funny things that they would write with old fashioned slang, and looking at the old-fashioned hairdos and fashions. But I think if you don't have them out and accessible where, when the subject of vintage hairdos comes up with the kids or grandkids, you can just pull it out and enjoy it easily, there's no point in having them. They're certainly not doing anyone any good taking up space in the closet!

[@Godblessed2]

I threw mine out when I got saved 38 years ago. I didn’t want to look back on my old life and a bunch of it wasn’t ‘good’ memories. My kids don’t even care about their own year books much less mom or dads

[@dhall1421]

I held on to mine for 20 years without ever opening it. I threw it out 5 years ago and I am so glad.

[@christineprettyman2527]

For childhood memories I kept just a couple items. However I have a Pinterest board where I save anything I come across that was a part of my childhood -- toys, clothing trends, my mom's kitchen towels -- I can pin anything and everything that makes me smile, and it takes up zero space. I have all the nostalgia and none of the clutter.

[@lisab2134]

I do this too! 😊

[@priscillaanderson2949]

Do you have to pay for the board? That's a good idea to me

[@christineprettyman2527]

@@priscillaanderson2949 nope! Pinterest app is totally free

[@ElisabetTX]

I love this idea! Thanks for sharing.

[@elizabethrusaw1707]

@@priscillaanderson2949no, it’s free! Such a good idea.

[@caitlynaizpiri7806]

I use my Christmas tree for sentimental items. I turn small meaningful items that make me happy into Christmas ornaments. See them once a year to put on the tree. Only keep ornaments that keep me happy. Let go of ones that don’t age into happy memories… and then they all go away through the year to keep out home manageable. We also use the one bin for each family member for sentimental items. Great tips from you Dawn!

[@sherrywiley4817]

That's a awesome idea! 😃

[@amywallsrodriguez8299]

This will be my third Christmas with only one tote of decorations, and I love it! Makes the holidays so much simpler and easy

[@LM-kv5kp]

This will also be my third Christmas with a limit on decorations. Whatever I can fit in this one cupboard in my living room is what I’m allowing myself and it’s been great so far! No more lugging bins and spending hours putting them up and taking them down. It still looks like Christmas but I don’t have all kinds of extras depending on what theme I want to do.

[@ElisabetTX]

Dawn, one thing I love that you do is give permission to do things. I can’t tell you how powerful that has been for me. Just to have someone say “yeah, you can get rid of it” .. it’s been so freeing! Thank you!

[@janetk8800]

Dawn I have changed my entire house because of you. I got rid of things that I never thought I could and you are right...never regret any of it. You are such a sincere and un- pretentious person. I wish I had a friend like you near me! Thank you

[@kellyward1478]

Make one! ❤

[@gloriareynolds4050]

I completely understand being scared of not having any sentimental items. I unfortunately didn't have happy memories connected to my childhood sentimental items and have only kept a small box of items from my adulthood. After decluttering so many toxic belongings from my home, I really could sense when something brought me down to even look at it or possess it. I appreciate so much now not compromising my home and heart because I thought I was "supposed" to have or keep something. Hugs to all here who are doing hard things!!

[@heloisepoye8891]

I'm 76 years old and I learned 35 years ago that garage sales are not worth it, period. Be happy some one took it off your hands and you don't.have to use gas and give to G W. I think we rationalize everything. Believe it or not, I'm still trying to declutter. I'm so grateful to Dawn. Thank you so much Dawn. One er miss a new video.

[@starlaarts9385]

For me Garage sales are so much work. Decluttering was work to start with. I am not looking for another job. I just want the stuff out of the house!

[@sallibra7924]

@@starlaarts9385 I did one garage sale-when a women said she would give me .50 for a pair of brand new throw pillows that I had marked at 2.00 was when I said- never again!!

[@donnabeach1250]

I think decluttering is a constant. Whether monthly, quarterly there is always things to declutter.

[@andreahazen9013]

@@starlaarts9385In my season of life, even listing things on Craigslist or FB marketplace is too much work. I try to let go of the guilt of donating clothing that I’ve only worn once by telling myself that someone will be thrilled to find it at Goodwill

[@cowsrulehere]

Oh my goodness ehat you said about we are not meant to have to keep/store all these memories!!! That was incredibly freeing for me to get rid of a whole bunch of photos that I've been trying to get organized. Hallajiuah Amen!!!😊 Thank you Dawn. You are a blessing always.

[@lindastaenberg5599]

I have lots of "stuff" that have some monetary value, but the thought of organizing and conducting a sale is not what I want to do. I'm blessed that I don't need the money but I do enjoy hauling it to my local thrift store and imagining that someone might get great joy out of find a treasure!

[@Myeverydaywifelife]

I’m 60 and I use to have 15+ bins of Xmas and 2 trees and a mini tree. I think I have only 6 bins now so still more to go on decluttering. I would have only 4 bins maximum. I work on it a little each year and I declutter more stuff every year. My niece just texted me and asked if I decluttering any Xmas stuff this year can I save it for her. She use to live in Boston and lives near by now. (Florida)

[@life.with.mrs.a]

I had a thrifting addiction and to break it I started creating instead, in my case sewing. To break away from something you have to exchange it for something else you love to do and being creative is so much more rewarding than shopping. It does requier some selfrestrain, of course, because shopping requier no thinking or planning while creating do in some externt.

[@kellyward1478]

I love walking out of a store empty handed. 😅

[@dianasimplifies]

Me too! And I do it a lot! ❤

[@iriswelch3553]

Decluttering is definitely a process. This month it was houseplants. Watering day was not sparking joy! I sold a few large ones 😁! And gifted a few to neighbors.

[@kellyward1478]

I did too! 😅

[@SusanL-ds6lc]

I keep groceries for the week plus one extra of each item. That gives me 2 weeks worth of food. Very simple to maintain this amount. No food goes bad. Not a lot of storage needed. This is enough to keep us alive in most emergencies while still keeping a minimalist amount. Don't be afraid. Nice video Dawn :)

[@SpeakTruthBeKind]

Don’t forget water. They say 1 gallon per person per day, but other liquids (soups etc) count too. ❤

[@myonlinepresence7833]

I like this system!

[@dianasimplifies]

I agree with this. Thx to Dawn I started just shopping for the week and it's saving me money and sanity and by the way I'm good at rotating my stockpile but I'm tired of it being so large

[@NovasYouTubeName]

7:05 on this: I felt like a total fool for asking, but I needed a “goals buddy” (aka accountability partner), and asked an acquaintance who I knew was into decluttering if she wanted to chat weekly about goals… to my surprise she said yes that would be great, and we’ve been talking nearly every week for about 2 years! we set any goals - house, work, personal growth, then we celebrate each others wins

[@kimberlyhudelson8431]

I like shop with me and haul videos. When I go into stores I don’t feel like I am missing out, because I have seen it all before. I am also usually disappointed when I finally find the thing I thought I would want. Not going to lie I have been influenced to buy a few things, but I have a small home and limited flat surfaces!

[@lisam5744]

The title of your podcast caught my attention because I decluttered a lot of old holiday ornaments/decoration and my old fake tree this past summer. I also made the decision that I'm not going to decorate this Xmas. I can enjoy the decorations all around but I feel zero need to do it in my home. It just feels like one more thing to do and I don't need that in my life right now.

[@jenniferrice22]

This video didn't have ads interrupt and that was such a treat! Again, thanks for advising from your heart, Dawn!

[@kakylong2]

Dawn, Great podcast! I am one who wanted to keep everything. In 2020, I started decluttering our kitchen & I've never looked back. Last yr, my sister came & helped us clean out 75% of our garage & she came back a few wks ago & helped clean out even more. The 25% that's left is more sentimental items, but I was so proud of myself for taking pictures to remember the items, but letting most of it go. We still have a bit to go, but having someone to help has been a game changer. Yay! Thank you for all the videos & encouragement & getting this girl to where I am today. 😊 ❤️

[@SisterChris00]

For the ladies who feel bad about not buying stuff and think they missed the joy of it. I have this answer that works for me. I take whathever I like when shopping. Then before I go to the cash register I pick one thing or nothing and put it back on the shelves. My shoppinglust was satisfied. I made a good decision and I didn't spent any money.🎉

[@deborahnickloy5747]

I have done that too! Just having it in the shopping cart a while, then at the end, really think each thing thru --- do I really want this? Want to take the time to fix it up? Store it?? Etc. Usually the answer is "what am I thinking!? You feel empowered thru that process.

[@practicallyperfect2941]

I do this all the time….not planned it’s just I spend so long buying a whole set of stuff and then think ‘really’!! Do I really need this and then put it back - it’s great!

[@mytreasuredcreations]

I do the same. Or if it's something I really won't use but I think it's so pretty, or if I was like this or like that I would use it ... Then I just enjoy it on the shelf. I touch it, I visualize what it would be like if this or that, then I bring myself back to reality and say good bye to the thing.😂

[@Jennifer-bs6oy]

Yes yes yes Read some where. Put it in your cart. Don't buy immediately. Walk around with it in your cart. Gives you time to think about it. This cured my impulse shopping

[@dubosesjoy]

For the girl that wants happy sentimental items, I would ask, “what from your childhood made you happy?” If it was a special bear but you don’t have it anymore, go online and buy one that reminds you of that special bear. Get rid of the stuff that doesn’t bring you joy, but if you are left with nothing and that makes you sad, find something that represents your happy childhood. Permission to buy something to feel the void of a hard upbringing. I sold my husbands ALF character he had from childhood, and when I could tell it bothered him, when we were shopping at an antique store and found another ALF, we bought it. It sits proudly in our kids playroom as a nod to his childhood. It is not the same dingy old ALF he had as a kid that I got rid of, it is a newer version that now has a story in our home and still brings back happy memories for my husband.

[@susanseifert925]

Regarding food, I found it very helpful to: when unpacking my groceries I take out the sharpie and write the expire/best use date on the top of the cans. When going to get something from the pantry the dates are very visible - I pick the oldest date. Secondly, when putting groceries away in the pantry, I stock from back to front rather than putting it in the front. So new groceries are put at the back. Same for the freezer. Then Spring and Fall I go through the pantry & freezer to reorganize, if needed, and put product with soon used by date on the kitchen counter. The freezer items are put all in one place in the front (upright freezer not chest type). Then plan next week’s meals around what is on the counter and in that front space in the freezer. As always, enjoyed your video. Thank you for planting seeds!

[@dianasimplifies]

That's what I do too. Inevitably something falls thru the cracks but it's never that old. Still edible.

[@lindam7518]

Excellent way to do it. I waste very little food. Sometimes I find I'm using up my stocked up items. I find food to expensive to let it waste.

[@christined2495]

The container concept is the solution, I have one Rubbermaid container for Xmas, and if I buy something new I have to get rid of something I have…. I also have a fall container but it’s very small… I ended up giving all my cookbooks to thrift store, I don’t miss them at all, if I need a recipe I just Google

[@lonnievancura9702]

Great or not great memories that are worth remembering, either for the joy or the lesson, will last without the things. That’s what I’ve learned. I’m very sentimental and often feel burdened by the things and that burden makes the living now less joyful. I think the best way to maintain the joyful memories is to tell the stories. Reminiscing with friends and family and telling the kids. I do think the photos are great to share but in this age I think carefully curating a collection that identifies the important people and REALLY IMPORTANT EVENTS like weddings or births where the family grows is vital. I say this because it’s hard for me to understand stories about people without some connection of the name to the face. My great grandmother was unreal to me until I saw her photograph. So I think photos are a great thing to save for the kids to learn your history. Then going through those select photos can spark the stories.

[@lyndsayrager9469]

"Live life looking forward ". So true Dawn.

[@vikieierdam5516]

As Dave Ramsey says, "There's a reason the windshield is larger than the rear view mirror." We aren't driving/walking/living backwards. It'd be unsafe if we did!

[@kimzachris5340]

For me, one thing that works fairly well to not pick up stuff I don’t need from thrift shops is to think of it as leaving it for someone else who might need it or want it. Like I am giving myself freedom from the thing, and some stranger the opportunity to have it instead. It helps shift my mind away from anxiety and into a sort of mild generosity to myself and others. Or sometimes I think ”I hope this really neat thing finds a good home”, like a wellwishing. I also sometimes deliberately go to thrift stores just to look at things, to satisfy my curiosity and desire to look at something different. That way, if I find something interesting to look at, I get the reward from just looking, and don’t need to actually buy the thing just because it is neat. And every time I can go in and get only what I actually need, while also feeling satisfied with having had a good time looking at stuff, I trust myself more.

[@tgayer1]

Agree. And when I’m at thrift stores, I also think about how great my home looks and feels with less stuff and I remind myself that I don’t want to fill it again. Something may look pretty, but it’s not gonna look very pretty if it’s surrounded by lots of other things. I really enjoy watching Thrifting videos, so that actually helps me sometimes to not have the urge to go Thrifting.

[@sgallant2107]

I went to a 25-cent yard sale - years ago. It was a couple that was combining households, and they had no other customers. So I picked up many things (blender, 4-slot toaster, etc.) and passed them along to neighbors and extended family. I kept a small travel alarm clock for myself, but little else. The best thing I brought home was the story! (Who doesn't like to hear about a bargain?)

[@MyFocusVaries]

So true. I do love telling the story of the deal! And hearing others' stories.

[@kathychatterton5623]

I was an obsessive thrift store shopper. I see potential in everything. We live in a rural area and need to travel for about an hour to run errands (including thrift stores). I started by planning my trips to town later in the day so I could go to fewer thrift stores. Then I started running other errands first, leaving even less time for thrift stores. I’ve stepped up my decluttering and am being more realistic about the time I have for upcycling projects. For several months now I’ve only gone when I am looking for something specific; a pizza pan and specific books to fill in missing books from series I have. I went from weekly thrift store shopping (several stores) once every 2-3 months.

[@terryharmon4542]

Dawn, it's amazing to me that after 2 years of listening to your shows, and all the decluttering I've accomplished, I still need the encouragement that you provide! I would like to suggest to the woman with printed recipes that she starts to save the recipes digitally instead. They're easy to look at if titled well, and don't take up any physical space.

[@ninabaker2970]

I did the quarter sale! It was so fun to see people's reactions. I just wanted to get rid of stuff fast!

[@joannelamoureux9729]

So this year's challenge is to get rid of the actual Christmas tree and downsize to a wooden peg tree that hangs on the wall sold at IKEA. It will hold 36 of my favorite ornaments. I will put out my Nativity and a few other special items but it should all fit in a tote. I can do this, right 😅

[@christined2495]

You can do this… last year we donated our big tree and almost all the ornaments, except for the few that I couldn’t part with. We bought a small tree that we will put on the sofa table… of course we are retired makes it easier , no young children, we made sooo much space and whatever I have I love now..

[@carrieperrigo2319]

So does this tree hold lights?

[@lindaanderson4990]

As long as it makes you happy ❤

[@PhilRogers-c6i]

Dawn, great podcast as always. Question though: What's with the books fake background? I loved your new office that you had set up in your other building? You seemed to have a nice corner there with some (real) minimal decor? Lately you've been podcasting from other locations. And today this fake bookshelf (which for me, feels a little.... cluttered!) :). It's all good. Just wondering what's up?

[@readaloudkids1407]

I wondered that too haha

[@TheClutterLady]

I've started leaving some of my "holiday" decor up year round that is more neutral like white lights or hunter green candles. Then I put them somewhere more prominent during the holidays so it's still different. But that way we aren't storing as much in a container AND the decor is getting year round use (and I don't feel the need to have more decor for that area). But I still have one container of holiday stuff.

[@shalita87]

I have solar white lights that we leave up. Love them so much!

[@TheClutterLady]

@@shalita87 Ohh, nice! Exactly...it's less work, too

[@taylorclark6563]

When I was a child I remembered my Mom always putting out a small red plastic round container with a little brown bear on top. It was just a cheap little Hallmark trinket but the memory of it makes me happy. My mom still had it after all of these years and she gave it to me with a sweet little note inside. I went on Etsy and googled a description of it and found an exact replica to gift back to her. Our kids won’t remember all the hip new decor you buy to keep up with the times, but what you put out every single year. I recommend having at least one item like this.

[@trumax33]

After watching your channel & 100% embracing Dana K. White's No Mess decluttering process, the thought of going to a garage sale or thrift store makes me feel like that would be a step backward. Also, Dana's container concept (which you demonstrated brilliantly with your kitchen towel drawer, btw!) I have a single tote of "Fall Decor". If I do actually buy something new or recieve something as a gift, when it's time to pack up the fall decor, it's favorites in first & when the tote is full, the least favorites get donated. This alone makes me think twice before bringing anything into my home, knowing something else will have to leave. It's like curating my collection!

[@stella_m_nz]

The other food storage idea I have heard about is to challenge yourself to a 'shelf-tember' or shelf cooking month once each year - during that month you aim to eat only what's in your food storage and have only a small budget of $50 a week or less to buy fresh ingredients to add to the food storage ingredients to make meals

[@durgan5668]

I rotate my prepper items, but as conditions changed (fewer people in my inner circle) I found myself with a lot of 'extra'. So I passed some on to food banks, or animal shelters, (they loved getting paper towels which I don't use, I use cloth, but my folks did). Now, I'm steadily downsizing things by not buying as many groceries. This helps costs, but mainly, I can keep up with things better with fewer items. Best by dates are suggestions, but always check the items: bulging cans, discard; and that can happen with new items due to problems at the cannery.

[@sherilynp629]

I totally agree about tossing the old yearbooks….toss those things😂

[@katiegilbert1131]

This is one of your BEST videos, thanks

[@dalecentamore5064]

Regarding the recipe hoarding: I used to do this, but I find if I meal plan, I already know what I'm making. I might need to look for a recipe (but probably not)!

[@terrilynch5435]

Brilliant! Permission to live life looking forward! I spend way too much time evaluating the past !!

[@TheClutterLady]

Someone else will be so happy to find the items free on the curb or even from a thrifstore. So instead of thinking how bad it makes you feel because of regret, etc, think about the joy of the person who will use it next!

[@shalita87]

This is what my mom taught me. It works for us.

[@TheClutterLady]

@@shalita87 I know I get super excited about what I find!

[@pacifica9718]

I recently was able to declutter a lot of Christmas decorations to my local thrift shop. A few days later I was dropping off something else and saw a young lady purchasing many of the items I had donated. I felt more joy in seeing her joy than ever I felt owning those things myself.

[@TheClutterLady]

@@pacifica9718 oh, I love that! 🥰 How fun! 🤩

[@TaraCadman]

Just like watching someone open a christmas present !!!

[@joyweaver5261]

Oh Dawn, Thank you so much !!! Your thoughts about memories! I was just yesterday at my sister's house ( she passed away in March) trying to collect some photos for a memory book....I was feeling bad just knowing how to condense her life in one little book....you gave me the freedom to just do it and not worry about encompassing her whole life!!! Thank you, Thank you, THANK YOU!!

[@dianasimplifies]

❤❤❤

[@SF-ru3lp]

I also decluttered my collected recipes..... several times! Each time I filter for ones with fewer and fewer ingredients. Love your content, Dawn. G Ire

[@shannyngiles5270]

You have helped me so much through the years and have done it once again with how you said we weren’t meant to have all the sentimental things to remind us of the past. My dad passed away in 2015 and I have never found it comforting to see pictures or hear recordings of him preaching. I love to have the memory of him in my mind and have felt guilty that I don’t want to see or hear things from the past. This truly helped me! Thank you.

[@readaloudkids1407]

I keep several months supply of: oats, rice, beans, noodles, pasta sauce, granola bars, tuna fish, canned coconut milk, and peanut butter. Each has its place in the pantry. I put new ones at the back (lined up in a row) and old ones are at the front. I use all these items frequently so we do go through them before they expire. I also keep a few months supply of paper goods such as toilet paper and ziploc bags. Same thing with old ones to the front.

[@lindam7518]

Great going! Food is to expensive to let it go bad. I find myself using up my stocked up items before they expire. Seldom have any wasted food.

[@donnabeach1250]

Considering the times we are in now I keep a small stock of extra pantry items. We don't know when any of these items may not be available to purchase.

[@madebylora]

I really related to the lady asking about recipes. I used to have a big shelf full of cook books and a big stack of loose recipes that I’d collected. Now I use a small corner shelf in my kitchen which is my “container”, so whenever I’m tempted to buy a new cookbook I know I have to let something else go. On that shelf, I also have a thin folder with plastic pockets for the loose recipes. It’s a folder which already has the pockets fixed in it (so it’s more like a book) which means I can’t just keep adding more pockets. That it my “container” for the random collected/printed recipes. It works so well, and I still have more options than I’m ever likely to use! Haha

[@vikieierdam5516]

We helped a dear friend declutter her kitchen two years ago. She had SO MANY cookbooks. Said she was going to open them "someday," was looking forward to when she had the time....her language was just glaring to me. I TRIED to share my minimalist wisdom as best I could but she didn't let go of ONE. Last I heard, she's still looking forward to "someday." Made me be even more ruthless with ours when I came home. We have a recipe box - filled with recipes we've actually used and loved - and ONE Betty Crocker book that has any recipe a person could "need" in an emergency. We homecook nearly every meal, btw.

[@MyFocusVaries]

For emergency food, we buy a case of chunky soups once a year. Then a month before their expiry date, we donate them to a local neighbourhood free pantry and buy a new case (repeat). We figure we'll rely on food in our freezer and fridge first, go through our normal stock of pantry items, then the soups are the last stage.

[@susan5661]

Love this! Emergency supplies and helps the food bank!

[@katie7748]

Just FYI, even the USDA admits those arbitrary numbers on the cans are a $cam.

[@carrieperrigo2319]

So what would you suggest?​@@katie7748

[@MyFocusVaries]

@@katie7748 Indeed. There are customer groups working to stop manufacturers from putting expiry dates on food. But the soup does solidify after a couple or three years, so this process works to make sure our stock is in good shape. The food bank won't accept expired food, so we have to donate before the date.

[@dianasimplifies]

​@@carrieperrigo2319I'm a prepper and my suggestion is nearly everything goes way past the date especially canned foods. No reason to trash so much food. I cringe every time I see a pantry clean out

[@doubleleterlady]

To the person who is afraid to get rid of sentimental things from their childhood: I recommend you go item by item and see how it makes you feel, take a picture and release the things that make you feel negative in any way. Take it slowly, do only a few items a week. I decluttered all of the things from my childhood. The only thing that I have left is a few photos. I am a much happier person for it. I'm not saying you have to do the same thing, of course! Your things are yours. Just know that if you DO decide get rid of everything you will be OKAY!!! Hugs

[@thatsnotmyunicorn]

I love your guidance about holiday decor! I've had no halloween decorations and was okay with it until my 4 year old said our house was boring! And then her 3 year old friend was so sad we didnt have any fun decorations either! So this year I've decided to get a few things but the guidance to keeping them in a certain size container and within my budget will help me not go overboard while still making our house fun! I think I'll use the halloween totes we already have but swap out some outgrown halloween costumes for fun new decorations.

[@melmckane2913]

Hi, just an idea, paper chains, paper lanterns, paper stars, and other items you can make as well as greenery are fantastic for that age.

[@haileybowman2958]

As a fellow recipe/cookbook collector…a question I asked myself in order to downsize is if I have the ingredients to make it? I realized I wasn’t going to go buy a bunch of random things. So I started decluttering based on not having the ingredients. It really helped me!

[@kyburke6500]

Dawn I love all of your advice. A while ago you brought up the idea of putting things in your shopping cart and then only once a month choose what to buy. It's amazing how many things I'm "influenced" to put in the cart and then a month later my sanity comes back and I don't buy it. I also now do only once a month thrifting with a shopping list of things I need. I prefer thrifting then buying online and it's amazing how when I have a list ...... the thrift store magically has just what I need in my size.

[@rachelhardy8346]

I also have an almost 15 year old who was a hard baby! He cried and cried and cried. And now, he is a wonderful, sweet person. So, I understand how that baby item triggered you, but so glad they have both turned out well! She sure has a great mom to be a good example!😊

[@karenmiller3771]

My Pinterest board for recipes fills my need for browsing and collecting recipes.

[@thebaroness2977]

Great idea! What I began doing is making the recipe right away before printing (in case it wasn't as easy or tasty as expected).

[@arizonashopper5095]

I 'Print to PDF' my recipes and save them in a RECIPE folder on my computer. And the ones from magazines, I take a photo of and save them to the Recipe folder. I have sub-folders called 'Desserts', "Soups," etc. Label them well so when you do need a recipe, you can quickly search. And print it then if necessary, and toss the print after.

[@persephonebasilissa5109]

Alternately, you can just bookmark the recipe page. I've been doing that for years, and a quick bookmark search always gets me what I need.

[@arizonashopper5095]

@persephonebasilissa5109 so I stopped doing that bc I was actually in the paper years ago, in the food section for a recipe I made. I've tried to go back and show it to people recently, and it's totally gone. 😪

[@kimberlywalker280]

Dawn, had to let you know that an accountability partner does work. A good friend of mine and I text back and forth about our decluttering victories....and, we cheer for each other. I really believe that we both enjoy this particular comradery. We also share bits of wisdom from something we've heard or read. It has been a Win-Win. Thanks so much for the encouragement. I think the biggest thing I struggle with right now, is sheet music. From being a musician for many years... I'm sure you can imagine how much one can collect and save. Gradually letting go of the "don't need to keep these anymore". Again, love the encouraging mantras to just "let go". ❤

[@mariannatodd7010]

I just started watching this podcast and before I literally hear any of your content I have to complement you on those beautiful white book shelves that look well curated, not overstuffed, and the shelves melt into the background with the playful pops of color of the books looking so nice. Well done. Anyway, back to listening!

[@cynthiahunter6588]

I think it's a fake background

[@alfienykabutler5919]

Ok ok ok this helped me stop thrifting. Before I went on a thrift store run, I would take stock of what was in my home and make a list of very specific things I wanted to add. I.e. a pair of jeans, large art work, curtains, jewelry container, wicker basket for books...If i couldn't find the things on my list I would wait until next time. This way I was actually looking for useful treasures. Also you can thrift shop for gifts which will ensure the items don't remain with you.

[@FrugalGardenerOntario]

I also had a thrift business and gave away anything that didn’t sell, so many people loved my gifts ❤

[@lauraendacott5320]

Inlike that you say the FOMO could be related to a deeper feeling of something missing. (not sure of ur exact phrase) I think this is so true for many of us!

[@nicoleclarke2857]

Holy moly it’s nice to hear and know I’m not the only one who isn’t able to manage rotating food etc. I think I’m learning my fantasy self is the self who has a vegetable garden also. At least for now. Right now, our focus is on decluttering and simplifying. Maybe in future we’ll have more bandwidth. It’s amazing, although it feels silly haha, that you ‘get it’ and ‘give permission’ for these things.

[@RobinsonRanchYT]

DAWN THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR ANSWERING MY QUESTION(garage sale!)!!! ❤ LOVE YOU

[@janamarek]

In the 90’s, I ate some corn my grandmother had canned in the 50’s. It tasted great.

[@donnabeach1250]

I have also heard that unless a can is dented or extended you can eat what is inside; so expiry dates are just a guideline.

[@ritabutler1951]

This is the perfect time to weed out your Christmas stuff and take to the resale shop. I actually did this before Halloween. I am trying to get my Christmas stuff down to one tote.

[@michellewalker8533]

Thank you for your inspiration! I am starting the decluttering process this weekend. I got the hubby on board last night and he whole heartedly agrees we need to get a lot of stuff out of this house. It's all just too overwhelming for my brain and has basically made me shut down and not want to do anything.

[@kimdavies9364]

Excellent podcast and advice! Always a pleasure to listen to you Dawn. Wonderful way to start a Saturday morning in Australia:)

[@krissyk9767]

I actually don't have any Christmas decorations other then a few useful things like a tea towel and candle I put out and use during this time. I just go to the shopping centres near where I live and they have so much decorations and lights etc so I just enjoy looking at those. I dont have kids though so I understand if you have kids its fun to have some decorations like a xmas tree. I just dont see the need to have heaps of xmas decor and I only live in a small apartment.

[@Orls1]

Would love to hear more about books you've read Dawn, if you ever feel like doing a video like that! 📚

[@kathiebackhaus5313]

I REALLY love this episode! I needed this like crazy! I am going to make a box for the secondhand shop & make a basket(s) for our church to raffle off of Christmas items! Thank you!

[@laurac4572]

Christmas is the one time of year that I give myself permission to go all out, within my clutter threshold of course. I keep it minimal for all other holidays.

[@marion2687]

For me it's good to ask if that thing or activity gives me contentment. Not does it spark joy or do I like this. I was surprised, that there are things that I like, but they don't bring me contentment and things that I don't enjoy that much (like going to work) but that brings me contentment. I'm still evaluating this, but I think this is the reason why I'm unhappy with certain things in my life.

[@deniseharrison1410]

Hi Dawn I was the one that asked How do I stop shopping. Yep I definitely need help to learn to stop the impulse buying and how to control the dopamine hits that you get when you buy a things or even change my thoughts to stop the dopamine hit. I want less in my home, I don’t want to slowly refill my home, to have the clutter and hoarding happening again. Dawn you have helped me so much already and I definitely can’t wait to come out the other end clutter free for life☺️

[@k.johnson1256]

I don't know if this helps but I find that if you end up in a store or in an online shop the best thing to do is make a mental inventory of all the cool things that you find, and then telling yourself "OK, i'm going to go home and think about this stuff, and if it's still here next week and I still want it, it was meant to be!" and of course chances are none of that stuff is going to be so great that it's going to stay in your mind for a week, and if one or two things do, well maybe they bring you joy and it's okay to go buy them. Just make sure you get rid of something else in your house as an exchange like the one in one out rule. Now this doesn't apply to garage sales so you're gonna have to try to avoid those but another thing you can tell yourself is "hey I should leave this nice stuff here for someone who is genuinely needy and can only afford to buy used stuff, or is trying to scrape a living by reselling." Don't feel bad about your compulsion, just appeal to your own generous nature. "i'm going to leave this here for someone else who needs it." is a really helpful phrase for me.

[@deniseharrison1410]

@ I have tried at times to just walk away but I feel anxious because I know if I don’t buy it I know it won’t be there next week

[@lucystrider728]

I quit shopping without a reason, and when I do go inside a store I look at the cute stuff as future clutter. I also now ask "exactly where in my home would I put this"?I almost never have an answer to that question, so I almost never buy new items now unless I actually need to replace something.

[@laurahazel6884]

My friend and I LOVE to thrift and we do a version of body doubling while shopping. Since we live in different towns, we shoot phone pictures back and forth of some super cool thrift items found "in the wild". Then we can play the "I remember that...fill in the blank" game. And we found the nostalgia and sharing the stories was what we really craved, not the actual possession of the item, and we can leave it on the shelf!

[@dianasimplifies]

​@@deniseharrison1410have you tried deep breathing for the anxiety? I started going to pelvic PT for some issues and they have me put my hand on my stomach to make sure I'm breathing from all the way down. I have had anxiety all morning and I'm now sitting in the car deep breathing. It does help!! Very slow in and breathe out loudly

[@jamiedemore5319]

My rule is that I have to know where it will go if I want to buy it.

[@johannabennetts64]

Regarding recipes: I had a friend share this and I thought it was genius. She had her family rate the recipe from 1 to 5 stars. If it wasn't rated a 4 or 5 from most of the family, she tossed it. She kept the best of the best only.

[@BohemiaGirl331]

Your best podcasts are the question and answer ones!!❤❤❤❤❤❤❤

[@k.johnson1256]

Here are my new thoughts on my cookbooks! So I have found that my older cookbooks actually have really good fully tested recipes, and I've already decluttered the ones that I didn't end up liking. Random recipes I find on the Internet tend to be hit or miss, and they are often accompanied by so many advertisements and you have to scroll so far to get to the ingredient list that I just don't care for them. Ever since I organized all my cookbooks on one narrow bookcase right next to the kitchen, I find that I now refer to them constantly- and in fact because it's in sort of a frequently walked through area, every time I walk by and I'm bored I'm like, "Hm, let me browse through one of my beautiful cookbooks!" And then while I'm browsing I just put little post-its on the pages that I want to try later. I couldn't believe that by just finding the right location for them they became pleasurable to maintain and very useful! We are blessed that now that the kids are grown, we have a dedicated room that's our library, but I realized that having the cookbooks in there was a terrible idea and a waste of space.

[@stevejennypohlmeier3960]

Glad I tuned in. Just what I needed to hear right now as I declutter the basement. Thank you!

[@mollymorgan8652]

I don't print out recipes, but I do own many amazing cookbooks that I hardly use because I nearly always use online recipes. I have culled through my recipe books several times, and they all fit on my recipe book shelf, so it's contained and limited to stuff I really like, but I still feel guilt for not making more of the recipes. For the woman who does print out recipes, a Pinterest board could be a solution. This is where I save most of the "aspirational self" recipes, and when I am motivated to make something I can easily search for it using keywords, so I actually make more of those things than the ones in the cookbooks.

[@kathychatterton5623]

Perhaps it is your season of life. I find I use them more now than I did when I was working 12 hr night shifts.

[@Athomewithkaylee]

Awww eeek you answered my question at the 0:50 second mark! Thank you dawn!!❤ you’re the best!

[@ninabaker2970]

This is so great!!! Thanks, Dawn!🥰

[@tpark9626]

For emergency food storage I go to ALDI and buy canned meat, fruit, veg and donate it when it comes to the expiration year and restock.

[@lisameloon1516]

Love these Q&A’s!!!❤❤

[@dianasimplifies]

Me too. These are my fav podcasts ❤🎉

[@rebekahmccaul]

All of those books in the background need decluttering 🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣😊

[@syndey7]

Thank you, Dawn, for your inspiration. I have listened to you for several years and now have so much clarity on the purpose of what I keep and don't keep. I chose to let go of all my childhood keepsakes, realizing it was just sealed in boxes and never enjoyed or looked at. I scanned only a few pages from the yearbooks that I was in, took a few photos of my keepsakes and trinkets that I liked, and threw it all away or donated it. I don't miss any of it. Someday, I want to put together a personal history/autobiography of my life stories and add these keepsake photos to the pages of the book I will create. We did this for my parents, and the book is one of my cherished possessions. It's all contained and has the stories to go along with the images.

[@stella_m_nz]

I loved the answer around the person who was worried about missing out on deals at a thrift shop! I also wondered if the following 'challenge' idea might also help - Set a timeframe, during that time you're allowed to go into the shop but you can only take photos of the items you would normally buy, at the end of the time period you can go back to buy those things (if they are still there and you still Really want/need them) but hopefully the momentary rush will be over. It would take a lot of self-control so it might not be a step 1 challenge but it might be helpful. 🙂

[@jessicafurrey1644]

The Winter Garden is my absolute favorite Kristin Hannah book! Great podcast, as always!

[@moresustainable2024]

Dear former elementary art teacher - as a fellow creative, I relate to this struggle! One thing that I try to focus on is being creative with the things I already have rather than feeling I have to accumulate new things. Creativity within limitations! But yes, it’s a struggle…😂

[@charlottesteed1026]

Costco and other retailers sell freeze dried meals in buckets for emergency food storage. If stored properly, they last over twenty years. It's a bit of an upfront investment, but it's less to manage, takes up less space, and lasts a long time.

[@elizabethgambino501]

Great podcast Dawn. I really enjoy your videos. I have been watching for a few years now and even though I’ve Decluttered, I still have more to do my hardest decluttering the craft closet and the sentimental items, but this podcast gave me new inspiration and the courage to minimize the sentimental items I have, thank you ☺️ I also enjoy reading the comments from the others who enjoy your videos as well, it’s a great community you have here, very happy and encouraging ! God bless

[@yamilamoreno2243]

Thank you Dawn! I also did some garage sales and made some money but was left with small items which were not sold. I have scheduled two pick ups and soon will be setting up a third one. I have no energy for garage sales any more. Thank. You

[@robynsmall1646]

Whoa, some serious hits here. Avoiding shopping compulsively. Love idea of recognizing & rewarding self by not going on, contacting an accountability person. And i have oodles of Christmas decorations which ive spent $$$ but i cant use them all anymore. I need to let them go too. Tempted to figure out how to sell as i could use the $, but so much trouble, frustration, agony i thyi just need to donate!

[@liztefft5312]

Thank you, Dawn! 😊

[@chalktalkwithshari4173]

Dawn, I keep canned and dried food in my pantry for emergencies. Ever year I donate a few cases to my church’s food pantry and replace them with fresh cases. It doesn’t break the bank, but I know those donations are appreciated and I feel secure that I could at least feed myself in an emergency. I tote my bottled water in my beach/pool bag in the summer and replace it in the fall.

[@paaweaver2629]

Dawn, can you tell me what brand your chairs are in your bedroom? I love them and you! You have been such an inspiration to me!😊❤

[@katmcc1517]

To the former art teacher: try applying the thrift-flip concept to your own items. Start with the next season or holiday time when you open a bin of decor - can something be embellished, repainted, or remade? Shop your own house and take some before and after photos! Those amazing videos you watch don't have to be applied to items that are new to you, just make new things! Then donate the items you decided are tired of displaying, but DONT GO INSIDE! 😊

[@margiekline1948]

Enjoying your background of books

[@NovasYouTubeName]

8:43 my two cents. You’re feeling anxiety either way. Walking by the store is probably anxiety for a shorter duration, if you go in and bring stuff home you have to declutter, then you’ve got anxiety and guilt. And Dawn is right (always!) that your brain will reset with time, and it will probably be shorter than you think. ❤ 10:22 I had a little box of sentimental stuff from when I was a kid. I wasn’t attached to it but kept it in case it became more special to me as time went on. I’m nearly 40 now and I still care zero about it so I chucked it all! My husband in the other hand has so many treasured items from his childhood (much happier childhood than mine haha) and our kids love to see all of daddy things from when he was a kid. It’s a real bonding point for them and our sons cherish items they now get to take care of of his ❤ 24:28 when selling used stuff it helped when my husband pointed out I’m not making enough to cover my time! So I’m basically taking less than minimum wage for the time spend selling things and giving the crap away for free anyway. It also helps me to think of other people getting excited to find items they need that are in really good shape at the thrift store❤

[@dianasimplifies]

This is a good point! I hope she sees your comment

[@Sheli-_-]

Is that a green screen behind you or a real bookshelf? I do the same thing with food storage. I live in a small condo and keep it whatever fits in the bottom of the closet. It’s enough to last for a while if there was nothing else to eat.

[@ruthhedagerkristensen9497]

Yes, where did all the books come from?