Try This Weird Declutter Trick to Eliminate Overwhelm

[@gertieriemer7548]

An "a-ha" moment for me was when i walked thru a thrift store and saw items in my kitchen or house that were priced at $1.99, even though i know the original cost was much higher. That knowledge freed me to let go of so many things. I had put a higher dollar value on things that just weren't worth that much anymore. I think of possessions differently now, and see life as a channel or river, where you pass along things you no longer need, knowing more will come back to you if you need it again.

[@katia_g213]

For sure. I think almost everything is overpriced. Whatever I buy, I want to keep up with even if it's cheap.

[@bondjane007]

You make a very good point. People who are minimalists Say that a lot of people keep things," just in case" Which is basically not necessary because everything is pretty much out there whether it be used free or new. Keep things that I can use to fix things because every now and again I get a urge to repair something and I need screws and screwdrivers and wire or whatever nails and hammers. But a lot of things are just you know elbow grease and paper towels and dry them off and get them nice and clean Take a photo of them and post them online or donate them or take them to a homeless shelter or do what I did I used to just take a cart around to the park and ask the people there if they wanted anything I happen to have in my cart. I also bring them things like protein bars and various drinks that are chilled and sometimes I get candy at the bank and I bring that to them which puts a smile on their face.

[@julierichens4218]

Brilliant piece of advice! Thank you 😊

[@100mfp]

Another thing that's hard about decluttering mentally is that you start to see all the money you wasted over the years on things you never really needed or used. I think there is some subconscious guilt that goes along with that. I'm learning to move past that. Maybe a lot of it was wasted money to me but if I donate it and it ends up with someone who could only afford to buy it on the secondary market then it is a win-win.

[@bondjane007]

Well for me I don't really buy anything. most of the things I am selling R given to me when people mover things I find that people put out in the alley for someone to take. In the past I would love the challenge of restoring or fixing broken old items. These days the best I can do is clean up items, test them to b sure they r working right. I don't do all the repairing & restoring or repurposing I use to do in my younger days. Way too much work & very little extra money from doing all the work. But back when I was doing that it didn't matter to me that retiring something too days & when I sold it I couldn't ever get the money for the hours & time I put into fixing it. I didn't care. I saved a classic item, brought it back to new & found it a home for a few bucks. I wish I could still do that, but times have changed, so it wouldn't be worthwhile to invest so much time for theaters I fixed up. I would taker an old 1 rusty 1950tys stepping stool & get rid of all the rest,sand,prime,sand paint & repair it & fix the rubber pads so it looked brand new.i'd sellout for maybe $25.00 or less. Yet I spent maybe 3 days fixing it. I would take a before & after photo so I could see how worth all my work was. I'm big on saving things like in the olden days. things were built to last not to B tossed, but passed down to the next generation. These days everything is throwaway, not worth fixing. I still fix or clean fans etc. Most R just full of dust & work fine. I just found an air cleaner. It was full of dust, but I washed the filter cleaned it up, dried it out & it works fine. Same with a floor fan. Just took it apart & cleaned everything & it works great.I'm actually using it before I sell it. Same with vacuum cleaners. they usually just need cleaning & the brushes will turn again 7 have great suction. Most people r way too lazy or too busy to bother so they just toss it or give it away. So I don't have any guilt about BUYING anything, because I only buy things U use up like toilet paper, soap etc.. Food as well, but rarely do I buy anything that is a dust collector. I did buy an Hello Kitty key chain, but I use it everyday & it was just $5.00. It is on my keys & I wash her as necessary. She brings me job so yes I did buy 1 item, but never clothes, except 1 vest at a thrift shop for $6.00 7 I have worn it a lot! Well worth the $6.00!! other than that I do NOT buy clothes!! I find them or people give them to me. if they don't fit me or I don't like them for me, they go into the for sale clothes. yes I did donate tons of clothes & things like TV's(which I could use now because the one I found some years ago isn't working, but as luck would have it a dear friend is going to give me his old flat 40" TV so again a free TV. I have a small 1 I am using ( 1 I also food some years ago & never needed till now. All these R for sale items.. Chin U, don't beat yourself up for buys shit. the world is set up that way. I just get some much good stuff for free I have no need to buy anything. My whole apt. is furnished with free stuff. nice things too. Some donated to me others given to me & some I pick-up from the streets. NYC I furnished my apt. with furniture on the sidewalks. Great stuff. 1 time I found a ref. took it home a small 1 &it worked fine for years. I then sold it for $100.00!! I am very thrifty. I can sew, sculpt,have tools to fix just about anything & the knowhow & time to do it. Lately I am not too interested in fixing things like I use to. Not worth it now. Some items I will sell as is so someone who can say fix electronics can repair them & then sell them for a profit. I ahve say a turntable worth about $400.00, it needs a minor part someone who knows electronic can repair & sell say for a profit of $300.00. That is less the $100 for the parts. Many electronic DVD players work but I don't have speakers set up even though I have lots of speakers for sale. No space to set it up. I will get to selling the electronics way down the road. I must get the garages empty 1st. Anyhow sorry I'm so long winded, but I wanted to give U the whole lowdown story!

[@natashalindner2059]

It's not changing your bank balance when you declutter, you have had it for a while and when it's not longer needed I am happy to part with it.

[@bondjane007]

@@natashalindner2059 you make a very good point Natasha! Now and again I see these TV shows QVC and other shows like it that are just pushing selling one stinking shirt different colors for I don't know $19 or whatever it is and I think that's ridiculous you know even if you went to a thrift store you could probably get it for I don't know five bucks and it has a history and a story. The other is people move all the time and put bags and bags of clothes out to the curb or out to the alley and you just pick them up and they're usually all clean they even say free or clean and you can look through them and I've often found some wonderful things that I still wear and love and I didn't pay a penny for them well yes maybe I wash some of them but other than that my place is pretty much furnished with everything that was donated found or given. There's no need to buy anything. Very few things I need to buy. There's no need to have CDs or DVDs or all that nonsense when you can listen to things for free or books unless they're autograph that's the ones I keep. But other than that public libraries great or listening to books online if you have the time. Personally I don't. Plus I think I'm overstimulated with so much social media and so much noise. I can't hardly even listen to music anymore because it's just inundating my brain with racket. The best I could do is maybe listen to some things someone's writing or I'm writing and that's a project. I'm giving up my records my cassettes my DVDs most of my books except the ones that were written to me personally and autographed. I'm giving up a lot of other chotsky decorative items that are great for young people but not for someone who's getting old and is alone and probably going to die soon I don't need all that stuff. I'd rather have the money from the items that I sell to do things I need that my insurance wouldn't cover! I'm even selling my jewelry most of it's not real valuable but it's nice jewelry and I hardly ever wear any even the inexpensive costume jewelry that's beautiful and not the kind of thing that someone's going to kill me to take. I guess I'm trying to think like a minimalist. And also I give a lot of stuff away to the homeless. So slowly but surely I'm decluttering and making space for me just to be able to have open space no more dust collectors!. So the secret is stop buying all the things that strike your fancy in the moment and then down the road and go why did I buy that. You got caught up in the big SALE crap crap trap that they post on all these shows and make you feel like you just can't live without it and oh it's such a great deal because it's 59% off. You got to ask yourself do I really want and need this or am I going to get sick of it and not want it anymore and wish I never bought it in a week in a month. If you can get it and enjoy it for a while and then sell it for some money or give it to someone who really needs it then it's not so bad. But people seem to just buy all this stuff on the shows that push things on you or they can't resist the half price or so much percent off on a some item just because it's on sale. I mean do you buy another TV just because it's on sale? Do you need another pot to cook in when you already don't use all the ones you have? Maybe stop watching shows or stop shopping. I almost never go in a store to buy clothes or cosmetics the only thing I go to get is usually food and I use my EBT card. If there's something hot that I want then I pay cash for it but mostly I just get stuff that I can cook myself I can even get things like sushi cuz it's cold you can have a cold sandwich. I think one of the fast food places is now letting people buy some hot food on their EBT cards. The other thing to do to make yourself feel better about your bank account is have a sale with some neighbors and you won't feel so badly because you'll made some money back from the things that you bought that make you feel guilty. I think there's a commercial when the woman says I looked in my closet and I see money. I look at stuff around my apartment and I see money! maybe start looking at your stuff as money yes you won't get as much as you paid for it but you'll get some of your money back or you can give it to somebody you know will love it as a gift if it's in good shape or just do like I do get things to the homeless that will mostly be shoes and clothes and hats and they love socks and it'll bring a lot of joy to them and it's certainly put a smile on your face. Not all the homeless people are drug addicts and alcoholics and assholes or violence or mentally ill. But you got to have antenna up to know the difference. I know I'm long-winded but I hope that in the process I say something that might be beneficial or valuable to another person out there. At least I hope so!

[@bondjane007]

I don't because most everything was donated to me, found or just given. So I didn't buy much of what I have up for sale. Thank goodness.

[@100mfp]

Clutter is such a complicated topic, especially the older you are. I'm 65 and haven't moved in 36 years. So much of my clutter is "sentimental". I read an article that helped me a lot about taking a picture of everything before you let go of it. That way you still have the memory but you don't have to hold on to every item. That has been very helpful!

[@thatswhatisaid8908]

I saw how one girl put the pictures of the decluttered items into a little journal with a few words about each. I wish i had thought to do that. Hers was so pretty, it would be a joy to look through.

[@marisacooper5364]

Totally inspired, I’m going thru spaces one drawer or category at a time... it’s crazy how I build up steam, continuing to play videos as I go.. i stay focused and become amazed at how much progress I’ve made in organizing and letting go of the excess. Simplifying our inventory is, as you said, “is a beautiful thing”. Additionally, when items are donated or repurposed, it’s a win-win; the animal shelter needed the dozen extra towels and bath mats in the laundry room so much more than our family did❣️So grateful for your expertise.

[@katyjoywells]

I love this! Keep up the good work! 🙌

[@judithrobinson8344]

My son and girlfriend have moved out of my house after 2years 😀😀 and it is my turn to sort my house and my life out. I am at present decluttering the attic and then I will work my way down the house. I am so happy doing thisI can not believe how much clutter I have

[@katyjoywells]

I bet it feels good to reclaim your home! Way to get started decluttering!

[@judithrobinson8344]

It’s exciting x

[@foxiefair123]

Congratulations! 🥳🎉

[@thatswhatisaid8908]

I did this by accident. I decluttered my bedroom thoroughly. Then no matter if all the others were doom rooms, i could go to bed in a space that made me feel good. I think i did the bathroom next, because it was only small. Then i went to the living room, which also wasn't too bad. After that, i started dragging boxes from the scary rooms into the living room, and sorting through them there. I still have more to do, but each time i declutter a space, it is quicker and easier. I am more aware of what I'm using and needing. Great advice!

[@LearnWithLilibeth]

Note to future self - Making a zen space then bringing the doom to declutter in the zen’d space seems like it could be really helpful. 🤔 I’ll try it out soon 😎

[@chuckross308]

This is what I’ve been needing to hear for 3 years!! Thank you thank you thank you!!!

[@katyjoywells]

🙌🙌

[@sandialdridge7599]

I totally just subscribed to you. Lord knows I need help with clutter. I have a room that is waist deep in clutter like holiday décor, craft stuff and etc..

[@susyh5186]

So good! Going to have to give this a try! Just came across your channel, Katy. 🥰 Will definitely be giving your podcast a listen. Thank you. x

[@2hotscottpro]

I’ve been doing this in my garage for 2 weeks.KZbin must have access to my camera.It’s like why else would this vid pop up 😝 I will say every year my organizing gets better and better.I like things concealed in big cabinets vs open shelves.I’ve probably spent a years time organizing this garage in the past 12 years.Krazy

[@uzmaijaz7821]

Dear thank you so much for making such a motivational video.

[@briankachor566]

I love all your videos I find them all helpful thank you:)

[@thecountrychickadee]

Wow! This is gold!

[@katyjoywells]

Thanks so much for watching! I'm glad it resonated with you!

[@rickasbell8825]

Your channel is very good helpful

[@katyjoywells]

Thanks for tuning in!

[@borleyboo5613]

My ‘doom place’ is my walk in understair cupboard. It’s heaving with crap and assorted crates full of craft stuff, old printers, unfinished projects, chairs, old rugs etc. I can’t get in without stretching my little legs over all the stuff and nearly breaking my neck. Oh, I really want to clear it all and use it for TIDY storage.

[@catherinecrow5662]

Divide and Conquer ! little steps.. it works !!

[@katyjoywells]

Absolutely!

[@phoenixrising8007]

Clutter is chaos 💥

[@shellc3509]

Excellent tips! Thank you!

[@katyjoywells]

Thanks - so glad you found this helpful!

[@MyBlessedNest]

I love this idea! I will try it! Ty! 🤗

[@katyjoywells]

👏👏

[@peggymccright1358]

This is Genius! Thanks so much

[@ejo4squared01]

Oh wow! I knew I recognized your voice! Love your podcast!!

[@MarleneHen]

Very, very good!!!

[@foxiefair123]

I have a beautifully de cluttered house and 3 doom closets.😱

[@numberswithnancy2191]

Nice video but do ever share any before and after pictures?

[@kristypaigetheriot5819]

I moved recently. Some things I am need to go through are in the garage. I sort it there and if it's a no I take it to trash or donate pile and it never enters the home. I never will be like I was again. I feel so much better. I feel light and free. Thank you so much for the advice. Be well

[@katyjoywells]

I'm so glad to hear that!

[@rhonii6259]

Exactly

[@catilyeverafter316]

Love your tips, however, my problem is that my doom room/spaces are a melee of crap. Sorry, there is no polite way to write it. I need to sort and then figure out *where* to store it (if I’m keeping it). That is what is causing MY overwhelm. Send help! 😊

[@thatswhatisaid8908]

I did one room at a time. Things that i didn't know where to put all went in the spare room. It was a disaster by the time i got to it. But i just sorted it one box or pile at a time in a clean decluttered space. If i still didn't know where the thing lived, i wondered if i needed it at all. Some things made their way into the garage, and from there, out of my life, one way or another. If you have a lot of stuff, it's gonna take a while.

[@lsloan3029]

Don't be to hard on yourself 🙏 Just remember all the stuff you have, did not appear there overnight. I am also decluttering 35 years of stuff.... one space at a time! As i need to move to a smaller place. Set a timer... 10 minutes a day to do one small space. When it goes off. Stop. If you feel like carrying on, then go for it! Greetings From South Africa 💌

[@lsloan3029]

Oops ! My reply was supposed to go to you 🙏 Please find it below

[@lsloan3029]

🙊 my replies to Catily Ever After

[@rhondaj7424]

What do you do with monetary items? Do you donate or sell on Marketplace? Like all the knickknacks. I have so many from my grandparents

[@edennis8578]

People who hoard almost universally think their stuff is a lot more valuable than it is. The chances are that your grandparents' doodads are worthless now. Try searching for a few of those things on ebay; you may get a pleasant surprise, but just to caution you that the doodads may not be worth the effort of selling them.

[@edennis8578]

For example, see the comment above from Gertie Riemer. She found out that her beloved, formerly expensive knicknacks were practically worthless.

[@rhondaj7424]

@@edennis8578 thank you for the insight. The older I get the more I want to minimalize.

[@17topaz]

I am a new subscriber . Hi from Israel !!🇮🇱🇮🇱

[@bricoley]

I feel like my entire house is a doom room.

[@vickim8710]

What if your clutter room isnt just clothes but decore pieces you got cheap or cool things from a friend who moved...things you could possibly use when you're ready for a change but havent used in a few yrs. My problem is I live on a small SS check and running upstairs to see what I have is fun. But it's getting ridiculous. Lol

[@RehanKhan-xw1ml]

Mam my English listening points is not good what I do

[@bondjane007]

I have way too much stuff to do this idea! I have 1,000 sq. ft. + 4 large single garages full of stuff I wish to sell, but am disabled & all alone. I need the money, but haven't have anyone to help me do the unloading,setting up & repacking stuff for a garage sale or to do a big yard sale.. I wish to sell almost everything I own, but with so many health problems, no money & no family or friends to help me do the sales It appears to be an impossible task! What can I do since I need all that money from selling my stuff? Please someone help me before I go mad!

[@Pinkfong2]

I can only pray you find help. Just know you are not alone. Many are in similar situations.

[@bondjane007]

@@Pinkfong2 Sadly that doesn’t make me feel any better knowing that people are in bad shape like I am it just makes me more sad

[@juliesanders4468]

You might see if you could find an estate sale company to come and run an estate sale for you. I haven't done that but had a family member who did that before they moved. I know they take a percentage of the profits. Just make sure they are highly rated and I'd try to talk to multiple companies. Best wishes to you!

[@bondjane007]

@@juliesanders4468 Well unfortunately I don’t have that kind of stuff. It’s more like yard sale stuff. It’s not the kind of thing you can have an estate sale. I’ve been to a estate sales and the stuff they’re selling is expensive, valuable and quality. My stuff is just regular things, yes I have a few nice things, but I can’t have an estate sale because I have a nice bookcase,a beautiful coffee table or a nice chair. Having a handful of nice pieces is not enough stuff to make an estate sale. I’ve been to them many times they have security cameras and the things there are very valuable and expensive. That is not me! My stuff is what you see at a garage sale or yard sale. So nice stuff, but not worth an estate sale. No one would make an estate sale with my things. They could not make enough profit selling yard sale stuff. I already know about estate sales, because I have checked with them. They told me I don’t have the things for an estate sale! I would’ve done that & never had posted anything about my predicament. Just think of a pack rat, a collector or a hoarder. The person has lots of stuff, but nothing that valuable. Just nice things people would love to buy at a yard sale. Like lots of beautiful clothes, shoes, toys for kids & stuff like that. Believe me I have done my homework. Years ago when I was in better health & more able I refinished, restored items & sold them on the week-ends at my house(when I had a house) & did o.k for years, but now I am much older, ill & all alone & sadly dirt poor. So I need help but can't afford to pay for help selling mostly nice gentled used items. Some is brand new, but I need all the funds I make from my sales. I don't wish to give money from my sales to someone helping me. I am hoping for kind caring peeps who help the poor without expecting them to pay them for the help. It's called volunteering. Like I did for a year.I fed the homeless at a park 2 days a week hot meals. Breakfast, lunch & dinner & drinks all on my own with my little cart. I also gave them clothes, shoes,masks,toothbrushes & wash clothes, candy & other treats. No one paid me to do this. I volunteered for a whole year doing this from the goodness of my heart! I wish someone would do that for me. Not expecting pay. All they have to do is set up the sale takes maybe an hour. Maybe stop by so I could take a break to go to a bathrm 7 get something to eat if I didn't have something there already. Usually I would have snacks. I usually needed to use the bathrm & that is when my stuff got stolen. No one to watch it. Then at the end of the day ,they ell pack it up & load it into the bus.

[@juliesanders4468]

@jane bond there are also estate sale companies that are used to get rid of everything left in a house. All kinds of stuff. If it were me I'd try contacting someone in the estate sale business to see if they know of a company that could do your type or just to get information. Sometimes once you start talking to people you find someone with an idea you haven't thought of. I can understand if you're feeling hopeless. Maybe you can't do things exactly the way you wish or have done in the past but there might be a solution or an idea somewhere that can help you. (The Lord works in mysterious ways or if you're not comfortable with that sometimes weird stuff happens to lead you towards an answer. ) Good luck! I'm sorry for what you're going through. I've been very ill lately and have lost a lot of family in the past few years. It sure is frustrating to not be able to do what you want to do!

[@jesss2145]

I wish this could work in my whole house! I have people in my house that disregard systems I set up and create clutter in spaces I've worked hard to organize. 😫

[@-Mieke]

Hi Jess, Then it's time for "Clutterbug" She has a system in which she has 4 types of people. Every type has an other system of putting away their stuff.... A whole new world when you know this system and she is so funny too!

[@jesss2145]

@@-Mieke How would that work for someone who is not motivated to be free of clutter? I looked it up. I think my husband is closest to a butterfly. If I make a simple system, of baskets and labels, he won't follow it, just leaves everything out or puts things in random places 😫

[@thatswhatisaid8908]

@@jesss2145 many men just don't notice mess. Have you talked to him about how it makes you feel?

[@jesss2145]

@@thatswhatisaid8908 Oh yes! He interprets it as me being controlling and annoying, while I feel like I'm just expressing what I feel and what I like. He is very considerate and thoughtful about lots of other things, which helps to make up for it!

[@bridgetwoodward8031]

Declutter what you can control and throw all their stuff in decorative baskets everytime they leave stuff accumulating. You can even designate everyone their own bin or basket. You don't have to complain. Just throw it in their basket. Lol

[@kathybonds6453]

Just getting started. Not so young so it is hard. So much crap to rid Love your videos. Want to rid most.

[@lindsey361]

Wow you have a doom room, I love your energy but I live in London UK with 4 daughters, I don't have space for the things we really need, thanks for the inspiration #London isn't worth the money xx

[@Rahamdad-Horticulturist]

Good evening mam!

[@kimberlywalker8985]

Really good advice just tackle one little piece at a time😊👍

[@goodenoughgirl8102]

Very clever. One of those ironic counterintuitive things. Lol.

[@katyjoywells]

Definitely!

[@chuckross308]

#sharing

[@katyjoywells]

Thank you for watching!

[@teresaparry3172]

🥰🦋🌈🦋🥰

[@melissataylor1831]

It's true I have too much stuff. What's also true (and even more discouraging) is that I actually literally do not know how to organize. I spent six hours in my kitchen yesterday and now I somehow have more of a mess than I started with. My brain literally does not know how to function when it comes to organizing. Suggestions anyone? Tia

[@foxiefair123]

Me, either. I’m really good at cleaning though.😂

[@melissataylor1831]

@@foxiefair123 same 😢🤦‍♀️☺️

[@LilaVert-FR]

I guess that, if it's still difficult to organize after decluttering, a/ you have a really tiny kitchen or b/ you didn't declutter enough 😀

[@melissataylor1831]

@@LilaVert-FR although both of those are true, my struggle is what to put where and how, etc

[@marybrennan7888]

Oh my gosh! This sounds like me. My husband is the opposite and cannot understand why I can’t seem to organize. I thought maybe I had ADD or even was mentally challenged (seriously!). I just stand there and have no idea what to do. Like you, I end up with a worse mess than I began with.

[@danieljacobo9632]

You looks beautiful, l like your classes

[@nolafranic8755]

My entire house is a doom room aaahh where do I start

[@katyjoywells]

Remember, progress over perfection! We all start with baby steps! 💗

[@elisabe2210]

Thanks for the tips! However, could you try to have less editing (cuts, zoom in, zoom out...)?