Minimalism - The Quickest Way to Start Minimalism

[@Shottie77]

“Stopping the shopping” I love it!!

[@shannontorrens1]

It really works too.

[@tabitha9890]

Yes, so true. When she said that, I yelled YUP!!!!

[@annfarrell6479]

Sometimes we just need a change of scenery if you will, and moving around decor or furniture helps “quiet” the desire for shopping. Great video, Shannon.

[@shannontorrens1]

So true Ann!

[@angallaher]

Great video! One thing I would just like to mention...please be careful standing on foldable chairs. When my mom was in her 30's she was decorating for my birthday party when I was a kid and she stood on a foldable chair and it collapsed on her folding her leg in between. She thought nothing of it, but after months of hospital visits, and a ton of different doctors was diagnosed with RSD which was triggered from that chair collapsing on her. She spent the next 2 years in a wheelchair most of the time, couldn't walk for more than 5 minutes at a time, was put on tons of different medications for the excruciating pain that today over 20 years later she still experiences. She lost her job, couldn't take care of my brother and I anymore, and most of her responsibilities were left to my dad to manage and she has been disabled ever since. Thankfully she is no longer in a wheelchair, but she still suffers from severe pain every day, she is still on many medications and unfortunately has experienced awful side effects, including some cognitive issues, from all the medications she's been on throughout all these years. I understand her situation may particularly have been a freak accident, but I would rather someone else never have to go through what she did.

[@shannontorrens1]

I appreciate you sharing this and I am so sorry to hear what happened to your mom. The chair I am standing on is really bad from Ikea, it falls over super easily. I will use my step ladder from now on.

[@alyssapfluger4236]

I do feel like people underestimate the importance of changing buying habits when it comes to minimalism and intentional living. It can be a hard mindset shift to make, but it is so worth it!

[@Daringtobemyself]

Very thoughtful comment. I'm going to pull out the step-ladder from now on too.

[@Shottie77]

Am I the only one amused by the wagging tail of the turtle clock?😂

[@shannontorrens1]

Haha you are not alone LOL

[@mjcossel6136]

🙋‍♀️

[@tammiestiles6399]

Hahahahaha.... was laughing so hard at that...... that might be the happiest little turtle I’ve ever seen 😂🤣

[@eileenlester4342]

🤣😂😅🐢

[@joanlandry9701]

No was watching it to 😁

[@sandipeterson3242]

One of the reasons I enjoy your channel and you and your family so much is because you are real! You have a family and a life and you show us your true self. Thank you for all your great ideas and videos🤗

[@shannontorrens1]

Thank you so much!

[@isa.belle8679]

I love that you recommend being a frugal minimalist, decluttering slowly, keeping stuff that you know you will use later and most important not buying new stuff. By watching some youtubers I get the feeling that they throw away everything to buy new stuff in a minimalist style and call themself minimalist because they follow the minimalist style, but not because they try to buy and use less. So, I like how you approach minimalism and how honest you are with the sometimes non-perfect house, that you don‘t have every furniture new in the all-in-white style. Thats real life, frugal, minimalist and honest 👍.

[@shannontorrens1]

Everyone does minimalism differently, but for me it is all about using what we have and only switching it out for things that we really love or need to replace. I still love finding secondhand things because I feel they have more character. Sometimes it takes us years to finish decorating a room or getting it just how we like it, because I don't like to run out and buy the first thing I see. I get comments sometimes that my home is not nice or certain things don't look right and that is because we are waiting to get something we will enjoy for a long time. =) I hope you have a nice day.

[@dbartz5510]

I love moving things around in my house. It keeps me from shopping and I sometimes find a better use for the item. I also find things that have no good purpose and I can declutter them. I really enjoy this video, thanks for all your hard work! ❤🤗

[@shannontorrens1]

Thanks for sharing!! Such great insight =)

[@lhumpy190]

This all makes perfect sense and sounds so logical. I was so glad to hear you say that you still, as a minimalist, prepare your home for guests. Thanks for sharing.

[@shannontorrens1]

Glad it was helpful!

[@EricaLucasLoves]

Yes! Fighting the boredom right now is a struggle being home so much.

[@shannontorrens1]

This is so true! I think being home a lot makes us think about our home a lot LOL.

[@rebeccarendle3706]

You could see it positively and be happy you "have time to be bored" ... There are a lot of people, including myself, totally exhausted through to much to do due to the pandemic and little time to relax eg doctors, nurses, carers, teachers etc... Just an idea!

[@meganr3565]

Decluttering slowly with my mom. Can’t go anywhere since Quarantine so both using out vacation days to clean the house.

[@shannontorrens1]

That is great you two can work together. =)

[@olivemaycards]

To work on gratitude and stop shopping I think stopping the advertising is really helpful. A lot of my dissatisfaction comes from advertising telling me what cool stuff I need and what I have isn’t good enough. I would count home improvement shows and almost all magazines as advertising too - when I consumed that kind of media I spent a lot of time thinking about “upgrading” and fixing things in my house that were totally fine. I also have to stop the thinking that if one item is really good having a second one (maybe a different color) would be a good idea. Most of the time I don’t need more than one.

[@shannontorrens1]

This is very true and that is why I stopped watching TV with all the ads and magazines are really bad, I think they are 90% ads.

[@tabitha9890]

That's 100% right. Minimalism can look different for everyone based off of what is happening in their life. Some have kids & some don't, etc.

[@shannontorrens1]

Yes! As life evolves so does our percentage of minimalism LOL.

[@debbiehawkes7120]

You’re so right about going slow and stop buying. I’ve learnt that and I’m doing the go slow declutter

[@micheledryden1057]

Great tips... especially stop thinking everything needs to be perfect at all times.

[@shademarquez4555]

i love all the contents! sometimes i need constant reminder to stop buying things unless it is necessary..i love being.minimal at home! thanks shannon!! love from philippines!

[@GoingGreenMom]

Thank you so much! Slow and steady is definitely working well now that I stopped shopping!

[@shannontorrens1]

Great job!

[@j.m.7056]

This was a great video. Your very real presentations are refreshing. I am a frugal minimalist too!

[@shannontorrens1]

Thank you so much!

[@rebeccarendle3706]

Great tips!😊 I am so glad I hate shopping.. Always have.. The shops, noise, smell, people, spending money,... It is just stress pure😭..I really do not know how people "enjoy it"..I don't even online Shop unless I have no choice ie it is not available elsewhere (like now in lockdown) .. Even that it stressful... You don't know what it is really like until it comes, then if you don't like it, you have to go to the post to send it back etc.. Stress pure, a waste of time and really bad for the environment! . I have been on low spend for years..at least 15years.... Only buy what needs replacing, food and bills. Then stuff for my kids (unavoidable) and my only "luxury" is I spend on travel/holidays.. .. To see family and friends at home (I live abroad) and have experiences with my kids while there... But obviously now that is not possible during the pandemic... So I haven't seen my family and friends in 1.5yrs.. And if 2021 keeps going like it is.. We won't this year😢... "95% of our things" have no meaning...and people should not put so much focus on them!.... . Only the people you love and care about are important, a roof over your head, clothes on your back, food on the table, your health and happy children (if you have them)😊... This pandemic hopefully helps people put "things" into perspective!

[@racheldeclutteryourlife]

So true. Great advice. I am loving developing this minimalist mindset. It is so freeing. I am also taking this a step further with a no spend year. Its been a tough first month and a half but so worth it. I have started my channel to document my no spend journey. x

[@rebeccamc8084]

Shannon you look younger every video, I'm not kidding!!!

[@shannontorrens1]

Haha Thank you, I think I might look different because I am trying to wear less face make up.

[@Michelle-qd9gm]

We’re stuck we’re decluttering again but it dosnt seem long before we had the last one and all the kids have moved out now so there shouldn’t be all these items still to pack for charity it’s never ending

[@lesleyhubble2976]

Glad she said a lot of you tube isn’t real life

[@gingerhails2561]

Shannon, your voice is so calming and relaxing to me. Sometimes when I’m working on something stressful....I put on a video of yours (even if I’ve seen it before) and just listen to it in the background. Thought you should know your videos help with more than just decluttering (although I owe a lot of my DW-stressed home life to your tips). ❤️

[@shannontorrens1]

Thank you Ginger for telling me that, I always wondering if my voice is just a lot of chatter LOL.

[@barbaraschreiber2992]

6K4

[@Siures]

Wow... one and a half day. I am proud that I need half a day (cleaning and tidying) thanks to minimalism. For me it is not about having ist tidied all the time, but to be really quick in doing it. I Need 5 minutes for the toy room if the kids pulled everything out and clothes have to be removed... At least without their help;) It has to be as simple as possible to tidy. Like your view on frugal minimalism. Reuse before decluttering! Things declutter themselves if you do not add new clutter.

[@sharonshmuel3386]

So good ! Love your videos & yes be careful on what type of chair u stand on. I learnt the hard way & climbed onto an office chair that swizzles around & had a really nasty fall - no more laziness for me I get the ladder 🪜 lol 💖

[@shannontorrens1]

Thank you Sharon, after another comment on this I decided to get out the step ladder when I got something out of my closet yesterday. No more chair standing for me.

[@Theresa-jq3dw]

Your channel and small changes are my fave❤️

[@shannontorrens1]

Thank you!

[@Jennifer-nz2ss]

I really enjoyed this. Was informative and reashuring im still doing this the right way.

[@janjentz1053]

All really good tips. I agree to start right out not shopping for entertainment and bringing things you don't need, and end up not even wanting into your home. I took the slow one room at a time to declutter. Tearing into the whole house at once seemed too overwhelming.

[@leeibbertson1184]

Thank you so much for the tip on perfectionism. I feel like I’m the only one who can’t keep the house perfect at all times.

[@shannontorrens1]

You are not alone!

[@MikeyDonna]

I noticed that you moved the chest of drawers from close to the bed and put a plant there. Good move. Looks better. Donna

[@shannontorrens1]

Thank you Donna! When we first moved in here a year and a half ago I didn't really think much about our room and now I am starting to rearrange things.

[@cmck2021]

Great ideass for a Friday! Going into a very cold midwest weekend. Great time to declutter and figure out what is and not working for my home! Have a great weekend!

[@shannontorrens1]

I hope you have a great weekend!

[@marilynrafla6628]

You just inspired me to try something instead of buying new. I suspect my kids take off their shoes and socks all over the living room because they have no proper place to sit next to the shoe rack, I have been contemplating buying an ottoman or stool but now I think I can craft something out of garden buckets. If it work I might go ahead and upgrade later or just keep it if it looks good enough.

[@shannontorrens1]

That is such a great idea to craft something to see if you like it. I do this a lot. For a while we had a pop up table in our home to see if we are going to want a a kitchen island eventually LOL

[@brightpurpleviking]

Very practical and doable! Great info, thank you!

[@shannontorrens1]

Glad it was helpful!

[@pattyobryan3992]

Loved the be grateful tip!

[@OrganizedWithJoy]

Great tips Shannon! I felt like I was in a decluttering slump, so I decided to challenge myself and do the minimalism game in February! I'm documenting it for a video! My biggest struggle is to stop shopping, which is why I did the no spend year!😆 Thanks for sharing!😊

[@shannontorrens1]

You can do it! I love that challenge what a great idea to do it for a full month.

[@Antistylestyleclub]

The note idea is a winner for me! I always feel proud when I see the list :)

[@shannontorrens1]

Perfect!

[@yogamalayalamasha]

Great tips👍 thank you ❤️

[@shannontorrens1]

Glad it was helpful!

[@amyv872]

These are all great tips, I have started to do most of these, and yes it is a process, and always needing to declutter along the way. You look beautiful!

[@shannontorrens1]

Thank you Amy! It really is a process and takes time, but it's all worth it in the end. =)

[@beltathomas1837]

Omg this video is so honest n so stress free thank you for lifting a weight of my shoulders

[@shannontorrens1]

Thank you I hope you have a great day!

[@TheGratitudeAttitude]

Hi Shannon! I’m new to your channel and am enjoying your videos. I love your concept of “frugal minimalism.” Thank you for posting such genuine and honest content. Happy Mother’s Day! ~ Maria

[@shannontorrens1]

Thank you so much! Happy Mother's Day =)

[@scoutmockingbird3833]

Thanks for the honesty Shannon.

[@Smiles4Me2]

I love this! This is what I needed to hear. Thank you so much!

[@shannontorrens1]

Glad it was helpful!

[@kateoloughlin8774]

Thank you Shannon for the time, effort, commitment and excellent advice you offer. I hope your message/ video content reaches Billions across the planet. I have been a minimalist for about 7 years. Shannon its the way to go. Kind regards from Ireland Kate. 👱‍♀️☕☕

[@shannontorrens1]

Thank you Kate! I hope this message reaches people too, there are so many benefits to this lifestyle. =)

[@lisefrydenlund4147]

Thanks for great tips. And hello from Norway

[@shannontorrens1]

Hello! I hope you have a nice weekend.

[@lisefrydenlund4147]

Thanks, I hope you have a nice weekend too.

[@pameehanson3866]

New to your channel and thanks for sharing about how much. I got hung up on how many or how much? My journey started with a Capsule Wardrobe about 3 years to finally get it where I am comfortable about it and nothing is stored in totes. I am realizing this is a process and journey. I thought after I retired (one year now) it would be all done. NOT SO. I am learning that this takes time and many steps and processes. What good does it do if you get it all done in one weekend and start collecting again. NO i made a promise to myself that no matter how long it takes to just keep at it. Helps that we live in small apt and we do not rent a storage unit. I refused and then you sort of cram it into all the corners. That is why i love your view about what is minimal. I thought for long time one spoon. on fork LOL now what works for each family.

[@shannontorrens1]

Thank you for sharing your journey, minimalism really is different for everyone. That is great you were able to downsize your wardrobe, I feel that can be the hardest step.

[@chooleeng7761]

Well said 😁. Take time to declutter 👍👏

[@shannontorrens1]

🤗

[@barbfreihammer2233]

Love all the great advice!!

[@shannontorrens1]

Thank you!

[@jbellbird9050]

Really good tips and decluttering is often a gradual process. It's so easy to be tempted by on-line shopping but I've had to be strong and ask myself, "do I really need this item"?

[@shannontorrens1]

It is really easy to over buy online.

[@Michelle-qd9gm]

The best thing I did was ask everybody for money for my birthday instead of stuff I don’t need then I can buy things for myself what I really need Why has my hubby sock drawers got about 40 pairs of socks lol. People say these nothing out of place in our home but it’s not what you see it’s all in the cupboards and drawers and things you don’t use anymore

[@luciegallagher2710]

Brilliant tips there Shannon, thank you! 👍🏻😆💕

[@kimski5391]

Thank you for your videos!

[@justusewater1]

Loved your fresh approach to this!

[@shannontorrens1]

Thanks so much!

[@KellyB3]

Great tips! And so much truth in this vid. Thanks again!❤️

[@shannontorrens1]

Thank you Kelly!

[@suziediva]

Love your videos... thank you for all your inspirations🙏

[@shannontorrens1]

You are so welcome!

[@charishurt1768]

Very inspirational 👏

[@shannontorrens1]

Oh good! Thank you =)

[@edwarddailo4415]

Great tips, Shannon!

[@shannontorrens1]

Thank you! =)

[@JenniferatHome]

New Subscriber. 😁 I love this!!! Thank you!!!

[@shannontorrens1]

Thank you Jennifer! Happy to have you here.

[@jessicabulloch5302]

Edit.. Some people are natural organizers and tidy and others are just naturally messy . you are a natural organizer and you shouldn't feel guilty about it , you are not being fake.

[@shannontorrens1]

I am definitely a natural organizer and I have been since a child LOL. I am not a natural minimalist though, that has been more of a journey. =)

[@vane_beatriz]

What bins do you use under your boys’ beds? Do you store toys under their beds?

[@shannontorrens1]

Those bins are from Ikea and so are their beds. For kids under the bed storage is great because they play on the floor and it is so easy for them to pick up their own toys and put them away. =)

[@sarahbanks9450]

Great video

[@shannontorrens1]

Thanks!

[@cmck2021]

Going to add. I believe thos people that are making the perfect videos or posts on social media are staging a small corner of their living space. It is like when you set up that corner of the room so that your zoom call looks nice. It stresses people out and really can make you feel bad if you can't achieve the fake life. Don't believe the hype! ;-)

[@shannontorrens1]

This is so true Christine. I know because there have been times I finish a project and want a photo and I push everything ugly aside and take a photo. But this isn't real life so it's good to talk about reality.

[@cmck2021]

@@shannontorrens1 I did this today for a zoom call. lol

[@katjaherwarth-wollmershaus8380]

Hallo from Germany 👋

[@shannontorrens1]

Hello there! I hope you are doing well.

[@katjaherwarth-wollmershaus8380]

@@shannontorrens1 yes thanks

[@Daringtobemyself]

Best minimalism advice: Stop shopping 🛒🛍️. 🌟👏😁

[@jessicabulloch5302]

Well some people may stage their area but honestly

[@shannontorrens1]

Honestly what?

[@cyndielake4092]

You may be one of the only person I’ve heard say “stop shopping” I see so many people do minimalism clean out their homes and in three months it looks like they never done a thing. You tubers especially because they are doing videos on products and their most recent purchases or PR.

[@leastidyworld4365]

First comment?

[@shannontorrens1]

Yay!

[@leastidyworld4365]

@@shannontorrens1 Hehe. Thank you.