THE BEST DECLUTTERING HACKS FROM YOU!! » 0 to 100k Subscribers THANK YOU

Find out how to declutter like a minimalist and kickstart your most organized year ever -- let's make a collection of the BEST decluttering hacks on KZbin!!! THANKS TO YOU we went from 0 to 100k subscribers on this family minimalism channel, and I've been reading all of your decluttering stories and tips on how to simplify life so you can live a happier, more relaxed, and stress-free life. These are REAL decluttering tips from REAL PEOPLE just like you - and they really work. (Psst - don't forget to drop yours down below!)
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ABOUT A TO ZEN LIFE
I was an emotional hoarder who couldn’t let go. My husband grew up poor in rural China. Now we are a happy & debt-free minimalist family living our dream life in Europe.
Minimalism changed my life - now I want to help YOU unclutter your happiness!
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[@shirleygermain5707]

I started decluttering so my son wouldn't have so much to deal with after we passed and found that living with less gives me more life! It was eye-opening to see how much we had and what we didn't need in our life. Our home is a breeze to care for now while still living!

[@solidstate9451]

That's why I started to take pictures of my sentimental stuff and save the pictures in the cloud. A) When my house burns down I still have the memories, B) When I'm dead, they can just delete my account and don't have to deal with physical stuff.

[@ivanpadilla4479]

My mom passed away and I would have appreciated if she had done some decluttering. My brothers and me couldn’t decide what to keep and was important to her and us since there was so much. Side note is, I’m glad you’ve found it so helpful in your life too.

[@solidstate9451]

@@ivanpadilla4479 Keep what is important for you, not for her. She will not come back, so you don't have to store stuff for her. Give the stuff to somebody who uses it and appreciates it. I would not want to burden my children with usesless stuff. I would want them to be free.

[@lisak1355]

That is an amazing idea, well done! I'm sure it was difficult and emotional but you did A LOT, not only for yourself but for him. I plan to do the same when the time comes.

[@shirleygermain5707]

@@lisak1355, I didn't find it difficult at all. My son took what he wanted, and my grandkids also. My memories are not their memories. I have what I love and use them daily now.

[@moderndays.oldways2609]

My hack is that every time we receive a box in the mail I challenge myself to fill it and then drop it at the donation center. I almost always let go of more than what I brought in. I also treat diaper boxes the same way😉

[@BlondeQtie]

you must have a lot of stuff 😱 i decluttered my room yesterday and only got rid of a few old papers, small boxes (like the ones your phone comes in) and two books.

[@janas192]

That’s a great idea! I think I’ll try this!

Damn I thought I was a unique genius for doing that, haha. Makes you think twice before ordering on amazon too ;)

[@sandraoconnor5700]

Very creative and helpful idea❤❤❤

[@thegoldenzipper]

🤯⚡️👌🏆

[@ArtyAntics]

My 2 big ones are ‘If everything is precious, nothing is precious’ and the lesson I learnt when I lost my dad. I had 5 precious items he gave me, one being a photo of us. All of the items except for the photo were stolen or lost over the 20+ years and after loosing the last one I realised that the items didn’t hold the memories, I did. ‘If I keep my memories in objects, then they can be taken away, but if I store them in my heart they are mine forever’.

[@haplesstoad]

I just love this.

[@healthylifeingredients6211]

What helps me the MOST with decluttering is asking myself this: "would I box this item up and move it to a new house?". Thinking through the steps of boxing something up (finding a box, wrapping up so that it won't break or get damaged, tapping it, moving it, unboxing it, finding a home for it and then responsibly discarding the box). That's A LOT of work to keep an item that really doesn't serve me.

[@alizaras]

Tip: If you struggle with the ability to declutter because of chronic illness, mental health, exhaustion or pain, start looking at what would save you energy or what prevents you from living your life smoothly. Do you constantly deal with overflow of dirty dishes in the kitchen? Pick your favourites and essentials and try to get rid of the rest. Also for those that struggle with illness or pain remember that it is okay if you cant resell, drive to donation store, recycle or similar. Try not to overwhelm yourself by being perfect or even doing what your healthy and well rested version would. If your only option is to keep it or throw it out and you would feel better if it went out in a garbage bag then throw it out. Baby steps is key, work in small areas. Pick an area that you can just pause if you feel unwell, a drawer or a shelf is a good start. Don’t get everything out on the table or floor, your health might not let you finish. Try to find some things that are extra consumables you wont use anytime soon as well as trash or broken items.

[@amieshook2482]

So helpful. I have a chronic condition and can’t start a whole declutter project. So I did a drawer and my husband took the small donation bag to donate. I felt accomplished. That’s all I can do for now. When I can, I will do more. For now, I won’t bring in more stuff.

[@lindascull6327]

@Alizara YESSSSSSS!!!Thank you!!!!

[@alizaras]

@@amieshook2482 Happy you found it helpful 💛And that is awesome! True, it can be so rewarding, especially if you have someone else who can do the no-decisions-needed tasks 💛 Deciding what needs to go and what will stay can be rough enough

[@solidstate9451]

I dealt with depressions for the bigger part of my life. Additional I have severe pain issues and there are days I hardly leave bed because the pain is so exhausting. It is very calming for me to know that even when I spent several days in bed I can easily catch up the housework.

[@ss-ht6uz]

@Alizara That was really helpful thanks for sharing your thoughts

[@Ripplesinthewaters]

I love the “Time Will Tell Bin”. That’s what Dawn from the Minimal Mom calls the quarantine bin. I can take an item out of the way and store it in the garage. If someone asks where it went, I can go get it. No one ever does. 😂

[@AtoZenLife]

I love that we all have different names for the same thing. 😂

[@Hillside-Hive]

@@AtoZenLife I think she changed the name due to the pandemic 🙈

[@Saforra99]

I seem to remember the "Time will tell bin" being more specifically for paper clutter, meaning papers that you may or may not need (Dawn often lists seed catalogs, coupons or paint samples as falling in this category) and that, when it starts getting full, you can look through + see if anything (usually at the bottom) has past the time of even potential usefulness :) That being said, Dawn has certainly also put things away in boxes to see if she or her family members miss them...maybe she called it a quarantine box? Either way, both are useful concepts! :)

[@briannab5296]

I've always called mine "The Use It Or Lose It" box.

[@lovinglife3954]

@@Saforra99 yes her Time Will Tell is for mail

[@solidstate9451]

I put _everything_ from the kitchen in "time will tell"-boxes and stored them in the cellar. Not only the stuff I wasn't sure about. So I had to go to the cellar for every pot and every wooden spoon. It is very interesting how much you can refrain from when you have to take the stairs ... When it is easier to clean the pot than to go downstairs you'll notice that 2 pots are enough, for example. And you don't need 5 wooden spoons when you can clean the one you already have in your kitchen. Did the same with clothes.

[@gwenj5419]

Love this idea!

[@june.w.1288]

This is a really great tip!

[@rebekahdeere]

Totally trying this! We have an attic instead of a cellar, but it will be just as annoying to retrieve things.

[@jeniedwards5999]

This is brilliant.

[@mchmonster]

The time will tell bin is an idea from the minimal mom here on KZbin

[@sarahnelson8836]

Two things: one it’s never too late to get started decluttering Two- there’s a difference between clutter in motion (dishes in the sink, a project you are working on) and stagnant clutter (things you don’t even see anymore) this understanding is particularly helpful for those of us with ADHD since some level of clutter in motion is inevitable for us - but we can still reduce stagnant clutter and learn to deal with clutter in motion How to ADHD has a great video set on this

[@dawnforlife]

"Will I BUY this item now (if it were at a store)?" is a great question that helped me go through hand me down clothings for my 16 month old! I think it may work for any decluttering!? 😊

[@lannahparedes2973]

My favorite tips from the Minimal Mom: This idea of "inventory" - how much do YOU realistically want to manage every single day? 100K things? 200K things? Then I saw from one of her video the idea of the "silent to-do list" - everything in your house is silently adding to your to-do list. When are you going to work out (equipment stuff/work out clothes), When are you going to lose weight (clothes that are too small), When are you going to pick me up (kids toys). Not worth the mental energy drain. Another thing is whether you want to "DEAL" with the item again in 3/6/9 months when you re-declutter again.

[@leonidasreviews2912]

Declutter clothing on laundry day. Most of your favorite items are dirty so whatever is clean is fair game to be donated.

[@AtoZenLife]

That’s a good one!

[@Lizzy43645]

My “hack” is to not worry about keeping junk in the car. Meaning if I found something I want to part with and needs to go to Savers I put it in the car right away. Whenever I drive somewhere near the drop off site I swing by and drop off everything - no matter how big or small the pile is

[@AtoZenLife]

Nice one! 🙌

[@gracesimplified3860]

Same here!

[@meisjeViv]

Wish I could do this but my car has the tiniest booth and also it is parked not right at my home 🙃 so I'll have to settle for the 'donation box in the closet' thing. Luckily that works as well

[@denaclements3936]

I do that one and it helps

[@corinnelee9965]

We were pretty good at staying on top of clutter except when it came to the holidays. All the extra gifts that came in from Santa, the grandparents, friends, etc. was very kind, but also overwhelming. We found ourselves drowning in clutter every January. So we came up with the rule “Santa can’t bring you new presents until you’ve let go of the old presents. Every year during the long Thanksgiving weekend we do a big “stuff” decluttering. We look for clothes that no longer fit, toys that we’re no longer playing with, books that we’re done reading, etc. and we donate them. We use the time to be thankful for joy the items have brought us, and grateful that we can pass them on to someone else. That way when December comes and the gifts starts rolling in we have plenty of room to enjoy our presents instead of feeling overwhelmed by them.

[@LI22IEEE]

My top hack is to just do it. Just get started. Decluttering only one thing is still better than keeping everything.

[@theinnerworkclub6060]

❤🎉

[@barbaracardoza9786]

Yes. Decluttering "hack" number 9 always works for me. I imagine someone shopping at my favorite Goodwill store discovering my donation; and being filled with joy.

[@dunjabakic4012]

Yeeeah, good idea :)

[@nanettelamb1519]

My decluttering hack is to create limits or boundaries for specific items. For example, I allow myself one shelf of books, one small bin of workout clothes, one small box of creative materials like paint, glue, brushes. I also don't duplicate clothing items: one black t-shirt with short sleeves, one black turtleneck, for example, not multiples. I always tell myself I have just one body, so I only need one black t-shirt at a time.

[@nikkibadzik3948]

This is what Dana k White from a slob comes clean calls "the container concept". It's helped me so much.

[@georgialush8281]

I take the ‘one in one out’ rule and raise it! ‘One in two out’ is my rule. That’s way I’m downsizing rather than just maintaining.

[@frederiquedelage1831]

"Remember that objects are not your loved ones" - SO SO powerful! Thanks a million

[@dorotapikula3442]

One of my besties helped me combine my 2 storages into 1 and her tip was this - Rule of 20. Can it be replaced in 20 min or less? If so, get rid of it. Can it be replaced for $20 or less? If so, get rid of it. Of course there are exceptions such as sentimental items or expensive items. But honestly, this helped me so much when I was going through stuff.

[@MariaSegovia]

OMG! Can I say I started crying when you mentioned me on Tip#3? Thank you for reading our comments! This really means a lot to me :)

[@samramsey1142]

Right now in my phase of life I am focusing on "loving one item twice as much" from fumio sasaki. It really helps me with things like plants because instead of 5 that are alive I can have 1 that thrives.

[@tacopie310]

You..got..rid..of plants?! I'll see myself out, thanks. I smell cult.

[@samramsey1142]

@@tacopie310 😅😂🤣

[@IQSim]

I realized that a lot of my clutter was stuff that people gifted me. So I’ve been trying to tell them what I actually might need. And I learned that you could get rid of those things without having to feel bad.

[@hobbyhopper3143]

Yeah, this didn’t work out too well for me. I gave something away that was made in a foreign country for me. Not SIX month later this relative of a relative moved to the United States about 30 miles away from me. It’s BOUND to come up. 😢

[@thegoldenzipper]

Wow this hits home for me. I feel rude or unappreciative when I give away a gift. This has also happened in reverse: a beautiful handmade blanket I hauled in my luggage from Viet Nam and gave as a gift to my neice. Well, if I had known her better or asked her, I would have known it didn’t suit her style at all. Truth is I wanted that blanket and I wanted my neice to know how special she is by giving it to her. Big lessons learned, thank you for your comment that helped me to make this connection and give myself permission to let go of gifts. 👏👏👏👏👏

[@mjadler2096]

Oh, also I very much advocate using things up and making a plan to really get through them. It's more environmentally friendly (so much of donated stuff ends in landfill) and it'll save you money. I googled recipes for unusual ingredients and used up sample packs of face creams and hotel shower gels. I actually ended up finding a new favourite face cream through it. The cheapest and most sustainable choice is using what you already have :)

[@sleeplessinchicago9082]

The best way to preserve my daughter's childhood artwork was to frame it and use it as part of the house decor. It is beautiful, unique, and full of memories.

[@megand8148]

The sentimental de-cluttering is going slowly, but I'm pretty happy with what has left the house so far. One of the other tips I keep in mind when decluttering is "if my house burned down, is this something I would replace?".

[@AtoZenLife]

Wonderful tip! ✨

[@dobycorder3206]

...thanks for this, but in my case, if it burned I could not replace it... artwork, pictures and family items that I love. Yes, emotional ly attached to stuff. 😅

[@jerushacarlson]

My top decluttering tips are: 1: Have an established donate place. For us, it’s a box or bin next to the door leading to our garage. 2: When said box is full, bring it right to the car, so you don’t “forget it” on your next trip to shop. Make it your first thing to do so you have space for groceries etc. 3: Keep in mind, you have to live with your home. So what stays or doesn’t isn’t anyone else’s problem. Sometimes they need to be told as much, and that will be either the end of the relationship (toxic relationship decluttering!) or they’ll get over the fact that you didn’t keep the thing they didn’t want in their home.

[@shannahsnyder5653]

"Clutter is unmade decision!" Well said, I think this will help me help my hubby.

[@npigwnl]

Congratulations on 100,000 subscribers! The #1 question that helps me declutter is “If I had rented this item, and it was time to return it, would I mind? Would I want to continue to spend money to hang on to it?”

[@Saforra99]

ooh, that's a fun spin on the idea of spending money on it! I like it :)

[@theinnerworkclub6060]

Ooh that one is going to help me a ton! Thanks so much!!!! ❤❤❤

[@paulajames6149]

When I feel overwelmed, I pick out what I want to keep and get rid of the rest. Makes decluttering easy and quick. Having habits and systems to keep clutter out is also needed.

[@tracygellatly1267]

Tip: Close family and friends get first pick at decluttered items that we gather and keep in a large basket under the sofa table by the entry door. Whatever remains is either gifted on our local FB Buy Nothing group or donated.

[@catharinab8860]

Yes! We do this, I call it ”gratisloppis” or ”free second hand”, it’s the best thing but it’s important to still have some rules like only picking items I would have bought anyway to not fill my house with clutter again.

[@myconfusedmerriment]

The tip that's been most helpful for me is to start by pulling out your favorites or essentials in a category and going from there. That really sets the tone for me, because I immediately identify the things that are the best quality or the most important to me, and decide what deserves to stay based on that barometer. It also helps me see the volume of stuff that I DON'T feel that same enthusiasm for, and then I don't feel bad about giving them away, because I've already pulled out the things I would choose first every time.

[@meisjeViv]

Yes! I also really like to focus on 'what do I want IN my life' (as opposed to focusing on what needs to go). That's actually what made the KonMari method work so well for me.

[@kaw8473]

You don't understand how clutter affects you until you have to watch older relatives spend their final days just dealing with their garage and basement packed floor to ceiling with stuff. The best gift you can give is professional cleaning services for the older people in your life.

[@bricknercj]

Like Marissa, I have been an emotional horder. As such - and this is a bit brutal, emotionally - but if you have accumulted items from loved ones who are still with us, try to give yourself permission to examine and re-home items/collections before those people pass away. I realize that this is not always possible, but, as our fearless leader has explained regarding her parents items, the emotional weight that those things carry multiplies exponentially after a person dies. I had an antique clock and vase set that was in the family forever. It was gorgeous, and *completely* not my/our style. My mother passed away a year ago, and as I was decluttering old photos, I realized that I have a lovely picture of her sitting in a chair, with the clock and vase on the shelf behind her. That was enough for me to be able to let the items go to a home that would cherish them for what they are rather than for who has owned them for the last 100 years. On a lighter note, if you're re-purposing jars in your pantry, you can up your style by spray-painting all of the lids the same color. We keep a can of hammered bronze spray paint on hand, and use it on all sorts of things throughout the house, including jar lids, door hardware, furnace grates, etc. It brings an nice continuity to the whole place, though most people wouldn't be able to put a finger on why. Thanks to everyone for your great ideas!

[@karineb5980]

Trop long

[@bricknercj]

@@karineb5980 My apologies.

[@gailkarsera2934]

don't be discouraged. your reply was interesting and nice to read!

[@bricknercj]

@@gailkarsera2934 Thank you, Gail.

[@andreaschneider6202]

I have collected items because of emotions also. I still am saddened that most of my relatives have passed away (one of my three aunts lived until 99 years old incidentally) so it is emotionally difficult to part with the few items I have that belonged to them (ex. a few books & I literally became teary-eyed when I conceded to donate clothes that had been my father's...). You have my empathy about the demise of your mother🙏 I appreciate that you cited that there is a picture with that clock & vase visible behind her so you felt you no longer needed to keep those two items. Best wishes from NY😊

[@sarahfuller8008]

I work a room in a circle when I clean. I pick a starting point and work around until the entire room is clean. Makes most jobs easy!

[@thealexandraway]

I made a photo collage of all of my childhood memories and hung it up on my bedroom wall. I also keep a back up of some photos in case a natural disaster happens so that I don't lose any of my old photos and can make a new collage. When decluttering items in my home I usually will clean as well because when cleaning an area of the house you will sometimes find things that you totally forgot about and don't need.

[@mjadler2096]

When I started decluttering, I started with the lowest-value items first; I had a hard time with toiletries and clothes as I felt like I'd paid so much for them. So I started with cheaper items with less monetary value so I could feel like I wasn't "wasting" money. It got easier!

[@veganryori]

Not a hack, but worth a mention: getting rid of other people's things without their consent or input is the same as stealing. You will damage your relationships doing this. You think your kids don't notice, but I still mourn my favourite pair of shoes I kept for best but my mum gave away without my consent over 20 years ago. She also gave away most of the toys I kept very nicely to sell when I was older. Those toys are worth £100s now. She kept a lot of stuff she wanted to, that after she died I am still dealing with 15 years later. Respect your kids, people.

[@AtoZenLife]

I always check with them. 👏

[@veganryori]

@@AtoZenLife I know you do 👍☺️ responding to the many comments that say "I declutter when X person is out, they don't even notice!" People say it a lot, and don't realise how damaging this can be 😞

[@sarahmacrae8277]

I think getting her possessions thrown away turned my mother in law into a hoarder, she hid things all the time . The other part of it was being in a relationship with a gambler she had to hide money for necessities. I always give my daughter choices what 10 pictures do you want to keep etc, would you like to keep your legs or sell it and have the money towards something else. There is a difference between chucking the cardboard box someone else pizza came in and chucking their t shirts

[@aaliak4499]

My teens don't really have anything they absolutely love (other than their phones!), but if they continously leave their hoodies, socks, ect around the house. They both buy a ton of gum and not only leave the packs around, they also leave chewed blobs of gum all over! I'm tired of getting after them about this, so I just throw out packs when I see them. I'm also starting a new plan where I tell them to put away something once and if its not done right away I will lock it in my closet and they can buy the item back for a $1. No more nagging or stressing.

[@krijoe3433]

I just started giving myself freedom to not be the keeper of dead people things! I know it might sound morbid but instead of this was my grandma's or mom's or my aunts and etc. It really helped me to think they are dead so they can't be upset if I don't Keep it. And they really wouldn't want me stressing over this thing that they probably kept and didn't really like anyways (which is why they probably gave it to me why the was alive) . So I am no longer the keeper of the dead peoples things... unless I love it!

[@nespeculate]

My decluttering tip is to declutter "ONE" per day ... and that "ONE" can change depending on your energy and focus each day. For example, if I'm feeling SUPER motivated, I would declutter "ONE" - dozen garbage-bagfuls of garbage and donatables in a day. Or for a decent energy day, I will declutter "ONE" - bagful of items, and that bag size can be as big or small as you decide. For a low energy day, I'll declutter "ONE" - small drawer or even one section of a drawer/cabinet. On a day I'm just not feeling it, AT ALL, I will still declutter "ONE" item ... even if its an old eyeshadow palatte I'm just not feeling anymore. This keeps me on a positivie streak and allows for the ebb and flow of energy, effort, and time you can give as it changes with the demands of life.

[@Claire-fq3lq]

My number one decluttering hack is to listen to one of your video while decluttering!! I love it, you help me a lot to get motivated and in a happy mood. It feels like you’re here as a friend. Thanks a lot for all your tips and videos. xx from France :)

[@suzi437]

My gosh, I do that, too! She's so motivational!

[@lauraramosdelgado]

"Your objects are not your loved ones" OMG, this one resonated so deep with me right now. My dad passed away when I was 17. One of his last gifts was a queen bed I STILL USE. My partner and I have been thinking about getting a King size one to be more comfortable. But, I keep the idea of keeping my actual set because of the memories of my dad. It is/has been so hard. I understand he is not around anymore and the items will not bring him back so I think I need to process these emotions and made peace with the past. Love your videos.

[@ginagallo5743]

Buy the King bed and use the Queen bed in your guest room. Or if you don’t have a guest room, maybe give it to a family member for their guest room. My bestie gave me a hutch that she couldn’t use of her mother’s. That way, she knows that it’s still in the family, but isn’t cluttering her home.

[@lauraramosdelgado]

@@ginagallo5743 Thank you so much for the suggestion Gina. I definitely appreciate you taking the time to do so. I know is a long time coming thing because we deserve to be more comfortable. I love thinking someone else could be treasuring the set. Many blessings, Laura

[@lindamcdermott8157]

I have a donation basket in my linen closet, whatever I have that I don’t use/wear, etc. goes in the basket. When it is full, I transfer everything to a large garbage bag and take it to the donation center. The time it spends in the basket, serves as a quarantine time. I have never missed anything and took it out. It comforts parting with things. I store clothes, crafts, and everything I have in canvas cubes. When decluttering, I can tackle just one cube at a time. There is great satisfaction to reducing the contents. And greater joy in having empty cubes.

[@dawnforlife]

Had to pause to comment! I like high volume items! The thing is, I think when we start with small volume items, it feels like we have been working all day and we see NO DIFFERENCE! SEEING the difference and more FEELING it, can be such a motivator! I'm so excited hence the exclamations! I started following when I saw how much a small youtuber makes (me, still small), so congrats for your success! You did it so good because you as so SO niche and focused! I'm finding my way and it's taking forever but I guess like decluttering, better have started than never! 😆

[@erinl7930]

I am in the process of cleaning out several bins of photos and memorabilia that have been sitting in my basement for years. Its a daunting task but I have been sorting out things that belong to each family member and giving it to them to decide its fate. Its amazing what they choose to keep and toss. I feel so much better knowing that I alone do not have to be the keeper of all the family memories!

[@ashannhow]

I think the biggest decluttering hack that's helped me with clothing is asking "Why am I holding onto this? Is it sentimental, seasonal, or because I like the idea of owning/wearing it?" This has massively changed my closet! I've probably donated 30% of my wardrobe with this question! Your journey has helped me so much because I can be emotionally driven sometimes by my purchases or holding onto items. Something else that's really helped me when bringing items in is asking "Can I wear this with more than 1 outfit? Is it easy to wash/will the fabric shed onto other clothes?" This has prevented me from buying SEVERAL items because I hate dealing with fuzz all over clothes when only one item is fuzzy. Thank you so much for being such a great support and continuously showing us what your journey looks like. I'm sure there are days or moments that you don't want to, but what you have shared has truly made a difference. I've suggested your channel to many people wanting to begin their journey of decluttering, my hope is that they take a moment to join the fam! I hope you and your family are well! Happy New Year!

[@MariaSegovia]

Another organizing tip for me has been this: When we let go of things we can have the confidence that by making space in our home we are also making space emotionally for new experiences and opportunities to come into our lives. We have experiencing this first hand.

[@moniousova]

congratulations!! my favourite hack, that I discovered recently, is a simple question, that goes after the usual "do I really need this?" if you're not sure, ask another question: "what would I do, if I didn't have this?" If you can use something else instead, you don't really need it and can declutter!

[@AtoZenLife]

Good question!

[@sallydansereau1270]

My tip is to go for progress not perfection. It takes time to get good declutter habits, but bit by bit it comes. So worth it.

[@smitasha]

I included my daughter in this decluttering process. I asked her to make room in her closet by donating/rejecting few items before buying something new....So she became more mindful in buying her toys Nd dresses....thank you for your valuable tips

[@AtoZenLife]

That’s wonderful, you are teaching her important life skills AND about herself and her choices and feelings - well done! 🙌

[@munagalalakshmipranati]

Please keep making this "comment and tips" style videos..... because this video was EPIC...

[@AtoZenLife]

I will try and thanks for this epic comment. 💪😆

[@roselewis1426]

Favorite is the donation spot in each closet for kids to declutter as they put grow items and clothing.

[@angelamelum4304]

I call my bin a time out bin. One thing that helps is having a ‘wish list’ of things I think I need. I don’t buy right away typically taking several months to really think about them. I often find the longer I think about them the more I realize I don’t need them.

[@jonihanna6449]

This has helped me tremendously!

[@Saforra99]

Yes, I've really benefited from having a wish list too -- I don't normally impulse shop anyway, but it has helped me to remember the things I've been needing (esp. when I am at the thrift store I can look intentionally :) any perhaps come out empty-handed, because nothing was there from my list :D )

[@KawaiiCat2]

My dad passed away when I was a child. He was a piano teacher and artist that collected a lot of piano books and art books. He signed every book he owned in his collection. I had kept them for more then a decade because he owned them and had signed them and it was sentimental to that degree. I finally got rid of them, because they took up so much space but before doing so, I cut out his signature from the books to keep them as memory and kept everything in a box with his photos and some small things that reminded me of him. I love the idea of memory boxes especially for loved ones that have passed on. It helps us remember them but most importantly we remember the most important things about them that we can revisit whenever we want.

[@merry.minimalism]

Drawing a picture is a genius idea and will be more meaningful to me than taking a picture. Love it

[@EricaLucasLoves]

My favorite hack is my clutter basket hack! Quick tidy up room to room in a basket you already have, then return items to their place. Gives you a chance to declutter yo trash or donate as you go!

[@AtoZenLife]

Makes it so much easier! 🙌

[@HearingJesus]

I have a perpetual box just outside of my back door (inside my garage) that is for items that I am ready to donate. (next to my recycling....which needs to go cuz the pile is now overflowing lol!)

[@EricaLucasLoves]

@@HearingJesus nice!!

[@amymoxley1165]

When I sort dirty laundry, I have a whites basket, a colors basket and a garbage bin. If something has a hole, a bad stain, or failing elastic, I pitch it while I'm sorting.

[@micheleohmer4117]

A place for everything and everything in its place. It's easier to keep clutter in check if things have a place. Clutter is delayed decisions-choose to put it away, throw it away or give it away, don't delay.

[@Woeschhuesli]

Time solved my problem to some extent - I had a weakness for lovely deco items I had been buying to beautify my home. And gradually decluttering. But now, what is in the stores has all been there before in the last 25 years - so either I've decluttered it (and therefore no longer wanted it...) or have just already "seen" it, or else I have inherited the "real thing" over the years from older relatives (antique china, silver, glass...that I use everyday)!! Now I can browse without buying.

[@alicjadzierzak382]

I made a long 'To declutter' list on my phone, with everything I want to declutter. I categorized all items - books, dishes, clothing etc. Then I startet from the biggest and most valuable - so I have space and money 😊 And from the cheapest - which I donated because is not worth my effort to deal with that. And now I can see the list of every single item I want to declutter without making a big mess in my home 😊 And almost every day I pick up some items, make picture and put it in the 2nd hand platform.

[@Saforra99]

That sounds like a good way to do things :) I too have, at various times, made lists of things I know I want to declutter/downsize + that has helped me then actually do it :)

[@vivcatmickymaus4482]

In the region where I live we use "to give away"-boxes. You take a cardboard, collect the things you do not longer need in the cardboard and when it's full enough you place on the sidewalk in front of your house and put a sticker on it "to give away". Now everyone who passes by can have a look and take what they like. So you don't have to check where you can donate your things or drive somewhere. Everyone does it here. Last time my cardboard was empty after 1 day - usally the people leave the cardboard so you can use it again next time😉 PS: I really love your idea of the memory box! Think I will get 1 for me. I don't have a lot of big things I keep because of emotional aspect, but I think it's good the keep all my small things like letters, concert tickets and so on at one place with having a good overview about what I have. 😊

[@kathleensutton4117]

Biggest “Hack” for me was being honest with myself why I impulse shop. Can be different for each person, but for me, it’s the quick “feel good” moment.

[@briannab5296]

It's called 'the thrill of the hunt' 😉

[@byusaranicole]

When you mentioned donating parts, I immediately thought of a tiny pot and pan that came with a set I got for my wedding almost 20 years ago. I've only used each of them maybe once in all these years because they're just too small. I went and pulled them out and put them directly into my donate box!

[@keturahmash9329]

Choose a small "bite" of space, set a timer and have a go! One draw or one shelf at a time. When the task seems the size of an elephant and needs to be eaten, how do you do it? One "bite" at a time. ❤ your channel ❤ you rock ❤

[@sarahthatcher123]

One of my favourite tips ( ways of thinking) starts with the question….”How do I know how many of_________ do I need?” The answer is “Start with ONE”. This is especially good for kitchen items but works for other areas too like t- shirts etc. Don’t get rid of them all at first but just have ‘one’ out to use and then as you’re living life you find it’s making your life harder or more frustrating because you only have one then add one back. How do you know if two are enough? Just have ( live with) two. If you find you’re doing fine with just two then that is ENOUGH and you can get rid of the rest.

[@Saforra99]

I like that idea! It feels almost like working backwards (in a useful way! ;) ) by reducing so dramatically + then only re-increasing (with usually already existent inventory) as needed -- I bet it's very eye-opening! :)

[@jasminm8784]

Oh Marissa, congratulations! My heart is so happy for you, you deserve it so much

[@AtoZenLife]

Thanks so much Jasmin!

[@connierush4563]

Five minutes count. This weekend I started on my “Fibber McGee” closet. While I spent more than five minutes, I only focused on the garbage and things I could put in their permanent home (or garbage or giveaway) quickly. I was able to see a big improvement and then set a plan for the next few minutes I can get back to it. (Scrapbooking supplies for instance).

[@ciannacoleman5125]

I have been using fabric for immediate family gift wrapping for years. Only reason I don't for others is I usually use fabrics that I plan on using for other projects. I love that the wrapping is both pretty and completely reusable.

[@elizabetharaujo1323]

Although my husband has gotten a few different phones over the years it was a great way for me to accumulate those really nice phone boxes for drawer organization. He no longer has the phones but I still use those boxes all these years later lol

[@Lynnrazz2]

I'm so late to this community, but I'm so glad I've found you! My top hack is kinda digital... when I think I want to bring something into my home, I put it in my website vendor store basket, and then close the site and get busy with other things. If, the next day, I'm still thinking about that item, I will go to the site, and complete the purchase. Often, my desire to purchase something is about feeling great about buying something, not the thing itself. So, I've spent the pandemic decluttering from the last 30 years - when we first got married and joined households. Now, we're in a looking-at-retirement-phase and the decluttering is necessary. I'm grateful for the time the pandemic gave us to declutter and that one purchase hack to prevent unnecessary items from coming into our home. xo ;-)

[@nanettelamb1519]

For sentimental items, I take them on a Victory Tour (one last use in a fabulous and memorable way) before letting them go! Tablecloths, special serving pieces, for example, got Victory Tours for special meals, then buh-buy!!

[@ursulahansen7478]

I am an emotional hoarder as well. I am learning and growing as I have moved to let go of clothes that I don't like or wear. I "shop my closet" to make outfits and have found what I like and don't like. I have an inventory sheet for makeup, jewelry and clothing in my planner. I will take stats every quarter so I can see where my #s are. I'm starting small but it is helping.

[@briannab5296]

What a neat idea! I'd enjoy seeing a sample of your inventory sheets.

[@emerystodden2522]

I’ve been giving myself the time to explore what my style is and what I truly like or don’t like. This has involved a lot of looking up style inspiration online or window shopping clothes online to see what’s out there. I’ve also been forcing myself to use what I have to see if I want to use it or can live without it. This involves wearing what makeup I have most days of making myself wear everything in my closet I’m on the fence about.

[@margiemanns5843]

After my husband passed away, I took some of his shirts and pieced a nice quilt, and made matching pillow shams. I discarded a lot of his clothes, and passed some on to family members. I now have this special memory quilt....but not all his clothing boxed up taking up space. I am still decluttering ,because I don't want my children to have to sort it all out when I pass. Things don't make us happy, the special people in our lives is where our happiness lies. I just found this video, and want to say - you are very inspiring. I subscribed and activated notifications. I'm looking forward to the next one.

[@jessicabrown6943]

I love these ideas!! I too am a recovering emotional hoarder. I was emotionally attached to so many sentimental things and felt I had to keep them ALL. I’ve been decluttering for about 9 months now and I’m doing so much better.

[@sarahb5325]

I'm moving in with my hoarder dad and definitely have some hoarding tendencies myself - I'm so glad to find your channel! This is giving me a lot of hope and motivation to declutter my own family's possessions and potentially helping my dad with his (if he's okay with it). Thank you for your tips and wish me luck as I binge your videos in prep for the move!

[@louiseash5705]

Well deserved getting to 100k 👏👏 my 2 favourites are 'don't put it down put it away' from kirsty and Amy from the Art of decluttering podcast and also using small windows of time like when the microwave is on for 2 mins, or the 5 mins before school pickup to wipe down the sink/ go through the 'junk' drawer / fold some washing etc

[@Appika]

I have a big cardboard box in my storage room on our first floor where I put everything to be donated whenever I find something in daily life. When it's full, I take it to the donation center. That's always such a great feeling 😄👍🏻

[@Aagebymyside]

It’s me again! I find incredible joy when I give things away. Recently we gifted a leather sofa on Buy Nothing Easton PA. The people were SO happy. We could have sold it, but the money would not bring as much joy. They even posted a picture of them sitting in it with a thank you note on the buy nothing page! Win win

[@kaylachristensen]

I'm just starting my decluttering journey and these tips are super helpful so thank you everyone ❤️

[@jennybird2770]

When going about my day I look for a few things to declutter when I just happen to be in a room. This adds up to big change. For example, when i'm brushing my teeth in the bathroom i'll check the bathroom cabinet for anything we don't use, or when taking a shower, i'll check for products don't use. Check a pantry shelf in the kitchen when waiting for my meal to cook, etc. I guess it's kind of the onion method, but just decluttering a bit as I go about my day in what room i'm naturally in.

[@gwenj5419]

I've been doing this with paper. Whenever I file something, I go through that file folder to see if there's anything I no longer need.

[@jennybird2770]

@@gwenj5419 ooo! Excellent idea :)

[@effinxrightt]

Yes on the clutter basket! I keep one in our laundry room(which is right off of the dining room and kitchen) and one in our bedroom. Makes life much easier when we decide to get rid of things, they go right in the basket and when it’s full, I box or bag up the items for donation and set them aside for our next trip.

[@happyx2]

My top decluttering hack is stolen from Dana K White. She says, "Take it there now." Remembering this in my head has saved me from so much clutter, because everything is put away! 👍

[@thecountrychickadee]

What has helped me is using a timer 15 minutes to attack a task or space. Declutter a little everyday. Things are always coming in, so they need to consistently be going out out home. Love your videos Marissa! Congratulations on 100,000 subscribers!

[@isabelwall1714]

Thanks for the refresher, I started decluttering about six months ago and made HUGE progress. After Christmas and Birthdays it seems we are right back to the beginning. I’m a clutter bug but also I get very overwhelmed seeing all the things lying around my home. I hope to get up and start again.

[@heutegibtsnudeln9233]

I love that little foot coming up behind you, while you’re talking 💚

[@AtoZenLife]

😂 I didn’t even notice I was doing it!

[@riannevandenberg58]

Congratulations on the 100k! Well deserved, love your content and honesty. My advise would be to keep reviewing and decluttering and to not stop after 1 revision. Give yourself time and permission to get used to not using or seeing it. Do not fight the urge to hold on for a little longer and then discover that you rather go without an item. Your feelings might change naturally which makes parting with it way easier.

[@AtoZenLife]

Thanks so much for the tips and support, Rianne! 🤗

[@MoneyHabits1]

I scanned all my child’s artwork and all of my physical photos. I made a Shutterfly book of his artwork and gave to gmas for Xmas. Then got rid of the physical junk! Soooo freeing!

[@ma10074242]

Something simple I have been doing is putting our toaster in a cabinet after each use. Makes a big difference in the kitchen.

[@Tamara-oh9ds]

When I declutter my clothes and I am not sure if I want to keep my old sweater or my way too short skirt for my fantasy self, I always ask myself: would I feel comfortable wearing this when my parents in law visit us unexpectedly as a surprise?

[@teresakistler8762]

Congratulations Marissa on 100k subscribers (now103k!)🎉 My hack is that when I’m decluttering things I’ll take them to my work (for example, extra Christmas decorations, paper plates/cutlery, mugs for the work kitchen, sweets and cookies I want out of my house)!😉

[@blubbblubb6239]

hahaha I did that as well with coffee cups! :D We had a shortage in the office kitchen and I was decluttering mine... so I got rid of mine and could still use them for some time :D

[@HearingJesus]

I've done this too! Even perfumes, etc. My co-workers thought Christmas came early!

[@briannab5296]

I did this with a dozen roses one time that were given to me. Rather than let them die & dry out all alone in my apartment, i gathered 12 cola cans, put a bit of water in them plus one rose each, set them in a box, took them to work and gave them to the other women employees one by one. One bouqet of roses made 13 people (including me) very happy 😉 and i didn't have them cluttering up my home as they withered away.

[@bettylowe448]

I am going to start my decluttering journey. I am a pack-rat so I am not sure how well this will go. Here I go...

[@faithhomeschool2789]

I get rid of high volume items too that is how we started our minimal things journey like why have 2 dining tables that only get used during family gatherings. Furniture was our first step. Also heard from Joshua Becker back in the day "stage your home for living not for selling" that has been a game changer.

[@dubosesjoy]

Congratulations, Marissa! (I loved the clip of the 100K prediction… you blew that out of the water!) Great work!

[@AtoZenLife]

Right? 😆 I found that when I was looking for old clips, totally forgot about the dates! Thanks for watching.

[@renarobinson3946]

When I think I don't have the time to put something back in it's "home"... instead of avoiding it, I simply count out the number of seconds it takes to actually put it away. Most of the time it is only less than one minute. That is so much less stressful than repeatedly thinking I still need to put that where it belongs or the stress of seeing the clutter. So start counting...one thousand one, One thousand two, one thousand three...

[@Saforra99]

That's a great reality check :)

[@briannab5296]

Cass the clutterbug organizer did a video demonstrating this very concept using her toaster as an example. It was such an eye opener when it took mere seconds that i tried it and found it wasn't such a big deal at all to tuck my toaster away in a lower cabinet after each use.

[@susandelgado7355]

I keep 3 cardboard boxes in our bathtub (hidden) to toss all clutter as I go through the house. I usually take the boxes to the donation center every 3 weeks. Just before donating, I let my husband and son know so they can double check I’m not eliminating one of their favorites. Last chance! And then out it goes. This has been a low stress way to remove decorative items and unused kitchen tools. But I also do the deep removal by cleaning out a stuffed drawer and only keeping as much that fits folded.

[@cscreative5460]

Yes! I love this discourse. I throw away my Children’s artwork and crafts nightly. (Without them knowing) this keeps us tidy and makes room for many more crafts. My girls love creating art and we wouldn’t have breathing room if we kept everything. We keep a few things a year. Like maybe two things each year.

[@courtnez]

Yes! Each child here has their own little container for stuff they want to keep. I sometimes ask the child if this school paper is something they want to keep in their own special bin, otherwise I sneak it into the recycling. The bin let's them keep things they want but the container is in the boundary. (But papers left around the house disappear because the child doesn't really care about it)

[@thegoldenzipper]

I used to feel bad about throwing away my daughter’s precious artworks, as an artist myself I tend to over-sentimentalize the final product. To my surprise, when I would ask her about keeping/tossing something she always said get rid of it! She reminds me that truly, the art is in the process not the final form. If she ever wants to keep something I don’t want in my space, it goes in her room.

[@lindabourketempleton4040]

I went through all my jewels and gave some to my daughter for her 30 th birthday with a gift voucher for a cleaning service Also for her Christmas present with a Kmart voucher, and my granddaughter for her Christmas with a voucher . They had mentioned they loved the items. I don’t wear a lot of jewels but I have a lot. Now I have a smaller collection. Emptying a shoe box and now have a few in a jewels box and a drawer

[@tgrsparrow]

My clutter is projects. So I am going to bag the unfinished projects individually and I will be organized when I'm ready to pick them back up.

[@HearingJesus]

Congratulations on 100K subs! I will add when I began decluttering back in 2014, I went out and bought ALL THE TOTES to 'organize' ALL THE THINGS! The Happy Day came when I decluttered the things and no longer needed the totes! ((EXHALE!))

[@briannab5296]

My bins, baskets, totes are actually the biggest part of my clutter piles!! 😖 but i LOVE them all just as much as the items they hold.

[@khameronevans]

I’m currently decluttering and beginning my minimalist journey! Right now, I’m learning to let things go in time/ over time and to not rush toward an aesthetic or particular number of items. It can be super draining, especially when I have an emotional attachment to an item. I give myself more time to find peace in letting these things go. I do, in fact, have a single pause box!