The Silent To Do List (is this hurting you & your home?)

[@erinblackburn8540]

Imagine a world where when our kids grow up they say “growing up we didn’t have much” And it had a positive connotation

[@SoMagicalMichele]

I think I would prefer to have my kids say something like, "Growing up we only had what we could take care of and enjoy." My kids will never say that. One of them is 30 and he wouldn't let me declutter anything of his when he was a teen. I have 5 other kids at home but the youngest is 14. They have been learning the value of less. It's interesting to see how each child responds to the concepts differently.

[@BohemiaGirl331]

Brilliant thought

[@julietteferrars3097]

They would say “we had what we needed” instead of “we didn’t have…”

[@margaretcurren7577]

Instead of saying you are going to donate this or that, try saying you are going to bless someone with your items, it makes giving things away so much easier. Things we take for granted, someone else is praying for.

[@michellecuevas5243]

My silent to do list is very cruel to me. It would break my heart to hear someone saying those same words to my daughter or my sister or somebody that I love. Why I allowed my home and the things in it to talk to me that way I have no idea. Old tapes in my head I guess. But I first heard about your silent to-do list sometime ago on older videos and it resonated so completely. When I started trying to identify the messages, saying those things out loud, I cried. I had no idea I was so mean to myself. I would see too small clothes and call my self names, names I would never call anyone else, that would be unkind. I would see card games on the shelf that we never play and tell myself that I'm a bad mom, I saw a pile of laundry that I couldn't ever stay on top of and tell myself awful things. Words like pig, slob, gross, useless, filthy, and so many others were floating around in my brain. My entire home said these things over and over for years. Once I became aware of them, I was able to silence them with the truth. Thank you for teaching the concept of the silent to-do list, thank you for telling telling me I deserve better, thank you for saying I am not broken. I agree, and I am doing a great job telling my stuff to, "Please be quiet!"

[@daughterofmyabba]

I can totally relate to this,I'm getting rid of tons of stuff and it does help alot.

[@carolstewart1704]

Thank you for sharing this! I hope you are feeling much better now! 🫂💕💕

[@NovasYouTubeName]

You just made me tear up. I’m so glad you’re being kinder to yourself. Change that tape in your head. You are wonderful. I’m also working on my inner voice, and of how much it helps to frame it that I wouldn’t say those things to a friend or let them say it to themself. Thanks for sharing!

[@vazlet]

Great, first you engraved in my head "inventory" now the items around my house are yelling at me! lol This video was awesome. -Lety from Chicago

[@lisam5744]

Quieting down my silent 'to do' list has made me so much more relaxed in my home. Yes, we get cluttered sometimes, but it's so much easier to tidy up and then it's done. Sometimes I'll open closets, drawers, or cupboards and it just makes me smile that everything has a home and the clutter is gone. I guess I'm enjoying the silence.

[@ChrissyChrissyChrissy333]

Love this :)

[@valorielynwhitman8531]

I also open drawers and cupboards just to smile, realizing that the clutter and inventory has been silenced.

[@nene6193]

So happy for you ! I can’t wAit to get to this point ❤!!! The “ silent to do list “ is nagging me .

[@falongreen350]

“Do I have the capacity to maintain that item right now, and also not feel overrun by my to-do list.” Man! The amount of relief this brought me when you said that..

[@staciemurray514]

Just showed this to my husband and started crying because you’re saying what I couldn’t articulate. Thank you for all of your content. You’re the best!

[@cb9825]

Did your husband understand it?

[@staciemurray514]

@@cb9825 he absolutely did👍🏼

[@summerbaby4600]

I’m Japanese. The way you say Fumio is cute❤ Even though it’s written with F, we actually pronounce it as “H”. So more like “who-me-oh“😉

[@summerbaby4600]

And when I told Fumio on SNS, about how he is now known especially for the phrase silent to do list, he was pleasantly surprised😊 He didn’t know how people from different cultures reacts to some ideas. He said he is glad it resonated with people.

[@barbaravieira2239]

"Minimizing is saying shut up." Thank You. I love this. 💜💟

[@DianEnglish56]

“Items in my house are yelling at me”. I can so relate to this statement. Every room has some type or several types of clutter and I just feel defeated before I even begin. 😕

[@michelesallee]

I sure do understand that❤️

[@NatalieUnderwood-uo6wr]

I have been holding on to several house plants even though I did not really want to - this just validated my feelings around them. Every time I walk by I think- oh I need a bigger pot, more soil, forgot to water it, need a new spot...they were stressing me out! I never thought of them as something to declutter until now.

[@ivana4942]

This is probably why I always end up killing my plants. 😅 feels like a ton more tasks to add to my already huge to do list.

[@dreamer6943]

My problem is plants are alive and I feel guilty getting rid of them 😢

[@Chrissyhappy]

@@dreamer6943could you maybe leave them out to be taken by people. Someone would love them I’m sure.😊

[@LilMissSkittlesZ]

I went down to 10 plants and that’s been more manageable!

[@ktk2094]

I love the intro, the talking towel, very funny. 😂 Often we overestimate the time it takes to do a task, when in reality it takes less time to do it than the time you actually spent thinking about, and stressing about it.

[@theresacurrin6395]

This is so true! I spend more time procrastinating about the task then it takes to do it 🤦🏼‍♀️. I’ve started timing myself now and am surprised at how little time it takes to just do the task.

[@aileenreynolds5604]

Dawn says "it takes as much energy to dread as to do"!

[@01baia]

Matching my season of life - this really speaks to me. I am retired and so is my partner. Much of our "stuff" remains from previous stages of our lives. Toys we kept for our grand-daughter which she has grown out of. Entertainment items (platters, dishes, glasses) that we used once, but almost never use now. Clothing we wore to work! All these things can be disposed of now. But! (There is always a sneaky "but"!) Letting go means letting go of the options the "stuff" supposedly holds for us. I say "supposedly" because in fact the stuff itself is powerless. Letting go of items (when you are old like us) means recognising that the phase of life represented by the stuff is now PAST. Acknowledging that there will be no more baby grand-children; that we will throw no more parties; that our work days are behind us. This is HARD! Getting old means recognising your life options are now restricted - by age, by health, by money, etc. And getting rid of the objects associated with an earlier season of life seems brutal. Yet! The relief experienced by "letting go" is huge. Much better than I expected. Thank you Dawn!

[@uteme]

For me, taking digital pictures of "unused & not being enjoyed" sentimental items was a wonderful way to let go of them! Now, I can visit that item any time I want w/o pulling out a box. As well, I asked for a blessing upon the next owner. ♡

[@LindaMills-u4j]

Oh, your post so resonates with me! I too am retired, old even (how rarely do people use that simple word?). And you’re right, the hardest part of decluttering for me is accepting what has gone and can never be again….At my age I can’t think, ah well, I’ll take a trip to Italy or whatever instead, my health won’t take it. So decluttering also involves thinking what I can do, and therefore what is worth keeping. Not easy at all. But better than allowing that not so silent todo list to take over xx

[@abigailwilkerson5284]

This actually really resonated with me even though I am far from retired or "old" 😂 I I'm a stay-at-home mom with a toddler and a baby on the way, and I've been trying to come to terms with how low my capacity is in this season. Rather than, "I won't do these things ever again," for me it is, "I simply can't do that in this season. I have other priorities." But the result is the same. Having to face some hard truth about what I can and can't do and just let go of the things that aren't for my season of life.

[@JillGuilford]

The options have shifted for me. I can use my time differently now. I seek now to do the things that I put off during earlier stages of life. I'm still assessing how I use my time: too much times on games when I'd rather be with my pets or people.

[@sherylriehl1334]

I’m retired also and struggling with the life that is now behind me. It’s hard!! Working hard to get rid of some stuff and make our house easier to take care of and to clean.

[@sunshiniesmile]

Not even just physical stuff. I felt like a car was lifted off of my shoulders when I deleted all of the videos from my “watch later” list on KZbin

[@bettyparker3317]

Omg I love being away and being in hotel rooms-to the point that friends think it’s weird, or ask how I can enjoy being away so much. This explanation makes so much sense.

[@shannonmcmullen3916]

Imagine our homes as a vacation home, permanently.....yes please!!!! Thanks Dawn!!! You always bring such wisdom❤

[@dougherman4102]

I still whisper a thank you to you each time I have a place to put things. A place for everything…changed my life. Relieved so much stress

[@sarahouser3100]

The lighting of your home while filming was so perfect today along with your happy face . I so enjoy your videos.

[@laurenpigott885]

Agree! The blue in the kitchen... the flowers- perfection!

[@TheMinimalMom]

Thank you, I really appreciate this!!!

[@abigailmuser5871]

This really makes sense to me. My husband is the tidy/clean one in our relationship and he always tells me clutter stresses him out, but his solution is just throw everything away without looking at it. That stresses me out, but because it feels overwhelming we both freeze and don't deal with it. I appreciate what the author of the book you mentioned, says maybe it's not laziness but rather overwhelming stress. This gives me so nuch hope for when we finally get all the stuff gone. We are moving and I am trying to declutter as I pack. This makes me feel so much less guilty for how long it has taken me. Of course I still need to deal with it, so that the silent yelling will stop, but this helps me feel like there is a legitimate reason for why it's so hard to get it done. Thank you for the new take on the silent to-do list. LOVE your channel!😊

[@lizzabbott]

Good luck with your move ! You’ve got this.

[@andreamiller6200]

Hello from the Arctic Circle, Dawn! Having only what we needed to pack with us for 20 days really silences the silent to-do list and it shines the light on why to keep simplifying once we are home ❤

[@andreea.andreea]

wow, you got there a real adventure! All the best to you!

[@beachcruising4607]

You articulated this so well!! I literally got rid of my hummingbird feeder this summer after waking up one day exhausted from a stretch of work that was mentally, emotionally and physically draining, feeling completely overwhelmed by my to-do list, looking out my window searching for some peace and instead seeing my hummingbird feeder that desperately needed refilled. And that meant I needed to yet again make more nectar, clean the feeder and refill it. As you said- Yelling at me. YOU ARE NOT KEEPING UP, YOU ARE FAILING. I love the hummingbirds but I do not have the capacity to keep up right now and it’s bringing me stress and negativity. Next went the houseplant that I constantly feel like I’m torturing by forgetting to water. (It will be cared for by someone who will actually ENJOY it). I’m not a neglectful person yet all these things have made me feel like one. I really appreciate this video 💗

[@0MagesticEmu]

With a 5yo starting kindergarten & a preemie, there is a huge silent to do list. Chipping away at it while binging your videos is helping. Thank you😩

[@NickyJ311]

Me as well! Got a 6 month old and a 5 year old I homeschool and animals. I’m always trying to find more to get rid of stuff but I can’t always just throw stuff out. I try to make money off it first.

[@iheartshaneandjeffree]

I’m in a similar boat also with crippling depression and it’s feeling impossible 😅but we keep going

[@jodyniemojuski4021]

That was really cute at the beginning. 😂 this is very true. I get very stressed out when I see chores. I am always hearing those voices. I have always been an organized person. I organize everything, including my bags. I walked or took the city bus as a kid to go to school and work, so everything I needed to fit in my bag. I am so organized that my kids would call me organized pack rat. My house was picked up and cleaned every day. I felt like I was always cleaning the same stuff and not getting to clean other items. I never felt like my house was clean. I have just started in the last 7 years cleaning out more stuff. A lot of stuff. It is really freeing. I am starting to have more time in my craftroom instead of cleaning. It does help kids are moved out too. 😉

[@pamelameyer4277]

So fabulous Dawn. You are sooo right. I have things to frame and I touch the pile and say “ I know. I’ll get to you. You’re gonna look great”. Geez! I’m 70 and really have decluttered so much. Feels great. Love you. Thank you👵🏻

"match the inventory in your house with your season of life"...loved when you said this, as it really hit home. Things we needed a few years ago aren't necessarily what is needed now - our lives are constantly changing therefore our inventory needs to change too. Thanks Dawn for all your wonderful videos!

[@leithawalling9519]

This is soooo me! Single mom, have to mow the lawn again due to so much rain so dishwasher doesn’t get emptied etc…

[@michelleevans2445]

"Goodbye Things" is one of my favorite books & what the author says about our things speaking to us really clicked for me.

[@amanda.c.ice.]

Thinking about my home as a container and my stuff as inventory has been a game changer! Thanks so much for teaching me to look at it this way! As a mom of 2 under 3, I don’t have the bandwidth for much but slowly decluttering my home has kept me so much less stressed out and brought me so much peace 🩵🙌🏼

[@claudia_christianmommy]

Because I have followed your tactics and ways of thinking of my home, I have been simplifying my home for the last 3 years. Over a year ago I had an unexpected pregnancy of my 3rd child and she was raised in a minimalistic life style with a peaceful stay at home mama! So many positive stories I can share of how this mindset has blessed my family and home.. Thank you, Dawn! I truly thank God (in my prayers) for you!

[@andreea.andreea]

Dear Dawn, keep doing this 🎉, you're going to help a lot of people to sort out not only the household but even the daily worries. Thank you for your kind😊 message!

[@cheristump9404]

My oldest daughter and I raised children only 2 years apart. We always talked about how amazing it was when our sons would play in their bedrooms so much more after we would organized them and purged or we traded toys. Now I understand better why! It’s like TADA! That was 15 years ago. Never to old to learn. Thank you!

[@juliekonigskind6434]

„Please be quiet“ - what a friendly and respectful way to even talk to our belongings. After all: it was us, who allowed them into our homes and have held on to them for so long. in the best case, they even have been serving us for many years, before we let them go. So I like to practice a thankful but firm „goodbye“ instead of judgement and resentment towards myself or my stuff.

[@Hillside-Hive]

Selling our camper today. We've had it 4 years and used it 8 times. The 'why are you ignoring me' was too loud. Our life does not allow enough travel right now to justify the cost. Loved this!!!

[@jenniferschmidt8056]

OMG! This is by far the best episode that I’ve seen to date! It’s like you climbed inside my head. I often shut down because I feel overwhelmed by the clutter vs. everyday tasks vs. crisis’ tasks vs. work, etc. It gets to be all too much to handle that I do often lose motivation. This is compounded by having a very small space and nowhere to put everyday things you use. 😊

[@rhondabray8948]

Found your channel a little over a year ago. Have gone through the whole house decluttering. My silent to do list isn’t screaming as loudly but definitely still talking. Starting round two now. Thank you so much for all you do.

[@lizzabbott]

Super reminder ! New items on the to - do list keep creeping up, don’t they ? And that’s life. But we don’t have to feel overwhelmed thanks to you ! This concept of managing inventory, and simplifying it by becoming aware of the peace we will find when we reduce it, is life changing ! Thank you, Dawn ! Your clear and helpful ideas about tools we can use to quell that silent to - do list tells us : WE’VE GOT THIS ! I appreciate your wisdom and passion. Liz PS Beautiful flowers !

[@Janet-bf1dt]

My house is definitely talking to me. I am surprised it still has a voice, lol! My silent to-do list is huge, but I am tackling it. I need to remind myself when I look around and see all my stuff that I have made progress and to celebrate what I have done. Watching and listening to you and your videos keep me motivated and moving forward. Thank you Dawn ❤

[@julietteferrars3097]

Thank you! I am the manager of my home with my disabled mom and adhd brother. I wake up with dread everyday because of all the things everywhere needing my attention. We’re also doing big clear outs to prepare for moving to a better home. I’m drowning in 30 years worth of stuff! Your videos bring me clarity and courage. ❤️

[@emilyferrante4589]

Awesome video again, Dawn. You have played such a huge roll in the massive turn around I've seen in myself over the past year. You've remided me to be more mindful in what I allow to accumulate in my home. I used to be really tidy and minimal as a young girl and up till about 19 years old. Then my life got really difficult when I was forced out and away from my family and my home. I became depressed and anxious. I struggled for years and even after getting married and having children, still the struggle was very much there. I knew I wasn't myself but I didnt know what to do. You reminded me all those little habits that I had forgotten in all the stress my life had gone through. You brought back a piece of my old self and it has made me so happy. God bless you, love from Australia ❤

[@karinam4343]

What has helped me most (so far) from viewing your videos is ‘permission’ to get rid of stuff. Looking at the inventory as a silent to do list is another great tip. Thank you for that.

[@annadinkledine1254]

The silent to do list has been a huge light bulb moment for me. I'd never heard about it before your videos. Thank you so much for talking about this. After paying attention to my stuff, it really is amazing how much its constantly telling me to do something.

[@GaPeach2018]

I’m not a minimalist because as an artist there is a lot of stuff that goes with the career. I am an organizer and everything has a place. If you take it out, put it away when done. Nuff said. I’m very lazy and I’ve found that that this is a very easy way to approach homekeeping. At the same time, I can 🎉go to my studio and paint. I never have to clean up first, and as a watercolorist and oil painter that’s critical. I raised my daughters to keep home this way, too. You must “train” your significant other and children to do this, too. This way you have plenty of time to do what’s meaningful in your season of life.😊

[@Tra_C]

It's so interesting that you mentioned items are calling to us because it's absolutely true. Yesterday I saw an item on my bathroom floor and it's like it was saying, "pick me up please". And what did I do? Walked right by it, because I was exhausted and just wasn't in the mood😂😂

[@jenniferbarney4220]

Packing a suitcase for the journey of life -- what a great way to phrase it!!

[@beckykok721]

This concept of the silent to-do lists and the items in my house yelling at me is truly enlightening. I so appreciate all your videos. Though I’m far from where I need to be on decluttering my house, your videos have helped cause my mind to shift about my “inventory”. It’s a slow process, but I have begun the journey of decluttering my home in the hopes of establishing a more peaceful environment. Thank you again!

[@Craftitup64]

My hubby is painting our LR and DR. We took all the photos off the walls and I emptied our China cabinet and gave all the dishes and glassware away except for a few pieces. We agreed that we didn’t need the China Cabinet. Win win! I packed all our wedding stuff away. Our topper, candle etc. 28 years married and I have a mental connection to them. My kids won’t care and won’t want them as they are my memories. I’m much happier without excess clutter and I need to get the hubby on board. Dawn, your videos are very helpful. Thank you.

[@jeannereich8690]

I am in the winter of my life and I just want to get rid of "stuff"...for me and for my daughter. Thanx to your advice I have been doing just that. And I realize I don't miss a single thing. No regrets!!! Thank you for all you do.

[@raiMorrison]

This video totally hit home for me! And the big part of it is that when you have already decluttered, there will be more things that need fixing or mending. Or maybe you'll just notice them more. So it's equally important to get to them in a timely manner. :)

[@minervabird1967]

A good reminder to finally finish getting rid of all the work clothes I don’t need so much anymore as retiring soon. Not going to be wearing those high heels anytime soon!

[@sadiedom]

This was HUGE to me ‼️. I never realized everything in my home is telling me something. Most of my things are/were telling me negative things. Some very negative, most just negative enough that they shouldn't be in my home. Since I've been watching you I think I have gotten rid of half of my belongings. It feels wonderful! Each day I feel lighter. Like I can breathe easier. And my house is actually clean. THANK YOU SO MUCH!

[@Xyz-ud9be]

I want to let you know, you changed my life! 100% I am in control of my home..in 98%of time. 😅 ..❤

[@lynnbuchanan7406]

Love this. Loved it the first time you ever mentioned it. Grateful I persisted and only have items that have “earned” to be here. Being surrounded and enjoying your absolute favourite things. Knowing the amount of items you can manage is a game changer . 💖

[@jacquelinewatson3327]

It’s a good plan to set a specific day, time, or weekend to work on repairs, mending, fixes and have all your supplies gathered or bought before then.

[@autumnbrown3029]

I am LOVING your videos. Wardrobe-done. Kitchen- first pass made and sooo much left, more will leave in second pass in a month or so. Slowly striping down my stuff and it feels so good. You motivate me, the videos are great, I love your honesty and showing dirty dishes a day later, a wet basement in the spring. Real people stuff! So good!

[@mrsayres11]

I've been in declutter mode for a couple of years now and have had a hard time getting minimal. I have no choice now, it has to be done. We are packing up and moving across the country in a few months. We are not getting a Uhaul or hiring a moving company. One small pod and our 2 vehicles are all I get to take with us 😬

[@uteme]

You can do it!!! You'll be in my thoughts ~ ♡

[@brittanyfreddy]

Hahaha omg those voices totally threw me. Bravo. I will now continue watching 😂❤

[@Sypeth]

😂😂

[@lrhudy93]

Haha same! She's so clever!

[@ericaeynon3458]

Yup, same. By distracting us, she totally made the point!

[@susie5101]

After listening to you talk about this before, I realized I had 3 large heavy pieces of furniture that were stressing me out because I knew I could never move them, and eventually they would be a problem. I got rid of all of them and it totally relieved my stress. Of course, it helped that I had decluttered everything that was in them after watching your other videos, LOL.

[@shirleyparker4969]

This explains why I enjoyed our camper better than my house this past summer 😊

[@tcup9011]

Love this video Dawn!! So clever and helpful, as always 🤗🤩

[@silverari23]

This video is everything! It so elegantly and simply explains the importance of the WHY of decluttering. I’m sharing it with my husband and hopefully this will help him understand what I haven’t been as able to clearly communicate to him. Thank you, Dawn! ❤

[@ladydragon76]

I was in a pair of accelerated learning courses the last two months, and my house, already ready for some resetting, just fell to shambles (by my definitions lol. My husband was very kind in comforting me that it wasn't as bad as I thought) It was certainly not up to my standards, and this video really strikes a chord. Everything in the house is SO LOUD right now. Well, not anymore. Today was the first day of Fall Deep Clean, and we tackled my daughter's bedroom first. Walking into her room tonight felt SO calming to me because her room is quiet. She's got her treasures out on display, and we need to hang a picture and set up a shelf over her desk, and I've been promising new curtains for literal years, but now we CAN get to those things in there. We're going to finish the deep clean first, but I'm making a room by room list of the minor projects to tackle once we are done. It feels SO GOOD to get started on this, and while I don't like marathon cleans and subscribe to UfYH's idea of short cleaning sessions with breaks in between, we managed her room in only 4 hours. And it's so calm and quiet in there. You put it to words. Thank you!

[@Birgitc]

The first time I heard you talk about The silent to-do-list was a revelation to me. I suddenly understood one of my core problems. Not that it is easy to minimize that list, but a least having it in focus is a huge help!

[@andeeanko7079]

I've been meaning to read Fumio Sasaki's book for ages! Must check the library... I recently sold a couple of my musical instruments as they were absolutely shouting at me, I simply did not have the bandwidth anymore, and it made me feel like a failure, and I was unmotivated to play any of my instruments! I feel SO MUCH better now! My de-cluttered instruments are being played and loved and I have more capacity to maintain (tune, change strings, keep clean) and actually play my remaining 2 instruments. I absolutely LOVE your videos and adore your personality! Much love and gratitude to you Dawn. 🙏❤

[@The-new-carnivore-me]

I think about you a lot, Dawn. I don’t know how you do it. I cannot even imagine having four kids! That is a lot all by itself. Bless your heart.

[@paulinerichter6639]

Love that you revisited this topic! It has been a game changer for me. My house has been screaming at me (again!) but thanks to you, parts of it are quieting down! 😊

[@LindaBolt-vy9rx]

Thank you; this is super good. I run an AirBnb upstairs; wonderful feeling up there. My goal is to get our apartment to match the AirBnb. And, I just realized how loudly the garage is shouting at me!

[@Zuzia-l5b]

We love you Dawn! You are so creative! ❤

[@dellnichols4625]

Wow! So much helpful information. Wish my 25 year old self knew this concept. My 70 year old self shared this video with my younger daughter who is wanting to declutter.

[@julijamironovaite]

Minimalism - packing a suitcase for a journey of life...! Down, you outdid yourself. This sentence is as lifechanging as the first video on silent to do list which is how I found you in the first place and stuck here ever since. Thank you for all you do!❤

[@karendevine7074]

This definitely hit home! I’m in the process of purging unneeded items and quieting that silent to-do list.

[@elenalanglois8749]

Thank you Dawn for putting words on how I have been feeling for so long... I'm a stay at home mom of 3 boys from Canada. My to do list is always long and never finished. More is added to it on the next day, and the next, and so on....never ending pressure from managing the family and the house. Making me feel like I don't work hard/fast enough. Feeling like a failure. The stress is huge and often I freeze when facing a simple task, my brain is overwhelmed. I love your videos. Your tips give me hope for a simplified home!

[@lizzabbott]

Been there ! Sending hugs ! I’m in a different season now but I remember. So grateful for Dawn & her eye-opening, empowering videos. And remember , ( another golden nugget of wisdom from Dawn ) : 5 Minutes Matters .

[@lilarose9348]

My silent to do list costs me my mental health, ability to enjoy life, and I’m always busy because the lists get longer even as I’m checking off the things I have completed. My husband gets frustrated that I don’t “have time” to hug him or sit on the couch and watch tv with him. The lists literally feel like a weight on me daily.

[@merrittfamily1269]

We've gotten rid of so many things... but no matter how much I minimize I still have all the necessary things for a family, a farm, homeschooling, crafting, sports, canning, cooking 😬. And they all come out every day or every week and need to be used, put away, cleaned, dried, stored. It's still a lot of stuff, even though it's just what I use!

[@valorielynwhitman8531]

Here's a hug! I was where you are many moons ago. But you have tools and helpers like Dawn that I never had. I now do Swedish Death Cleaning and am further eliminating the voices in my home. I can no longer physically clean my home, so the little voices sometimes get really loud before someone comes to help me. But I truly am trying to learn to ignore them? 😊

[@JanelleA.]

This hit home! I've never thought of it in this way, but I do feel the emotional weight of the "silent To Do list"!

[@jenscouponacct5048]

Your first video about the silent to-do list is how I found you! It made me sit up and pay attention bc I have a lot of anxiety. I’m no where near minimalis but still working on it regularly. My mom was a full on hoarder and dealing with her stuff now so this resonates now more than ever. She also has LOTS of chronic health issues and I’m certain there’s a link.

[@ElizabethDohertyThomas]

That video was a game-changer a few years ago for me. Turns out, a lot of things that annoyed me ALSO annoyed my spouse but why would we ever stop life, dig through all the... say, drinking glasses, to find this out? We do when we open every area of our home to say STOP IT, for once and for all, at the silent judgement/noises our objects give us. :-) I love you and your sister so much!

[@lisaham6585]

I cannot stress how much better I feel after getting rid of a ton of my books and donating the huge bookshelves. It's easier to enjoy reading without looking up from my book and seeing shelves full of books, begging me to reread, finally finish or start that 15 year non-fiction book that apparently didn't hold my interest the first time!

[@Lucy-ff2et]

Oh, so brave.

[@rg-mi5hh]

Just cleaned the frig and freezer. Wow. Made something better today. It was screaming at me so I took care of it. So much better and it was done in short chunks of time. One shelf here, one shelf there and walla. Cleaned one very small pile of papers too. Next week, will start one tiny area of basement per day.

[@IceCreamHoldingFee]

I really like your videos on the "WHY" of decluttering, this one is the best so far. Well done! 💜

[@JRTMomMN]

Dawn, you have impacted my life more than you'll ever know. Like others, this video is life changing. Thank you, thank you, thank you! ❤❤❤

[@soontobe-hy3pg]

Thanks for putting words to why I feel suffocated and stressed by the clutter….and why it bothers me more than others in my home. My focus area from the most recent TBYH All Day Declutter was my bedroom, and there was a noticeable difference in how well I slept afterwards. Wish I had made time earlier!

[@valorielynwhitman8531]

??? TBYH ???

[@vernevans7967]

Take Back Your House Barb E

[@valorielynwhitman8531]

Thanks

[@Sentimentalist0923]

Thank you- I’ve slacked on clearing out the clutter lately, so I needed this reminder. We have to remember WHY we declutter…it’s motivating!

[@mharrod258]

This is so cool - I am just reading a book called 'TheBook of Form and Emptiness' by Ruth Ozeki - about a boy who hears 'things' talking and is surrounded by his heart-broken, hoarder mother's stuff, and their noise (and stories) are driving him crazy!! I am LOVING this book so much and seeing your video now, honestly - how does all the most perfect information arrive, just when you need it?! My clutter (physical and digital) has so affected my reading - I used to read a book a week, now I am lucky to read one every 2 months - because I always have 'things to clean up' first!!! The silence is indeed DEAFENING!!! Thank you so much for this perfect post - I am cringing just looking at my own desktop as I type this - I'm now off to silence this beast ;-)

[@baileyblount281]

You are sooo right. Every time I walked into my garage there was a cacophony of screaming about how dirty and disorganized it was. This is my current frog and I only have a big corner left and plan to knock that out today! I have taken 4 loads to the dumpster and one of donations and although more needs to go, it is hubby and grandson’s stuff, but it is now clean and organized so not my voices anymore! I have my outside list and it’s doable by the end of October. That means once it’s colder outside I can concentrate on the inside of the house. Just currently enjoying the progress! Thanks so much for your wonderful videos and your no nonsense advice

[@kristysavidge]

What a coincidence! I was scrolling through your videos earlier today to find one I haven’t watched before (there weren’t any, LOL) and I almost clicked on your first video about the silent to-do list! Awesome 👏

[@kelliconlan8133]

Yes!! So true the the nagging feeling is so much more to women vs men or kids.

[@HannahRainbow88]

Yep, I recently talked about it with my husband and he had no idea whatsoever!! I was like if you help me get rid if stuff you don't need, and put stuff back after you use it, I'll be able to relax more and be a happier, better wife. 🤭 I felt awful saying it, but it's true, how much visual overwhelm affects me.

[@bananaanna1373]

The SILENT - TO - DO - LIST !!! It is powerful and loud! I have silenced most of the voices by removing them from my prescence😊

[@carolbabb7875]

Dawn's to do's voices are so gentle. Mine are so very loud. Especially the pile of dishes in the sink and on the counters. If the new dishwasher gasket doesn't arrive soon I'll need to get ear plugs and horse blinders. I've never appreciated that appliance more.

[@aileenreynolds5604]

My items undermine my hopes for the future and say things like "no matter how hard you try, you will never live in a tidy house, so just give up." Or even more insulting, "although you make strides in the direction you want to go, you will always backslide and never reach your goal of the beautiful life you long to live."

[@dawnalowe2687]

I can't believe I caught this so soon after you uploaded it!

[@laurabielec8364]

Love it Dawn! Heard a video like this last year and it’s been life changing !! Thanks!

[@eszterfuchs1624]

Super video, thanks so much! I cant wait to see your other videos, I m really grateful, you are finding the words for what I exactly feel about clutter. We are moving now and it s a great help❤

[@mistyblueknight]

You talked about packing lightly... I recently flew to visit family for a week with my then 5 month old baby. Since I hadn't flown in years, I didn't understand how many bags I could take without paying for an extra bag. I was able to go with everything in the diaper backpack and a small handbag! 😂 Including nice clothes for a funeral. I brought such a small amount of things, even down to the exact number of diapers my baby would need. My aunt said she sees moms carry more stuff into Costco than I brought on the whole trip! 😂 I'm thankful I could do laundry while we were there!

[@heartsandmindsathome]

Does anybody else wonder where Dawn gets the clutter to stage for her videos? I bet there’s a bin for that! 😅

[@HannahRainbow88]

Yes, we recently saw the example paper clutter bin in another video (that recurring seed catalogue etc.) 💗

[@alrightyru]

I remember she told her kids don't clean the dishes, I'm doing a video tomorrow about a messy kitchen!

[@kathleenshaw932]

I don’t wonder. Clutter just seems to walk into my house. That seed catalog is probably sent through the mail every year.

[@TheMinimalMom]

There might be... ;)

[@johnhipp604]

​@@TheMinimalMomcan I ask you something

[@shandra413]

I love that you’re touching in the basics again. ❤

[@ellies6563]

I now listen to you at the start of every day and you are so motivating and reassuring. My silent to do list is very anxiety provoking, only now I feel that, with your help, I can reduce it to a manageable level for ME (not necessarily the same as for anyone else) I thank you from the bottom of my heart and am sharing you with all like me 🤗

[@maryssaann]

Having a quiet home has been really important to me right now. I work full time from home with a toddler and infant aside from two school age boys, having a husband who had a knee operation and needs my help with almost everything (so basically a third dependent 😂). On top of having just moved so getting our home settled and being further away from town makes trips and errands take longer my to do list in my head is a mile long. Thank you for this video Dawn! ❤

[@theresaplanforthat5556]

I just came here to say how impressed I was with the creativity that went into making this video. It came out so well! (Not that your other videos aren’t great, but I was particularly struck by how well this one worked.) Thanks again for another great video, with useful thought provoking content for us. Love you Dawn! 🥰

[@rebeccaoprea9917]

The more stuff we have, the more money and time to attain and maintain it. Stuff is active, not passive.

[@constancebailey1052]

Miss Lady, you hit the nail on the head within the first 5 minutes of this video and please realize we live 6 feet from the Caribben Sea in Corozal