☘️ Top 5 Regrets Of The Decluttering • Learn From My Decluttering Mistakes & What I Regret Donating

☘️ I'm regularly asked if I have any regrets while decluttering and the answer is yes. These are the things I wish I'd done differently, and the things I regret donating or getting rid of.
My hope is that you can avoid having the same kind of remorse on your decluttering journey, and make the whole process towards your clutter-free home a lot easier and smoother.
⭐️ Looking for a quick way to get started? Follow my 'Clutter-Free In 5' series: • ☘️ FAST Decluttering R...
👉🏻 Subscribe to this channel: bit.ly/HowToGYSTsub
👉🏻 Watch my most popular videos: bit.ly/HowToGYSTpopular
---
BLOG: HowToGYST.com
FACEBOOK: HowToGYST
TWITTER & INSTAGRAM: @HowToGYST
PINTEREST: pinterest.com/HowtoGYST
📧 SUBSCRIBE TO MY MAILING LIST TO ACCESS THE MEMBERS-ONLY RESOURCE LIBRARY: howtogyst.com/subscribe
Thank you for your support, and I hope I can help you get your sh!t together!
Laura

[@FilippaSkog]

I started my decluttering journey about eight years ago and five years ago I had whittled my possessions down by something like 80%. Went from maximalist to minimalist (and since then I’ve settled on something like semi-minimalism). I know that there’s been four or five items throughout the years that I’ve regretted letting go of at some point. I can’t for the life of me, however, remember what those things were anymore, so they can’t have been that important after all 😂

[@MoonSpinners]

I’ve become an expert at moving all the stuff I don’t want out of one room and into another room, then back again! What fun! 😐

[@gaiawolfwitch]

My biggest regret was having to declutter my Mother's bungalow in six weeks after she died; I was so distraught with grief I got rid of about 95% of things as had nowhere to store them. It has taken me years to come to terms with it. But as you said, I can see now a lot of things were just that - things. They were not my Mother. I still have photos and memories; and in my mind, she understands. I think it is why I try to declutter constantly and talk to my daughter about what I love and what was important to me (and also ask if she wants me to keep things for her). Many blessings x x x

[@JohnFourtyTwo]

In my old apartment I did a massive decluttering. In the living room I got rid of the old entertainment center which was huge and more of an eyesore than useful piece of furniture. I then put the TV on a coffee table that held the TV and components much better and swapped places with it and the couch. The living room immediately looked completely different and like I just moved into a new home that was inviting instead of dreading. The kitchen and master bedroom were fine but the second bedroom I turned into an office by getting rid of all the junk in their including all the VHS tape storage cabinets since I had replaced everything with DVDs and got rid of the tapes also. I had a desk in the living room that I moved into this room and again it was like moving into a new home that was inviting instead of dreading. I took before and after pictures of this to show my friends and they couldn't believe it was the same place. A few years later I moved into a large condo and didn't have that much at first but over time it started filling up and about two years ago I went through the purge again but this time didn't take any pictures because it was a time in my life I didn't want to be reminded of, I just wanted to get through it. Funny things is that I still think of my old apartment every now and then and recently drove by to checkout the neighborhood and it's really gone downhill in the last 11 years, so it's for the better that I left because I don't hear neighbors arguing and fighting through the walls or hear gunshots nearby anymore.

[@ruthmanor70]

Sometimes it's best to take a picture of something you have held onto for years instead of keeping the object itself. The picture can bring back memories just like the object and it doesn't take up much room.

[@Nan-59]

I just have to put this out there… I love 💕 the name of your channel!!!

[@Barbara-yj5tl]

When i see all the “stuff” piled on the bed re declutter, it makes me feel like I never want to buy another thing ever again. It’s too overwhelming..it makes one feel quite guilty/regretful that you’ve spent/wasted far too much money on things of no importance. (which is a good lesson I think for all of us)

Have a similar story with my twin boys hospital outfits... Bittersweet memories connected with them and I decluttered too 🤦🏻‍♀️

[@louiseboncher1070]

I can't believe how long it took me to realize that I hate how collared blouses look on me! I'd buy them, because I loved how they looked, but hated how they looked on me!! Even after a whole lot of years, I'll catch myself looking at one, and almost forget!

[@Nan-59]

Dana White Shows how to not make a mess while decluttering. Your video made me think of that, when you talked about leaving a mess ... and then coming back to it later and not knowing what you were going to do with what!! I can certainly relate to that but I do much better now because I follow Dana's system. I love ❤️ how we get tips, and can learn from each another!!

[@a.b.1184]

Haha wish I saw this earlier. Some weeks ago I put almost all my clothes in bags and threw out. Kept only a few clothes that "sparked joy" and to have a minimal closet. Minimal it is indeed! My friends ask why I 've been wearing the same pants for 2 weeks 🤣

[@joilenerasmussen9019]

Oh, the postpartum depression and consequent unhealthy decisions! I sympathize...even tho my youngest is now 14. *hugs*

[@rebeccarendle3706]

Great video! 🤗 Totally agree.. I didn't take enough photos of my spaces before I started my decluttering journey after my ex moved out. .. And I know I have done loads, but because it has been done slowly over 4yrs, it still doesn't feel like I have decluttered although I have.. My depression, anxiety etc at present are also influencing my perception of my space negatively. I have a cupboard of stuff decluttered but not removed.. As soon as lockdown is over and charity shops etc are open I will be able to get rid of loads. Then in Winter I want to sell stuff online.. Because this year there won't be kids flee markets either due to Covid.

[@mwilliamson3989]

Thanks so much! I always appreciate what you share. I really relate to what you have to say and also learn from your experience.

[@Seiferboi]

My one decluttering regret was this zip up shirt I've had since the 90s. I used to wear it every week, but the fabric is so heavy, I only wore it in the colder months. I live in the south, which doesn't have many cold months. It was my fave shirt and I donated it! 😭

[@pegasusquilts]

About shoes on holiday: I've learned to carry moleskin in my bag at all times! Do you know what that is? Dr. Schools really self adhesive flannel. Cut to any shape! Or try special blister plasters. On spots where you often get blisters or on the blister after you get it

[@kbailey3238]

My youngest was 9lb12oz!!! Hello fellow giant baby person! I'm so thankfull i chose an elective c-section (previous birth was an emergency c-section) as at 5 foot tall i have no idea how he would have come out otherwise 😂.

[@ddr5468]

Thank you for your honesty.

[@NoOctopuss]

Pictures and videos have really helped me, too. I'm working on having less attachment to things, because they're just things, and this is also helping me to stop accumulating. Another thing I've noticed is that if I don't absolutely love something when I acquire it, I'm probably going to eventually declutter it, so I might as well stop myself right there, save the money, save the agonising, save the guilt, save the environment, etc.

[@jeannebowes2898]

I hear you. We are pretty much no buy, but will pick up a soaker hose for the garden this weekend. Our dollars are spent on extremely essential items and utilities, ins, taxes. i have been using your five min declutters, this morning , I just looked through my three Christmas bins, no discards but tidier. Hubs has promised to go through his fly fishing gear this week. This will def be more than five minutes!

[@dniki2152]

So agree with photos of everything everywhere, as I have put in so much time and often moved from ine to another and don't have that reference to give myself a boost

[@andreawhatman8349]

ooooooh yesssss I am now 65 and I sooooo wish I knew what I know now. I wish I had started to Swedish death clean and like you say started earlier much earlier (like in my late 20's ) I would be far more "intentional" in my purpose. Love your accent and thanks for all the advice.

[@Saronnaa09]

You’re very relatable ❤️❤️❤️❤️❤️

[@gwenj5419]

I do have shoes I like and keep that are only for half day wearing. I've toyed with getting rid of them, but they do serve a purpose.

[@kenn1936]

You can find similar sandals again. I would say that the baby outfit was not really worth keeping as it reminded you of the 'error' that your husband made, and that causes you disappointment every time you see it. It cannot be removed.

[@donnagrifford7142]

Luv Ur videos! 👏👏👏🥰

[@cantocant2346]

Can I please add my thoughts to the baby outfit regret? The mentality of the hoarder (ME) is one of skewed perspective. It's why simple, healthy decisions are so baffling to me. Listening to you talk about the baby outfit was like listening to the same battle I go through in my own brain. You still didn't say anything positive about the outfit or the baby. The outfit still brought up only bad memories. Look how she didn't fit in it, look how my husband ruined it, I had such a hard time then....But....your brain says "that's what I should have kept". I think your experience with early motherhood, much like mine, was truly awful. It's a deep grief and shame as a mother to think of how badly birth and motherhood was for us. I still feel too much grief and disappointment tied to that outfit. The simple and true thought is, " I suffered greatly and didn't get to experience the lovely warm glow that so many women did. I have been left with a devastating view of birth and motherhood". Then move on. It's just a fact. Motherhood was traumatic for me and that's just a fact. That stained baby outfit is not worth regretting. You have done enough regretting as it is. Acceptance of a hard time without feelings of guilt is the Saving Grace for women like us. I hope you receive this in the kindness and understanding it is meant to have.

[@susanoline5823]

Absolutely! I still have a few baby clothes. I had two totes and washed them every year. No stains breastfed babies .. But ... I got down to very little but now a grandbaby. Only trouble is her mama was a chubby little cherub and grandbaby is a long stick! I do have an outfit from when I was a baby! 62 years old. Too bad I was born in April and she in Jan. Wrong season!!! I am glad someone else got to use those clothes!#

[@Sevinrith101]

So far no regrets, but I'm pretty sure it's coming. I'm definitely enjoying getting rid of things I don't need.

[@cassandraknight8804]

I understand the shoe issues very well.

[@mphil66]

For me, the first decluttering was chaos; even more clutter, exhaustion, frustration, impatience, guilt, sadness, but also gratefulness, empowerment, kindness and love towards others who don’t have as much in life; all kind of feelings I needed to process. It also always takes more time than we can ever imagine. BUT, it led to -calm- and -peace-, and there’s no going back. I managed to get over 1k back that I’ve saved for an eventual trip with the kids, and what I didn’t sell within a reasonable amount of time I have away. As to larger or more expensive items, it helped me to give them individually, seeing who was getting it and for what reason on a local Facebook group, as I also received the good feeling that comes with giving away to others. You can do it, it’s worth it I promise!

[@pameehanson3866]

Totally understand as I dumped a box of journals because I thought of them as "shit" journals and later I was sad that i did not at least look thru them one more time and decide, I was in that mood and out they went., Now reflecting back it was a poor decision. Now I look at the item and ask if I use this item, I love this item and have I used this item, If I can't answer positive then time to say good bye.

[@pegasusquilts]

Love your shirt!

[@merrivideo]

I had a huge Arnold plush toy. First. I hate plushies, they serve no purpose to me, take out a lot of space and get dirty very fast. Second. It was given by someone I didn't like completely. However, I love Arnold, I just do. I let it go when I moved, it had survived 3 years of decluttering even when I was already a mininalist. I just didn't have any place to display it. I regret not even taken a picture or video with him. Yes, him. I remember him sometimes, I wouldn't buy it again and I don't know where I would put it but it gets missed a couple times a year.

[@a91170]

The annoying thing is decluttering and then retrieving something with a missing part. I took out of the box a hair removal device. Without. The. Charching cord. Bummer...

[@sandralantau7395]

Regarding the first regret, it's very hard to say now, but I think there's a good chance that if you'd kept Scout's baby outfit, looking at it now will not spark (unalloyed) joy. There might still be that niggle that your husband "ruined" it in the wash. And I don't think you need that "stain" on your relationship with him I do take your point about the shoes, though. Can you find them again and buy them? And I love Mari Kondo's "a home for every item" principle. It makes life so, so much easier

[@HowToGYST]

I think you're absolutely right about the outfit. I guess it's easy to look back with rose-tinted glasses. For the shoes, I've been looking at the photo I have, trying to make out the brand name. Alas, to no avail. I've been searching for a similar pair for years but no luck yet. Maybe someday!

[@jinde75]

At the moment it's not so easy to get stuff out of the house like it was before march 2020. I put it on ebay marketplace (german app for people in your vicinity) or regular ebay. Last week I finally could go to a thrift store. I had to make an appointment to donate. I have really beatiful stuff that has to go to my mum because it's dutch culture or in dutch. At least two heaping ikea bags. She works for a thrift store. I store it in the cellar. It will be a while before we can visit.

[@emilywilson7308]

Purchasing patterns! We need to get to the root of why we buy so much crap in the first place. I have a million tote bags. Why do I keep collecting them?

[@Nan-59]

Hey!! I LOVE 💕 YOUR SHIRT 👚!!

[@susanappleyard589]

Hi, love this. Where do I find the link to clutter free in 5 please?

[@tgayer1]

Wish I knew about simple living before I accumulated a lot of stuff, too, but fortunately I don’t think I spent a lot of $$$ on stuff as it was mostly garage sale items I tended to purchase. I can’t think of anything I regret getting rid of at this point.

[@theresav2479]

Sorry you miss the outfit. I have fixed some outfits by washing frequently and using laundry additives get some tint out a bit. I miss some things from decluttering too.

[@giawelch1181]

I kept my son's first outfit, but I have no pictures of him in it😭. He was less than four pounds when he was born, and drowning in preemie clothes. The only picture I had of him in it was on my phone and it somehow disappeared when we moved into our home. 🥺

[@ruthgoddard6539]

I like a cozy space with things I love. I dont try to be minimalist just not a lot of clutter but I think I must not be normal because I have never hoarded shoues. Just 4 pair at a time and maybe 20 pieces of clothing. When I see closets full of clothes I wonder how on earth people ever have a chance to wear them. I guess if you only wore them once you could get them all used.

[@porcelina956]

I still regret donating a black and red silk cheongsam short sleeve blouse when I could not fit it anymore. A few years later I lost a bunch of weight and could have worn it again. Now I am way too big for the blouse (thanks depression and covid). I am thinking on donating/selling my skinny clothes I have been unable to wear for years. I am buying replacements that will fit now.

[@youtubeaccount-yr6hb]

The only regret I can remember is throwing out some pans instead of donating because they were nonstick and hit me right in the foot for the last time

[@youtubeaccount-yr6hb]

The heavy oven cake kind

[@catheriner2615]

Ive done these things, All of them 😪😪

[@angierecovering_clutterer2434]

If it makes you feel better, we can't hear your family making any noise at all. Also, your baby was seriously CUTE!!!!!!! Those cheeks look very kissable!!!! Lastly, I got some serious anxiety at 14:28 with the entire hallway filled with stuff!

[@oxymoira]

Woooow she was a bouncing baby 🐨💕

[@StamperWendy]

When a color bleeds onto a garment, you can bleach it back out again. If you're in a particularly ruthless mood when it comes to decluttering clothes, do it then! Whatever gets the stuff out the door! Whoo hoo! You don't have to feel badly about getting stuff done and getting stuff out. That's called success! Don't forget 20/20, if you can replace the item for $20 and within 20 minutes of your home, declutter it! And, you can't really photograph everything! And, who has time to revisit all of those photographs again? Keep it moving! =)

[@PhoebesWorldProductions]

=) Thank you.

[@susanappleyard589]

Apologies - found it

[@stefs3460]

My mom gave away a ceramic canister she made then she passed away a year after.

[@corrinepotter8312]

I keep seeing the yellow dinosaur 😉 Do you still have him? What is his story?

[@mar-linaustell7505]

I have a heavy kitchen aid mixer I'm thinking about getting rid of but I'm afraid that I might regret it later. I've only used it once.

[@FilippaSkog]

When it comes to those very practical items I like to keep in mind that IF I would EVER really truly miss the thing I can save up and buy another one. It’s not a sentimental object so it’s completely replaceable if the need arises (which it honestly never does).

[@antiantipoda]

I really want one! Do you think you can send it to Brazil? Joking aside: I don't have one because they are big and my kitchen is anything but. I hear they are great at making bread, pizza dough and shredding chicken breasts. Try to learn what are it's strong points and if in a few months you still think it's more hassle than it's worth, move it out.

[@mysticfox1563]

rowan orre, I have one and I disagree. They take up loads of space especially if you don’t have a large kitchen. To me it’s not the kind of thing you suddenly start using. If you only do basic, occasional baking it’s probably better to sell it.

[@trishsoren3445]

Don't think of it only for baking. I use mine more frequently for mixing up meatloaf, lasagna "filling", etc.

[@angelhowell5420]

@@mysticfox1563 I agree! They are really big and heavy. I don’t think they justify the space they take up unless you use them a few times a week. I sold mine because I just didn’t use it often enough to keep that bulky thing on my counter and it’s just too heavy to lug out of the cabinet. I don’t miss it at all and just use my hand mixer if I need. I guess I don’t make meals that often that would require it🤷🏼‍♀️

[@koko137591]

🖐🏼🙂

[@pegasusquilts]

Yeah, my first was 10 lb. 14 oz. Newborn clothes? Lol

[@judysbakeryandtestkitchen1654]

Hi Laura, Yesterday I realize that I could decluttering the apple slicer. I haven’t used it in over a year because they are high in carbs! Do you watch the Fox TV show “911?” Jennifer love Hewitt‘s character just had a baby. She has developed postpartum depression in the last episode of the season. In the credits, they talk about how many women develop postpartum depression. It’s a lot! They also get resources to help. I thought of you. You might want to see it, and recommend it

[@suzanneritchie7048]

Oh my goodness ... when I saw all the clothes on the bed , my jaw dropped ! No one needs that many things ... if you don't use it , lose it ! Watching you made me super anxious, sorry. Please watch " ClutterBug "

[@HowToGYST]

I do watch Clutterbug. In fact, I've done a collab with her in the past. She's a sweetheart. Have you tried piling your clothes on your bed? It makes a bigger mountain than you might imagine!

[@harrietcraig7817]

Suzanne You would have a stroke if you saw my piles (yes, plural!!). It’s b.a.d.

[@tripstrickstickstips4442]

Putting all your clothes on the bed makes a surprisingly large pile. Also this channel is about decluttering, I'm certain she's aware of the amount of items in her house lol. Maybe she has "clicked" with the amount of clothes she has (and that's fine! I don't have a lot of clothes but I hoard craft supplies, everyone has their own "thing"that is special to them I've found.). Or maybe she's just still working on her closet!