Unpacking a Few Boxes to Declutter a Few Things ... The Minimalism Journey Continues

[@PhanglyPhish]

I keep thinking about how much worse it would have been if you had never started your minimalism journey! This is unfortunate and bothersome, but manageable because of your months and months of hard work. If the movers had stored all of those boxes you used to have from previous moves? Would have been an absolute nightmare. You go girl (and Andy too).

[@jenniferr7397]

@Erica Lucas - I have some advice based on my own experience. Don't wait for the landlord or a water clean up company to start cleaning up. Shop vac the standing water and then run fans and dehumidifiers until the basement is dry. This will help prevent or decrease mold problems.

[@EricaLucasLoves]

Yep. We shop vac the water and it keeps coming.

[@cronen2008]

Does the company who moved you for the Navy not pick up your boxes? We are Army, and after we unpack we call the number they give us for them to schedule a pickup of the boxes. Maybe check that out!

[@gailthakur122]

Oh no! Props for the Silver lining mentality. Also, on the video style. I really love the voice over style rather than music. Way more personal. I love hear your musings and personality. Hugs to you.

[@christinae30]

Totally agree! And for me who don't have English as first language, it makes it easier to hear everything!

[@pamnovak1658]

The ocean misses Andy and just wants to visit...didn't mean to trouble you!

[@NdnUrbanCat]

❤

[@EricaLucasLoves]

Lol

[@jupitertheargentinetegu]

I don't know if you've lived in areas prone to tornadoes before but I believe you have those backwards. A tornado watch means you need to be an alert but when a tornado warning is issued, it's time to take cover in the basement. Stay safe! ❤

[@lemonpledge7093]

Yes! This made me so nervous.

[@MikeyDonna]

Sometimes lessons are learned the hard way. I have a friend who moved several times during her marriage and each time she hauled three heavy boxes containing her grandmothers gold rimmed delicate china set for twelve to the new house only to be lugged to the basement to await the next move. After the eighth move she decided to display the beautiful dishes. Besides what would Grandmother think of her if she simply got rid of them. When she opened the boxes the whole set was shattered. She never again put so much importance on “possessions”. Donna Lewis

[@pattiharrison1211]

So sorry your house is flooding, but very glad you are all safe. ❤️

[@rstout8026]

Sorry you are having to deal with the water issues and so glad that it came about when your hubby could be home to help. That in itself is a blessing to be grateful for. I can remember many times that things would happen during a deployment and it had to be handled on my own. So proud of you for all that you have been able to declutter thus far. Keep up the hard work.

[@tkdally]

Times like this is when it's good to be a renter. It's not your $$$$ to fix the problem 👍

[@EricaLucasLoves]

It’s a big problem too. The drain pipes in the ground turned.

[@CeitidhD]

You guys must be so stressed right now! Just having your husband come back after a long deployment would have been a big month. You have a massive decluttering project, packing, moving, prepping your old house for the market, and the emotions of the kids to manage on top of that! And a hurricane and a flooded basement! Sending wishes for peace and calm to you. You are an inspiration for being so calm and adaptable. I hope you get to have a break very soon, and that you are taking good care of yourself.

[@Claudia-yu2ov]

Glad you are okay and were able to save everything important. But this also gives you some very very important knowlage of your new house: 1. If you store something down there in the basement then keep it save inside plastic/rubbermade/generell waterproofed containers 2. Don't store anything irreplaceable down there because of the possibility of heavier water coming in Also just keep going and get yourself settled in your new home. By the way now you know why there are so many boxes P.S. Please excuse my grammar but englisch isn't my first language

[@ALi-bn6bf]

So glad you did not encounter worse damage. May I suggest that you consider taking a photo of each page of the beautiful baby scrapbook? Years down the road the photos in the scrap book will most likely fade. There might be a time where you’ll want to capture those memories digitally, Or maybe wished you had. Love your channel by the way.

[@amys3079]

Glad you are safe. Good thing you found the water early. I remember our Navy moves. 1 glass bottle of ketchup in a box. True story!

[@godsservant6649]

So happy that you were not totally flooded out!! Praise God. I lost my home in a hurricane once. And two more homes experienced flooding, one from a Tropical Storm and another one from a water heater that sprang a leak in the attic. Just be sure that black mold does not take up residence in the basement! You must take action now to prevent mold.

[@jenniferrumsey9887]

What a blessing to others just lay flat all of your moving boxes and protective moving paper. You can list them on Facebook marketplace for people moving and having yard sales. What a great gift to your new neighbors - with touch free curb side pickup.

[@burkey1168]

So pleased you had no damage,awesome teamwork.I watch the ads for you & I tell myself I’m helping you pay your debt off.Love you approach to everything & I think now you’ve been on this journey for a while now, you have the bandwidth to deal with these unexpected crises.👍😀😀

[@kathycarol2488]

Be careful with wet flooring and drywall. Water can seep under tile and soak up into drywall up to 3 feet per inch of water. If not properly taken care of water can lead to nasty unhealthy mold.

[@glockenrein]

What is that saying? When it rains it pours? 😫😅 Like the move itself and fixing up the old house wasn’t enough. I’m so impressed that you still have the energy to film and edit during all of this.

[@abigailcole8718]

I am so grateful I found your channel! My parents are hoarders, and I was picking up their habits. I started looking into minimalism, but I also want to have some stuff. I love your term for those like us.....minimal-ish! I watch some of your videos to get me motivated when I really need to get rid of stuff. Our main area to focus on right now is the garage. Thank you for your very very honest channel, it's relatable and I appreciate you!

[@fancyflamingo123]

Please get that water up asap. It can cause some yucky problems. :/ I would use a broom or large squeegy to push the water to the drain and a shop vac to get up as much as you can. Don't wait for it just to drain on its own! Please make sure you spray with an anti-mold spray (people use bleach water but really a spectracide is the best) on the parts that got wet. All along the walls and underneath and any baseboards. And keep am eye out in the coming months for any mold or mildew growth! It can really sneak up on you!

[@juliec1237]

I'm sorry to hear about your extra work. How wonderful that you had so few cardboard boxes and mostly plastic totes.

[@2Cambell]

This sucks that you had to deal with something like this so soon, but I am glad that Andy was there to help you!!!

[@cindyhawkins6411]

You are so right, careful what you wish for. I am so sorry for your loss and glad you all are safe.

[@amma7244]

So glad you are safe and your baby shower album survived. Just a heads up in our flood I moved my Rubbermaid totes and didn’t check them bc we figured they were safe. Dealt like you with the cardboard. The middle of Rubbermaid sometimes gets tiny cracks. We lost all of our baby mementoes.

[@simplejoyfilledliving]

Glad you didn’t have worse damage!

[@ldouglas6071]

Glad your ok and the damage was very minimal. I think you handled this well and it’s probably due in part to your new mindset and partially to your natural personality. 😀 If any walls got wet you will want your landlord to remove the drywall up to 6 inches above the water level. Then get industrial fans and dehumidifiers. Treat for any potential mold before it arrives. Also try to get all the paper and wood out of there and anything else mold could grown on.

[@sinkintostillness]

Oh no! Talk about forcing you to get on with it! Don't forget about damp and mould damage, even though you have a lot of plastic containers I'd still try and work through them pretty quickly and wouldn't store anything down there till it's all dried and sealed back up. Water sucks, it gets into literally everything! Good luck, I'm glad you're all safe

[@jessicakullander8517]

What Claudia says...make sure all furniture and shelves have feet or are raised off the floor. Or casters even, to make storage easy to move.

[@joyous2theworld]

I’m so sorry. 1/3 of my house flooded last September after Tropical Storm Imelda. I know this feeling. Even if it was only 6 boxes, thank goodness, yet that feeling of dread and sad is real. Our house still isn’t repaired yet. Our community was severely damaged in Hurricane Harvey the year before so it’s been hard to find contractors. Praying for a quick restoration for us both.

[@marvastephens1842]

Hi Erica! My husband’s job has taken me through 10 moves and on September 15th the movers will be coming again to move us from here in Maryland. With each move we have been able to call the movers up when we’ve finished unpacking, and they have hauled away every box and every piece of paper that they used for us. They’re especially grateful when we flatten the boxes and fold the paper. I only do that on the moves that haven’t worn me out. We average about the same number of boxes as you, so I understand. Call them up and ask them if they provide that service for you. Good luck.

[@patblough7574]

Sorry to hear you had to deal with water in the basement, but so glad the hurricane didn't cause more damage. Wish you the best as you unpack and make your new house your home.

[@marthasalter405]

You've had what The Minimalists would call a packing party. I know you'll take advantage of it

[@donnab8010]

I learned from this video to store everything in plastic totes when possible. I just bought 6 totes to repack stuff from boxes in my shed. Geez.

[@mrs.r.1467]

Whenever you kept going into the one box and pulling out picture frames, it reminded me of Mary Poppins going into her carpet bag 🤣🤣🤣

[@paulabahler1309]

Sorry about the water but Welcome to Maryland! Ps. The sump pump doesn't do anything for the water IN the basement. The sump pump should be pumping the water from outside. When it rains, water collects in the drain tile that runs around the house, and pumps it away before it enters the house. In heavy rain, you should hear the sump pump running before water comes in. Make sure the sump pump is working and I recommend a battery back up incase the power goes out!

[@gibsongirl9046]

Looks like the sheet rock got wet. Hope the landlords called in specialists because that causes nasty mold inside the drywall. Been in this situation before. It's highly motivating to declutter whether you want to or not! Glad you are all safe.

[@paulacostello6912]

Glad you guys came through the hurricane safe and sound. I've been very impressed with your insight into your hoarding tendencies and your huge efforts towards minimalism. My father was a hoarder - no insight whatsoever because of mental health issues - and ended up with mice AND rats. So I know it's a tough, serious thing. Major congratulations on all you've accomplished so far. You're right that decluttering never ends but it does get a lot easier as you feel the relief of not having so much STUFF. Keep up the good work!

[@susanbaldwin4478]

So sorry your new home got water damage. FYI...we had a home that was declared a disaster area. We had a finished basement. We were solidly sucking up water for 3 days with barely a break. We cut the dry wall half way up and replaced it. In the long run we found we should have replaced the whole piece. The basement always smelled musty after that.

[@chelebox1986]

Erica darling, a tornado warning is more severe than a watch. I don't know if you know this but Maryland has more tornadoes than any other state. Get used to hearing about warnings and watching for signs. 😐 I grew up in IN, you learn to be aware of the weather in the warm months. PS, I don't know how you are finding time to take of the PA house, unpack the MD house AND film, edit and upload videos!!! You're AWESOME!!!

[@poolfield2]

I’m so glad it was only an inconvenience rather than a catastrophe!

[@AtoZenLife]

Nooooo oh my gosh! 😱 Talk about manifesting the wrong thing!!! Glad that everything was okay in the end. ❤️

[@EricaLucasLoves]

Right?!

[@AtoZenLife]

Erica Lucas It happens! 😅

[@VimsPlace]

Don't assume that the plastic bins are all dry inside! I went through Hurricane Frances in Pennsylvania and lost some of my personal archive because the bottom of the bin had a TINY HAIRLINE FRACTURE in it! Water wicked in and destroyed a lot of my childhood books and art, my majorette boots, and some vintage books I loved... I was shocked at how much water had wicked in through a tiny slit about two inches long and barely visible.. So sorry you are having to deal with this but glad for not much damage. Hang in there!

[@pianoplants7884]

It never is over, but your positive attitude and will to keep going is an inspiration!

[@emilasmith4279]

Get some bleach water and lightly spray to keep the mold at bay. Get some fans running to get that drywall dried up. And suck any standing water w shop vac or mop. Water = mold quick. And you don’t need that health hazard. 😳 😷. They did a nice job packing your pink depression glass. Glad baby book got spared. Get a fan in it to make sure it is reallllllly dry. Glad your house was spared from major damage. Hugs from Ohio.

[@kimjaymama26]

You need a shop vac. That is how we delt with the water when we had a flood situation.

[@wendymackenzie3937]

I agree get a shop vac

[@AndyLucas363]

There’s one in the pool shed. I’m afraid what I’ll find when I open it up. In the meantime I used our carpet shampooer.

[@bunnylover6481]

So sorry this happened to your new home. I hope you didn't lose any mementos. Ranger to the rescue! Tell Andy I like his beard.

[@heiditate6989]

I'm glad that you are all safe and that nothing got ruined. It's not a good situation but could have been much worse.

[@shellipagel3488]

Erica I am so glad that nothing was ruined, including that very thoughtful scrap book your mother made. You have sure had your share of ups and downs with things not going smoothly but I am so glad your hubby is home to help.

[@donnab8010]

Yep, Shelli. I learned from this video to store everything in plastic totes when possible. I just bought 6 totes to repack stuff from boxes in my shed. Geez.

[@flexcapazitor1940]

You could watch some videos on papier mache projects. I bet your kids would love to make some fun stuff with all those boxes!!! Besides conventional forts, they could make dollhouses, swords, animals, wall art.

[@annapower1833]

Glad you guys are safe. The water in the basement is a bummer but could have been worse for sure. Take good care

[@carlabales5187]

You guys have tremendous teamwork. Its so refreshing seeing you and Andy work together. Such a great family.

[@jeannebowes2898]

My son lives in Baltimore , but just branches and a tree down. No real damage. Decluttering is a continuous state, makes life easier and more enjoyable!

[@makingithome8493]

Oh my goodness! I’m so sorry! You guys are amazing!!! ❤️❤️❤️

[@lisab9541]

I hope you meant you would ho downstairs if a tornado warning not a watch. Be safe. Glad you had so little damage/annoyance and clean up from the storm.

[@alisonodonnell7005]

Oh man, welcome to annapolis! Basement issues all around - good luck and, seriously, welcome!

[@rondap.328]

The little glass pink basket I have in green glass...

[@koreanbeauty2806]

We're in Maryland and our basement is the same. Sump pump no where near where the water pools together and why we refuse to finish the basement lol. Glad you were able to catch it when you did 😘

[@AndyLucas363]

I hope you guys stayed dry!

[@findingaway5512]

Get a dehumidifier if you don't have one. We have gotten water in our basement and it helps to dry it out faster for sure!

[@ohmystarnes8199]

Oh man. I’m glad you didn’t lose anything precious!! Up side: cardboard that’s been wetted makes an amazing start to a garden.

[@KatyInNH]

If plastic is in water too long or in a super humid environment, you can also get condensation inside the bin - musty and damp..... You will probably be okay, but just a reminder for others that may not have had to deal with that before

[@terramoon2313]

Glad you found out in time to move things, and that you are ok, even 195 doesn't seem like a lot for a family, my dh is retired Navy, so been there with those moves. Love, love your videos.This one the sound seems low and sometimes the music is louder then the speaking parts. Of course my hearing could be better as well. Keep up the good work.

[@christined2495]

Having lived thru a basement with water from a hurricane, I know that feeling, I’m so glad nothing had water damage, and you kept a stiff upper lip, your both always optimistic “This too Shall Pass” and soon you will be all unpacked and enjoying your new home. When we moved away from Long Island, and moved South my husband said anywhere away from the ocean is good, because we always got slammed when hurricanes hit the East Coast

[@mildredhanlon1831]

Welcome to the East Coast. We live outside of Cherry Point MCAS NC

[@wishonbish]

Hurricane flooding has caused some forced decluttering in our basement as well. It was on the to do list anyway, but I'm a little sad that some things that could have been donated will now need to be thrown away. A lesson in procrastination for sure!

[@sarahpope6727]

Here in Florida we do not have basements. That said water intrusion can happen many other ways. So sorry after all the work you have already been doing in the move and getting the other house ready for sale.

[@josephdaly2015]

TG your all safe. I love your positivity on how lucky ye are compared to others who’ve lost a lot. Thanks for sharing your journey.

[@kimberlyhoward8195]

Hoping you have the tornado watch/warning backwards. I'm in tornado alley in Oklahoma. Tornado watch stay up stairs and watch the weatherman. Tornado Warning in you town, be in the basement!!! Be safe with both the hurricanes and the naders!!!

[@lindamaglione7189]

The Lord has many ways to answer our prayers....I learned years ago to never pray for patience!!!! LOL

[@christinae30]

Would you like to share that story? 💖

[@kempfreehold9450]

my husband always says that!

[@c_and_l]

Glad nothing got damaged! While it's an annoyance to have so many boxes, at least if you know there's only a couple of things in each, maybe that will make it easier to unpack a few boxes at a time? Like if you just pick 2 or 3 boxes a day to go through, it won't take a ton of time out of your day, versus less boxes filled with loads of things to sort through.

[@beckysmith2346]

Glad y’all caught it in time.

[@megan2176]

Haha, the box you unloaded at the 5:04 mark reminded me of Mary Poppins and her bottomless bag, where you kept pulling more and more from that one box! Made me chuckle, expecting a long mirror or lamp to come out next. ;)

[@carolynoquinn1638]

Hate you had to deal with that. Wish I was there to help you, I love doing things like that. I really think you'll get rid of a bunch more.

[@anamcdowell9478]

What is a journey without some challenges? Every move (thanks Navy!) had major issues but in the end they became our stories.

[@HomeSweetHomeschoolLife]

That sure was nice of the hurricane to send you some motivation.

[@lildebleigh84]

Bless your heart! I’m so sorry that happened to you! You always stay so upbeat and you keep pushing forward! Such a great inspiration for us all!

[@mickalaloeffelbein4935]

That look you gave the camera after pulling out an entire box of the wrap paper was definitely a relatable moment. Like... *REALLY?!?!*

[@jillc1910]

You guys are troopers, you can get some inexpensive alarms to alert you if you have water in future, I got them after my water heater died. I had the same issue with my sump pump.

[@heathercheatham2598]

I’m so sorry you guys had to deal with this! We’ve had water in our basement several times and had to get rid of a lot because it it. We finally started decluttering that area (it’s the hardest) and fixed the water problem but it’s such a pain!

[@findingaway5512]

I love Peter rabbit.... that shower book is beautiful!

[@liliamrodriguez3020]

Great video thanks

[@donnab8010]

Oh my goodness!! That will get you moving for sure. Glad Andy was there. You have such pretty ~ stuff. I'm looking forward to all the videos coming in the future. Erica it's going to be fun to see you decorate and remember all the memories from items you unpack. Have a wonderful day.

[@marykeaton9373]

Oh, such an annoyance at a busy time, but glad damage was minimal. Looks like the landlord needs to do some work on drainage systems; In the meantime, a good shop vac and sump pump may help with future run-off.... Love your videos, and really appreciate all of your work in making them to share with us!

[@Natalie.D]

So sorry this happened to you but glad it wasn't worse. Btw I have the same basement floor as you and that is a blessing! The flooring is good for flooding and clean-up. Dont put carpet down there in the future just in case it gets wet again. Also I'm moving in a week and this reminds me to put any boxes in my basement on bricks or pavers.

[@lauramatsuyama9742]

Wow! super happy that you guy was safe and that, that was the worse of it. on the other side of the world, we nervously dealt with what Douglas (Hawaii) passing us we were super excited that we didn't have to deal with any of the inconvenience. I did like moving into new places just cause it was always fun to see where I would put my things to make life easier. no doubt your children will find a game they can make out of it 😃 Great Job on your team work!!

[@jenniferrumsey9887]

Also if you have donation items but are not able to donate just put them at the end of your driveway with FREE on them. The little girls will come in groups and then let the neighbors know “what they need from you”. Have a great day and I am so happy your family is safe.

[@kirbyourenthusiasm]

I was reminded of the time I threw a pile of dirty clothes down the basement stairs (we didn’t have a laundry chute) and heard a splash when it hit the floor. 😱 It was such a huge hassle but I was thankful I discovered it when I did as it could have been much much worse. I agree about keeping anything you store down there in bins to help protect them, but I would also try to store them at least a few inches off the floor if possible just in case. Thankful you and your family are safe and that you done have the whole hoard to sift through at your new house! That would have been a whole different story before your decluttering started!!

[@kellyharris4639]

Get yourself a dehumidifier and shop a shop vac going ASAP. You would not believe how quickly mold can grow

[@olivemaycards]

Well at least you know now that many of the boxes will be fast to unpack >.< What a pain! But hopefully you can tackle the boxes quickly and nothing else is ruined. Sometimes it’s the pain of seeing things wasted or ruined that helps us realize what’s really important.

[@BB-wl8qr]

I really ♥️ that you point out that other people are effected to a much greater degree. I think it reflects your thought for others. ✌️🙏 I feel like some folks got a little judgy over your 195. LoL It was a heck of a lot better than that 400 something the time before. :)

[@stefaniebushell7205]

I'm so enjoying your unpacking. Weird maybe...but so enjoyable. I love it when you say "donating" I'm down to the nitty gritty of decluttering...doing the 30 day challenge..and it was 3 teaspoons on the third 😂 Fab news you are all ok ❤👍

[@doloresmceachren9871]

We had our basement flood and had probably 50 odd boxes with my husband’s models in. There was also boxes of clothing and drawing stuff and a gun locker. And a very upset husband so my sister and I had to move then out to the carport.

[@tarat26]

Thankful that you both had the time to sort through some of your boxes and prevent anything getting further damaged from water damage. I imagine if that were us, we wouldn't have been in any rush to unbox anything or see the boxes after such a busy move. Best wishes x

[@catharinabra]

I love ”teamwork makes the dreamwork”, I’m using that in my house as well 😊 so sorry to hear about the flooding, but a kick in the butt is needed sometimes to get started on those boxes 💪💪

[@KMF3]

A shop vac is one of the greatest investments I've ever made. And not that expensive

[@katefriedrich4774]

I have that exact same pink glass basket!

[@LeslieV.]

I’m so glad nothing got damage! Crossing fingers the landlord can get ya dried up!

[@Missy-Vanarsdale]

Welcome to MARYLAND!!! I too live in MARYLAND ( Northern Harford County)

[@amyphillips7862]

Shouldn't there be some tiling or a trough along that whole wall to pitch towards the sump pump? So that no matter where it comes in at it still gets directed out? Is the sump pump running? Should be non stop with that much water. Good luck! At least you know about the water now...thanks for proving you can choose to keep up your spirits and motivation even when it 🌧 and make the best of it! Stay safe and dry!

[@julias7920]

Did I hear correctly? Did you say you had a tornado warning and you would have gone down had it being a watch? Warnings are when you get to a basement.

[@reneea7811]

LOL! I'm from Oklahoma and I thought the same thing. 😋

[@nicolerager7211]

Yep I thought the same thing - go to basement in a Warning!!!!!