I Decluttered 30 Years of Stuff...Here's What Happened.

Minimalism saved my life. I decluttered 30 years of stuff and went from emotional hoarder to minimalist and today I'm sharing a little bit more about how minimalism changed my life and what happened after I got rid of everything I own. If you feel overwhelmed and stressed out by clutter and mess, maybe you could benefit from decluttering your home and simplifying your life as well?

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► ⏰ CHAPTER TIMESTAMPS:
00:00 - Minimalism saved my life
00:39 - Where it all started (my story)
02:52 - Clutter as a trauma response
03:54 - Are popular kids books/movies brainwashing us into NOT letting go? (Please comment!!)
05:45 - Feeling overwhelmed as a mom
07:49 - My big decluttering "aha moment"
09:24 - Decluttering 30 years of stuff
11:51 - From decluttering to minimalism
13:45 - The joy of simple living
16:50 - How to get more decluttering support :)

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► FAVORITE DECLUTTER + ORGANIZE STUFF:
👟 Shoeboxes - free :)
🥛 Empty glass jars - free :)

► 📸 FAVORITE YOUTUBE TOOLS:

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ABOUT A TO ZEN LIFE
Along my journey to let go of 30 years of clutter, I accidentally became a minimalist and it was life-changing.

Before, I was an emotional hoarder with nothing but the clutter from lost loved ones — and $25,000 of debt — to my name. Now I have a beautiful home in Europe, a happy family, live debt-free, and — best of all — wake up to a life that I’m EXCITED to live every day.

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[cleopatrablackwell]

Coming from a background of being adopted twice during childhood and being surrounded by toxic families. I realized at 27 half of my belongings were gifts from people who had hurt or abandoned me . When i declutter all these things that carried so much pain i felt freedom . Those people couldnt hurt me anymore because i had permanently severed the physical ties.

[jenniemurphy]

I’m 74 years old and have a husband with dementia. I’ve been interested in the simplifying lifestyle for may years. And it’s been especially helpful now more than ever to keep a calm and stress less environment. You videos Marisa help keep me motivated to clear the clutter(mentally, physically and emotionally) and focus on the simple pleasures of life.

[mindyindy]

Totally agree about the Brave Little Toaster car junkyard scene.... One of the scariest and most disturbing things I saw as a kid, but for some reason I kept watching it.

[christyp]

I think what also motivated me is when you see the homes of billionaires they are very minimal and these are people that can buy what they want. Minimalism is truly a luxury

[dstarkus]

What I appreciate most about this video is how transparent and real you are about being sentimental over things that have come to you from other people and the related trauma responses. Thank you for sharing your vulnerability and how you moved through it. I can really relate to this part of your work.

I'm also realizing how much of the clutter in our home is aspirational -- for the project I want to do, kids activities (both things they already like or I want them to explore) and keeping things for the larger house we're saving for.

[SusanMcBrayer]

Glad to hear other people cry when going through the sentimental items from our parents and other ancestors. It's hard, but I keep reminding myself, "This item is not the person." I have my memories without the actual item to remind me of them.

[cocomuhly]

“People can just decide to sell their stuff?” Isn’t it amazing and horrible how the way we were raised stays in us so strongly that we sometimes can’t see outside of it? We try to break the cycle but so many things can run deep.

[peghendel]

What a great ending of 2023, looking forward to 2024. I'm well on the path to decluttering but find is like an onion, always another layer to process! My adult children are pleased that we are dealing with stuff from 53 years of marriage so they don't have to! My friends are shocked at what I have let go of (things from grandparents) but I did it with love, and still have the memories. These are things that only mean something to me, not useful or necessarily pretty. thank you!

[MissDaisy]

I lost my mother to cancer at 14, (1974)and my father to cancer at 26, (1986). I was one of seven but the oldest daughter. I had a sister one year younger and five brothers. I am blessed to have all the siblings going through this with me. Were you an only child? If so, it’s amazing knowing what you went through all this and now, thanks to YouTube, you can tell your story. You are such an inspiration to many. Thank you!

[Miss_Annlaug]

Trauma often leads to hoarding. It's very hard. I have a family member who had very heavy loss and unsafety trauma, and they became a full hoarder ❤❤❤❤❤ i hope you all can find healing! All of you❤

[KarMa-wsll]

I think, Decluttering is like trying to get fit - so hard in the beginning, but getting easier every time, then becoming easy and in the end, its your new normal, especially, when your view on stuff changes and you dont let any surplus enter your home. It truly becomes easy if you just keep on doing it!

[CindDJo]

You are right on girl. I can't think of a children's show that didn't have some sort of traumatizing lose.

[djb]

Taking photos of sentimental items makes it WAY easier to let them go.

[marycochrane]

Hands down, this is by far one of THE BEST videos on decluttering, and I watch them all! You get to the heart of why we hang onto too much stuff! You are inspiring. Thank you for sharing your past and how you are overcoming.❤

[lindabourcet]

Happy birthday! Decluttering has changed my life as well. I am finally tackling my sentimental items and hobby supplies. I am glad I did all the rest of my house first as it is easier than I imagined. It turns out most of my sentimental stuff wasn’t that sentimental after all. I thought of what would happen to it after I died and what I wanted to leave behind. As for my hobby (quilting), it was surprisingly easy to let things go once I found out HOW. I couldn’t give things away to strangers but I could give them to fellow quilters. I made up prizes and put together raffle items for our guild Christmas party and for 2 quilt retreats and for the group I make charity quilts with. Seeing the joy on their faces as they won my stuff gave me joy. If it is hard to let go of precious or useful things, find a way to make gifts. I used baskets and bags and made the stuff look attractive. The joy of decluttering was combined with the joy of playing Santa. Definitely a win-win.

[creatorschild]

This is exactly me!
Im overwhelmed, stressed & depressed from my clutter.
Even though it’s killing me…. The overwhelming anxiety of getting rid of it stresses me out…. Even though I know deep inside…… I may feel stressed getting rid of it at the moment….. in a short while after I do….. I feel such relief & freedom.

Im going to try real hard next week to start getting rid of hordes of stuff….. as I realize the stress of living with it is far worse…. As it’s every second of every day.
Please pray for me to be strong & determined 🙏🏼

[jcheema]

Yes. Decluttering. Some days, disabilities paralysis kicks in, i can't. However, i keep trying and pushing... 😮😊

[paulabroadway]

Nailed it!
Growing up with a schizophrenic hoarder parent, it can be almost impossible to know what "normal" really is.
We knew something wasn't right, but children can't label it much less fix it, even as the influence lingers into adulthood.

Fast forward many years, and I found FlyLady. Her methods allowed me to crack the shell on how to part with stuff.

Your videos have been so helpful in picking up the next chapter of decluttering and getting to the bottom of issues...
as well as the back of the closets! 😁
Thank you!

[Zuzia-lb]

Oh, this is the sadest, most heartbreaking video I have ever seen... I grew up in horder home, went through many difficult and tragic loses, I know how it feels. I became minimalist even before I knew that word existed. Thank you for sharing your story.

[miriammcconnell]

You were totally speaking directly to me. I have had so much loss (people), and hanging onto things as if to keep control and to hold onto anything. Random tokens of family that have passed won't bring them back, nor do they contain that person. Having permission to let things go is HUGE since many of us were raise not to waste anything. But when everything has value, nothing does. I am on a minimalist journey and your content means so much!!!