The Secret to a Clutter-Free Life: 6 Powerful Tips

*planners available while supplies last!

TIMESTAMPS:

00:00 Tip 1: Treat Items as Hired Workers
04:00 Tip 2: Today Is a Special Occasion
06:30 Tip 3: We Don’t Have Time for Every Project
08:30 Tip 4: Extra Forks Don’t Add Value
13:00 Tip 5: Stocking Up Seldom Works
16:00 Tip 6: Risk and Reward of Letting Go
19:00 Simplifying for Peace at Home with Kids
22:00 Minimalism’s Domino Effect: From Debt to Confidence
25:30 Finding Purpose Through Decluttering
27:00 Q&A Highlights: Tips for Working Moms
31:00 Q&A Highlights: Decluttering Kids' Toys
37:00 Why 2025 Is the Year of Decluttering

[TheMinimalMom]

*planners available while supplies last! I love you and am excited for the year to come! We've got this! - Dawn

[jerichobyrd]

I was at my mom’s yesterday and she had 3 trash bags of donation ready to go out the door. I asked her about it and she said being at my house makes her want to declutter. It made me feel go good!

[terramoses]

My husband was not on board with decluttering, but then I got him to agree to let me do the kitchen and the living room spaces. I let him have the garage and the office to keep whatever he wanted to. Once he saw how much less stress we had in the decluttered spaces, he started minimizing all of his items. Now he has less clothing than me and is constantly telling me things I can take to donate.

[camikonecky]

You said in a video years ago to let the store be the storage place for your stuff and not your home. That advice has helped me so much.

[alicelindborg]

I grew up in a farm family but my folks were married in the early thirties and received sterling tableware and Johnson’s English Blue willow ware china as wedding gifts. Every day of my childhood the table was set with those nice things! Mom said her family was always more important than saving the good china for some special occasion!

[sonyachove]

I love the "I hired this to do a job" mentality. But sometimes I love the item so much, even though it's worn out, out of style, doesn't fit, etc. So I added the mindset of, "It did its job well. It deserves to retire." midnset. It helps me not feeling like I"m insulting the item if I "retire" it. I'm laughing because I've always thought the concept of "thank it for it's service" was dumb, but realize this is similar. But it helps me. It's either not doing it's job or it's not doing its job any longer.

[anaf.]

Oh my goodness, "the foor is not that is going to be my mantra as I help my 5 and 7 year olds learn this habit!

[candacewiebe]

I often come to find your most recent videos when I’m feeling overwhelmed at home. You’re so calming, not judgemental, you have room for everyone, you’re gentle and gracious, so kind and I wish I had some of your traits! 😊 Also love how much you smile and laugh! You don’t seem so uptight the way I am 😜 I’m still learning to relax and let go. Thanks for all your videos! You deserve every success!

[elaineashley]

I hope your cold goes away soon! Thank you for filming when you’re under the weather.

[elysemeaney]

I've been a minimalist for many years and have read/listened to loads of thought on the subject, but I come back to your feed again and again, for YEARS now, for continued inspiration. I think you have a unique delivery and authenticity that speaks to me and thousands of others. True believer.

[SouthernFrugalMama]

Amen! Today is a special occasion. My mama rarely used her China and special silver. It was for special occasions.
When she passed away, it became mine. It sat in a plastic tote for many years. After listening to you, I had an epiphany. Just use it and enjoy it!!! No regrets.

[kellyward]

Learn to LOVE walking out of a mall/store empty-handed; it’s awesome!! 😅

[kristintagress]

Children love the idea of taking care of other people. Have them collect clothes and toys that can help another family out. This is really easy to get them on board with. Also, this is a great opportunity to get them talking about events in the community. Fires, tornadoes, even homelessness are all great conversation starters for beginning a family tradition for care packages.

[rebeccadodsworth]

I found your YouTube a couple of months ago and my husband and I have decluttered 85% of the house and we are loving life ❤ it’s really improved our life’s and mindset oh and the money we’re not spending x

[VMR]

13:21 - Boy am I GLAD I never listened to this advice, and stocked up on essentials right before losing my job several years ago, because all the stuff I stocked up on came in handy to this day, and I thank God every day that He led me to stock up on many of my essentials!!

[erinespinosa]

Dawn, thank you for doing a video when you are obviously sick! I want to thank you so much. I joined you tyhb course, but started watching every one of your videos about 5 years ago. There are others, but you, more than anyone else have transformed my home! Over a 3 year period i had about 5 bulk trash pickups and i have almost everything organized and labelled. Having trouble keeping house nice because still have too much stuff. I am doing a no buy, except for toiletries, groceries and gifts. Ive set up an entire plan in a bullet journal and i have to get rid of 500 more things and use up all of my duplicates. Thank you for inspiring me every day. You have literally changed my home. ❤️

[nadadyson]

I Really didn't Understand the Less FEELS Better... Until I cleared my kitchen Counters. OMG I KNEW I wanted Cleared counter tops but it was SOOO Refreshing & my Mind Lighten Soooo Much... 👍👏😁 Unfortunately I had to place 5-7 items back but I was able to Appreciate it being cleared. So Yes, the Dopamine Lift IS REAL...

[Prstss]

I love that you brought up Maslow's hierarchy of needs, and that when asked about faith you included other religious / spiritual practices. You seriously rock. <3

[michelleouellette]

Tip 2 reminded me of a book, "Red Sails to Capri", that my siblings dramatized several years ago. One of the characters, when asked why he is celebrating, answers:"...the days of the year pass by..until a big day comes and says 'NOW you may celebrate!' But what if I don't feel like celebrating? What if I feel like making faces at everybody and hiding under the bed? But today, I feel wonderful!..."

[ashleyhernandez]

In my continued decluttering journey I was going through a drawer I hadn't gone through in quite awhile. I came across two unopened boxes of my favorite perfume I'd been gifted from my now mother in law when her son and I were dating. I have also had a partly used bottle of the same perfume sitting in my bathroom for ten years 🤦 I loved this perfume so much I was so sparing about using it cuz I wanted to save it and ten years later I still have all this perfume just sitting here in a drawer taking up space. I threw out my half opened bottle opened a new one made sure it still smelled good, thankfully it did, and I now use it on the regular and am enjoying it so much. I have come across many other similar items through out my house through this decluttering journey and it has definitely helped push me to just enjoy my special things and use them whether they could potentially get wrecked or broken or used up. Today is worth making special no doubt 😊 Thank you Dawn for helping me get rid of the stuff that didn't make my day special so I could better enjoy the things that do. Happy new year 🎉