When I fell overwhelmed tackling a new space I revisit and reflect on a space I’ve already completed. Whether it’s a drawer or cabinet it gives me a boost to keep going.

Such a great resource thank you!!! I’m starting round two on my spaces and realizing I forgot about some hidden places I need to get to- I really like your system- this helps me focus my overwhelmed 30wk pregnancy brain! My goal is 50% out of the house before baby- and I think I’m at around 25-30% so far- this is going to help me a lot!

Sending love! We are moving to a house a 3rd of the size of our current home so your videos, along with Marie Kondo, have helped me get rid of SOOOO much stuff that was just stressing me out. There’s still more to go but it’s only the beginning.

My favorite channel, hands down... Erica, you make this process approachable, and you are REAL with your emotions, your journey, and how overwhelming this can be (and is!). 6 months may seem like a long time, but the time is going to pass anyway. Small steps, a few boxes at a time, one designated corner of the room, or whatever, adds up! Now, off to work on my closet.

I’m opposite to you - I’d say start small for less overwhelm and small gains which can build. I love your videos and what your sharing.

@usflin

4 жыл бұрын

I would do the same, starting with easiest first to build momentum. Or I might also start with whichever area will give me the biggest payoff so I can enjoy the benefits of decluttering ASAP. For example, if I hate cooking because there is no space to move in the kitchen, I would start with the kitchen. And when I get tired or overwhelmed in a difficult (Level 3) area, I would take a break and work on an easy (Level 1) area. I think any approach can work and knowing which method works best with your personality is the one you should go with!

@EricaLucasLoves

4 жыл бұрын

That's Dave Ramsey's snowball method as well, start small and grab wins.

@cassysatterfield5860

4 жыл бұрын

Erica Lucas the way you talked about in your video was the only way I was able to do it. I needed to see results that mattered to keep going. ❤️

@jennygibbons1258

4 жыл бұрын

The Liddicoat's 100% 👍👍👍👍👍

@beckyparker2530

4 жыл бұрын

I completely agree with you about starting small. After several small areas ( one drawer/counter at a time), I felt my confidence start to build. I started feeling proud of what I had done, and seeing that cleared counter for the first time the next morning? I can't even begin to explain how good it felt. I was moved by my success and motivated to do another 😊 Starting small gives you a good foundation and confidence and trust in yourself that you CAN do this. So when you get to the more "in need" areas, you can dive right in and not derail your momentum. ❤️

I just wanted to let you know that I seriously love you! you are doing so well on this journey and as a previous minimalist you encouraged me to go deeper into my home and get rid of more stuff that I hadn't even really realized had piled up and I'm even helping my parents in my childhood home begin to downside their items for a soon move to a smaller home for them. Anyway, thank you and you're amazing!!

Just watched this twice while printing. Sooooo needed this. Thank you so much. Now I'm motivated to get started after getting up from my night shift. This is exactly what I was looking for.

I've found I buy quality ethical items with multi-purposes now, instead of smaller, cheaper knickknacks. Some brands I'd really recommend investing in are: fin&Vince clothes for kids (quality/comfy/beautiful & wellmade - try the track shorts& vintage tees to start), Olli Ella dolls & baskets and Raduga Grez wooden toys. Seriously you gotta see this stuff Erica, it is a game changer. I took me forever to find small ethical shops when it came to the ongoing needs of my kids and this stuff is 👌👌👌 you won't mind it if it's strewn over the house because it's so cute to look at.

From not knowing where to start to writing a workbook for us!! You are amazing!!!

I'm going to try this. Thank you!

Yay for sharing the knowledge and motivation! You have come such a long way.👏👏👏👍

I felt heavy, loaded down, watching the declutter, but what a difference! You are right about sentimental declutter. It takes months. I have sorted scrapbooks for my kids. My mother’s items took the longest, there were two homes.

Thank you Erica for helping me out with the workbook and explaining how to do it!

Great way to simplify the process! ❤️

Love watching your videos. You’re awesome. Thank you

Erica, your becoming my new BFF, from one minimalist to another, you are ROCKING it! today I went thru old photo albums, and threw out about 75 -100 photos, that weren’t really great photos, I am just decided to just keep the best. I was able to combine three albums into one for a starter and I wondered how these photos even made it into the albums in the first place, plus behind each photo was a double WHY I ask myself 😀 because doubles used to be free My goal this week is to combine 10 photo albums into 5, and have each photo in those albums A GREAT PHOTO

@jodynuttall3215

4 жыл бұрын

We kept all those crappy photos because they cost money to develop and print. Now we have digital, and it come with a new set of problems. Photos everywhere on every device. Plus, the form of storage for media changes and then we find ourselves with photos and video we can't access anymore because they're on a video cassette or a CD. Yikes!

@christined2495

4 жыл бұрын

Jody Nuttall when I began my minimal journey, I really don’t take many pics with my cell, if I have 12 that’s a lot, I just can’t be bothered with all this photos and selfies etc etc... I am almost 4 years living simply, and everyday I want less of everything, this week, I want to sell off some of my jewelry, and par it down , sort of wear signature pieces, over the winter I sold 5 strands of pearls that were worth a ton of money, and banked the $ I don’t even wear pearls or jewelry anymore, except my fav earrings, wedding band and few pair of earrings and bracelets, I guess I am a true minimalist

@jodynuttall3215

4 жыл бұрын

@@christined2495 sounds like you've put a lot of thought and effort into paring down to true minimum. Very freeing. I think the whole trick with taking photos is being extremely selective about what to keep. It requires diligent curating and then storing them properly, not on phones and tablets and laptops. I've heard that a person shouldn't keep photos they wouldn't pay money to print.

@christined2495

4 жыл бұрын

Jody Nuttall thats a great wAy to look at it, not to store the photos if you had to pay for them, I will pass that in for sure 😀

Excellent! You are so helpful and encouraging. Bless you!

I love love love this workbook. First of all, it is beautiful and secondly, you break down the process so well into digestible pieces. Thanks! Kitchen, here I come.

Your journey is amazing!👏

OMG...amazing transformation.... so far in so little time.

Love the website! I love the declutter worksheet.

Love it. So helpful!!

Assigning a number to each room is a brilliant idea! I wish that I had thought of that...I am still working on my house, but I started with the room that got on my nerves the most, the laundry room 🥴

This was so great and spot on Erica!! Love your channel ;-)

Aw brilliant 😁❤ popping over to read it now x x x

Thank you. I am overwhelmed. You are so kind and helpful.

@rachaelharris9226

4 жыл бұрын

You've got this! Just focus on one section at a time, even if it's just one drawer then move on to the next thing. It's all about the journey :o) good luck! Xx

Hi Erica, another great video. Have you thought about adding a 'Why' section to the workbook, before getting into the where and how. When things get tough it could be a good thing to remind yourself why you are doing this. When I started my decluttering journey I felt really overwhelmed. For me, I had to start small. So I did two drawers of my dresser. Once I'd done that, it felt so good that it inspired me to tackle the top shelf in my closet, which snowballed into the bathroom cabinets, then my desk drawers etc. Doing it this way, by the time I got to the most cluttered areas of my home, my decluttering 'muscles' were well developed and I the difficult decisions of what to keep and get rid of were easy because I was well practiced. Last thing I wanted to say, it's OK if you have to stop for a while. Life happens - if all of your kids get sick, and then family comes into town, and then work gets crazy, it's OK to pause your decluttering journey. If you need to, it's OK to pull into a rest stop, browse the snacks in the store, refuel your engine and wash your vehicle. The six months that it might take you to declutter your house is only a small slice of the time in your whole life, and that break you take is a smaller slice even still.

@EricaLucasLoves

4 жыл бұрын

Hi! I am actually tackling the "why" in an ebook! I'm so glad you asked. Many have commented that starting small helped them. Thanks for that advice!

I want you to know why your one of my favorites. Your the real deal. Totally authentic.... I found it more helpful starting with the easiest rooms but I didn’t write everything down. My challenge is our basement. Oh my. I have made progress but still have stuff.

@dubosesjoy

4 жыл бұрын

thebarky1988 I agree! I feel better when I can check off the small wins first and more motivated to tackle the large overwhelming space once I have the small wins under my belt. It builds my minimalism muscles when I start with the ones first.

This is an excellent approach!!!!

Watched your process from the beginning.....it's amazing to see how much you have changed and the light you give to others....Thank you Erica!!!

Hi Erica! I ❤️ the workbooks! Thank you for sharing your journey with us. So helpful! Started my "10" & my 3 concurrently. Thank you! 🐶

Thank you so much Erica!! Love your videos, so helpful, so honest and so relatable. You have done an incredible job on your house xxx

This is just what I need right now, thank you x

@EricaLucasLoves

4 жыл бұрын

Samantha Baines` great! Message me if you extra support!!

Thank you Erica. I just cleaned/decluttered 1/4 of my living room. I feel so accomplished.

gosh ! I will say it again : you are soooooo brave!

Clutter traps, all flat surfaces.. 🤦‍♀️ You’re an inspiration. Thank you.🥰

I'm sooooo glad u shared all ur processes and struggles. It really helps - truly feel the extra stuff sick the positivity out of me! I've been watching 'a small wardrobe' too - she has a very calming approach and she has some interesting ideas on non-physical item clutter hanging about too. Never thought about those.

You're awesome! ❤

You have such a sweet personality and I am so thankful to have found your channel... To See how overwhelmed and helpless you somtimes were or how much guilt/shame you felt for Shopping all of These maybe useless clutter/stuff and then to start this Journey with more gratitude and more thinking about WHAT you REALLY need/want in your Life gave me strength to Go in this Journey with you. I REALLY Love your videos because you also include the psychological Side of every little step on this Journey ❤️

Your declutter series had me hooked. I loved watching it for your personality but most importantly your perseverance (especially your basement). I'd laugh so much throughtout yhe series and became a Big Fan. I have been cleaning daily and decluttering a whole mess of junk that even carried over from my move 6 years ago. I now approach it with keeping up with the daily visual clutter, dishes, 1 load of laundry and main rooms tidy and task out 1 or 2 other Declutter messes. Having a family of 5 in a 3 bedroom apartment now has proven to me that I don't need all this extra junk as it is nothing but stress overload. Thank you for being an inspiration and giving me that motivation I searched for so very long to have.

I really did take your advice when it came to this. I was so overwhelmed just looking at the mess.

I am so excited to go through all of our stuff during the move. Both packing and unpacking, like double declutter. I will put some of your tips to the test.

You 're such a lovely person

You are such an inspiration... I’ve watched you from the beginning... I am a semi minimalist and when I saw what you had to declutter I was taken aback... I believe something had been missing in your life and you were replacing that something with shopping... Such a transition not only in your home but in your demeanour, your face, the value you place on yourself and how you look after yourself.... you are truly an inspiration...

I just have to say that I absolutely adore you my dear!! You are so down to earth and real! I have been watching your videos and they are awesome 👏🏼 Good job! My children are all grown up with kiddos of their own now and I always kept a clean organized home BUT since my husband of 28 years passed away and then 5 years later I remarried a wonderful man between us we had 2 houses filled with stuff so we bought a house for us and of course everything came with us! 😫 SO... After a year of making our way through the stacked boxes and stuff I have decided to really get going and just go through everything the house looks awesome and I have 1 room of boxes left. You have really motivated me to just get things done and I thank you so much for your videos!! ❤️😘

Im the opposite, I would start in the 1's area because people feel overwhelmed if its to much. 1's can give you a faster positive feeling of accomplishment, but I love the way you have it prioritized with numbers.

Very helpful insights

Really enjoying your post! First video of yours I watched was so nice to see real life struggles. You are giving me the motivation that I definitely need. ( also really like the lipstick color you are wearing in this video do you mind sharing what it is. ) Thanks!

I just love your process and have started working on my "stuff" I recently moved and got rid of over half of all my "stuff" so so very freeing... such a great feeling... so my question is... Do you have a video or could you maybe make one letting us know how to stay in this 'zone' (old habits are very hard to break) I would love any suggestions from you or anybody for that matter!! Thanks for all you do!! YOU ROCK

You are such a natural presents on camera! I love your videos... prioritize on paper the rooms! Brilliant!

I live in a 2 BR apt and I sleep in the small BR and use the larger BR for an office.....well one day I will. lol It has became my dumping ground. There is so much in there. I think I heard you say one time that you bought containers to organize your "stuff" instead of getting rid of your stuff. I too have done that!! Thank you for making your info free and your advise, I have decided to start on the Office in the morning!!! Thank you for keeping it real.

I love your admission that it’s six months and counting. So many people make it look like a breeze and it aint so - only maybe if you’re young, fit and nobody to undo your hard work 😓😆 BTW thanks and well done for sticking with it.

Hey thanks for that follow up email! Received it already. 👍🏻😁

I've printed the book and the design is astonishingly beautiful. It looks very professional and the topics are very easy to understand. I almost feel guilty for having it for free. Great work, love you, stay safe! 💓 P.S.: And I'm excited for another declutter video of your storage rooms 👼

Firstly I love watching your videos and your minimalist journey. I must say starting with the easiest spaces worked better for me as I could appreciate the difference decluttering and organising made which encouraged me to continue, just one drawer or cupboard at a time. It allowed me to build up my “decluttering muscles” (think that was the minimalist mom’s term) which made each space a little easier. I was then much more confident when it came to my most difficult space, my attic, and to be honest if I had started with that I know I would have given up. That’s just my experience. I’m loving having less clutter in my home and being able to easily find the things I kept. Looking forward to your future videos, and good luck with your move x

Can you image the long way you came? It's such a growing curve. Love seeing you do it.

I seriously love this video, I have done some decluttering but in between I’m like where shall I start 😲🤷‍♀️ I just needed to step back and be told how to go about it 😊thankyou so much 🙌🙌

I cleaned out my closet again today it’s the second time this year, as if the three times last year wasn’t enough, it’s like peeling an onion, right? I’m looking forward to see your next video from the crawlspace!

@Ola-zy9tv

4 жыл бұрын

Ohh yeah it really is a process. I cant even count how many times I ve decluttered mine :)

@EricaLucasLoves

4 жыл бұрын

I am going to get in there this month! I want to shop my home again, so I need to clean some things out from there.

@pamelamorrisonn

4 жыл бұрын

@@EricaLucasLoves Shop my home again lol

@kathleencremmins286

3 жыл бұрын

I have done the same thing - clearer eyes each time - I also have come to realize that what I want now may not work in the future. Learned not to say why didn't I get rid of this last time...you were using or you got rid of so much that I thought I had just the right balance. Bravo to all of us - keep moving forward in your good lane!

@jennyslavis375

3 жыл бұрын

@@kathleencremmins286 j

Erica Lucas! Juicy juice! Thank you so much for sharing! Ding! Hahaha

I am just above the line that qualifies me to be called as a minimalist..... :) Your videos have been a gr8 inspiration and I am going to spend 2 hr each day this long weekend to spot clean and revisit all rooms for an additional declutter! Not sure if you have done a video before, but do a video on how much time you actually started saving before / after declutter while cleaning/ organizing etc. How that time enabled to have more quality family time etc... Keep posting!

You look much brighter n lighter after decluttering

Centsible Living/Money Mom sent me. Good luck with your helpful videos. 👍🏻

You are getting prettier all the time, maybe you are calmer and it shows, all my best to you and your family❤️

I clicked on this video cuz I love your content always.

I watched a few of your videos at first & I kinda forgot which channels were which & I wasn’t in the right mindset to declutter...I’m finally in a better mindset!!! The room you started in, is like our basement...ours is definitely worse!!! But, we are a blended family... So, I can only declutter my things...so I need to sort things in a way where I have my things in one area & my husband & his kids in a different area, do you have any suggestions?? My husband is not one to get rid of things...thanks!!! I’m going To print out your sheets!!! Thank You!!!

You look Fresh and Fantastic ❤️ AND your a Great minimalist.

Wow, you are a great advert for why anyone should start living with less. You have youthened!

One day at a time..... that's the key! 😁

This is wonderful can we get down loadds for these steps

You are a beautiful woman and mother and I am so glad I found you

I love your lip color

Thank you for always encouraging.

Have you done something different with your hair? It looks lovely xx

👌

Please guide where to find your work book to download. Cannot find it on your website.

I too feel overwhelmed, we have too much stuff all over my house. Where do I start? I'm hiding stuff, but they're full.

Is the workbook still available? I cannot find it on your site. ={

THANK YOU SO MUCH!!

You may answer - still watching - are you going to tackle those "hidden" areas soon? Just curious, I know there is only so much time in the day.

@EricaLucasLoves

4 жыл бұрын

Yes! I started in the attic and realized the fiberglass insulation had fallen on our stuff and it's made a terrible mess. We need to dispose of that properly before I can get up there and declutter. I'm going back into the crawl space next week!

@helpmetosleep

4 жыл бұрын

@@EricaLucasLoves Wow, big job! Relatable...when one project turns into many :)

You look lovely today.

That's what takes me way longer to do or even start stuff.. indecisiveness🙄

I am you in September.

Eat the frog!!!! That’s what I say.