A photograph of a woman - guest, Timna standing in front of some trees wearing a blue top
Episode 89 – My decluttering journey with guest Timna

A decluttering journey looks very different depending on your circumstances and mindset. Timna, a Declutter Hub Bootcamp member, tells us how and when her light bulb moments happened.
Timna has amassed clutter along the way to a point where it became overwhelming. Her story is not remarkable - it's just stuff that has gathered along the way but her decluttering journey is both inspirational, motivational and one not to miss.
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Transcript of this podcast episode
Intro  0:07  
Welcome to today's episode of The declutter hub podcast, your channel for super easy, no nonsense advice on how to declutter and organise your home. Please welcome your host professional organisers, Ingrid Jansen, and Lesley Spellman.

Ingrid  0:32  
Hello, and welcome listeners to Episode 89 of the Declutter Hub Podcast. I'm Ingrid. In today's episode, I'm talking to Timna from Maryland, USA. Timna has recently done the eight week room by room declutter bootcamp. And she's done an amazing job with the bootcamp and she's been loving the motivation and support from other members that she's now decided to become a member for a year of the declutter membership. So Lesley, and I thought it would be a great idea to chat to Timna, and find out more about her decluttering journey. So welcome, Timna. 

Timna  1:10  
Hello.

Ingrid  1:13  
We're so happy you're here. So thank you so much. Now, we had a chat last week, didn't we? And because we wanted to see how you were doing, and Lesley and I were like, Oh, my gosh, you're such an inspiration, we need to ask you to come on the podcast, because we want to inspire others. And I'm delighted that you're here. So thank you so much.

Timna  1:35  
Thank you so much for asking me. I hope that I can help somebody else do.

Ingrid  1:41  
I'm sure you will. I'm sure you will. I mean, we had such a lovely chat. And what really stood out for me when we were talking on Friday. And you said, You know what, Ingrid? I just have a bit too much stuff. And I just thought, oh my god, that is so nice. Because some people say okay, it's my, my paperwork with this or that? And you said, No, I've just had a bit too much stuff. Now. That's very interesting. And thank you for being brave enough to share this with our listeners, because I think you can really, really help people with your story. So first question is, how is clutter affecting you in your home? And kind of how do you feel about is how did this all get started?

Timna  2:22  
I think it's an accumulation over many years. It just feels stressful. It increases anxiety. I, you know, I get very frustrated because I feel like it shouldn't be that way. And I get lost. And I guess I'm the only person that's like this. I you know, why do I have so much stuff? Why can I control it? Yeah. Frustrated, defeated? Sometimes.

Ingrid  2:44  
We hear a lot of people say to us, I feel really overwhelmed. Is that a good expression? 

Timna  2:51  
Yes. Yeah, so overwhelmed.

Ingrid  2:53  
And I know you say it's been like this for many years. Have you got an idea? Did it gradually build up? Or was there a certain a lot of people say to us that something happened with with somebody kind of the amount of stuffs just tripled for some reason, it hasn't been with gradually with you.

Timna  3:11  
I feel like it probably got worse. You know, we moved into a house 25 years ago, and it gives you more space to fill. And my husband really doesn't like to get rid of things, either. We're both kind of sentimental and he's, he sees the use and everything. So he likes to keep things because they're useful. I'm more sentimental, so I keep things because I feel sentimental. I'm also a scrapbooker so after I had kids at my first son is 22 My oldest son's 22 I just started keeping everything I mean, I I have cards I have, you know, I have toys I have I still have so much stuff from their youth that I just I've, you know, not been able to part with school things they would bring school stuff home, you know, so it just built I think from that point, you know, it got worse after kids, I'd say and it's just continued to grow.

Ingrid  4:11  
Yeah. Because if I if I read you it's not like you have a haunted house that you can't move in is it you have a normal house you have a nice spacious house. We all are jealous because we know that in America all the houses are like tripled the size of the houses here in the UK. We have like we live in tiny little boxes compared to you guys. But all that space you can fill up as well, can't you?

Timna  4:37  
Yeah, I've gotten used to not having clear spaces, you know, I fill them up. Now this experience has changed that somewhat and I do have some clear spaces that I don't feel like filling up with them. Even though I have things that have been there for a long time. So I have some things put away that just have never come back you know even after For Christmas, I had pictures out and things before, you know, and chase switched out and had Christmas. And then when I cleaned up the Christmas, because I started listening to you on January, I kind of just have been enjoying not having a lot of stuff back out. But I'm working on that. Getting a few of those things back out.

Ingrid  5:20  
What if it's very interesting, let me come back to the podcast in January in a minute. But just to kind of get a picture. So what kind of clutter Do you have? I mean, I know you said it's just too much stuff. Is it anything in particular? I mean, you mentioned scrapbooking already. But is it clothes or toys or books or, or paperwork, kind of

Timna  5:44  
everything I paperwork is an issue as well. You know, I have lots of papers, we still have a lot of toys, and I'm trying to get my kids to go through those, because they're older. And even if they want to save them, we need to pack them up and put them somewhere. And I have a lot of a lot of memorabilia, I have a lot of things. And that even includes maybe not just paper and pictures and cards. I mean, there's a lot of things that are actual things that were relatives and, and that I just don't know what to do with don't want to get rid of I know they say take a picture, well, then I have more pictures. But you know, it's still hard to get rid of a lot of those things. And my husband, he has tonnes of books. I've been able to release some books lately, but he's not so good with that. So you know, books are another big one that we have have lots of so really, it's everything. I can't pinpoint one thing that I have too much of

Ingrid  6:42  
when we were chatting, you said some very interesting things. Because the quarter comes from different places in your home, you kind of already kind of said, yeah, it's my relatives. It's my, my husband's grandfather's chair. So where does your stuff come from?

Timna  6:58  
Well, my mother doesn't have a lot of clutter. But I think that's because she tries to give me everything that she thinks I should care about, you know, she, she'll come in and tell me, how do you have all this stuff? Where, you know, why do you have so much stuff? What she'll bring me a bag of things and say, this was your aunt's? Well, this was your, you know, this was your grandmother's this was and then I think it takes it off of her to have to keep it. But then I get stuck with it. And then I I feel like I can't get rid of it. So that that's a that's a big one. My husband father kind of does the same thing. My husband and his family. The men in the family are the firstborn men are F H. S. And that's their, their monogram and his grandfather had a lot of monogram things. And his so his father gives them all to us because my husband is FH and my son, my oldest son is FH. So we end up with lots of that stuff. Well, I can't I mean, some of its, I mean, MacBooks and napkins and you know, things that normally wouldn't mean that much and you could get rid of them. But you know, it just takes up space. And that's that's a big one, too. Yeah, fair and family, other family heirlooms and stuff, and whether or not they're worth anything, but just the fact that they belong to other people in the family. It's it's tough to get rid of.

Ingrid  8:32  
And do you think you've got two sons, I believe? How do you feel they are which stuff? Are they both quite sentimental as well? Or is one really sentimental and the other one not? Because sometimes you see a divide in children or both of them quite like, Oh, it's coming handy one day, let's keep it

Timna  8:52  
they both kind of keep too much stuff. You know, we I was trying to go through toys with them. And they had a story for everything. Even a dirty little truck. I said, Okay, this one goes, Oh, no, we went to the beach. And and I and I lost it. And the next day we came back and found it in the same spot and was buried in the sand. Well, ah you know, I mean, there was a story for everything I picked up. So I don't know what to do with that, you know, I'm trying to get them to understand we need to really clear out some things and they can't keep 20 Totes full of old trucks and you know Erector Set and things that even some of the erector sets you know, my that when my kids were little my father in law and his wife and my mother in law, they like to go to Sales and things so they would buy tonnes of toy you know, old toys and Erector sets and all these things and one of my kids even played with them or not, I'm still I still have a lot of that stuff and my kids are like wow, no Yeah, I want to keep it for their kids. And we all know that that's, you know, the kids get too much stuff, they'll get all the new stuff. And that's what they'll want to play with. Anyway.

Ingrid  10:10  
So yeah, it's it's definitely a process, isn't it? It's those hard categories that really can bring a decluttering project to a halt, isn't it?

Timna  10:21  
Yes. And because I've tried that the toy route a couple of times with my boys, and I just end up having to walk away. And we don't get anywhere. It stays all right there. So my stuff I'm getting way better with, I'm having success. I don't know about the rest. My husband is doing a lot outside. And we can talk about that at some point. But but the toys are definitely a big issue.

Ingrid  10:46  
Yeah. So that's probably one of the last things on the list of things that that needs to be handled by, by several family members need to be involved in that. But I think what we see a lot in that what I've seen a lot as a professional organiser, is that when I work with clients, they say, I want to start there. And I'm like, is that the easiest or harder? No, that's the hardest, but you can't start there. And we're going to talk about some more about your room of doom, aren't we in a minute, because that's, that's when that same sentiment comes back, you have to start with ease your areas first. Because before you can start working on those 100 areas, because you need to get your mind and your brain and your body ready mentally, physically and emotionally to do those hotter areas.

Timna  11:32  
So it's definitely been a lesson for me an ongoing lesson. And I agree with that.

Ingrid  11:38  
Yeah, yeah. So you said something also very interesting. Last Friday that I want to chat about you were talking about flitting. And I thought that's so interesting. What do you mean with flitting,

Timna  11:50  
just active and running around the house and thinking I'm going to start something and then finding something else and going to another room, just never getting any one thing accomplished. And I am not one to sit. And you know, I love to read but I won't sit during if I'm all during the day, I don't normally sit around and do that. I mean, there's a few days here and there that I'll say I deserve this, I shouldn't do it. But most of the time, I'm, I'm thinking I gotta get things done, I have to get things done. And, and I would just never get one thing accomplished. You know, even if it was running the sweeper, sometimes I would run the sweeper and then find things that needed to be put away. So I quit running the sweeper, put that away, then that led to something else. And just never one thing got done. I'm trying to change that. And it did change with following getting focused on some things was very helpful for me. Yeah, with this with the department. That's how I, you know, got focused on specific tasks and stayed, stayed through it. Yeah,

Ingrid  12:56  
I hear that a lot. Be. And that's why with every course in Arabic, has a module that talks about preparation, because a lot of people started decluttering process, or think I'm going to tackle something, but then they kind of start without beginning and without an end. And that kind of go in between. And then they get sidetracked with something else to think oh, they're like in for example, they're in their bedroom, and go okay, I'm going to sort of my close today. Then they find plates and cups that needs to go to the kitchen. Oh, let me they're just taking three parents things are close out, or let me put those away to the kitchen. They're gonna go into the kitchen, they walk off, go to the kitchen, think, Oh, I forgot to put the bins out this morning, go put the bins out something else, they then run into their neighbour to say hello. And they come back into life. Oh, I hadn't didn't take the milk in this morning, back into the kitchen. And then if we know and there's an hour gone, and they're like, oh, gosh, I was working in my bedroom.

Timna  13:53  
Mm hmm. That's what happens. I'll be doing and I'll feel busy. I'll feel busy all day long. And it'll be three o'clock all of a sudden, I look at the clock. And I'm like, if I done I've done nothing. You know, I feel like I've done nothing. Because that's all I've done all day is chase my tail and never accomplish anything. And that's that's very frustrating. Yeah. Now to feel like I was busy all day and not have anything to show for it. I don't like that feeling.

Ingrid  14:24  
Yes, yeah. Because you think to yourself, I'm working the other day. This is my day to actually get stuff done. Now it's three o'clock and you only have to think about what's for dinner in two hours. So now I'm not going to start anything properly anymore because before you know it, it's going to be five o'clock and then I've got everybody coming home wanting to get something to eat. That's exactly it. Yeah. So you started after Christmas. You started listening. I think that's where it all started in it. You started listening to our podcast. Then what happened? Were you like, oh, this these ladies talk sense or what what kind of happened that you thought Do I need to investigate some or do something with this?

Timna  15:04  
I, it was January or right at the end of Christmas, I, you know, that timeframe. And I was looking to, I listen to podcasts often and I was searching for actually an organisational podcast, you know, sort of decluttering podcasts. And I listen to a couple that didn't really resonate with me. And then I stumbled across you guys on Spotify and started listening and went then to your Facebook group and join the Facebook group and started just checking it out. And you resonated with me, I don't I it's something clicked. And I decided to do cans in my kitchen and I and cookbooks I and I don't know, you know, I don't know why even started there. Except it was just a cupboard that really needed to be done. And I thought I'm going to pick one thing. And I'm going to do it. And I did it. And I took pictures of before and after. But at that time, I wasn't as confident. You know, I didn't know the group that well. So I didn't, I didn't post that I had them in my phone. And I thought I'll post these sometime if I feel like I can. As I went on, I think they just got inspired to do other places. And I never went back until very recently and and posted that but I got rid of a tonne of tonne of cookbooks, I still kept a fair amount. But I got rid of those. I got rid of old expired food I you know, I have an old cabinet. So it recesses in ends. And it's a built in in my kitchen. I bought Lazy Susans, I got really organised in that in that cupboard, and it just felt really, really good. And I thought I, I've got so many places I can do these kinds of things that I want to do just keep going. And then you did the 40 day challenge that was that was that started. And I kind of jumped onto that. And I thought, well I can do this, I'm gonna get rid of things. And I think about that time I started posting some things I did, you know, a kitchen drawer that had tonnes of things. And my husband even said, Oh, this were drawers like I can. I can find things in here. And it's not a problem. You know, I don't feel stressed when I go to put my utensils away, you know, I used to dread opening the drawer because half the time it wouldn't open because there was so damn full. And now I just pull it open the things away. It's amazing, you know, and I just did a lot of other drawers and things like that. And then I did the boot camp. I decided to pay to do the eight week boot camp. And that was a that was pretty life changing shortly.

Ingrid  17:53  
So yes, yes, you had a massive success with a boot camp happened to you it really you just went for it.

Timna  18:00  
So I like the accountability. I think that's it. I do better with an accountability and I do better with a with a plan. You know, so I was happy to have you all tell me. Yeah. It helped me it just helped a lot. You know, when when there was a plan to follow, and you guys were telling me how to do it. I just, I was able to do it. Yeah, yeah. Because besides the bootcamp you get every week he got new lessons with this is what you need to do. This is how you need to do with this is how you declutter. This is how you organise. This is where you look at storage. We told you all of that in the bootcamp. But besides that, we did weekly q&a Live q&a sin, we where you can ask your questions. And we were part of a forum where you can post photos and that accountability that you were talking about, and that worked really well for you didn't it? Yes. Because on the Facebook group, I would only really post my before and afters when I completed something, you know, so I, I did something done, and I'd be happy with it. And I did take before and afters for everything that I had, you know, pictures, pretty much. And I would then show after I was successful. But when I was on the, in the eight week boot camp, and it was the, you know, more private, not everybody on Facebook seeing it, I got to the point where I felt confident enough to post befores and say, This is it, I'm going to change this. And, you know, that was pretty neat, too, because I I wasn't willing to do that before, you know, to show how bad something was. And then, I mean, I was very happy to show the askers when when it got done, but I was able to show the befores and, you know, then show the progress after and I wasn't willing to do that on the Facebook group. You know, just the support and everything in the bootcamp.

Ingrid  19:54  
That's exactly the reason why we have our own internal forum for both boot camp and the membership because it gives you just a bit more privacy in sharing your progress. And everybody else in the in the boot camp and in the membership knows exactly how it feels to see halfway photos or beginning before photos because and that it takes time. And it takes effort and it takes energy to tackle areas. So nobody expects a complete after immediately. And it's just motor, it's very motivating. And it helps you to set goals and go you know what, I'm going to post this today, this is my project for this weekend. And you think oh my gosh, I posted it in the forum I have to do.

Timna  20:38  
Yes, it's, it's the accountability. Yeah. And I'm willing to, you know, take the time and do it. And, you know, I'd also say that, you know, it is it is time consuming to do. And I find it exhausting at times, because it's all those decisions, and your brain has to work that whole time. And even if it's a kitchen drawer where you're like, you know, you've got 40 spatula, or something, and maybe not 40. But I had a lot. You know, it's like, well, which ones do I like, which ones do I use? What am I going to do with these things, you know, and I do have a camper, my son has a camper. So you know, I kept things so I could switch out and be able to put the more useful things there. And then I'll donate everything else. There's still some Limbo there. But yeah, I mean, it's at the end, you know, a couple hours, and I'm like, oh, I need a nap.

Ingrid  21:32  
decluttering is very tiring. And that's why Lesley and I always say pick a time of day, when you're at your best. You know, if you're not a morning person way to live it later in the day to do some decluttering if you're more of an evening person, maybe do it in the evening, you need to be in your best because the decisions that you make in your brain has to go in full power. And that's why it's so important to have some food in you and to have had a cup of tea before. So you your your your sustenance is up to be able because your brain has got to work. It's not only the physical stuff of putting things, either back in that you're going to keep or in the back that needs to go to a donation centre or whatever. It's all those decisions. That is the part that takes a lot of energy. Yes, it really does. So if you think about the bootcamp, what do you think you had your mouth? I mean, you did all of them really well. But what were the ones that really kind of hit the spots? When you think oh, my gosh, I did so well on that.

Timna  22:32  
Definitely my final room, I removed Doom, which I think you're gonna ask me about. And that was a big one, I'd say my biggest. I'm kind of between the 40 the 40 day challenge, and that, you know, it's like, it's all Oh, in here, but bathroom cabinets. That was a big one, I actually pulled one of my containers out of there this morning and was like, I'm using some things. And I have more room in this one. And at first, I was like, what else can I put in the ideas and I had so much stuff and I want to be able to use the things that I have and not go to the store. And just, you know, by doing that and pulling it out. I can see Yeah, how many of these do I have, I don't need to get any more of those. And that's, that's a big one. But those are my bathroom cupboards i I'm very pleased with like, I know what's in there, there. It's organised, it's not all jammed full of stuff. And that was a good one. And the fact that you guys told me not to start with my big room that I my room of doom. And, and I trusted that I said, I it makes sense what you're saying, you know, to go to other places first and, and so I did and you know, when we did kitchen cabinets i the other day, I did make glass glassware, cups and glasses and i i actually have space in there, which at first kind of freaked me out, you know, but I can it's not a problem to put things away and it's okay if things get shifted around in that space because I have the space and my room was the big thing, but it's all of it I find daily. You know, when I look in a cabinet, I'm like, Oh, I can see that or oh I don't have that I need more of that and it's just not really happening yet because I had too much but oh using up stuff I'm findings are found not

Ingrid  24:32  
being afraid of having space in your cupboards and when you open a cupboard you don't have to be afraid of something falling out because it's so jam packed that you're like I wonder what's going to come out this time. And now being able to open it without giving it a second thought. Because you know that everything is in there you need it's not so packed that you have to always work hard every time to get something out or to put something back in and That's a thing also, so helpful. When you just do your daily, you know, a load of your dishwasher. It's everything gets easier when you have less stuff. It's that sounds crazy, doesn't it?

Timna  25:13  
How it feels so much better. I can say, you know, I'm out of soap. Oh, let me go to my soap in in my end, I end there so. And it's and I don't have to root for it or wonder if it's in the other place that I would keep. So sometimes, it's all in the same place in a basket, and I can see what I have. And it's just, I don't know, I just take a breath. Sometimes I wait. No, I look in and I'm like, Oh, it makes me. It just makes me happy.

Ingrid  25:47  
I completely I get that. I'm really sad. I'm just so happy. I'm a professional organiser. I love my job. It feels good. Yeah, yeah, it feels good, doesn't it, it feels so good. And it's not like, you've like decluttered likes 40 carloads of stuff. But it because everything is now starting to find its place. And things are moving in the right place, you know where it is, and exactly what you're saying, I know now where my shop is. So if I'm going to look for it only to look in one place. I know it's there. So I know if I still have enough. And you are really using up all the items as well that you had in surplus.

Timna  26:31  
Yes. And that that feels really good. Because I, you know, I don't want other things to expire food wise, you know, I don't want things to keep expiring that I have to throw away that I spend money on and it has helped the way of shot where the way I shop, you know, I'm not letting myself buy those special little, you know, jars of this and jars of that because I number one, I have a lot of it. And I just those are the kinds of things I don't use as much you know, because I'll keep them for something special, and then they don't get used and then they expire, then I throw them away. So I'm not letting myself buy that kind of junky stuff, just to have because I have so much. So

Ingrid  27:14  
it's that realisation as well. When you start to kind of declutter the realisation how much you have, isn't it? So tell us about your room of doom, because that's how it all started. It was I think one of the first things you said, I need to clear out my room of doom. And what did Lesley and I say? No, not yet. And you probably would go but wait a minute, this is why I'm here. I need to do my room of doom. And listen, I said no, no, no, you need to do other so what is your what's in there your room.

Timna  27:46  
It is a catch all room it is it became a dumping ground. It was my it was my pantry. It was my scrapbook stuff. It was I mean, well, it still is, but it's way better. And just I tend to have too many baskets, but I'm used I'm my I strive to get I've gotten rid of some and I'm striving to use the ones that I have just everything and tonnes of memorabilia for scrapbooking. I mean, you know, I have two big tubs with my kids use school and scout, just things and I've been putting things in there where I find them pictures and it's just I have, there's a lot of stuff and it just got very overwhelming, you know, the food, I would just bring, you know, grocery bags and and set them on the floor because I didn't have any room on shelves. And, and it just really got it got really bad. But it's not like that, then I'm making myself rules. You know, I if I buy it, and I have to be able to put it on a shelf, I have to be able to find a spot for it somewhere. My new rule, and I've so far I've done pretty well with it. And I have a clue, I had a table in there that my intention was to be able to scrapbook on or presents or whatever. And I just couldn't even get to it, you know, because everything would go in that room if you just or my mom or somebody would give me something that I had no other place for it in there. It just went in there because I could pull the curtain or shut it and and no one had to look in there. And so it was kind of a room of doom room of shame. I just I just didn't I didn't I didn't want people going in there. I was like oh yeah, I got that. Yeah, so

Ingrid  29:34  
So have you you've done a lot of work on your room, haven't you?

Timna  29:38  
Yes, I've spent a lot of time in there and it's it's the room that I'd say was a room with that I would flip to before all the time I'd say I'm I tell everybody in the house. I'm gonna go work in my room. Well, I would I there I would just get completely overwhelmed. It wasn't a matter of finding things. You know, I would just go in there and I would literally just I felt crushed. You know, I didn't know where to start. I couldn't fathom it. I couldn't picture it. I couldn't deal with it. So I would leave and go do something else flit somewhere else. But I just, I have started that room so many times. I can't even I can't even tell you. But this time it worked. I had a better system. And that was you, you all you know, so pick a pick apart. So I did all the food first, which was, you know, I got rid of a lot of expired things. I found containers I, you know, I, I organised and it made a huge difference. Once I got through shelves done. It freed up space on the floor, I was able to move or in the room. And it just kind of started the ball rolling. I was able to then work through it. So yeah, big. It was a big job.

Ingrid  30:56  
Oh, yes. Oh, yes. And we've been following you closely. Haven't we been sharing your pictures in the group in the bootcamp, and we've been cheering you on and telling you to keep going, and you've had amazing success? And what I was wondering because you have done a lot. So how is the rest of the family? Are they? Were they resistant to what was happening? Or are they kind of slowly but surely getting on board a little bit? What's what's happening? Do you see change? Do they comment? Wow, mom, that looks really nice. Oh, wow, great job, or how, how's that, how's the rest of the family? Getting

Timna  31:32  
on board how my boys like to make fun of me. So that's, that's, that's, that's ongoing. But, you know, they see that the things in the in that room, you know, if they have a specific I have, I've made kind of a place for my one son who packs his lunches a lot. And he he'll buy certain things that he wants, and I have a spot in there where his stuff is, and I've noticed his things dwindling, or him putting maybe a thing or two pack in there. So he's, he's using it or he knows where if I find it somewhere else, I'll put it in his spot, so to speak. And they're able to find things and they'll go in the room and they know where things are, even though the boys may not admit it. I think they like that, you know, and my my husband does too, he's he's pretty impressed with it. His stuff is a lot of big things outside big clutter. He's very handy. He's a machinist. By trade, he fixes a lot of things. So he sees value in all the metal. But he has made a lot he's been working outside. He has a dump truck load to go to the scrap metal, which it's like tractors and big things. It's big stuff. And he's just really coming along there. So I'm, I'm assuming that it's partly because I've been doing so much in the house that it's kind of rolled over. It's things he's talked about for a long time, but just hadn't done. And he actually said, he's like, Well, I hate to pull all this stuff out. And then have it sit here I said, but that's really how you have to do it, you know, like and because that's how I've been doing it, pulling everything out, putting it on a table, looking through it, you know, figuring out what to get rid of what's going back. And so I'm kind of thinking maybe he's seen that and realised that might be the way you have to do it. So that's what he's doing. And it's working. Because he's I mean, there's stuff everywhere. I said it'll get worse before it gets better. You know? So it's a little worse right now, but not so much. Because there's spots that are clear. I mean, that's not going to stay that way. He's cutting off stuff, it'll go back in the east, he'll know what's there. And it'll be the useful things. Hopefully.

Ingrid  33:54  
Yeah, no, it's it's it's definitely a team effort isn't it is definitely a team efforts. But it's so nice to hear that some of your hard work is rubbing off on the other people, and that it's not going unnoticed, and they might not even realise it. But it's actually what you think they might even say something about it, but they're looking at you thinking, my mom is Ace. She's doing a great job here. You know what I mean? So you had a fantastic success with the bootcamp and you've now decided to become a member of the membership for you. So some listeners might think but she's done the bootcamp so why is she now becoming a member so what what made you decide to go you know what I need to stick with it? What was the reason you think, you know what, I

Timna  34:44  
actually need to stay in this membership. I just wanted to keep going with more more of the support and I like you guys and then there's other people in the membership that you know, we all kind of, you know, tip cheer each other on and share our stuff. So we know that we're not the only ones out there dealing with, you know, that covered or this or that. And I just, I have more to do. So I thought, why not, I wanted to keep going, I didn't want to, I didn't want to stop. And the system already helped me. And I just need to keep going.

Ingrid  35:20  
I think you realise how important space is for you how important the order is working for you how much success you've had. So you want to keep going, you've saved money without a shadow of a doubt. You're, you're less wasteful. You're being more careful when you're shopping. So it's not only about the stuff, you're you're changing your whole perspective on things as well, aren't you?

Timna  35:45  
Absolutely, yes. And it really hit this all hidden a good time, obviously, because I haven't been able to work because of, you know, being on stay at home orders for a couple months. And I this just all clicked it all hit at the same time. But you know, I will be going back to work. And but you know, so I still want to be able to follow along and fit my projects in where I can. But I feel like this has been great, because I've gotten some of the big big stuff done. But I like I said, I still have a lot to do. And I just want to keep going with it. I like the support. I like the accountability. It's just helped. So I thought, why not?

Ingrid  36:29  
Yeah, yeah. Well, we're so glad you have because it's just been so wonderful to see you flourish in the boot camp. And now to make sure that you're in the membership, and you can continue the journey. And I think it's also made you realise that decluttering is something that can't be done in three weeks, it does take time. And you're probably going to see at some point throughout your year, you're going to go back to areas and all the lessons that you've learned, you're going to go through stuff again, because you're finding stuff in other parts of your house that now need to go to a certain area. And then you probably have to go through it again. It's it's never a one stop processes. It's something that continuously needs a little bit of attention, and it gets a little bit easier every time you get around to it. And even

Timna  37:17  
just finding things. You know, I did a bit I did a shoe Declutter. I have way too many shoes. And I'm still finding I mean, it's nice that I have room for what I have now, you know, I still have way too many shoes. But I have tried some on that I'm like, You know what, I'm not gonna wear these, you know, and so I'm trying to weed those out. And it's just easier to say, I don't wear these, you know, I said, I said to a friend something about how many shoes I had. And she said, Well, I never noticed that you have like, any special or fancy shoes on and I was like, well, they aren't necessarily and those are the ones I don't wear. You know, those are the ones that stay in the closet. I just wear the same stuff off. But I have a lot in case I need them. Yeah. But it's me it's a little bit easier to say, You know what, even if I spent money on their shoes, I don't wear them, they are not comfortable or I don't like the way they look now. It's time to just let them go. You know?

Ingrid  38:20  
Well, gosh, that's so so so interesting. So good. Then the last question for you then Is there anything else you would like to share with our listeners you think you know what this is the one thing or maybe two things or three things that I would love for them to hear this one while listening to this podcast this

Timna  38:38  
is kind of a file parking thought the big thing was don't do the big thing. Don't do the big thing first, I wanted to do that room so desperately and I I just trusted you know Ingrid and Lesley said don't do that first follow these other things, do these other things first. And it works. You know, I was able to practice I think one of you maybe Lesley you know or we every both of you said you know it's like a muscle you have to you have to build it up you have to realise that you number one are in control I think and that you can get rid of things and it's easier to practice getting rid of things in your junk drawer and your you know, your shoes and your your bathroom cabinet. Then work your way up to the hard things that you know where there's lots and lots of stuff. So that was really a big one. And I liked following a plan I liked having a goal for okay we did the bathroom. You know we did the kitchen instead of flitting around, you know set your mind to that one thing and start on it and and try to finish that small thing, that drawer, and it it really just makes the ball keep rolling. You're like, well, what's the next door? I can do? You know? Yeah, it's makes a big difference.

Ingrid  40:11  
Well, I love it. And thank you, Timna, so much for, for sharing that with us and for your inspiration and for your honesty and listeners. I hope you've enjoyed timless decluttering journey and her story of how she ended up in declutter hub and what is brought to her and that just having too much stuff is is very possible. It's not one particular thing. It's just a bit of everything that's too much and where do you then start? And Timna has found a way and we're delighted that she's in the declutter hub, and she's going to stay in a member's area. So we hope her journey has inspired you. So thanks so much for taking the time to listen today. Thank you, Timna, for being a guest on our podcast.

Timna  40:57  
Thank you for asking me. Absolute pleasure is all mine, honestly. 

Ingrid  41:02  
So if you are listening and think you know what, I want to get some more advice and I'm on tips. Follow social media. We are on Instagram, Twitter, Facebook is at declutter hub. And as Timna said, we've got a lovely supportive Facebook group, where we check all things flutter, you can find us on Facebook on the declutter hub community. And indeed, we've got the bootcamp we've got the members area, so if you'd like to know more about those have a look on the clutter hub.com and then click on the shop for check us out on members dot declutter hub.com for more information. If you don't want to miss the next weekly episode, please subscribe to the declutter hop podcast on Apple podcasts, Spotify and Stitcher and we'll pop into your notifications each Friday. See you next time.

Outro  41:51  
Thanks for listening to this week's episode of The declutter hub podcast. Check out declutter hope.com for more inspiration, and don't forget to tune in next week.
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