50 Comments so far

1. Linda Holloway on November 10, 2008 8:00 pm

   I’ve been doing that a little at a time. It feels great to clean it out!
   I hope AnneMarie is ok with that…..

2. marlene on November 10, 2008 8:05 pm

   I love to purge and according to my husband a little too much! I’ve thrown out things of his that he actually could have used. So word to the wise, ask first before throwing someone elses stuff out!

   When there isn’t so much clutter I feel so much better!

3. Deborah Gordon on November 10, 2008 8:07 pm

   Hi Kevin,

   That was great! I can’t wait to show this to my husband. He is (I don’t want to say) a pack rat and I am the complete opposite. I’m so bad, I open up birthday cards and then throw them away. My husband is so bad, once I cleaned out his room and put all his stuff outside and I realized I threw him out with the junk. lol just kidding. But we are complete opposites.

4. Linda B. on November 10, 2008 8:08 pm

   I love to purge as well! It makes me feel like I really accomplished something. The problem is that I have a long ways to go to streamline my life and not enough hours in the day…so I am going to set aside an hour a day and pick an area and deal with it. I think that with little chunks of time I will eventually get it all done. Hopefully!! Take care…

5. BrownOctober on November 10, 2008 8:11 pm

   I totally agree that the inside of our body and the health of it is manifest in our outside environment, and also vise-versa. If you have a bunch of junk sitting around collecting skin particles and mold, of course you are not going to feel good. If you don’t feel good, you be come stressed and depressed, and leave stuff around to collect skin particles and mold. Bad cycle to get caught up in. I have personally seen this in quite a few cases. In almost all cases, when they (or even I at one point) cleaned up my external environment, it encouraged me to want to do the same internally.

   Great episode, and a great encouragement to do some further purging.

   “I have become Electric Bi-Nature”

6. Peggy on November 10, 2008 8:15 pm

   Kevin, I totally agree! Check out my article called “Feng Shui Your Figure” which is all about decluttering your house — and your body!!

   Check it out on the articles page — for free!!

   Love the show ~
   Peggy Hall
   http://www.PeggyHall.com
   wwwYogaforSurfers.com

7. Jenna on November 10, 2008 8:30 pm

   Thank you for this inspiration! I’ve been working on this very thing for the past week or so, getting ready for a move Jan. 1st. I’m one who has what I have because I feel it either has a purpose or an emotional attachment (yes, I did say attachment. To things, but here’s an example: I have about a dozen tiny boxes from my grandmother from various countries she’s been to during her ongoing travels around the world). Those are staying, but clothes and other things are slowly being weeded out.
   Because it’s a little harder for me to really get down to the basics, I find that repeated sweeps through my stuff helps me eliminate one or a few things at a time until, lo and behold, I have a whole box of stuff to get rid of!
   I really dig the donation idea. I thought about having a yard sale, but the idea of it just stresses me out; how much would I make? when and how to do it, etc. I’d rather just say good riddance. THAT is ultimate let-go; without anticipating anything in return. How (en)lightening!

8. Bernadette on November 10, 2008 8:38 pm

   Hi Kevin,

   I agree.. but the shoes.. that would be difficult!!

9. dede on November 10, 2008 8:41 pm

   Yeahhh!! I love to purge also….it feels soo great AND truthfully - I can not remember ever (that’s a long time!!!) getting rid of something that later I was sorry about losing. AND you are right - its a great metaphor for my health - and I really haven’t applied that skill TO my health nearly as well as …..as I can right NOW :-)…..loved this episode so much that I watched it twice in a row, Kevin..great job

10. melissa on November 10, 2008 8:51 pm

    this has nothing to do with this post but i want to let you know that i tried the dr graham 2 week high fruit low fat diet for 2 weeks. i have had chronic yeast infections for the past 7 years. well, my yeast infection didn’t go away, my forehead acne (buried whiteheads… so oily and bumpy) came back full force and i came down with some cold/flu.

    but before i got sick, i felt so good on the diet. that is the thing that confuses me. not only did i have energy- for the first time in a looong time, i wanted to exercise! but the biggest thing was that (here comes some girly stuff), i did not have ONE cramp or any breast swelling before my period and it snuck up on me. i have never had that before. i have always known beforehand that my period was coming. this time, it was painless with no bloating.

    fast forward to going back on a no fruit, unfortunately higher fat diet… i haven’t had a bad period like this in so long. i didn’t take any pain meds, but i really wanted to. work was very hard. my breasts are sore and my cramps intense. however, my acne is gone and my yeast infection dwindling.

    so right now i’m confused on what to do. i definitely dont want acne or yeast, but im afraid of gaining weight and this painful period just doesnt seem natural. (i know it’s common, but i dont think its natural). any thoughts out there? im currently on probiotics, candex, digestive enzymes, caprylic acid… blah blah. i was taking these during the high fruit diet, as well as now, during my no fruit diet.

11. Holly on November 10, 2008 8:54 pm

    I used hold onto way too many things..
    I recently sorted through loads of stuff I had accumulated, and took it all to a charity shop I still have more to purge. Along with that, I’m eating an all raw vegan diet now

12. Linda on November 10, 2008 9:04 pm

    Does Annmarie know you showed us her files and shoes? Some women’s shoes are sacred!!

    A while back I took everything out of the kitchen into the living room and decided to put back only the items that I used and jetison the rest. Well, now both rooms are a mess. I may need professional help.

    I do think that too much clutter can cause emotional and even physical problems so I will persue the purge until the end.

13. Sarah Jeppson on November 10, 2008 9:07 pm

    This is SOOO what I am trying to do now!! I get stuck on the large expensive items that need to be sold because thrift stores don’t even take them. You have inspired me though to maybe go through the house stuff again before tackling the basement and garage! Thank you! I love how your show puts all these different areas on health together. It really IS a lifestyle!

14. Steve B on November 10, 2008 9:33 pm

    This past week-end I totally cleaned out my attic, which had wedding gifts from 24 years ago, along with broken and old toys from 3 kids. I donated some stuff, trashed others and moved some Xmas stuff out to the shed. It felt great. I know exactly what you mean about purging having a physical effect on you.

15. Cindy on November 10, 2008 9:50 pm

    I have a hard time purging, but after I “just do it,” I feel sooo good! Sometimes I have a hard time getting rid of things because I think about having to repurchase it if I do need it in the future. However, it is so nice to be rid of clutter. (My husband and I have been purging recently since we moved - the perfect time to go through your stuff is when packing and unpacking all of it.)

16. DebB on November 10, 2008 10:17 pm

    Another great show Kevin! This is a topic dear to my heart. I love to purge, I just don’t do it often enough. It does make me feel great. This stuff collects so much dust - ugh! I love my surroundings to be clean and organized. I don’t like to ‘hunt’ for anything.

    Now my (yes, pack rat) husband on the other hand… Purge ON! *Ü*

17. Brigitte on November 10, 2008 10:21 pm

    I have alternated periods of accumulating and purging most of my life. I am getting slightly better at not accumulating so much in between anymore, but still have a ways to go. Now that there’s this possible “disaster” scenario, I’m more security oriented again and hate to throw anything out “in case I need it in the future”, ha, ha! Don’t know how to get over that one!

18. earthmother on November 10, 2008 10:42 pm

    Purge – Purge – Purge! I’m not one to hang on to “stuff” and I can’t stand clutter.

    Hey, how come everything was Annmarie’s?? Annmarie’s files, Annmarie’s shoes, Annmarie’s desk — what did KEVIN purge this weekend?

    Me? I spent Saturday afternoon filling Hefty-size garbage bags with Hefty-size clothing that is now waaaaaaay too big on me, after completing the 100 Day RawFu Challenge. It felt so good to donate the clothes to Planet Aid.

19. Julie on November 10, 2008 10:49 pm

    I’m a VERY disorganized person! Never can make anything look good! When I mop the floor I forget to put the mop and bucket away…. that kind of thing! But now purging! My love! At least I know when I purge the stupid thing is not going to come back and .. ta da.. It doesn’t have to be organized anymore because its GONE! I love it. for those who don’t like to purge. start easy. 25 things a day 3X a week. Works miracles
    Julie

20. Julie on November 10, 2008 10:54 pm

    Oh…. and BTW.. I love cleansing my body too. kidney cleanses… parasite cleanses … bowel cleanses… liver and gallbladder cleanses. I feel better than I have in years
    Julie

21. Linda on November 10, 2008 11:40 pm

    Purging is difficult for me but I’m in the process now off doing just that. It feels liberating!!!!

22. kali on November 11, 2008 12:15 am

    Yes, Yes! Me, too! I get rid of everything!
    I love empty drawers and closets and .. rooms!
    SPACE!
    I always say I want to get it down to David Carradine’s
    Kwai Chang Caine: barefoot and “my” equivalent of a bamboo flute
    on my back.. heh!
    FREEDOM!

    Thanks, Kevin.. another fun one!

23. Linda on November 11, 2008 12:28 am

    Wow, great show. I am real pack rat so I found your show inspirational and now perhaps I will get the motivation to clean up my major piles and then work on my health. Thanks.

24. Maria on November 11, 2008 12:31 am

    That is a great point Kevin. Thanks for bringing it up. I’ve been meaning to get to doing that for a long time.

    Thanks for the push. I know I alway feel great after a good decludge.

    Thanks again,

    Maria

25. Wideyed on November 11, 2008 12:39 am

    I think your external environment is really a reflection of your internal workings so when you make the choice and have the intent to clean, the effects are both an internal and external cleansing.

26. Faye on November 11, 2008 2:46 am

    Good advice - much needed. Thanks for reminding me

27. Gary on November 11, 2008 3:20 am

    Since I do so much of my own food preparation, my kitchen needs a good clean out about every month or so esp. since I have a smaller apt. size space.
    I’ve been constantly clearing my stuff for about 6 years and I’m proud of what I don’t have anymore.
    The peace in your eyes, Kevin, showed you must have gotten rid of some “draggy down your energy stuff”, I haven’t seen you looking so good (less “wired” more calm).
    A book I use and recommend for inspiration and motivation is “Clear Your Clutter with Feng Shui” by Karen Kingston–the best.

28. Nir on November 11, 2008 3:42 am

    I’m a hoarder to the point of wondering if I am OCD. On October 1st my landlord suggested that the mess may encourage infestation and suggested decluttering - on threat of eviction if I do not comply. I’m working on it on and off. It can be mentally difficult to let go of things you feel might be useful, even if you have not touched them for a while. School textbooks from 20 years ago or the 6 VHS recorders and 700 VHS tapes I have not touched for the 5 years I’ve given up TV (an addiction I’m no longer completely cured of now unfortunately thanks to computer-based TV like this mini-show)

29. Markji on November 11, 2008 4:05 am

    huh… hey! looks like it was all Annmarie’s stuff that had to go!!! LOL!

    OMG! Where is Annmarie???!!!

30. Susan : ) on November 11, 2008 5:10 am

    have you heard of http://www.flylady.net ?

    I have been a flybaby for years and have decluttered my life!

    thanks for your video!

31. linda on November 11, 2008 5:58 am

    seems like you were saying annmarie was the messy one ….you never mentioned what you got rid of ..only annmarie..???? well i am the pack rat in my house………….and no matter how often we clean out, it just piles up again……………
    thanks for the incentive to do it again because this has been on my mind lately……..winter is a good time to purge too……………..

32. Mara Lindstrom on November 11, 2008 7:59 am

    Thanks for the inspiration!

33. Lynn on November 11, 2008 10:14 am

    I just LOVE to organize things, and purging helps with that. I store my out of season clothes in a bin in another closet in the basement. I go through each item of clothing, even trying on many things, when I store them and next season when I bring them back to my closet. I love seeing the pile of things I can give to someone who needs them more than I do. It gives me a good idea then of what I actually do have, and it keeps my clothes organized, so I know what I have and where it is. I wear all my clothes that way, not just a few things over and over.

34. Cindi on November 11, 2008 10:48 am

    For me, purging my living space comes along with removing waste from my body. I don’t think we can be happy with cluttered emotions, living space, etc. if we are decluttering our bodies. It is a gradual process for all of these, I’ve noticed. Some “things” seem more important than they are until we get to that level in our personal health. Then we realize we don’t need those attachments. Addiction goes very deep. Dhumil did a segment on how our buying practices have changed since going raw. It is amazing to watch this part of us change as well as our health.

35. Melinda on November 11, 2008 11:24 am

    Hey Kevin!

    Great episode! It’s so true that we like to hold onto things. I have slowly been changing this and have had help through a website called http://www.flylady.net who has helped me immensely. She talks about how we can do anything for 15 minutes and that includes cleaning up after ourselves as well as decluttering!

    Just two weeks ago I was overwhelmed with all the kids’ toys in our family room. Usually I ask my kids to donate items they no longer play with but this is hard for a 3 and 5 year old to do. This time I asked them what they wanted to keep and gave them one bin each to pile high. Well after they went to bed that night I took the remainder and put it into storage (four large garbage bags worth) thinking if they asked for anything I’d get it but otherwise leave it there for a couple of months and then donate it. Well, it’s been two weeks and they have only wondered where some building blocks were at. I couldn’t believe it. Clean up for them is so much more simple now. It’s great!

    Meantime working on my own clutter I have a goal to donate one bag - large or small - per week of stuff. Maybe I should get my husband to go through my stuff…put it in storage and only bring back those things I ask for or miss in the next two months. Hmmm…

    Thanks again for another great show.

    Bless others with the stuff we no longer need. Someone out there needs it more than we do!

36. Al on November 11, 2008 11:26 am

    An uncluttered home is part of an uncluttered, productive life. Great show.

37. Muriel on November 11, 2008 12:53 pm

    I purge on a regular basis. I cannot think in a cluttered space. Luckily i live by myself so i can let go of whatever i feel is no longer needed. Some of my friends sometimes think my house is too bare, i hate anything that gathers dust such as knickknacks, etc. As a result, my home is my peaceful haven, i can focus on the moment without being bombarded by distractions and chaos. I would just love to help people unclutter their spaces, it is totally liberating.

38. Jacqueleen on November 11, 2008 3:11 pm

    Over the summer by bf and I moved from a 3 bedroom apt. to a small 1 bedroom Manhattan apt. and had to purge excessively. It was GREAT! However, I would like to work on mentally purging bad thoughts/events/opinions as well as I can detach myself from material objects. The next step

39. del on November 11, 2008 6:55 pm

    Inspirational! I look at my office rigt now and see the books piled up. Many of them I’ve wanted to read for years. Papers on the floor, Electronic stuff here and there. Bottom line is that, you’re right, it is uncomfortable and weighs heavy on my soul. Lightening up the load of STUFF is definitely on my action list. Thanks for the reminder and the inspiration. I probably won’t show this video clip to my wife until I’m done cleaning first. Then I can savor the feeling of accomplishment.

40. John on November 11, 2008 11:46 pm

    I definitely hold on to things too long, more out of not always knowing what to do with things. I don’t like to throw out anything that is useful to someone so I end up holding onto things that I can’t use but hope to find someone who can. I do always feel good after purging a lot of stuff though. I need to do this very soon I think!

41. Beth on November 12, 2008 3:36 am

    Gone are the days when all my stuff would be just two loads in the Vanagon. Now me,partner and 7 yr. old son have a 2 bedroom house and I’m the official “clutter police”. I do periodic sweeps but because of your show now I want to really dig deeper and get rid of two boxes of old college papers that I’ll never use again. We have a spare room that is quickly becoming the catch all for empty boxes that I’m wondering why I don’t just flatten to recycle. It’s supposed to become an art and music studio which is evident but the boxes overhead kill something. I can’t imagine not keeping up on this but my partner and I differ on books where I have a whole bookcase full to his one shelf. I can’t part with books given as gifts or ones I’ve had for twenty years. It was a huge thing to actually box up the ones I’ve accumulated from our local bookstore which gives credit or cash for the ones they can resell. I can see why people can make a living helping people get rid of stuff!

42. Ron on November 13, 2008 3:51 am

    I feel so good after watching this show, I’m going to go through my closet, pick out a bunch of stuff I need to purge myself of, and give them to my servants also!

    Wait, wait, ummm I don’t have servants. Goodwill, here it comes back for the next worthy soul….

43. Margot Nader-de Jonge on November 13, 2008 4:26 am

    Recently I have been de-cluttering for six weeks, day in and day out. For me it’s hard to let things go, as it feels like I’m throwing away my life and the lives of my loved ones. Fortunately I met a lady who knows a lot of people who need all kinds of everything. So everything which we don’t use anymore, but is still usefull I brought to her. It’s not finished yet, but already it feels a lot more peacefull.

44. Lauri on November 13, 2008 7:11 pm

    For years I was one who jammed so many clothes in my closet that I could hardly move the hangers. I would be forced to purge every once in awhile just so I could get in. Someone gave me a piece of advice that I’ve followed for some time now and my closet has never been the same. Whenever I buy something and add it to my closet I remove my least favorite item and put it in a donation box. Also, after each season I’ll remove anything that I didn’t wear and will most likely not wear the following year. Now, I actually have space between my hangers, I can see everything I own. AND, I actally WEAR everything I own.

    So, I guess I have mini-purges all year long instead of one big one. It works great!

    It just so happens that I’m about to go shopping right now. Hmmm…I wonder what else is going in the donation box?
    Lauri

45. Jeanne on November 22, 2008 2:37 pm

    Please, please, please let me know where these hot springs are!!!

46. Debby Grimm on November 22, 2008 5:29 pm

    Boy, it looks like your other bloggers are much more successful than I. While I know it is good, I seem to continually be stopped in my tracks. Without fail, any truly big purges result in my regretting something I got rid of. Life circumstances (divorce, loss of jobs) have not helped, nor has the current economy. Am doing better, but have a long, long way to go to even begin to see the light at the end of my cluttered tunnel. I’m not as bad as those people you see on Oprah, but some days feel as though I’m getting close. I do think that the “loss” of people can make us want to hang onto things (since the “things” can’t abandon us!), and to mis-quote an old quote…”Nothing I’ve ever let go of didn’t have my claw marks on it…” FlyLady has been a help, but I’m so far from “flying” that I should be ashamed to admit to having ever logged onto her site. She does, however, NOT allow us to shame ourselves, and I would highly recommend taking a look. If anybody has further tricks that have helped them let go, I would love to hear them!
    d

47. Nelly (Montreal) on November 22, 2008 6:03 pm

    Hi Kevin,
    I heard you talking about running out of exercise ideas…may be my own experience in this field will help you to refresh your exercise routines.

    First, it’s much more invigorating and pleasurable to exercise with music; no matter what type of workout I am having, I am never without my MP3 player with all my favorite up-beat dance music.

    Second, I love mini trampoline! As you probably know, rebounding is one of the best and safest exercises. It’s known to be “cellular and limphatic” exercise, that tremendously helps us to detoxify our bodies on top of all the other benefits.

    So, hop on your trampoline anywhere you want -indoors or outdoors - put on earphones with your favorite hits and get all bouncy and funky. You will absolutely love it! It will just never get boring, because you are creating all sorts of movement patterns and their combinations; and before you notice…you’ll have been on it jumping with joy for hours.
    Have Fun!!!

48. Pam on November 22, 2008 7:54 pm

    You two are so right about the value of purging one’s living space of unused, unnecessary detritus/belongings. My husband Bob & I (he more than I, I’ll admit) have been doing just that for past several months, on and off. We’ve got what amount to 3 adults’ households that have merged and grown over the years we’ve lived here (since ‘84!). We still have more to go!

49. gilles st. george on November 22, 2008 10:36 pm

    listen to our talk on cacao. i stop using it a day or to ago an myrash hat i mention to you in ny. is starting to go away mind you thiswas going on for 6 7 months.actuly went to the em room once cause of the itching wher i would scratch till id bleed. il see if it completly goes away in a few more days. gilles

50. Dorothy Clark on November 23, 2008 5:40 pm

    Your report on cacao is very interesting. I’ve been allergic to chocolate(?) since my teens. I’m 86 and don’t think I’ll bother with cacao. Kidney, liver and mineral problems? Glad you are feeling so much better. I find your videos very good!! Thanks