Rita Wilkins’ Most Loved Blogs and Videos of the Year
As this year comes to a gentle and meaningful close, I want to pause. Not to count accomplishments or track numbers, but to honor people. The ones who arrived tired yet hopeful. The ones who quietly admitted, “I’m ready… I just don’t know how yet.”
If this year has taught us anything, it’s this: decluttering is no longer about clearing space. It’s about releasing pressure. Letting go of expectations we never agreed to carry. Softening the inner conversations that no longer serve the life we’re trying to live.
I’m deeply grateful for every reader, every viewer, every message that began with, “I thought it was just me.”
It never is.
What follows is a reflection on what resonated most this year. The words you returned to. The videos you replayed. The ideas you shared when life felt loud and clarity felt just out of reach.
How Our Community Grew This Year
Because of you, this work reached more hearts and homes than ever before.
• Our blogs reached hundreds of thousands of readers, many of them searching not for perfection, but for clarity, relief, and reassurance
• Our videos surpassed 5 million views, with new subscribers joining the channel every day to receive meaningful and practical guidance
• Our audience continues to share these videos with friends and family members who are navigating change, downsizing, and emotional clutter
• Your comments have been deeply heartfelt and incredibly generous, offering insight into what matters most to you and shaping the conversations we continue to create
• The free Quick Start Decluttering Guide became a lifeline for people standing at a breaking point, unsure where to begin but certain they could not stay where they were
• Most importantly, real homes changed. Not overnight. Not dramatically. But honestly and sustainably
That kind of growth can’t be measured in square footage.
Most Read Blog Posts of the Year
These were the posts readers returned to again and again.
• Stuff Is Never Just Stuff
Why decluttering feels emotional, and why that emotional weight is not a flaw
• You Can’t Organize Yourself Out of Clutter
Why bins and labels are not the solution
• Why Decluttering Feels Harder After the Holidays
How to reset without shame
• Why Downsizing and Decluttering Took Me a Year
What actually creates momentum
• The Emotional Weight of Inherited Items
How to honor memories without keeping everything
• When Letting Go Feels Right: A Decluttering Method to Avoid Regret
These pieces weren’t about doing more.
They were about seeing differently.
Rita’s Personal Favorites This Year
A few posts stayed especially close to my heart.
• The Conversation You’re Having with Yourself About Clutter
• Baby Boomers! Still Paying for a House That’s Too Big?
• The “Too Much” Dilemma: A Gentle Reset for Your Space, Time, and Energy
• Stop Organizing Your Stuff and Start Facing It
Sometimes the quietest words carry the loudest truth.
Most Watched YouTube Videos of the Year
If reading opened the door, these videos helped many of you step through it. This year, my YouTube channel became a place where honesty, reflection, and practical guidance met real life.
Several videos stood out not just for views, but for the depth of conversation they sparked and the stories you shared in the comments.
• The Truth About Downsizing and Decluttering: What No One Tells You
With over 1.4 million views and thousands of heartfelt comments, this video resonated deeply with those standing at the beginning of a downsizing journey, unsure of what to expect but eager for the truth.
• Dear Baby Boomer, Please Don’t Downsize Until You Read This
Viewed more than 350,000 times, this message reached people right at the moment when big life decisions felt both urgent and emotional.
• Stop Organizing Your Stuff and Start Facing It
With nearly 200,000 views, this video struck a chord with viewers who realized that organizing was no longer working and that a deeper shift was needed.
• Declutter Backwards? Yes, Please
Watched by over 175,000 people, this practical yet unexpected approach helped many break free from the cycle of starting over again and again.
• What If You Only Had 10 Years Left?
This reflective video reached more than 60,000 viewers, inviting a powerful conversation about time, priorities, and what truly matters.
• The Laundry Basket That Changed My Life
With over 37,000 views, this story reminded us that sometimes the smallest shifts create the most meaningful change.
Across all of these videos, one thing remained consistent. Your comments were thoughtful, honest, and generous. You shared your fears, your breakthroughs, and your quiet wins. And in doing so, you helped others feel less alone.
Each day, more people subscribe to the channel to receive content that is not just practical, but deeply human. And many of you continue to share these videos with friends and family members who are navigating their own transitions.
That kind of reach isn’t just growth.
It’s a connection.
What We Built Together This Year
This year wasn’t just about reflection. It was also about building support that meets you where you are.
• We introduced The Simplicity Circle, our new membership community designed for ongoing guidance, encouragement, and connection
Inside the Simplicity Circle, you’ll find monthly teachings, practical decluttering support, live conversations, and a space where you don’t have to explain why this matters to you.
• We expanded our library with 3 new books, each created to support different stages of the decluttering and downsizing journey
• We added new free resources and guides to ensure help is available even when someone isn’t ready to invest, but is ready to begin
Every offering was created with the same intention. To reduce overwhelm. To restore confidence. To remind you that you are not behind.
What’s Ahead
The work continues gently and intentionally.
• New blog posts that go deeper into identity, life transitions, and emotional clutter
• More YouTube conversations for those standing at a crossroads
• Expanded resources for navigating sentimental items with confidence and compassion
• A continued focus on living well, not just living lighter
Minimalism will keep evolving.
But the heart of this work stays the same.
More life. Less weight.
More meaning. Fewer apologies.
Thank you for being here. For reading, watching, sharing, and choosing yourself in small, brave ways.
We’re not done yet. There’s more to come!
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