Frugal girl, Kristen, wrote an interesting post about people on YouTube and TikTok ( which I’ve never seen) filming grocery hauls and organizing pantries with lots of clear plastic containers and decanting everything. She got a huge response. It certainly got me thinking about how tired I am of bloggers saying the same thing over and over about minimalism. Who is trying to be an influencer??
There are a number of Youtubers I used to really like for their unique approach and freshness. One of them is Shannon Torres. She lives in So Cal and I liked her vlog to begin with and followed her for quite a while. She used to start each video with” I hope you’re having an amazing day”. I really liked her enthusiasm. But finally, when she started getting to 20K, and 30K followers, it changed ( she no longer says that; it’s much more curated). Now it’s all about 10 things to declutter today or 20 ways to simplify. Now it’s just rehashing over and over. I still go over and check once in a while but not too often.
The same with Scandish Home. When she started out in Portland in a small house, it was really charming and she’s a wonderful cook and homemaker. Then they moved outside of Portland to quite a lovely place but it’s now how to simplify 50 ways or clean 25 ways. Some of it is fun to watch but I’m not sure it’s really all that simple anymore. Granted, this is how she is earning money but ?? I still like watching her, It’s just now with 300 K+ + followers, it seems a bit forced at times. Her editing though is very professional.
I’m not putting these people down in any way. They’re trying to earn a living and like Scandish Home’s vlog is creative and beautifully presented. It does seem though as if in every video she’s buying some new organizing thing from Ikea or rearranging a closet.
It just seems to me everyone is on the bandwagon of minimalism, decluttering, and slow living. I get it but when it’s pounded into the ground maybe it’s time to step back and really simplify by living one’s life and not living it( or fake living it) while making videos.
Maybe I’ve just reached a place where I kind of have incorporated most of that into my life. I do get value from new organizing ideas or new cooking ideas so I like to watch YouTubers do that. Bayley made It is in NZ and she is authentic and does great vlogs. She actually changed her blog from ‘minimom’ which was about being a minimalist with 2 young kids in a very small condominium to her sewing and knitting projects. I really respect her for self-reflecting on the whole minimalism thing and changing her blog.
There’s Benita in Stockholm. She is a true minimalist and lives it too. She has gotten a little more curated in the past year but her apartment and life in Stockholm is so interesting I still like watching. Plus she loves her cat Bonus. Mimi died last year( her tortie cat).
I guess I think many of these YouTube influencers are really in it for the money. At some point, they seem to lose that initial freshness and sharing ideas that do work to repeating the same things over and over.
For instance, ‘The Non-consumer Advocate’ blog has thousands of followers and she still keeps it real and on target with what she advocates. I think that’s a rare thing. We are all so inundated with ideas from all over social media that it can become addictive. It’s easy to start comparing how your own life is to what you see and I certainly do that too. I live in a very small house, it’s not magazine quality. The kitchen certainly isn’t a showcase nor are there any closets except one. Most of the influencers I watch on occasion have VERY fancy houses and the kitchens are spacious with granite or marble counters and everything is perfect. I could easily fall into the trap of comparison.
Fortunately, I’m older and most of that doesn’t affect me ( well, maybe I’d like my kitchen counters redone). Well, I’ll get off the soapbox now and go watch some Youtube. (just kidding)….
Tahoe Girl 
110% agree with everything you wrote this morning. I stopped ALL of them. Every organizing/decluttering post these days seems to involve purchasing containers. For the life of me, how is ADDING crap to my home decluttering? Add is add right? I am nowhere near true minimalism but our home has far less contents than many of theirs.
Cheers to following our own drummer. Income or not, my time is more valuable to me than clicking another nickel for them. Call me selfish, I can handle it🤣🤣
Happy Sunday ya’ll!
Ha, well said. i didn’t even think about the adding of all the ‘containers’ to help organize. I am nowhere near a full on minimalist but I don’t have lots of stuff in drawers and just packed away.
Thanks for visiting my blog and leaving a comment. I decided to come by for a visit this hot and humid afternoon to see what you write about.
I watch a few vlogs to and one of them is Benita in Stockholm! I was surprised to see that you do, too! My grandmother was Norwegian and I have been to Norway and Sweden so I really enjoy it when she goes out and about in Stockholm. (By the way, my grandma’s middle name was Cristina and my daughter is named after her.)
I don’t really like the term Influencers, or the idea that people can be so swayed by someone they don’t know who can present themselves any way they wish on YouTube or Instagram or whatever. I watched a vlog the other day where the presenter, was sitting in front of a lovely background with tidy tasteful decoration, soft neutral colors and lighting, and she turned the camera around the room to show everyone the “rest” of the room. It was a mess! Clothes everywhere, unmade bed, snack mess on a table.
Thanks for stopping by. Benita does a beautiful vlog and i think is genuine in what she does.
I feel a bit sorry for those so-called influencers as they often sell their souls for every increasing hits and traffics and likes. They get zanier and their time is sucked away all for ‘likes’.
oh right, all the hits for likes and subscribe!!
I admit to watching some online videos about decluttering and organizing, etc., although I don’t actually follow anyone. I keep telling myself that it is just another way to procrastinate on doing what I need to do, but, I do enjoy watching them declutter! I have a hard time parting with stuff and I keep thinking I have too much. Sigh.
I do subscribe to some. i have learned quite a bit over over the years. Decluttering is an ongoing process.
I found you blog from Rhonda’s page …. We’re neighbors to your north (fairly far north) in Beavercreek, OR. Thank you for the vlog recommendations, I’ve also noticed that several of the ‘minimal’ vlogs spend quite a lot of thing bringing new items in to make their organizing prettier. I recently stumbled on to Sustainably Vegan which I like, she’s an advocate for a low impact, sustainable, ethical lifestyle.
I’ll check out Sustainably Vegan. I think I may have looked at a few. I don’t do vegan so generally it doesn’t interest me.
I agree with you on this one. I used to follow Scandish Home and it started out being truly minimalist and now it seems Noemi has lost her way. I’m going to be rather straightforward about this example, but she constantly buys things from Amazon, who’s environmental footprint is huge, and yes, buying from IKEA and other various items with LOADS of packaging waste. It’s as if her channel has become one big advert for products and not about her original minimalist values. Do influencers honestly believe they have to buy stuff just to keep subscribers tuned in? Doesn’t sound very creative to me. There’s a PayPal link on her channel. You can’t tell me she doesn’t already clear at least a quarter mil a year without it. Also, now they’re building an art studio for her on the property. This was the moment I quit watching. How is this living simply? Can she not do her art in the 3 bedroom house they bought? Her kids are older they’ll be leaving home soon. The channel is not genuine any longer. Coming to America, she has gotten too caught up in the consumerist lifestyle. It’s kind of disappointing.
I totally agree. Every video is buying something or putting something together from Ikea. Their house seems big enough and why build the studio?? More money. She is a creative cook, I’ll give her that but I miss the days when she was in Portland. Also the other one who has completely changed is Shannon Torrens. It’s like she’s become this other person. She just repeats herself, of I’m so minimal, minimal more. And now she’s taken to wearing these creepy dresses. I’m not sure what look she’s going for but it isn’t very flattering.
I have been watching Scandish home for a while. I have noticed that she buys SO much fruit/veg produce wrapped in plastic. It is truly shocking. Surely she could promote the idea of local markets? I thought it was about healthy and minimalist living but that doesn’t always ring true. She obviously is well off and buys the best of everything and all organic. I kind of lost interest as it seems more and more about ‘what’ you purchase to put all your ‘stuff’ in. I understand they are all making money out of promoting certain companies and products but that seems to end up being just fake. 😦
I really liked her when she first started her channel. Now it’s all buy, buy, buy, and another Ikea trip. she definitely has lost her way with minimalism. And I still ask the question, why is she doing her sons laundry?? and cooking for them. they are 18 at least.