Decluttering Q&A - Sept 19, 2023

[@SoMagicalMichele]

I have been doing amazing things with my teens. Their rooms aren't perfect and yet they have made so much progress. They are quickly picking things up each day and even making their beds. They were just really awesome about throwing out the trash and I let them keep everything they wanted to keep as long as they knew where they would look for it (and it fit the container.) One of my daughters is a natural decluttering kind of person and yet had areas that she wasn't looking at so we made progress with her as well. My other daughter... Well, we spent a week just on trash in her room. We've been making progress only progress. I am so grateful for a process that works for them without a lot of extra stress. As for myself, the dishes are doing well. :D I have been decluttering in some form or another for 2 decades. In the beginning, I only decluttered my things, not even my babies or the shared things. I didn't feel like I deserved to take up space so it was unhealthy decluttering. Now, I'm doing pretty good. I have physical and emotional limitations and have been decluttering the clutter my mom left me when she passed in 2020. She was a hoarder so it has been a very long process. I really wish she would have had your system because I know she wanted to know how to declutter. I'm finally feeling like I'm making enough progress to almost function. I still have more than I can handle but I'm getting better every day.

[@micheledryden1057]

I do a weekly "Kitchen Cleanout" and use up many items in the fridge. I will make a green salad, fruit salad, or an entree. I have fewer items going bad and feel like I'm not pouring money down the drain. 😊

[@HomesteadingChicks]

My teenager has said she doesn’t like the item enough to take it where it goes now. 😂 exactly the point!

[@ambermazmanian2695]

Yes! We did my kids room this weekend and they had the option to put things all the way away, or into the donate box, and they donated SO MUCH!

[@LOLA-kr7vn]

That's funny 😅

[@scoutc315]

Homeschooled multiple kids in a townhouse for a few years. We utilized the library as much as possible (including becoming semi-pro at the inter-library loans). It was somewhat easier once the kids were past the preschool and kindergarten years of all the manipulatives. Even with those, we ended up using more everyday items for things and passing on all the really cute sets for all the things. We took lots of pictures and then recycled/tossed any finished projects. We went vertical and used as much wall space as we could. We didn't buy every kid 1 of everything--we can share 1 or 2 pairs of scissors for 4 kids for example. I was ruthless re: passing on things to other families once we were done or if we didn't love it. We rarely kept things for "just in case".

[@scoutc315]

Another tip that saved a lot of money once I accepted it: there is no perfect curriculum. No need to buy 16 different ones.😂 I know, I know, it's so pretty and tempting. The best curriculum is the one you and your child will use consistently and does a "good enough" job. ❤

[@SoMagicalMichele]

The legos my kids had hanging around made great math manipulatives. My daughter associates Cheezit crackers with area because that's what we used for a manipulative. I have been homeschooling for a long time and quickly learned I personally don't use much of the homeschool things some people do. We love the library and many free resources online. It's definitely different for each person/family but I learned there were many things my family wouldn't ever use.

[@christinaoliveryoung6019]

Regarding the moldy food issue...the main thing that truly helped me get rid of the guilt was starting a compost pile and now my food turns into fertilizer to grow more food for next year!

[@FebbieG]

Same. All it does now is become food for the garden which then in turn becomes food for my family again.

[@hippityhop99]

Thanks for your lives Dana! I literally listened to this while decluttering my closet. "The space I have is the space I have!" Re listening to podcasts and re reading your books are very helpful to me.

[@janethunt4037]

Love the no deadline concept. I've been decluttering for 13 months. I've gone through so much! I declutter best without pressure. 5 to 15 minutes at a time. Once in awhile, a little longer. It all adds up.

[@peachybookbasket]

1st "laundry" day! I was excited yesterday, knowing I didn't have to walk into that room until tomorrow!! I woke up looking forward to the "making it better" day!! Thank you so much! ❤ 13:19

[@d.zyned2thrive584]

Homeschool mom here...let the container be the bad guy. Keep one book on wolves, not five. If you won't read the book in two years, donate it to someone who will. Don't blame inflation...there will ALWAYS be cheap used books. A stress free school is much better than an over abundance of books. I recommend the book, Minimalist Homeschool, by Dr. Zara Fagan, for anyone with a similar struggle.

[@user-eh3fu3kn1x]

Moving in 4 months. So decluttering and choosing what I really want to move so I can pack them. The system works beautifully. I will have the bare essentials to use until the move, so experimenting with minimalism.

[@Cecily-Pimprenelle]

”no knowledge that the item has left my hand” - I had to pause the video there as I felt targeted! (The car’s key Disappeared between the moment I opened it to let the children climb in it and the moment I sat at the driver’s seat. After a couple of bewildered minutes, we did find it between two kid seats...)😅

[@d.zyned2thrive584]

Moldy food...it helps to have less stores containers. When I run out I have to either throw away older food (when it's even still edible) or the newer food.

[@ilakaiser3778]

For the home school mom, use your local library for any current books and only keep out of print books that you can’t borrow.

[@JenOooo]

😂 When you said 5 minute pickup, I paused the video, washed the dishes, dried and put them away, wiped down the countertops, took the rubbish and recycling out to the bins and vaccumed the whole downstairs of the house 😂😂 WOW Go Dana 🙌🙌🙌

[@JenOooo]

I decluttered my kitchen presses in 5 minute/one portion of a shelf, segments of space or a drawer at a time. 3 months later and they are still functioning perfectly.

[@SF-ru3lp]

To the lady with the oversized furniture: if you keep everything else in the room plain white or cream (so everything disappears), remove other pieces/large decor, keep other necessary item low., low , low. Ensure good light and good passage in and out of the room. That will lessen the impact. G Ire (design nerd here!😅)

[@lyndaa8901]

Take it there now! 🎉

[@Blankenshipable]

My house stays clean when I’m not there! 😉

[@LedgerAndLace]

When I taught first grade, I used music throughout the day. We listened to Bob Marley during snack time, and I had a "Banana Boat" swing song I played at the end of the day before the bus came that was our "clean up" song. By the second week, as soon as the clean up song came on, the kids started picking up. However, one time I tried to play Bob Marley just as background music and they said, "Hey! It's not snack time!"

[@cheerfulmouse]

The description you mentioned during the last question at 44:00.. Has been something on my mind. My kitchen is the first place WE walk in the door. I have worked the steps starting here for several months. Doing dishes, sweeping, decluttering, by mostly taking things there now, dealing with the reality of the space & coming back. Many of the piles in this area are procrasti-clutter. I keep working on them, and am slowly able to identify more stuff as trash or donation. My Question is... Q: what are your thoughts on intentionally using those cleared kitchen areas to move other delayed decisions from the house to "put in my face" so that I will deal with it sooner? I enjoyed the clear space for a few days, ten got anxious about slowing progress. My thoughts about where the stuff came from is to NOT make it any worse, and that has been working. It seems kind of backwards to your method, but I don't spend enough time in my office for the clutter to bother me except when it's a necessary hassle. Hope this makes sense. Thank You!

[@kayelle8005]

If you need it to be in sight for you to take action then consider adding some constraints. For example, if you designate a section of your kitchen as your clearing zone let that area be your “container” and don’t exceed it. Also consider giving yourself a time limit to deal with what you put in your designated clearing space such as x hours or x days, otherwise it goes back to its original home. While it’s not strictly Dana’s method because it’s not strictly progress only, it sounds like it’s a wise adjustment for you of building on the momentum you’ve created in the kitchen and that you now associate the kitchen with clearing activities. If it’s working keep it working 😊

[@cheerfulmouse]

@@kayelle8005 thank You, I have somewhat done what you're saying. But not with time constraint. I tend to resist times I impose on myself. I do want to do as she recommended and listen to the 14 days to guests, because I do better with people coming over. Although I'm not mortified if there are piles. There's always been piles. Changing that!!

[@kayelle8005]

@@cheerfulmouse all the best. Life is so much easier when the clutter is gone.

[@grandmaofthree897]

Totally understand the homeschooling mom…I loved finding material/projects for homeschooling! I probably still have some 😮

[@corinnemorris1808]

Hey Dana, love your videos and podcasts! I am interested in the assistant position you spoke about, but I can’t find a link to the position anywhere. Thank you for all you do 😊

[@michellelithgow7881]

Sooo helpful today. Helps keep reminding us! Tk You Dana!!

[@ritagomez4047]

I love your 5 step approach! 😊

[@susangoins1221]

Thank you Dana

[@wiviannegrapenholt9324]

I would absolutely apply for the “Chief Follow Through Officer” job if it wasn’t for the fact that I live in Sweden (and already have a fantastic full time job)… What an amazing opportunity! I hope you find someone awesome. P.S: @Dana K White when are you coming over here 🇸🇪 😉😅

[@granitemoss1451]

I love hearing all the different questions, I really learn a lot!

[@cheerfulmouse]

...and then there's Dana, Salutatorian... total disaster 😂

[@dirtywater04]

I love your process. Where I am stuck is if I focus just on trash and duh donations to get started, am I even considering “ take it there now”? I have a lot to tackle. Help?

[@kayelle8005]

In step 1 trash you take it there now when you put it in the trash bag and then when the trash bags is full you put it in the trash can. In step 2 easy stuff you take it there now as soon as you see an item that is easy stuff, don’t create a pile - take it there now In step 3 donations you take it there now when you put the item in the donatable donations box and then when you finish the space you take the donations to the charity. In step 4 you take it there now when you decide where would you look for it first 😊

[@sharonfitzgerald6918]

If you’re talking about layers, and it helps you to stay on-task, keep your trash bag and donation box beside you as you work the process. First clear the first layer of trash & donations, take duh items to their homes, and ask the two questions about “useful” items and take them to their homes or donate them. Return to the same space and repeat that process with the next layer and so on. Don’t step over piles or do anything that will cause a pile to fall, just go layer-by-layer and you’ll make progress.