What Exactly is a "Duh" Donation in the No Mess Decluttering Process?

[@lazygardens]

TIP: Donate the BIGGEST items first. The more "cubage" you remove from an area, the more room you have to work.

[@SF-ru3lp]

The biggest and the most obvious - usually one and the same. G Ire

[@bookworm1956]

The amazing thing: after just a few months of decluttering with your method slowly, steadily, as and when I get around to it, so many things that were really emotionally difficult have quietly morphed onto "Duh" donations without me even noticing it as it happened. Those absolutely beautiful cognac glasses from my beloved granny for example. I hate cognac. Nobody in my house likes cognac. We do not have any cognac. And yet I have had those glasses for 20 years, and never used them. I realised they were a "Duh" donation and proudly told my friend about it. She looked at me and and said "I love cognac. And I could never justify the expense of buying special glasses, but I would love them." So, one Christmas present sorted, and it feels even better than goodwill, because I know she will cherish them. And unlike me, she hasn't got a clutter problem. She just really would like those glasses. 😁

[@michelleskotynsky9426]

You are blessed because you get more space and she is blessed because she's getting beautiful cognac glasses that she's wanted but couldn't justify. Double-blessing!!

[@sherrypike4313]

My daughter walked into the room as I was watching this video. She said you should call them 'duh'nations. I like it!

[@suzy1676]

😂 Agreed!❤

[@StephieGsrEvolution]

💛 cute 🙂

[@lisam5744]

My husband recently cleaned up his tools and work space. I told him 'just get rid of the trash and put things back where they belong and that's half the battle'. And it really is. Thanks, Dana.

[@LedgerAndLace]

I have a quote from one of your videos a couple years ago: "I'm glad to know I'm at a place in my life where I don't need Shrinky Dinks, anymore." It's a reminder to me not to shame spiral into why I'm keeping something. Your method doesn't just diffuse negative emotions, but also self-judgement. Underneath it all, you are teaching compassion for yourself and others.

[@Conval-wi5eh]

This! I live in the city, so my donate box is a box labelled 'for free' that I put on the side of the road when the weather is good. It's nice that I don't have to drop it off somewhere, but sometimes people throw garbage in it. You have to bring the box in after a couple of hours, but it's nice knowing that every piece went directly to someone who deliberatley chose the item. Anyways, my aunt had a big birthday party this summer and she painted a small picture for every guest and put it on a little wooden stand at their seat. It was a nice guesture, and I took ours home even though I knew immediately that I would not keep them for long. Four months later, I stumbled across them and I stuck the stands in the donate box. I am not so attached to this present anymore, even though I am still keeping the picture itself. Years ago, I would have beat myself up that I invited something in my home that I knew I would declutter within a year. Nowadays I give myself the time to enjoy something for a while, and then let it go without feeling guilty. It's just stuff, it doesn't deserve me getting upset about it or questioning myself.

[@LedgerAndLace]

@@Conval-wi5eh LOVE this! 🙂

[@StephieGsrEvolution]

​@@Conval-wi5eh that's so awesome! I wish everyone did this!

[@mummy005]

I put on a sweater and immediately hated it. I went straight to the washer, washed it, dried it, then put it in the donation box. That felt so good! Don't worry, there were other clothes in the load.

[@Mushkiepotamus]

Dana is a LIFE and a HOME SAVER!! I still can’t figure out why she doesn’t have a million plus followers. I think people don’t share as much as other people’s channel cuz we feel shameful for needing her help!! Let’s normalize reaching out for help!! Sharing this on Facebook

[@llllllllllilillii]

nah, it's from people who take people's idea but don't give any subs. lots of those on yt.She deserve a millie! She's the best!

[@leisure057blank3]

She does have a good following. All of her books in my library system are always already checked out.

[@StephieGsrEvolution]

She doesn't have a dramatic/sensationalized process. That's why! It actually works, but it's not as entertaining, just practical.

[@granitemoss1451]

I recently came across a pair of turquoise earrings that I instantly knew I would donate because I was gifted a similar pair I prefer. And I smiled when I realized, "Hey! That's a DUH donation!" Into the donate bag they immediately went. One less 'thing' and it was totally painless and DUH.

[@rosywilson3076]

Dana, I’m loving this mini series where you’re going into depth about one of your decluttering steps 😊 I “know” it in theory, but your in-depth explanations help me to put it into practice. Thanks!

[@mjgriffin49]

I recently helped a galpal unpack for her new home. I decided to share your process with her...understanding it is a little harder in a new space. She messaged me back that of all the things I have ever helped her with that this was the best ever. You need to own that and what you have created!!! Merry Christmas 🎅 🎄

[@carnivoreheals]

Thank goodness for your 5-step process. It made all the difference. I thought I would live in a mess for the rest of my life until I learned your process. It’s like a miracle. 🎉

[@nkinnett]

This is exactly what my overthinking, anxiety ridden brain needs! Now I just need to force myself to trust the process!! Thank you, Dana! ❤❤❤

[@idid138]

My husband said, "duh" to me twice yesterday evening and the second time I said, "don't say duh to me again." I shoulda said, "hey those are donating words, mister!"

[@brendatomlinson]

🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣

[@rg-mi5hh]

Books and Christmas items are some of what we take to Goodwill before Christmas. Each box that goes is a way to make the house have more room. If other people can get good out of a donation and we aren't using it, it goes.

[@kimmeeks6766]

lol!

[@GrunonFeliz]

D.U.H. = DONATE UNQUESTIONINGLY, HAPPILY

[@RishaBond]

Perfect!

[@jamesbriggs5740]

I just saw a book on the shelf that I knew I didn't want to read any more and put it in the bag of books for the library. And i washed sheets, the stains didn't come out, they went straight into the trash. It feels so good to make progress even though the house is a royal mess. Kathy B

[@jeanmcintyre4662]

Thank you, Dana. I'm body doubling with your video this morning. Your video is encouraging.

[@Julies-in-a-mood]

Dana was recently in a Wall Street Journal article!

[@grutarg2938]

Really? Wow!

[@lindawade9647]

What is the date of the article?

[@ginazee84]

I adore your editors notes at the end! Your method has been such a help to me over the last couple months. I have gleefully declutter along with your videos and sped through the TYHB course while beginning the process of downsizing from 2300sq ft to a tiny house we are building. I have 18months to do it so I am enjoying the momentum and planning to live with the lifestyle change before taking my old habits to the new house. I am one of those people that is so organized that I have 10 lbs of stuff in a 5 lb sack. My home is always tidy, but boy have I got stuff hidden.

[@karladenton5034]

In my family we call that "closet Tetris" - my dad was an expert LOL.

[@ginazee84]

We are very good at it in my family and we call it Tetris as well.@@karladenton5034

[@jtownscrapper]

We are moving from Ohio to Texas after living in this home for 20+ years. Lots of donations being made! We are both in our 70's so lots of accumulation.

[@shawnaford5540]

I filled a bag with excess plastic hangers yesterday, and the applied the “take it there now” when I went grocery shopping. I also took a my donation box even though it was not full and this is progress.

[@deniseharwood9521]

As I stare at the 40 or so empty plastic hangers hanging in my craftroom closet. Yep, just hanging there taking up space. Black trash (donate) bag, here I come!

[@llllllllllilillii]

Hello lovely lady, I found me a big box of velvet hangers and I love your tip for those. I was always PASSING THEM BY at home goods because of the cost, but I found an INSANE deal on them and when I heard about them on your audiobook OFTROU I was like "OOO Dana said..." hahaha. Clothing is my non negotiable, I can declutter everything else in the house but clothing is like art to me. Now they can live on beautiful hangers that don't create a crapalance. 😂 I also found that when I buy the beautiful french lavender striped trash bags, it's funner to "DO THE TRASH" and when I cleaned up my sink area and got rid of every ugly dish and made it really beautiful and high end, it helped me care more about doing the dishes because I'm not looking at cheap ugly stuff. With the white marble I now have lovely things to look at when I"m slogging along with the dishes which I used to HATE.

[@StephieGsrEvolution]

Excellent point! 🤍

[@dianeanderson8038]

Great ideas! Be nice to yourself.

[@arashy]

Dana, I love that you’re explaining each of your steps in these videos. I’m saving them to pass on to others. P.S. Reid, you crack me up!!! 😆

[@SF-ru3lp]

If the location is Reid's current home, it's lovely! (And clear, clean and decluttered!😊). G Ire

[@glendaw5221]

I live for the credits. I was trying to think of duh donations I have decluttered. Wallets I didn’t even like, duplicates of books, candles that smell horrible, coasters that were a gift and I don’t like, linens that don’t fit any bed in my house. The list goes on…. How about you.

[@pst47wings]

Haha. I love Reid's credits at the end. Great video as always. I use your method all the time, but these videos are great reminders. Thank you!

[@goofygirl1311]

When you fill a donate box take it to your car. You don't have to take it to the donation center right that second but it will be in your car ready to go when you have the time to take it there. Do not bring it back into the house.

[@chelseashea2477]

Dana, thank you for everything! Merry Christmas to you and your family. ❤ your videos, podcasts, and books are so life changing.

[@pattyfleming3393]

This helps so much! I’ll be duh donating today!!

[@pam81161]

I plan to use your 5 step process in going through my whole apartment because we have clutter everywhere. It is truly overwhelming us. Your 5 step process sounds doable for me. I look at everything around me and give up before I start, but now training my mind to look at one item at a time, and i can stop and take breaks whenever I want, that makes me feel so much better than thinking I have to do it all today - right now - this very minute. As long as I am persistent, I will be so much happier and be able to have people over, if I want.

[@joycemitchell2092]

Loved this video! I think I need to listen to your book “Decluttering at The Speed of Life” again ((for the 4th time!)! It is SO Motivating for me to declutter! Merry Christmas Dana!🎄

[@llllllllllilillii]

I've been listening to all her videos from the beginning and I've learned so much! And all her audio books. I gotta do those again. Listening get's me wanting to do the 5 steps!

[@StephieGsrEvolution]

​@@llllllllllililliidoes she actually do the audio in her audiobooks? Or is it someone else?

[@shawnaford5540]

Yesterday I dropped off a bag of excess plastic hangers, I almost did not take a partial filled box of donations thinking I had it fill it up before donating- DUH!

[@susanmunoz7688]

Dana, you’re one of the best, and such fun!

[@sarahloy2699]

I love Dah donations. Merry Christmas Dana❤

[@amandakennedy8088]

Thank you! Your hair looks so cute!

[@shadowprovesunshine]

Thank you Dana! This has helped - such a good reminder!

[@GrannyLinn]

I just bought all 3 of your books! (If there are more, I’ll buy them too!)

[@michellegleave2550]

Dana I am super familiar with your process and I also love Cass and Dawn, and have learnt from you all, but these short videos on each step are really keeping me on track and I just seem to hear something that I perhaps didn’t really fully get before, I am so thankful for these revision sessions!

[@marywiggins7411]

Duh is the clothing fits no one (is not sentimental or heirloom), it is broken, it was a gift that serves no one and is never displayed or used, the lamp that needs a new shade for 10 years now.

[@christinedisneyqueen5746]

Always good to see a video from you, Dana! 😊

[@relliesal]

Duh donations are pretty much the only declutterring step I get to. I go into a space, can clear out all the trash and obvious donation items in 10-15 minutes, and then never seem to do anything thing else in that space. At least until I decide to tackle it for good a few months later and once again, I clear out the trash and obvious donations and get stuck. My goal this year is to move on from the quick sweeps to actual in-depth decluttering. I need a full reset, not a brushing off the top layer of junk.

[@goofygirl1311]

I'm finding that something that I might consider to be a "duh donation" will be a "keep" or a "not yet" to my husband and kids. And, truthfully, they could say the same thing about some of the things that they are fine to part with but I want to keep or that I'm not quite ready to part with. It definitely slows the progress down. It's this "I'm not using this now but I MIGHT use it one day" mentality that we struggle with in our house. I might read that book, I might play that board game, I might put that puzzle together, our future grandchildren might need these clothes and toys.....

[@shadowprovesunshine]

Lol just read your sons editor note....😂😂😂.

[@SF-ru3lp]

Always hilarious 😂 G Ire

[@corinboswell8342]

So helpful!

[@findingaway5512]

Do you ever pull everything out just to clean a space? Or move things in sections to deep clean? Not asking from judgement place. I just know that I often have areas that get yucky and neglected. I know you are a decluttering expert but wondering if you found any cleaning things that have worked well for you now that you have mastered decluttering. I am a messy person by nature and definitely don't see stuff creep in.... But also am not a I need to clean every inch of my house kinda person all the time. Just wondering if you found a good strategy. I do know you mentioned doing certain areas like bathrooms on Tuesday. You probably have a video that talks about this. Just made me think because if I do clear a space I do clean it because who ten heck knows when that would ever happen. 😂😂😂😂 But I also know cleaning isn't a part of decluttering and pulling things out completely isn't either. Thanks for all the great videos and content really diving deep in your strategies. Really appreciate from a chronic over thinker. And having the easy steps first. And the not pulling out everything but too because we all have been there.

[@StephieGsrEvolution]

She does one by one item so it's not overwhelming like that. Decluttering has to be done before the cleaning.

[@jonelledavenport8701]

😊 duh 😂

[@busrayalavac]

Good for ppl who finds joy in everything like me so i keep everything when i get into feelings lol

[@tphili555]

Just starting, thank you for,your layers philosophy totally. Are sense. If we have a areas that got left behind during 2020 can you drew.

[@megamusicmessenger]

I thought you were saying dud for the longest time 😂

[@Myspicyonion]

❤

[@marylarson4750]

😊

[@VondaPotts-ce8bi]

Hello Dana, my grandparents were whites and I was just wondering where you're from and if there could be a connection

[@Smithpolly]

In the US, White is the 24th most common name out of list of 162,253)

[@Cookmomx3]

❤❤❤

[@ingerfalch-jacobsen1717]

So you're saying "why do I have this" is an analyzing question?? To me, it's just another "duh" moment. (I figured it out now - it's a rhetorical question I ask myself.) Maybe a topic for a later video?

[@StephieGsrEvolution]

I think the reason she says she refrains from asking that question is that, for some of us, it's self-judging and can start off a spiral analysis that can sabotage our progress.

[@ingerfalch-jacobsen1717]

@@StephieGsrEvolution I see. Thanks, I didn't know that. I have been wary of the word why myself, generally, but I thought "why do I have this" was an innocent question.

[@thurst3224]

In the 1980's, "duh" was slang for "of course." A "duh" donation is one that is obvious; you don't even have to think about it. Easy, as in "of course this gets donated, I don't want / need it." Example: I have 6 spatulas, but only use two. The other 4 frustrate me because they are always in my way, and I hate them...."duh" (obvious) donation. Hope this helps!

[@chayap.199]

I don't like throwing things out, but I don't have a place to donate household items close enough.

[@Smithpolly]

You could maybe just let people you know what's available and tell them if they want one or know anyone who wants one for free , all they have to do is ask.

[@StephieGsrEvolution]

Some thrift stores will have pick ups.

[@thurst3224]

Chayap....put donations on the curb (or any highly visible / high foot traffic area) with a FREE sign. It will sprout legs and walk off within a few hours. It goes directly to someone who needs it, it helps people for free, there is no need to wait for a convenient time, and you don't have to haul it anywhere. This was a game changer for me!