How to Implement the Container Concept in My No Mess Decluttering Process
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- Опубліковано 3 січ 2024
- The final step of the No Mess Decluttering Process is implementing the Container Concept. In this video, I give further clarification and thoughts on this step.
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My husband cleaned out his bookshelf yesterday, and one of the questions he asked several times was “if you were looking for this where would you go first?” ❤ whenever he asks me where something is i ask him where is the first place you would look for it? It is amazing how simple this has made our life. Thank you Dana. We aren’t finished, but after downsizing from 3,200 square feet to 1,000 we have come a long way. Again - thank you so much from a 72 and 75 year old.❤
You are so blessed to have your husband on board
It's also starting to work on my 17yo! Sometimes they still get stuck on "I'd look for it on the floor ", but we're working on it.😁
That's wonderful! We are 67 and 70, and will downsize in the next few years. I think when he asks "where would you look for this first", for books, I will probably say "the library or online". We don't need to keep most of our inventory because we will probably never read them again.
Eureka! Great point. 30 years of marriage & I never thought to ask this question & keep it forefront. ❤
'Make it fit does not mean shove it in' made me laugh so loud!
I need to play that part for my husband lol 😂
The container concept has been a paradigm shift for me. I'm not kidding. In so many areas....my mental place was always "we have to find more space for ......" Now it is "we need to make these things fit in this space, and if they don't, then some have to leave."
Same!❤
I totally agree. My husband received 2 cookbooks as gifts for Christmas. We have a shelf in our kitchen for cookbooks, and it was full. So I pulled out my "donatable donation box" and stuck the 2 cookbooks that we have not used for several years in it. No more cookbooks laying sideways on top of those that fit! Thanks for how you've changed my life, Dana.
My house hasn't functioned for me for such a long time now (a couple decades!) that I was often stumped at "where would I look for this first?". I couldn't identify a specific spot (drawer, shelf, cupboard, etc) so I gave myself some grace and allowed the answer to be "in room x". So I would take it to that room, not worrying about exactly where (I did try to keep things tidy and not just dumping stuff everywhere!). By doing this I gradually came to grips with the spaces within the room and little by little each item's final home revealed itself almost by magic! My house still has a long way to go but I recently "finished" the first room, my master bedroom, and I was able to say "of course shirts (or whatever) go here" and used the container concept to edit out my least favourite. Now I can find things without thinking, putting things away is a breeze and I just love it!
Congratulations! I love it when you’re setting up spaces that don’t have a system and it feels hard at first and then after trusting your gut it clicks and all comes together. I did this today with my tool section. I lived with a hoarder for decades so having my own spaces now and setting them up is still a novel idea. Happy new year to you both! 😊
@@fionaschiffl8065 thank you Fiona! I too lived with a hoarder for many years. He moved out leaving all his stuff behind and then he discovered how freeing living with less is. I was left with all his stuff (that he no longer wanted) mixed up with mine, some of which I wanted to keep. I had systems for our stuff (or maybe I though I did) but they were logic-based and not instinctual. In short, these systems don't work for me as a singleton. I won't lie, getting rid of things my ex-husband used to prize was, and is, difficult, I can still hear him talking about all the plans and dreams he had for this stuff, but now I'm able to differentiate between what's important to me and what was important to him.
I'm finally taking control of my home and making it mine. It's hard, because many things hold a sentimental value, but I manage. I realised that, if I want this space to be my HOME, I have to make it work for me, instinctively.
Thank you for your input, because I thought I was alone in how challenging mine was! 💗
I don't say that a specific room isn't a wrong answer to that question, unless you have something like a great room (barn) where it's too huge to go to and find something there. Things like oh stationery go into the office, take something out of the office, don't bother organizing the office at that point. It is also hard because my husband wants to use a corner of the kitchen as an office so I'm just putting his stuff into his spot and getting it out of "my kitchen area" which is the rest of the kitchen.
We gave away 75% of our pots and pans. Best thing we ever did. Cooking is so simple now we kept our favorites only. Now no searching. They all sit just perfectly👌.
Thank you! My dear friend, Wanda, and I have been using your process together once a week for over 4 months - about 1 hour at my house and then about an hour at hers. We call ourselves the Dream Team because we have accomplished so much!! We really appreciate you!
What a fun idea! I need a decluttering friend!
I LOVE THIS IDEA! ❤🎉😊
The container concept deserves an award of some sort….it has literally been what I’ve used to take control of our home.
Our home is now a container and every space is its own container, with its limits. Thank you Dana❤
Nobel Peaceful Prize?
@@jeme7339 I love that!😄😄
My absolute best word that you use is “get-to-able”
I also enjoy, "de-slob-ification" 😄
I have a set number of coat hangers. When clothes no longer fit on them, it's time to do a declutter. I love my coat hanger container.
I used this process for my craft room. LIFE CHANGING! I also only kept what I really love and tossed the "I might need this someday" things. Now I only have what matches my style and tastes. I'm so happy!
Other "organizer" people : "Pull everything out. Things have to get messier before they get better."
Me: "Hahahaha And I love that for you. DANA SAYS . . . ."
“The space you have is the space you have.” I don’t know why, but your definition of the container concept was the biggest aha moment for me. I use it all the time now. My husband was raised by a hoarder and he has bad clutteritis, and for the longest time, any blank surface would get covered instantly. But lately that’s changing. I think he’s actually a minimalist and he’s really starting to embrace the joys of having less. It’s really exciting. Thank you 🙏
Congratulations! It is weird going from living with a hoarder to just me being in charge of spaces and seeing carpet under foot instead of paperwork or boxes of stuff so I get where he’s coming from. When you live with a hoarder you just have to accept that’s how things are and you feel like you can’t change it no matter how much you declutter of your own stuff just to have a tiny bit of control in your home. Happy new year to you both. 😊
Get ready for a paradigm shifting idea. Your purse... Is a container! I know, right?! Thank you for the enlightenment, Dana!
“If one is good, then ten must be great!” 😂 Oh my goodness yessss you are so relatable! I appreciate you so much!! Thank you!! 🙏🙏💕💕
Oh my goodness Dana: "I'm not rejecting the item; I'm just accepting the reality of this space." I love all of your content and have been following you for years, and still THIS sounded so fresh and helpful this morning! ❤ Thank you! (BTW your hair is beautiful 😍)
Perfect timing! I'm home from work sick today. Sick enough that I can't go in, but not sick enough that I'm in bed. Decluttering my bedroom closet now!
I found you 3 weeks ago. Can you say binge watching 👀 that's me. Got your audible Decluttering at the Speed of Life, binging your podcast now😊. Best thing I've learned so far is how to declutter without making my usual HUGE MESS. I'm creative and make lots of silk purses 👛 out of pigs 🐖 ears 👂 I am NOT BUYING OR FINDING AND RESCUING ANY MORE LITTLE PIGS UNTIL I'VE MADE ALL THE ONES I HAVE INTO PURSES.😂😅😮😢😊❤
Excellent!
I decluttered 4+ pickup truck loads to donation, almost as many trash bags to the trash from throughout the house, as well as taking several boxes of old electronics to a place that takes them. I even did a fast go through of boxes of pictures to get rid of copies, bad lighting, bad “back of everybody’s heads” photos,etc. I loved your system, especially the “where would I look for it first”! I had been doing the “where can I make this fit”. That one doohickey really helped me. Thank you! *Oh, and my husband even went through his shelves and places and found things to trash or donate without me saying anything, he was just so impressed with what I had been doing he wanted to do it too.
I can't tell you how much I like the Container Concept. So I have a dozen spatulas; they fit their space. Books? their space. The trick is not to seek out more space, of course. LOL
Thank you for doing multiple videos on your five steps. Seriously.. thank you!!! Literally something clicks a little more every. Single. Time. Today I worked on the hiding spots. Because the last couple weeks I’ve been going back into stuff shuffling subconsciously and didn’t realize til one day trying to tidy and put everything back into their homes. Only to find all the closets and cabinets are so full I can’t put stuff away anywhere lol. Soo today I worked on Bathroom closets and cabinets and medicines. And realized just how* much I’ve been treating all my cabinets like a storage unit or like I bought out all of Walmart. lol. And this is a year and a half in to decluttering. Waiting for the day I get to breathable space in every single space in the house. ❤
I had too many "Snap Ware" food containers but they were living on different shelves in different kitchen cupboards. When I consolidated them I realized The ones I don't use became "duh donations". My friend had been using empty food containers for decades and was excited to have real glassware. I gave her 12 containers with lids of various sizes. She is ecited to declutter old empty food containers 😊👍🥳
11:31 “Thank you” doesn’t seem ‘enough’ to express my gratitude to you for your 5 step process. I’m older with health issues so emptying everything in a pile to sort through doesn’t work for me anymore. Your process helps without the struggle of asking all the emotional questions…that I’ve had posted to walls in my closet & basement. I joined your “Take Your House Back” course & I’m very excited. I don’t have Facebook & was grateful when I learned that I didn’t need it…that would have caused me to walk away. It’s wonderful to see positive results without making a bigger mess!
Agree re FB…
I hate how many programs require it.
All of your advice is revolutionary but the biggest clue-by-4 moment for me was decluttering without making a bigger mess. That most clearly led to discovering the limits of my container which stopped being the bad guy and became the boundary of, and gateway to, freedom. I had been so cramped by excess and now I can luxuriate and stretch out into spaces that have breathing room. And without doubt, the reason I could never get there before was because of the fallacy of "heap everything you've got into a big pile then pull from it to put what sparks you back." Not only does that make a huge defeating mess, I then have to be led by emotion in clearing it, instead of acknowledging that some things are less favorite than other things and can clearly go and no tears are shed. Thank you, Dana!
Upvoted for "clue-by-4"...love it.
I am so grateful to have discovered Dana and also Cass and Dawn. I have been binge watching all of you. It’s the right time for me. I have tried organizing systems that didn’t last a month, though I do organize well on my own, then can’t find anything. I purchased an expensive lifetime org membership, didn’t get through step one. But I can go back to it later.
At various times one of the three gals is a Godsend. I now am getting what decluttering can do for my sanity and am getting better at it and more enthused. I am giving away new, expensive, sentimental things because I have too much and now I am okay with sharing them so they are appreciated and used!
I take one shelf or drawer at a time and finishing a cabinet is exhilarating! Love and appreciate you all.
Especially love Dana for the honesty, bottom line basic common sense, humor and sass!
Bless you, and thank you for this very helpful video. I am 66 years young, and have so much stuff to de clutter. I am a butterfly (I follow Cass on You Tube clutter bugs) so do like to see things out on show, but I just have too much stuff, so need to sort it all out! I have a tiny kitchen, which always seems in a mess, so will follow your advise on the if I was looking for this, where would I go first - it just makes so much sense, and the container idea is just brilliant. I have your book, so am inspired to get going! Blessings from Jilly & Madge the rescue greyhound, from West Devon, England. xxx
I discovered you 2 yrs ago and the five step process has helped me declutter my home and sort through the 3 estates of my parents who have passed away within a years time. Trash first has become my mantra. Now I've started a declutter on my own home again. I love that I'm no longer overwhelmed. Thank you Dana
3 estates? Damn, that's a lot! Glad you were able to do it! 💛
I've been trying to get my sister to embrace this concept. I just helped her move from a 3 1/2 story house to a two-bedroom apartment, and she still has a TON of stuff. Her knee-jerk reaction to reaching a space limit is to buy more containers or larger furniture for storage. I keep telling her, "You don't need a bigger dresser; you need less stuff!"
Know what you mean. Good luck to the two of you. ❤ I asked Mum if we could clean out her garage and it took 1.5 days for her to realise (after me saying it 100 times) that we weren’t throwing out her life, just the rubbish and making it so she could find things in under the usual 20 min mark.
Stumbled over your video on the last day of my holidays. Just spent the last 5 hours container cleaning. So satisfying, thank you!
Interesting seeing the two approaches: Marie Kondo's "put your favorites back into the empty container" versus Dana's "remove your least favorite until the container has just enough".
I'm in of the "must see it all out in one spot" to sort school (out of sight, out of mind) for decluttering, but the first steps of Dana's methods are excellent.
Remove the things that require as little decision-making as possible first in a series of "binary sorting steps": trash / not trash, donate NOW / do not donate now, belongs HERE / does not belong here ...
Ooh, binary! I often think of points along a continuum so binary makes perfect sense to me.
We decluttered our whole attic! There is nothing left in it and it feels great. I have been going through the rest of the house and slowly decluttering it as well! Thank you for your time and knowledge!
I have gotten rid of a lot of stuff after my husband passed, it was easy for me, but he used to like stuff. I feel a less cluttered house, a breeze to clean, it's stuff(material)keep the money go on vacay with it, don't by more stuff. A less cluttered house easy to find things, and the brain doesn't suffer, your head is also less cluttered
Dana, I think you are an angel on Earth! The fact that you spend so much of your time creating these insanely-helpful videos and presenting them FOR FREE is mind-blowing. Like so many others here, your processes have changed our house from a constant mess into a place where I feel like I can live and breathe. And this is the case even though I still don't do the dishes every day, ha! Love you so much, thank you from the bottom of my heart.
She gets paid by UA-cam based on views and other things. We repay her by subscribing and liking, and watching the videos.
Running out of clothes when you have a weekly laundry day is impressive to me because it means you have decluttered to only have what you really love. 🤣
This concept was firmly in my mind as I was decluttering my china cabinet to make room for a set of dishes that my daughter received for Christmas. I knew exactly what I most wanted to keep and then all the rest had to be up for grabs. Some were gifted to my daughters and tucked away in their version of hope chests and some pieces that I loved (but not as much as others) had to move on to other homes. There were no tears and no angst--just, oh well, it was fun looking at them all these years now they'll be someone else's treasure to discover at the thrift store.
I decluttered my food storage containers, yesterday. I was feeling frustrated putting the dishes away & thought "why am I doing this? Just declutter the drawer!" Didn't take long at all. I've been working steadily to keep up with the dishes. Reminds me of my 1st job, bussing tables & washing dishes. It's the job that never ends...
Today I'm beginning a huge Christmas decor sort. I'm older and just can't decorate the way I once did. I'm so anxious to get started, knowing it won't be easy. So, here it goes....!
Not assessing the value of an object has been helpful, but the real life-changing concept for me as been, "embracing the reality of...", at first it was just my space but has spilled over into my circumstances, etc, and has brought me a lot of peace.
Thank you. Cleaned out my bathroom cabinet (soaps and lotions and misc. trash). Cleaning out and letting go of some of the things that belonged to my mother that came from my parents home. Cleaned out one plastic storage tote tonight, used the " take it there now" concept and did not make a pile of anything to deal with at the end. Such progress was made (is being made) from these concepts, Thank you so much!!
I love the idea of "least favorite" and I'm glad that you explained it as acknowledging that the item in question is "a favorite" but the reality is that there is no space for it. That made all the difference. I have several pairs of "least favorite" socks in my sock drawer as I type, and they will be relocated post haste. But OTOH I have two "very least favorite" items in the drawer above my sock drawer that I'm going to hang on to, since they are an important part of my laundry system: whenever I am down to one of these pairs, and especially when I am down to JUST ONE of these pairs, it alerts me that it is time - or way past time - to do a load of laundry . . .
?OTOH?
@@jeme7339on the other hand
@@jeme7339 On The Other Hand
On the other hand, I think 😊
It took me a couple of Christmas seasons, but I've managed to pare down my decor to 3 totes. Then I received some new decor items as gifts, so I knew something had to go to make room for the new stuff. I let go of some things I hadn't put out the last 2 years and unboxed some lights, but my Christmas decor is still contained in 3 red totes with green lids! 😊
Girl,
I picked up a book.
1. Donate.
Oh yeah I have books over in my Bathroom cabinet,
lets get those.
I found 7 containers of deodorant. 3 brand new.
4 had old Secret deodorant marked better then nothing.
Gez louise
Cabinets is decluttered.
Thank you!
I homeschool four children. We have looooootts of stationary. We have favourite coloured pencils that are being used. Why is it so hard to get rid of the other brands that I dont even like!!!!! 😂 it should be easy!
My word for the year - -RUTHLESS - mostly for decluttering...... Update....... Today I dropped off 5 boxes to GoodWill..... and..... feeling blessed, but another great thing - - I was going through some things and found a $20 bill! Wow, I have so much junk laying around - including money!
Thank you! This really helped - I liked the idea of the least favorite items.
Love this… I feel like (what a friend said about speed limits once) it’s a ‘limit not a target’ really applies to this concept - also just wanted to show a little appreciation 🎉 for the Reid White ‘outro’ which always makes me smile 😊
A friend said she was getting more containers to organise her house. I said the problem isn’t more containers, it’s decluttering and explained the container concept and Cass’ organising styles. Never been to her house but I could hear it in her voice. Someone else asked me about having a crowded wardrobe. The container concept was the first thing out of my mouth. What I love most is the passion we talk about it no matter what situation we’re in and how it just takes the stress out and gets us to trust the process. ❤
The container concept was a game changer for me!
Been "reading backwards" the blog, listening to podcasts 'backwards' and watching probably every video & Q&A.
It's just so helpful to have these concepts talked about over and over.
Going to ask for your EBooks for my birthday 😁
I’m Decluttering my desk, and surrounding area, shredding papers to get all the ones I want to keep into 2 file drawers cabinet.
Okay so the fractured wrist is 2.5 months healing. Now able to lift a bit and am going to start in my office closet to declutter. I have a wide 3 drawer lateral file cabinet full. I know, no one uses file cabinets now..or only a smallish one. So the state maps of EVERY state in the USA can go. 😂 Those will feel great as I plow through..❤
My container limit is not the same as my husband’s. He is incredibly untidy (it is the worst thing I can say about him), but once in a while he “reorganises” a cupboard. It looks absolutely perfect when he finishes, but everything is jammed in there so that I cannot see what we have and I have to pull everything out just to get at stuff, which makes it untidy again. He also puts often used stuff out of reach, and rarely used stuff at eye-level.
I’ve found that if I leave enough space in a “container”, I can see what I have, I can access stuff and I’m more likely to put things back properly so it keeps organised. Unfortunately, it means I have to be more ruthless than even I would like in order to achieve this. My stuff really has to earn a place in my home. 😊
Decluttering kitchen drawers with this video series.
Your container concept is filtering into all aspects of my life. Thank you.💜🐞
Used this yesterday with my husband yay! We were sorting out our understairs cupboard, where we just had way too many free tote bags. So I chose a big beach bag and designated that the container. DH is the keeper in our house, but he really bought into it.
I was looking desperately for a metal die yesterday that was ultimately hiding in a pile of paper!? I went through my cart, my craft table, and threw away tons of paper before I found it!! I didn’t quit there because I already had the motivation to clean!! It’s so cool how that happens!
I’ve been slowly plugging away in spaces these past few weeks. So thankful for these videos as encouragement, insight, and support. We’ve been through all areas of the house this past year, so this is a current pass of refinement and exploring “clutter threshold.” Already so much serious improvement in space & quality of life. I’m excited to see what happens as we continue to move the needle. Thanks for all you do.
I love Reid! And I love your shirt! 😂😂😂
Congratulations on your success! It encourages me as I’m organising my home. Can’t wait to get to my clutter threshold exploration once I finish doing some reno work.
Happy New Year Dana❣️
This was the first video I watched from you this year. I absolutely love your calm, carefree style and still learn so much for you. You always spread such a " you got this!" attitude. I truly appreciate you and all your advice!💕
Dana! Your decluttering process has helped me so much THANK YOU ❤
BUT REID MAKES MY DAY EVERY TIME 😂
Could you make a tips video about digital decluttering? My google storage is so full that I can't receive emails anymore, so I feel like applying the container concept is a great idea!
Yes, please, me too!!
I found this just in time! I'm cleaning out my office that turned into a junk room. I'm going to make it into a craft room and sewing room. I am getting organized again... LOL...I love the consolidation plan. I will be able to finally figure out what I have too much of. I really feel like this will work for me because I think like you do. This really resonates with me.❤❤❤
I organised my tool area today using the container method. It’s a new space with new tools so there wasn’t a system in place yet. Slow going but I figured I can have house, car, garden, paint, tools and ruler sections and sorted them to fit the space. I freed up room in the laundry by putting the spare light bulbs, batteries and cords out there as I hardly use those. Yay! I put pegboard on the side of the shelving so the rulers could hang on it. The space I have left is for the tools I’m currently using. That room also neatly houses my decor, one shelf of books and back stock. My Bee mind was working overtime today.
Decluttered 5 boxes of books. Took to HPB last week. Cleared my mantle and got rid of sentimental decorations bought in past;.5 units of craft drawers and two boxes of clothing and stuff taken to Goodwill. Thanks, Dana, for giving me inspiration to make this year tidier and get more stuff out of here continuously from now on.
I know I've got either a clutter problem or a black hole that sucks in scissors. ✂️ Though I've bought a lot, can never find. I wonder how many pair I have...?
I am at this step. I live in a one bedroom apartment. Towels and spices. 😅
Thank You for encouraging people to Donate 🙏 instead of trash 💜❤️💜
Your container concept video with the pens was the aha moment for me. I would also just get another pen cup instead of recognizing that as a limit. I'm still working on it but it is getting easier each time. Thank you so much for these videos. They really do help. Happy New Year!!!
That video does not get NEARLY the focus it should! Hands down, for me, biggest Ah Ha moment in this whole process.
Your method SERIOUSLY changed my life in the best way!!! Thank you!!!
I love the hoodie, reminded me of our Christmas three years ago at Universal. We stayed there.
I love to see myself as a container, too.😇 I have my own limits. I have preferences of what I need and want to put "in" my daily life, easily gettoably, stress-free (as much as possible). So, the clutter threshold is the container concept applied to me in my current phase of life. It is the bandwidth that Minimal Mom talks about. However, you are right, Dana, those 2 concepts have to be separated because the clutter threshold concept is more ambiguous and is independent of how big or small our living space and its containers currently are. Container concept is less philosophical, less psychological, emotion-free, logical, common sense activating and therefore extremely helpful in the times of overwhelm.
Hi, you saved my sanity … really. our brains work the same way! Thank you! I have question and your point of view would be very helpful. I am living in a country there are NO charity shops. No Salvation Army, no posdibility to donate. Yes, it is what it is. You can donate through Facebook market place. But-really complicated. People do not show up for pickup, then communicate in a way that is really botdering with stalking … did not work for me. So donations can be done through some “church bazaar sales”. However, you have to come, set the table-even if you do not want any money. It is just hassle! Second hand shops sometimes take the donations but it has to be “designers cloths in impecable conditions”. Should I just stop agonizing about “there are do many people that need it and can not afford it and stove it in the trash? Not being able to donate slows me so much.
That’s a really tricky one isn’t it! Could you try to “stop agonising” for a set amount of time, eg a month, and see how you get on with just throwing things out? Will it make you feel better or worse?
Or, Are you allowed to put things out on your kerb (assuming you have one) for folks to take? There’s a lady called, I think, Salty Stella on here who “dumpster dives”, puts the resulting treasure on her kerb weekly, an advert on FB Marketplace and most of it is cleared in a day!
Not sure about local bylaws though. And it’s a bit of work, and you have to collect a pile somewhere until there’s enough to put out 🤔
Sorry I can’t be more helpful, and you’ve probably thought of the above already.
Good luck with it all x
Hi Dana, Thanks for doing these videos (again) in January - the perfect time to "start the new year right" with some decluttering! We have lived in our house 23 years and plan to sell it next year, so we have a LOT of stuff to go through! I also plan to rewatch your Moving video series again! Thank you again for being real and sharing your story and reaching out to help others! Your method is THE BEST!!!!! 🤩
OK, Dana!!!
So I was just wondering about this.
I’ve been listening to your no mess method probably for a couple of years now and I was getting to this point in my bedroom (step 5), after making the rest of the public area of my house so nice!
Thank you, thank you, thank you for all your videos, and for working with Cass and Dawn in the take your house back course! My life is changing!!!!
But, I was about to give up on your method in the bedroom since I’ve done the other four steps, and I don’t didn’t know what to do next. I’m 3.44 minutes into your video and you just said it,
Put like things together.
Well, that’s what I was planning to do, but I was also sort of blending that thought with the way I’ve done things before which would be to start moving everything out of a space, one space at a time.
Can’t wait to see how this is going to turn out. Both your video and my bedroom, yay!
By the way, I’m also starting at the beginning of the take your house back course and listening to the first several videos in order to be prepared for the all data clutter on January 13th.
Thank you, thank you, thank you!!!!
This helped me: Pick one category for example Leggings. Ask yourself the first question and put all of them in the space. Next use the container concept till it fits.
I wanted to thank you for your work, for this method. I wish I could show you the amount of things I’ve gotten rid of in the last week, and the amount of space I’ve freed up - both physical space in my home and mental space. I’ve tried other methods (you know the ones) but nothing works as well as the Dana K White method. ❤
Next we need another of your examples of going through steps! Those videos have helped me picture the steps very well! ❤ your books too! Super helpful😊
I would totally love to meet Reid. :) My favorite part of Dana's video's is reading Reid's comments at the end. 🤣
As I put away my Christmas decor I also decluttered quite a bit of it. Some stuff that I haven't put out in years. This year I had a few things that I wasn't sure if I wanted to keep them or not so I mark them as did not use in 2023 and if I decide in 2024 that I'm not putting them out again they will get decluttered at the end of the year
Love this idea!
I'm decluttering clothes. The easy stuff: stuff we've outgrown or never wear
I like to keep a pair of scissors in almost every room where I know they are.
Including the garage
I love the way you declutter, it works so effectively. Keep creating the content 😊
So glad I found this channel. What I could really use help with right now is reading material. I have more than I can possibly read, both physically on paper and electronically and then once it’s read, I have to decide to toss, file, act. I am making some progress using these five steps…especially getting rid of the obvious trash, but could use more advice/inspiration in this area!
Container concept?
Designate a space for books, put your favourite ones in first, when it’s full dispose of the rest.
My distillation of Dana’s concept, sounds harsh like this, so have a look at Dana’s videos about the subject because obviously it’s not as easy as I’ve made out above!
@@rosywilson3076
Ooohhh the pain I feel trying to declutter books. That one is hard!
I actually have books pretty under control…mainly because I have a lot of bookshelves. 😅. It’s more all the paper and emails I feel like I can’t get a handle on
This concept has been a revelation. I'm a collector of many types of items and the overspill from my containers was out of control. I'm making my way through my collections and feeling so much less stressed with more curated pieces. I live decluttering advice that doesn't have to necessarily mean the goal if minimalism because that's too far for me.
Ah...thank you for the sentence on 'clutter thresh hold'. I was wondering what that was. I have already identified some areas that I have 'decluttered' that still feel like too much...but I will stick with the process and keep decluttering the entire space first...I LOVE the container concept too.
Hi, good morning Dana, you have transformed my family's home through all of your YTV. The 4 step peocess works every single time guaranteed!!! I have been watching you for about 3 years and going into this year, I have never felt so close to what I have imagined. I also follow The Minimal Mom, Dawn as well as Cass from Clutterbug. I am so excited for this new year because my kids love the spacious living room as well as the empty closet floors to play hide and seek and the crazy thing is, I Do Not Miss any of what I felt was so hard to let go of (sentimental & especially paper clutter). Anyways, thank you Dana. We are a family of 6 and our lives feel so much easier. Even our 4 year days it's easy to clean up our room!!!! With excitement n her voice! God bless you and Cass and Dawn!
I’ve been using step 5 a lot in the areas I have already decluttered as far as maintenance and I love it. Don’t get me wrong, I like the other steps too when I start a decluttering project but number 5 is my most favorite. Now, if I could only get my husband on board I’d be in real business. I feel like the older he gets the more I see hoarding tendencies in him.
And maybe the more you declutter,the more fear he has of you taking his stuff away from him?
Thank you, your pep talks are so motivating! Please keep them coming!! Just when I think I’ve hit a wall, you help me get back up and keep going 💕
Dear Dana, thank you, I've been listening over and over and over again ... your 5 steps :) Yea for past videos ... I'm beginning to understand all 5 steps ... it's becoming clear to me, I can understand the concepts ... I've been using them and my space is becoming more manageable each time I go through the 5 steps ... It feels like I can now breathe and I'm ready to now go through some last drawers and boxes I've put off til the last ... Thank you sooo very much !!!
❤ I did this with my shoes many years ago. I purchased bookshelves and gave my shoes a home. I could only purchase more shoes if I made room for them by getting rid of some that were already on the shelf. ❤
I've always used the container method just naturally my whole life, nice to be validated as part of the declutter process. I'm now using the 2 questions to up my game, thanks!
In the last week we have donated four boxes and a bag of stuff. I have been working in my sewing/craft room and my husband has actually gotten rid of stuff from the shed. I'm proud since before if he didn't know where something should go, it went in the shed.
Thanks Dana, I am trying to put things in my kitchen cabinets at my new apartment. Having to purchase kitchen items, ie ; silverware, dishes, pots and pans, other kitchen utensils. Where to put foil, plastic wrap, parchment paper, things on a roll. Having fun Dana!😂❤😊 Thanks!
I had to find you after watching you on Mel Robbins you are awesome 👏 My decluttering mentor
Good timing. I needed to hear this today, since I am going to be decluttering my closet this afternoon. Thank you
I just made bags of items when I put up my Christmas stuff. I know it isn't the best time to declutter, but oh well. I got a few more ornaments that were my grandmothers, so I knew I could get rid of others I had for decorating. I labeled all the boxes with what was in them and we put them up. I am planning to go through my kid's clothes this weekend to sort through. I do this periodically, usually every 3 months or so. And it makes me feel so good to get the oldest's too small clothes folded, together and put in a bag under my bed and he has a fresh tub to put the rest he outgrows, until I sort it again. Our youngest is the world's worst at throwing is clothes in the drawers, just like his brother. But I need to make sure it isn't too many, so it isn't too full.
Loved Podcast #400 with your husband. I'm the same way with trash. In fact, it made me so happy recently to find a piece of trash to fill up a trash bag so that I could throw out a full bag.
I've been focusing on the first three steps because I've been avoiding "the hard decisions" of the container concept. I just applied "take it there now" to five items, but only had room for three. I found an immediate use for one of the items and am THRILLED to find a use for one of the items I removed to make room for the others. Yet another $1.25 saved by shopping my house instead of the Dollar Tree. Winnng!
I’m enjoying your back to basics step by step series, thank you!
That helps, some areas have space but I still feel overwhelmed so it means it’s over my clutter threshold ? Oh my, I’ll need to chuck more out then.
😊 to see ya
Thank you for your books & videos! Life changing! Bless you! ❤
I"m decluttering and I love it sooo much !!!
Thank you a tons to all of you decluttering ladies on your different channel you tube!!!
You helped me sooo much to be started and you make it soooo much easier !!!
Blessings +++!!!
I have been going through everything! I still want to get rid of half of my Christmas decorations
I have scissors in every room I use them in, the kitchen, living room, craft room.
Kathy B