Decluttering a Craft Room With Dana K White (Using the No Mess Decluttering Process)
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- Опубліковано 8 лют 2025
- It feels like craft supplies (where literally every single thing could be useful) need a whole new decluttering strategy, but the don't! My five step No Mess Decluttering Process works on everything, even craft rooms! Today, I'm doing a One Hour Better session with Cara of Cara Brandon Creations.
AND, there are more examples of decluttering craft spaces using the No Mess Process in this playlist: • Less Clutter More Craf...
Go watch the debrief of how Cara felt about this process here: • One Hour Better Sessio...
My trained and certified Speed of Life Decluttering Coaches are also doing One Hour Better sessions with other crafty UA-camrs, so you can watch those videos, too!
Here are direct links to the additional One Hour Better videos:
Ratchet Up Your Art- • Stencil Organization: ...
Dianne Pachol- • Less Clutter, More Cra...
DearJulieJulie- • Decluttering my craftr...
The Serendipitous Crafter- • One Hour Better - "Les...
Kassandra Louise - • Declutter and Get Orga...
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Grab Take Your House Back while it's on sale! aslobcomesclea...
Need to find (or become) a decluttering coach certified in my process? DeclutteringCo...
Get a printable of my five step decluttering process when you sign up for my newsletter at aslobcomesclea...
My books: aslobcomesclea...
Join us at Patreon: / aslobcomesclean
Ask questions for future lives at AskDanaKWhite.com.
Note to self, don't start watching Dana's videos at 11 at night! I had a sudden inspiration to declutter my messy pantry, and now it's after 1am! 😅 You're the best Dana!
Seriously, same time here! 😂😅
Same 🤣🤣😂
It is midnight and I am watching this video and I am restraining myself from going downstairs to my craftroom to start to work lol
Lol
Hello from the other side of the video at 3:30 am 😅 I reallly need to stop!
"That thing you just took out of the box, where is the first place you would look for that?"
Cara: "In the box."
And she giggles. 😂🤣😂 ❤
“We don’t set anything anywhere for a second.” My favorite laugh out loud and brilliant quote of the day… week… month! Serendipitously, I was on my way to work on the one room, the hardest room in the house that has not been decluttered: my craft room! Perfect timing, thank you Dana!
"DON'T put it down, put it away!" is my new motto.
Wow, taking it there NOW is so powerful! It really makes your brain decide if it's worth walking to and from over and over just for one little item. Ultimately helping you to declutter even more!! And I love how you made sure she did NOT just lay an item down somewhere and cause more clutter. These things seem little, but they're huge! A very informative video today on how we can start retraining our brains when it comes to our stuff.
I’m sure every crafter around the world are going in for a huge collective hug. ❤
Every time I walk into my craft room I want to have a little meltdown. Very well timed video!
You and me both!
Yes after the Christmas stuff I have alot to clean up! I am decluttering also. Redoing my desk and revamping my cardstock storage. 🤪
I don't wanna! 😂 We all know that feeling. Love it! And that she made her push through.
Yes!! If I could have a little Dana doll that would be so helpful.
I’m so proud of my friend Cara ❤ she really had to put herself out there and that’s not easy for us crafters, especially junk journalers, because I think it has to be the most cluttered hobby out there!
Totally true !
Absolutely!
Yes she did so good!! Although I’ll say she actually has it very well put together even pre-video! My room looks like a living disaster 🤦🏼♀️🤦🏼♀️🤦🏼♀️
I love how at the beginning of these, the person picks something up and sets it down, because of the overwhelm. It's like watching someone acting out how my brain used to function! And how Dana slows them down to process one item at a time. It worked for me and it's so cool to see when the light bulb goes on for people!!
I like how you talked her through things,because you could tell she was getting overwhelmed. Great job to both of you.
I love your questioning style. Well developed and non-judgmental.
Even when she gave an answer, you pressed her to confirm she really meant it and she was able to change her answer until she was sure it was going in the right spot.
Way to go teach
I really felt for Cara when she said, "I don't want to go through this box"! It can be so overwhelming! You helped us to see that it wasn't so painful to hold one item in our hand and make a decision at that moment! Amazing! Just what I needed to see. There is light at the end of the "craft room of doom"!! Thank you so much for sharing this video!! 💕🌴😎
I love how diligent you are in this one about not putting anything down for a second.
I just want to give Cara a hug! This was really hard, especially the box. I am also a junk journal maker and learning to think of my stuff in terms of what “job”it does in the process of making a journal really helps me. For me, when you ask the question where is the first place you would look for it, is analogous to determining its job and then I can find its home. But Cara demonstrates how hard it is to then decide if it is more important than something else taking up space in that home already…sigh…it’s such a painful decision. It is actually painful to watch…
Ah thank you Kathleen, big hugs ❤
Aweee we all totally understand each other. I was feeling the same; but she did great ! And she never thought she could go through that box but she did. I have a bin just like that box to go through but now I feel like I can do it because Cara did it 😅
My craft room is worse than hers! Oh, my! I really needed this video! What really will help me in my mess is Dana's question, "What in the closet is less important than what is in your hands?" This would be a great question for me to consider as I declutter! (Making space for what I really need and use.) The other most important thing that I'm learning here is "don't set it down...Where would you first look for it!" Thank you ladies for sharing this helpful video with us crafters!!!
It's a great idea to post a series of other craft room declutters done using the same method. Thank you!
Wow good job. I think decluttering your craft space is one of the hardest areas to clean up.
My craft room is my ROOM of DOOM! I can’t wait to watch and tackle my room along with you!
As a crafter with a dedicated craft room myself, this really hit home! Cara, you are not alone, I was laughing and grunting right along with you. Decision making for items that we haven’t used yet but really want to use is tough. It’s having someone amazing like Dana there with you to keep you going that makes such a difference. She keeps asking the question until you make that tough decision. Thank you both so much for this motivation. ❤❤❤
Thank you, thank you, thank you for filming an episode about a craft room 🙏 I am so going to save this episode and watch it again and again. That is litterly me sitting in that chair trying to make decisions, except I am stuck and my brain is fried 😅😅
I LOVE the tip about the vintage hankies! "If you didn't know you had vintage hankies, what would you look for? Some other fabric? Then put the vintage hankies with the fabric, and you'll be excited to find them there!" I'm definitely using that one in my own craft room for miscellaneous things!!
I find myself saying in my head all the time now: "Just take it there now." And I do it and feel so good about it! This is not when I'm officially decluttering, just going about my day and see a button that needs to go in the button jar, a nail or hammer that needs to go to the garage, hand washed clothing that is dry now and needs to go in the closet, etc. I used to ignore the clothes for days, and I would put the small things in a little bowl to take care of them later! It's amazing how these little things can make me feel so productive! 😊
This is EXACTLY what I needed for my craft space. My room is multi function and I get paralyzed when I try to declutter! Thank you.
I am so happy you tackled a craft room. I have used your method to make real difference in my home. My craft room seems impossible because I want to keep everything and it is always a disaster area. The container method seems to be key to this type of problem. I do understand the process and the questions. Now, I am ready to tackle my creative haven, one step at a time.
What I love about you is that there is no judgement. You understand the creative mind. You don’t tell anybody what they should keep or get rid of. You simply ask questions and let them make the decisions. Thank you for coming up with this method.
So helpful to see your system being used in a real situation!!!!!
Thank you! Glad to see that I’m not alone. I can see the potential of every “scrap” from a tiny postage stamp on up in size. I’m not making greeting cards any longer… but it’s so hard to let these little dusty scrappy treasures go to make room for other hobbies. Tough Love is real. ❤️
Watching this virtual session is such a blessing, thank you for sharing and not gatekeeping the process
This is a magnificent demonstration of the creative mindset torture🫣. I was a bit unsympathetic at first and then under Dana’s questioning I saw My Own Thinking Process in action. Aargh…could use this bit of old stuff and maybe add it to that cute thing I kept for that interesting project and with a teeny scrap of vintage lace trim it would be a new thingy. Just brilliant. Oh my goodness I totally identified with the lady. Lessons learned…don’t set things down…take it there now, where would I look for this first? 🎉🇬🇧🤟🏻🎉
She’s got such cool stuff in her craft room!
I too have vintage hankies that I hope to do something creative with. They are currently somewhere in my house. 🤷🏼♀️ 😅
Every sigh, hesitation, just put it there now. I love the 1hr declutters! Cara’s progress was fantastic, well done. I bet she’ll have Dana’s voice in her head for the rest of her life! ❤
Vintage ephemera and lace and hankies? CLEARLY a Junk Journaler! 🙂 This was AWESOME, Dana! It's inspo for addressing my own craft hoard.
HUGS Cara I know how hard this was!!! Thank You Dana I will rewatch when I am decluttering my craft spacesssss Yes there is more than one. This collaboration is the BEST
Thanks for focusing on craft rooms. I could feel her pain of deciding what she liked the most. I will be working on my craft room during the next all day declutter.
Woo Hoo !! All of my house is decluttered…. Except my Craft Room ! I really needed this ! 👍😁
Oh, congrats to you! I am still in process. Just opened up ANOTHER donatable donations box.. and am decluttering into it! YAY FOR BOTH OF US!
Same!
Congratulations! I love hearing success stories, you’re giving me hope. ❤
I loved this!! I am a quilter, sewist, embroiderer, crafter!! I totally relate!!
I volunteer teach a monthly junk journal class for 20. Over the last 3 years my living room is a junk journal supplies explosion. Too many unorganized boxes, bags, piles. Trying hard to apply the container concept, but even if it were all organized, the living room should not be the storage for a single storage container of supplies. My craft room also a partially organized explosive mess is limited space. Trying to start with the most visible space first. Trying NOT to be overwhelmed. Trying to make hard decisions.
Cara, I love your channel and the work you do. You are so brave and this was so helpful.
Dana, I love your channel And TYHB. One definition of ephemera is “ the minor transient documents of everyday life.” Ephemera are often paper-based, printed items, including menus, ticket stubs, newspapers, postcards, posters, sheet music, stickers, and greeting cards. However, since the 1990’s, the term has been used to refer to digital artifacts or texts. So you see almost anything can be ephemera, including toilet paper cardboard rolls, used gift wrap, junk mail, ribbon, lace, fabric, food packaging, Amazon packaging and filler paper, and the list goes on and on. I look forward to finding the videos of your coaches one hour better with other crafters. Aiming for progress not perfection.
💜🐞
I am 9 minutes in. I'm watching with a cup of tea & procrastinating some things.
I've been "doing Dana" for a while & didn't think I needed this. This woman is ME. I know this. I am in denial. I am motivated. (& my tea has kicked in😅)
I TOTALLY love the container & when Dana said she has enough containers... I felt that!
I feel like the stuff we give away & "pay forward", is also a way that we can thank Dana but her legacy reaches so deep & places she will never know.
Video hasn't even started yet and I'm already like "oh no!". I need to watch this.
Ohhh my goodness!!! This is what I need! I walk in an area, start picking things apart, and make a bigger mess! Then I get overwhelmed and I stop. 😢
I love this lady! This is me, 100%... 10 minutes to figure out I don't really want the Christmas embellishments, yay! Ooh, but the box they're in is so useful! 😅
I think this was the best 1 hour better session that I've seen, and I'm not even a crafter. It demonstrates your system so well and how to deal with different things that come up. Don't set things aside even for a moment. Keep them in your hand or in the place you found them until it's their turn. Don't just put a whole box of various items away somewhere. Go through it and then get rid of the box because that's not the final home for that stuff. Don't think about where you should look for items but instead where you'd actually look first for them. Love it!
It was so helpful to see your system work in a real situation!!!!!
My favorite part of this is that clearly Cara has gone through the decluttering where either she or someone else tells her what she can or can't keep. The number of times she picked something up, labeled it, and added, "And I want to keep this," shows this. And every time Dana validated that and just walked her through the steps. It's so impressive. I need to be way better at doing this with my kids.
Perfect timing! I can’t even get into my craft room. Tackling it today 😱 😬 😥
Good luck, I hope you have a lot of fun doing it too! ❤
I loved the sequence with the handkerchiefs! Because they found a solution, even though she might never go looking for them. "What would you use instead? And would you be thrilled to find those there?" Brilliant!
The magic of an hour! This is amazing. We thought we couldn't in an hour, but it was just the overwhelmed brain talking. Thanks for sharing, Dana. I feel affirmed.
I heard a saying, “clutter is decisions delayed” and that rang my bell!
This was so real ,and so helpful! Cara's struggle over that box of vintage items; I just kept thinking "can't we just do 'where would I look for this box of vintage craft items?' if the floor was not an option?" Not ready to process my craft room yet, but working up to it hopefully by this summer.
Love, love, loved this!! The back and forth had me laughing - I’ll be hearing this in my head when I work on my basement 💜😊. Don’t lay it down!
Wow !! Amazing job Cara !! 🎉🎉🎉
Omg….i need more craft room videos!!!! I watched them all, This was GREAT!!!
Back from holiday and unpacked all the stuff from the car. Then item by item put it away. Each time I found myself putting bits in pile heard in my head Dana saying 'take it there now'. Yes I was walking up and down stairs, in and out of rooms, but it all got put where it needed to be and it's done and not stacked waiting or in my case attracting more stuff. Take it there now, the most powerful yet annoyingly simple phrase, but it saves so much trouble stacking up for later.
It's so generous of Cara to share her space with us like this. I so appreciate hearing you work through your process with someone else. Your voice is in my head when I am cleaning up and I'm making incremental progress as I go.
Frankly I thought her room looked incredibly clean and organized at the beginning! Impressed with her work! But you know what a clean room means??? Time to start a new project!
Dana you are just brilliant kind and a beautiful person l just loved this video and Cara was marvellous allowing us to watch you could see her Struggling at times at other times she just knew were things belonged. I tend to put one of your videos on while working on my decluttering in my opinion l find your way the best because l have Fibromyalgia and now Arthritis in my hip and knee at seventy so l can only do short bursts at a time, l have two little dogs that need walking which of course are my main concern, but l try to do a little each day at the moment l am concentrating on putting away Christmas decorations but l will donate a lot as they were more trouble then the enjoyment l gained from them. I want to sort the house out so my daughters don’t have much to do when l am no longer here. I live in the north east of England l wish you had trained people here, but l will continue to watch your videos and plod on. If you are ever in the area pop in for a cup of tea sending a big hug to you my friend from Lynda ❤
This video was so helpful, thank you to the volunteer for being real, this is exactly how we ALL feel!
Well that was just great!! Seeing the process in progress! I have an hour, I feel like I can do it now!
Happy New Year fellow decluttering Champs!💜
This was great! You make a good coach, keeping it going but not overwhelming
"Where would I look for this first?" has become my mantra!
This is hilarious! and SOOOOOO TRUE! Can't wait for the other videos! I got to the vintage hankies part and started laughing out loud.... sounds sooooo like me!
Cara you are a rock star to do this! Wonderful job.
This was amazing! Great job Cara!
LOVE LOVE LOVE Cara Brandon. Thank you so much for sharing this process. I can't even see the floor of my craft room and have stacks falling over so I don't quite feel like I can relate lol but this was so inspiring. A big part of junk journaling is repurposing even trash so making even the throwing away garbage goal can be a huge deal.
I am so glad you are doing this craft room declutter. This is where I struggle so much. I use to do art and crafts and my work from 3 to 5 years ago was so much better than it is now. Somewhere I became a craft collector and not a creator. If I am honest the reason my work isn't as good today as it was in the past. Is because I have to much stuff and I can't focus. All my stuff can be used for Junk Journals and yet I could never use all of this in a lifetime.
I have huge cluttered craft & sewing areas and this sounds like an achievable way to work through things. Thanks 🙏
I am so thankful I found you! Your system is the only one that works 100% of the time for my brain!
I love the One Hour Better sessions. They are my favorites.
As a crafter of 60 years, I am so glad I found you. For the first time in my life my art room is closing in on me and I have to make changes. I happened upon you this afternoon. I feel like I have a starting point now. Thanks so much. Jan
LOL I have a "put away pile" in my room and I usually grab something headed in a direction. But the pile can have items sitting there for weeks until I get to it. I enjoyed the process, thx for some great tips! Cara, your room looks amazing!
This was so good to watch. It is helpful seeing someone work through the decluttering process.
Perfect timing on this video! I need to declutter my craft room to make space for a replacement table! The current table and floor area are a mess but I know where to start…Trash!!! Thank you Dana 🥰
Aww feel for Cara, but this was amazing x💜
Oh wow!! I am so thrilled to see you doing this with a junk journaler and one that I follow too! I've been in the Take Your House group for several years and I use your method throughout my house but have had a difficult time with using it in my craft space. I could definitely see the struggle and it's kind of funny because I also have the same mystery box as Cara and lots of old stuff! This experience just opened my eyes in a new way because now I can more clearly see how this method can work with my craft space too. Thank you so much!!! 💕
I can believe how useful I found this video! I should be sleeping but I’m making copious amounts of notes so that I too can start my decluttering journey. Thank you for sharing such incredibly simple but hugely impactful tips! 😊
This is totally me in my scrapbook room everyday. Way to go Cara! Way to keep her on task Dana❣❣❣
This was fantastic! Cara you are much braver than many of us just for being open enough to show us the struggle we all go through. It’s so hard to decide what to do with things I don’t have plans for but want to use, especially with junk journaling and stuff. Thank you Dana and great job Cara!
More videos just like this, please!!! 🎉 Super helpful!
Go check out the rest of the playlist with Dana's coaches and other crafters. I really enjoyed it! ua-cam.com/play/PL4ylB6f-Voxoyv_TVUny1U9IvW5rWNAaQ.html&si=C42LC-SXpugdpJvN
A few months ago, I was so ill that my daughter decided I should move into an aged care home. Shock, horror! Talk about confronting! I sat in my studio, looking at my wall /shelves of doom, and cringing, and thinking, O god, no,now where do I start? Then I remembered the “you can eat an elephant, just one bite at a time!’ principle. So I just started on one self, on one day. That’s all. A week later, I was off and running, tossing things out, rearranging, setting aside “surplus to requirements “ stuff, to sell. I have now got rid of two thirds of my books, clothes, sewing supplies and art and craft supplies! I am now 16 kg lighter, much stronger, and too healthy to go into an aged care home. We’re, look at me now! I can find stuff, I have room and energy to have some small workshops, I am a roll!
😂 This was really awesome. Just learning some of the questions that you can ask yourself is a big help. I am a junk journal/crafter person as well. I have a corner of my small bedroom for everything. When you said that it looks like she already has a lot of bins, I had to laugh so hard. That’s pretty much all I have. Yes I did get some shelving units, and they actually helped a little. But I’m way too overwhelmed and not able to get what I need when I need it. For instance everything I happen to want is something that is very deep. given my health, I have to wait till my daughter comes get it for me. Anyway, like I said, knowing some right questions to ask yourself is very valuable. Thank you so much for working with Cara on this! I have been following her for years and she is very inspirational. And so are you! Hugs 🤗❤️
This kind of video is so powerful!!! Love this so much more than the phone calls. I like the phone calls, but this is soooo helpful!!!
As a fellow junk journaler/crafter I can’t tell you how much I appreciate this video. Thank you Dana and Cara! I’ve been following Dana for years but could never quite apply the methods to my studio. It’s overwhelming because vintage items aren’t easily replaceable and everything has potential! This was the extra advice I needed. I loved the part when Dana said “honestly I don’t even know what ephemera is!” Such a great video ! Thanks !!!!!
Thank You for doing this video !
I find it more helpful than somebody just talking and telling us what to do watching this lady pull out things and having problems of whether to donate or keep it and where to put it and you ask her those questions right there as if you were in that room is very very helpful so these actions speak louder than words !! 🤩thank you !!
Dana, Dana, Dana! I need this so badly! My craft room is frightening!
Wow you are so patient - if only we all had a friend this patient and understanding to help us declutter!
thanks again Dana
I am about to embark on decluttering my entire house and my craft room is the most daunting of all. I have never seen this method before & I’m excited to get started. Thank you for helping me with my challenge of decluttering!
Great. Creative clutter is so difficult. You are always helpful 💕
I loved Cara! What a sport. I just giggled when she didn’t want to address that one container!
This is my favorite method at the moment.
Dana you are so adorable ❤ I listen to you and feel more calm, thank you for your work
Oh, gosh, I am a walking Venn Diagram! This video inspired me to get back to cleaning my craft room. Thanks for the help.
I live in Brisbane OZ, and watching this, I have started to clear out, starting with embellishments & ephemera. Thank you for this video❣️🇦🇺
Wow. Did I need this video.
That was AMAZING!!
The last time I decluttered my crafting space....that number of square feet would have taken me several hours to go thru..... incredible transformation in such a short of time!! ❤
Your hair is sooo pretty 😍 in the style you're wearing with pink 💗 top!
I feel like this video was taken right out of my own craft room and head space.
Love the word “procrasticlutter”
It's been a year or more since I watched lots of your videos... so glad I came across this one today, because my craft room is an "impossible" mess. I know there is hope for me!
That was an awesome look at all the mental chatter that needs to happen in a decluttering session! She made progress without creating a mess, yes it seemed overwhelming and hard but piece by piece she got a lot done!
I need to hit my craftroom closet today,. I worked on decluttering the work spaces yesterday. What a timely video to show up in my feed!? Serendipity for the win. I will definitely watch the other videos as I work through the closet, for added motivatiin
A new word, Procrasticlutter! I'm using it. Thanks for the video.