When that happens we call it a "side quest" or a "mini game" in our grand video game challenge of life. Some days are filled with JUST side quests but it is still PROGRESS. 😁
You can not know how your thought process has changed my craft room. I'm a quilter, and I forever have TONS of fabric pieces and patterns to deal with: new fabric to give a home, longarm scraps to trim down and put away or get rid of, quilting projects in the works, etc. We have all these fancy terms like UFOs (UnFinished Objects) and WIPs (Work In Progress) but most quilting spaces look like a tornado went through them. Since watching you, as I finish ANY process (not project...any process), I think, "Take it there now" or "Where would I look for this first". That has me putting scissors where they go, fabric is stored in its place, everything has a home, and I finish each day with a clean cutting table for tomorrow. It's Magic. :) You're the BEST!
Just spent 40 min with old papers pile and coffee using your method. I heard you saying ‘take it there now’ and I plowed through until I got overwhelmed again. Shred party tomorrow!
I love this. It’s so easy to make a pile once you’ve decided what to do with something, but I can see how it’s better to just take care of it right away.
I used your No Mess method to clear out a spare bedroom that had the boxes I had kept from clearing out my parents house. I found a picture I wanted to keep. I thought about where I wanted to put it and what kind of frame it needed. I immediatly took the picture and got it framed. I came home and hung it up. I look at it all the time and feel good that it is in its final home. I did this with everything in that room. Yes, it took longer but there was no stuff shifting, just getting those treasures where they should be.
I can definitely attest to your method. I tried decluttering my closet, using the clear everything out method, got called away and when it was time to go to bed (and the bed was covered in clothes), I ended up sleeping on top of the clothes, because it would've taken too long to put it to rights then. With your method, tho, I was finally able to declutter my closet without making a disaster to deal with later. Thank you so much! Love your channel.😊👍🐾
I love that parking in your garage, the place cars belong, was your ultimate goal. We moved here 30 years ago, and I put my foot down the day we moved in. "We WILL have room for a car in this garage ALWAYS!" I've stuck to my guns with the rare exception of temporary storage for something that was going to be removed in days. Knowing the final goal and making it known to the whole family made the difference between success and frustration.
You said “this is confusing” as I was doing very similar stuff and I really appreciate it! It’s not confusing to me and I love hearing all these details!
You Saved my Perfectionist Self from Misery. Qqqqqqquuueesstion???DO YOU EVEN REALIZE THAT YOU ARE CHANGING OUR LIVES AND LITTERALLY CHANGING THE WORLD????? Well these days That is Priceless. Speaking The Truth. 🙂🙂🙂
I do have ADHD (diagnosed) and also OCD (recently officially diagnosed). I have had multiple big changes in my life over the past several years in succession without having time to process one before another occurred. Some of the changes have been very unpleasant (which is an understatement), and some have been the best things to ever happen in my life. However, I am not one who deals with change well, and it rocks my world until I can adjust. And the chaos in my head is reflected in my environment and the chaos in my environment exponentially compounds my anxiety. What you are describing in this video sounds a lot like what I call "but first" syndrome (I want to do X, but first, I need to do Y, but first, I need to do Z...) and I started A LOT of stuff and never finished anything. Your take on this, though, actually follows the "real" first thought through to completion. I could never figure out how to finish anything. What I will take from this and adjust to my "system" is asking myself "how does this help me complete my original task?" If I can answer the question, I will go ahead with the "but first" task. If it doesn't really help me finish the original task, then I will recognize it as a true distraction/OCD perfectionism/ADHD impulsivity. Thank you for helping me clarify this. Your videos have helped me slowly clear some of the clutter and chaos in my home and in my head.
I have ADHD and OCD and PTSD. I was diagnosed in midlife. I can get stuck too. Knowing what you are dealing with helps. I’m learning to acknowledge my body/brain 🧠 is an exceptional machine in quickness of response and noticing things. Noticing potential dangers and beauty in life. It’s not fun at times … our brains are hyper-functioning. They are not lacking… they work hard a lot!!! See the super power you have … imagine having no ideas 💡 about anything!!! I’m also learning to embrace my love to research as a hobby of its own. Maybe I just love to research… maybe I enjoy organizing and re-organizing. For me, some things are natural, since I was born. And trauma or stress can make some things worse … anyway… I’m working to acknowledge my body/ brains hard work and tell it it’s okay and work to release it. 🙏🏼 ❤🙏🏼❤️🙏🏼
Ummm..... I think we may be the same person, except I haven't been officially diagnosed with either ADHD or OCD (but, I'm quite sure I have both)! I won't pretend to know the things you've been through, but I absolutely get the whole "not good with change" thing. I know it doesn't really help much in your day-to-day life, but I wanted you to know that you're not alone. I agree - that question will help the "But, first...." cycle, a lot! I'm definitely going to try it. I hope life is is kinder to you in the coming years, gives you more good days than bad, and things work out better than you dreamed possible! 🌻
I've been working on decluttering my house for a year and sometimes I get frustrated that it doesn't go faster. However, Dana's strategies help me make sure that whatever I do really makes for a long term improvement, not just more stuff-shuffeling! Thank you!!!
You have been a big help to me decluttering our home! I just don't do the take it there now, due to arthritis. I put it close to the door of the room in a basket and sometimes closeby. Whenever I leave a room that goes with me. I find this works better for me. Otherwise, it seems like I am a chicken running around.🤭🐓
Dana, I’ve listened to you ramble on for hours about how your mind works in relation to decluttering. Yet somehow I still find it interesting to listen. Real life example videos like this are really helpful. Yours is the first book I bought based solely upon 5 star reviews. I thought I read all the decluttering books out there but your method was truly original and much needed. You’re a real gift to the world.
I love that I can watch these videos and know what you're going to say next. I knew what you were going to do with that suitcase! And it makes sense to me! I've done enough of this in the past year that now when I have a birthday party for a kid (which is happening this weekend) I don't have to overhaul the whole house. I just have to clean the bathrooms and sweep and mop the floors. The visible spaces in my home are not too bad. It's such a great feeling! There are some not-so-visible spaces that still look like a tornado went through them, but we are moving in the right direction.
That is huge! What a great feeling! Good for you! And then in the aftermath of the birthday party, you won't be discouraged and exhausted that the party just trashed the house you had to work so hard to get perfect for company. 😇 Hah, I speak from experience! Only progress!!!
I had some workmen come over to install a new bathroom floor. They needed kitchen space as well to set up their tools. And it was so easy to move things around to make room for them to work because I had decluttered.
You are describing my life 100%!!! The only difference is that I am alone, so I have to do everything myself. Then add my chronic pain diseases (yes, plural ☹️) which are limiting and exhausting in and of themselves on top of my ADD… my entire house is trashed…I’m so overwhelmed and I can’t seem to finish ANYTHING!! I’m crying right now while I’m watching this because you are giving me permission to do those several different things and not feel guilty!! Thank you!!! Oh, and I work full time (55 hours+ a week) outside the home. I feel like such a failure!! I’m going to start with 1 item right now!!! ❤ thank you!!!! Thank you!!!
Narrow your expectations and do small bits at a time. Only take on one task at a time and leave yourself the option to stop or continue at will and without guilt or shame. If you move just one piece of paper or one item to a better placement or toss out just one thing, you've improved your situation and should take satisfaction in that. Acting on impulse, you will make improvements which will become increasingly obvious over time. If you moved to the sink one glass that previously sat in a room for 6 months, and if you did nothing else for 3 days, you still improved your situation that week; take and acknowledge the win. The only person holding you to accounts is you. The only person setting the standards is you. The only person judging you is you. That means you have the power to change the context. You are justified in taking your time and conserving your resources. Be kind to yourself; you deserve it. Lower the expectations on yourself and take your time. Do one thing. If you feel like it, if it feels good to do one more, then do one more. But stop when you reach your body's or your mind's limit. And be happy for the progress.
I take cleaning stuff with me when I decluttering for such events as I tend to let things get really dusty. So after a quick clean I get things away immediately xxxxxxxc
If you do have an attention problem it has benefited sooo many because you have insight into your barriers to your vision of how you want to manage and maintain the inventory in your house. Taking charge and finding systems that work and you sharing is so inspiring.
I call this "If You Give A Mouse A Cookie Mode" (or Mouse Mode for short). And yeah, that mouse is basically the poster child for ADHD. 😆 BUT, it really does work when you do it your way! Before I *thought* this was what I was doing, but I was actually just stuff shuffling. There's a big difference between, "I have to move this pile over here so that I can empty out this thing and stack the contents over there, so I can move that thing over there and fill it back up with that other stuff" versus actually getting stuff out of the space entirely so that you never have to deal with it again!
Oh my God, that sounds like my home so much! One job leads to another, moving the bookcase then the suitcase! How funny, I thought I was the only one. Thank you I dont feel so bad now xx
The multiple "things"/steps(usually for me: 5 - 8) that needed to be done, before I could do the very thing I originally set out to do, had always held me back from making any progress! NOW I see getting each of these things done as actual progress...LIFE CHANGER!! Thank you Dana for talking thru this real life example!! 🤗❤ 💡(moment)
This strategy is working well for my A.D.D. brain, because "taking it there now" in the past I would have defined as letting myself get distracted, and now I realize it is the only way I'll make progress. My previous strategy that killed progress and I used all the time was "for now." I'll put this here for now. Sometimes, that still is unavoidable, but not nearly as often as I thought it was. If I declutter 5 things but they're fully decluttered, that's way better for my peace of mind than rearranging 50 pieces of clutter that are still clutter, just set aside in a new place "for now."
Thank you, Dana! I will remember your box of books, shelf, and suitcase when I work on my home! You’ve helped me soooo much over the last several years!
Thank you thank you thank you for this. Being reminded that those “distractions” are ok if you are making progress makes a huge difference in how I see them now!
Thank you. You are helping me. I'm definitely Adhd...add to that age 73. I could manage clutter when I was younger..age has me struggling and I realized after a year of trying to declutter , it's worse. I bought two of your books, listen to your RUclips. I'm finally getting my head above water. ( I was a pianist, I compare that to the arts field and we people struggle more than most. I can arrange music and I can find a dozen ways to use something I need to get rid of. We are gifted creative people. Lol Thank you again. Keep up your good work.
If you want to really get some decluttering accomplished, have new flooring installed in your home! I did this a couple of weeks ago. Closets had to be emptied so carpet could be pulled up and new flooring installed. So much stuff I had forgotten about, decorative items that we no longer wanted, craft supplies that had been forgotten, etc. I made 3 donation trips and a couple of trips to the dump. Still have some work to finish but so much better than it was!
So true! We just refinished our floors - so much clutter went along with the old carpet. Next we're putting in new kitchen floors- so the kitchen is getting decluttered next ;)
I agree with you Dana. ADHA ,or not, sometimes we just try to do too many things at once because we want things finished which is almost impossibile. So we must stop beating ourselves up, accept things take time and take the time needed to do that one thing in that moment. Of course it takes longer if we have a lot of stuff but it can be done!
Your processing each item makes sense to my brain processing. I’m decluttering but it was overwhelming. Now I think I can take bites and still call it progress. Thank you.
I love how you break things down. That's exactly how my brain works. I'm glad you created the five-step method for people with brains like mine. God bless you
I am a clutter bug.Right now I have to clear out my messie mum's house...find the things that are for keeps...lots of stuff. So, I need all the encouragement I can get from your videos.
I am a big fan of to-do lists because I am a forgetful/easily distracted person. I have a command center on my refrigerator with a list of things I want to do for the week, it helps me to stay focused and on track
In my head much of the now is "take it there now" and "complete the process". I'm still working on this, but I'm getting better at it. Thank you for your videos!
Your method makes SO MUCH SENSE!! (I HAVE been officially diagnosed with having ADD!) THIS is why I have yet to reclaim the formal dining room in our home! EVERY time I've gone in there, determined to declutter/organize, it just gets reshuffled & I end up frustrated. I've been watching your videos over the last few months, but I've really been focusing (ha ha) lately on the ones about making progress with no mess. If I can deal with one item every time I go in there, it's bound to get back to being a dining room someday! Thanks, Dana! Your thought process is counter-intuitive for most people, but makes perfect sense to "The Rest of Us"!
PERFECT If at any time something came up, if you had to quit before you moved the bookcase, or the suitcase, or WHATEVER, the house would still be better off. And when you got back to decluttering, there would NOT be a bigger mess. There would have been progress. Brilliant. Thank you for sharing.
Awesome! I feel like you just "gave us permission" to use what would feel like a distraction to actually meet our goals. Also, I ♥love♥ Reid's credits--always worth watching all the way to the end!
This is exactly the same system I worked out for myself a few years ago. After using it for several years, I can finally see that I’ve made progress. Sometimes I feel like I’ll never get completely done, but I’m starting to lose that negative thought. I searched for encouragement when things started looking grim today, and yours is the video that came up. I feel completely validated and encouraged. Thank you!
The jobs of Mom and homemaker lead to a lot of running in 2 directions at the same time. I couldn't solve my clutter problem by pulling things apart traditionally but by doing it your way I am (fairly) free!
Thank you for such a specific video on this! My friend keeps telling me she wants to declutter but can't because she runs into this issue. If she brings it up again and the moment feels appropriate I will send this video to her.
Absolutely love this video. Excellent real life situation-- no place to store the books & finding a bookshelf. AND solving the problem at that moment. I have High School yearbooks in my garage-- ugh. Never knew what to do with them. Love you original content!
I 'decluttered' (de-weeded) our garden. Put a 7 minute timer on. And did progress and only progress. I carried my trashbag with me. I stopped as soon as the timer went off and nothing to clean up after. Normally I would have taken all the weeds out, and then brushed up and it becomes a huge palava because the wind would come and blow the weeds around. I'm so happy. Looks great and I stopped as soon as the timer went off
Wow! I enjoyed your explanation about how tidying up often is a chain of events, that it's normal, not an error - can be a drag, but it's not someone's fault! And this also made me realize something a little on the side of what you were talking about: I have been so focused on the mantra "stay focused", because I know I so easily lose focus. When I instead need a system that automatically reels me in, afterwards, whenever I lose focus! Having a low inventory makes the misplaced or unfinished things pop out. And my goal has been to do the right things at the right time, when they most of the time just have to be done in time. I have also reluctantly accepted that it's sometimes better to do things twice, than try to do too many things at once. Multitasking is the worst. This was extremely helpful and encouraging. Thank you!
I just wanted to say how much you have helped me! I get overwhelmed and distracted when doing big decluttering jobs. With your method, I was able to help my husband declutter two boxes in his garage. He wanted me to put things in a keep box for him to go through later but instead I pulled things out one at a time and asked him where he would look for them first. It was so nice to not have a big box of things that then he would have to put away “later”. Progress not perfection!
Listening to how you work through your decluttering process is like how my brain works. I talk to myself, remind myself and work through the steps of what I have to do all day long. Glad to know I'm not the only one. ❤
How clear you are at presenting this information. You have managed to break down the seemingly impossible task of decluttering into the bits and pieces you sort through in your mind with each challenge/step. Dana, you are a genius! 🧐😁
I'm another follower who thinks you probably have undiagnosed ADHD, and I'm pretty sure I do, too. I haven't sought a diagnosis, either, because I don't see what difference it would make- I'm not willing to take medication for it, and I can get plenty of helpful life strategies from the internet- like here! :) I discovered your Facebook page several years (and 3 moves) ago, and your advice has helped a lot. I especially like your assurance that any progress is a positive, even if I don't solve the whole problem in one fell swoop. " 'Better' is better than 'not better,' " has become a catchphrase at our house. Thank you for sharing your struggles and your successes. 🥰
I just feel like this video needs an applause after the year books & scripts were finally on the bookshelf 👏🏻👏🏻😂 Thank you Dana! This may be my favorite video of yours! You are my person!
I have been using your no mess process for a while. Well, the other day, I didn't and I took everything out of cupboard.. 15 minutes in I was done mentally, so what happened? I started shortcutting things and making poor decisions. Now, that space really needs to be redone. Ugh! The no mess process is the way!!!
Thank you! The no bookshelf where you would look for it first is me! I would freeze at that point and quit. I find those stumbling blocks all the time. I have been following your method for a year now and my home is mostly finished, thank you! This gives me motivation to tackle those daunting boxes and spaces!
Thank you so much for this; toii many vloggers discount the necessity and begrudging work of cleaning very dirty items and clearing out final locations for objects to go.
Thank you for sharing that. I have a space I have been slowly trying to declutter, and when I look at it, I get overwhelmed. Part is purging, and part is finding/creating homes for the things that need to stay. Next time I end up working on it, I can try this and focus on the making sure anything I am doing is for the purposes of progress, not procrastination.
I love how this separates the kinds of “but first I have to…” into two categories: sometimes the idea of a task that must happen first actually helps accomplish the original goal.(something like moving a shelf from one room to another). Other times the “but first…” idea might be a distraction (changing the wallpaper, buying new baskets… unless you’re at step 5 of consolidating and you know exactly how little you’re keeping, don’t buy new containers yet 🤪
Thanks for helping me put my laundry away! I’ve been on this journey of simplifying and “deslobifying” for a while but I still love to watch/listen to your videos while doing housework… and always end up feeling so inspired.
ADHD is so much more than getting distracted though, I found that out myself Years and years too late, got my diagnosis in my 30's. It's the executive dysfunction that are behind it all and it affects so much more than just "oh look, a butterfly" ;) You talk a lot about things that fit perfectly with executive dysfunction issues that are in ADHD
That overwhelming feeling you get is likely due to ADD. I have ADD & I get overwhelmed with declutter before I start when it just looks like too much because I can’t see where to start. Luckily your 2nd book & videos have been helping me ☺️ Just today I was cleaning out my daughter’s vanity (surprising her with a new 1 today for her bday😊) and I grabbed a few items that didn’t belong in her room & put them in a random space just to get them out of her space to declutter, but i was just moving clutter from 1 place ti another. & I heard your voice in me head “go put this where it lives now. Where is the 1st place I’d look for this?” Thank you for all of your help!
It sounds like "If you give a Moose a Muffin"! I definitely have days like that. After watching this I think the next time that happens I'm going to roll with it rather than get down on myself for getting distracted. Thanks for turning what I thought was a negative into a positive that I can work with!
🥰 Thank You Dana. I am saving this video to share with the next person who attempts to "help" me declutter. I am now working through the mess that was made when my previous volunteer "helped" me declutter. She "bullied" me to not "take it there now," which has resulted in months of frustration when I haven't been able to find items I know that I have. 😱
Sooooo I’m listening to this thinking you’re being extra wordy today (even with Reid’s editing) and how, if I hadn’t seen your previous videos, I’d move on to a different channel. BUUUTTTTTT then I realized you’re saying E X A C T L Y what comes to mind in these situations. Thanks to you, I’ve learned what is breaking from the task versus what is needed to move forward without creating those dreaded I’ll-get-to-it-later piles. My house is so much BETTER. I’m still bad at letting go of things (e.g. I save TOO MANY empty containers) I may need in the future, because I have space and remember that I own whatever it is. I think I’m just above my clutter threshold, though. Thanks again for progress and only progress!!
The commenters have such good analogies. What about the game of traffic jam? If you've every seen it it is a puzzle game where 12? Toy Cars are crammed into grid and it takes 10 to 21 steps of moving cars forward or backward until the red car can exit the grid. Yes? No? Possibly a lot of people are not familiar with the puzzle. Suffice it to say, there is a lot of puzzling and backtracking before you win
Oh Dana I love listening to you! It's like you are describing my own thought patterns. Your videos always get me back on track with decluttering. Thank you and please carry on doing what you do. You have changed my life.
Omg Dana, this idea just came to me. Usually I love listening to your videos while I do the dishes to keep momentum… today my neighbor is playing workout style techno music in the background… You should be like BANG Energy and encourage people to make inspiring techno tracks for decluttering, where the vocal support is peppered in, and the climatic drops are followed by snippets of you dropping key tips on us. 😎 lol
Omgoodness! Can I just say Thank You! Everything you are saying makes perfect sense and even sounds like common sense. But it took you saying it just know for it to register to me. My husband and I both get distracted like this, but we shouldn't be so hard on ourselves. We aren't putting off more things and adding more things to our to do list. We ARE clearing both physical and mental clutter.
Love this! Even a simple process can be overwhelming if you don't have a way to approach it that works for you. I have regretted the wrong approach that leaves those leftover piles EVERY time!! Thanks 😊
I love listening to you. I always clear a bit more out every time I listen. Based on all that you say that you are thinking, our brains think SO much alike (I am diagnosed with ADHD). I love that you give examples. Even those of us that have been listening for years appreciate you coming back and giving new real world examples!
Great timing! Even hearing your voice motivates me! I have several areas in my place that need to be further decluttered, but it's all the "rearranging" of items to get them to their perfect home that throws me off track. I'm going to replay this video until I get all those areas taken care of. Thanks, Dana!
Thank you so much. Your method has helped me so much. I have been trying to declutter for years, but have not seen much difference. Always end up in bigger mess. Dont know where to start. This is genius.
Your "Progress-Only Decluttering" is pretty much what I have been using in my own hoarding-dismantling for the past few months. A very-dear, longtime friend of mine graciously and joyfully embraced the idea of being my 'accountability buddy', even though she lives over 2,000 miles away from me. She randomly calls me once or twice a month and listens to me prattle on about the details of my decluttering and organizing. She asks questions, presses for details, praises progress, commiserates over obstacles and challenges, and mainly SHE DOESN'T JUDGE ME. It's a safe place to celebrate success, vent frustration, and ground myself. Everyone needs this, as decluttering, especially in a hoarding development, is often a very lonely journey. But what developed during this journey was what > I < call 'puttering decluttering', very like your "Progress-Only Decluttering". Rather than set the goal boundaries around a room (like the Bathroom or Kitchen) or a section (like the Base Cabinets or the Bedroom Closet) or even a function (like the Entry Drop Zone or Baking Supplies), I just 'putter' at the edge of the clutter. By 'puttering', I mean I allow impulse to pull me into preliminary-sorting through a box or bag of papers. Or I let impulse have me move displaced kitchenware from the Dining Table to the Sink to wash and later put away. Or I at least consolidate an item with similar-use items I have set aside to clean and put away once I have a sense of the volume I have to accommodate (if a category of items is spread throughout your house/apartment, you can't determine what size space or containment you need to store them; you need to gather them first). I mentioned my accountability buddy because she is really-really a part of this process; she provides an environment that eliminates the pressure to produce results, that reduces the tendency to beat myself up or feel shame, that lowers the temperature for the process. My friend makes me feel normal, so I can calmly and pragmatically apply myself to the decluttering and organization. And so I 'putter', with no schedule, no deadlines, no overkill ambition, no self-disappointment; the pressure is off. So, I work on impulse, which it turns out is self-motivating. My natural impulse is to poke, pick at, and putter. I 'fluff' my surroundings; I make small undemanding improvements. And as I do this, the clutter recedes as more floor, table, shelf, horizontal surface gets exposed. Order establishes itself as the slow march of possessions return to or establishes for themselves a 'home'. And the funny thing is how addictive decluttering is when you 'putter'. You enjoy the process of handling one item and, next thing you know, you're handling 12 more. But you can stop at any time without recrimination or guilt, because there was no 'goal' or 'agenda' in force beyond just wanting to handle the one thing in the moment. There's no adrenaline or dread, just the pleasure of resolving a small bit of the mess and of seeing that mess recede. Turns out the real key to being successful in decluttering and having an organized home is being relentless in motive but impulsive in motivation. We tend to take on the clutter in too-big chunks, often in ambitious too-short time allowances, and in a mindset that too-deeply involves our own self-esteem. And basically, there is no 'distraction' in puttering; puttering itself is essentially distraction. I am convinced the clutter will resolve 'on its own' over the long haul because it's what I want and expect. I will pick at this and putter about it until it's ALL done, then I will continue to pick and putter at it to maintain order. And the fact that my impulses painlessly push me to make it better, one small act at a time, gives me the confidence that I will be relentless in moving order forward.
So I don’t know if this will help you or not, but I made a cleaning kit. I got a plastic container at Walmart with a handle and I put all my cleaning supplies in there. Spray Cleaner, paper towels, furniture polish, magic erasers, disposable dust cloths, rubber gloves. Everything I can use to clean. When I have something that needs cleaning I grab the kit, and I have everything I need.
When that happens we call it a "side quest" or a "mini game" in our grand video game challenge of life. Some days are filled with JUST side quests but it is still PROGRESS. 😁
"Side quest" or "mini game"😂😂
I LOVE it!
YES! 🙌 this SO much! 😍
That's such a helpful perspective that I need to adopt!
Love that! TY
Lori...great perspective...love it! 😊💕
You can not know how your thought process has changed my craft room. I'm a quilter, and I forever have TONS of fabric pieces and patterns to deal with: new fabric to give a home, longarm scraps to trim down and put away or get rid of, quilting projects in the works, etc. We have all these fancy terms like UFOs (UnFinished Objects) and WIPs (Work In Progress) but most quilting spaces look like a tornado went through them. Since watching you, as I finish ANY process (not project...any process), I think, "Take it there now" or "Where would I look for this first". That has me putting scissors where they go, fabric is stored in its place, everything has a home, and I finish each day with a clean cutting table for tomorrow. It's Magic. :) You're the BEST!
I now do that too...she's very helpful!
Yes, me too. I have been declutterring for awhile and in the sewing room. She has really helped me too
Just spent 40 min with old papers pile and coffee using your method. I heard you saying ‘take it there now’ and I plowed through until I got overwhelmed again. Shred party tomorrow!
Between you and Cas I have finally accepted that I am ADHD -wow, and thanks
I love this. It’s so easy to make a pile once you’ve decided what to do with something, but I can see how it’s better to just take care of it right away.
I used your No Mess method to clear out a spare bedroom that had the boxes I had kept from clearing out my parents house. I found a picture I wanted to keep. I thought about where I wanted to put it and what kind of frame it needed. I immediatly took the picture and got it framed. I came home and hung it up. I look at it all the time and feel good that it is in its final home. I did this with everything in that room. Yes, it took longer but there was no stuff shifting, just getting those treasures where they should be.
Wow! 🦘🦘🦘
Love this well done ❤
I can definitely attest to your method. I tried decluttering my closet, using the clear everything out method, got called away and when it was time to go to bed (and the bed was covered in clothes), I ended up sleeping on top of the clothes, because it would've taken too long to put it to rights then. With your method, tho, I was finally able to declutter my closet without making a disaster to deal with later. Thank you so much! Love your channel.😊👍🐾
Same
I think it is so helpful that you are transparent enough to share these real-life examples. great video!
I love that parking in your garage, the place cars belong, was your ultimate goal. We moved here 30 years ago, and I put my foot down the day we moved in. "We WILL have room for a car in this garage ALWAYS!" I've stuck to my guns with the rare exception of temporary storage for something that was going to be removed in days. Knowing the final goal and making it known to the whole family made the difference between success and frustration.
You said “this is confusing” as I was doing very similar stuff and I really appreciate it! It’s not confusing to me and I love hearing all these details!
You Saved my Perfectionist Self from Misery. Qqqqqqquuueesstion???DO YOU EVEN REALIZE THAT YOU ARE CHANGING OUR LIVES AND LITTERALLY CHANGING THE WORLD????? Well these days That is Priceless. Speaking The Truth. 🙂🙂🙂
I do have ADHD (diagnosed) and also OCD (recently officially diagnosed). I have had multiple big changes in my life over the past several years in succession without having time to process one before another occurred. Some of the changes have been very unpleasant (which is an understatement), and some have been the best things to ever happen in my life. However, I am not one who deals with change well, and it rocks my world until I can adjust. And the chaos in my head is reflected in my environment and the chaos in my environment exponentially compounds my anxiety. What you are describing in this video sounds a lot like what I call "but first" syndrome (I want to do X, but first, I need to do Y, but first, I need to do Z...) and I started A LOT of stuff and never finished anything. Your take on this, though, actually follows the "real" first thought through to completion. I could never figure out how to finish anything. What I will take from this and adjust to my "system" is asking myself "how does this help me complete my original task?" If I can answer the question, I will go ahead with the "but first" task. If it doesn't really help me finish the original task, then I will recognize it as a true distraction/OCD perfectionism/ADHD impulsivity. Thank you for helping me clarify this. Your videos have helped me slowly clear some of the clutter and chaos in my home and in my head.
Your hair is adorable . I’m glad you’re you and can encourage me
I have ADHD and OCD and PTSD. I was diagnosed in midlife. I can get stuck too. Knowing what you are dealing with helps.
I’m learning to acknowledge my body/brain 🧠 is an exceptional machine in quickness of response and noticing things. Noticing potential dangers and beauty in life.
It’s not fun at times … our brains are hyper-functioning. They are not lacking… they work hard a lot!!!
See the super power you have … imagine having no ideas 💡 about anything!!!
I’m also learning to embrace my love to research as a hobby of its own. Maybe I just love to research… maybe I enjoy organizing and re-organizing.
For me, some things are natural, since I was born. And trauma or stress can make some things worse … anyway… I’m working to acknowledge my body/ brains hard work and tell it it’s okay and work to release it. 🙏🏼 ❤🙏🏼❤️🙏🏼
Ummm..... I think we may be the same person, except I haven't been officially diagnosed with either ADHD or OCD (but, I'm quite sure I have both)! I won't pretend to know the things you've been through, but I absolutely get the whole "not good with change" thing. I know it doesn't really help much in your day-to-day life, but I wanted you to know that you're not alone.
I agree - that question will help the "But, first...." cycle, a lot! I'm definitely going to try it.
I hope life is is kinder to you in the coming years, gives you more good days than bad, and things work out better than you dreamed possible! 🌻
I love your plan, thank you for sharing.
I love the editor's comments at the end of your videos! 🤣
I've been working on decluttering my house for a year and sometimes I get frustrated that it doesn't go faster. However, Dana's strategies help me make sure that whatever I do really makes for a long term improvement, not just more stuff-shuffeling! Thank you!!!
You have been a big help to me decluttering our home! I just don't do the take it there now, due to arthritis. I put it close to the door of the room in a basket and sometimes closeby. Whenever I leave a room that goes with me. I find this works better for me. Otherwise, it seems like I am a chicken running around.🤭🐓
Dana, I’ve listened to you ramble on for hours about how your mind works in relation to decluttering. Yet somehow I still find it interesting to listen. Real life example videos like this are really helpful.
Yours is the first book I bought based solely upon 5 star reviews. I thought I read all the decluttering books out there but your method was truly original and much needed. You’re a real gift to the world.
🧡
I love that I can watch these videos and know what you're going to say next. I knew what you were going to do with that suitcase! And it makes sense to me! I've done enough of this in the past year that now when I have a birthday party for a kid (which is happening this weekend) I don't have to overhaul the whole house. I just have to clean the bathrooms and sweep and mop the floors. The visible spaces in my home are not too bad. It's such a great feeling! There are some not-so-visible spaces that still look like a tornado went through them, but we are moving in the right direction.
That is huge! What a great feeling! Good for you! And then in the aftermath of the birthday party, you won't be discouraged and exhausted that the party just trashed the house you had to work so hard to get perfect for company. 😇 Hah, I speak from experience! Only progress!!!
I had some workmen come over to install a new bathroom floor. They needed kitchen space as well to set up their tools. And it was so easy to move things around to make room for them to work because I had decluttered.
You are describing my life 100%!!! The only difference is that I am alone, so I have to do everything myself. Then add my chronic pain diseases (yes, plural ☹️) which are limiting and exhausting in and of themselves on top of my ADD… my entire house is trashed…I’m so overwhelmed and I can’t seem to finish ANYTHING!! I’m crying right now while I’m watching this because you are giving me permission to do those several different things and not feel guilty!! Thank you!!! Oh, and I work full time (55 hours+ a week) outside the home. I feel like such a failure!! I’m going to start with 1 item right now!!! ❤ thank you!!!! Thank you!!!
Thank you Dena! ❤
Narrow your expectations and do small bits at a time. Only take on one task at a time and leave yourself the option to stop or continue at will and without guilt or shame. If you move just one piece of paper or one item to a better placement or toss out just one thing, you've improved your situation and should take satisfaction in that.
Acting on impulse, you will make improvements which will become increasingly obvious over time. If you moved to the sink one glass that previously sat in a room for 6 months, and if you did nothing else for 3 days, you still improved your situation that week; take and acknowledge the win.
The only person holding you to accounts is you. The only person setting the standards is you. The only person judging you is you. That means you have the power to change the context.
You are justified in taking your time and conserving your resources. Be kind to yourself; you deserve it. Lower the expectations on yourself and take your time. Do one thing. If you feel like it, if it feels good to do one more, then do one more. But stop when you reach your body's or your mind's limit. And be happy for the progress.
I take cleaning stuff with me when I decluttering for such events as I tend to let things get really dusty. So after a quick clean I get things away immediately xxxxxxxc
If you do have an attention problem it has benefited sooo many because you have insight into your barriers to your vision of how you want to manage and maintain the inventory in your house. Taking charge and finding systems that work and you sharing is so inspiring.
I call this "If You Give A Mouse A Cookie Mode" (or Mouse Mode for short). And yeah, that mouse is basically the poster child for ADHD. 😆
BUT, it really does work when you do it your way! Before I *thought* this was what I was doing, but I was actually just stuff shuffling. There's a big difference between, "I have to move this pile over here so that I can empty out this thing and stack the contents over there, so I can move that thing over there and fill it back up with that other stuff" versus actually getting stuff out of the space entirely so that you never have to deal with it again!
I love your process! Always better off whenever you stop
Oh my God, that sounds like my home so much! One job leads to another, moving the bookcase then the suitcase! How funny, I thought I was the only one. Thank you I dont feel so bad now xx
Love the "only progress" idea and not having big messes in the process. Thanks!
The multiple "things"/steps(usually for me: 5 - 8) that needed to be done, before I could do the very thing I originally set out to do, had always held me back from making any progress! NOW I see getting each of these things done as actual progress...LIFE CHANGER!! Thank you Dana for talking thru this real life example!! 🤗❤ 💡(moment)
You never cease to crack me up. Thank you for being so real and sharing your own experiences and process. It works!!! Love you Dana!
This strategy is working well for my A.D.D. brain, because "taking it there now" in the past I would have defined as letting myself get distracted, and now I realize it is the only way I'll make progress. My previous strategy that killed progress and I used all the time was "for now." I'll put this here for now. Sometimes, that still is unavoidable, but not nearly as often as I thought it was. If I declutter 5 things but they're fully decluttered, that's way better for my peace of mind than rearranging 50 pieces of clutter that are still clutter, just set aside in a new place "for now."
Note to self: have spray cleaner and rags if decluttering somewhere that might have dust or dirt.
Thank you, Dana! I will remember your box of books, shelf, and suitcase when I work on my home! You’ve helped me soooo much over the last several years!
Thank you thank you thank you for this. Being reminded that those “distractions” are ok if you are making progress makes a huge difference in how I see them now!
Thank you. You are helping me. I'm definitely Adhd...add to that age 73. I could manage clutter when I was younger..age has me struggling and I realized after a year of trying to declutter , it's worse.
I bought two of your books, listen to your RUclips. I'm finally getting my head above water. ( I was a pianist, I compare that to the arts field and we people struggle more than most. I can arrange music and I can find a dozen ways to use something I need to get rid of. We are gifted creative people. Lol
Thank you again. Keep up your good work.
If you want to really get some decluttering accomplished, have new flooring installed in your home! I did this a couple of weeks ago. Closets had to be emptied so carpet could be pulled up and new flooring installed. So much stuff I had forgotten about, decorative items that we no longer wanted, craft supplies that had been forgotten, etc. I made 3 donation trips and a couple of trips to the dump. Still have some work to finish but so much better than it was!
So true! We just refinished our floors - so much clutter went along with the old carpet. Next we're putting in new kitchen floors- so the kitchen is getting decluttered next ;)
Ditto!
The Dog-Dining Room! Everyone should have one 😀
My friend and I were talking about your no mess method today and how helpful is has been. Thank you 🙏
Made total sense to me and yes a great way to move forward not backwards with decluttering! Thanks for another great video!!
I agree with you Dana. ADHA ,or not, sometimes we just try to do too many things at once because we want things finished which is almost impossibile. So we must stop beating ourselves up, accept things take time and take the time needed to do that one thing in that moment. Of course it takes longer if we have a lot of stuff but it can be done!
Your processing each item makes sense to my brain processing. I’m decluttering but it was overwhelming. Now I think I can take bites and still call it progress. Thank you.
I love how you break things down. That's exactly how my brain works. I'm glad you created the five-step method for people with brains like mine. God bless you
I am a
clutter bug.Right now I have to clear out my messie mum's house...find the things that are for keeps...lots of stuff.
So, I need all the encouragement I can get from your videos.
I am a big fan of to-do lists because I am a forgetful/easily distracted person. I have a command center on my refrigerator with a list of things I want to do for the week, it helps me to stay focused and on track
Thank you Dana for sharing. I love how you explained the steps.
In my head much of the now is "take it there now" and "complete the process". I'm still working on this, but I'm getting better at it. Thank you for your videos!
Sorry, I should have said much of the TIME now is "take it there now" and "complete the process".
I love the videos where you go help people declutter their spaces!
Your method makes SO MUCH SENSE!! (I HAVE been officially diagnosed with having ADD!) THIS is why I have yet to reclaim the formal dining room in our home! EVERY time I've gone in there, determined to declutter/organize, it just gets reshuffled & I end up frustrated. I've been watching your videos over the last few months, but I've really been focusing (ha ha) lately on the ones about making progress with no mess. If I can deal with one item every time I go in there, it's bound to get back to being a dining room someday! Thanks, Dana! Your thought process is counter-intuitive for most people, but makes perfect sense to "The Rest of Us"!
PERFECT
If at any time something came up, if you had to quit before you moved the bookcase, or the suitcase, or WHATEVER, the house would still be better off. And when you got back to decluttering, there would NOT be a bigger mess. There would have been progress. Brilliant.
Thank you for sharing.
Awesome! I feel like you just "gave us permission" to use what would feel like a distraction to actually meet our goals. Also, I ♥love♥ Reid's credits--always worth watching all the way to the end!
This is exactly the same system I worked out for myself a few years ago. After using it for several years, I can finally see that I’ve made progress. Sometimes I feel like I’ll never get completely done, but I’m starting to lose that negative thought. I searched for encouragement when things started looking grim today, and yours is the video that came up. I feel completely validated and encouraged. Thank you!
I love that method! It’s THE best one for me. It changed my life since I discovered your videos 1 year ago! Thank you soo much!
So helpful that I saved it in my 3 playlists where I may look for it first. If only reality mirrored cyber storage.
The jobs of Mom and homemaker lead to a lot of running in 2 directions at the same time. I couldn't solve my clutter problem by pulling things apart traditionally but by doing it your way I am (fairly) free!
Thank you for such a specific video on this! My friend keeps telling me she wants to declutter but can't because she runs into this issue. If she brings it up again and the moment feels appropriate I will send this video to her.
Absolutely love this video. Excellent real life situation-- no place to store the books & finding a bookshelf. AND solving the problem at that moment. I have High School yearbooks in my garage-- ugh. Never knew what to do with them.
Love you original content!
I like your idea of not leaving a mess when disturbed too! It works for me better!
I 'decluttered' (de-weeded) our garden. Put a 7 minute timer on. And did progress and only progress. I carried my trashbag with me. I stopped as soon as the timer went off and nothing to clean up after. Normally I would have taken all the weeds out, and then brushed up and it becomes a huge palava because the wind would come and blow the weeds around. I'm so happy. Looks great and I stopped as soon as the timer went off
Wow! I enjoyed your explanation about how tidying up often is a chain of events, that it's normal, not an error - can be a drag, but it's not someone's fault! And this also made me realize something a little on the side of what you were talking about: I have been so focused on the mantra "stay focused", because I know I so easily lose focus. When I instead need a system that automatically reels me in, afterwards, whenever I lose focus! Having a low inventory makes the misplaced or unfinished things pop out. And my goal has been to do the right things at the right time, when they most of the time just have to be done in time. I have also reluctantly accepted that it's sometimes better to do things twice, than try to do too many things at once. Multitasking is the worst.
This was extremely helpful and encouraging. Thank you!
The humor writer Patrick McManus called this 'getting caught in a spiral of sequences.'
I just wanted to say how much you have helped me! I get overwhelmed and distracted when doing big decluttering jobs. With your method, I was able to help my husband declutter two boxes in his garage. He wanted me to put things in a keep box for him to go through later but instead I pulled things out one at a time and asked him where he would look for them first. It was so nice to not have a big box of things that then he would have to put away “later”. Progress not perfection!
I love this!
We have a sunroon we call the doggie room! It's so nice to see others do this too! ☺
We have the cat room - where we keep his litter tray 🤣
Listening to how you work through your decluttering process is like how my brain works. I talk to myself, remind myself and work through the steps of what I have to do all day long. Glad to know I'm not the only one. ❤
How clear you are at presenting this information. You have managed to break down the seemingly impossible task of decluttering into the bits and pieces you sort through in your mind with each challenge/step. Dana, you are a genius! 🧐😁
But now I have gotten so overwhelmed with all the things I need to do to make my first decision work .WHEW, WHAT A RIDE!
I'm another follower who thinks you probably have undiagnosed ADHD, and I'm pretty sure I do, too. I haven't sought a diagnosis, either, because I don't see what difference it would make- I'm not willing to take medication for it, and I can get plenty of helpful life strategies from the internet- like here! :) I discovered your Facebook page several years (and 3 moves) ago, and your advice has helped a lot. I especially like your assurance that any progress is a positive, even if I don't solve the whole problem in one fell swoop. " 'Better' is better than 'not better,' " has become a catchphrase at our house. Thank you for sharing your struggles and your successes. 🥰
Life is distacting. Phone, door bell, animals, children you are real and so helpful thank you
I just feel like this video needs an applause after the year books & scripts were finally on the bookshelf 👏🏻👏🏻😂 Thank you Dana! This may be my favorite video of yours! You are my person!
I have been using your no mess process for a while. Well, the other day, I didn't and I took everything out of cupboard.. 15 minutes in I was done mentally, so what happened? I started shortcutting things and making poor decisions. Now, that space really needs to be redone. Ugh! The no mess process is the way!!!
Thank you! The no bookshelf where you would look for it first is me! I would freeze at that point and quit. I find those stumbling blocks all the time. I have been following your method for a year now and my home is mostly finished, thank you! This gives me motivation to tackle those daunting boxes and spaces!
Thank you so much for this; toii many vloggers discount the necessity and begrudging work of cleaning very dirty items and clearing out final locations for objects to go.
Thank you for sharing that. I have a space I have been slowly trying to declutter, and when I look at it, I get overwhelmed. Part is purging, and part is finding/creating homes for the things that need to stay. Next time I end up working on it, I can try this and focus on the making sure anything I am doing is for the purposes of progress, not procrastination.
I love how this separates the kinds of “but first I have to…” into two categories: sometimes the idea of a task that must happen first actually helps accomplish the original goal.(something like moving a shelf from one room to another). Other times the “but first…” idea might be a distraction (changing the wallpaper, buying new baskets… unless you’re at step 5 of consolidating and you know exactly how little you’re keeping, don’t buy new containers yet 🤪
Thanks for helping me put my laundry away! I’ve been on this journey of simplifying and “deslobifying” for a while but I still love to watch/listen to your videos while doing housework… and always end up feeling so inspired.
ADHD is so much more than getting distracted though, I found that out myself Years and years too late, got my diagnosis in my 30's. It's the executive dysfunction that are behind it all and it affects so much more than just "oh look, a butterfly" ;) You talk a lot about things that fit perfectly with executive dysfunction issues that are in ADHD
That overwhelming feeling you get is likely due to ADD. I have ADD & I get overwhelmed with declutter before I start when it just looks like too much because I can’t see where to start. Luckily your 2nd book & videos have been helping me ☺️
Just today I was cleaning out my daughter’s vanity (surprising her with a new 1 today for her bday😊) and I grabbed a few items that didn’t belong in her room & put them in a random space just to get them out of her space to declutter, but i was just moving clutter from 1 place ti another. & I heard your voice in me head “go put this where it lives now. Where is the 1st place I’d look for this?”
Thank you for all of your help!
It sounds like "If you give a Moose a Muffin"! I definitely have days like that. After watching this I think the next time that happens I'm going to roll with it rather than get down on myself for getting distracted. Thanks for turning what I thought was a negative into a positive that I can work with!
🥰 Thank You Dana.
I am saving this video to share with the next person who attempts to "help" me declutter.
I am now working through the mess that was made when my previous volunteer "helped" me declutter. She "bullied" me to not "take it there now," which has resulted in months of frustration when I haven't been able to find items I know that I have. 😱
Sooooo I’m listening to this thinking you’re being extra wordy today (even with Reid’s editing) and how, if I hadn’t seen your previous videos, I’d move on to a different channel. BUUUTTTTTT then I realized you’re saying E X A C T L Y what comes to mind in these situations.
Thanks to you, I’ve learned what is breaking from the task versus what is needed to move forward without creating those dreaded I’ll-get-to-it-later piles. My house is so much BETTER.
I’m still bad at letting go of things (e.g. I save TOO MANY empty containers) I may need in the future, because I have space and remember that I own whatever it is. I think I’m just above my clutter threshold, though.
Thanks again for progress and only progress!!
Love your shirts! They make me smile!❤
The commenters have such good analogies. What about the game of traffic jam? If you've every seen it it is a puzzle game where 12? Toy Cars are crammed into grid and it takes 10 to 21 steps of moving cars forward or backward until the red car can exit the grid. Yes? No? Possibly a lot of people are not familiar with the puzzle. Suffice it to say, there is a lot of puzzling and backtracking before you win
Oh Dana I love listening to you! It's like you are describing my own thought patterns. Your videos always get me back on track with decluttering. Thank you and please carry on doing what you do. You have changed my life.
Omg Dana, this idea just came to me. Usually I love listening to your videos while I do the dishes to keep momentum… today my neighbor is playing workout style techno music in the background…
You should be like BANG Energy and encourage people to make inspiring techno tracks for decluttering, where the vocal support is peppered in, and the climatic drops are followed by snippets of you dropping key tips on us. 😎 lol
You are very clear in your examples and instructions. Thank you, it is very helpful.
Omgoodness! Can I just say Thank You! Everything you are saying makes perfect sense and even sounds like common sense. But it took you saying it just know for it to register to me. My husband and I both get distracted like this, but we shouldn't be so hard on ourselves. We aren't putting off more things and adding more things to our to do list. We ARE clearing both physical and mental clutter.
This strategy has been my mantra all afternoon!!
Actually, I would pick an item up and say, "This needs to travel to its final destination!"
Love this! Even a simple process can be overwhelming if you don't have a way to approach it that works for you. I have regretted the wrong approach that leaves those leftover piles EVERY time!! Thanks 😊
This was SOOOOOO WELL DONE. I can TOOOOOOTALLY relate. I'm ALWAYS encountering this issue. Thanks for clarifying this great topic.
I love listening to you. I always clear a bit more out every time I listen. Based on all that you say that you are thinking, our brains think SO much alike (I am diagnosed with ADHD). I love that you give examples. Even those of us that have been listening for years appreciate you coming back and giving new real world examples!
Your editor makes me laugh! He reminds me of an older child I have who would make such comments. I look forward to his remarks after videos.
Holy moly! I could see it in my mind. I'm seeing lots of possibilities for me in this process. Thank you.
Love this!! This is what I often find myself better off doing as well. Love you and your content Dana!
Thank you your story about the table answered a question I didn’t know I had. But I was stumped with stuff like this all the time
Great timing! Even hearing your voice motivates me! I have several areas in my place that need to be further decluttered, but it's all the "rearranging" of items to get them to their perfect home that throws me off track. I'm going to replay this video until I get all those areas taken care of. Thanks, Dana!
Thank you so much. Your method has helped me so much. I have been trying to declutter for years, but have not seen much difference. Always end up in bigger mess. Dont know where to start. This is genius.
So helpful to hear how to apply taking it there now. Thank you so much for sharing!
Dana, your videos and books speak to my very SOUL.
Your "Progress-Only Decluttering" is pretty much what I have been using in my own hoarding-dismantling for the past few months.
A very-dear, longtime friend of mine graciously and joyfully embraced the idea of being my 'accountability buddy', even though she lives over 2,000 miles away from me. She randomly calls me once or twice a month and listens to me prattle on about the details of my decluttering and organizing. She asks questions, presses for details, praises progress, commiserates over obstacles and challenges, and mainly SHE DOESN'T JUDGE ME. It's a safe place to celebrate success, vent frustration, and ground myself. Everyone needs this, as decluttering, especially in a hoarding development, is often a very lonely journey.
But what developed during this journey was what > I < call 'puttering decluttering', very like your "Progress-Only Decluttering". Rather than set the goal boundaries around a room (like the Bathroom or Kitchen) or a section (like the Base Cabinets or the Bedroom Closet) or even a function (like the Entry Drop Zone or Baking Supplies), I just 'putter' at the edge of the clutter.
By 'puttering', I mean I allow impulse to pull me into preliminary-sorting through a box or bag of papers. Or I let impulse have me move displaced kitchenware from the Dining Table to the Sink to wash and later put away. Or I at least consolidate an item with similar-use items I have set aside to clean and put away once I have a sense of the volume I have to accommodate (if a category of items is spread throughout your house/apartment, you can't determine what size space or containment you need to store them; you need to gather them first).
I mentioned my accountability buddy because she is really-really a part of this process; she provides an environment that eliminates the pressure to produce results, that reduces the tendency to beat myself up or feel shame, that lowers the temperature for the process. My friend makes me feel normal, so I can calmly and pragmatically apply myself to the decluttering and organization. And so I 'putter', with no schedule, no deadlines, no overkill ambition, no self-disappointment; the pressure is off.
So, I work on impulse, which it turns out is self-motivating. My natural impulse is to poke, pick at, and putter. I 'fluff' my surroundings; I make small undemanding improvements. And as I do this, the clutter recedes as more floor, table, shelf, horizontal surface gets exposed. Order establishes itself as the slow march of possessions return to or establishes for themselves a 'home'. And the funny thing is how addictive decluttering is when you 'putter'. You enjoy the process of handling one item and, next thing you know, you're handling 12 more. But you can stop at any time without recrimination or guilt, because there was no 'goal' or 'agenda' in force beyond just wanting to handle the one thing in the moment. There's no adrenaline or dread, just the pleasure of resolving a small bit of the mess and of seeing that mess recede.
Turns out the real key to being successful in decluttering and having an organized home is being relentless in motive but impulsive in motivation. We tend to take on the clutter in too-big chunks, often in ambitious too-short time allowances, and in a mindset that too-deeply involves our own self-esteem. And basically, there is no 'distraction' in puttering; puttering itself is essentially distraction. I am convinced the clutter will resolve 'on its own' over the long haul because it's what I want and expect. I will pick at this and putter about it until it's ALL done, then I will continue to pick and putter at it to maintain order. And the fact that my impulses painlessly push me to make it better, one small act at a time, gives me the confidence that I will be relentless in moving order forward.
Forgot to mention: this is the 'How to Eat an Elephant' method: you do it one bite at a time...
Thank you for this! I plan to show it to my daughter as we take on years of clutter.
I totally AGREE with your process!! This is what has always worked with me! Very cool!
Blessings, Lyn in Nampa ID
So I don’t know if this will help you or not, but I made a cleaning kit. I got a plastic container at Walmart with a handle and I put all my cleaning supplies in there. Spray Cleaner, paper towels, furniture polish, magic erasers, disposable dust cloths, rubber gloves. Everything I can use to clean. When I have something that needs cleaning I grab the kit, and I have everything I need.
This is seriously great. Thank you, Dana K White.
Does it scare you that I understood you completely and was Not confused by the way your mind works through things? It made total sense to me!